US 11,810,463 B2
Unmanned aerial vehicle contingency landing system
Brandon Brown, Malvern, PA (US); David Mason, Glenmoore, PA (US); and Eric Hathaway, Philadelphia, PA (US)
Assigned to The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Apr. 14, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/848,159.
Prior Publication US 2021/0319707 A1, Oct. 14, 2021
Int. Cl. G08G 5/00 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01); G05D 1/10 (2006.01); G01S 13/91 (2006.01); B64C 39/02 (2023.01)
CPC G08G 5/0056 (2013.01) [B64C 39/024 (2013.01); G01S 13/913 (2013.01); G05D 1/0055 (2013.01); G05D 1/102 (2013.01); G08G 5/0039 (2013.01); B64U 2201/20 (2023.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for contingency landing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:
one or more sensors configured to detect a position of the UAV; and
a command module comprising a control unit having one or more processors configured to execute instructions stored in memory to perform functions of:
receiving a mission profile, the mission profile comprising a travel path mapped out in multidimensional space over time for the UAV from an origin to a destination, a plurality of first boundaries, each having a three-dimensional form and encompassing a respective different segment of the travel path, a second boundary having a three-dimensional form and encompassing an entirety of the plurality of first boundaries, and a plurality of contingent landing sites, each contingent landing site determined based on surface characteristics identified in a terrain map;
sending instructions to the UAV to fly according to the mission profile;
determining, via the one or more sensors, a position of the UAV relative to a desired position corresponding to the travel path and relative to the plurality of first boundaries and the second boundary, wherein the three-dimensional form of the second boundary moves along the travel path with reference to the desired position;
responsive to determining that the UAV is a threshold distance away from the desired position and intersects a portion of one of the plurality of first boundaries, sending instructions to the UAV to land at a corresponding one of the plurality of contingent landing sites; and
responsive to determining that the UAV intersects a portion of the second boundary, sending instructions to the UAV to land immediately on a ground surface located below the UAV and outside the plurality of contingent landing sites.