Drone Optical Line-of-Sight Survey for Microwave Dish Siting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional line of sight surveys for microwave radio dish deployment in rural or mountainous areas are costly and often inaccurate due to topographical changes, requiring manual surveys and mechanical lifts, which can exceed $9,000 USD per survey.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to perform surveys and coverage mapping by deploying one UAV to a candidate site and another UAV to an existing cellular base station, where they function as fixed geostationary points to create and detect a flash of light, transmitting images to a centralized location for analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual surveys and mechanical lifts are used for line of sight confirmation, then measurement accuracy can be maintained, but survey costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical surveying methods with an automated optical system. A light source is mounted on a drone that flies to the candidate microwave radio dish location, while a camera mounted on another drone or stationary platform captures images of the light source. This optical automation eliminates the need for manual surveys and mechanical lifts, reducing costs while maintaining measurement accuracy through precise coordinate tracking and angle calculation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service line of sight confirmation by using autonomous drones equipped with light sources and cameras. The drones automatically navigate to specified coordinates, capture images, and transmit data for analysis without requiring human technicians to physically climb towers or perform manual surveys. The process is fully automated from deployment to data collection, eliminating labor-intensive manual operations.
2Reliability
If manual surveys are performed by technicians climbing base stations, then topographical changes can be detected, but time consumption and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces time-consuming manual survey operations with automated drone-based optical measurement. The system calculates the expected angle to the light source based on drone coordinates and elevation, then automatically captures images at the precise moment the light source appears in the field of view. This automation detects topographical changes rapidly without requiring technicians to climb base stations, significantly reducing survey time while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary calculations of the expected angle and coordinates before the survey begins. The centralized computing device calculates the precise angle at which the camera should capture the light source image based on预先-determined coordinates and elevation data. This preliminary preparation enables the drones to execute the survey efficiently without time-consuming on-site calculations or manual measurements.
3Loss of information
If conventional survey methods are used, then detailed topographical data can be collected, but device complexity and operational difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs multi-functional drones that serve multiple purposes: navigation to coordinates, mounting and positioning of light sources, capturing images, and transmitting data. The same drone platform performs all these functions, eliminating the need for separate specialized equipment for each survey task. The centralized computing device also handles multiple functions including angle calculation, coordinate tracking, and image analysis, simplifying the overall system while collecting comprehensive topographical data.
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
This method reduces survey costs significantly, potentially saving $100,000 USD or more per week in the US and millions globally, while maintaining accuracy, by automating the line of sight confirmation process.
Implementation Method 1
calculating an angle necessary to direct a flash of light from the first unmanned aerial vehicle toward the expected coordinates and expected elevation setting of the second unmanned aerial vehicle
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes determining current coordinates and a current elevation setting of a first unmanned aerial vehicle that is to be deployed to a candidate location for a microwave radio dish, receiving expected coordinates and an expected elevation setting of a second unmanned aerial vehicle that is deployed to a location of an existing cellular base station, calculating an angle necessary to direct a flash of light from the first unmanned aerial vehicle toward the expected coordinates and expected elevation setting of the second unmanned aerial vehicle, adjusting a current angle of an optical system of the first unmanned aerial vehicle to match the angle that is calculated, and sending a dataset to a centralized computing device, wherein the dataset includes at least an elevation setting of the first unmanned aerial vehicle at a time of capture of an image of the flash by the second unmanned aerial vehicle.