US-20260129612-A1 - OPTIMIZED COMMUNICATION AMONG UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES

Abstract

The present disclosure contemplates techniques for optimizing communication among unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). A transmitting UAV may receive, from a second UAV, safety information indicating movement of the second UAV; determine, based on analyzing the safety information, potential occurrence of a situation related to the movement of the second UAV; determine, based on determining the potential occurrence of the situation, that the first UAV and the second UAV are to communicate directly; transmit, to the second UAV based on determining that the first UAV and the second UAV are to communicate directly, an initiation message to enable establishment of a direct communication session between the first UAV and the second UAV; and directly communicate, with the second UAV via the direct communication session, coordination information to coordinate real-time movement of the first UAV or the second UAV to address the potential occurrence of the situation. Various other aspects are contemplated.

Inventors

• Keven Gambold
• Shane Nicoll
• Batool Dalloul
• Kamesh NAMUDURI
• Skyler Hawkins
• Mathias KIDANE

Assignees

• UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS
• Unmanned Experts Inc.

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20241023

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operating in airspace, the first UAV comprising: a processor; and a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the processor and the memory being configured to: receive, from a second UAV, safety information indicating movement of the second UAV in the airspace; determine, based at least in part on analyzing the safety information, potential occurrence of a situation related to the movement of the second UAV in the airspace; determine, based at least in part on determining the potential occurrence of the situation, that the first UAV and the second UAV are to communicate directly; transmit, to the second UAV based at least in part on determining that the first UAV and the second UAV are to communicate directly, an initiation message to enable establishment of a direct communication session between the first UAV and the second UAV; and directly communicate, with the second UAV via the direct communication session, coordination information to coordinate real-time movement of the first UAV or the second UAV to address the potential occurrence of the situation.
2. 2 . The first UAV of claim 1 , wherein, to determine the potential occurrence of the situation, the processor and the memory are configured to determine that the first UAV is moving in a first path that intersects a second path being followed by the second UAV.
3. 3 . The first UAV of claim 1 , wherein, to determine the potential occurrence of the situation, the processor and the memory are configured to determine that the first UAV is moving to merge with a path being followed by the second UAV.
4. 4 . The first UAV of claim 1 , wherein, to determine the potential occurrence of the situation, the processor and the memory are configured to determine that a minimum distance is to be maintained between the first UAV and a second UAV in the airspace.
5. 5 . The first UAV of claim 1 , wherein, to determine the potential occurrence of the situation, the processor and the memory are configured to determine that the second UAV may meet with a hazard detected by the first UAV in the airspace.
6. 6 . The first UAV of claim 1 , wherein, to determine the potential occurrence of the situation, the processor and the memory are configured to utilize an on-board sensor to track real-time movement of the second UAV in the airspace.
7. 7 . The first UAV of claim 1 , wherein, to transmit the initiation message, the processor and the memory are configured to utilize communication information associated with the second UAV, the communication information being received in a broadcast message that is previously received from the second UAV.
8. 8 . A method, comprising: receiving, by the first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from a second UAV, safety information indicating movement of the second UAV in an airspace; determining, by the first UAV based at least in part on analyzing the safety information, potential occurrence of a situation related to the movement of the second UAV in the airspace; determining, by the first UAV based at least in part on determining the potential occurrence of the situation, that the first UAV and the second UAV are to communicate directly; transmitting, by the first UAV to the second UAV based at least in part on determining that the first UAV and the second UAV are to communicate directly, an initiation message to enable establishment of a direct communication session between the first UAV and the second UAV; and directly communicating, by the first UAV with the second UAV via the direct communication session, coordination information to coordinate real-time movement of the first UAV or the second UAV to address the potential occurrence of the situation.
9. 9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein determining the potential occurrence of the situation includes determining that the first UAV is moving in a first path that intersects a second path being followed by the second UAV.
10. 10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein determining the potential occurrence of the situation includes determining that the first UAV is moving to merge with a path being followed by the second UAV.
11. 11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein determining the potential occurrence of the situation includes determining that a minimum distance is to be maintained between the first UAV and a second UAV in the airspace.
12. 12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein determining the potential occurrence of the situation includes determining that the second UAV may meet with a hazard detected by the first UAV in the airspace.
13. 13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein determining the potential occurrence of the situation includes utilizing an on-board sensor to track real-time movement of the second UAV in the airspace.
14. 14 . The method of claim 8 , wherein transmitting the initiation message includes utilizing communication information associated with the second UAV, the communication information being received in a broadcast message that is previously received from the second UAV.
15. 15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium configured to store instructions, which when executed by a processor associated with a first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operating in airspace, configure the processor to: receive, from a second UAV, safety information indicating movement of the second UAV in the airspace; determine, based at least in part on analyzing the safety information, potential occurrence of a situation related to the movement of the second UAV in the airspace; determine, based at least in part on determining the potential occurrence of the situation, that the first UAV and the second UAV are to communicate directly; transmit, to the second UAV based at least in part on determining that the first UAV and the second UAV are to communicate directly, an initiation message to enable establishment of a direct communication session between the first UAV and the second UAV; and directly communicate, with the second UAV via the direct communication session, coordination information to coordinate real-time movement of the first UAV or the second UAV to address the potential occurrence of the situation.
16. 16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein, to determine the potential occurrence of the situation, the processor is configured to determine that the first UAV is moving in a first path that intersects a second path being followed by the second UAV.
17. 17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein, to determine the potential occurrence of the situation, the processor is configured to determine that the first UAV is moving to merge with a path being followed by the second UAV.
18. 18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein, to determine the potential occurrence of the situation, the processor is configured to determine that a minimum distance is to be maintained between the first UAV and a second UAV in the airspace.
19. 19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein, to determine the potential occurrence of the situation, the processor is configured to determine that the second UAV may meet with a hazard detected by the first UAV in the airspace.
20. 20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein, to determine the potential occurrence of the situation, the processor is configured to utilize an on-board sensor to track real-time movement of the second UAV in the airspace.

Description

GOVERNMENT STATEMENT This invention was made with Government support under FAA 8679-22-P-0778 awarded by the United States Air Force AFWERX AGILITY PRIME. The Government has certain rights in the invention. FIELD OF DISCLOSURE Aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to use of hardware and/or software for enabling communication among devices, and in particular to optimized communication among unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). BACKGROUND An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) may be described as an electronically powered, aerial vehicle that does not carry a human pilot. A UAV may utilize aerodynamic forces to provide lift, and may fly based at least in part on utilizing onboard processors that execute commands received from a ground control station (GCS). UAVs come in various shapes, sizes, and configurations, and have gained significant prominence across various sectors due to their versatility, cost-effectiveness, and technological advancements. Both military and civilian sectors utilize UAVs extensively. For instance, the military sector utilizes UAVs to conduct surveillance missions, reconnaissance missions, combat missions, and rescue operations. Similarly, civilian entities utilize UAVs for purposes such as recreational activities, search and rescue missions, delivery of goods, transportation, and infrastructure inspection. SUMMARY In an aspect, the present disclosure contemplates a first UAV operating in airspace, the transmitting UAV comprising: a processor; and a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the processor and the memory being configured to: receive, from a second UAV, safety information indicating movement of the second UAV in the airspace; determine, based at least in part on analyzing the safety information, potential occurrence of a situation related to the movement of the second UAV in the airspace; determine, based at least in part on determining the potential occurrence of the situation, that the first UAV and the second UAV are to communicate directly; transmit, to the second UAV based at least in part on determining that the first UAV and the second UAV are to communicate directly, an initiation message to enable establishment of a direct communication session between the first UAV and the second UAV; and directly communicate, with the second UAV via the direct communication session, coordination information to coordinate real-time movement of the first UAV or the second UAV to address the potential occurrence of the situation. In one aspect, the present disclosure contemplates a method comprising: receiving, by the first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from a second UAV, safety information indicating movement of the second UAV in an airspace; determining, by the first UAV based at least in part on analyzing the safety information, potential occurrence of a situation related to the movement of the second UAV in the airspace; determining, by the first UAV based at least in part on determining the potential occurrence of the situation, that the first UAV and the second UAV are to communicate directly; transmitting, by the first UAV to the second UAV based at least in part on determining that the first UAV and the second UAV are to communicate directly, an initiation message to enable establishment of a direct communication session between the first UAV and the second UAV; and directly communicating, by the first UAV with the second UAV via the direct communication session, coordination information to coordinate real-time movement of the first UAV or the second UAV to address the potential occurrence of the situation. In another aspect, the present disclosure contemplates a non-transitory computer-readable medium configured to store instructions, which when executed by a processor associated with a first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operating in airspace, configure the processor to: receive, from a second UAV, safety information indicating movement of the second UAV in the airspace; determine, based at least in part on analyzing the safety information, potential occurrence of a situation related to the movement of the second UAV in the airspace; determine, based at least in part on determining the potential occurrence of the situation, that the first UAV and the second UAV are to communicate directly; transmit, to the second UAV based at least in part on determining that the first UAV and the second UAV are to communicate directly, an initiation message to enable establishment of a direct communication session between the first UAV and the second UAV; and directly communicate, with the second UAV via the direct communication session, coordination information to coordinate real-time movement of the first UAV or the second UAV to address the potential occurrence of the situation. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory in nature and are intended to provide an understanding of the