UAV Roaming Policy Query via Intermediary Server
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems lack the ability to effectively monitor and enforce flight regulations for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as they cross geographical borders, leading to potential safety risks and compliance issues due to the absence of real-time flight policy determination for neighboring areas.
Innovation Solution
A method and system where an unmanned aerial vehicle application server (UAV-AS) determines if a UAV is leaving its service area and queries the applicable flight policy from a neighboring UAV-AS, instructing the UAV on the policy before entering the new area, utilizing a hierarchical structure to manage and disseminate flight policies across different geographical service areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a UAV connects to application servers via default Internet connections over-the-top (OTT) of the cellular network, then the UAV can communicate with application servers run by manufacturers or operators, but central flight regulation authorities cannot monitor and enforce flight regulations across different geographical areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cellular network operator as an intermediary between UAVs and flight regulation authorities. The network operator deploys UAV-AS instances in different geographical areas that act as mediators to enforce flight policies. When a UAV roams into a new area, the local UAV-AS queries the home UAV-AS for the UAV's flight policy and enforces it, thus enabling centralized regulation through a distributed intermediary structure.
2Device complexity
If flight policies are enforced only in the current geographical service area, then the UAV-AS can maintain simple local policies, but the UAV cannot comply with flight restrictions in neighboring areas before entering them
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the visiting UAV-AS query the home UAV-AS about the UAV's flight policy before the UAV enters the neighboring geographical area. The visiting UAV-AS receives and stores the flight policy in advance, enabling it to enforce the correct policies as soon as the UAV enters its service area, thus ensuring compliance without requiring complex real-time policy updates.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the UAV-AS structure is fully distributed with each area managing its own policies independently, then each UAV-AS operates autonomously, but there is no mechanism for UAVs to obtain flight policies from neighboring areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes a feedback mechanism where the visiting UAV-AS queries the home UAV-AS for flight policy information when a UAV roams into its area. The home UAV-AS responds with the appropriate flight policy, creating a feedback loop that ensures the visiting UAV-AS has the necessary information to enforce correct policies while maintaining the autonomy of both UAV-AS instances.
4Reliability
If flight policies are updated in real-time as UAVs cross borders, then compliance with local regulations is ensured, but the system requires complex real-time communication and policy retrieval mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces complexity by performing preliminary actions - the visiting UAV-AS queries and retrieves the flight policy from the home UAV-AS before the UAV actually enters the neighboring area. This advance retrieval eliminates the need for complex real-time policy updates during flight, as the policy is obtained in advance and enforced locally when needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A system, method, node, and computer program for determining a flight start policy to be applied to an unmanned aerial vehicle, UAV, (10) is described. The UAV (10) is associated with a first UAV-Application Server, UAV-AS (100) maintaining a flight policy applicable for the geographical service area (150) where the UAV (10) is located. The method comprising the first UAV-AS (100) determining whether the UAV (10) is going to leave the geographical service area (150) towards a second geographical service area (150), wherein the second geographical service area (150) is associated with a second UAV-AS (130). If so querying by the first UAV-AS (100) a flight policy applicable for the second geographical service area (150) from the second UAV-AS (130), and instructing a received flight policy applicable for the second geographical service to the UAV (10), before the UAV (10) has entered the second geographical service area (150).