UAV Reverse Return Flight Control Without GPS Signals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) face challenges in navigation and control when GPS signals are disrupted, leading to potential crashes or hijacking risks, as existing technologies lack effective alternatives for guidance during return flights beyond the operator's visual line of sight or under remote control signal interruptions.
Innovation Solution
A control method and system that enables a movable device to transition into a reverse return flight mode, where inverse commands are executed in reverse order to counteract previous flight commands, allowing the UAV to safely return to its departure point using onboard sensors and processors, even without GPS or remote control signals, and to avoid obstacles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GPS navigation system is used for flight and return flight route planning, then navigation accuracy is improved, but the system becomes vulnerable to GPS signal disruption and hijacking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a reverse return flight mode where the UAV executes inverse commands in reverse order to return to the departure point. Instead of relying on forward GPS navigation commands, the system inverts the command sequence and executes them in reverse, effectively counteracting the effects of GPS spoofing and signal disruption by navigating backward through the flight path rather than forward through potentially compromised GPS guidance.
2Ease of operation
If attitude mode is used for beyond visual line of sight flights, then operator control is improved, but the solution becomes inapplicable when remote control signal is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the UAV to autonomously execute the reverse return flight mode without requiring continuous remote control signals. The system self-manages the return navigation by automatically generating and executing inverse commands in reverse order, making the control system self-sufficient during signal interruptions and eliminating dependency on operator input when remote control is unavailable.
3Device complexity
If conventional return flight control is used, then flight simplicity is maintained, but the probability of accident increases under GPS spoofing or signal loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent prepares inverse commands in advance during the normal flight phase, storing them for potential future use. This preliminary preparation allows the system to quickly switch to reverse return flight mode when GPS spoofing or signal loss is detected, without requiring complex real-time calculations during the emergency return, thus maintaining relative simplicity while significantly improving safety under adversarial conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
A control method for controlling a movable device includes controlling a motion of the movable device based on a plurality of flight commands in a normal mode; and controlling the motion of the movable device based on a plurality of inverse commands in a reverse return flight mode. An execution order of the plurality of inverse commands is reverse of an execution order of the plurality of commands, the plurality of inverse commands are generated based on the plurality of flight commands, and an operation of each of the inverse commands is opposite to an operation of a corresponding flight command.