Granted Patent B2

US 10,157,546 · App. 15/631,302 · Granted Dec 18, 2018

Abstract

Claims (31)

1. A method for preventing flight of one or more Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in no-fly zones, the method comprising:

receiving one or more no-fly zones each defined as geo-fences with associated coordinates;

preventing one or more UAVs from entering the one or more no-fly zones by transmitting the geo-fences to the one or more UAVs by an Air Traffic Control (ATC) system for UAVs using one or more wireless networks to communicate to the one or more UAVs, wherein each UAV is constrained in flight based on cell coverage of the one or more wireless networks; and

preventing the one or more UAVs from entering a specific no-fly zone by one of:

transmitting avoidance commands to the one or more UAVs from an avoidance device located at the specific no-fly zone, and

disrupting radio communication to the one or more UAVs from the avoidance device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein each geo-fence is defined by the associated coordinates comprising a set of latitude, longitude, and altitude values.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: periodically receiving updates or additions to the one or more no-fly zones.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the avoidance device comprises a transmitter configured to communicate the avoidance commands to proximate UAVs over Radio Frequencies associated with the one or more UAVs.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the avoidance device is programmed with a plurality of avoidance commands based on a type of UAV and the avoidance device is configured to transmit the plurality of avoidance command over the Radio Frequencies associated with the one or more UAVs.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the avoidance device comprises a transmitter configured to perform the disrupting over Radio Frequencies associated with the one or more UAVs, wherein the Radio Frequencies do not interfere with other wireless networks.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ATC system is configured to monitor one or more of a location and a flight plan of the one or more UAVs and to transmit proximate geo-fences to the one or more UAVs based on the one or more of the location and the flight plan.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the avoidance device is communicatively coupled to an Air Traffic Control (ATC) system for UAVs using one or more wireless networks.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the avoidance device is selectively enabled.

10. An avoidance device for preventing flight of one or more Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in no-fly zones, the avoidance device comprising:

wireless interfaces;

a processor communicatively coupled to the wireless interfaces; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to

receive one or more no-fly zones each defined as geo-fences with associated coordinates;

prevent one or more UAVs from entering the one or more no-fly zones by transmission of the geo-fences to the one or more UAVs by an Air Traffic Control (ATC) system for UAVs using one or more wireless networks to communicate to the one or more UAVs, wherein each UAV is constrained in flight based on cell coverage of the one or more wireless networks; and

prevent the one or more UAVs from entering a specific no-fly zone by one of:

transmission of avoidance commands to the one or more UAVs located at the specific no-fly zone, and

disruption of radio communication to the one or more UAVs.

11. The avoidance device of claim 10 , wherein each geo-fence is defined by the associated coordinates comprising a set of latitude, longitude, and altitude values.

12. The avoidance device of claim 10 , wherein the memory storing instructions that, when executed, further cause the processor to: periodically receive updates or additions to the one or more no-fly zones.

13. The avoidance device of claim 10 , wherein the transmission of avoidance commands is to proximate UAVs over Radio Frequencies associated with the one or more UAVs.

14. The avoidance device of claim 13 , wherein the avoidance device is programmed with a plurality of avoidance commands based on a type of UAV and the avoidance device is configured to transmit the plurality of avoidance command over the Radio Frequencies associated with the one or more UAVs.

15. The avoidance device of claim 10 , wherein the disruption of radio communication disrupts over Radio Frequencies associated with the one or more UAVs, wherein the Radio Frequencies do not interfere with other wireless networks.

16. The avoidance device of claim 10 , wherein the ATC system is configured to monitor one or more of a location and a flight plan of the one or more UAVs and to transmit proximate geo-fences to the one or more UAVs based on the one or more of the location and the flight plan.

17. The avoidance device of claim 10 , wherein the avoidance device is communicatively coupled to an Air Traffic Control (ATC) system for UAVs using one or more wireless networks.

18. The avoidance device of claim 10 , wherein the avoidance device is selectively enabled.

Assignments (4)

Cited By (11)

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