Drone Screening Perch for Restricted Region Access Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing prevalence of drones poses risks of accidental or intentional damage to structures and people, as they may not be equipped with proper flight controllers or may carry hazardous payloads, necessitating a system to ensure drones meet specific criteria before entering restricted geographic regions.
Innovation Solution
A screening perch system equipped with sensors and a drone verifier that scans drones for compliance with predefined criteria, including flight plans, payload checks, and hardware/software validation, to authorize or deny access to restricted areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If drones are allowed to operate freely without screening, then productivity and ease of operation are improved, but safety and reliability deteriorate due to risks of accidental or intentional damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a screening perch that performs preliminary screening of drones before they are allowed to operate in restricted geographic regions. The system scans drones for compliance with predefined criteria including proper flight controllers, absence of hazardous payloads, and appropriate navigation equipment. This preliminary action ensures safety requirements are met before drone operations begin, resolving the contradiction between operational freedom and safety.
2Reliability
If comprehensive drone screening is implemented, then safety and reliability are improved, but device complexity and loss of time increase due to additional screening procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The screening system is segmented into distinct functional components: sensors for scanning drones, a drone verifier for evaluating compliance data, and a database for storing criteria. This segmentation allows the complex screening function to be broken down into manageable, independent modules that can be developed, maintained, and scaled separately, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive safety checks.
Solution Approach 2:
The screening perch operates autonomously by automatically scanning drones, evaluating their compliance with predefined criteria, and making authorization decisions without requiring manual intervention. The system self-manages the entire screening process from detection to verification to authorization, reducing operational complexity and time loss despite comprehensive safety checks.
3Reliability
If comprehensive drone screening is implemented, then safety and reliability are improved, but loss of time increases due to additional screening procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The screening system is designed to rapidly scan and evaluate drones by skipping unnecessary verification steps for drones that clearly meet basic criteria. The sensor array performs quick simultaneous scans of multiple drones, and the verification process prioritizes critical safety checks while skipping redundant validations, thereby reducing screening time while maintaining comprehensive safety standards.
Solution Approach 2:
Drones are preliminarily screened upon approach to the restricted region, allowing compliant drones to be pre-authenticated before reaching the screening perch. This preliminary action enables the system to process drones more efficiently by having basic compliance checks completed in advance, reducing the time required for full verification at the screening point.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments herein describe a perch for screening drones before permitting access to a restricted geographic region. The perch may include various scanners for evaluating the payload of the drone, its hardware, and flight control software. In one embodiment, the screening perch includes a conveyor belt that moves the drone through various scanners or stages in the perch. In one embodiment, the perch ensures the drone is properly configured to enter the restricted geographic region. The region may include multiple requirements or criteria that must be satisfied before a drone is permitted to enter. For example, the drone may need a signed flight plan, cargo that is less than a certain percentage of its weight, or an approved flight controller before being permitted into the restricted region. In this manner, the perch serves as a controlled entrance point for drones attempting to enter the restricted region.