UAV Privacy Shield Using Geofenced Viewing And Recording Limits
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) with video capabilities for surveillance and surveying has raised concerns about privacy abuses, as they can operate without the need for licensed pilots and at reduced costs, leading to potential misuse.
Innovation Solution
A system that allows operators to select geographical areas and set operating modes to restrict viewing and recording of UAV data by user devices, using a processor to determine the field of view of the UAV imager and broadcast data accordingly, ensuring privacy by limiting access based on predefined areas and permissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If UAS with video capabilities are used for surveillance and surveying, then the cost is drastically reduced and accessibility is improved, but privacy abuse risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-establishes geofenced areas with defined privacy rules before UAS operations begin. Operators can define no-fly zones, restricted areas, and privacy-sensitive regions in advance, and the system automatically enforces these boundaries during flight operations, preventing privacy violations before they occur
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary software layer between the UAS and the environment that acts as a mediator. This privacy management system intercepts and controls data flows, automatically blocking or anonymizing footage from sensitive areas, and serving as a buffer between the surveillance capability and potential privacy harm
2Ease of operation
If the UAS broadcasts all captured data to user devices, then data accessibility is improved, but privacy protection is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different quality levels of data access to different spatial locations. Data from geofenced privacy-sensitive areas is automatically degraded, blurred, or blocked before transmission to user devices, while data from non-sensitive areas maintains full quality. This creates location-dependent data quality rather than uniform access
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the operational area into multiple geofenced zones with different privacy rules and data access permissions. Each zone can have independent privacy settings, allowing the system to selectively control which areas are broadcast to user devices and which remain private, enabling granular control over data distribution
3Object-affected harmful factors
If geofencing and privacy restrictions are implemented, then privacy protection is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically performs privacy protection functions without requiring continuous human intervention. The geofencing software autonomously monitors UAS position, detects violations of privacy zones, and executes appropriate actions such as blocking data transmission or alerting operators, making the complexity self-managing rather than operator-dependent
Solution Approach 2:
Privacy rules, geofenced areas, and restriction parameters are pre-configured in the system before deployment. This preliminary setup phase consolidates the complexity into an initial configuration step, after which the system operates with automated rule enforcement, reducing ongoing operational complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A system having: a processor and addressable memory, where the processor is configured to: receive a geographic data defining a selected geographical area; receive an operating mode associated with the selected geographical area, where the received operating mode restricts at least one of: a viewing of a UAV data and a recording of the UAV data by at least one user device; and broadcast the UAV data to the at least one user device based on the selected geographical area and the received operating mode.