UAV Landing Guidance with Auxiliary Position Correction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) landing systems face challenges due to GPS data drift, leading to inaccurate landings and increased operational costs from manual location updates and resource-intensive airdrome expansions, which are inefficient and costly.

Innovation Solution

An airdrome auxiliary positioning system using multiple position detectors symmetrically arranged around the target airdrome determines the UAV's location and generates corrected guidance information to guide the UAV into the signal coverage of the guidance beacon, overcoming GPS data drift and ensuring accurate landings.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If GPS-based positioning is used for UAV landing, then the system is simple and coverage is wide, but positioning accuracy deteriorates due to data drift

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an auxiliary positioning system as an intermediary between the GPS and the guidance beacon. This system uses multiple position detectors (e.g., radar, ultrasonic sensors) arranged around the airdrome to detect UAV position and generate correction values for GPS drift, thereby improving positioning accuracy without requiring direct GPS-beacon communication

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the purely electronic GPS-based positioning with a hybrid system that incorporates physical position detectors (radar, ultrasonic, optical sensors) to detect UAV position mechanically/physically, providing more accurate real-time position data that corrects GPS drift

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If airdrome signal coverage is expanded to accommodate GPS drift, then positioning reliability improves, but resource consumption and operational costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelanding reliabilityVSAvoidresource consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the airdrome area into multiple detection zones, each covered by specific position detectors. The system segments the correction task by having different detectors handle different spatial regions, allowing accurate positioning within a compact area without expanding overall signal coverage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements partial correction by generating correction values only when GPS drift exceeds a threshold, rather than continuously expanding coverage. The auxiliary positioning system activates selectively to provide just enough correction to maintain reliability without excessive resource consumption

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Measurement precision

If manual location updates are performed to correct GPS drift, then positioning accuracy improves, but operational efficiency deteriorates due to manual intervention

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidoperational efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-service by automating the correction process. The auxiliary positioning system automatically detects UAV position, calculates correction values, and sends corrected guidance information back to the UAV without any manual intervention, maintaining high positioning accuracy while preserving operational efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent establishes a feedback loop where the auxiliary positioning system continuously monitors UAV position, compares it with GPS data, generates correction values, and feeds them back to the UAV's navigation system. This automated feedback mechanism maintains positioning accuracy without requiring manual updates

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4152120B1Method and system for guiding unmanned aerial vehicle landing, auxiliary positioning system, and unmanned aerial vehicle
Publication Date: 2025.12.24 BEIJING SANKUAI ONLINE TECH CO LTD
  • EP4152120B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4152120B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4152120B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The disclosure relates to a method and system for guiding landing of an unmanned aerial vehicle, an auxiliary positioning system and an unmanned aerial vehicle. The method for guiding landing of unmanned aerial vehicle includes: determining location information of the unmanned aerial vehicle over a target airdrome by using a plurality of position detectors in an airdrome auxiliary positioning system; generating corrected guidance information according to an offset vector between the location information and target location information, where the target location information is information representing any location within signal coverage of a guidance beacon of the target airdrome; and sending the corrected guidance information to the unmanned aerial vehicle, where the corrected guidance information is used to guide the unmanned aerial vehicle to fly into the signal coverage of the guidance beacon.