Swarm UAV Control Protocol Translation for Collision Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Unmanned vehicles operating in swarms face challenges in coordinating mission objectives and maintaining formation without collision, especially when equipped with different communication protocols and onboard computers, leading to potential inefficiencies and reduced reliability in collision avoidance.
Innovation Solution
A system that allows a ground control station to select and transmit mission control messages using different application layer control protocols based on the capabilities of individual unmanned vehicles, enabling them to operate as a cohesive swarm, and optimizes message transmission by concatenating non-urgent messages into a single packet, while implementing adaptive collision avoidance mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If unmanned vehicles use different communication protocols to operate independently, then individual vehicle functionality and adaptability are improved, but coordination efficiency and swarm reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a protocol translation layer that acts as an intermediary between unmanned vehicles using different communication protocols. This translation layer converts messages between various protocols (e.g., MAVLink, DJI, Walkbox) and a standardized internal protocol, enabling vehicles with disparate protocols to communicate reliably within the swarm without sacrificing individual protocol compatibility.
2Measurement precision
If mission control messages are transmitted individually to each unmanned vehicle, then communication accuracy is improved, but communication overhead and transmission time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual mission control messages into a single aggregated message that can be transmitted to multiple unmanned vehicles simultaneously. The system consolidates common mission parameters (e.g., waypoint coordinates, mission timeline) into one broadcast message, reducing redundant transmissions while maintaining accurate delivery to each vehicle through the protocol translation layer.
3Reliability
If collision avoidance mechanisms are implemented with high sensitivity, then safety is improved, but false positives and operational restrictions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by applying different collision avoidance strategies to different vehicles within the swarm based on their specific characteristics, mission roles, and environmental contexts. Rather than enforcing a uniform high-sensitivity collision avoidance policy on all vehicles, the system allows vehicles with critical safety functions to use more conservative parameters while permitting greater operational freedom for vehicles in safer zones or with redundant safety systems.
Data Source
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AI summary
There is provided a method comprising: receiving, by an apparatus, a first mission control message for sending to a first unmanned vehicle; selecting, by the apparatus, a first control protocol from at least two control protocols for sending the first mission control message to the first unmanned vehicle in dependence on a determined capability of the first unmanned vehicle; and sending, by the apparatus, the first mission control message to the first unmanned vehicle using the selected control protocol.