# US 12,181,569 B2 · System and method for detecting drones

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- Number: US 12,181,569 B2
- Document ID: US12181569B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/073,388
- Filed: 2020-10-18
- Published: 2021-04-22
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2019-10-19
- Assignees: Vortezon, Inc.
- Applicants: Vortezon, Inc.
- Inventors: Peter T. Lewis; Robert E. Kelly; Robert J. Corbitt, Jr.
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12181569B2

## CPC

- G01S 13/003: {Bistatic radar systems; Multistatic radar systems}
- B60L 8/003: {Converting light into electric energy, e.g. by using photo-voltaic systems}
- B60L 8/006: {Converting flow of air into electric energy, e.g. by using wind turbines}
- B60L 53/51: Photovoltaic means
- G01S 7/003: {Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations}
- G01S 7/411: {Identification of targets based on measurements of radar reflectivity (G01S7/415 takes precedence)}
- G01S 13/72: for two-dimensional [2D] tracking, e.g. combination of angle and range tracking, track-while-scan radar
- G01S 13/878: {Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector (G01S13/874 takes precedence)}
- G01S 13/886: {for alarm systems (alarms with electrical actuation G08B13/22)}
- B60L 2200/10: Air crafts
- B64D 2221/00: Electric power distribution systems onboard aircraft
- B64U 10/13: Flying platforms
- B64U 50/19: using electrically powered motors
- B64U 50/31: generated by photovoltaics
- B64U 50/34: In-flight charging (photovoltaics B64U50/31)
- B64U 70/00: Launching, take-off or landing arrangements
- B64U 2101/60: for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
- H04W 84/042: {Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems}
- Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
- Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
- Y02T 90/12: Electric charging stations
- Y02T 90/16: Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A drone detection system includes a plurality of base stations, which are distributed over a geographic area that includes a facility. Each base station is configured to emit radio signals that are monitored for reflection data, which is generated when the radio signals reflect from an object. A server is configured to process the reflection data to identify a drone in proximity to the facility. The processing is configured to process the reflection data over time to identify trajectory metrics for the identified drone. The trajectory metrics are configured to predict a path of the drone and determine if the drone constitutes a threat to the facility. An alert is processed by the server when the drone is determined to constitute a threat to the facility. A data center is configured to receive and store processed reflection data that has been processed by the server.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A drone detection system, comprising:
a plurality of base stations, wherein each of the plurality of base stations is distributed over a geographic area that includes a facility to be protected, and each of the plurality of base stations is configured to emit ultra-wideband (UWB) radio signals that define an individual grid sphere, and an overall combination of the individual grid spheres defined by each of the plurality of base stations defines a drone detection UWB radio coverage area for the drone detection system, and wherein the UWB radio signals emitted by each of the plurality of base stations distributed over the geographic area are monitored for reflection data, the reflection data being generated when the UWB radio signals reflect from a flying object within the drone detection UWB radio coverage area;
a router in communication with the plurality of base stations;
a server in communication with the router, the server is configured to process the reflection data from the flying object to identify whether the flying object is a drone in proximity to the facility to be protected, and, when the flying object is identified to be a drone, the processing by the server is configured to process the reflection data over a period of time to identify trajectory metrics for the identified drone, the trajectory metrics are configured to predict a path of the identified drone and determine if the identified drone constitutes a threat to the facility to be protected within the geographic area based on the predicted path of the identified drone; and
a data center connected to a network, the data center is configured to receive and store processed reflection data that has been processed by the server,
wherein an alert is processed by the server when the identified drone is determined to constitute a threat to the facility to be protected.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of base stations is connected in a mesh network that allows the plurality of base stations to communicate with each other.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of base stations includes a transceiver, the transceiver emitting UWB radio signals and receiving reflected radio signals that have reflected from a flying object in the geographic area back to one of the plurality of base stations.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the alert is sent to a predefined recipient associated with the facility to be protected.

### Claim 5

A method of detecting a drone in proximity to a facility to be protected, comprising:
receiving, by a plurality of base stations distributed over a geographic area that includes the facility to be protected, reflection data resulting from ultra-wideband (UWB) radio signals emitted by the plurality of base stations, the UWB radio signals emitted by each of the plurality of base stations defining an individual grid sphere, and an overall combination of the individual grid spheres defined by each of the plurality of base stations defining a drone detection UWB radio coverage area, the reflection data being generated when the UWB radio signals reflect from a flying object within the drone detection UWB radio coverage area;
receiving, by a server connected to the internet, the reflection data received by the plurality of base stations;
processing, by the server, the reflection data to identify whether the flying object is a drone in proximity to the facility to be protected, and, when the flying object is identified to be a drone, the processing by the server is configured to process the reflection data over a period of time to identify trajectory metrics for the identified drone, the trajectory metrics are configured to predict a path of the identified drone and determine if the identified drone constitutes a threat to the facility to be protected within the geographic area based on the predicted path of the identified drone; and
processing, by the server, an alert to a predefined recipient when the identified drone is determined to constitute a threat to the facility to be protected.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the processing, by the server, to determine if the drone constitutes a threat to the facility to be protected includes analyzing the reflection data in combination with position location data of the drone, the position location data of the drone including the latitudinal, longitudinal, and altitudinal coordinates collected from the plurality of base stations.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the alert conveys the presence of the drone and the real-time speed, location, and directional azimuth of the drone.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further comprising:
storing, by a data center, processed reflection data that has been processed by the server.

### Claim 9

A drone detection system, comprising:
a plurality of base stations, wherein each of the plurality of base stations is distributed over a geographic area that includes a facility to be protected, and each of the plurality of base stations is configured to emit ultra-wideband (UWB) radio signals that define an individual UWB grid sphere, and an overall combination of the individual UWB grid spheres defined by each of the plurality of base stations defines a drone detection UWB radio coverage area for the drone detection system, and wherein the UWB radio signals emitted by each of the plurality of base stations distributed over the geographic area are monitored for reflection data, the reflection data being generated when the UWB radio signals reflect from a flying object within the drone detection UWB radio coverage area;
a router in communication with the plurality of base stations;
a server in communication with the router, the server is configured to process the reflection data from the flying object to identify whether the flying object is a drone that constitutes a threat to the facility to be protected, the processing of the reflection data to identify whether the flying object is a drone includes analyzing a mass size of the flying object, and, when the flying object is identified to be a drone, the processing of the reflection data to determine whether the identified drone constitutes a threat to the facility to be protected includes processing the reflection data over a period of time to identify trajectory metrics for the identified drone, the trajectory metrics are configured to predict a path of the identified drone and determine if the identified drone constitutes a threat to the facility to be protected based in part on the predicted path of the identified drone; and
a data center connected to a network, the data center is configured to receive and store processed reflection data that has been processed by the server,
wherein an alert is processed by the server when the identified drone is determined to constitute a threat to the facility to be protected.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the analyzing of the mass size of the flying object to identify whether the flying object is a drone includes determining a mass size of the flying object by analyzing the UWB signals reflected back from the flying object, and comparing the determined mass size of the flying object with an assigned range of reflectivity index values.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the flying object is determined to be a drone if the mass size of flying object is determined to correspond to a reflectivity index that falls within the assigned range of reflectivity index values for a drone.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the flying object is determined to be a drone if the mass size of flying object is determined to correspond to a reflectivity index within the range of from 0.02 to 0.03 m2.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the identified drone is determined to constitute a threat to the facility to be protected based in part on the mass size of the identified drone and in part on a payload capability of the identified drone.