Systems and methods for regulating the location of an unmanned aerial system (UAS)

1. A system for regulating the location of an unmanned aerial system (UAS), comprising:

at least one processor disposed aboard a UAS and configured to:

determine at least one current position of the UAS;

detect at least one problem status of the UAS based on the determined current position, the problem status associated with at least one of a proximate aircraft, an improper altitude, and an improper airspace;

if the at least one problem status is detected, activate an alert mode of the UAS;

determine if the detected problem status is a critical status;

in response to a determined critical status, direct a control system of the UAS to execute a landing of the UAS; and

if the alert mode is activated and no critical status is determined, direct the control system to adjust the current position; and

at least one transponder coupled to the processor, the transponder including at least one antenna element and communication circuitry configured to:

generate at least one first position signal based on the current position;

receive at least one second position signal via the antenna element, the second position signal associated with the proximate aircraft; and

if the alert mode is active, transmit the at least one first position signal via the antenna element to at least one of the proximate aircraft and a traffic control facility.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one position sensor coupled to the processor and configured to determine the at least one current position.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one position sensor includes at least one of:

a barometer;

an altimeter; and

a position receiver configured to determine the current position based on at least one third position signal received from a navigational satellite.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the current position includes at least one of a current latitude of the UAS, a current longitude of the UAS, a current altitude of the UAS, a current heading of the UAS, a current velocity of the UAS, and a current rotational orientation of the UAS.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first position signal and the second position signal include at least one of:

a 978 MHz UAT signal;

a 1090 MHz ES signal;

a Mode-S transponder signal;

a TCAS signal; and

an ADS-B signal.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the at least one second position signal includes at least one of a fourth position signal received from a second aircraft and a fifth position signal received from a third aircraft; and

the processor is configured to:

determine at least one first distance to the second aircraft based on the at least one fourth position signal; and

determine at least one second distance to the third aircraft based on the at least one fifth position signal; and

determine the current position based on at least the first distance and the second distance.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the UAS is a first UAS and the at least one proximate aircraft includes one or more of a manned aircraft and a second UAS.

8. An unmanned aerial system (UAS), comprising:

a control system configured to adjust at least one position of the UAS;

at least one processor coupled to the control system and configured to:

determine the at least one position;

detect at least one problem status of the UAS based on the at least one position, the problem status associated with at least one of a proximate aircraft, an improper altitude, and an improper airspace;

if the at least one problem status is detected, activate an alert mode of the UAS;

determine if the detected problem status is a critical status;

in response to a determined critical status, direct the control system to execute a landing of the UAS; and

if the alert mode is activated and no critical status is determined, direct the control system to adjust the at least one position; and

at least one transponder coupled to the processor, the transponder including at least one antenna element and communication circuitry configured to:

generate at least one first position signal based on the at least one position;

receive at least one second position signal via the antenna element, the second position signal associated with the proximate aircraft; and

if the alert mode is activated, transmit the at least one first position signal via the antenna element to at least one of the proximate aircraft and a traffic control facility.

9. The UAS of claim 8 , further comprising:

at least one position sensor coupled to the processor and configured to determine the at least one position.

10. The UAS of claim 9 , wherein the position sensor includes at least one of:

a barometer;

an altimeter; and

a position receiver configured to determine the current position based on at least one third position signal received from a navigational satellite.

11. The UAS of claim 8 , wherein:

the at least one second position signal includes at least one of a fourth position signal received from a second aircraft and a fifth position signal received from a third aircraft; and

the processor is configured to:

determine at least one first distance to the second aircraft based on the at least one fourth position signal; and

determine at least one second distance to the third aircraft based on the at least one fifth position signal; and

determine the current position based on at least the first distance and the second distance.

12. The UAS of claim 8 , wherein the first position signal and the second position signal include at least one of:

a 978 MHz UAT signal;

a 1090 MHz ES signal;

a Mode-S transponder signal;

a TCAS signal; and

an ADS-B signal.

13. The UAS of claim 8 , wherein the at least one position includes at least one of a current latitude of the UAS, a current longitude of the UAS, a current altitude of the UAS, a current heading of the UAS, a current velocity of the UAS, and a current rotational orientation of the UAS.

14. The UAS of claim 8 , wherein the UAS is a first UAS and the at least one proximate aircraft includes one or more of a manned aircraft and a second UAS.

15. A method for regulating the location of an unmanned aerial system (UAS), comprising:

determining, on board a UAS, at least one current position of the UAS;

detecting, on board the UAS, at least one problem status of the UAS based on the current position, the problem status associated with at least one of a proximate aircraft, an improper altitude, and an improper airspace;

in response to the at least one detected problem status, activating an alert mode of the UAS;

in response to the activated alert mode, transmitting an encoded position signal based on the current position to at least one of the proximate aircraft and a traffic control facility via a transponder of the UAS;

determining if the at least one problem status includes a critical problem status;

in response to the at least one determined critical problem status, directing a control system of the UAS to execute a landing of the UAS;

if the alert mode is activated and no critical problem status is determined, directing the control system to adjust the current position.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein determining at least one current position of a UAS includes:

receiving, via a receiver of the UAS, at least one first position signal transmitted by a first vehicle;

receiving, via the receiver, at least one second position signal transmitted by a second vehicle;

determining at least one first distance between the UAS and the first vehicle based on the first position signal;

determining at least one second distance between the UAS and the second vehicle based on the second position signal; and

determining the at least one current position based on two or more of the at least one first distance and the at least one second distance.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein determining at least one current position of a UAS includes:

determining at least one of a current latitude of the UAS, a current longitude of the UAS, a current altitude of the UAS, a current heading of the UAS, and a current rotational orientation of the UAS.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein transmitting an encoded position signal based on the current position to at least one of the proximate aircraft and a traffic control facility via a transponder of the UAS includes:

transmitting the at least one current position via at least one of a 978 MHz UAT signal, a 1090 MHz ES signal, and an ADS-B Out signal.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the UAS is a first UAS and transmitting an encoded position signal based on the current position to at least one of the proximate aircraft and a traffic control facility via a transponder of the UAS includes:

transmitting the encoded position signal to at least one of a manned aircraft and a second UAS.