Drone Emitters and Receivers for Formation and Collision Awareness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing remote-controlled drones face challenges in performing complex maneuvers, maintaining formation, and avoiding collisions without expert-trained operators, and lack real-time situational awareness of their positioning relative to each other.
Innovation Solution
Enhanced emitters, receivers, and indicators on drones that emit and receive electromagnetic signals to facilitate real-time positioning, collision avoidance, and formation maintenance, allowing for autonomous or partially autonomous operation, with visual, audio, or haptic indications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If drones operate autonomously without expert-trained operators, then operational complexity and accessibility are improved, but navigation and collision avoidance capabilities deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces electromagnetic signal emitters and receivers as intermediary devices that enable drones to communicate their positions and detect each other automatically. The emitter drone transmits electromagnetic signals that are received by the receiver drone, creating an automated communication system that replaces expert operator judgment with objective technological mediation for collision avoidance and formation maintenance.
2Reliability
If drones maintain real-time situational awareness through signal emission and reception, then formation maintenance and collision avoidance are improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic electromagnetic signal transmission rather than continuous emission. The emitter drone sends signals at intervals, and the receiver drone processes these periodic signals to maintain situational awareness. This periodic action reduces energy consumption compared to continuous signal emission while still providing sufficient data for formation maintenance and collision avoidance.
3Extent of automation
If electromagnetic signals are used for real-time positioning and communication, then situational awareness and autonomous operation are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electromagnetic signal system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides positioning information, enables collision avoidance, maintains formation integrity, and facilitates communication between drones. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized systems, thereby limiting the increase in overall device complexity despite the advanced capabilities enabled by electromagnetic signals.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables drones to perform complex maneuvers, maintain formation, and reduce collision risks through enhanced situational awareness, enabling real-time objective positioning alerts and increased autonomy.
Implementation Method 1
an emitter drone (102-A) can emit signals, e.g., electromagnetic energy, toward another drone (a 'receiver drone' (102-B))
Implementation Method 2
to allow a receiver drone to receive signals that are emitted by emitter drones
Data Source
AI summary
A system including an emitter drone including one or more emitters that are configured to emit signals and a receiver drone including one or more receivers that are configured to detect an emitted signal from the emitter drone. The system further includes a controller that is configured to provide a detection signal when the one or more receivers detect the emitted signal from the emitter drone and an indicator that provides an indication based on receiving the detection signal from the controller of the receiver drone.