US 12,451,019 B2
Method for safely determining a flight path of an unmanned aerial vehicle, and unmanned aerial vehicle
Stefan Milz, Saalburg-Ebersdorf (DE); Florian Ölsner, Jena (DE); Sukumar Karthigeyan, Bad Lobenstein (DE); Ashwanth Ammapalayam Ravichandran, Bad Lobenstein (DE); and Chris Hagen, Bad Lobenstein (DE)
Assigned to Spleenlab GmbH, (DE)
Filed by Spleenlab GmbH, Saalburg-Ebersdorf (DE)
Filed on Mar. 13, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/120,545.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2022 106 110.8 (DE), filed on Mar. 16, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0298474 A1, Sep. 21, 2023
Int. Cl. G08G 5/55 (2025.01); G06T 7/70 (2017.01); G08G 5/30 (2025.01); G08G 5/57 (2025.01)
CPC G08G 5/55 (2025.01) [G06T 7/70 (2017.01); G08G 5/30 (2025.01); G08G 5/57 (2025.01); G06T 2207/10032 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for safely determining a flight path of an unmanned aerial vehicle, in which an unmanned aerial vehicle is moved along a three-dimensional flight path, the method comprising:
determination of first position data for a spatial position of the unmanned aerial vehicle along the three-dimensional flight path by a first position determination system, assigned to the unmanned aerial vehicle as a master system;
determination of second position data for the spatial position of the unmanned aerial vehicle, independently of the determination of the first position data, by a second position determination system, assigned to the unmanned aerial vehicle, which is distinct from the first position determination system;
execution of a plausibility check for the first position data, wherein a check is made for the first position data and the second position data as to whether these satisfy at least a first check specification;
determination of the first position data as the current spatial position of the unmanned aerial vehicle, if the plausibility check shows that the first position data and the second position data satisfy the at least first check specification; and
control of the movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle along the three-dimensional flight path in accordance with the current spatial position;
wherein the first and the second position determination systems are selected from the following group of position determination systems: (i) satellite navigation system; (ii) image-based position determination system, which is configured to determine the first or the second position data from image recordings of an environment of the unmanned aerial vehicle, using artificial intelligence-based image analysis; and (iii) lidar position determination system, which is configured to determine the first or the second position data from three-dimensional optical measurements of the environment of the unmanned aerial vehicle, using artificial intelligence-based measurement data analysis.