Systems and methods for controlling communication capabilities of unmanned vehicles via intermediate communication devices

A method for monitoring and controlling communication capabilities of unmanned vehicles, the method comprising:

• providing the unmanned vehicles each including a processor-based control circuit and configured to transport goods along predetermined mission routes;
• providing a computing device including a processor-based control unit and configured to communicate with at least one of the unmanned vehicles via a wireless communication network;
• obtaining, by the computing device, electronic data indicating a list of intermediate communication devices available to provide relay communications between the computing device and the at least one of the unmanned vehicles when the at least one of the unmanned vehicles is traveling along the one or more segments of the predetermined mission route of the at least one of the unmanned vehicles where the at least one of the unmanned vehicles is out of direct communication with the computing device;
• analyzing, by the control circuit of the computing device, coordinates of the one or more segments of the predetermined mission route of the at least one of the unmanned vehicles where the at least one of the unmanned vehicles is out of direct communication with the computing device, coordinates of the intermediate communication devices on the list, bandwidth data indicating bandwidth available to the at least one of the unmanned vehicles when the at least one of the unmanned vehicles is traveling along the one or more segments of the predetermined mission route of the at least one of the unmanned vehicles, and weather data indicating weather associated with the one or more segments of the predetermined mission route of the at least one of the unmanned vehicles to generate an availability ranking and a cost ranking for each of the intermediate communication devices on the list;
• and
• selecting, by the control circuit of the computing device, an intermediate communication device determined by the control circuit of the at least one of the unmanned vehicles to have at least one of:
• a highest availability ranking, the highest availability ranking being based on a determination by the control circuit of the at least one of the unmanned vehicles that the selected intermediate communication device would provide a strongest relay communication signal between the computing device and the at least one of the unmanned vehicles as compared to other intermediate communication devices on the list;
• and
• a highest cost ranking, the highest cost ranking being based on a determination by the control circuit of the at least one of the unmanned vehicles that the selected intermediate communication device is associated with a lowest cost of use as compared to the other intermediate communication devices on the list;
• and
• transmitting, by the computing device, a control signal to the intermediate communication device selected by the control circuit, the control signal identifying the at least one of the unmanned vehicles to the intermediate communication device and instructing the intermediate communication device to relay communication signals between the computing device and the at least one of the unmanned vehicles;
• in response to a receipt of the control signal from the at least one of the unmanned vehicles, relaying, by the intermediate communication device, the communication signals between the computing device and the at least one of the unmanned vehicles while the at least one of the unmanned vehicles is traveling along one or more segments of the predetermined mission route of the at least one of the unmanned vehicles where the at least one of the unmanned vehicles is out of direct communication with the computing device.