Methods and systems for aerial vehicle routing based on optimal network connections

1 . A method implemented in a communication network for unmanned aerial vehicle routing based on optimal network connections, wherein the method comprises:

transmitting, by an application of an aerial vehicle system in the communication network, to a carrier network system in the communication network, input parameters associated with a requested flight route for an unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the input parameters include at least one of a current location of the unmanned aerial vehicle, a destination, one or more waypoints, a location range, an altitude, or a channel;

identifying, by a connectivity application of the carrier network system, one or more cell sites based on the input parameters;

obtaining, by the connectivity application, signal range data corresponding to each of the one or more cell sites, wherein the signal range data for each of the one or more cell sites indicates a three-dimensional distance range within which a signal strength from a cell site is at least a signal strength threshold, wherein the three-dimensional distance range comprises a latitude range, a longitude range, and an altitude range;

transmitting, by the connectivity application, the signal range data corresponding to each of the one or more cell sites to the application of the aerial vehicle system;

prior to determining a flight path for the unmanned aerial vehicle, determining, by the application of the aerial vehicle system, one or more flight tunnels for the unmanned aerial vehicle using the signal range data, wherein each of the one or more flight tunnels indicates a three-dimensional tunnel corridor, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle maintains at least the signal strength threshold when the unmanned aerial vehicle flies within the one or more flight tunnels;

determining, by the application of the aerial vehicle system, using a flight tunnel of the one or more flight tunnels as a constraint, the flight path comprising a plurality of waypoints between the current location and the destination, wherein each waypoint of the plurality of waypoints has a latitude coordinate, a longitude coordinate, and an altitude coordinate that fall within the flight tunnel, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle maintains at least the signal strength threshold at each waypoint of the plurality of waypoints;

instructing, by the application of the aerial vehicle system, the unmanned aerial vehicle to route along the flight path, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle maintains a connection to the carrier network system during flight along the flight path;

obtaining, by the connectivity application, updated signal range data associated with a first cell site of the one or more cell sites, wherein the updated signal range data indicates that the signal strength from the first cell site is less than the signal strength threshold;

identifying, by the connectivity application, a second cell site based on the input parameters when the updated signal range data indicates that the signal strength from the first cell site is less than the signal strength threshold and when the first cell site is included in the one or more flight tunnels; and

transmitting, by the connectivity application, second signal range data associated with the second cell site to the application of the aerial vehicle system when the second signal range data indicates that the signal strength from the second cell site is greater than the signal strength threshold.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, via an input device of the aerial vehicle system, the input parameters from an operator of the aerial vehicle system.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more cell sites are located in a region along a path to the destination, proximate to the one or more waypoints, or within the location range.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the signal range data excludes a location of the one or more cell sites.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a first flight tunnel of the one or more flight tunnels maintains a first signal strength greater than the signal strength threshold, wherein a second flight tunnel of the one or more flight tunnels maintains a second signal strength greater than the signal strength threshold, wherein the first signal strength is greater than the second signal strength, wherein a distance of the first flight tunnel is greater than a distance of the second flight tunnel.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the connectivity application, unmanned aerial vehicle data from the unmanned aerial vehicle during flight; and

identifying, by the connectivity application, that a source of the unmanned aerial vehicle data is the unmanned aerial vehicle based on content of the unmanned aerial vehicle data.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, by the connectivity application, a network profile associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle data based on a policy, wherein the network profile is associated with a network slice in a radio access network (RAN) of the carrier network system; and

instructing, by the connectivity application, one or more network elements in the network slice to forward the unmanned aerial vehicle data.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, by the application of the aerial vehicle system, feedback data from the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the feedback data indicates confirmed connectivity data detected by the unmanned aerial vehicle during flight.

9 . A method implemented in a communication network for unmanned aerial vehicle routing based on optimal network connections, wherein the method comprises:

transmitting, by an application of an aerial vehicle system in the communication network, to a carrier network system in the communication network, input parameters associated with a requested flight route for an unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the input parameters include at least one of a current location of the unmanned aerial vehicle, a destination, one or more waypoints, a location range, an altitude, or a channel;

receiving, by the application, signal range data corresponding to a plurality of cell sites based on the input parameters, wherein the signal range data for each cell site indicates a three-dimensional distance range within which a signal strength from the cell site is at least a signal strength threshold, wherein the three-dimensional distance range comprises a latitude range, a longitude range, and an altitude range;

prior to determining a flight path for the unmanned aerial vehicle, determining, by the application, one or more flight tunnels for the unmanned aerial vehicle using the signal range data, wherein each of the one or more flight tunnels indicates a three-dimensional corridor, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle maintains at least the signal strength threshold when the unmanned aerial vehicle flies within the one or more flight tunnels;

selecting, by the application, a flight tunnel of the one or more flight tunnels based on a signal strength associated with each of the one or more flight tunnels and at least one of airspace regulatory data, ground risk data, terrain data, or weather data;

determining, by the application, using the flight tunnel as a constraint, the flight path comprising a plurality of waypoints between the current location and the destination, wherein each waypoint of the plurality of waypoints has a latitude coordinate, a longitude coordinate, and an altitude coordinate that fall within the flight tunnel, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle maintains at least the signal strength threshold at each waypoint of the plurality of waypoints; and

instructing, by the application, the unmanned aerial vehicle to route along the flight path, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle maintains a connection to the carrier network system network during flight along the flight path.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

receiving, by the application, second signal range data corresponding to a second cell site when updated signal range data indicates that signal strength from a first cell site is less than the signal strength threshold and when the first cell site is included in the one or more flight tunnels, wherein the second signal range data indicates that the signal strength from the second cell site is greater than the signal strength threshold; and

re-routing, by the application, the flight tunnel based on the second signal range data.

11 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising receiving, by the application, feedback data from the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the feedback data indicates confirmed connectivity data detected by the unmanned aerial vehicle during flight.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising updating, by a connectivity application at the carrier network system, signal range data corresponding to one or more of the cell sites based on the feedback data.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the signal range data excludes a location of the cell sites.

14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the cell sites are located in a region along a path to the destination, proximate to the one or more waypoints, or within the location range.

15 . An aerial vehicle system, comprising:

a non-transitory memory;

a processor coupled to the non-transitory memory; and

an application stored at the non-transitory memory, which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to be configured to:

transmit, to a carrier network system in the communication network, input parameters associated with a requested flight route for an unmanned aerial vehicle;

receive signal range data corresponding to a plurality of cell sites based on the input parameters;

prior to determining a flight path for the unmanned aerial vehicle, determine one or more flight tunnels for the unmanned aerial vehicle using the signal range data, wherein each of the one or more flight tunnels indicates a three-dimensional corridor, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle maintains at least a signal strength threshold when the unmanned aerial vehicle flies within the one or more flight tunnels;

select a flight tunnel of the one or more flight tunnels;

determine, using the flight tunnel as a constraint, the flight path comprising a plurality of waypoints, wherein each waypoint of the plurality of waypoints has a latitude coordinate, a longitude coordinate, and an altitude coordinate that fall within the flight tunnel, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle maintains at least the signal strength threshold at each waypoint of the plurality of waypoints; and

instruct the unmanned aerial vehicle to route along the flight path, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle maintains connectivity during flight along the flight path.

16 . The aerial vehicle system of claim 15 , wherein the instructions further cause the application to be configured to:

receive second signal range data corresponding to a second cell site when updated signal range data indicates that signal strength from a first cell site is less than the signal strength threshold and when the first cell site is included in the one or more flight tunnels, wherein the second signal range data indicates that the signal strength from the second cell site is greater than the signal strength threshold; and

re-route the flight tunnel based on the second signal range data.

17 . The aerial vehicle system of claim 16 , wherein the instructions further cause the application to be configured to determine whether to re-route the flight tunnel based on application of the updated signal range data to one or more re-route rules.

18 . The aerial vehicle system of claim 15 , wherein the instructions further cause the application to be configured to receive feedback data from the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the feedback data indicates confirmed connectivity data detected by the unmanned aerial vehicle during flight.

19 . The aerial vehicle system of claim 15 , wherein the one or more cell sites are located in a region along a path to a destination, proximate to one or more waypoints, or within a location range.

20 . The aerial vehicle system of claim 15 , wherein the signal range data excludes a location of the cell sites, wherein the input parameters include at least one of a current location of the unmanned aerial vehicle, a destination, one or more waypoints, a location range, an altitude, or a channel, wherein the signal range data for each cell site indicates a three-dimensional distance range within which a signal strength from the cell site is at least a signal strength threshold, wherein the three-dimensional distance range comprises a latitude range, a longitude range, and an altitude range.