Wirelessly controlling unmanned aircraft and accessing associated surveillance data
AssigneeInsitu, Inc.
InventorsSteven J. Olson, Matt Wheeler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) may be accomplished by using a wireless device (e.g., cell phone) to send a control message to a receiver at the UAV via a wireless telecommunication network (e.g., an existing cellular network configured primarily for mobile telephone communication). In addition, the wireless device may be used to receive communications from a transmitter at the UAV, wherein the wireless device receives the communications from the transmitter via the wireless network. Examples of such communications include surveillance information and UAV monitoring information.
Claims23
A method for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:
- transmitting a control message to a receiver at a first UAV over a wireless network configured primarily for mobile telephone communication;
- transmitting the control message from the first UAV to a second UAV, wherein the control message includes instructions to control at least one of:
- surveillance activities of the second UAV, activities of a weapons system of the second UAV, and movement of the second UAV;
- and
- receiving communications from a transmitter at the second UAV.
A method for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:
- communicating with a mobile telephone switching center via a control channel associated with a wireless telecommunication network to establish a wireless communication link;
- sending control signals to a first UAV over the wireless telecommunication network, wherein the control signals are used to control actions of a UAV;
- and
- relaying the control signals from the first UAV to a second UAV located outside the wireless telecommunication network to control at least one of:
- surveillance activities of the second UAV, activities of a weapons system of the second UAV, and movement of the second UAV.
At an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a method for relaying control instructions from a remote source to another UAV, the method comprising:
- receiving an indication of a channel assignment from a mobile switching center, wherein the indication is received via a control channel associated with a wireless communication network, and wherein the channel assignment permits access to at least one designated channel of the wireless communication network;
- receiving control signals from the remote source via the at least one designated channel, wherein the control signals are used to control at least one of:
- surveillance activities of the other UAV, activities of a weapons system of the other UAV, and movement of the other UAV;
- and
- transmitting the received control signals to the other UAV, wherein the other UAV is not within the wireless communication network.
A method for remotely controlling an unmanned aircraft, the method comprising:
- communicating with a control node in a wireless telecommunication network to establish a communication link with the unmanned aircraft, wherein the communication link includes a wireless communication channel that permits the unmanned aircraft to communicate with at least one node of the wireless telecommunication network;
- and
- sending control signals to the aircraft, at least in part, via the established communication link, wherein the control signals are used to control at least one of:
- surveillance activities of an aircraft, activities of a weapons system of an aircraft, movement of an aircraft, and operation of a payload at an aircraft;
- and
- relaying at least a part of the control signals received by the aircraft to an aircraft out of range of the wireless telecommunication network to control the actions of the out of range aircraft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.