Methods and systems for remote identification, messaging, and tolling of aerial vehicles

An aircraft tolling device comprising:

• a first computer processor;
• a first computer memory coupled to the first computer processor;
• and
• a housing containing the first computer processor and the first computer memory;
• wherein the housing is configured for attachment to an aerial vehicle;
• wherein the first computer processor is operable to transmit tolling data to a second ground-based computer processor;
• wherein the tolling data identify the aerial vehicle;
• and
• wherein the tolling data comprise a common format that is utilized by the aerial vehicle and other aerial vehicles within the monitored airspace;
• and
• wherein the second ground-based computer processor is operable for:
• detecting and tracking the aerial vehicle in the monitored airspace;
• receiving the tolling data from the aerial vehicle in the monitored airspace, the tolling data comprising unique identifiers for the aerial vehicle in the monitored airspace;
• determining operators for the aerial vehicle in the monitored airspace based on a database of aerial vehicle and operator associations;
• accessing accounts in the database associated with each of the operators;
• and
• applying charges to the accounts associated with each of the operators in response to the reception of the unique identifiers of the aerial vehicle in the monitored airspace.

A process for monitoring at least one aerial vehicle in a monitored air space comprising:

• transmitting data from the at least one aerial vehicle to a computer processor;
• and
• receiving the data at the computer processor;
• wherein the at least one aerial vehicle comprises an aerial vehicle computer processor;
• wherein the aerial vehicle computer processor is contained in a housing;
• wherein the housing is configured for attachment to the at least one aerial vehicle;
• wherein the data comprise one or more of identification data, messaging data, and tolling data;
• wherein the data comprise a common format that is utilized by the at least one aerial vehicle in the monitored airspace;
• wherein the computer processor is positioned at a location other than the at least one aerial vehicle;
• and
• wherein the computer processor is operable for:
• detecting and tracking the at least one aerial vehicle in the monitored airspace;
• receiving the tolling data from the at least one aerial vehicle in the monitored airspace, the tolling data comprising unique identifiers for the at least one aerial vehicle in the monitored airspace;
• determining operators for the at least one aerial vehicle in the monitored airspace based on a database of aerial vehicle and operator associations;
• accessing accounts in the database associated with each of the operators;
• and
• applying charges to the accounts associated with each of the operators in response to the reception of the unique identifiers of the at least one aerial vehicle in the monitored airspace.