2861 results about "Ground station" patented technology

A tethered unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) may be outfitted with a sensor payload for data gathering. The tethered UAV may be tethered to a ground station for constricting the flight space of the UAV while also providing the option for power delivery and / or bidirectional communications. The tethered UAV's flight path may be extended by introducing one or more secondary UAVs that cooperate to extend the horizontal flight path of a primary UAV. The ground station, which may be coupled with the tethered aerial vehicle, may comprise a listening switch configured to determine a condition of the tether such that the supply of power to the tether may be terminated when tether damage or a tether severance is detected.

The invention discloses a power transmission line inspection system based on a fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle. The power transmission line inspection system based on the fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a ground station and a fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the ground station comprises a ground control system, an image receiving system, and a data processing system, the fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle comprises an unmanned aerial vehicle body, a remote sensing monitoring device, a real-time detection device, an image transmission system, an instruction receiving system, a power system, and a flying control system. The remote sensing monitoring device is used for collecting image information in an area of a power transmission line at a fixed time or a fixed distance or a fixed spot, the real-time detection device is used for collecting information in the area of the power transmission line in real time, and the remote sensing monitoring device and the real-time detection device are arranged on the unmanned aerial vehicle body in a front-and-back adjacent and direct-to-ground mode. The power transmission line inspection system based on the fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle is capable of conducting periodical or emergent macroscopic inspections on the power transmission line and accessory equipment of the power transmission line, so that labor intensity of manual power transmission line inspection work is greatly reduced, and power transmission line inspection efficiency is improved.

A data collection and distribution system for monitoring aircraft in flight, on the ground and at the gate or terminal for monitoring critical and catastrophic events, managing the emergency during such an event, and for investigating the event. The system generates, transmits and collects critical data generated by monitoring equipment onboard an aircraft or other commercial transport and selectively displays the data on a cockpit display console as well as for downloading, transmitting and displaying data at external monitoring and response stations, including fixed ground stations, roving ground stations and chase aircraft or vehicles. Digital surveillance information is collected, processed, dispatched, and log via remote control and access. The system includes a variety of system appliances such as surveillance cameras, sensors, detectors, and panic buttons and accommodates legacy equipment. Within the commercial transport, the system maybe hardwired or may use wireless transmission and receiving systems.

The present invention relates to a reduced scale industrial helicopter, with an integrated automatic flight control system, that includes core autopilot functions, GPS management, and full-function navigation systems. The autopilot technology includes rapid launch capability, real-time in-flight switching between one or more of a) remote control, b) autopilot-directed, c) ground station controlled, and d) home modes, and is upgradeable. The helicopter is used for high or low altitude surveillance, and can handle various payloads, including photographic missions. The helicopter may include onboard batteries and / or a unique battery unit disposed beneath the helicopter, and includes autonomous features such as automatic takeoff, automatic landing, safety return to home base, and predetermined mission plans.

A method and apparatus for mitigating communications interference between satellite communications systems in different orbits is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of evaluating a geometrical relationship between a second ground station and the satellites in the second satellite constellation, and directing communications between the second ground station and the second satellite according to the evaluated geometrical relationship. In one embodiment communications are handed over from a first satellite to another satellite when the first satellite is no longer at the highest elevation angle of visible satellites. In another embodiment, handover occurs when the first satellite drops below a minimum elevation angle.

The present disclosure is directed toward systems and methods for autonomously landing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). In particular, systems and methods described herein enable a UAV to land within and interface with a UAV ground station (UAVGS). In particular, one or more embodiments described herein include systems and methods that enable a UAV to conveniently interface with and land within a UAV ground station (UAVGS). For example, one or more embodiments include a UAV that includes a landing base and landing frame that interfaces with a landing housing of a UAVGS.

The airborne radio-relay system includes a network control station, at least one ground station, airborne cluster controller relay stations, and one or more non-airborne stations, which may be mobile. The network control station accesses a database providing real-time four dimensional position information regarding air stations in the national and international airspace, and dynamically designates and redesignates particular airborne stations to repeat traffic in response to changing air traffic patterns so that concentric rings of overlapping relay stations are maintained. Transmitting stations use time division duplex techniques to transfer traffic, which includes packet switched data communications traffic.

A data collection and distribution system for monitoring aircraft in flight, on the ground and at the gate or terminal for monitoring critical and catastrophic events, managing the emergency during such an event, and for investigating the event. The system generates, transmits and collects critical data generated by monitoring equipment onboard an aircraft or other commercial transport and selectively displays the data on a cockpit display console as well as for downloading, transmitting and displaying data at external monitoring and response stations, including fixed ground stations, roving ground stations and chase aircraft or vehicles. Digital surveillance information is collected, processed, dispatched, and log via remote control and access. The system includes a variety of system appliances such as surveillance cameras, sensors, detectors, and panic buttons and accommodates legacy equipment. Within the commercial transport, the system maybe hardwired or may use wireless transmission and receiving systems.

A method and system for a plurality of airplanes in flight to receive from and send to a plurality of ground stations broadcast and communication signals through a single or a plurality of geostationary satellites, wherein at least the mobile link between said airplanes and said satellite, uplink or downlink, uses the high frequency radio waves at 17 GHz or higher, such as Ka-band. The fixed link between said satellite and said ground stations may use any radio frequencies below the frequencies used to communicate between the satellite and the aircraft. The lower frequencies tend to be less susceptible to rain attenuation and hence suitable for closing the fixed broadcast and communication link. Frequencies such as C-band or Ku-band, or even Ka-band, are applied between satellite and ground such that the available link margin is sufficient to overcome rain attenuation at said ground stations. Said satellite carries a plurality of transponders that may include a plurality of frequency converters to enable the conversion between different frequencies. Said satellite generates a plurality of spot beams, shaped or unshaped, which collectively cover the flight routes of said airplanes, preferably the geodesic path between two highly populated regions.

A system includes an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) configured to be equipped with data representing a first UAV flight plan, and a ground station configured to control the UAV. The ground station is operable to receive, at a first time, a first data set representing at least one flight path of at least one aircraft, calculate a second UAV flight plan to avoid the at least one flight path of the at least one aircraft, the second UAV flight plan being based on the data representing the first UAV flight plan and the first data set representing at least one flight path of the at least one aircraft, and transmit data representing the second UAV flight plan to the UAV.

The invention discloses an unmanned aerial vehicle obstacle avoidance controlling method. An unmanned aerial vehicle subsystem and a ground station subsystem are arranged, the unmanned aerial vehicle subsystem comprises an embedded flight controller and an airborne terminal of a wireless data chain, a satellite positioning receiver and a height sensor are arranged in the embedded flight controller, the ground subsystem comprises an embedded monitoring computer and a ground terminal of the wireless data chain, and an electronic map containing geographic information of obstacles is arranged in the embedded monitoring computer. On the electronic map in the embedded monitoring computer of the ground station subsystem, the geographic information of the obstacles in a flight area is determined, virtual obstacle polygonal cylinders are established, shape data of the virtual obstacle polygonal cylinders are downloaded in the embedded flight controller which obtains the current position of the unmanned aerial vehicle and calculates space correlation between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the obstacle polygonal cylinders, track-shifting instruction of the unmanned aerial vehicle is generated, and automatic obstacle avoidance of the unmanned aerial vehicle is realized.

A signal power control loop is provided for a link between a terrestrial station and a terminal when the terminal and a satellite are linked via the terrestrial station. The signal power control loop may control transmitted signal power of the terminal and / or the terrestrial station. In some embodiments, the signal power control loop controls transmitted signal power of the terminal and / or the terrestrial station independent of signal power control for a link between the terrestrial station and the satellite.

The invention provides an unmanned-gyroplane system used for automatic inspection of bridges and tunnels and a navigation method, belonging to the field of automatic detection of bridge and tunnel diseases. According to the invention, aimed at the characteristics of bridge and tunnel areas, the unmanned gyroplane inspection system which realizes autonomous navigation in virtue of GPS, laser radar and IMU is designed; and the system realizes autonomous inspection of an open bridge area by using a GPS navigation system and autonomous inspection of a closed tunnel area by using a laser radar navigation system, dodging of bridges, tunnels and motor vehicles via an automatic evadible system, and shooting of images of key areas, wherein the images are sent back to a ground station, and thematic pictures of diseases of bridge and tunnels are generated by the ground station and provided to related personnel for use. The unmanned-gyroplane system provided by the invention has the characteristics of mobility and flexibility in the process of inspection and has the advantages of a wide inspection coverage area, unblocking of traffic, real-time returning of live shots, etc.

A method and apparatus for mitigating communications interference between satellite communications systems in different orbits is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of evaluating a geometrical relationship between a second ground station and the satellites in the second satellite constellation, and directing communications between the second ground station and the second satellite according to the evaluated geometrical relationship. In one embodiment communications are handed over from a first satellite to another satellite when the first satellite is no longer at the highest elevation angle of visible satellites. In another embodiment, handover occurs when the first satellite drops below a minimum elevation angle.

The invention discloses an unmanned perception based unmanned aerial vehicle route planning method for rapidly planning the vehicle driving route. According to the invention, based on the unmanned flight perception system, road video images around a target vehicle are photographed by utilizing an unmanned flight to be sent to a ground station; the ground station receives the video images and processes the video images so as to obtain the vehicle and road messages, route planning is carried out according to the vehicle position, and the route is transmitted to the unmanned aerial vehicle; and a computer module of the ground station calculates a flight control signal to control the unmanned aerial vehicle to follow the vehicle to proceed, and corrects the route in real time. According to the invention, based on an unmanned flight platform, the operation state is stable; and the road environment around the vehicle is photographed from a great height, the coverage area is wide, and the observed road traffic information is distinct and clear, so that the road distribution condition and the traffic condition around the target vehicle can be obtained rapidly, the reasonable route planning can be obtained, the route is more precise, and the road condition analysis is more timely and accurate.

A method and apparatus is provided for managing bandwidth and prioritizing different forms of data to be transmitted from a central hub or node to a plurality of ground stations. All data of all types including image data and text data is processed into frames of TCP formatted data at the central hub or node and passed through a bandwidth flow control system which imposes flow control on the data. Some of the TCP formatted data has inserted therein a conversion flag which denotes a desire to convert the TCP formatted data into UDP formatted data. A computer or controller / converter reads the conversion flags and converts TCP formatted data into UDP formatted data for multi-broadcasting simultaneously to a plurality of ground stations which reduces bandwidth.

A system and method are disclosed for enhancing the visibility and ensuring the correctness of terrain and navigation information on aircraft displays, such as, for example, continuous, three-dimensional perspective view aircraft displays conformal to the visual environment. More specifically, an aircraft display system is disclosed that includes a processing unit, a navigation system, a database for storing high resolution terrain data, a graphics display generator, and a visual display. One or more independent, higher precision databases with localized position data, such as navigation data or position data is onboard. Also, one or more onboard vision sensor systems associated with the navigation system provides real-time spatial position data for display, and one or more data links is available to receive precision spatial position data from ground-based stations. Essentially, before terrain and navigational objects (e.g., runways) are displayed, a real-time correction and augmentation of the terrain data is performed for those regions that are relevant and / or critical to flight operations, in order to ensure that the correct terrain data is displayed with the highest possible integrity. These corrections and augmentations performed are based upon higher precision, but localized onboard data, such as navigational object data, sensor data, or up-linked data from ground stations. Whenever discrepancies exist, terrain data having a lower integrity can be corrected in real-time using data from a source having higher integrity data. A predictive data loading approach is used, which substantially reduces computational workload and thus enables the processing unit to perform such augmentation and correction operations in real-time.

The invention discloses a multiple obstacle-avoidance control method of an unmanned plane used for electric wire inspection. The multiple obstacle-avoidance control method of the unmanned plane used for the electric wire inspection comprises an unmanned plane subsystem and a ground station subsystem. The unmanned plane subsystem comprises an embedded flight control device, a position detection module, an information processing module and an airborne terminal of a wireless data chain. The position detection module comprises a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver, an electromagnetic field sensor and ultrasonic ranging sensors, wherein the ultrasonic ranging sensors are symmetrically arranged on the periphery of a machine body of the unmanned plane. The ground station subsystem comprises a ground terminal of the wireless data chain and an embedded supervisory control computer. The embedded supervisory control computer is loaded with a data base, wherein the data base contains an electric transmission line electromagnetic field distribution model and an electric transmission line space three-dimensional model. According to the multiple obstacle-avoidance control method of the unmanned plane used for the electric wire inspection, a security constraint area for the operation of the unmanned plane is built, the information processing module is adopted for integration of unmanned plane position information provided by an information detection module, relative distance between the unmanned plane and an electric transmission line is detected, and multiple obstacle-avoidance of the unmanned plane used for the electric wire inspection is achieved.

The invention discloses an express system and method employing an unmanned plane, and belongs to the technical field of unmanned plane application. The system comprises at least one unmanned plane, and the unmanned plane can transport an express delivery parcel in the air. The system also comprises a plurality of ground stations, and bidirectional communication among the ground stations and between the ground stations and the unmanned plane. The ground stations are arranged according to preset nodes. The first ground station is used for receiving a request for transporting the express delivery parcel to the second ground station, and transmits the parameters of the express delivery parcel to one of the unmanned plane. The unmanned plane receiving the parameters of the express delivery parcel flies to the second ground station according to a navigation path when the first ground station obtains the express delivery parcel. The system achieves the transportation of medium and small express delivery parcels through employing the unmanned planes. Aiming at the high-frequency logistics demands among specific nodes, the system effectively enlarge the range of express service through the planning the topological structure of a node network, and guarantees the optimal logistics efficiency.

A system and method of free-space optical satellite communications includes a ground station and transceiver for transmitting and receiving an optical communications signal. Adaptive optics at the ground station are operative with the transceiver for determining the shape of any distortions in the wavefront of the optical communications signal and compensating at the ground station for the distortions. A satellite includes a transceiver for transmitting and receiving the optical communications signal and includes adaptive optics for determining the shape of any distortions in the waveform of the optical communications signal and compensating at the satellite for the distortions.

A conveyor diagnostic system for monitoring loading of a conveyor line assembly including at least one sensor component coupled to the conveyor line assembly. The sensor component is adapted for detecting loading of the conveyor line assembly and is further adapted for generating and transmitting a signal that is correlative of the loading of the conveyor line assembly. The conveyor diagnostic system also includes a ground station adapted to receive and process the signal that is correlative of the loading of the conveyor line assembly. Furthermore, the conveyor diagnostic system includes a local positioning system that is adapted for detecting the location of the sensor component in relation to a reference point. A method of using the conveyor diagnostic system is also disclosed.

Data from GPS satellites within the field of view of a ground station are retransmitted to LEO satellites, such as Iridium satellites, and cross-linked if necessary before being transmitted to a user. The user is then able to combine the fed-forward data with data received directly from GPS satellites in order to resolve errors due to interference or jamming. Iridium and data aiding thus provides a means for extending GPS performance under a variety of data-impaired conditions because it can provide certain aiding information over its data link in real time.

Seamless hand-off of air-to-ground telephony calls is achieved autonomously within an aircraft by using one of at least two radio links to search for additional ground stations. The search for candidate ground stations for hand-off is expedited by eliminating ground stations exhibiting zero or negative Doppler effects. Other values indicating quality of the link corresponding to the channel over which the search is conducted is compared with the quality of the call and an alternate call is established using the call identification code previously established for the call in progress. The hand-off of the call may then be easily conducted by transferring the voice signal to the channel over which the search was conducted. This is preferably done at a time when the transmission quality of the two channels would be approximately the same or the quality improved on the channel to which hand-off is made.

A tether continuous energy supply system for an unmanned aerial vehicle comprising: a ground station, a ground station energy system, a spool coupled to the ground station energy system at a rotating joint, a tether that is wound about the spool, wherein a first end of the tether is coupled to the rotating joint, a tension control motor coupled to both the spool and the ground station energy system, an unmanned aerial vehicle coupled to a second end of the tether, a UAV energy system, a fluid that moves throughout the tether continuous energy supply system, a tension control system that receives and transmits signals from a plurality of sensors contained within the tether continuous energy supply system, and a distributed controls system that receives and transmits signals from the plurality of sensors contained within the tether continuous energy supply system.

The invention discloses a flying robot used for detecting transmission line insulator in the field of aircraft control and image transmission technique. The technical proposal is that the flying robot used for detecting the transmission line insulator consists of a three-axis aircraft or four-axis aircraft, a flying control system and an objective recognition system; the power part of the three-axis aircraft consists of three pairs of airscrews, three coaxial motors and three supporting arms; the power part of the four-axis aircraft consists of 4 direct-drive brushless motors and four airscrews; the flying control system consists of an on-board self-control system and a ground station control system; the objective recognition system consists of on-board mission load and a ground image processing system. By installing a precise navigation system on the flying robot, the flying robot exactly flies in the space above the insulator to be detected; by adopting the image gaining and transmission system, the zero-value insulator is exactly detected, the labor intensity is lightened, and the safety of the detection personnel is improved during the detection process.

A sub-orbital, high altitude communications system comprising at least two ground stations and at least one high altitude relay station. Each of the ground stations including means for sending and receiving telecommunications signals. The relay stations include means for receiving and sending telecommunications signals from and to said ground stations and from and to other relay stations. Means are provided for controlling the lateral and vertical movement of the relay stations so that a predetermined altitude and location of each of said relay stations can be achieved and maintained. Means are provided for receiving the relay stations so that they can be serviced for reuse.

The present application discloses an open system architecture and software system for plug and play modular mission payloads in aerial vehicles. The improved software moves the control function of mission payloads away from the ground station and into the aerial vehicle. The plug & play web-based payload interface software resides in a payload interface controller in the vehicle, and this is networked via a uniform resource locator (URL) address to a ground control station. Consequently, when new payloads are added to the system, integration issues and costs are minimized.

The invention discloses an unmanned helicopter relay data link system. The unmanned helicopter relay data link system comprises a relay unmanned helicopter module, a base station module, a ground station module, a remote controller module, a wireless transmitting module, a wireless receiving module, a relay unmanned helicopter main controller module and a target unmanned helicopter main controller module. The invention also discloses a control method for controlling the unmanned helicopter relay data link system. The control method comprises the following steps: 1, outputting the parameters of a controller and transmitting the output parameters to the base station module via a UDP network protocol by the ground station module; 2, encapsulating acquired flight control data and task data into one data frame by the base station module; 3, extracting the flight data and the task data in a data part respectively; 4, comparing the destination address of the data frame with the local address of an unmanned helicopter; 5, acquiring sensor data; and 6, after the base station module receives downlink data packets, forwarding the received downlink data packets to the ground station module. The unmanned helicopter relay data link system has the advantages of low communication cost, high transmission efficiency, high generality and the like.

A spaced based local area network system for providing dynamically allocated downlink services for spacecraft in Geosynchronous Earth Orbit. The system includes at least two client satellites which host an inter-satellite communications payload; a hub satellite which hosts an inter-satellite communications payload, a downlink communications payload, and an aggregator payload; and a ground station which transmits data to and receives data from the hub satellite. The hub satellite, using the aggregator payload, aggregates at least two data flows received from the at least two client satellites over an inter-satellite link, by the inter-satellite communications payload, into a data stream that is downlinked to the ground station, using the downlink communications payload, over a space-to-ground link.