UAV Flight Path Planning for Real-Time Terrain and Obstacle Adaptation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current systems for planning and managing aerial operations, such as those involving unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), face challenges in efficiently adjusting flight paths to account for obstacles, environmental changes, and power supply needs, particularly in complex terrain and dynamic conditions.

Innovation Solution

The system involves obtaining a representation of the surface divided into flight sections, identifying a flight path that allows an aircraft to conduct operations over these sections, and making real-time adjustments to avoid obstacles, adapt to environmental changes, or receive power supplies by coordinating multiple aircraft and power refilling stations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the flight path is adjusted in real-time to avoid obstacles and adapt to environmental changes, then the reliability of aerial operations is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliability of aerial operationsVSAvoidcomplexity of flight path adjustment system

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The flight path is made dynamic and adjustable in real-time based on environmental conditions, obstacles, and power supply availability. The system continuously monitors and modifies the flight path parameters during operation, transitioning from a static pre-planned route to a dynamic adaptive route that responds to changing conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The flight path is divided into multiple flight sections that can be independently planned and adjusted. This segmentation allows the system to manage complexity by handling smaller discrete sections rather than the entire flight path as a single unit, enabling modular optimization of each section based on local conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If the flight path is optimized to minimize non-operational flight, then the productivity of aerial operations is improved, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproductivity of aerial operationsVSAvoiddifficulty of optimizing flight path

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The flight path is pre-planned with consideration for future conditions such as power supply locations and environmental factors. By performing preliminary analysis and planning of the flight sections before actual operation, the system reduces the complexity of real-time optimization while maintaining high productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If multiple aircraft are coordinated for aerial operations, then the productivity is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproductivity of aerial operationsVSAvoidcomplexity of multi-aircraft coordination

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The overall operation area is divided into multiple flight sections that can be assigned to different aircraft. Each aircraft operates on its own designated flight sections, reducing coordination complexity by creating independent operational zones while maintaining overall system productivity through parallel execution of tasks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS11703865B2Aerial operation support and real-time management

Publication Date: 2023.07.18 SZ DJI TECH CO LTD

AI summary

A method for supporting aerial operation over a surface includes obtaining a three-dimensional (3D) representation of the surface; converting the 3D representation of the surface to a two-dimensional (2D) representation of the surface; obtaining a 2D flight path of the aircraft based on the 2D representation of the surface; converting the 2D flight path to a 3D flight path including location coordinates; and controlling the aircraft to conduct a flight mission following the 3D flight path.