Wireless Drone Traffic Control for Road-Guided Delivery Routes
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Solution Overview
Problem
The proliferation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for package delivery poses challenges in air traffic control due to the sheer quantity of drones, requiring efficient communication and management systems to ensure safe and coordinated flight operations, particularly in navigating through crowded airspace and avoiding obstacles.
Innovation Solution
A drone air traffic control system utilizing wireless networks to communicate with UAVs, manage flight paths, and detect obstructions, enabling real-time control and collision avoidance through a modified Inevitable Collision State (ICS) and integrating with existing infrastructure like cell networks for broad coverage and redundancy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the existing National Airspace System (NAS) air traffic control network is used for UAVs, then air traffic control functionality is provided, but it is impractical due to the sheer quantity of UAVs and the scale of the system
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the air traffic control system into hierarchical levels: a core NAS system for high-level coordination and local air traffic control systems for regional management of UAVs. This segmentation allows the overwhelming quantity of UAVs to be managed in distributed regions rather than centralized in the entire NAS, reducing the practical complexity while maintaining comprehensive control functionality.
2Productivity
If more UAVs are deployed for package delivery, then delivery capacity increases, but air traffic control and collision avoidance become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces wireless networks as an intermediary layer between UAVs and the air traffic control system. This intermediary enables automated communication and coordination among numerous UAVs, allowing delivery capacity to scale without proportionally increasing control complexity. The wireless network infrastructure handles the communication overhead, freeing the control system to focus on critical decision-making.
3Extent of automation
If UAVs operate autonomously for delivery, then operational efficiency improves, but real-time communication and control requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-establishing wireless communication channels and protocols for autonomous UAVs before deployment. Flight plans, communication parameters, and control protocols are configured in advance, enabling UAVs to operate autonomously while maintaining reliable real-time communication. This preliminary setup reduces the communication overhead during actual operations.
Data Source
AI summary
Drone systems and methods for package pickup and delivery include, in an air traffic control system configured to manage UAV flight in a geographic region, communicating to one or more UAVs over one or more wireless networks; directing a UAV to pick up the package at the pickup location and to deliver the package to a delivery location; and directing the UAV, in transit, to travel along at least one of a road, highway, and street for a predetermined distance and at a predetermined altitude.