UAV Weather Hazard Control for Autonomous Emergency Response

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Solution Overview

Problem

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) lack the ability to autonomously respond to emergency situations due to their inability to assess and react to hazardous weather conditions during flight, leading to potential physical damage and increased response times.

Innovation Solution

A method and device for controlling UAVs that determine a flight hazard level based on real-time meteorological data, allowing the UAV to switch to a safe state, such as return or emergency-landing mode, by computing a meteorological hazard index and referencing a preset list or threshold, enabling autonomous decision-making without manual intervention.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the drone executes a pre-set flight path autonomously, then productivity is improved, but the ability to respond to emergency situations deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautonomous flight execution efficiencyVSAvoidemergency response capability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors meteorological data during flight and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust the flight state. When hazardous weather conditions are detected, the system automatically transitions from autonomous flight path execution to emergency return or emergency landing modes, thus maintaining both productivity and emergency response capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The flight control system dynamically adjusts its operation mode based on real-time weather conditions. The drone can switch between different flight states (normal autonomous flight, emergency return, emergency landing) depending on the meteorological hazard level, making the system adaptable while maintaining autonomous operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If manual operation is used for emergency return, then the drone can respond to hazardous weather, but response time increases and productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveemergency situation handlingVSAvoidemergency response time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The drone performs self-monitoring of meteorological conditions and automatically initiates emergency return or emergency landing procedures without requiring manual intervention. The system serves itself by detecting hazardous weather and executing the appropriate emergency protocol, thereby reducing response time while maintaining reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-configures emergency response protocols and meteorological hazard thresholds before flight. When predefined hazard levels are reached, the emergency response is automatically triggered, eliminating the delay associated with manual decision-making and action

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If the drone continues flight in hazardous weather, then productivity is maintained, but the risk of physical damage increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflight mission completionVSAvoidweather-induced physical damage risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors meteorological conditions and compares them against predefined hazard thresholds. When hazardous weather is detected, feedback triggers an automatic transition to emergency modes, protecting the drone from physical damage while minimizing impact on productivity through automated rapid response

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system takes preliminary protective action by detecting hazardous weather conditions before they can cause physical damage. By proactively switching to emergency return or emergency landing modes upon detecting meteorological hazards, the system prevents damage while maintaining operational efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Data Source

PatentEP3249631B1Method and device for controlling unmanned aerial vehicle
Publication Date: 2019.07.17 BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO LTD
  • EP3249631B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3249631B1 patent drawingFigure 1C~2
  • EP3249631B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a method and device for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle. The method includes: obtaining (101) meteorological data in a current location of the UAV when the UAV is in a first flight state, the first flight state being used to represent a steady flight state or a take-off preparing state of the UAV; determining (102) a flight hazard level of the UAV based on the meteorological data obtained, the flight hazard level being used to represent a hazard level caused to a flight of the UAV by different weather; and controlling (103) the UAV to switch to a second flight state when the flight hazard level is a first preset level, the first preset level representing a level where the UAV cannot fly safely and the second flight state representing an emergency flight state or a take-off suspended state of the UAV.