UAV Optical Line-of-Sight Survey for Microwave Dish Siting
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional line of sight surveys for microwave radio dish deployment in rural or mountainous areas are costly and often inaccurate due to topographical changes, requiring manual surveys and mechanical lifts, which can exceed $9,000 USD per survey.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to perform surveys and coverage mapping by deploying one UAV to a candidate site and another UAV to an existing cellular base station, where they function as fixed geostationary points to create and detect a flash of light, transmitting images for analysis, thereby reducing costs and maintaining accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual surveys and mechanical lifts are used for line of sight confirmation, then measurement accuracy is maintained, but survey cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical surveying methods with an automated optical system using UAVs. The first UAV carries an optical system that emits light signals, while the second UAV captures images of these signals. This substitution eliminates the need for mechanical lifts and manual surveys, reducing costs while maintaining measurement accuracy through automated coordinate determination and image analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses optical copying by emitting light signals from the first UAV and capturing images of these signals with the second UAV. Instead of direct physical measurement by human surveyors, the system creates optical copies (light signals and images) that can be analyzed to determine line of sight and coordinates, significantly reducing survey costs while maintaining precision.
2Reliability
If manual surveys are performed by technicians, then line of sight can be confirmed, but time consumption and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by having the first UAV determine its current coordinates and the second UAV receive expected coordinates before the actual line of sight measurement. The optical system pre-calculates angles and prepares light signals, while the second UAV prepares its image capture system. This preliminary preparation automates the process and reduces the time required for actual measurement compared to manual surveys.
Solution Approach 2:
The UAV system performs self-service by autonomously determining coordinates, calculating angles, emitting light signals, capturing images, and processing data to confirm line of sight. The system does not require human technicians to physically climb towers or perform manual measurements, significantly reducing time consumption and operational complexity while maintaining reliability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If traditional survey methods are used in rural or mountainous areas, then topographical changes can be detected, but the complexity and cost of deployment increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic UAV platforms instead of static ground-based survey equipment. The UAVs can fly to various locations and adjust their positions and angles dynamically to adapt to different topographical conditions in rural or mountainous areas. This dynamic capability allows the system to handle diverse terrains without requiring complex deployment infrastructure like mechanical lifts or multiple ground stations.
Solution Approach 2:
The UAV-based optical system serves multiple functions: it determines current coordinates, calculates angles, emits light signals, captures images, and processes data to confirm line of sight. This multi-functional system replaces multiple specialized survey equipment and manual operations, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining adaptability to various topographical conditions through the flexibility of aerial deployment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The drone-based method significantly reduces survey costs to approximately $4,000 USD or less per survey, potentially saving millions weekly by eliminating the need for manual surveys and mechanical lifts while maintaining accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
calculating an angle necessary to direct a flash of light from the first unmanned aerial vehicle toward the expected coordinates and expected elevation setting of the second unmanned aerial vehicle
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes determining current coordinates and a current elevation setting of a first unmanned aerial vehicle that is to be deployed to a candidate location for a microwave radio dish, receiving expected coordinates and an expected elevation setting of a second unmanned aerial vehicle that is deployed to a location of an existing cellular base station, calculating an angle necessary to direct a flash of light from the first unmanned aerial vehicle toward the expected coordinates and expected elevation setting of the second unmanned aerial vehicle, adjusting a current angle of an optical system of the first unmanned aerial vehicle to match the angle that is calculated, and sending a dataset to a centralized computing device, wherein the dataset includes at least an elevation setting of the first unmanned aerial vehicle at a time of capture of an image of the flash by the second unmanned aerial vehicle.