Return path configuration for remote controlled aerial vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9557738-B2
Application number	US-201615134284-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 20, 2016
Priority date	Apr 21, 2015
Publication date	Jan 31, 2017
Grant date	Jan 31, 2017

Abstract

Disclosed is a configuration to control automatic return of an aerial vehicle. The configuration stores a return location in a storage device of the aerial vehicle. The return location may correspond to a location where the aerial vehicle is to return. One or more sensors of the aerial vehicle are monitored during flight for detection of a predefined condition. When a predetermined condition is met a return path program may be loaded for execution to provide a return flight path for the aerial vehicle to automatically navigate to the return location.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method to control automatic return of an aerial vehicle, the method comprising:
tracking a flight path of the aerial vehicle represented by a plurality of location data points;
generating a return path from the plurality of location data points of the tracked flight path, wherein the return path comprises determining a route from a current location of the aerial vehicle to an initial take off location of the aerial vehicle;
storing a redundant route in the generated return path, the redundant route traced around an obstacle by at least one repeated location data point in the plurality of location data points;
monitoring one or more sensors during flight of the aerial vehicle for detection of a predefined condition;
detecting whether the predefined condition has been met;
loading, by a processor, a return path into a memory of the aerial vehicle in response to the detected predefined condition being met, the loaded return path including the generated return path;
generating, by the processor, a modified return path to a return location by revising the loaded return path to avoid the stored redundant route traced around the obstacle, the modified return path omitting the at least one repeated location data point from the loaded return path; and
controlling, by the processor, the aerial vehicle to automatically navigate to the return location according to the modified return path to avoid the obstacle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processor limits execution of control signals received from a remote controller.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predefined condition comprises a structural condition of a mechanical component.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predefined condition comprises an operational condition of an electronic component.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predefined condition comprises an airspace restriction.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predefined condition comprises a weather condition.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the return location comprises an initial location data in the tracked flight path.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein omitting the at least one repeated location data point from the return path comprises removing the at least one repeated location data point.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising stored instructions to control automatic return of an aerial vehicle, the stored instructions when executed by a processor cause the processor to:
track a flight path of the aerial vehicle represented by a plurality of location data points;
generate a return path from the plurality of location data points of the tracked flight path, wherein the return path comprises determining a route from a current location of the aerial vehicle to an initial take off location of the aerial vehicle;
store a redundant route in the generated return path, the redundant route traced around an obstacle by at least one repeated location data point in the plurality of location data points;
monitor one or more sensors during flight of the aerial vehicle for detection of a predefined condition;
detect whether the predefined condition has been met;
load a return path into a memory of the aerial vehicle in response to the detected predefined condition being met, the loaded return path including the generated return path;
generate a modified return path to a return location by revising the loaded return path to avoid the stored redundant route traced around the obstacle, the modified return path omitting the at least one repeated location data point from the loaded return path; and
control the aerial vehicle to automatically navigate to the return location according to the modified return path to avoid the obstacle.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , further comprising stored instructions that when executed cause the processor to limit execution of control signals received from a remote controller.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the return location comprises an initial location data in the tracked flight path.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein omitting the at least one repeated location data point from the generated return path comprises removing the at least one repeated location data point to remove the stored redundant route.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12 , further comprising stored instructions that when executed cause the processor to:
receive obstacle data corresponding to the obstacle detected in the tracked flight path of the aerial vehicle; and
modify the tracked flight path based on the received obstacle data to generate the return path, the aerial vehicle on the return path avoiding the obstacle.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the predefined condition comprises a structural condition of a mechanical component.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the predefined condition comprises an operational condition of an electronic component.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the predefined condition comprises an airspace restriction.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the predefined condition comprises a weather condition.

18. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising stored instructions to control automatic return of an aerial vehicle, the instructions when executed by a processor cause the processor to:
store a return location in a storage device of the aerial vehicle, the return location corresponding to a location where the aerial vehicle is to return;
monitor one or more sensors during flight of the aerial vehicle for detection of a predefined condition;
detect whether the predefined condition has been met;
load a return path into a memory of the aerial vehicle, the return path providing a return flight path for the aerial vehicle to automatically navigate to the return location, the loaded return flight path represented by a plurality of location data points, wherein the loaded return path comprises a route from a current location of the aerial vehicle to an initial take off location of the aerial vehicle;
store a redundant route in the return flight path, the redundant route traced around an obstacle by at least one repeated location data point in the plurality of location data points;
generate a modified return path to the return location by revising the loaded return flight path to avoid the stored redundant route, the modified return path omitting the at least one repeated location data point from the loaded return flight path; and
control the aerial vehicle to automatically navigate to the return location according to the modified return path to avoid the obstacle.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 , further comprising stored instructions that when executed cause the processor to:
detect the obstacle during the tracked flight path of the aerial vehicle;
store obstacle data corresponding to the detected obstacle; and
modify the return path based on the obstacle data for avoidance of the detected obstacle by the aerial vehicle in the return flight path.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19 , further comprising stored instructions that when executed by the processor cause the pro

Assignees

• Gopro Inc

Inventors

• Enke Joseph Anthony

Classifications

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• B64U70/83

  using parachutes, balloons or the like · 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

• B64U2201/104

  using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS · CPC title