Decentralized UAV Landing Coordination Using Peer Priority Claims
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) landing systems require human intervention or central controllers for collision avoidance, which is not feasible for autonomous operations.
Innovation Solution
UAVs equipped with communication interfaces and processors that establish wireless links to autonomously coordinate landings using a collision avoidance protocol, exchanging messages to determine priority and navigate trajectories without a central coordination entity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional landing coordination methods are used with human intervention or central controllers, then collision avoidance can be achieved, but the system complexity and requirement for human resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements autonomous collision avoidance where UAVs independently negotiate landing priorities through direct peer-to-peer communication. Each UAV autonomously transmits and processes priority-claim messages, determines its own landing sequence, and executes landing without human intervention or central controller coordination, thereby eliminating the need for complex centralized systems while maintaining safety
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the coordination function from centralized controllers or human operators and distributes it to individual UAVs. Each UAV is equipped with the capability to independently claim landing priority and negotiate with other UAVs, removing the dependency on external coordination entities and simplifying the overall system architecture
2Productivity
If autonomous operations are implemented without human intervention, then operational efficiency increases, but the complexity of autonomous coordination algorithms increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of having a central controller assign landing priorities to UAVs, the patent inverts the approach by having UAVs autonomously claim priorities themselves. Each UAV independently transmits priority-claim messages containing its identifier and requested priority level, and the system resolves conflicts through decentralized negotiation rather than centralized assignment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary priority claiming before actual landing execution. UAVs transmit priority-claim messages in advance, establishing a negotiated landing sequence before approaching the landing strip. This preliminary coordination phase resolves potential conflicts beforehand, enabling smooth autonomous execution without complex real-time decision-making during critical landing phases
3Extent of automation
If decentralized autonomous coordination is used, then the need for central controllers is eliminated, but message exchange protocols and communication requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the coordination process into distinct message types with specific functions: priority-claim messages for initial priority establishment, yield messages for priority surrender, and landing messages for final coordination. Each message type contains only the necessary information for its specific purpose, reducing communication overhead and preventing information loss through structured, modular message exchange
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure includes devices, systems, and methods for autonomously landing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with collaborative information sharing and without a central coordinating entity. In one embodiment, the present disclosure includes an unmanned aerial vehicle including a communication interface, a memory; and an electronic processor. The communication interface is configured to establish a wireless communication link with one or more unmanned aerial vehicles. The electronic processor configured to autonomously coordinate landings at a landing strip with the one or more unmanned aerial vehicles to prevent collisions exchanging messages with the one or more unmanned aerial vehicles via the wireless communication link according to a collision avoidance protocol, and wherein the autonomous coordination occurs without a central coordination entity.