UAV 3D Flight Path Planning Under Terrain Altitude Constraints
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a demand for efficient control of unmanned aerial vehicle flight, particularly in generating flight paths that account for varying elevations to minimize energy consumption and maintain a predetermined altitude.
Innovation Solution
A flight path generation system and method that generates a three-dimensional flight path for unmanned aerial vehicles by determining flight altitudes based on two-dimensional flight paths and elevation data, ensuring the vehicle descends or ascends in specific regions to maintain a predetermined altitude and minimize vertical movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the unmanned aerial vehicle maintains a constant flight altitude from the ground, then the flight path is simple to generate, but the vehicle may exceed the predetermined maximum altitude when traveling over low elevation regions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional flight path planning to three-dimensional flight path planning by incorporating elevation data. The processor generates a 3D flight path that accounts for ground elevation variations, ensuring the vehicle maintains a constant altitude above ground level while staying within the maximum altitude constraint. This dimensional expansion resolves the contradiction by providing a more sophisticated approach that satisfies both simplicity and reliability requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary analysis of elevation data along the flight path before finalizing the flight plan. The processor calculates the elevation profile in advance, identifies regions where constant altitude would exceed constraints, and pre-determines the appropriate 3D flight path that avoids these violations. This preliminary action prevents altitude constraint violations before they occur during actual flight.
2Reliability
If the unmanned aerial vehicle adjusts flight altitude continuously to maintain constant height above ground, then altitude constraints are satisfied, but energy consumption increases due to frequent vertical movements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the flight path into distinct regions based on elevation characteristics: regions where constant altitude is safe, regions requiring descent, and regions requiring level flight. By dividing the flight path into these segments, the system avoids continuous altitude adjustments and only performs vertical movements when necessary to transition between segments, thereby reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining constraint compliance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the flight altitude parameter strategically rather than continuously. Instead of adjusting altitude at every point along the flight path, the processor identifies specific regions where altitude changes are necessary and maintains constant altitude within each region. This parameter change approach minimizes the frequency and magnitude of vertical movements, reducing energy consumption while ensuring altitude constraints are never violated.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the unmanned aerial vehicle flies horizontally at maximum altitude, then energy consumption is minimized, but the vehicle may violate altitude constraints over regions with higher elevation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates the vertical dimension into flight path planning by integrating elevation data with horizontal navigation. The processor generates a three-dimensional flight path that maintains a constant vertical offset from the ground surface, ensuring the vehicle flies at the maximum possible altitude at each location without exceeding the absolute maximum altitude constraint. This dimensional integration allows the system to optimize energy consumption while guaranteeing constraint compliance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies local quality by allowing the flight altitude to vary spatially according to ground elevation. Instead of maintaining a single constant altitude throughout the entire flight, the vehicle adjusts its altitude locally to match the terrain profile, maintaining constant height above ground. This local adaptation enables the vehicle to fly at maximum safe altitude in each region while preventing constraint violations in high-elevation areas.
Data Source
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AI summary
A flight path generation system for generating a three-dimensional flight path for an unmanned aerial vehicle, includes: an acquisition device that acquires route data including information of a two-dimensional flight path of the unmanned aerial vehicle and map data including information of elevation at each point on the two-dimensional flight path; and a processor that generates the three-dimensional flight path by determining a flight altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle from a ground on the two-dimensional flight path based on the two-dimensional flight path and the elevation. Wherein, under an assumption that the two-dimensional flight path is traveled by the unmanned aerial vehicle moving horizontally, if an excess region where the flight altitude exceeds a predetermined first altitude and a first region where the flight altitude does not exceed the first predetermined altitude occur on the two-dimensional flight path, the first region leading to the excess region, the processor determines the flight altitude in the excess region and the first region such that: a maximum value of the flight altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle in the excess region does not exceed the first predetermined altitude, the unmanned aerial vehicle descends in a descent region including part of the excess region or the first region, and the unmanned aerial vehicle moves horizontally over regions other than the descent region in the excess region and the first region.