Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Transponder Systems with Integrated Disablement

A method for interrogating and disabling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:

• transmitting, by an airspace management system, an identifier request message to the UAV via a wireless transmitter of a ground-based interrogation system, wherein:
• the ground-based interrogation system is distinct and separate from a pilot control system that is used to control flight of the UAV from a remote location, the pilot control system not being in communication with the ground-based interrogation system;
• receiving, by the airspace management system, in response to the identifier request message, a response message using a wireless receiver, the response message comprising a UAV identifier, wherein the UAV identifier distinguishes the UAV from other UAVs;
• accessing, by the airspace management system, one or more UAV identifier database systems that relate UAV identifiers with airspace definitions;
• retrieving, by the airspace management system, from the one or more UAV identifier database systems an airspace definition corresponding to the UAV identifier;
• determining, by the airspace management system, that the UAV is to be disabled based on:
• a location of the UAV, a restricted airspace definition, and the airspace definition corresponding to the UAV identifier;
• and
• transmitting, by the airspace management system, a disablement instruction message to the UAV via the wireless transmitter based on determining that the UAV is to be disabled based on the location of the UAV and the airspace definition corresponding to the UAV identifier, wherein the disablement instruction message disables control of the UAV by the pilot and the pilot control system.

A non-transitory processor-readable medium comprising processor-readable instructions that cause one or more processors of a ground-based interrogation system to:

• transmit an identifier request message to a UAV using a wireless transmitter of the ground-based interrogation system, wherein:
• the ground-based interrogation system is distinct and separate from a pilot control system that is used to control flight of the UAV from a remote location, the pilot control system not being in communication with the ground-based interrogation system;
• receive, via a wireless receiver of the ground-based interrogation system, in response to the identifier request message, the response message comprising a UAV identifier, wherein the UAV identifier distinguishes the UAV from other UAVs;
• access one or more UAV identifier database systems that relate UAV identifiers with airspace definitions;
• retrieve from the one or more UAV identifier database systems an airspace definition corresponding to the UAV identifier;
• determine that the UAV is to be disabled based on:
• a location of the UAV, a restricted airspace definition, and the airspace definition corresponding to the UAV identifier;
• and
• transmit, via the wireless transmitted of the ground-based interrogation system, a disablement instruction message to the UAV via the wireless transmitter based on determining that the UAV is to be disabled based on the location of the UAV and the airspace definition corresponding to the UAV identifier, wherein the disablement instruction message disables control of the UAV by the pilot and the pilot control system.