UAV Flight Area Handover Using UTM Backup Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) lose control when flying outside their allowed flight areas, leading to safety risks due to communication disruptions with their controllers.
Innovation Solution
Implement a flight area management method using Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (UTM) to switch control from the UAV's original controller to the UTM when the UAV leaves its normal flight area, ensuring continued communication and control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the UAV flies outside its designated flight area, then the UAV can expand its operational range and coverage, but the network connection may be lost and the UAV may lose control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a UTM (Unmanned Aerial System Traffic Management) system as an intermediary between the UAV and the original controller. When the UAV flies outside its designated area, the UTM takes over control through a controller switching mechanism, ensuring continuous control and communication. The UTM acts as a mediator that receives location information from the AMF, determines whether the UAV is in an abnormal area, and switches control accordingly, thus maintaining reliability while allowing expanded operational range.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the 3GPP system stops providing network connection service when the UAV is outside the allowed area, then the system enforces flight area restrictions, but the UAV loses communication with the controller
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by establishing a subscription mechanism where the UTM subscribes to location change events of the UAV before the UAV actually leaves the designated area. The AMF continuously monitors the UAV's location and proactively notifies the UTM when the UAV enters an abnormal area, allowing the controller switching to occur before complete communication loss happens. This proactive approach ensures seamless transition of control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback through the AMF's location monitoring and notification mechanism. The AMF tracks the UAV's real-time location, compares it with the designated flight area, and provides feedback to the UTM when the UAV crosses the boundary. This feedback loop enables the system to respond dynamically to the UAV's location, maintaining communication and control by switching to the UTM when necessary.
3Reliability
If the controller switches to UTM when the UAV is in an abnormal area, then continuous control is maintained, but additional system complexity is introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The UTM system is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a traffic management authority and as a backup controller for UAVs in abnormal areas. By giving the UTM dual functions (traffic management + emergency control), the patent avoids introducing a completely separate emergency control system, thus reducing overall system complexity while maintaining control continuity.
Data Source
AI summary
A flight area management method for an uncrewed aerial vehicle and a related apparatus, where the method includes: An access and mobility management function (AMF) obtains flight area exception information of an uncrewed aerial vehicle, where the flight area exception information indicates that the uncrewed aerial vehicle is not located in a normal flight area. The AMF sends a flight area exception notification message to an uncrewed aerial system traffic management (UTM), where the flight area exception notification message is used to indicate that the uncrewed aerial vehicle is not located in the normal flight area. When flight area exception occurs on the uncrewed aerial vehicle, using the UTM to control the uncrewed aerial vehicle can improve controlling safety for the uncrewed aerial vehicle.