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Publication Number
US-12125390-B2
Publication Date
2024-10-22
Expiration Date
Abstract
An apparatus, system and method for managing airspace for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The apparatus, system and method may include a platform comprising at least records of certified administratively acceptable requestors of restricted use of the airspace for UAVs, a plurality of airspace management rules for UAVs, and a broadcaster for providing notifications over at least one telecommunications network; and a plurality of applications, each instantiated by a processor on one of a plurality of corresponded devices by non-transitory computing code, wherein the plurality of corresponded devices comprises at least a plurality of mobile devices. A first of the plurality of applications may be capable of receiving the restricted UAV use request from a requestor within a physical area of the restricted UAV use request, and of forwarding the restricted UAV use request and an identification of the requestor to the platform over the at least one telecommunications network.
Core Innovation
The invention manages airspace for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by storing records of certified acceptable requestors of restricted use of the airspace for UAVs and by using a plurality of airspace management rules for UAVs. It receives an airspace use request for granting a restriction area along with an identification of a requestor from an application of a mobile device of the requestor over at least one telecommunications network, and dynamically creates a three-dimensional space associated with the restriction area.
For each airspace use request, the system determines whether the airspace use request is certified by comparing the identification of the requestor to the records of certified acceptable requestors of restricted use of the airspace for UAVs. If the request is certified, the system transmits to a first application of a first user associated with the airspace use request a notification of authorization to operate in the three-dimensional space associated with the restriction area in accordance with the plurality of airspace management rules, and the first user is different from the requestor.
In parallel, the system transmits to a second application of a second user a notification of restricted use in the three-dimensional space associated with the restriction area indicating that no UAV is allowed to operate in the three-dimensional space associated with the restriction area, in accordance with the plurality of airspace management rules. The UAV of the second user is configured to receive the notification of restricted use and autonomously operate based on the notification of restricted use in the three-dimensional space.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims are clm-00001, clm-00012, and clm-00017, and they include four common inventive features: certified requestor records, dynamic creation of a three-dimensional restriction space, certification by record comparison, and notifications that distinguish authorization versus restricted use. Across the claim set, the inventive features further incorporate airspace management rules, notification targeting, violation handling, automatic tracking of UAV positions, and deconfliction rules for flight plans.
Certified requestor records for restricted use
Records of certified acceptable requestors of restricted use of the airspace for UAVs.
Three-dimensional restriction space creation for the restriction area
Dynamically creating a three-dimensional space associated with the restriction area.
Certification by comparing requestor identification to records
Determining whether the airspace use request is certified based on a comparison of the identification of the requestor to the records.
Authorization notification to a different associated user
Transmitting, to a first application of a first user associated with the airspace use request, a notification of authorization to operate in the three-dimensional space associated with the restriction area in accordance with the plurality of airspace management rules, the first user being different from the requestor.
Restricted-use notification indicating no UAV is allowed and autonomous operation
Transmitting, to a second application of a second user, a notification of restricted use indicating that no UAV is allowed to operate in the three-dimensional space associated with the restriction area, and the unmanned aerial vehicle of the second user is configured to receive the notification of restricted use and autonomously operate based on the notification of restricted use in the three-dimensional space.
Automatic tracking of UAV positions
Automatically tracking positions of the UAVs.
Telecommunications-network receipt of an airspace use request from a mobile application
Receiving an airspace use request for granting a restriction area and an identification of a requestor for the airspace use request from an application of a mobile device of the requestor over at least one telecommunications network.
Deconfliction rules within airspace management rules
Airspace management rules comprising deconfliction rules for deconflicting flight plans among vehicles and/or among a plurality of flight management systems.
Violation handling by identifying non-conforming UAV and broadcasting identification
Upon violation of the restricted-use notification by at least one non-conforming UAV: comparing stored records to identify the non-conforming UAV and broadcasting its identification to at least one of a plurality of applications.
Notification association to user/application sets based on predetermined distance
Transmitting notifications in accordance with the plurality of airspace management rules based on a predetermined distance where a second set of UAVs is located within a predetermined distance of the restriction area and correspondingly the second set of user applications receives the notification of restricted use.
Across clm-00001, clm-00012, and clm-00017, the claims cover systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium instructions that automatically track UAV positions, receive and dynamically process an airspace use request by creating a three-dimensional restriction space, certify the requestor via record comparison, and transmit authorization and restricted-use notifications under plurality of airspace management rules. Additional coverage in dependent claims adds notification targeting based on association and predetermined distance, violation handling by identifying non-conforming UAVs and broadcasting their identification, and inclusion of deconfliction rules for flight plans among vehicles and among flight management systems.
Stated Advantages
Enables authorization to operate notifications for certified requestors and associated users.
Distributes restricted-use notifications indicating that no UAV is allowed to operate in the three-dimensional space associated with the restriction area.
Supports autonomous operation of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the notification of restricted use.
Supports airspace management rules including deconfliction rules for resolving flight plan conflicts.
Provides violation handling by identifying non-conforming UAVs and broadcasting non-conforming identification.
Allows notifications to be targeted to different applications/users based on airspace management rules and predetermined distance.
Documented Applications
Example use in first responder and emergency contexts (including first responders, law enforcement, and EMTs).
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