IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,323,778
Granted Patent B2
US 12,323,778 · App. 18/153,474 · Granted Jun 3, 2025

Violation detection for unmanned aerial vehicles

Inventors: Rajat Agrawal (Denver, CO); Athanasios Apostolopoulos (Highlands Ranch, CO)
Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
H04R3/005G06Q50/26H04N7/188H04R1/406
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,323,778
App. No.
18/153,474
Granted
Jun 3, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An automated environment for violation detection for unmanned aerial vehicles includes obtaining an identification associated with an unmanned aerial vehicle, analyzing a sound received by a microphone, and determining if the sound is associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle. Responsive to determining the sound is associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle, the automated environment for violation detection for unmanned aerial vehicles also includes capturing data associated with a location of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and determining if the unmanned aerial vehicle is committing a violation.

Claims (39)

1. A device comprising:

a microphone;

a memory configured to store instructions; and

one or more processors coupled to the microphone and coupled to the memory, the one or more processors configured to:

obtain an identification associated with an unmanned aerial vehicle;

analyze a sound received by the microphone;

determine an association between the sound and the unmanned aerial vehicle based on a comparison of characteristics of the sound with sound characteristic associated with the obtained identification of the unmanned aerial vehicle;

responsive to the determination that the sound is associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle, capture location data associated with a location of the unmanned aerial vehicle; and

determine a violation status of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the captured location data.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the violation status is indicative of a noise violation.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the violation status is indicative of a location violation.

4. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a transmitter configured to transmit the location data associated with the location of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the location data via a radio frequency or an infrared frequency.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the determination of the violation status of the unmanned aerial vehicle causes the one or more processors to be further configured to determine that the unmanned aerial vehicle is in violation when the location of the unmanned aerial vehicle is within a threshold distance of a location associated with the sound.

7. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a camera coupled to the one or more processors, the camera configured to capture video of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to send a notification responsive to the determination of the violation status of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the determination of the association between the sound and the unmanned aerial vehicle utilizes one or more machine learning models.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the determination of the association between the sound and the unmanned aerial vehicle utilizes an audio discriminator.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the violation status is indicative of a time-dependent violation.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the identification comprises an automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast signal.

13. The device of claim 1 , wherein the identification comprises an internet-based identification.

14. The device of claim 1 , wherein the microphone a microphone array.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to analyze the sound via beamforming a plurality of signals from a corresponding plurality of microphones in the microphone array.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

obtain an identification associated with an unmanned aerial vehicle;

analyze a sound received by a microphone;

determine an association between the sound and the unmanned aerial vehicle based on a comparison of characteristics of the sound with sound characteristic associated with the obtained identification of the unmanned aerial vehicle;

responsive to the determination that the sound is associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle, capture location data associated with a location of the unmanned aerial vehicle; and

determine a violation status of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the captured location data.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the violation status is indicative of a noise violation.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the violation status is indicative of a location violation.

19. A method comprising:

receiving a sound;

obtaining an identification associated with an unmanned aerial vehicle;

analyzing the sound;

determining an association between the sound and the unmanned aerial vehicle based on comparing characteristics of the sound with sound characteristic associated with the obtained identification of the unmanned aerial vehicle;

responsive to determining the sound is associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle, capturing location data associated with a location of the unmanned aerial vehicle; and

determining a violation status of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the captured location data.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising transmitting the location data associated with the location of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 12, 2023
From: AGRAWAL, RAJAT; APOSTOLOPOULOS, ATHANASIOS
To: THE BOEING COMPANY
Reel/Frame 062356/0874 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240244369A1 · Jul 18, 2024
References Cited (12)
US 10032464B2 · Franklin et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 11579302B2 · Turov · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 12057023B1 · Cleckler · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 12135382B2 · Meyer · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20180129881A1 · Seeber · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20200045416A1 · Kamio · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200299002A1 · Nielsen · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20220343773A1 · Ali · 2022 [cited by examiner]
CN 115902786A · 2023 [cited by examiner]
JP 6865371B2 · 2021 [cited by examiner]
TR 2022004071A2 · 2023 [cited by examiner]
FAA, “Noise Certification Standards: Matternet Model M2 Aircraft”, Sep. 12, 2022. [cited by examiner]