Pod operating system for a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)
A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) storage and launch system includes a UAV pod having a UAV pod processor and a UAV selectively enclosed in the UAV pod, the UAV having only two rotors.
1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) storage and launch system, comprising:
a UAV pod capable of enclosing a UAV and having a UAV pod processor and short-range UAV pod transceiver, wherein the UAV pod processor is configured to:
monitor a battery status of the UAV during flight and provide re-routing instructions to the UAV from the UAV pod processor based on the monitored battery status of the UAV, wherein the re-routing instructions are provided while the UAV is in flight, and wherein the UAV pod processor is configured to provide a first re-routing instruction of the re-routing instructions that shortens a current mission to keep the UAV performing the shortened mission and a second re-routing instruction of the re-routing instructions that returns the UAV to the UAV pod or to an intermediate pre-determined position, for a safe return of the UAV to the UAV pod for landing; and
a proximity sensor coupled to the UAV pod, wherein the proximity sensor is configured to detect a presence of an object positioned over the UAV pod, when the object is present, wherein the UAV pod processor is configured to: delay or cancel launch of the UAV out of the UAV pod based on the detected presence of an object positioned over the UAV pod, and control the launch of the UAV out of the UAV pod based on no detected presence of the object positioned over the UAV pod.
2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
the UAV capable of being enclosed in the UAV pod, the UAV having a UAV processor and a UAV transceiver, the UAV processor in communication with the UAV pod processor through the short-range UAV pod transceiver and the UAV transceiver.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the UAV pod processor is configured to: provide mission instructions to the UAV processor,
wherein the mission instructions comprise a UAV trajectory;
monitor the UAV trajectory;
compare the provided mission instructions to the monitored UAV trajectory;
provide navigation instructions to the UAV processor for correction of the UAV trajectory to the provided mission instructions in response to the compared mission instructions and UAV trajectory, wherein the provided mission instructions are not modified; and
provide navigation instructions to the UAV processor to fly the UAV to a predetermined data offloading waypoint to provide a transfer of geographic survey data based on the provided mission instructions.
4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the UAV is a winged vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) two-rotor UAV, wherein the wings provide a primary source of lift during horizontal flight of the UAV.
5. The system of claim 2 , further comprising:
a weather sensor in communication with the UAV pod processor; and
a UAV pod memory in communication with the UAV pod processor.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the UAV pod memory is portable memory.
7. The system of claim 5 , further comprising:
a long-range UAV pod transceiver coupled to the UAV pod and in communication with the UAV pod processor.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the UAV pod processor is further configured to monitor UAV pod external environmental conditions in response to information received from the weather sensor.
9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a UAV pod cover operable to open and close.
10. A method of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) launch and control, comprising:
transmitting one of a plurality of mission instructions to a UAV, wherein the transmitted mission instructions comprise a UAV trajectory, wherein the two-rotor UAV comprises a UAV processor, and wherein the wings provide a primary source of lift during horizontal flight of the UAV;
detecting a presence of an object positioned over a UAV pod by a proximity sensor coupled to the UAV pod, wherein the proximity sensor is configured to detect the presence of the object positioned over the UAV pod, when the object is present;
delaying or cancelling launch of the UAV out of the UAV pod based on the detected presence of the object positioned over the UAV pod;
controlling the launch of the UAV out of the UAV pod based on no detected presence of the object positioned over the UAV pod;
launching the two-rotor UAV from the UAV pod if a go flight decision is enabled by the UAV pod processor;
monitoring a battery status of the UAV during flight; and
providing re-routing instructions to the UAV from the processor based on the monitored battery status of the UAV, wherein the re-routing instructions are provided while the UAV is in flight, and wherein the UAV pod processor is configured to provide a first re-routing instruction of the re-routing instructions that shortens a current mission to keep the UAV performing the shortened mission and a second re-routing instruction of the re-routing instructions that returns the UAV to the UAV pod or to an intermediate pre-determined position, for a safe return of the UAV to the UAV pod for landing.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
monitoring the UAV trajectory of the UAV using a transceiver in communication with a processor;
comparing the transmitted mission instructions to the monitored trajectory of the UAV with the processor;
providing navigation instructions to the UAV processor with the transceiver for correction of the UAV trajectory to the transmitted mission instructions in response to the compared mission instructions and UAV trajectory, wherein the provided mission instructions are not modified; and
providing navigation instructions to the UAV processor to fly the UAV to a predetermined data offloading waypoint to provide a transfer of geographic survey data based on the provided mission instructions.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
landing the two-rotor UAV in the UAV pod;
closing a UAV pod protective cover over the two-rotor UAV;
downloading geographic survey data from the two-rotor UAV to a UAV pod memory in communication with the UAV processor;
transmitting another one of a plurality of mission instructions to the two-rotor UAV seated in the UAV pod;
opening the protective cover; and
launching the two-rotor UAV out of the UAV pod.
13. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) storage and launch system, comprising:
a UAV pod processor included in a UAV pod, the UAV pod capable of enclosing a UAV;
a proximity sensor coupled to a UAV pod, wherein the proximity sensor is configured to detect a presence of an object positioned over the UAV pod;
a UAV pod transceiver in communication with the UAV pod processor, the UAV pod processor configured to:
delay or cancel launch of the UAV out of the UAV pod based on the detected presence of the object positioned over the UAV pod;
control the launch of the UAV out of the UAV pod based on no detected presence of the object positioned over the UAV pod;
monitor a battery status of the UAV during flight; and
provide re-routing instructions to the UAV from the UAV pod processor based on the monitored battery status of the UAV, wherein the re-routing instructions are provided while the UAV is in flight, and wherein the UAV pod processor is configured to provide a first re-routing instruction of the re-routing instructions that shortens a current mission to keep the UAV performing the shortened mission and a second re-routing instruction of the re-routing instructions that returns the UAV to the UAV pod or to an intermediate pre-determined position, for a safe return of the UAV to the UAV pod for landing.
14. The system of claim 13 ,
wherein the UAV pod processor is further configured to:
monitor a winged two-rotor UAV trajectory, wherein the wings provide a primary source of lift during horizontal flight of the UAV;
compare the monitored UAV trajectory to mission instructions for the UAV, wherein the mission instructions comprise a UAV trajectory;
provide navigation instructions to a UAV processor for correction of the UAV trajectory to the provided mission instructions in response to the compared monitored UAV trajectory and mission instructions, wherein the provided mission instructions are not modified;
provide navigation instructions to the UAV processor to fly the UAV to a predetermined data offloading waypoint to provide a transfer of geographic survey data based on the provided mission instructions.
15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising:
a UAV pod memory in communication with the UAV pod processor, the UAV pod memory storing a plurality of UAV missions that collectively provide the geographic survey data of an area.
16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the UAV pod processor is configured to monitor for overhead obstacles using a proximity sensor in communication with the UAV pod processor.
17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the UAV pod processor is configured to monitor the weather using a weather sensor.