Method and apparatus for controlling an unmanned aircraft

A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system of an unmanned aircraft, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:

• receiving, via a wireless receiver, first control signals directly from a remote control device according to user input at the remote control device;
• adjusting a flight of the unmanned aircraft according to the first control signals;
• receiving, via the wireless receiver, second control signals from a network device, wherein the second control signals are not sourced by the remote control device;
• and
• adjusting the flight of the unmanned aircraft according to the second control signals causing the unmanned aircraft to fly within a transmitting range of the remote control device;
• receiving data signals representative of radio frequency (RF) parameters, wherein the data signals are transmitted by the unmanned aircraft, wherein the RF parameters are associated with a group of test signals received by the unmanned aircraft when the unmanned aircraft is in proximity to a target area, wherein the group of test signals is transmitted from different locations;
• and
• generating placement information indicative of a particular position for a communication device to be positioned with respect to the target area, wherein the placement information is generated based on the RF parameters.

A method comprising:

• determining, by a processing system comprising a processor, whether an unmanned aircraft is registered with a network that includes the processing system;
• determining, by the processing system, whether the unmanned aircraft is receiving first control signals being sourced by a remote control device;
• responsive to a registration of the unmanned aircraft with the network and responsive to a determination that the unmanned aircraft is not receiving the first control signals, wirelessly transmitting, by a transmitter of the network in communication with the processing system and to the unmanned aircraft, second control signals, wherein the second control signals cause a flight of the unmanned aircraft to be adjusted;
• receiving, by the processing system, data signals representative of radio frequency (RF) parameters, wherein the data signals are transmitted by the unmanned aircraft, wherein the RF parameters are associated with a group of test signals received by the unmanned aircraft when the unmanned aircraft is in proximity to a target area, wherein the group of test signals is transmitted from different locations;
• and
• generating placement information indicative of a particular position for a communication device to be positioned with respect to the target area, wherein the placement information is generated based on the RF parameters.