# US 2024/0201705 A1 · Device and method for autonomous management of a drone

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- Number: US 2024/0201705 A1
- Document ID: US20240201705A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 18/286,105
- Filed: 2022-04-07
- Published: 2024-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2021-04-07
- Assignees: Abzero Srl
- Applicants: Abzero Srl
- Inventors: Giuseppe Roberto TORTORA; Donatello AMICONE; Andrea CANNAS
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240201705A1

## CPC

- G05D 1/0022: {characterised by the communication link (data switching networks in general H04L12/00)}
- G05D 1/6546: {Emergency landing}
- G05D 1/2274: {in response to the communication link being lost, degraded or compromised, e.g. anti-spoofing}
- G05D 1/617: Safety or protection, e.g. defining protection zones around obstacles or avoiding hazards (arrangements for controlling the position or course of two or more vehicles for avoiding collisions therebetween G05D1/693; arrangements for reacting to or preventing system or operator failure G05D1/80)
- H04W 4/40: for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
- H04W 24/08: Testing, {supervising or monitoring} using real traffic
- B64U 10/13: Flying platforms
- B64U 2201/10: autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
- B64U 2201/20: Remote controls
- G05D 2109/20: Aircraft, e.g. drones
- G05D 2111/30: Radio signals
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)
- B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR

## Abstract

An intelligent device for autonomous navigation of a drone comprising a control unit arranged to communicate with a remote-control station by a wireless connection, acquire a mission route γ that the drone is arranged to follow to reach a desired destination, the mission route γ being defined by means of coordinates xm(t), ym(t), zm(t) with respect to a reference system S(x,y,z), periodically acquire values xd, yd, zd corresponding to the components of the spatial position, values vx, vy, vz corresponding to the components of the speed and values ax, ay, az corresponding to the components of the acceleration. Furthermore, in the event that a predetermined kinematic condition occurs, the control unit is arranged to check the status of the wireless connection with the remote-control station and, in the event that the wireless connection is active, send an alarm signal to the remote-control station and wait a response time tr.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An intelligent device for autonomous navigation of a drone, said drone comprising at least one motor suitable for allowing the in-flight movement of said drone, said intelligent device comprising a control unit arranged, in use, to be connected to said or each motor in order to control the navigation of said drone, said control unit being also arranged to:
communicate with a remote-control station by a wireless connection;
acquire a mission route γ that said drone is arranged to follow to reach a desired destination, said mission route γ being defined by means of coordinates xm(t), ym(t), zm(t) with respect to a reference system S(x, y,z);
periodically acquire values xd, zd corresponding to the components of the spatial position of said drone with respect to said reference system S(x,y,z);
periodically acquire values vx, vy, vz corresponding to the components of the speed of said drone with respect to said reference system S(x,y,z);
periodically acquire values ax, ay, az corresponding to the components of the acceleration of said drone with respect to said reference system S(x, y,z);
said intelligent device characterized in that said control unit is also arranged to:
check the status of said wireless connection with said remote-control station, in the event that at least one of the following conditions occurs:
at time t*, xd>xm(t*)+dx and/or yd>ym(t*)+dy and/or zd>zm(t*)+dz;
vx>vx and/or vy>v*y and/or vz>v*z;
ax>a*x and/or ay>a*y and/or az>a*z;
where dx, dy, dz, V*x, v*y, v*z, a*x, a*y, a*z are predetermined values;
in the event that said wireless connection is active, send an alarm signal to said remote-control station and wait a response time tr;
in the event that said wireless connection is not active or in the event that there is no response from said remote-control station within said response time tr, activate an emergency navigation mode wherein said control unit is arranged to:
acquire a value Eres corresponding to the energy available on board of said drone;
calculate a value Emis corresponding to the energy required by said drone to reach said desired destination following said mission route γ;
in the event that Eres≥kmis*Emis, where kmis is a coefficient greater than or equal to 1, control the navigation of said drone along said mission route γ;
in the event that Eres<k*Emis, control the navigation of said drone along a route alternative to said mission route γ to bring said drone to perform a safe landing.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The intelligent device for autonomous navigation of a drone, according to claim 1, wherein to calculate said value Emis, said control unit is arranged to carry out an estimate of the speed of the wind acting along said mission route γ.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The intelligent device for autonomous navigation of a drone, according to claim 1, wherein, in the event that Eres<k*Emis, said control unit is arranged to:
carry out an estimate of the speed of the wind acting along a plurality of routes γi alternative to said mission route γ and able to allow said drone to reach said desired destination;
calculate, for each route γi, a value Emisi corresponding to the energy required by said drone to reach said desired destination following said route γi;
identify the lower value Emis between said energy values Emisi, said lower value Emis being associated with a route γ*;
in the event that Eres≥kmis*Emis, control the navigation of said drone along said route γ* up to said desired destination.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The intelligent device for autonomous navigation of a drone, according to claim 1, wherein, in the event that Eres<kmis*Emis, said control unit is arranged to:
calculate a value Ecp corresponding to the energy required by said drone to reach at least one checkpoint near said mission route γ;
in the event that Eres>kcp*Ecp, where kcp is a coefficient greater than or equal to 1, control the navigation of said drone along an alternative mission route {tilde over (γ)} to bring said drone to land at said checkpoint.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The intelligent device for autonomous navigation of a drone, according to claim 4, wherein, in the event that Eres<kcp*Ecp, said control unit is arranged to control the navigation of said drone to perform an emergency landing.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The intelligent device for autonomous navigation of a drone, according to claim 1, wherein said response time tr is calculated by said control unit based on the response speed of said wireless connection.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The intelligent device for autonomous navigation of a drone, according to claim 1, wherein in said emergency navigation mode said control unit is arranged to check the status of said wireless connection for a time ts with a search frequency f1 and wherein, after said time ts, said control unit is arranged to check the status of said wireless connection with a search frequency f2<f1.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The intelligent device for autonomous navigation of a drone, according to claim 1, wherein said intelligent device comprises furthermore:
a locating means arranged to measure the components xd, yd, zd of the spatial position of said drone with respect to said reference system S(x,y,z);
a speed measuring means arranged to measure the components vx, vy, vz of the speed of said drone with respect to said reference system S(x,y,z);
an acceleration measuring means arranged to measure the components ax, ay, az of the acceleration of said drone with respect to said reference system S(x,y,z).

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The intelligent device for autonomous navigation of a drone, according to claim 1, wherein said intelligent device also comprises an antenna arranged to provide said wireless connection between said intelligent device and said remote-control station.