Selection between explore mode and control mode for aerial vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10689083-B2
Application number	US-201715802869-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 3, 2017
Priority date	Dec 8, 2015
Publication date	Jun 23, 2020
Grant date	Jun 23, 2020

Abstract

Example implementations may relate to selection between a first mode and a second mode. The first mode may involve (i) directing an aerial vehicle (e.g., in an aerial network including a plurality of aerial vehicles) to navigate to each of a plurality of altitudes and (ii) determining respective wind-related data at each respective altitude. Whereas, the second mode may involve (i) selecting at least one altitude based on the determined wind-related data and (ii) directing the aerial vehicle to reposition to the at least one selected altitude. As such, a control system may determine flight data for the aerial vehicle. Based on the flight data, the control system may make a selection between the first mode and the second mode. And based on the selection, the control system may then operate the aerial vehicle according to the first mode or may operate the aerial vehicle according to the second mode.

First claim

We claim:

1. A distributed system for controlling a fleet of aerial vehicles, the system comprising:
a central control system configured to communicate with one or more regional control systems; and
one or more regional control systems configured to communicate with the central control systems and to the fleet of aerial vehicles comprising two or more aerial vehicles,
wherein the fleet of aerial vehicles forms an aerial network,
wherein the central control system and the one or more regional control systems collectively are configured to:
determine flight data for an aerial vehicle in the aerial network,
based at least in part on the flight data, make a selection between a first mode and a second mode, wherein operation in the first mode comprises causing the aerial vehicle to (i) navigate to each of a plurality of altitudes and (ii) collect sensor data at each of the plurality of altitudes, and wherein operation in the second mode comprises causing the aerial vehicle to (i) select at least one altitude based at least in part on the sensor data collected at each of the plurality of altitudes in the first mode and (ii) reposition to the at least one selected altitude, thereby causing the aerial vehicle to travel in a desired direction; and
based on the selection, operate the aerial vehicle according to the first mode or operating the aerial vehicle according to the second mode.

2. The distributed system of claim 1 , wherein causing the aerial vehicle to reposition to the at least one selected altitude causes the aerial vehicle to travel at a desired velocity.

3. The distributed system of claim 1 , wherein causing the aerial vehicle to reposition to the at least one selected altitude causes the aerial vehicle to provide coverage at a target location.

4. The distributed system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor data collected at each of the plurality of altitudes indicates a wind velocity.

5. The distributed system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor data collected at each of the plurality of altitudes indicates a wind direction.

6. The distributed system of claim 1 , wherein the fleet of aerial vehicles comprises a homogeneous group of high-altitude aerial vehicles, each configured with the same communications capabilities.

7. The distributed system of claim 1 , wherein the fleet of aerial vehicles comprises a heterogeneous group of high-altitude aerial vehicles.

8. The distributed system of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the heterogeneous group of high-altitude aerial vehicles is configured as a super-node comprising a radio frequency link and an optical link.

9. The distributed system of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the heterogeneous group of high-altitude aerial vehicles is configured as a super-node comprising a radio frequency link operable to communicate with a ground-based backhaul station.

10. The distributed system of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the heterogeneous group of high-altitude aerial vehicles is configured as a super-node comprising an mmWave link operable to communicate with a ground-based backhaul station.

11. The distributed system of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the heterogeneous group of high-altitude aerial vehicles is configured as a super-node comprising a free space optical link operable to communicate with other high-altitude aerial vehicles.

12. The distributed system of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the heterogeneous group of high-altitude aerial vehicles is configured as a sub-node comprising a radio frequency link operable to communicate with other high-altitude aerial vehicles.

13. The distributed system of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the heterogeneous group of high-altitude aerial vehicles is configured as a sub-node comprising a free space optical link operable to communicate with other high-altitude aerial vehicles.

14. The distributed system of claim 1 , wherein the fleet of aerial vehicles is configured to communicate amongst the fleet using free-space optical links.

15. The distributed system of claim 1 , wherein the aerial network comprises a mesh network configuration wherein each aerial vehicle in the fleet comprises a node of the mesh network, operable to receive data and to route data to other aerial vehicles in the fleet.

16. The distributed system of claim 1 , wherein the flight data comprises a capability of the aerial vehicle to move in a direction.

17. The distributed system of claim 1 , wherein the flight data comprises a level of energy stored in an energy storage device of the aerial vehicle.

Assignees

• Loon Llc

Inventors

• Bonawitz Keith Allen
• Mathe Johan

Classifications

• G08G5/727

  from a ground station · CPC title

• G08G5/76

  for monitoring atmospheric conditions · CPC title

• G08G5/57

  for unmanned aircraft · CPC title

• G08G5/55

  for a single aircraft · CPC title

• G08G5/34

  for flight plan modification · CPC title