Autonomous landing and control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10061328-B2
Application number	US-201514855504-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 16, 2015
Priority date	Aug 12, 2015
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

Various embodiments provide methods for controlling landings of a UAV in a landing zone including a plurality of landing bays. Various embodiments include a method implemented on a computing device for receiving continuous real-time sensor data from a transceiver and from sensors onboard the UAV, and detecting a target landing bay within the plurality of landing bays within the landing zone that is available for landing based on the continuous real-time sensor data. Orientation and position coordinates for landing in the target landing bay may be calculated based on the continuous real-time sensor data. Information regarding positions and flight vectors of a plurality of autonomous UAVs may be obtained, and a flight plan for landing in the target landing bay may be generated based on the orientation and the position coordinates, positions and flight vectors of the plurality of autonomous UAVs and a current orientation and position of the UAV.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method performed by a processor of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for controlling landing in a landing zone including a plurality of landing bays while flying among a plurality of other UAVs, comprising:
receiving continuous real-time sensor data;
detecting a target landing bay within the plurality of landing bays within the landing zone that is available for landing based on the continuous real-time sensor data;
calculating an orientation and position coordinates for landing in the target landing bay based on the continuous real-time sensor data;
obtaining information regarding positions and flight vectors of the plurality of other UAVs, wherein obtaining the information comprises:
receiving position and flight vector reports from the plurality of other UAVs via a transceiver on board the UAV,
wherein the UAV and the plurality of other UAVs are each independently executing a separate flight mission;

generating a flight plan for landing in the target landing bay based on the orientation and the position coordinates, the positions and flight vector reports of the plurality of other UAVs, and a current orientation and position of the UAV;
performing the flight plan for landing in the target landing bay;
determining whether an exception condition is identified based on the continuous real-time sensor data and the flight plan for landing in the target landing bay; and
in response to determining that an exception condition is identified:
halting performance of the flight plan for landing in the target landing bay; and
performing exception-handling operations based on the identified exception condition, wherein performing the exception-handling operations includes detecting an alternative target landing bay from the plurality of landing bays within the landing zone that is available for landing based on the continuous real-time sensor data by:
performing operations to adjust a perspective of the UAV independent of any landing routine, the operations comprising one or more of:
causing the UAV to ascend to a higher altitude above the landing zone, changing a pitch setting of the UAV, changing a roll setting of the UAV, or changing a yaw setting of the UAV; and

obtaining the continuous real-time sensor data in the adjusted perspective.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the continuous real-time sensor data is received from sensors on board the UAV.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein obtaining information regarding the positions and flight vectors of the plurality of other UAVs further comprises:
obtaining camera imagery via a camera, wherein the camera is one of the sensors on board the UAV;
tracking the plurality of other UAVs using the camera imagery; and
calculating the positions and flight vectors of the plurality of other UAVs based on the camera imagery and the UAV's own position and flight vectors.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein detecting the target landing bay from the plurality of landing bays within the landing zone that is available for landing based on the continuous real-time sensor data comprises:
obtaining camera imagery via a camera, wherein the camera is one of the sensors on board the UAV;
determining whether the camera imagery includes imagery of an assigned landing bay; and
detecting within the camera imagery of an open landing bay that is available for landing in response to determining that the camera imagery does not include the imagery of the assigned landing bay.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the imagery of the assigned landing bay or the imagery of the open landing bay is imagery of a landing pattern that comprises at least a circle circumscribing an asymmetric symbol, wherein each hemisphere of the asymmetric symbol is different than an opposite hemisphere of the asymmetric symbol such that the landing pattern indicates a global orientation.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein calculating the orientation comprises:
calculating the orientation based on a comparison of a current heading of the UAV to the global orientation of the asymmetric symbol in the imagery of the landing pattern.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the continuous real-time sensor data is received via at least the transceiver on board the UAV.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising continuously transmitting reports of the UAV's own position and flight vector via the transceiver.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the exception-handling operations comprises:
calculating an alternative orientation and alternative position coordinates for landing in the alternative target landing bay based on the continuous real-time sensor data;
adjusting the flight plan for landing in the alternative target landing bay based on the alternative orientation, the alternative position coordinates, and the current orientation and position of the UAV; and
performing the flight plan for landing in the alternative target landing bay.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the exception-handling operations comprises:
adjusting a parameter of a sensor on board the UAV that is configured to obtain the continuous real-time sensor data, wherein the parameter includes one or more of a zoom setting of a camera and a focus setting of the camera.

11. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein determining whether an exception condition is identified based on the continuous real-time sensor data comprises:
determining whether the target landing bay is obstructed based on the continuous real-time sensor data; and

wherein halting performance of the flight plan for landing in the target landing bay in response to identifying the exception condition comprises:
halting the flight plan for landing in the target landing bay in response to determining that the target landing bay is obstructed.

12. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein determining whether an exception condition is identified based on the continuous real-time sensor data comprises:
determining whether the UAV has lost track of the target landing bay based on the continuous real-time sensor data; and

wherein halting performance of the flight plan for landing in the target landing bay in response to identifying the exception condition comprises:
halting the flight plan for landing in the target landing bay in response to determining that the UAV has lost track of the target landing bay based on the continuous real-time sensor data.

13. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein determining whether an exception condition is identified based on the continuous real-time sensor data and the flight plan for landing in the target landing bay comprises:
continuously monitoring positions and flight vectors of the plurality of other UAVs while performing the flight plan for landing in the target landing bay; and
calculating a probability of a mid-air collision occurring with one or more of the plurality of other UAVs while following the flight plan for landing in the target landing bay based on the positions and flight vectors of the plurality of other UAVs; and

wherein performing the exception-handling operations based on the identified exception condition comprises:
adjusting the flight plan for landing in the target landing bay in response to determining that the calculated probability of the mid-air collision occurring exceeds a safety threshold.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining whether the UAV is beginning an approach into the landing zone based on the continuous real-time sensor data,
wherein detecting the target landing bay from the plurality of landing bays within the landing zone that is available for lan

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Canoy Michael-David Nakayoshi
• Liu Yinyin
• Chau Kiet Tuan

Classifications

• G06V20/17

  taken from planes or by drones · CPC title

• B64U2201/10

  autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS] · CPC title

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• G06V20/13

  Satellite images · CPC title

• B64C2201/141

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic