Unmanned aerial vehicle platform

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10618654-B2
Application number	US-201715718665-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2017
Priority date	May 20, 2014
Publication date	Apr 14, 2020
Grant date	Apr 14, 2020

Abstract

A device receives a request for a flight path of UAV from a first location to a second location in a region, and determines, based on credentials associated with the UAV, whether the UAV is authenticated for utilizing the device and a network. The device determines, when the UAV is authenticated, capability information for the UAV based on the request and component information associated with the UAV. The device calculates the flight path from the first location to the second location based on the capability information and one or more of weather information, air traffic information, obstacle information, or regulatory information associated with the region. The device generates flight path instructions for the flight path based on one or more of the weather information, the air traffic information, the obstacle information, or the regulatory information associated with the region, and provides the flight path instructions to the UAV.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
receiving, by a device and via a user interface, a selection of a source for regulatory information;
generating, by the device, flight path instructions for a flight path, from a first geographical location to a second geographical location, based on the regulatory information from the source;
providing, by the device, the flight path instructions to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV);
receiving, by the device and via a network, feedback from the UAV during traversal of the flight path by the unmanned aerial vehicle;
determining, by the device, whether to modify the flight path based on the feedback;
generating, by the device, modified flight path instructions based on determining to modify the flight path; and
providing, by the device, the modified flight path instructions to the UAV.

2. The method of claim 1 , where generating the flight path instructions comprises:
generating the flight path instructions based on at least one of:
weather information,
air traffic information,
obstacle information, or
historical information.

3. The method of claim 1 , where the flight path instructions include at least one of:
altitude information for the UAV,
navigational information,
information regarding expected weather conditions,
network information,
timing information, or
waypoint information.

4. The method of claim 1 , where the feedback includes information received by one or more sensors of the UAV.

5. The method of claim 1 , where the feedback includes information regarding a partial or complete failure of a component of the UAV.

6. The method of claim 1 , where determining whether to modify the flight path based on the feedback comprises:
determining to modify the flight path based on the feedback indicating that weather conditions may prevent the UAV from reaching the second geographical location.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving further feedback from the UAV based on providing the modified flight path instructions to the UAV.

8. A device, comprising:
a memory; and
one or more processors to:
receive, via a user interface, a selection of a source for regulatory information;
generate flight path instructions for a flight path, from a first geographical location to a second geographical location, based on the regulatory information from the source;
provide the flight path instructions to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV);
receive, via a network, feedback from the UAV during traversal of the flight path by the unmanned aerial vehicle;
determine whether to modify the flight path based on the feedback;
generate modified flight path instructions based on determining to modify the flight path; and
provide the modified flight path instructions to the UAV.

9. The device of claim 8 , where the one or more processors are further to:
determine that the UAV will safely arrive at the second geographical location based on the feedback; and
where the one or more processors, when determining whether to modify the flight path, are to:
determine not to modify the flight path based on determining that the UAV will safely arrive at the second geographical location.

10. The device of claim 8 , where the one or more processors are further to:
provide secondary flight path instructions to the UAV,
the secondary flight path instructions comprising information regarding one or more secondary tasks.

11. The device of claim 10 , where the one or more secondary tasks include at least one of:
activating an onboard camera,
zooming on an object or person,
focusing on an object or person,
capturing an image, or
providing an image with GPS coordinates to an authority.

12. The device of claim 8 , where the one or more processors are further to:
deploy a plurality of UAVs to create a communication network,
the plurality of UAVs including the UAV.

13. The device of claim 12 , where cell coverage area is provided to an area via the plurality of UAVs.

14. The device of claim 8 , where the one or more processors are further to:
deploy a plurality of UAVs to establish surveillance around a location,
the plurality of UAVs including the UAV.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:
one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, are to:
receive, via a user interface, a selection of a source for regulatory information;
provide flight path instructions to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) based on the regulatory information from the source,
the flight path instructions being for a flight path from a first geographical location to a second geographical location;

receive, via a network, feedback from the UAV during traversal of the flight path by the unmanned aerial vehicle;
determine whether to modify the flight path based on the feedback;
generate modified flight path instructions based on determining to modify the flight path; and
provide the modified flight path instructions to the UAV.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , where the regulatory information includes information associated with regulated air space.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
receive a request for the flight path for the UAV,
the request including credentials associated with the UAV; and

authenticate the UAV based on the credentials.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
receive a notification indicating that the UAV arrived at the second geographical location.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
determine capability information for the UAV; and
calculate the flight path based on the capability information.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
determine waypoint information based on determining the capability information.

Assignees

• Verizon Patent & Licensing Inc

Inventors

• Srivastava Ashok N
• Pasko Douglas M
• Batla Hani
• Kantor Igor
• Ubhi Gurpreet

Classifications

• G06Q10/00 Primary

  Administration; Management · CPC title

• B64C39/024 Primary

  of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV · CPC title

• B64C2201/146

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• G05D1/101

  specially adapted for aircraft · CPC title

• B64C2201/128

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic