Flight control for flight-restricted regions
Systems, methods, and devices are provided for providing flight response to flight-restricted regions. The location of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) may be compared with a location of a flight-restricted region. If needed a flight-response measure may be taken by the UAV to prevent the UAV from flying in a no-fly zone. Different flight-response measures may be taken based on the distance between the UAV and the flight-restricted region and the rules of a jurisdiction within which the UAV falls.
1. A method for assessing flight response of an unmanned aerial vehicle to a flight-restricted region, said method comprising:
assessing a location of the unmanned aerial vehicle;
assessing a location of a flight-restricted region;
calculating, with aid of a processor, a distance between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the flight-restricted region using the location of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the location of the flight-restricted region;
assessing, with aid of the processor, whether the distance falls within a first distance threshold or a second distance threshold greater than the first distance threshold; and
instructing the unmanned aerial vehicle to take (1) a first flight response measure when the distance falls within the first distance threshold, and (2) a second flight response measure different from the first flight response measure when the distance falls within the second distance threshold and outside the first distance threshold, wherein the second flight response measure is different from a behavior of the unmanned aerial vehicle outside the second distance threshold.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the location of the unmanned aerial vehicle is assessed with aid of a GPS signal at the unmanned aerial vehicle.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the flight-restricted region is an airport.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first flight response measure is to automatically land the aerial vehicle on a surface.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the second flight response measure is to provide an operator of the unmanned aerial vehicle with a time period to land the aerial vehicle on a surface, after which the unmanned aerial vehicle will automatically land.
6. An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:
a processor configured to (1) receive a location of the unmanned aerial vehicle and calculate a distance between the location of the unmanned aerial vehicle and a location of a flight-restricted region, and (2) assess whether the distance falls within a first distance threshold or a second distance threshold greater than the first distance threshold; and
one or more propulsion units in communication with the processor that permit the unmanned aerial vehicle to take (1) a first flight response measure when the distance falls within the first distance threshold, and (2) a second flight response measure different from the first flight response measure when the distance falls within the second distance threshold and outside the first distance threshold, wherein the second flight response measure is different from a behavior of the unmanned aerial vehicle outside the second distance threshold.
7. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 6 further comprising a local memory that stores the location of the flight-restricted region and further stores locations for a plurality of flight-restricted regions.
8. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 7 wherein the local memory is updated with the locations of the plurality of flight-restricted regions when the unmanned aerial vehicle communicates with an external device via a wired or wireless connection.
9. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 7 wherein the local memory is updated with the locations of the plurality of flight-restricted regions when the unmanned aerial vehicle communicates with a communication network.
10. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the location of the unmanned aerial vehicle is assessed with aid of a GPS signal at the unmanned aerial vehicle.
11. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the flight-restricted region is an airport.
12. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured to calculate the distance at specified time intervals.
13. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the flight-restricted region is selected from a plurality of possible flight-restricted regions based on proximity of the unmanned aerial vehicle when the unmanned aerial vehicle is turned on.
14. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the first flight response measure is to automatically land the unmanned aerial vehicle on a surface.
15. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the second flight response measure is to provide an operator of the unmanned aerial vehicle with a time period to land the aerial vehicle on a surface, after which the unmanned aerial vehicle will automatically land.
16. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured to (3) assess whether the distance falls within a third distance threshold greater than the second distance threshold, and instruct the unmanned aerial vehicle to take a third flight response different from the first flight response and the second flight response when the distance falls within the third threshold and outside the second threshold.
17. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a plurality of rotors configured to provide lift to the unmanned aerial vehicle.
18. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the location of the flight-restricted region is predetermined prior to take-off of the unmanned aerial vehicle.
19. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 18 , wherein the one or more flight restriction rules of the jurisdiction impose restrictions on altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle.
20. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 18 , wherein the one or more flight restriction rules of the jurisdiction impose restrictions on proximity of the unmanned aerial vehicle relative to the flight-restricted region.
21. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 18 , wherein the one or more flight restriction rules of the jurisdiction impose restrictions on boundaries of the flight-restricted region.
22. An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:
one or more processors individually or collectively configured to:
assess a location of an external device in communication with the unmanned aerial vehicle;
assess a location of a flight-restricted region;
calculate a distance between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the flight-restricted region using the location of the external device and the location of the flight-restricted region;
assess whether the distance falls within a distance threshold; and
instruct the unmanned aerial vehicle to take a flight response measure when the distance falls within the distance threshold, wherein the flight response measure is different from a behavior of the unmanned aerial vehicle outside the distance threshold; and
one or more propulsion units in communication with the processor that permit the unmanned aerial vehicle to take the flight response measure.
23. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 22 , wherein the location of the external device is capable of moving from one location to another.
24. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 22 , wherein the external device is a mobile terminal capable of receiving data from the unmanned aerial vehicle or transmitting control data to the unmanned aerial vehicle to control flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle.
25. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 24 , wherein the mobile terminal includes a display capable of displaying the UAV unmanned aerial vehicle location or status data.
26. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 24 , wherein the mobile terminal includes a display capable of showing an image captured by a payload camera of the unmanned aerial vehicle.
27. An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:
one or more processors individually or collectively configured to:
assess a location of the unmanned aerial vehicle;
assess a location of a flight-restricted region;
calculate a position of the unmanned aerial vehicle relative to the flight-restricted region using the location of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the location of the flight-restricted region;
assess a jurisdiction within which the flight-restricted region is located, based on the location of the flight-restricted region;
access one or more flight restriction rules specific to the assessed jurisdiction; and
instruct the unmanned aerial vehicle to take a flight response measure when the position of the unmanned aerial vehicle relative to the flight-restricted region falls under the one or more flight restriction rules of the jurisdiction; and
one or more propulsion units in communication with the processor that permit the unmanned aerial vehicle to take the flight response measure.
28. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 27 , wherein the relative positioning between the unmanned aerial vehicle includes a distance between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the flight-restricted region, and wherein the one or more flight restriction rules provide the flight response measure when the distance falls within a distance threshold.
29. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 28 , wherein the distance threshold is selected based on the one or more flight restriction rules of the jurisdiction.
30. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 27 , wherein the jurisdiction is selected from a group consisting of continents, unions, countries, states/provinces, counties, cities, towns, private property or land, bodies of water, and natural landmarks.