# US 11,308,815 B2 · Unmanned aerial vehicle management > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,308,815 B2 - Document ID: US11308815B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/660,237 - Filed: 2019-10-22 - Published: 2020-05-21 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2015-06-15 - Assignees: Imagekeeper LLC - Applicants: ImageKeeper LLC - Inventors: Jerry Speasl; Mike Patterson; Marc Roberts - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11308815B2 ## CPC - G08G 5/32: for flight plan preparation - B64F 1/222: for storing aircraft, e.g. in hangars - B64U 70/20: for releasing or capturing UAVs in flight by another aircraft - B64U 70/70: Launching or landing using catapults, tracks or rails (launching from storage containers B64U70/50) - B64U 80/70: in containers (B64U80/60 takes precedence) - G06Q 10/08: Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management - G08G 5/55: for a single aircraft - G08G 5/57: for unmanned aircraft - G08G 5/727: {from a ground station} - B64U 10/14: with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters - B64U 10/25: Fixed-wing aircraft (VTOL aircraft B64U10/20) - B64U 80/25: for recharging batteries; for refuelling - B64U 80/82: Airborne vehicles - B64U 80/84: Waterborne vehicles - B64U 80/86: Land vehicles - B64U 2101/30: for imaging, photography or videography - B64U 2101/64: for parcel delivery or retrieval - B64U 2201/104: using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS - B64U 2201/20: Remote controls - G08G 5/76: for monitoring atmospheric conditions - G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93}) - B64F: GROUND OR AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-DECK INSTALLATIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH AIRCRAFT; DESIGNING, MANUFACTURING, ASSEMBLING, CLEANING, MAINTAINING OR REPAIRING AIRCRAFT, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; HANDLING, TRANSPORTING, TESTING OR INSPECTING AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A base module may be used to receive and house one or more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) via one or more cavities. The base module receives commands from a manager device and identifies a flight plan that allows a UAV to execute the received commands. The base module transfers the flight plan to the UAV and frees the UAV. Once the UAV returns, the base module once again receives it. The base module then receives sensor data from the UAV from one or more sensors onboard the UAV, and optionally receives additional information describing its flight and identifying success or failure of the flight plan. The base module transmits the sensor data and optionally the additional information to a storage medium locally or remotely accessible by the manager device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of unmanned aerial vehicle control, the method comprising: identifying an objective; generating a first sub-objective and a second sub-objective based on the objective at least in part by dividing the objective into the first sub-objective and the second sub-objective, wherein accomplishing the first sub-objective accomplishes a first portion of the objective, wherein accomplishing the second sub-objective accomplishes a second portion of the objective; requesting that a first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) accomplish the first sub-objective by transmitting the first sub-objective to the first UAV, wherein the first sub-objective includes a first instruction associated with control of the first UAV; and requesting that a second UAV accomplish the second sub-objective by transmitting the second sub-objective to the second UAV, wherein the second sub-objective includes a second instruction associated with control of the second UAV. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving the first UAV and the second UAV at one or more base modules; receiving sensor data at the one or more base modules from the first UAV and the second UAV; identifying, based on the sensor data, that the first UAV accomplished the first sub-objective and that the second UAV accomplished the second sub-objective; and identifying that the objective is accomplished based on the first UAV having accomplished the first sub-objective and the second UAV having accomplished the second sub-objective. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising: storing the first UAV and the second UAV at the one or more base modules while transmitting the first sub-objective to the first UAV and while transmitting the second sub-objective to the second UAV; and freeing the first UAV and the second UAV from storage at the one or more base modules in response to transmitting the first sub-objective to the first UAV and transmitting the second sub-objective to the second UAV. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the first UAV and the second UAV are both in flight simultaneously following freeing of the first UAV and the second UAV from the one or more base modules and prior to receipt of the first UAV and the second UAV at the one or more base modules. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the objective includes receiving the objective from a manager device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the objective includes generating the objective. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the objective includes delivery of one or more packages to one or more destinations. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the objective includes capturing one or more images of a target. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the objective includes collecting one or more objects from one or more source locations. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein generating the first sub-objective and the second sub-objective based on the objective includes dividing a property into at least a first area and a second area, wherein the first UAV accomplishing the first sub-objective includes the first UAV flying within the first area, wherein the second UAV accomplishing the second sub-objective includes the second UAV flying within the second area. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein generating the first sub-objective and the second sub-objective based on the objective includes identifying a first sensor of the first UAV and a second sensor of the second UAV, wherein the first UAV accomplishing the first sub-objective includes the first UAV capturing a first portion of the sensor data using the first sensor, wherein the second UAV accomplishing the second sub-objective includes the second UAV capturing a second portion of the sensor data using the second sensor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein generating the first sub-objective includes generating a first flight plan for the first UAV, and wherein generating the second sub-objective includes generating and a second flight plan for the second UAV. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein generating the first flight plan and the second flight plan considers at least one of collision avoidance, weather conditions, or conflict between the first sub-objective and the second sub-objective. ### Claim 14 A system of unmanned aerial vehicle control, the system comprising: a communication transceiver that receives a command transmitted by a manager device; a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory and to the communication transceiver, wherein execution of instructions stored in the memory by the processor: identifies an objective, generates a first sub-objective and a second sub-objective based on the objective at least in part by diving the objective into the first sub-objective and the second sub-objective, wherein accomplishing the first sub-objective accomplishes a first portion of the objective, wherein accomplishing the second sub-objective accomplishes a second portion of the objective, requests that a first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) accomplish the first sub-objective by transmitting the first sub-objective to the first UAV, wherein the first sub-objective includes a first instruction associated with control of the first UAV, and requests that a second UAV accomplish the second sub-objective by transmitting the second sub-objective to the second UAV, wherein the second sub-objective includes a second instruction associated with control of the second UAV. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor further: receives the first UAV and the second UAV at one or more base modules; receives sensor data at the one or more base modules from the first UAV and the second UAV; identifies, based on the sensor data, that the first UAV accomplished the first sub-objective and that the second UAV accomplished the second sub-objective; and identifies that the objective is accomplished based on the first UAV having accomplished the first sub-objective and the second UAV having accomplished the second sub-objective. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor further: stores the first UAV and the second UAV at the one or more base modules while transmitting the first sub-objective to the first UAV and while transmitting the second sub-objective to the second UAV; and frees the first UAV and the second UAV from storage at the one or more base modules in response to transmitting the first sub-objective to the first UAV and transmitting the second sub-objective to the second UAV. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the first UAV and the second UAV are both in flight simultaneously following freeing of the first UAV and the second UAV from the one or more base modules and prior to receipt of the first UAV and the second UAV at the one or more base modules. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor causes the processor to identify the objective based on the objective received from the manager device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor to identify the objective includes generating the objective. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the objective includes delivery of one or more packages to one or more destinations. ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the objective includes capturing one or more images of a target. ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the objective includes collecting one or more objects from one or more source locations. ### Claim 23 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein generating the first sub-objective and the second sub-objective based on the objective includes dividing a property into at least a first area and a second area, wherein the first UAV accomplishing the first sub-objective includes the first UAV flying within the first area, wherein the second UAV accomplishing the second sub-objective includes the second UAV flying within the second area. ### Claim 24 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein generating the first sub-objective and the second sub-objective based on the objective includes identifying a first sensor of the first UAV and a second sensor of the second UAV, wherein the first UAV accomplishing the first sub-objective includes the first UAV capturing a first portion of the sensor data using the first sensor, wherein the second UAV accomplishing the second sub-objective includes the second UAV capturing a second portion of the sensor data using the second sensor. ### Claim 25 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein generating the first sub-objective includes generating a first flight plan for the first UAV, and wherein generating the second sub-objective includes generating b a second flight plan for the second UAV. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The system of claim 25, wherein generating the first flight plan and the second flight plan considers at least one of collision avoidance, weather conditions, or conflict between the first sub-objective and the second sub-objective. ### Claim 27 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having embodied thereon a program executable by a processor to perform a method Worn of unmanned aerial vehicle control, the method comprising: identifying an objective; generating a first sub-objective and a second sub-objective based on the objective at least in part by dividing the objective into the first sub-objective and the second sub-objective, wherein accomplishing the first sub-objective accomplishes a first portion of the objective, wherein accomplishing the second sub-objective accomplishes a second portion of the objective; requesting that a first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) accomplish the first sub-objective by transmitting the first sub-objective to the first UAV, wherein the first sub-objective includes a first instruction associated with control of the first UAV; and requesting that a second UAV accomplish the second sub-objective by transmitting the second sub-objective to the second UAV, wherein the second sub-objective includes a second instruction associated with control of the second UAV.