Flight control for flight-restricted regions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10909860-B2
Application number	US-201715640170-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2017
Priority date	Apr 17, 2014
Publication date	Feb 2, 2021
Grant date	Feb 2, 2021

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices are provided for providing flight response to flight-restricted regions. The location of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) may be compared with a location of a flight-restricted region. If needed a flight-response measure may be taken by the UAV to prevent the UAV from flying in a no-fly zone. Different flight-response measures may be taken based on the distance between the UAV and the flight-restricted region and the rules of a jurisdiction within which the UAV falls.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for determining a flight restriction zone along a boundary, said apparatus comprising:
one or more processors individually or collectively configured to:
acquire data regarding a location of the boundary;
select two or more points along the boundary; and
generate the flight restriction zone along the boundary, wherein the flight restriction zone comprises one or more flight restriction strips, wherein each flight restriction strip is defined by an area encompassed by a first circle and a second circle and lines running tangent to the first and second circle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first circle and second circle have the same radii.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first circle and second circle have different radii.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is further configured to store data regarding the one or more flight restriction strip in a database.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the flight restriction zone comprises a plurality of flight restriction strips.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the flight restriction zone is a closed boundary enclosing a region.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the flight restriction zone is an open boundary that does not enclose a region.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein each flight restriction strip of the flight restriction zone is identical in shape and size.

9. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein each flight restriction strip of the flight restriction zone is not identical in shape or size.

10. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein different flight restriction strips are associated with different flight response measures.

11. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein each flight restriction strip of the flight restriction zone is associated with same flight response measures.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the flight restriction zone comprises a first flight restriction strip and a second flight restriction strip located within the first flight restriction strip.

13. An apparatus for assessing a flight response of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to a flight restriction zone, said apparatus comprising:
one or more processors individually or collectively configured to:
assess a location of the unmanned aerial vehicle;
assess a location of the flight restriction zone, wherein the flight-restriction zone comprises one or more flight restriction strips, wherein each flight restriction strip is defined by an area encompassed by a first circle and a second circle and lines running tangent to the first and second circle, and wherein the flight restriction zone is associated with instructions for the unmanned aerial vehicle within or near the flight restriction zone to take one or more flight response measures; and
instruct the unmanned aerial vehicle to take the one or more flight response measures when the unmanned aerial vehicle is within or near the flight restriction zone.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first circle and second circle have the same radii.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first circle and second circle have different radii.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the flight restriction zone comprises a plurality of flight restriction strips.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein different flight restriction strips are associated with different flight response measures.

18. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the one or more flight response measures include causing the UAV to fly beneath a predetermined altitude or set of altitudes while within the flight restriction zone.

Assignees

• Sz Dji Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yu Yun
• Lin Canlong
• Chen Xi
• Wang Mingyu
• Wang Tao
• Song Jianyu

Classifications

• B64U10/10

  Rotorcrafts · CPC title

• B64U2201/20

  Remote controls · 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

• G05D1/606

  Compensating for or utilising external environmental conditions, e.g. wind or water currents (station keeping G05D1/611) · CPC title