Dual-mode vehicle collective guidance systems

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processing system of a dual-mode vehicle including at least one processor, cause the processing system to perform operations of at least a traffic management application, the operations comprising:

• detecting a proximity to a traffic zone for vehicular traffic, the dual-mode vehicle having two modes of operation, wherein the two modes of operation comprise a surface mode of operation and an aerial mode of operation;
• verifying a rule set for vehicular operations within the traffic zone, wherein the rule set for vehicular operations within the traffic zone is obtained from a local controller of the traffic zone, wherein the local controller comprises a controller of a plurality of traffic signals for surface-based vehicular operations, wherein the rule set for vehicular operations within the traffic zone includes rules for aerial vehicular operations within the traffic zone;
• identifying a leader traffic management application from among a plurality of traffic management applications of a plurality of dual-mode vehicles within or near the traffic zone, wherein the plurality of dual-mode vehicles includes the dual-mode vehicle, wherein the identifying of the leader traffic management application is based upon the rule set;
• obtaining at least one aerial navigation instruction from the leader traffic management application, wherein the local controller manages surface-operating traffic within the traffic zone via the plurality of traffic signals, and wherein the leader traffic management application manages aerial traffic within the traffic zone;
• and
• performing at least one of:
• executing a navigation action in accordance with the at least one aerial navigation instruction;
• or
• displaying at least a portion of a permitted route that is in conformance with the at least one aerial navigation instruction, wherein the performing comprises forwarding the at least one aerial navigation instruction to an on-board unit of the dual-mode vehicle via the traffic management application, wherein the on-board unit comprises:
• a display of the dual-mode vehicle;
• or
• an autonomous navigation module of the dual-mode vehicle.

An apparatus comprising:

• a processing system of a dual-mode vehicle including at least one processor;
• and
• a computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by the processing system, cause the processing system to perform operations of at least a traffic management application, the operations comprising:
• detecting a proximity to a traffic zone for vehicular traffic, the dual-mode vehicle having two modes of operation, wherein the two modes of operation comprise a surface mode of operation and an aerial mode of operation;
• verifying a rule set for vehicular operations within the traffic zone, wherein the rule set for vehicular operations within the traffic zone is obtained from a local controller of the traffic zone, wherein the local controller comprises a controller of a plurality of traffic signals for surface-based vehicular operations, wherein the rule set for vehicular operations within the traffic zone includes rules for aerial vehicular operations within the traffic zone;
• identifying a leader traffic management application from among a plurality of traffic management applications of a plurality of dual-mode vehicles within or near the traffic zone, wherein the plurality of dual-mode vehicles includes the dual-mode vehicle, wherein the identifying of the leader traffic management application is based upon the rule set;
• obtaining at least one aerial navigation instruction from the leader traffic management application, wherein the local controller manages surface-operating traffic within the traffic zone via the plurality of traffic signals, and wherein the leader traffic management application manages aerial traffic within the traffic zone;
• and
• performing at least one of:
• executing a navigation action in accordance with the at least one aerial navigation instruction;
• or
• displaying at least a portion of a permitted route that is in conformance with the at least one aerial navigation instruction, wherein the performing comprises forwarding the at least one aerial navigation instruction to an on-board unit of the dual-mode vehicle via the traffic management application, wherein the on-board unit comprises:
• a display of the dual-mode vehicle;
• or
• an autonomous navigation module of the dual-mode vehicle.