IP Library › Granted Patent US 12693427
Granted Patent B2
US 12693427 · App. 18/798,003 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

System and method for supporting return home mode of drone used on ship

Inventors: Moonjin Lee (Daejeon, KR); Tae Sung Kim (Daejeon, KR); Yong Myung Kim (Daejeon, KR)
Assignee: KOREA INSTITUTE OF OCEAN SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
G01S19/15B64U20/80B64U2201/104
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12693427
App. No.
18/798,003
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided are a system and method for supporting a return home mode of a drone used on a ship. A drone control device receives GPS reception signal strength information at a first GPS receiver, drone takeoff feasibility information is displayed on a display unit of the drone control device if the GPS reception signal strength is greater than or equal to a set strength, a drone drive motor is controlled by generating a drone drive motor control signal based on ship position information received from the drone control device and drone position information received from a second GPS receiver when a control unit installed in the drone receives return home information from the drone control device after the drone takes off, and the control unit stops the drone drive motor when the difference between the drone position and the ship position is less than or equal to a set distance.

Claims (21)

1 . A system for supporting a return home mode of a drone used on a ship, in which a drone control device ( 100 ) disposed on an operating ship returns a drone (D) to a charging station of the ship while communicating wirelessly with the drone,

wherein the drone control device is configured to display drone takeoff feasibility information on a display unit ( 120 ) in response to determining that a GPS signal strength received by a first GPS receiver ( 110 ) built therein is greater than or equal to a set strength before the drone takes off, and to provide return home information and ship position information to the drone after the drone takes off, and the drone takeoff feasibility information indicates that the drone is allowed to take off,

the system for supporting a return home mode of a drone used on a ship comprising:

a second GPS receiver ( 220 ) installed in the drone and configured to generate drone position information by receiving GPS signals from GPS satellites; and

a control unit ( 230 ) installed in the drone, and configured to control a drone drive motor (M) by generating a drone drive motor control signal based on the ship position information and the drone position information when the return home information is received from the drone control device or a battery (B) voltage level of the drone is less than or equal to a set level, and to stop the drone drive motor when a difference between the drone position and the ship position is less than or equal to a set distance.

2 . The system for supporting a return home mode of a drone used on a ship of claim 1 , further comprising:

a communication unit ( 210 ) installed in the drone (D) and configured to provide an environment that allows for wireless communication with the drone control device ( 100 ).

3 . The system for supporting a return home mode of a drone used on a ship of claim 1 , further comprising:

a drone motor drive unit ( 240 ) installed in the drone and configured to receive the drone drive motor control signal from the control unit ( 230 ) as input, be switched, and control operation of the drone drive motor (M).

4 . A method for supporting a return home mode using a system for supporting a return home mode of a drone used on a ship, comprising:

receiving, by a drone control device ( 100 ), GPS reception signal strength information at a first GPS receiver ( 110 ) built therein;

determining, by the drone control device, whether the GPS reception signal strength is greater than or equal to a set strength before the drone takes off;

displaying drone takeoff feasibility information on a display unit ( 120 ) of the drone control device in response to determining that the GPS reception signal strength is greater than or equal to the set strength, the drone takeoff feasibility information indicating that the drone is allowed to take off;

determining, by a control unit ( 230 ) installed in the drone, whether return home information is received from the drone control device after the drone takes off;

receiving ship position information from the drone control device and receiving drone position information from a second GPS receiver ( 220 ) installed in the drone, by the control unit, when the return home information is received;

controlling, by the control unit, a drone drive motor (M) by generating a drone drive motor control signal based on the ship position information and the drone position information;

determining, by the control unit, whether a difference between the drone position and the ship position is less than or equal to a set distance; and

stopping, by the control unit, the drone drive motor when the difference between the drone position and the ship position is less than or equal to the set distance.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

determining, by the control unit ( 230 ), whether a battery (B) voltage level of the drone is less than or equal to a set level in response to determining that the return home information is not received,

wherein the method proceeds to the receiving the ship position information and the drone position information in response to determining that the battery voltage level of the drone is less than or equal to the set level.