Systems and methods for controlling aerial vehicles
Disclosed are systems, devices, and methods for controlling an aerial vehicle. An exemplary method may include receiving data indicating a location and an altitude of the aerial vehicle, receiving data indicating a destination of the aerial vehicle, receiving prevailing wind pattern data regarding winds at the location and altitude of the aerial vehicle, determining that the aerial vehicle is within a predetermined distance of the destination, determining a speed at which the aerial vehicle is moving, and causing the aerial vehicle to adjust the altitude of the aerial vehicle based on the prevailing wind pattern data and the determined speed.
1. A system for controlling an aerial vehicle, the system comprising:
the aerial vehicle; and
a computing device including:
a processor; and
a non-transitory memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to:
receive data indicating a location and a first altitude of the aerial vehicle;
receive data indicating a destination of the aerial vehicle;
receive prevailing wind pattern data regarding winds at the location and the first altitude of the aerial vehicle;
determine when the aerial vehicle is within a predetermined distance of the destination;
when it is determined that the aerial vehicle is within predetermined distance of the destination, determine a first speed at which the aerial vehicle is moving;
determine whether the first speed at which the aerial vehicle is moving is greater than a first threshold;
when it is determined that the first speed at which the aerial vehicle is moving is greater than the first threshold, determine a second altitude for the aerial vehicle to move at a second speed slower than the first speed;
determine a probability that a prevailing wind pattern at the second altitude will cause the aerial vehicle to move at the second speed, wherein the probability is based on a time since data regarding the prevailing wind pattern at the second altitude was last received; and
when it is determined that the probability exceeds a second threshold, cause the aerial vehicle to adjust altitude of the aerial vehicle from the first altitude to the second altitude.
2. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a position sensor,
wherein the data regarding the location and the first altitude of the aerial vehicle is received from the position sensor.
3. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a motion sensor,
wherein the first speed at which the aerial vehicle is moving is determined based on data received from the motion sensor.
4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the aerial vehicle is a balloon.
5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the prevailing wind pattern data is received from an external source.
6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the prevailing wind pattern data is received from a sensor included in the aerial vehicle.
7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the prevailing wind pattern data is a-based on a combination of data received from an external source and from a sensor included in the aerial vehicle.
8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the second altitude is determined based on a distance between the first altitude and the second altitude.
9. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the first threshold is correlated to a distance between the location of the aerial vehicle and the destination.
10. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the probability is based on data received from an external source.
11. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the computing device to:
receive additional prevailing wind pattern data regarding winds at the second altitude;
determine whether the aerial vehicle is not moving towards the destination while at the second altitude;
when it is determined that the aerial vehicle is not moving towards the destination at the second altitude, determine a third altitude for the aerial vehicle; and
cause the aerial vehicle to adjust from the second altitude to the third altitude.
12. The system according to claim 11 , wherein determining the third altitude for the aerial vehicle includes:
determining a probability that a prevailing wind pattern at the third altitude will cause the aerial vehicle to move towards the destination; and
determining whether the probability exceeds a third threshold.
13. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the additional prevailing wind pattern data is received from a sensor included in the aerial vehicle.
14. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the prevailing wind pattern data is based on a speed and a direction of the wind.
15. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the computing device to determine whether the aerial vehicle has reached the destination.
16. The system according to claim 1 , wherein:
when the time since data regarding the prevailing wind pattern is a first time, the probability is a first probability indicating a first chance that the prevailing wind pattern has changed; and
when the time since data regarding the prevailing wind pattern is a second time shorter than the first time, the probability is a second probability indicating a second chance that the prevailing wind pattern has changed, the second chance being less than the first chance.
17. A method for controlling an aerial vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving data indicating a location and a first altitude of the aerial vehicle;
receiving data indicating a destination of the aerial vehicle;
receiving prevailing wind pattern data regarding winds at the location and the first altitude of the aerial vehicle;
determining when the aerial vehicle is within a predetermined distance of the destination;
when it is determined that the aerial vehicle is within the predetermined distance of the destination, determining a first speed at which the aerial vehicle is moving;
determining whether the first speed at which the aerial vehicle is moving is greater than a first threshold;
when it is determined that the first speed at which the aerial vehicle is moving is greater than the first threshold, determining a second altitude for the aerial vehicle to move at a second speed slower than the first speed;
determining a probability that a prevailing wind pattern at the second altitude will cause the aerial vehicle to move at the second speed, wherein the probability is based on a time since data regarding the prevailing wind pattern at the second altitude was last received; and
when it is determined that the probability exceeds a second threshold, causing the aerial vehicle to adjust altitude of the aerial vehicle from the first altitude to the second altitude.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein:
when the time since data regarding the prevailing wind pattern is a first time, the probability is a first probability indicating a first chance that the prevailing wind pattern has changed; and
when the time since data regarding the prevailing wind pattern is a second time shorter than the first time, the probability is a second probability indicating a second chance that the prevailing wind pattern has changed, the second chance being less than the first chance.
19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for controlling an aerial vehicle, the program including instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause a computing device to:
receive data indicating a location and a first altitude of the aerial vehicle;
receive data indicating a destination of the aerial vehicle;
receive prevailing wind pattern data regarding winds at the location and the first altitude of the aerial vehicle;
determine when the aerial vehicle is within a predetermined distance of the destination;
when it is determined that the aerial vehicle is within the predetermined distance of the destination, determine a first speed at which the aerial vehicle is moving;
determine whether the first speed at which the aerial vehicle is moving is greater than a first threshold;
when it is determined that the first speed at which the aerial vehicle is moving is greater than the first threshold, determine a second altitude for the aerial vehicle to move at a second speed slower than the first speed;
determine a probability that a prevailing wind pattern at the second altitude will cause the aerial vehicle to move at the second speed, wherein the probability is based on a time since data regarding the prevailing wind pattern at the second altitude was last received; and
when it is determined that the probability exceeds a second threshold, cause the aerial vehicle to adjust altitude of the aerial vehicle from the first altitude to a different altitude based on the prevailing wind pattern data and the determined first speed.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein:
when the time since data regarding the prevailing wind pattern is a first time, the probability is a first probability indicating a first chance that the prevailing wind pattern has changed; and
when the time since data regarding the prevailing wind pattern is a second time shorter than the first time, the probability is a second probability indicating a second chance that the prevailing wind pattern has changed, the second chance being less than the first chance.