UAV Mission Automation Levels for Communication Loss Response
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current unmanned aerial systems (UAS) face limitations in automation, particularly during reduced or lost communications, which can compromise mission success and safety, due to limited reliability and bandwidth in communications technologies and increased dependency on human operators for decision-making and control.
Innovation Solution
A mission automation and decision support system is configured using a user interface and computer-implemented module that allocates predefined automation levels to decision points within UAV tasks, allowing for graduated levels of autonomy and operator approval, enabling the system to operate autonomously or manually based on specified conditions and mission requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If human operators are used for supervisory control and decision-making, then the system can handle complex mission requirements, but the system becomes dependent on robust communications and human response time
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring automation levels and decision rules during system setup. The computer-implemented module stores multiple automation levels with predefined decision-making authorities, allowing the UAV to automatically select appropriate automation levels when communication is lost, eliminating the need for real-time human decision-making during critical periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary automation system that mediates between human operators and UAV control during communication losses. The mission automation and decision support element acts as a buffer, using stored automation levels to make decisions when the direct human-UAV communication link is broken, thereby maintaining operational reliability.
2Reliability
If automation levels are increased to reduce operator dependency, then the system can operate during communication losses, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the automation system into distinct, hierarchical levels (e.g., Level 1 to Level 5), where each level represents a specific degree of automation and decision-making authority. This segmentation allows the system to manage complexity by breaking down autonomous operation into manageable increments, each with clearly defined capabilities and limitations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements dynamic automation levels that can be adjusted based on operational conditions. The computer-implemented module enables the UAV to transition between different automation levels during flight, allowing the system to adapt its complexity dynamically - using higher automation levels when communication is lost and lower levels when full communication is available.
3Reliability
If failsafe automation levels are used during communication loss, then the UAV can maintain safe operation, but mission effectiveness may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary configuration of multiple automation levels with varying degrees of autonomy and mission capability. During communication loss, the UAV can transition to pre-configured automation levels that balance safety requirements with mission objectives, rather than defaulting to a single conservative failsafe mode.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of automation level dynamically based on operational context. The computer-implemented module allows the system to select from multiple automation levels, each representing different parameter settings for autonomy, decision-making authority, and mission capability, enabling optimization of both safety and mission effectiveness.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus for configuring a mission automation and decision support system for an unmanned aerial vehicle comprising a user interface and a computer-implemented module configured to:receive data representative of at least one task to be performed by the UAV, the task being defined by one or more decision points that correspond to system actions or responses that could result from respective specified mission information;for each decision point(s), request user inputs in response to questions, the questions being designed to determine an extent to which each system action or response can be automated and a respective level of mandated operator approval therefor; andallocate to each decision point a set of one or more corresponding automation levels, each automation level comprising data representative of a measure of automation to be applied at a respective decision point.