UAV Flight Path Preloading for Lower Battery Drain

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current UAV control methods require users to set flight course tasks on a terminal after it is connected to the UAV, leading to increased battery consumption and potential task failure due to reduced flight duration.

Innovation Solution

A method where a terminal determines and stores UAV flight paths and parameters before connection, allowing for efficient path record invocation and transmission to the UAV, reducing power consumption and improving flight duration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the terminal sets flight course tasks after connecting to the UAV, then the user can configure flight paths in real-time, but the UAV battery consumption increases and flight duration decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflight course task configurationVSAvoidflight duration
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal determines location information of waypoints and generates flight paths before connecting to the UAV. The flight path is stored in a path database on the terminal, so that when connection is established, the pre-configured path can be directly invoked and transmitted to the UAV, avoiding battery consumption during task configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If the terminal sets flight course tasks after connecting to the UAV, then the flight path can be configured dynamically, but the battery consumption of the UAV increases leading to possible task failure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflight course task configurationVSAvoidtask completion reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The flight path is determined and stored in the path database before UAV connection. This preliminary configuration ensures that the flight course task is ready in advance, eliminating battery consumption during configuration and ensuring reliable task completion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The terminal stores the determined flight path as a path record in the path database. This path record serves as a reusable template that can be invoked multiple times for different UAV connections, allowing dynamic configuration without re-computation and ensuring consistent task execution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Use of energy by moving object

If the terminal stores flight paths in a path database for later invocation, then battery consumption is reduced and flight duration is extended, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveUAV battery consumptionVSAvoidterminal system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The path database on the terminal serves multiple functions: storing flight paths for multiple UAVs, saving user-configured waypoints, and providing reusable templates for different flight scenarios. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate configuration processes and minimizes overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3696642B1Method for controlling unmanned aerial vehicle, and terminal
Publication Date: 2022.07.06 AUTEL ROBOTICS CO LTD
  • EP3696642B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3696642B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3696642B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

Embodiments of the present invention disclose an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) control method and a terminal. The method includes: determining, by a terminal before the terminal is connected to any UAV, location information of at least one waypoint according to a first setting operation of a user, and determining a flight path according to the location information of the at least one waypoint; storing, by the terminal, the flight path into a path record of a path database; and invoking, by the terminal after the terminal establishes a connection to a UAV, a first path record associated with the UAV from the path database, and sending the first path record to the UAV, to control the UAV to fly according to information in the first path record. The embodiments of the present invention can improve efficiency of a UAV in obtaining a flight path, and reduce power consumption of the UAV when no flight course task is executed.