Unmanned vehicle, system and methods for collision avoidance between unmanned vehicle

An unmanned vehicle, comprising:

• a satellite navigation unit configured for receiving a satellite signal indicative of a current position of the unmanned vehicle;
• an inertial navigation unit configured for determining the current position of the unmanned vehicle relative to an initial position;
• a memory unit configured for storing a planned path of the unmanned vehicle;
• a control unit disposed in communication with the satellite navigation unit, the inertial navigation unit and the memory unit, the control unit including a position unit and configured to:
• detect a loss of satellite signal at the satellite navigation unit,
• receive the current position of the unmanned vehicle from the inertial navigation unit,
• determine a planned position of the unmanned vehicle based on the planned path,
• compare the current position determined by the inertial navigation unit with the planned position based on the planned path, and
• control the movement of the unmanned vehicle based on at least the comparison between the current position and the planned position;
• a communication unit configured for receiving a second current position of a companion unmanned vehicle sent by the companion unmanned vehicle through at least one of satellite link and a base control station, wherein:
• the control unit is further configured to control the movement of the unmanned vehicle further based on the second current position of the companion unmanned vehicle, the control unit is further configured to estimate a potential collision between the unmanned vehicle and the companion unmanned vehicle based on the current position of the unmanned vehicle and the second current position of the companion unmanned vehicle, the control unit is configured to control the movement of the unmanned vehicle to impede the potential collision between the unmanned vehicle and the companion unmanned vehicle, and
• the unmanned vehicle is configured to transmit its said current position and the planned path to the companion unmanned vehicle so that the companion unmanned vehicle is configured through a second control unit to determine a need to modify its own second path as well.

A system comprising a plurality of unmanned vehicles, each of the plurality of unmanned vehicles including:

• a satellite navigation unit that is configured to receive a satellite signal indicative of a current position of the unmanned vehicle;
• an inertial navigation unit that is configured to determine the current position of the unmanned vehicle relative to an initial position;
• a memory unit that is configured to store a planned path of the unmanned vehicle;
• a communication unit disposed in communication with other unmanned vehicles, the communication unit configured to receive a current position of each of the other unmanned vehicles;
• and
• a control unit disposed in communication with the satellite navigation unit, the inertial navigation unit, the memory unit and the communication unit, the control unit configured to:
• detect a loss of satellite signal at the satellite navigation unit;
• receive the current position of the unmanned vehicle from the inertial navigation unit;
• determine a planned position of the unmanned vehicle based on the planned path;
• receive the current position of each of the other unmanned vehicles from the communication unit;
• and
• control the movement of the unmanned vehicle based on at least the current position determined by the inertial navigation unit, the planned position based on the planned path, and the current position of each of the other unmanned vehicles.