US 11,687,072 B2
Automatic UAV landing pad
Hai Pham, Eden Prairie, MN (US); Saul Cooper, Fridley, MN (US); Mark Finney, Wayzata, MN (US); and Arjun BJ, Golden Valley, MN (US)
Assigned to Honeywell International Inc., Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed by Honeywell International Inc., Morris Plains, NJ (US)
Filed on May 8, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/870,719.
Prior Publication US 2021/0349456 A1, Nov. 11, 2021
Int. Cl. G05D 1/00 (2006.01); B64C 39/02 (2023.01); B64C 1/36 (2006.01); G05D 1/02 (2020.01); B64F 1/36 (2017.01); B64U 10/13 (2023.01)
CPC G05D 1/0011 (2013.01) [B64C 1/36 (2013.01); B64C 39/024 (2013.01); B64F 1/36 (2013.01); G05D 1/0276 (2013.01); B64U 10/13 (2023.01); B64U 2201/104 (2023.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) navigation system comprising:
a portable, ground-based landing pad comprising:
a first antenna; and
first processing circuitry configured to cause the first antenna to transmit a data packet in response to determining that the UAV has lost a data communication with a controller, wherein the data communication comprises at least one of telemetry data, a navigation signal, a control signal, or a GPS signal, wherein the data packet comprises a time stamp and an identification number for the landing pad;
a UAV comprising:
a second antenna configured to receive the data packet; and
second processing circuitry configured to:
determine a signal strength between the first antenna and the second antenna;
determine, based on the signal strength, an orientation of the UAV relative to the landing pad; and
determine, based on a time of flight of the data packet, a distance between the UAV and the landing pad.