Distributed Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Architecture

A computer-implemented method of determining airworthiness of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:

• obtaining information associated with each flight module and payload module of the UAV and determining whether any errors exist;
• obtaining information identifying flight modules and payload modules that are connected to the UAV and properly receiving and providing data;
• comparing the identified flight modules and payload modules against a list of flight modules and payload modules that are supposed to be connected to the UAV;
• upon determining a discrepancy, providing error information identifying one or more flight modules or payload modules that were not detected in the UAV but are supposed to be present and connected;
• obtaining configuration information from each flight module and payload module and validating the configuration information;
• after one or more configuration settings are changed, re-validating the configuration information and determining whether a configuration of each component is valid;
• and
• providing information identifying whether the UAV passed or did not pass an airworthiness test.

A system for determining airworthiness of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the system comprising one or more processors configured to:

• provide updated configuration information to respective flight modules and payload modules of the UAV;
• receive, from one or more of the flight modules and payload modules, verification information associated with receipt of the updated configuration information;
• determine, from the verification information, whether any discrepancy exists with respect to the updated configuration information;
• cause one or more of the flight modules and payload modules receiving the updated configuration information to perform a verification procedure;
• receive an identification of an error resulting from the verification procedure;
• and
• determine, based on the discrepancy or the error, whether the UAV fails an airworthiness test.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a configuration utility, cause the configuration utility to:

• analyze information comprising a UAV type, aircraft calibration, detected flight modules, detected payload modules, configuration parameters, and UAV safety and contingency settings to determine whether the UAV and the UAV's configuration are safe and airworthy;
• validate at least some of the configuration parameters by determining whether the configuration parameters are within an absolute range and consistent with other parameter settings;
• determine whether configuration settings selected for components of the UAV are invalid;
• provide a user interface configured to allow changing of one or more configuration settings determined to be invalid;
• and
• determine, after re-validation, whether the UAV passed or did not pass an airworthiness test.