Autonomous UAV Routing With Dynamic Flight Corridors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for package delivery, data capture, mapping, and surveillance rely on manned aircraft, which are costly, require significant infrastructure, and are prone to human error, making them unsuitable for shorter missions or missions requiring smaller payloads and flexible deployment.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that can be autonomously managed to navigate to destinations using mission data, including skymaps and flight corridors, allowing for efficient route planning and payload delivery without human operators, enabling flexible deployment and improved safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manned aircraft are used for package delivery and surveillance, then reliable operation can be achieved, but operational costs and infrastructure requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements autonomous UAVs that perform package delivery, surveillance, and navigation tasks without human operators. The system uses automated mission planning, autonomous navigation through flight corridors, and self-managed payload delivery, eliminating the need for pilots and ground support infrastructure while maintaining operational reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the human operator from the aircraft system, separating the functions of navigation, control, and decision-making from human pilots. This allows the aircraft to be smaller, cheaper to operate, and deployable from locations that don't require traditional airport infrastructure, while automated systems handle previously human-performed functions
2Adaptability or versatility
If manned aircraft are deployed for short missions with small payloads, then mission flexibility is improved, but operational costs remain high due to fixed infrastructure requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the airspace into segmented flight corridors with defined parameters and constraints. This segmentation allows multiple UAVs to operate independently in different corridors without requiring coordinated control infrastructure, enabling flexible mission deployment while simplifying overall system management and reducing infrastructure complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic flight corridors that can be created, modified, and deactivated based on real-time mission requirements. This dynamic approach allows the system to adapt to changing mission needs without permanent infrastructure installations, enabling short missions with small payloads while maintaining operational flexibility
3Reliability
If traditional air traffic control systems are used to manage UAV flights, then flight safety is improved, but system complexity and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces flight corridors as intermediary structures that mediate between UAVs and air traffic control. These corridors pre-defin e safe flight paths, altitude ranges, and operational parameters, allowing UAVs to maintain safety without requiring complex real-time control systems. The corridors act as a simplified interface that reduces both control system complexity and operational costs while preserving flight safety
Data Source
AI summary
An Unmanned Aerial System configured to receive a request from a user and fulfill that request using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. The Unmanned Aerial System selects a distribution center that is within range of the user, and deploys a suitable Unmanned Aerial Vehicle to fulfill the request from that distribution center. The Unmanned Aerial System is configured to provide real-time information about the flight route to the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle during its flight, and the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle is configured to dynamically update its mission based on information received from the Unmanned Aerial System.