IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,449,054
Granted Patent B2
US 11,449,054 · App. 16/575,039 · Granted Sep 20, 2022

Method for controlling flight of unmanned aerial robot by unmanned aerial system and apparatus supporting the same

Inventors: Yuseung Jeong (Seoul, KR); Sanghak Lee (Seoul, KR); Jeongkyo Seo (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
G05D1/0072B64C25/32B64C39/024B64D17/34B64D17/62B64D27/24G05D1/0022G05D1/101B64C2201/042B64C2201/108B64C2201/123B64C2201/126B64C2201/127B64C2201/128B64C2201/141B64C2201/146B64C2201/165B64C2201/185H04W84/042
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 11,449,054
App. No.
16/575,039
Granted
Sep 20, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a method for controlling flight of a drone and an apparatus supporting the same. More specifically, the drone according to the present invention determines whether or not a specific condition is satisfied to deploy a parachute during the flight, and in a case where the specific condition is satisfied, the drone may stop an operation of one or more propellers to deploy the parachute. Next, the drone deploys the parachute, the parachute is deployed toward an area beside the drone, and the flight of the drone may be controlled by adjusting a rotation speed of each of the one or more propellers.

Claims (45)

1. A method for controlling flight of a drone, comprising:

determining whether or not a specific condition for deploying a parachute during the flight is satisfied;

stopping an operation of at least one propeller located in a deployment direction of the parachute when the specific condition is satisfied;

deploying the parachute toward an area beside the drone; and

controlling the flight of the drone by adjusting a rotation speed of each of the at least one propeller.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the specific condition is one of receiving a control message instructing deployment of the parachute from a base station, whether or not the drone reaches a destination, a flight duration increase, or a crash.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising, when the specific condition is whether or not the drone reaches a destination:

calculating an expected flight distance based on a remaining amount of a battery; and

comparing the expected flight distance with a flight distance to the destination,

wherein the parachute is deployed when the expected flight distance is smaller than the flight distance.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein, a propeller closest to the parachute among the at least one propeller is not operated.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the controlling comprises:

controlling the rotation speed of each of the at least one propeller to prevent a collision between the at least one propeller and the parachute;

controlling the rotation speed of each of the at least one propeller to change a direction of the drone; and

controlling the rotation speed of each of the at least one propeller to change a speed of the drone.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the controlling of the rotation speed of each of the at least one propeller to prevent a collision with the parachute is performed by comparing an angle between the drone and the parachute with a threshold value, and

the threshold value means a minimum angle between the parachute and the drone for preventing a collision between the one or more propellers and the parachute.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein when the angle is equal to or greater than the threshold value, a rotation speed of a propeller positioned in a middle portion of the drone among the at least one propeller is increased or decreased, and a rotation speed of a propeller positioned in a lower portion of the drone among at least one propeller is increased or decreased.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein in the controlling of the rotation speed of each of at least one propeller to change a direction of the drone, a rotation speed of a propeller positioned in a middle portion of the drone among at least one propeller is increased or decreased according to a direction change of the drone, and a rotation speed of a propeller positioned in a lower portion of the drone among the at least one propeller is increased or decreased.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the controlling of the rotation speed of each of the at least one propeller to prevent a collision with the parachute is performed by comparing a distance between the drone and the parachute with a threshold value, and

wherein the threshold value means a minimum distance between the parachute and the drone for preventing a collision between the one or more propellers and the parachute.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the distance is measured by a first sensor of the parachute and a second sensor of the drone.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein when the distance is equal to or less than the threshold value, a rotation speed of a propeller positioned in a middle portion of the drone among at least one propeller is increased or decreased, and a rotation speed of a propeller positioned in a lower portion of the drone among the one or more propellers is increased or decreased.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the controlling of the rotation speed of each of the one or more propellers to prevent a collision with the parachute is performed by comparing a first speed of the drone with a second speed of the parachute.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein when the first speed is less than the second speed, the first speed is decreased by decreasing the rotation speed of each of the one or more propellers.

14. A drone comprising:

a main body;

one or more motors;

at least one propeller connected to the one or more motors, respectively;

a transmitter and a receiver, respectively, transmitting and receiving a radio signal; and

a processor electrically connected to the one or more motors to control the one or more motors and functionally connected to the transmitter and the receiver,

wherein the processor is configured to:

determine whether or not a specific condition for deploying a parachute during flight is satisfied;

stop an operation a propeller among the at least one propeller that is located in a deployment direction of the parachute when the specific condition is satisfied;

deploy the parachute based on a control message,

wherein the parachute is deployed to the side of the drone; and

control the flight of the drone by adjusting a rotation speed of each of the at least one propeller.

15. The drone of claim 14 , wherein the specific condition is one of receiving a control message instructing deployment of the parachute from a base station, whether or not the drone reaches a destination, a flight duration increase, or a crash.

16. The drone of claim 15 , wherein, when where the specific condition is whether or not the drone reaches a destination, the processor calculates an expected flight distance based on a remaining amount of a battery, and compares the expected flight distance with a flight distance to the destination, and

the parachute is deployed when the expected flight distance is smaller than the flight distance.

17. The drone of claim 14 , wherein a propeller closest to the parachute among the at least one propeller is not operated.

18. The drone of claim 14 , wherein the processor controls the rotation speed of each of the at least one propeller to prevent a collision between the one at least one propeller and the parachute, controls the rotation speed of each of the at least one propeller to change a direction of the drone, and controls the rotation speed of each of the at least one propeller to change a speed of the drone.

19. The drone of claim 14 , wherein the controlling of the rotation speed of each of the at least one propeller to prevent a collision with the parachute is performed by comparing an angle between the drone and the parachute with a threshold value, and

the threshold value means a minimum angle between the parachute and the drone for preventing a collision between the at least one propeller and the parachute.

20. The drone of claim 19 , wherein when the angle is equal to or greater than the threshold value, a rotation speed of a propeller positioned in a middle portion of the drone among the at least one propeller is increased or decreased, and a rotation speed of a propeller positioned in a lower portion of the drone among the at least one propeller is increased or decreased.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 19, 2019
From: JEONG, YUSEUNG; LEE, SANGHAK; SEO, JEONGKYO
To: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
Reel/Frame 050431/0869 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2019-0104751 · Aug 26, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200033854A1 · Jan 30, 2020