- Number
- 9809306
- Published
- 2017-11-07
- Filed
- 2015-08-05
- Assignee
- Disney Enterprises, Inc.
- Inventors
- Stark; James Alexander, Wong; Clifford, Trowbridge; Robert Scott
- CPC
- B64D47/02; B64U10/13; G05D1/0027; G05D1/0808; G05D1/104; G08G5/21; G08G5/25; G08G5/26; G08G5/32; G08G5/34; G08G5/80
- Verdict
- Medium Hardware
- Source
- Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline
The keeper's note
A flock-control system for synchronizing multiple drones flying in coordinated aerial light-show displays.
Abstract
A system for flock-based control of a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The system includes UAVs each including a processor executing a local control module and memory accessible by the processor for use by the local control module. The system includes a ground station system with a processor executing a fleet manager module and with memory storing a different flight plan for each of the UAVs. The flight plans are stored on the UAVs, and, during flight operations, each of the local control modules independently controls the corresponding UAV to execute its flight plan without ongoing control from the fleet manager module. The fleet manager module is operable to initiate flight operations byconcurrently triggering initiation of the flight plans by the multiple UAVs. Further, thelocal control modules monitor front and back end communication channels and, when a channel is lost, operate the UAV in a safe mode.
Background
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS(1) FIG. 1 is functional block diagram of a multiple UAV system useful for implementing the flight control techniques described herein;(2) FIG. 2 is a functional schematic or block diagram of a system for use in providing flight management or flight control over two or more flying objects such as UAVs; and(3) FIG. 3 provides a logic diagram for the onboard logic running or provided for execution on each UAV such as part of a multicopter control panel/board.DETAILED DESCRIPTION(4) Briefly, the present description is directed toward a control method and system (or multiple UAV systems incorporating such control methods/systems) foruse in controlling a flock of UAVs numbering 2 to 10 or more UAVs (e.g., 10 to 100 or more multicopters). Briefly, the control method uses hierarchical-based supervisory control with multicasting techniques along with adaptive logic including onboard or local control modules provided on each UAV to adjust flight paths to safely avoid collisions based on communications with nearby UAVs. The result of the described control of the multiple UAVs in an airspace such as over a theme park or stadium is a flocking behavior in which the UAVs appear to move in a synchronized manner with movements that are not completely independentnor completely centrally controlled.(5) The control method may be implemented in a systemwith four general components or pieces: a fleet management station (or ground station); flying objects or UAV
Claims
1. A flight control method, comprising: at individual ones of a plurality of multicopters, receiving a flight plan that is unique to the individual ones of the multicopters, wherein the flight plans differ from other ones of the flight plans and wherein each of the flight plans includes a plurality of way points, whereby flight of the multicopters is non-random; concurrently operating the multicopters to execute the flight plans; providing a communications channel between pairs ofthe multicopters; with a first one of the multicopters detecting a second one of the multicopters in a predefined space proximal to the first one of the multicopters; and with thefirst one of the multicopters, transmitting an instruction to the second multicopter, over the communication channel between the first and second multicopters, to move out of the predefined space and, with the second multicopter, receiving the instruction and responding by operating the second multicopter to change position to move out of the predefined space.
8. A flight control method, comprising: at a plurality of multicopters, receiving a flight plan unique to individual ones of the multicopters, wherein the flight plans comprisea plurality of way points for each of the multicopters, wherein the flight plans differ from one another, and wherein the flight plans include an elapsed time period for the way points; operating the multicopters to execute the flight plans to provide non-swarming control of the multicopters; providing a communications channel between pairs of the multicopters; during the operating of the multicopters to execute the flight plans, adjusting flight speed or course of one of the multicopters based on comparison of a present position andone of the way points; with a first one of the multicopters detecting a second one of themulticopters in a predefined space proximal to the first one of the multicopters; and with the first one of the multicopters, transmitting a message to the second multicopter overthe communication channel between the first and second multicopters causing the second multicopter to change position to avoid collision.
13. A flight control method, comprising: at a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles, storing in memory a flight plan unique to eachof the UAVs, wherein individual ones of the flight plans comprises a plurality of predefined way points; with a local control module executed by a processor on individual ones of the UAVs, operating the UAVs to execute the flight plans; for the UAVs, providing a front end communication channel and a back end communication channel with a ground station system; with the local control module of each of the UAVs, periodically determining status of the front and back end communication channels; when the status determination for one of theUAVs indicates a loss of one of the front and back end communication channels, operating the one of the UAVs in a predefined safe operating mode; with the local control module of each of the UAVs, operating to detect another one of the UAVs within a safety envelope about the UAV and in response, operating a radio to communicate a collision warning message to the detected one of the UAVs to cause the detected one of the UAVs to alter its course to move out of the safety envelope.