Pseudo-GPS Interface for Drone Positioning Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing autonomous vehicle control systems, particularly those using remote sensors, are often complex, expensive, and not easily adaptable to different drone models, with onboard GPS sensors providing position data with limited accuracy, making precise navigation challenging.
Innovation Solution
A drone control system that incorporates a remote position sensor to generate a pseudo-GPS signal, which is formatted to comply with standard navigational data transmission protocols, allowing the onboard flight system to merge inertial tracking data with this signal for accurate navigation, thereby enhancing positioning accuracy without modifying the native flight system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a remote sensor is used to determine drone position, then positioning accuracy is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an interface as an intermediary component that bridges the remote sensor and the onboard flight system. This interface converts raw sensor data into standardized navigational data transmission protocols, allowing the complex remote sensing functionality to be seamlessly integrated with the existing flight system without requiring direct complex connections between the sensor and flight controller.
Solution Approach 2:
The interface generates pseudo-GPS signals that replicate the standard navigational data format expected by the onboard flight system. By creating these copied signal formats, the system can utilize standard protocols and existing flight system capabilities while incorporating advanced remote sensing technology, thus reducing overall system complexity.
2Measurement precision
If a dedicated control system is used to interface with the drone, then positioning accuracy is improved, but adaptability to different drone models decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The interface is designed with universal functionality to communicate with various drone models through standardized navigational data transmission protocols. By adhering to standard protocols such as NMEA 0183 or UBX, the interface can work with different onboard flight systems across multiple drone models, making the high-precision positioning solution broadly applicable rather than model-specific.
Solution Approach 2:
The interface adapts to different drone models by changing its output parameters to match the specific protocol requirements of each model. This allows the same physical interface hardware to serve multiple drone types by adjusting communication parameters rather than requiring dedicated hardware for each model.
3Device complexity
If conventional GPS sensors are used onboard the drone, then device simplicity is maintained, but positioning accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The interface acts as a mediator that translates remote sensor measurements into the standard GPS-like signal format that the onboard flight system expects. This allows the simple, unmodified flight system to receive high-precision positioning data without directly processing complex raw sensor data, maintaining system simplicity while achieving high accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The interface creates pseudo-GPS signals that copy the standard navigational data format, allowing the onboard flight system to process the data as if it came from a conventional GPS receiver. This copying approach enables the flight system to maintain its simple design while benefiting from the high precision of remote sensing technology.
Data Source
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AI summary
A drone control system for controlling a drone which includes an onboard-flight-system previously configured to receive navigational-data in a format compliant with a standard navigational data transmission protocol. The system includes a remote-sensor and an interface. The remote sensor is located remotely from the drone and determines the position of the drone relative to the remote-sensor. The interface, coupled with the remote-sensor, produces a pseudo GPS signal indicating the position of the drone and to provide the pseudo GPS signal to an onboard-flight-system of the drone. The format of the pseudo GPS signal is fully compliant with the standard navigational data transmission protocol employed by the onboard-flight-system. The onboard-flight-system is receives inertial tracking data from an onboard inertial-measuring-unit and the pseudo GPS signal, and tracks the position of the drone by merging the inertial tracking data and the pseudo GPS signal and navigates the drone accordingly.