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US 11,132,909 B2Granted
Drone encroachment avoidance monitor
OwnerTimothy Justinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed are examples of systems, apparatus, methods and computer program products for locating unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). A region of airspace may be scanned with two scanning apparatuses. Each scanning apparatus may include one or more directional Radio Frequency (RF) antennae. The two scanning apparatuses may have different locations. Radio frequency signals emitted by a UAV can be received at each of the two scanning apparatuses. The received radio frequency signals can be processed to determine a first location of the UAV.
Claims19
A method for locating unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the method comprising:
- scanning a region of airspace with at least a first and a second scanning apparatus, the first scanning apparatus comprising a first antenna, the second scanning apparatus comprising a second antenna, the first and the second scanning apparatuses having different locations, wherein the first antenna is deployed at a first angle, and wherein the second antenna is deployed at a second angle, a rate of rotation of the first antenna being configured to vary throughout a rotation;
- receiving radio frequency signals emitted by a UAV at each of the first and second antennae, the rate of rotation of the first antenna being based on a recent location of the UAV wherein:
- a frequency of the radio frequency signals is a downlink frequency of the UAV, and the UAV is a source of the radio frequency signals;
- the first antenna receives the radio frequency signals at a first signal strength;
- and
- the second antenna receives the radio frequency signals at a second signal strength;
- determining, by comparing the first signal strength and the second signal strength, an angular relationship between the locations of the first and second antennae and the UAV;
- processing the angular relationship between the locations of the first and second antennae and the UAV to determine a first location of the UAV;
- determining that an angular distance between the first antenna and the UAV is greater than a designated angular distance;
- and
- causing, responsive to determining that the angular distance between the first antenna and the UAV is greater than the designated angular distance, the rate of rotation of the first antenna to increase.
8 more elements
A system for detecting and locating UAVs, the system comprising:
- a plurality of scanning apparatuses, each scanning apparatus comprising an array of one or more antennae configured to receive radio signals having a designated frequency, the array of antennae having a spatial configuration, wherein a first antenna of a first scanning apparatus is deployed at a first angle, and wherein a second antenna of a second scanning apparatus is deployed at a second angle, each scanning apparatus being configured to:
- receive a radio signal associated with a UAV, wherein:
- a frequency of the radio signal is a downlink frequency of the UAV, and the UAV is a source of the radio signal;
- and
- a rate of rotation of the first antenna is configured to vary throughout a rotation, the rate of rotation of the first antenna being based on a recent location of the UAV;
- and
- provide data corresponding to a signal strength associated with the radio signal at the scanning apparatus;
- and
- one or more processors in communication with each of the scanning apparatuses, the one or more processors operable to:
- receive the data from at least two of the plurality of scanning apparatuses;
- determine, by comparing the signal strengths of the radio signal received by the at least two of the plurality of scanning apparatuses, an angular relationship between the locations of the at least two of the plurality of scanning apparatuses and the UAV;
- process, using locations of the at least two scanning apparatuses and the angular relationship, the data from the at least two scanning apparatuses to determine a location of the UAV;
- determine that an angular distance between the first antenna and the UAV is greater than a designated angular distance;
- and
- cause, responsive to determining that the angular distance between the first antenna and the UAV is greater than the designated angular distance, the rate of rotation of the first antenna to increase.
12 more elements
A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable program code to be executed by one or more processors when retrieved from a non-transitory computer readable medium, the program code including instructions configured to cause:
- determining a first signal strength associated with a first radio signal associated with a UAV operating in airspace, the first radio signal being received by a first antenna of a first scanning apparatus having a first location, the first scanning apparatus comprising a first array of one or more antennae configured to receive radio signals having a designated frequency, the first array of antennae having a first spatial configuration, wherein:
- a frequency of the first radio signal is a downlink frequency of the UAV, and the UAV is a source of the first radio signal;
- and
- a rate of rotation of the first antenna is configured to vary throughout a rotation, the rate of rotation of the first antenna being based on a recent location of the UAV;
- generating, using the first signal strength and the first spatial configuration, first data indicating an angular relationship between the first location and the UAV;
- determining a second signal strength associated with a second radio signal associated with the UAV, the second radio signal being received by a second antenna of a second scanning apparatus having a second location, the second scanning apparatus comprising a second array of one or more antennae configured to receive radio signals having the designated frequency, the second array of antennae having a second spatial configuration;
- generating, using the second signal strength and the second spatial configuration, second data indicating an angular relationship between the second location and the UAV;
- comparing the first signal strength and the second signal strength;
- processing, using the first and second locations and the comparison of the first signal strength and the second signal strength, the first and second data to determine a location of the UAV;
- determining that an angular distance between the first antenna and the UAV is greater than a designated angular distance;
- and
- causing, responsive to determining that the angular distance between the first antenna and the UAV is greater than the designated angular distance, the rate of rotation of the first antenna to increase.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.