Unmanned aerial vehicle authorization and geofence envelope determination

A computer program product, encoded on one or more non-transitory computer storage media, comprising instructions that when executed by a cloud system, comprising one or more computers, in wireless communication with a first plurality of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), cause the cloud system to perform operations comprising:

• maintaining, by the cloud system, geofence envelopes respectively allocating, using the cloud system, for each UAV in the first plurality of UAVs, wherein each allocated geofence envelope is a static virtual barrier for a real-world geographic area that limits allowable locations to the real-world geographic area for a respective UAV, and wherein each allocated geofence envelope does not interfere with any remaining allocated geofence envelope;
• receiving a request from a first UAV in flight for approval of an updated geofence envelope;
• determining that:
• the updated geofence envelope has not been allocated, or
• the updated geofence envelope does not interfere with geofence envelopes respectively allocated to UAVs in the first plurality of UAVs, or
• the updated geofence envelope has not been allocated and the updated geofence envelope does not interfere with geofence envelopes respectively allocated to UAVs in the first plurality of UAVs;
• at least partly in response to the determination that:
• the updated geofence envelope has not been allocated, or
• the updated geofence envelope does not interfere with geofence envelopes respectively allocated to UAVs in the first plurality of UAVs, or
• the updated geofence envelope has not been allocated and the updated geofence envelope does not interfere with geofence envelopes respectively allocated to UAVs in the first plurality of UAVs;
• providing a response, to the first UAV, indicating approval of the request for the updated geofence envelope.

A system comprising one or more processors comprising hardware, the one or more processors configured to at least:

• communicate wirelessly with a first plurality of UAVs;
• maintain, by the system, geofence envelopes respectively allocated, using the cloud system, for each UAV in the first plurality of UAVs, wherein each allocated geofence envelope is a virtual barrier for a real-world geographic area that limits allowable locations to the real-world geographic area for a respective UAV, and wherein each allocated geofence envelope does not interfere with any remaining allocated geofence envelope;
• receive a request from a first UAV in flight for approval of an updated geofence envelope;
• determine that:
• the updated geofence envelope has not been allocated, or
• the updated geofence envelope does not interfere with geofence envelopes respectively allocated to UAVs in the first plurality of UAVs, or
• the updated geofence envelope has not been allocated and the updated geofence envelope does not interfere with geofence envelopes respectively allocated to UAVs in the first plurality of UAVs;
• at least partly in response to the determination that:
• the updated geofence envelope has not been allocated, or
• the updated geofence envelope does not interfere with geofence envelopes respectively allocated to UAVs in the first plurality of UAVs, or
• the updated geofence envelope has not been allocated and the updated geofence envelope does not interfere with geofence envelopes respectively allocated to UAVs in the first plurality of UAVs,
• provide a response, to the first UAV, indicating approval of the request for the updated geofence envelope.