Distributed unmanned aerial vehicle architecture

• US 9,340,283 B1
• Filed: 01/06/2016
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• 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., Richman, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P
• Application Number:
  US14/989,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20160114888A1
• Time in Patent Office: 132 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 244/53.R, 244/1.R, 244/75.1, 244/76.R
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 41/00 Power installations for auxiliary purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/00 Equipment not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/19 for use as targets or decoys
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/64 for parcel delivery or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/104 using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/25 with rate being modified by the source upon detecting a change of network conditions

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for a distributed system architecture for unmanned air vehicles. One of the methods includes receiving selections of configuration information to provide to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), with the selections of configuration information being associated with respective components included in the UAV. The configuration information associated with a first component is determined to be valid from selections of configuration information associated with the first component. The configuration information associated with the first component is provided for storage in the UAV in response to receiving a user action.

Claims

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

obtaining configuration information of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), wherein the configuration information identifies components and associated settings included in the UAV;

determining, from the configuration information, a total flight weight of the UAV;

determining an estimated power consumption of the UAV during flight; and

determining, based at least in part on the determined estimated power consumption and the total flight weight, an estimated flight endurance, wherein the flight endurance identifies an estimated maximum flight time of the UAV.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein determining an estimated power consumption comprises:

obtaining information identifying an airframe type of the UAV, and an associated efficiency of the airframe type; and

determining, from a stored model, the estimated power consumption using the airframe type and associated efficiency.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein determining a total flight weight comprises:

obtaining, from the configuration information, weights of each component included in the UAV;

determining an estimate of a weight of an airframe associated with the UAV by obtaining information identifying typical weights of a same airframe type; and

computing a sum of the weights of each component and the estimate of the weight of the airframe.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining an estimated maximum efficiency airspeed of the UAV; and

determining an estimated maximum flight radius from the estimated maximum efficiency airspeed and estimated maximum endurance of the UAV.

5. The computer product of claim 4, wherein determining an estimated maximum efficiency airspeed comprises:

obtaining, from the configuration information, a default transit airspeed of the UAV; and

determining the estimated maximum airspeed using the default transit airspeed.

6. The computer program product of claim 4, wherein determining an estimated maximum flight radius comprises:

computing a multiplication of the estimated maximum efficiency airspeed with the estimated maximum endurance;

obtaining, from a result of the computation, an estimated maximum flight distance; and

obtaining the estimated maximum flight radius by computing half of the estimated maximum flight distance.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

obtaining, from the UAV, in-flight logs, wherein the in-flight logs include periodically sampled information including distances from a launch location of the UAV, transmission power of a radio included in the UAV, transmission frequency of the radio, and an indicator identifying whether the radio was in communication with a ground radio;

determining an estimated mapping function that maps distances from the launch location, transmission frequency of the radio, and transmission power of the radio, to the indicator, wherein the estimated mapping function identifies whether the UAV is expected to be in communication with the ground radio at an input distance, transmission frequency, and transmission power; and

determining, using the estimated mapping function, an estimated communication link range of the UAV.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein determining an estimated communication link range comprises:

computing indicators outputted by the estimated mapping function at a plurality of distances; and

identifying a greatest distance associated with an output indicator identifying that the UAV is expected to be in communication with the ground radio.

9. A method implemented by a system of one or more computers, the method comprising:

obtaining configuration information of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), wherein the configuration information identifies components and associated settings included in the UAV;

determining, from the configuration information, a total flight weight of the UAV;

determining an estimated power consumption of the UAV during flight; and

determining, based at least in part on the estimated power consumption and the total flight weight, an estimated flight endurance, wherein the flight endurance identifies an estimated maximum flight time of the UAV.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining an estimated power consumption comprises:

obtaining information identifying an airframe type of the UAV, and an associated efficiency of the airframe type; and

determining, from a stored model, the estimated power consumption using the airframe type and associated efficiency.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein determining a total flight weight comprises:

obtaining, from the configuration information, weights of each component included in the UAV;

determining an estimate of a weight of an airframe associated with the UAV by obtaining information identifying typical weights of a same airframe type; and

computing a sum of the weights of each component and the estimate of the weight of the airframe.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

determining an estimated maximum efficiency airspeed of the UAV; and

determining an estimated maximum flight radius from the estimated maximum efficiency airspeed and estimated maximum endurance of the UAV.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein determining an estimated maximum flight radius comprises:

computing a multiplication of the estimated maximum efficiency airspeed with the estimated maximum endurance;

obtaining, from a result of the computation, an estimated maximum flight distance; and

obtaining the estimated maximum flight radius by computing half of the estimated maximum flight distance.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

obtaining, from the UAV, in-flight logs, wherein the in-flight logs include periodically sampled information including distances from a launch location of the UAV, transmission power of a radio included in the UAV, transmission frequency of the radio, and an indicator identifying whether the radio was in communication with a ground radio;

determining an estimated mapping function that maps distances from the launch location, transmission frequency of the radio, and transmission power of the radio, to the indicator, wherein the estimated mapping function identifies whether the UAV is expected to be in communication with the ground radio at an input distance, transmission frequency, and transmission power; and

determining, using the estimated mapping function, an estimated communication link range of the UAV.

15. A system comprising one or more computers and one or more non-transitory computer storage media storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

obtaining configuration information of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), wherein the configuration information identifies components and associated settings included in the UAV;

determining, from the configuration information, a total flight weight of the UAV;

determining an estimated power consumption of the UAV during flight; and

determining, based at least in part on the estimated power consumption and the total flight weight, an estimated flight endurance, wherein the flight endurance identifies an estimated maximum flight time of the UAV.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein determining an estimated power consumption comprises:

obtaining information identifying an airframe type of the UAV, and an associated efficiency of the airframe type; and

determining, from a stored model, the estimated power consumption using the airframe type and associated efficiency.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein determining a total flight weight comprises:

obtaining, from the configuration information, weights of each component included in the UAV;

determining an estimate of a weight of an airframe associated with the UAV by obtaining information identifying typical weights of a same airframe type; and

computing a sum of the weights of each component and the estimate of the weight of the airframe.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining an estimated maximum efficiency airspeed of the UAV; and

determining an estimated maximum flight radius from the estimated maximum efficiency airspeed and estimated maximum endurance of the UAV.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein determining an estimated maximum flight radius comprises:

computing a multiplication of the estimated maximum efficiency airspeed with the estimated maximum endurance;

obtaining, from a result of the computation, an estimated maximum flight distance; and

obtaining the estimated maximum flight radius by computing half of the estimated maximum flight distance.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

obtaining, from the UAV, in-flight logs, wherein the in-flight logs include periodically sampled information including distances from a launch location of the UAV, transmission power of a radio included in the UAV, transmission frequency of the radio, and an indicator identifying whether the radio was in communication with a ground radio;

determining an estimated mapping function that maps distances from the launch location, transmission frequency of the radio, and transmission power of the radio, to the indicator, wherein the estimated mapping function identifies whether the UAV is expected to be in communication with the ground radio at an input distance, transmission frequency, and transmission power; and

determining, using the estimated mapping function, an estimated communication link range of the UAV.