Method and device for determining communication timing

1. A method comprising:

determining a trajectory of an aerial vehicle;

based on the trajectory, determining a transmission trigger for a location-report message such that a location-report message transmission that is responsive to the transmission trigger has at least a predefined probability of occurring before the aerial vehicle contacts the ground; and

responsive to the transmission trigger, transmitting the location-report message, wherein the location-report message comprises location data from the aerial vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the trajectory comprises determining at least one of an altitude, a descent speed, a drag coefficient of the aerial vehicle, an air temperature, an air pressure, and a descent mode of the aerial vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmission trigger comprises a transmission time that corresponds to a time at which the aerial vehicle attempts to transmit the location-report message.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein transmitting the location-report message comprises determining that the transmission time elapsed.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmission trigger comprises a transmission altitude that corresponds to an altitude at which the aerial vehicle attempts to transmit the location-report message.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein transmitting the location-report message comprises determining that the aerial vehicle is at the transmission altitude.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the location report indicates at least one of GPS coordinates and barometric altitude data.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predefined probability is a probability between about 85% and 100%.

9. An aerial vehicle comprising:

a sensor; and

a control system configured to:

determine a trajectory of the aerial vehicle;

based on the trajectory, determine a transmission trigger for a location-report message such that a location-report message transmission that is responsive to the transmission trigger has at least a predefined probability of occurring before the aerial vehicle contacts the ground; and

responsive to the transmission trigger, transmit the location-report message, wherein the location-report message comprises location data from the aerial vehicle.

10. The aerial vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the sensor is configured to detect a GPS location, and wherein the location data indicates GPS coordinates.

11. The aerial vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the sensor is configured to detect a barometric altitude, and wherein the location data indicates barometric altitude data.

12. A method comprising:

determining a trajectory of an aerial vehicle;

based on the trajectory, determining a final transmission trigger for a final location-report message such that a location-report message transmission that is responsive to the final transmission trigger has at least a predefined probability of occurring before the aerial vehicle contacts the ground;

based on the final transmission trigger, determining a transmission schedule for location-report messages, wherein each location-report message comprises location data from the aerial vehicle;

transmitting the location-report messages according to the transmission schedule; and

responsive to the final transmission trigger, transmitting the final location-report message.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the transmission schedule comprises one or more transmission triggers.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein transmitting the location-report messages according to the transmission schedule comprises determining that the one or more transmission triggers occurred.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the final transmission trigger comprises a final transmission time that corresponds to a time at which the aerial vehicle attempts to transmit the final location-report message.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein transmitting the final location-report message comprises determining that the final transmission time elapsed.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the final transmission trigger comprises a final transmission altitude that corresponds to an altitude at which the aerial vehicle attempts to transmit the final location-report message.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein determining the transmission schedule comprises determining a cutoff altitude that corresponds to an altitude at which the aerial vehicle ceases to attempt to transmit the location-report messages, and wherein the cutoff altitude is higher than the final transmission altitude.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein transmitting the final location-report message comprises determining that the aerial vehicle is at the transmission altitude.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the location data indicates at least one of GPS coordinates and barometric altitude data.

21. The method of claim 12 , wherein the predefined probability is a probability between about 85% and 100%.

22. The method of claim 12 , wherein the transmission schedule is a second transmission schedule, the method further comprising:

before transmitting the final location-report message, transitioning from a first transmission schedule to the second transmission schedule.

23. An aerial vehicle comprising:

a sensor; and

a control system configured to:

based on the trajectory, determine a final transmission trigger for a final location-report message such that a location-report message transmission that is responsive to the final transmission trigger has at least a predefined probability of occurring before the aerial vehicle contacts the ground;

based on the final transmission trigger, determine a transmission schedule for location-report messages, wherein each location-report message comprises location data from the aerial vehicle;

transmit the location-report messages according to the transmission schedule; and

responsive to the final transmission trigger, transmit the final location-report message.

24. The aerial vehicle of claim 23 , wherein the sensor is configured to detect a GPS location, and wherein the location data indicates GPS coordinates.

25. The aerial vehicle of claim 23 , wherein the sensor is configured to detect a barometric altitude, and wherein the location data indicates barometric altitude data.