Flight control for flight-restricted regions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016163203-A1
Application number	US-201615011041-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 29, 2016
Priority date	Apr 17, 2014
Publication date	Jun 9, 2016
Grant date	—

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 unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:
one or more processors individually or collectively configured to:
assess a location of an external device in communication with the unmanned aerial vehicle;
assess, at a first time, a location of the unmanned aerial vehicle relative to a flight-restricted region using the location of the external device;
instruct the unmanned aerial vehicle to take a flight response measure when the location of the unmanned aerial vehicle relative to the flight-restricted region falls within a threshold, wherein the flight response measure defines a behavior of the unmanned aerial vehicle that is different from a behavior of the unmanned aerial vehicle outside the threshold; and
re-assess, at a second time, the location of the unmanned aerial vehicle relative to the flight-restricted region using the location of the external device; and
one or more propulsion units in communication with the one or more processors that permit the unmanned aerial vehicle to take the flight response measure.

2 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further configured to: instruct the unmanned aerial vehicle to take the flight response measure when the location of the unmanned aerial vehicle relative to the flight-restricted region at the second time is such that the unmanned aerial vehicle is within the flight-restricted region, wherein the flight response measure is different from a behavior of the unmanned aerial vehicle outside the flight-restricted region.

3 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively configured to: re-assess the location of the external device, subsequent to instructing the unmanned aerial vehicle to take the flight response measure.

4 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the flight response measure is to cause the unmanned aerial vehicle to fly outside the flight-restricted region.

5 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the location of the unmanned aerial vehicle relative to the flight-restricted region comprises a distance between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the flight-restricted region.

6 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the threshold is a distance threshold.

7 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the location of the external device is capable of moving from one location to another.

8 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the external device is a mobile terminal capable of receiving data from the unmanned aerial vehicle or transmitting control data to the unmanned aerial vehicle to control flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

9 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the mobile terminal comprises a display capable of displaying the unmanned aerial vehicle location or status data.

10 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the mobile terminal comprises a display capable of showing an image captured by a payload camera of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

11 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the location of the external device is assessed with aid of a GPS signal at the external device.

12 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the location of the flight-restricted region is stored on a local memory of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

13 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the location of the flight-restricted region is updated when the unmanned aerial vehicle communicates with the external device.

14 . An method for assessing flight response of an unmanned aerial vehicle, said method comprising:
assessing a location of an external device in communication with the unmanned aerial vehicle; assessing, at a first time and with aid of one or more processors, a location of the unmanned aerial vehicle relative to a flight-restricted region using the location of the external device; instructing the unmanned aerial vehicle to take a flight response measure when the location of the unmanned aerial vehicle relative to the flight-restricted region falls within a threshold, wherein the flight response measure defines a behavior of the unmanned aerial vehicle that is different from a behavior of the unmanned aerial vehicle outside the threshold; and re-assessing, at a second time and with aid of the one or more processors, the location of the unmanned aerial vehicle relative to the flight-restricted region using the location of the external device.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising instructing the unmanned aerial vehicle to take the flight response measure when the location of the unmanned aerial vehicle relative to the flight-restricted region at the second time is such that the unmanned aerial vehicle is within the flight-restricted region, wherein the flight response measure is different from a behavior of the unmanned aerial vehicle outside the flight-restricted region.

16 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising re-assessing the location of the external device, subsequent to instructing the unmanned aerial vehicle to take the flight response measure.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the flight response measure is to cause the unmanned aerial vehicle to fly outside the flight-restricted region.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the location of the unmanned aerial vehicle relative to the flight-restricted region comprises a distance between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the flight-restricted region.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the threshold is a distance threshold.

20 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the location of the external device is capable of moving from one location to another.

21 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the external device is a mobile terminal capable of receiving data from the unmanned aerial vehicle or transmitting control data to the unmanned aerial vehicle to control flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the mobile terminal comprises a display capable of displaying the unmanned aerial vehicle location or status data.

23 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the mobile terminal comprises a display capable of showing an image captured by a payload camera of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

24 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the location of the external device is assessed with aid of a GPS signal at the external device.

25 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising storing the location of the flight-restricted region on a local memory of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

26 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising updating the location of the flight-restricted region when the unmanned aerial vehicle communicates with the external device.

27 . A method for assessing flight response of an unmanned aerial vehicle to a flight-restricted region, said method comprising:
assessing a location of the unmanned aerial vehicle; assessing a location of a flight-restricted region; calculating, with aid of a processor, a distance between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the flight-restricted region using the location of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the location of the flight-restricted region; assessing, with aid of the processor, whether the distance falls within a first distance threshold or a second distance threshold g

Assignees

• Sz Dji Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Wang Mingyu
• Wang Tao
• Song Jianyu

Classifications

• B64U2201/10

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

• B64U2201/20

  Remote controls · CPC title

• B64U10/10

  Rotorcrafts · 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