# US 12,008,910 B2 · UAV system emergency path planning on communication failure

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- Number: US 12,008,910 B2
- Document ID: US12008910B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/636,412
- Filed: 2018-07-27
- Published: 2020-06-04
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2017-08-04
- Assignees: Ideaforge Technology Pvt. Ltd.
- Applicants: Ideaforge Technology Pvt. Ltd
- Inventors: Rahul Singh
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12008910B2

## CPC

- G08G 5/34: for flight plan modification
- G05D 1/0022: {characterised by the communication link (data switching networks in general H04L12/00)}
- G05D 1/0055: {with safety arrangements}
- G05D 1/226: Communication links with the remote-control arrangements
- G05D 1/617: Safety or protection, e.g. defining protection zones around obstacles or avoiding hazards (arrangements for controlling the position or course of two or more vehicles for avoiding collisions therebetween G05D1/693; arrangements for reacting to or preventing system or operator failure G05D1/80)
- G08G 5/55: for a single aircraft
- G08G 5/57: for unmanned aircraft
- G08G 5/58: for emergency situations, e.g. hijacking or bird strikes
- G08G 5/80: Anti-collision systems
- B64U 2201/00: UAVs characterised by their flight controls
- B64U 2201/20: Remote controls
- 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})
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR

## Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a system and method for executing safe-return of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) moving along a path having a plurality of communication waypoints in the event of a communication failure. In an aspect, the proposed method can include the steps of detecting, at the UAV, a communication failure; enabling the UAV to return to last healthy communication waypoint location; and based on status of the communication failure, enabling the UAV to return to its home location.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for emergency path planning for an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) in an event of communication failure on account of an obstacle, said UAV moving along a path having a plurality of communication waypoints, each communication waypoint providing communication between the UAV and a home location through a wireless radio link, the method comprising the steps of:
detecting, by a flight control system of the UAV, a communication failure resulting from loss of wireless radio link communication;
enabling, by the flight control system, on detection of the communication failure, the UAV to return to a last healthy communication waypoint location, the last healthy communication waypoint location being a communication waypoint out of the plurality of communication waypoints with healthy signal and selected based on one or more factors selected from the group of on-board sensor status/condition and nominal mission parameters comprising total time, total distance, distance travelled, payload weight, payload condition/health; and
waiting, at the last healthy communication waypoint location, by the flight control system, for a defined time period for communication to return before enabling the UAV to return to its home location.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the UAV returns back to the home location using a linear shortest flight path from the last healthy communication waypoint location to the home location.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the UAV returns back to the home location if the communication does not return within the defined time period.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein in case the communication returns within the defined time period, the UAV waits for user command.

### Claim 5

A system configured for emergency path planning fora UAV in an event of communication failure on account of an obstacle, said UAV moving along a path having a plurality of communication waypoints, each communication waypoint providing communication between the UAV and a home location through a wireless radio link, said system comprising:
a communication module;
a flight control system operatively coupled with the communication module so as to detect a communication failure and, based on such detection, return the UAV to a last healthy communication waypoint location, the last healthy communication waypoint location being a communication waypoint out of the plurality of communication waypoints with healthy signal and selected based on one or more factors selected from the group of on-board sensor status/condition and nominal mission parameters comprising total time, total distance, distance travelled, payload weight, payload condition/health, wherein the flight control system is configured to wait for a defined time period before enabling the UAV to return to its home location, the detected communication failure resulting from loss of wireless radio link communication.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein the UAV returns back to the home location using a linear shortest flight path from the last healthy communication waypoint location to the home location.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein the UAV returns back to the home location if the communication does not return within the defined time period.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein in case the communication returns within the defined time period, the UAV waits for user command.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein the flight control system is further configured to, using one or more sensors, monitor UAV parameters selected from any or a combination of location, payload, speed, height, direction, path traversed, and fuel level.

### Claim 10 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein the communication failure is detected based on status of the wireless radio link.