Controlling unmanned aerial vehicles as a flock to synchronize flight in aerial displays

摘要

A system for flock-based control of a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The system includes UAVs each including a processor executing a local control module and memory accessible by the processor for use by the local control module. The system includes a ground station system with a processor executing a fleet manager module and with memory storing a different flight plan for each of the UAVs. The flight plans are stored on the UAVs, and, during flight operations, each of the local control modules independently controls the corresponding UAV to execute its flight plan without ongoing control from the fleet manager module. The fleet manager module is operable to initiate flight operations by concurrently triggering initiation of the flight plans by the multiple UAVs. Further, the local control modules monitor front and back and communication channels and, when a channel is lost, operate the UAV in a safe mode.

主权项

1. A system for controlling flight of a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), comprising:
a plurality of UAVs each including a processor executing a local control module and further including memory accessible by the processor for use by the local control module; and a ground station system with a processor executing a fleet manager module and with memory storing a different flight plan for each of the UAVs, wherein corresponding ones of the flight plans are stored in the memory of each of the UAVs, wherein, during flight operations, each of the local control modules independently controls the UAV to execute the flight plan stored in the memory of the UAV, wherein each of the UAVs includes a front end radio and a back end radio and wherein each of the UAVs communicates with a front end transceiver of the ground station system to establish a front end communication channel with the front end radio and communicates with a back end transceiver of the ground station system to establish a back end communication channel with the back end radio, and wherein the local control module of each of the UAVs periodically determines status of the front and back end communication channels and, when the status determination indicates a loss of one of the front and back end communication channels, operates the UAV in a predefined safe operating mode.