System and method for management of airspace for unmanned aircraft

• US 9,754,496 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2014
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elwah LLC
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Chan, Alistair K., Cheatham, III, Jesse R., Duncan, William David, Hwang, Eun Young, Hyde, Roderick A., Pan, Tony S., Tegreene, Clarence T., Wood, Victoria Y. H.
• Primary Examiner(s): FREJD, RUSSELL WARREN
• Application Number:
  US14/501,302
• Publication Number:
  US 20160117931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/02 characterised by special use
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• 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: B64U 30/299 Rotor guards ducted or shrouded rotors B64U30/26; guards used as ground propulsion B64U60/60
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• 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 5/0043 Traffic management of multiple aircrafts from the ground G08G5/003 takes precedence; data processing specially designed for resource management, e.g. scheduling or allocating time, human or machine resources G06Q10/06
• 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 5/0082 for monitoring traffic from a ground station radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0086 for monitoring terrain radar or analogous systems specially adapted for terrain avoidance G01S13/935
• 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: G08G 5/045 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. determination of anti-collision manoeuvers radar or analogous systems specially adapted for anti-collision between aircraft G01S13/933

Abstract

A system and method for management of airspace for unmanned aircraft is disclosed. The system and method comprises administration of the airspace including designation of flyways and zones with reference to features in the region. The system and method comprises administration of aircraft including registration of aircraft and mission. A monitoring system tracks conditions and aircraft traffic in the airspace. Aircraft may be configured to transact with the management system including to obtain rights/priority by license and to operate in the airspace under direction of the system. The system and aircraft may be configured for dynamic transactions (e.g. licensing/routing). The system will set rates for licenses and use/access to the airspace and aircraft will be billed/pay for use/access of the airspace at rates using data from data sources.

Claims

1. A system for managing an airspace comprising a plurality of flyway segments for unmanned aircraft comprising:

(a) a computing system configured (1) for administrating the airspace and aircraft and (2) for directing aircraft in the airspace;

(b) a monitoring system configured to monitor conditions in the airspace;

wherein the computing system is connected to data sources to provide data for administrating and directing aircraft in the airspace;

wherein administrating the airspace comprises designation of a set of zones comprising a set of flyway segments in the airspace for operation of aircraft, and wherein administrating aircraft further comprises registration of aircraft to operate in the airspace, wherein registration of an aircraft comprises a license providing rights to the aircraft at a variable rate based on at least one selected factor.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein directing aircraft comprises assigning a route to the aircraft to operate in the airspace.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein conditions comprise at least one of environmental conditions in the airspace and aircraft traffic in the airspace.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein data sources comprise at least one of data sources in the airspace and data sources from a network.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein administrating the airspace comprises establishing rules for aircraft operation.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the license provides a right to operate within a specified zone or flyway segment.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the license provides a right to operate within a specified zone or flyway segment during a specified time interval or for a specified duration.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the license provides an exclusive right to operate within a specified zone or flyway segment during a specified time interval or for a specified duration.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the license provides a right to operate specified equipment.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the license provides a right to land on a surface in the airspace.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the right to land comprises the right to land at a site in the airspace.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the site comprises on the ground, on a building, on a power line and on a vehicle.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the license provides a right to take off from a site within the airspace.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the license provides a right to deliver payload to a site within the airspace.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the license provides a specified occupancy space for the aircraft.

16. A system for managing an airspace comprising a plurality of flyway segments and at least one zone for unmanned aircraft comprising:

(a) a computing system configured (1) for administrating the airspace and aircraft and (2) for directing aircraft in the airspace;

(b) a monitoring system configured for monitoring of conditions in the airspace;

wherein administrating aircraft comprises registration of aircraft to operate in the airspace and at least one transaction with an aircraft, and wherein the aircraft can complete a segment of a mission to be performed by the aircraft in the airspace and conduct a transaction to be charged for use of the airspace at a rate that is variable according to at least one selected factor.

17. The system for claim 16 wherein directing aircraft comprises assigning a route to the aircraft to operate in the airspace.

18. The system for claim 16 wherein monitoring of conditions comprises at least the steps of monitoring environmental conditions in the airspace and aircraft traffic in the airspace.

19. The system for claim 16 wherein the computing system is connected to data sources to provide data for administration and direction of aircraft.

20. The system for claim 16 wherein administrating the airspace comprises designation of a set of zones comprising a set of flyway segments in the airspace for operation of aircraft.

21. The system for claim 16 wherein conditions comprise at least one of weather conditions in the airspace and aircraft traffic count in the airspace.

22. The system for claim 19 wherein data sources comprise at least one of data sources in the airspace and data sources from a network.

23. The system for claim 16 wherein a transaction comprises a grant of license providing rights to the aircraft for operation in the airspace at a rate.

24. The system for claim 16 wherein conditions comprise the number of other aircraft present in the region.

25. The system of claim 16 wherein a transaction for the collection of payment is at completion of the mission.

26. The system of claim 23 wherein the rate comprises a function of at least one of the number of aircraft, the density of aircraft in the region, and the separation between aircraft, wherein the rate is higher for exclusive occupancy of a flyway segment.

27. The system for claim 23 wherein if occupancy conditions change during time the rate can be time weighted.

28. The system of claim 16 wherein registering an aircraft comprises a license providing rights to the aircraft.

29. The system of claim 16 wherein a profile comprises data for the aircraft.

30. The system for claim 16 wherein the aircraft is in operation on a mission in the airspace under license.

31. The system of claim 16 wherein registering aircraft comprises a transaction to issue a license with a rate for use of the airspace.

32. The system of claim 16 wherein the aircraft may buy rights to a zone.

33. The system of claim 16 wherein the aircraft may license rights to a zone.

34. The system of claim 16 wherein the aircraft is authorized to initiate a mission upon obtaining rights by license for the airspace.

35. A system for managing an airspace comprising a plurality of flyway segments and at least one zone for unmanned aircraft comprising:

(a) a computing system configured (1) for administrating the airspace and aircraft and (2) for directing aircraft in the airspace;

(b) a monitoring system configured for monitoring of conditions in the airspace;

wherein administrating aircraft comprises registration of aircraft to operate in the airspace and at least one transaction with an aircraft, and wherein a profile for an aircraft comprises at least one of aircraft type and aircraft capability.

36. The system for claim 35 wherein directing aircraft comprises assigning a route to the aircraft to operate in the airspace.

37. The system for claim 35 wherein monitoring of conditions comprises at least the steps of monitoring environmental conditions in the airspace and aircraft traffic in the airspace.

38. The system for claim 35 wherein the aircraft can complete a segment of a mission to be performed by the aircraft in the airspace and conduct a transaction to be charged for use of the airspace at a rate.

39. The system for claim 35 wherein the computing system is connected to data sources to provide data for administration and direction of aircraft.

40. The system for claim 35 wherein administrating the airspace comprises designation of a set of zones comprising a set of flyway segments in the airspace for operation of aircraft.

41. The system for claim 35 wherein conditions comprise at least one of weather conditions in the airspace and aircraft traffic count in the airspace.

42. The system for claim 39 wherein data sources comprise at least one of data sources in the airspace and data sources from a network.

43. The system for claim 35 wherein a transaction comprises a grant of license providing rights to the aircraft for operation in the airspace at a rate.

44. The system for claim 35 wherein conditions comprise the number of other aircraft present in the region.

45. The system of claim 35 wherein a transaction for the collection of payment is at completion of the mission.

46. The system of claim 43 wherein the rate comprises a function of at least one of the number of aircraft, the density of aircraft in the region, and the separation between aircraft, wherein the rate is higher for exclusive occupancy of a flyway segment.

47. The system for claim 43 wherein if occupancy conditions change during time the rate can be time weighted.

48. The system of claim 35 wherein registering an aircraft comprises a license providing rights to the aircraft.

49. The system of claim 35 wherein a profile comprises data for the aircraft.

50. The system for claim 35 wherein the aircraft is in operation on a mission in the airspace under license.

51. The system of claim 35 wherein registering aircraft comprises a transaction to issue a license with a rate for use of the airspace.

52. The system of claim 35 wherein the aircraft may buy rights to a zone.

53. The system of claim 35 wherein the aircraft may license rights to a zone.

54. The system of claim 35 wherein the aircraft is authorized to initiate a mission upon obtaining rights by license for the airspace.

55. The system of claim 35 wherein the aircraft comprises a system for dynamic transactions with the management system.

56. A system for managing an airspace comprising a plurality of flyway segments and at least one zone for unmanned aircraft comprising:

(a) a computing system configured (1) for administrating the airspace and aircraft and (2) for directing aircraft in the airspace;

(b) a monitoring system configured for monitoring of conditions in the airspace;

wherein administrating aircraft comprises registration of aircraft to operate in the airspace and at least one transaction with an aircraft, and wherein the aircraft comprises a system for dynamic transactions with the management system that occur when the craft is in operation in the airspace.

57. The system for claim 56 wherein directing aircraft comprises assigning a route to the aircraft to operate in the airspace.

58. The system for claim 56 wherein monitoring of conditions comprises at least the steps of monitoring environmental conditions in the airspace and aircraft traffic in the airspace.

59. The system for claim 56 wherein the aircraft can complete a segment of a mission to be performed by the aircraft in the airspace and conduct a transaction to be charged for use of the airspace at a rate.

60. The system for claim 56 wherein the computing system is connected to data sources to provide data for administration and direction of aircraft.

61. The system for claim 56 wherein administrating the airspace comprises designation of a set of zones comprising a set of flyway segments in the airspace for operation of aircraft.

62. The system for claim 56 wherein conditions comprise at least one of weather conditions in the airspace and aircraft traffic count in the airspace.

63. The system for claim 60 wherein data sources comprise at least one of data sources in the airspace and data sources from a network.

64. The system for claim 56 wherein a transaction comprises a grant of license providing rights to the aircraft for operation in the airspace at a rate.

65. The system for claim 56 wherein conditions comprise the number of other aircraft present in the region.

66. The system of claim 56 wherein a transaction for the collection of payment is at completion of the mission.

67. The system of claim 64 wherein the rate comprises a function of at least one of the number of aircraft, the density of aircraft in the region, and the separation between aircraft, wherein the rate is higher for exclusive occupancy of a flyway segment.

68. The system for claim 64 wherein if occupancy conditions change during time the rate can be time weighted.

69. The system of claim 56 wherein registering an aircraft comprises a license providing rights to the aircraft.

70. The system of claim 56 wherein a profile comprises data for the aircraft.

71. The system for claim 56 wherein the aircraft is in operation on a mission in the airspace under license.

72. The system of claim 56 wherein registering aircraft comprises a transaction to issue a license with a rate for use of the airspace.

73. The system of claim 56 wherein a profile for an aircraft comprises at least one of aircraft type and aircraft capability.

74. The system of claim 56 wherein the aircraft may buy rights to a zone.

75. The system of claim 56 wherein the aircraft may license rights to a zone.

76. The system of claim 56 wherein the aircraft is authorized to initiate a mission upon obtaining rights by license for the airspace.