Unmanned aerial vehicle authorization and geofence envelope determination

• US 9,311,760 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2015
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skydio, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Unmanned Innovation Inc (Delair SAS)
• Inventors: Downey, Jonathan, Michini, Bernard J., Moster, Joseph, Weigel, Donald Curry, Ogden, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Bao Long T
• Application Number:
  US14/709,360
• Publication Number:
  US 20150325064A1
• Time in Patent Office: 337 Days
• Field of Search: 701 1- 2, 701/14, 701/23, 701 25- 27, 701/120, 701/122, 701 291- 293, 701/29.6, 701/33.4, 701/34.2, 244189-190, 244196-197
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/00 Beacons or beacon systems transmitting signals having a characteristic or characteristics capable of being detected by non-directional receivers and defining directions, positions, or position lines fixed relatively to the beacon transmitters; Receivers co-operating therewith position fixing by co-ordinating a plurality of determinations of direction or position lines G01S5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0027 involving a plurality of vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling fleet control of land vehicles from a control room G05D1/0297; traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00; for marine craft G08G3/00; for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0202 specially adapted to aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/101 specially adapted for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/004 Indicating the operating range of the engine economical driving B60R16/0236, F02B77/084; measuring liquid fuel of an engine G01F9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/02 Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0816 Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0056 in an emergency situation, e.g. hijacking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/006 in accordance with predefined flight zones, e.g. to avoid prohibited zones
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0091 : for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 : Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 : Access restriction performed under specific conditions

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for unmanned aerial vehicle authorization and geofence envelope determination. One of the methods includes maintaining, in a datastore, flight operation information associated with UAV flight operations. A request to generate a risk assessment report is received, with the request including aspects of a UAV flight operation, with the risk assessment report describing risk associated with each aspect. Flight operation information accessed from the datastore is analyzed. Performance characteristics are determined based at least in part on the analysis of the flight operation information, with the performance characteristics including information that can inform, or affect, a safe or functional UAV flight operation. Risk assessments for each aspects in the request are determined using the performance characteristics. The risk assessment report is generated using the determined risk assessments.

Claims

1. An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) analysis system, comprising:

a computer data repository that stores flight operation information associated with a plurality of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flight operations, including historical flight information for historical flight operations which have already occurred, said computer data repository comprising a non-transitory storage device; and

a computing system comprising one or more computing devices, said computing system programmed to implement;

an analysis engine, the analysis engine configured to;

receive a request to generate a risk assessment report that describes risk associated with an upcoming flight operation, the upcoming flight operation comprising a first plurality of UAV flight operation aspects;

analyze, prior to the upcoming flight operation and using the computer data repository, historical flight information, the historical flight information describing a first plurality of historical flight operations that each included one or more of the plurality of UAV flight operation aspects;

determine, based, at least in part, on the accessed historical flight information, performance characteristics for the first plurality of UAV flight operation aspects, wherein the performance characteristics include information that informs a safe or functional UAV flight operation, and wherein one or more of the performance characteristics describe determined degradation of a component, indicated by a first UAV flight operation aspect of the first plurality of UAV flight operation aspects, that will be utilized during the upcoming flight operation;

determine, using the performance characteristics, risk assessments for each of the first plurality of UAV flight operation aspects; and

generate, for presentation, the risk assessment report using the determined risk assessments.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein flight operation information stored in the computer data repository and associated with a particular UAV flight operation includes information describing:

one or more human operators associated with the particular UAV flight operation,

configuration information for a UAV associated with the particular UAV flight operation,

operational information describing the particular UAV flight operation, and

mission information generated by components included in the UAV associated with the particular flight operation.

3. The system of claim 1,

wherein a second UAV flight operation aspect indicated by the request is a particular UAV, and wherein the determination of performance characteristics for the particular UAV comprises operations comprising:

identifying a UAV airframe type associated with the particular UAV;

obtaining, from the historical flight information, sensor information over a period of time from sensors included in the particular UAV; and

determining, using the UAV airframe type and sensor information, a vibration profile of the UAV over the period of time.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is further configured to:

receive a request to generate an authorization request report associated with a particular UAV flight operation, the request to generate an authorization request indicating UAV flight operation aspects of the particular UAV flight operation and a type of authorization request report, wherein the type of authorization request report indicates information to include in the authorization request report;

determine performance characteristics associated with the UAV flight operation aspects of the particular UAV flight operation; and

generate, using the performance characteristics, the authorization request report according to the type of authorization request report, wherein the authorization request report includes information relevant to obtaining authorization for the particular UAV flight operation.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is further configured to:

receive a request to generate an authorization request report associated with a particular UAV flight operation, the request to generate an authorization request indicating UAV flight operation aspects of the particular UAV flight operation and a type of authorization request report, wherein the type of authorization request report indicates information to include in the authorization request report;

determine performance characteristics associated with the UAV flight operation aspects of the particular UAV flight operation;

generate, using the performance characteristics, the authorization request report according to the type of authorization request report;

determine risk assessments associated with the UAV flight operation aspects of the particular UAV flight operation; and

include information identifying the risk assessments in the authorization request report, wherein the authorization request report includes information relevant to obtaining authorization for the particular UAV flight operation.

6. A computer implemented method comprising:

maintaining in a data store, by a computer system comprising hardware, flight operation information associated with a plurality of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flight operations, including historical flight operation information for historical flight operations which have already occurred;

receiving, at the computer system, a request to generate a risk assessment report that describes risk associated with an upcoming flight operation, the request indicating one or more aspects of the upcoming flight operation, wherein the risk assessment report describes risk associated with each aspect;

analyzing, prior to the upcoming flight operation and using the maintained flight operation information, historical flight operation information describing a first plurality of historical flight operations that each included one or more of the aspects of the upcoming flight operation;

determining by the computer system, based at least in part on the analysis of the historical flight operation information, performance characteristics for each aspect in the request, wherein the performance characteristics include information that informs a safe or functional UAV flight operation, and wherein one or more of the performance characteristics describe determined degradation of a component, indicated by a first aspect of the one or more aspects, that will be utilized during the upcoming flight operation;

determining by the computer system, using the performance characteristics, risk assessments for each aspect indicated by the request; and

generating, for presentation and by the computer system the risk assessment report using the determined risk assessments.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein flight operation information associated with a particular UAV flight operation includes information describing:

one or more operators associated with the particular UAV flight operation,

configuration information for a UAV associated with the particular UAV flight operation,

operational information describing the particular UAV flight operation, and

mission information generated by components included in the UAV associated with the particular flight operation.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein a second aspect indicated by the request is a particular UAV to be utilized in the upcoming flight operation, and wherein determining performance characteristics for the particular UAV comprises:

identifying a UAV airframe type associated with the particular UAV;

obtaining, from the historical flight operation information, sensor information over a period of time from sensors included in the particular UAV; and

determining, from the UAV airframe type and sensor information, a vibration profile of the particular UAV over the period of time.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein a second aspect indicated by the request is a particular UAV, and wherein determining performance characteristics for the particular UAV comprises:

identifying a UAV airframe type associated with the particular UAV;

obtaining, from the historical flight operation information, sensor information over a period of time from sensors included in the particular UAV;

determining, from the UAV airframe type and sensor information, a vibration profile of the particular UAV over the period of time;

determining, from the vibration profile, one or more issues affecting safety or performance of the particular UAV; and

including information identifying the issues in the risk assessment report.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein a second aspect of indicated by the request are batteries to be utilized in the upcoming flight operation, and wherein determining performance characteristics of the batteries comprises:

obtaining, from the historical flight operation information, battery characteristics of the batteries over a period of time;

obtaining information identifying central tendency characteristics of a plurality of batteries that are of a same, or similar, type as the batteries;

determining, from the battery characteristics and central tendency characteristics, an estimated health of the batteries.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining a probability of failure of the batteries to be utilized in the upcoming flight operation; and

including information identifying the probability of failure in the risk assessment report.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein a second aspect indicated by the request is a particular operator to provide instructions to a UAV during the upcoming flight operation, and wherein determining performance characteristics for the particular operator comprises one or more of:

obtaining, from the historical flight operation information, information identifying one or more historical flight operations associated with the particular operator, that are associated with an error or failure;

obtaining, from the historical flight operation information, one or more types of licenses associated with the particular operator;

obtaining, from the historical flight operation information, a number of UAV flight hours associated with the particular operator;

obtaining, from the historical flight operation information, a number of pilot proficiency events; and

/or

determining, from the historical flight operation information, one or more breach of flight authorizations associated with historical flight operations that are associated with the particular operator.

13. The method of claim 6,

wherein a second aspect indicated by the request is a particular operator to provide instructions to a UAV during the upcoming flight operation, and wherein determining performance characteristics for the particular operator comprises one or more of:

obtaining, from the historical flight operation information, information identifying one or more historical flight operations associated with the particular operator, that are associated with an error or failure;

obtaining, from the historical flight operation information, one or more types of licenses associated with the particular operator;

obtaining, from the historical flight operation information, a number of UAV flight hours associated with the particular operator;

obtaining, from the historical flight operation information, a number of pilot proficiency events; and

/or

determining, from the historical flight operation information, one or more breach of flight authorizations associated with historical flight operations that are associated with the particular operator,

and wherein determining risk assessments for the particular operator comprises;

determining, from the performance characteristics, a number of historical flight operations associated with an error or failure, which can be attributed to the particular operator.

14. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving a request to generate an authorization request report associated with a particular UAV flight operation, the request indicating aspects of the particular UAV flight operation and a type of authorization request report, wherein the type of authorization request report indicates information to include in the authorization request report;

determining performance characteristics associated with the aspects of the particular UAV flight operation; and

generating, using the performance characteristics, the authorization request report according to the type of authorization request report, wherein the authorization request report includes information relevant to obtaining authorization for the particular UAV flight operation.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining risk assessments associated with the aspects of the particular UAV flight operation; and

including, in the authorization request report and using the performance characteristics, information identifying the risk assessments.

16. A computer program product encoded on one or more non-transitory computer storage media, comprising instructions that when executed by the one or more computers cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

maintaining flight operation information associated with a plurality of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flight operations, including historical flight operation information for historical flight operations which have already occurred;

receiving a request to generate a risk assessment report that describes risk associated with an upcoming flight operation, the request indicating one or more aspects of the upcoming flight operation, wherein the risk assessment report describes risk associated with each aspect;

analyzing, prior to the upcoming flight operation and using the maintained flight operation information, historical flight operation information describing a first plurality of historical flight operations that each included one or more of the aspects of the upcoming flight operation;

determining, based at least in part on the analysis of the historical flight operation information, performance characteristics for each aspect in the request, wherein the performance characteristics include information that informs a safe or functional UAV flight operation, and wherein one or more performance characteristics describe determined degradation of a component, indicated by a first aspect of the one or more aspects, that will be utilized during the upcoming flight operation;

determining, using the performance characteristics, risk assessments for each aspect indicated by the request; and

generating, for presentation, the risk assessment using the determined risk assessments.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein flight operation information associated with a particular UAV flight operation includes information describing:

one or more operators associated with the particular UAV flight operation,

configuration information for a UAV associated with the particular UAV flight operation,

operational information describing the particular UAV flight operation,

and mission information generated by components included in the UAV associated with the particular flight operation.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein a particular aspect of the UAV flight operation is a particular UAV, and wherein determining performance characteristics for the particular UAV comprises:

identifying a UAV airframe type associated with the particular UAV;

obtaining, from the historical flight operation information, sensor information over a period of time from sensors included in the particular UAV; and

determining, from the UAV airframe type and sensor information, a vibration profile of the particular UAV over the period of time.

19. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein a second aspect indicated by the request is a particular UAV to be utilized in the upcoming flight operation, and wherein determining performance characteristics for the particular UAV comprises:

identifying a UAV airframe type associated with the particular UAV;

obtaining, from the historical flight operation information, sensor information over a period of time from sensors included in the particular UAV; and

determining, from the UAV airframe type and sensor information, a vibration profile of the particular UAV over the period of time;

determining, from the vibration profile, one or more issues affecting safety or performance of the particular UAV; and

including information identifying the issues in the risk assessment report.

20. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein a second aspect indicated by the request are batteries to be utilized in the upcoming flight operation, and wherein determining performance characteristics of the batteries comprises:

obtaining, from the historical flight operation information, battery characteristics of the batteries over a period of time;

obtaining information identifying central tendency characteristics of a plurality of batteries that are of a same, or similar, type as the batteries;

determining, from the battery characteristics and central tendency characteristics, an estimated health of the batteries.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining a probability of failure of the batteries to be utilized in the upcoming flight operation; and

including information identifying the probability of failure in the risk assessment report.

22. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein a second aspect indicated by the request is a particular operator to provide instructions to a UAV during the upcoming flight operation, and wherein determining performance characteristics for the particular operator comprises one or more of:

obtaining, from the historical flight operation information, information identifying one or more historical flight operations associated with the particular operator, that are associated with an error or failure;

obtaining, from the historical flight operation information, one or more types of licenses associated with the particular operator;

obtaining, from the historical flight operation information, a number of UAV flight hours associated with the particular operator;

obtaining, from the historical flight operation information, a number of pilot proficiency events; and

/or

determining, from the historical flight operation information, one or more breach of flight authorizations associated with historical flight operations that are associated with the particular operator.

23. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein a second aspect indicated by the request is a particular operator to provide instructions to a UAV during the upcoming flight operation, and wherein determining performance characteristics for the particular operator comprises one or more of:

obtaining, from the historical flight operation information, information identifying one or more historical flight operations associated with the particular operator, that are associated with an error or failure;

obtaining, from the historical flight operation information, one or more types of licenses associated with the particular operator;

obtaining, from the historical flight operation information, a number of UAV flight hours associated with the particular operator;

obtaining, from the historical flight operation information, a number of pilot proficiency events; and

/or

determining, from the historical flight operation information, one or more breach of flight authorizations associated with historical flight operations that are associated with the particular operator,

and wherein determining risk assessments for the particular operator comprises;

determining, from the performance characteristics, a number of historical flight operations associated with an error or failure, which can be attributed to the particular operator.

24. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a request to generate an authorization request report associated with a particular UAV flight operation, the request indicating aspects of the particular UAV flight operation and a type of authorization request report, wherein the type of authorization request report indicates information to include in the authorization request report;

determining performance characteristics associated with the aspects of the particular UAV flight operation; and

generating, using the performance characteristics, the authorization request report according to the type of authorization request report, wherein the authorization request report includes information relevant to obtaining authorization for the particular UAV flight operation.

25. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a request to generate an authorization request report associated with a particular UAV flight operation, the request indicating aspects of the particular UAV flight operation and a type of authorization request report, wherein the type of authorization request report indicates information to include in the authorization request report;

determining performance characteristics associated with the aspects of the particular UAV flight operation; and

determining risk assessments associated with the aspects of the particular UAV flight operation; and

generating, using the performance characteristics, the authorization request report according to the type of authorization request report, including information identifying the risk assessments in the authorization request report, wherein the authorization request report includes information relevant to obtaining authorization for the particular UAV flight operation.