Adaptive communication mode switching

1. A method for transmitting data, the method comprising:

(i) providing a first communication module on a vehicle, wherein the first communication module is capable of establishing a direct communication link with a remote terminal, wherein said direct communication link is configured for transmitting downlink data to the remote terminal and receiving uplink data from the remote terminal;

(ii) providing a second communication module on a vehicle, wherein the second communication module is capable of establishing an indirect communication link with the remote terminal, wherein said indirect communication link is configured for transmitting downlink data to the remote terminal and receiving uplink data from the remote terminal;

(iii) determining, with aid of one or more processors, whether a prospective data transmission is an uplink data transmission or a downlink data transmission; and

when the prospective data transmission is an uplink data transmission, wherein the uplink data transmission comprises control data for varying an orientation of a payload of the vehicle relative to an orientation of the vehicle,

(A) assessing, with aid of the one or more processors, whether the direct communication link and/or the indirect communication link meet a first criterion;

(B) selecting, with aid of the one or more processors, whether the uplink data transmission is to occur over (1) the direct communication link provided by the first communication module, (2) the indirect communication link provided by the second communication module, or (3) both the direct communication link and the indirect communication link simultaneously, based on the assessment of whether the direct communication link and/or the indirect communication link meet the first criterion; and

(C) performing the data transmission in accordance with the selected option of (1), (2), or (3) of step (B); and

when the prospective data transmission is a downlink data transmission,

(D) assessing, with aid of the one or more processors, whether the direct communication link and/or the indirect communication link meet a second criterion;

(E) selecting, with aid of the one or more processors, whether the downlink data transmission is to occur over (1) the direct communication link provided by the first communication module, (2) the indirect communication link provided by the second communication module, or (3) both the direct communication link and the indirect communication link simultaneously, based on the assessment whether the direct communication link and/or the indirect communication link meet the second criterion; and

(F) performing the data transmission in accordance with the selected option of (1), (2), or (3) of step (E),

wherein the uplink data transmission comprises control data for varying an orientation of a payload of the vehicle relative to an orientation of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first criterion and the second criterion are different.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the uplink data transmission comprises movement control data for the vehicle when the prospective data transmission is an uplink data transmission.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the downlink data transmission comprises image data from a payload on the vehicle when the prospective data transmission is a downlink data transmission.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is an unmanned aerial vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the direct communication link is formed or maintained using one or more of the following: WiFi, WiMAX, or coded orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (COFDM).

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the indirect communication link is formed or maintained using a mobile phone network.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the mobile phone network is a 3G or 4G network.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the indirect communication link does not require line of sight to operate.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the indirect communication link utilizes forward error correction.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein a maximum communication distance using the direct communication link is smaller than a maximum communication distance using the indirect communication link.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first criterion is a signal strength of the direct communication link and the indirect communication link.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the second criterion is a signal strength of the direct communication link and the indirect communication link, and wherein the second criterion has a different threshold signal strength value than the first criterion.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first criterion is a signal quality of the direct communication link and the indirect communication link.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the second criterion is a signal quality strength of the direct communication link and the indirect communication link, and wherein the second criterion has a different threshold signal quality value than the first criterion.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first criterion is an available bandwidth of the direct communication link and the indirect communication link.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the second criterion is an available bandwidth of the direct communication link and the indirect communication link, and wherein the second criterion has a different threshold signal quality value than the first criterion.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first criterion and the second criterion are stored in a memory of the vehicle prior to operation of the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first criterion and the second criterion are input by a user.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first criterion and the second criterion are transmitted to the vehicle from the remote terminal prior to or during operation of the vehicle.

21. A vehicle for transmitting or receiving data, said vehicle comprising:

a first communication module comprising one or more transmitters and one or more receivers, wherein the first communication module is capable of establishing a direct communication link with a remote terminal, wherein said direct communication link is configured for transmitting downlink data to the remote terminal and receiving uplink data from the remote terminal;

a second communication module comprising one or more transmitters and one or more receivers, wherein the second communication module is capable of establishing an indirect communication link with the remote terminal, wherein said indirect communication link is configured for transmitting downlink data to the remote terminal and receiving uplink data from the remote terminal; and

one or more processors configured to determine whether a prospective data transmission is an uplink data transmission or a downlink data transmission,

wherein when the prospective data transmission is an uplink data transmission,

(A) the one or more processors are configured to assess whether the direct communication link and/or the indirect communication link meet a first criterion;

(B) the one or more processors are configured to select whether the uplink data transmission is to occur over (1) the direct communication link provided by the first communication module, (2) the indirect communication link provided by the second communication module, or (3) both the direct communication link and the indirect communication link simultaneously, based on the assessment of whether the direct communication link and/or the indirect communication link meet the first criterion; and

(C) the vehicle is configured to perform the data transmission in accordance with the selected option of (1), (2), or (3) of step (B); and

wherein when the prospective data transmission is a downlink data transmission,

(D) the one or more processors are configured to assess whether the direct communication link and/or the indirect communication link meet a second criterion;

(E) the one or more processors are configured to select whether the downlink data transmission is to occur over (1) the direct communication link provided by the first communication module, (2) the indirect communication link provided by the second communication module, or (3) both the direct communication link and the indirect communication link simultaneously, based on the assessment whether the direct communication link and/or the indirect communication link meet the second criterion; and

(F) the vehicle is configured to perform the data transmission in accordance with the selected option of (1), (2), or (3) of step (E),

wherein the uplink data transmission comprises control data for varying an orientation of a payload of the vehicle relative to an orientation of the vehicle.