Drone Remote Piloting Geocaging for Flight Limit Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Drones equipped with virtual guarding devices face issues where detection of unauthorized flight zone crossings can lead to unnecessary loss, even when the system is functioning correctly, due to defects or simple errors, highlighting the need for a secure and automatic method to maintain compliance with authorized flight zones without modifying the onboard control unit.

Innovation Solution

An electronic remote control system for drones that includes a preventive geocaging module, which communicates with the drone to detect potential zone violations, alerts the pilot, and automatically corrects the flight path to prevent unauthorized entry, compatible with existing virtual guarding devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a virtual guarding device is added to the drone to detect and trigger fall in case of exceeding authorized limits, then flight zone compliance is improved, but the drone may be lost due to unnecessary triggering from simple control errors or late corrective reactions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflight zone complianceVSAvoiddrone loss
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The ground control station acts as an intermediary between the drone and the virtual guarding device. It receives position data from the drone, independently determines whether authorized flight zone limits are exceeded, and only triggers fall when certain of the violation. This intermediate verification step prevents premature or erroneous triggering that would occur with standalone onboard geofencing, thereby reducing unnecessary drone loss while maintaining flight zone compliance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the onboard virtual guarding device triggers fall immediately upon detecting limit crossing, then flight zone compliance is ensured, but the drone is lost even when the system is functioning correctly but the pilot makes simple errors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflight zone complianceVSAvoidunnecessary drone loss
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The ground control station performs preliminary verification of flight zone violations before triggering the fall. Instead of immediate onboard triggering, the ground station first receives position data, processes it through its own determination logic, and only then activates the virtual guarding device if a genuine violation is confirmed. This preliminary action filters out false positives from simple control errors while maintaining compliance enforcement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Loss of substance

If the remote pilot manually monitors and corrects flight path to avoid prohibited areas, then drone loss is reduced, but flight zone compliance cannot be automatically ensured

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrone lossVSAvoidflight zone compliance
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements automated feedback by continuously receiving position data from the drone, comparing it against authorized flight zone limits stored in the ground control station, and automatically triggering fall when limits are exceeded. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures reliable flight zone compliance without requiring constant manual pilot intervention, while the selective triggering based on ground station determination reduces unnecessary drone loss from manual errors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3489929B1Electronic system for remote control of drones, associated method and computer program
Publication Date: 2024.02.21 THALES SA
  • EP3489929B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3

AI summary

Electronic remote piloting system (3) for drones (2), adapted to detect a risk of crossing an authorized flight limit based on data defining the authorized flight limit(s) and the geographical location of the drone or a received remote piloting command and to - determine, based on said piloting command and an extrapolation over time of piloting in accordance with this command, a situation of crossing a limit, and trigger an alarm based on said determination; or - determine another remote piloting command intended for the drone to prevent crossing a flight limit; or - block the transmission to the drone of the received remote piloting command to prevent crossing a flight zone limit.