Intelligent drone traffic management via radio access network
Concepts and technologies disclosed herein are directed to intelligent drone traffic management via a radio access network (“RAN”). As disclosed herein, a RAN node, such as an eNodeB, can receive, from a drone, a flight configuration. The flight configuration can include a drone ID and a drone route. The RAN node can determine whether capacity is available in an airspace associated with the RAN node. In response to determining that capacity is available in the airspace associated with the RAN node, the RAN node can add the drone ID to a queue of drones awaiting use of the airspace associated with the RAN node. When the drone ID is next in the queue of drones awaiting use of the airspace associated with the RAN node, the RAN node can instruct the drone to fly through at least a portion of the airspace in accordance with the drone route.
1. A method, comprising:
transmitting, by a drone device comprising a processor, to a first network node, a flight configuration for the drone device awaiting use of a first airspace associated with the first network node; and
receiving, by the drone device, from the first network node based on a capacity constraint of the first airspace, an instruction for the drone device to leave the first airspace and proceed to a second airspace associated with a second network node.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to receiving the instruction, navigating, by the drone device, to the second airspace.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
in response to receiving the instruction, establishing, by the drone device, a communication link with the second network node.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flight configuration comprises a drone route applicable to the drone device and priority data representative of a priority associated with the drone device.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the capacity constraint is a function of a quantity of drone devices operating in the first airspace.
6. The method of claim 1 , the capacity constraint is defined with respect to an upper limit on a quantity of drone devices that are able to concurrently operate in the first airspace before instructing at least one of the drone devices to proceed to a different airspace other than the first airspace.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the capacity constraint is a function of a priority of the drone device.
8. An unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:
a processor; and
a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
sending, to a first network node, a flight configuration for the unmanned aerial vehicle awaiting use of a first airspace associated with the first network node; and
receiving, from the first network node, an instruction, based on a capacity constraint applicable to the first airspace, for the unmanned aerial vehicle to leave the first airspace and proceed to a second airspace associated with a second network node.
9. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise:
in response to receiving the instruction, flying to the second airspace.
10. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise:
initiating establishment of a network connection with the second network node.
11. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the flight configuration comprises a route and a priority associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle.
12. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the capacity constraint is based on a quantity of unmanned aerial vehicles operating in the first airspace.
13. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 8 , the capacity constraint comprises a constraint on a quantity of unmanned aerial vehicles that are allowed to concurrently operate in the first airspace.
14. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the capacity constraint is based on a priority of the unmanned aerial vehicle.
15. A non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a drone device, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
sending, to a first network node, a flight configuration for the drone device awaiting use of a first airspace associated with the first network node; and
based on a capacity constraint of the first airspace being satisfied, receiving, from the first network node, an instruction for the drone device to leave the first airspace and proceed to a second airspace associated with a second network node.
16. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise:
in response to receiving the instruction, flying to the second airspace.
17. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise:
in response to receiving the instruction, establishing a network connection with the second network node.
18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the flight configuration comprises a route and a priority associated with the drone device.
19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the capacity constraint of the first airspace being satisfied comprises a current quantity of drone devices operating in the first airspace exceeding a defined quantity.
20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the capacity constraint is based on a priority of the unmanned aerial vehicle.