UAV Flight Control Using Distance Thresholds Near No-Fly Zones
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Solution Overview
Problem
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) lack effective systems to detect and respond to flight-restricted regions, such as airports, leading to potential safety hazards and legal violations due to the inability to automatically navigate around or land in these areas.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for an UAV to assess its location relative to flight-restricted regions, calculate distances using GPS and ENU/ECEF coordinate systems, and implement appropriate flight responses, including automatic landing, alerts, or restricted flight modes based on predefined distance thresholds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If UAVs are equipped with flight control systems to detect and respond to flight-restricted regions, then safety and compliance are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by determining the location of flight-restricted regions and calculating distance thresholds before the UAV enters restricted airspace. The flight control system proactively identifies no-fly zones and pre-calculates safe flight paths, preventing potential violations before they occur rather than reacting after entry into restricted areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a flight control system as an intermediary between the UAV operator and the restricted airspace. This intermediary layer processes location data, calculates distance thresholds, and automatically adjusts flight parameters to ensure compliance with airspace regulations, reducing the burden on operators while maintaining safety.
2Measurement precision
If the system calculates precise distance thresholds using coordinate systems, then measurement precision is improved, but computational requirements and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces complex manual distance calculation methods with automated computational algorithms that use coordinate systems (such as ECEF and ENU transformations). The flight control system automatically performs these calculations using GPS data and stored restricted region coordinates, achieving precise distance measurements without requiring manual intervention or complex mechanical measurement devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the problem of distance measurement by changing the parameter representation from direct distance calculations to coordinate-based representations. By storing and processing location data in standardized coordinate systems and transforming between them as needed, the system achieves precise measurements while maintaining computational efficiency through parameter standardization.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the system provides multiple flight response options (immediate landing, delayed landing, alerts), then adaptability is improved, but control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flight control system implements dynamic response selection based on real-time conditions. Rather than providing static, pre-programmed responses, the system dynamically adjusts flight responses based on factors such as current distance to restricted regions, flight phase (takeoff, cruise, landing), and operational context. This allows the same system to provide different appropriate responses (immediate landing, delayed landing, alerts, or path adjustment) based on the specific situation.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and devices are provided for providing flight response to flight-restricted regions. The location of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) may be assessed and used to calculate a distance between the UAV and a flight-restricted region. Different flight-response measures may be taken based on the distance between the UAV and the flight-restricted region.