Method for generating flight route with which observer can visually observe drone

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017162063-A1
Application number	US-201715434112-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 16, 2017
Priority date	Sep 4, 2015
Publication date	Jun 8, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for generating a flight route includes receiving an unconfirmed flight route of a drone, displaying a visually observable area based on a position of an observer who visually observes the drone, confirming, if the unconfirmed flight route is entirely included in the visually observable area, the unconfirmed flight route as a confirmed flight route, and displaying, if at least a part of the unconfirmed flight route is not included in the visually observable area, a warning message indicating that the unconfirmed flight route is not confirmed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method used by an apparatus including an input and a display, the method comprising:
receiving, using the input, an unconfirmed flight route of a drone; displaying the unconfirmed flight route and a visually observable area on the display, the visually observable area including a first area, within which an observer located at a first position is able to visually observe the drone, the observer being an operator of the drone or a first visual observer; confirming, if the unconfirmed flight route is entirely included in the visually observable area, the unconfirmed flight route as a confirmed flight route; and displaying, on the display, if at least a part of the unconfirmed route is not included in the visually observable area, a warning message indicating that the unconfirmed flight route is not confirmed.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
updating, if at least a part of the unconfirmed flight route is not included in the visually observable area, the visually observable area on the basis of a second position of a second visual observer, the updated visually observable area including a second area, within which the second visual observer located at the second position is able to visually observe the drone; receiving, using the input, confirmation of the second position of the second visual observer; and deleting, if the unconfirmed flight route is entirely included in the updated visually observable area, the warning message and confirming the unconfirmed flight route as a confirmed flight route.

3 . The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein the unconfirmed flight route includes a first partial flight route included in the visually observable area and a second partial flight route not included in the visually observable area, and wherein the first partial flight route and the second partial flight route are displayed in a distinguishable manner.

4 . The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein a position of the observer is either fixed or not fixed, wherein the visually observable area includes a third area whose position is not fixed and a fourth area whose position is fixed, wherein the third area and the fourth area are displayed in a distinguishable manner, wherein, if at least a part of the unconfirmed flight route is not included in the visually observable area, confirmation of the first position of the observer whose position is not fixed is received, and wherein, if the unconfirmed flight route is entirely included in the visually observable area, the warning message is deleted, and the unconfirmed flight route is confirmed as a confirmed flight route.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, if at least a part of the unconfirmed flight route is not included in the visually observable area, a movement route for changing a position of the observer from the first position to a second position; displaying, on the display, a track of the visually observable area based on the movement of the observer from the first position to the second position as an extended visually observable area; and deleting, if the unconfirmed flight route is entirely included in the extended visually observable area, the warning message.

6 . The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein the unconfirmed flight route is input by specifying a waypoint.

7 . The method according to claim 5 ,
wherein the unconfirmed flight route is input by specifying a waypoint, and wherein the unconfirmed flight route includes a third partial flight route based on the movement route and a fourth partial flight route connecting the third partial flight route and the waypoint.

8 . An apparatus comprising:
an input that receives an unconfirmed flight route of a drone; a display; and circuitry which, in operation, displays the unconfirmed flight route and a visually observable area on the display, the visually observable area including a first area, within which an observer located at a first position is able to visually observe the drone, the observer being an operator of the drone or a first visual observer, confirms, if the unconfirmed flight route is entirely included in the visually observable area, the unconfirmed flight route as a confirmed flight route, and displays, on the display, if at least a part of the unconfirmed route is not included in the visually observable area, a warning message indicating that the unconfirmed flight route is not confirmed.

9 . A computer-readable non-transitory recording medium storing a program for controlling an apparatus including an input and a display, the program, when executed by a processor, causing the processor to implement a method comprising:
receiving, using the input, an unconfirmed flight route of a drone; displaying the unconfirmed flight route and a visually observable area on the display, the visually observable area including a first area, within which an observer located at a first position is able to visually observe the drone, the observer being an operator of the drone or a first visual observer; confirming, if the unconfirmed flight route is entirely included in the visually observable area, the unconfirmed flight route as a confirmed flight route; and displaying, on the display, if at least a part of the unconfirmed route is not included in the visually observable area, a warning message indicating that the unconfirmed flight route is not confirmed.

10 . A terminal apparatus comprising:
one or more memories; and circuitry which, in operation, receives an unconfirmed flight route of a drone, transmits the unconfirmed flight route to a server, receives, from the server, a position of an operator of the drone or of a first visual observer, a visually observable area based on the position of the operator or of the first visual observer, and a warning message indicating, if at least a part of the unconfirmed flight route is not included in the visually observable area, that the unconfirmed flight route is not confirmed, and displays the visually observable area and the warning message.

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Corp America

Inventors

• Kuhara Shunsuke

Classifications

• B64U2201/10

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

• B64U2201/00

  UAVs characterised by their flight controls · CPC title

• B64U2201/20

  Remote controls · CPC title

• B64C2201/141

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B64C2201/146

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic