System and method for controlling autonomous flying vehicle flight paths

• US 9,728,089 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2015
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Droneup Am LLC
• Original Assignee: AirMap, Inc. (DroneUp, LLC)
• Inventors: Marcus, Benjamin Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Kan, Yuri
• Application Number:
  US14/984,023
• Publication Number:
  US 20160189549A1
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 701 2, 701 3, 348 36, 348143, 455431
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/31 for surveillance
• 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: G08G 5/0008 with other aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan
• 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 5/0078 for monitoring traffic from the aircraft radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0091 for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W

Abstract

A method is provided for limiting access to airspace by drones. The method includes receiving position information from a user associated with a property identified by the position information. The method also includes assembling the position information with other position information to compile a comprehensive configurable flight zone database. The method further includes pushing the configurable flight zone database to at least one drone. The drone accesses the configurable flight zone database to determine if movement is allowed, and the drone is programmed to not fly into areas identified in the configurable flight zone database. In the method, the drone may be further programmed to prohibit directing a camera into the areas identified in the configurable flight zone database.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at a first drone;

navigating along an approved flight plan, the approved flight plan based on a first set of information that indicates one or more restricted areas into which the first drone cannot enter, wherein the approved flight plan does not enter the one or more restricted areas;

while navigating along the approved flight plan, receiving, at the first drone, a second set of information, different than the first set of information, that indicates one or more conditions at a location along the approved flight plan; and

in response to receiving, at the first drone, the second set of information;

in accordance with a determination that the second set of information satisfies first criteria, maintaining the navigating along the approved flight plan, including through the location along the approved flight plan; and

in accordance with a determination that the second set of information satisfies second criteria, different than the first criteria, altering the approved flight plan to create an altered approved flight plan, the altered approved flight plan not entering the location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the second set of information comprises weather information for the location,

the second set of information satisfies the first criteria if the weather information indicates travel through the location is dangerous, and

the second set of information satisfies the second criteria if the weather information indicates travel through the location is not dangerous.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the second set of information is received from a second drone, different from the first drone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the approved flight plan comprises a flight plan from an initial location to a destination location, and

the altered approved flight plan comprises a flight plan from the initial location to the destination location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the second set of information satisfies the first criteria if the one or more conditions indicate travel through the location is dangerous, and

the second set of information satisfies the second criteria if the one or more conditions indicate travel through the location is not dangerous.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second set of information comprises one or more of beacon signals, weather information, terrain awareness warning signals (TAWS), terrain inhibit switch (TIS) signals, pilot reports of turbulence (PIREPS) and automatic dependent surveillance broadcast (ADS-B) signals.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the first drone, a third set of information, the third set of information indicating one or more restrictions for a first type of function and a second type of function of the first drone,

the one or more restrictions associated with a defined location along the approved flight plan; and

while navigating along the approved flight plan;

in accordance with a determination that the first drone is at the defined location along the approved flight plan, and that the third set of information indicates that the first type of function is restricted at the defined location, restricting the first type of function while the first drone is at the defined location; and

in accordance with a determination that the first drone is at the defined location along the approved flight plan, and that the third set of information indicates that the second type of function is not restricted at the defined location, not restricting the second type of function while the first drone is at the defined location.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first type of function comprises navigation functions of the first drone, and the second type of function comprises camera functions of the first drone.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to flight and navigating along the approved flight plan, receiving, at the first drone, the approved flight plan.

10. A first drone comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory coupled to the one or more processors, the memory storing instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the first drone to perform a method comprising;

navigating along an approved flight plan, the approved flight plan based on a first set of information that indicates one or more restricted areas into which the first drone cannot enter, wherein the approved flight plan does not enter the one or more restricted areas;

while navigating along the approved flight plan, receiving, at the first drone, a second set of information, different than the first set of information, that indicates one or more conditions at a location along the approved flight plan; and

in response to receiving, at the first drone, the second set of information;

in accordance with a determination that the second set of information satisfies first criteria, maintaining the navigating along the approved flight plan, including through the location along the approved flight plan; and

in accordance with a determination that the second set of information satisfies second criteria, different than the first criteria, altering the approved flight plan to create an altered approved flight plan, the altered approved flight plan not entering the location.

12. The first drone of claim 10, wherein:

the second set of information comprises weather information for the location,

the second set of information satisfies the first criteria if the weather information indicates travel through the location is dangerous, and

the second set of information satisfies the second criteria if the weather information indicates travel through the location is not dangerous.

13. The first drone of claim 10, wherein:

the second set of information is received from a second drone, different from the first drone.

14. The first drone of claim 10, wherein:

the approved flight plan comprises a flight plan from an initial location to a destination location, and

the altered approved flight plan comprises a flight plan from the initial location to the destination location.

15. The first drone of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, at the first drone, a third set of information, the third set of information indicating one or more restrictions for a first type of function and a second type of function of the first drone, the one or more restrictions associated with a defined location along the approved flight plan; and

while navigating along the approved flight plan;

in accordance with a determination that the first drone is at the defined location along the approved flight plan, and that the third set of information indicates that the first type of function is restricted at the defined location, restricting the first type of function while the first drone is at the defined location; and

in accordance with a determination that the first drone is at the defined location along the approved flight plan, and that the third set of information indicates that the second type of function is not restricted at the defined location, not restricting the second type of function while the first drone is at the defined location.

16. The first drone of claim 15, wherein the first type of function comprises navigation functions of the first drone, and the second type of function comprises camera functions of the first drone.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of a first drone, cause the first drone to perform a method comprising:

navigating along an approved flight plan, the approved flight plan based on a first set of information that indicates one or more restricted areas into which the first drone cannot enter, wherein the approved flight plan does not enter the one or more restricted areas;

while navigating along the approved flight plan, receiving, at the first drone, a second set of information, different than the first set of information, that indicates one or more conditions at a location along the approved flight plan; and

in response to receiving, at the first drone, the second set of information;

in accordance with a determination that the second set of information satisfies first criteria, maintaining the navigating along the approved flight plan, including through the location along the approved flight plan; and

in accordance with a determination that the second set of information satisfies second criteria, different than the first criteria, altering the approved flight plan to create an altered approved flight plan, the altered approved flight plan not entering the location.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein:

the second set of information comprises weather information for the location,

the second set of information satisfies the first criteria if the weather information indicates travel through the location is dangerous, and

the second set of information satisfies the second criteria if the weather information indicates travel through the location is not dangerous.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein:

the approved flight plan comprises a flight plan from an initial location to a destination location, and

the altered approved flight plan comprises a flight plan from the initial location to the destination location.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, at the first drone, a third set of information, the third set of information indicating one or more restrictions for a first type of function and a second type of function of the first drone, the one or more restrictions associated with a defined location along the approved flight plan; and

while navigating along the approved flight plan;

in accordance with a determination that the first drone is at the defined location along the approved flight plan, and that the third set of information indicates that the first type of function is restricted at the defined location, restricting the first type of function while the first drone is at the defined location; and

in accordance with a determination that the first drone is at the defined location along the approved flight plan, and that the third set of information indicates that the second type of function is not restricted at the defined location, not restricting the second type of function while the first drone is at the defined location.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the first type of function comprises navigation functions of the first drone, and the second type of function comprises camera functions of the first drone.