Communication Protocols for Long-Range Drone Networks

A communication system for drones that enables longer range and wider coverage compared to existing drone communication methods. The system allows the drone to communicate with a ground control module using a combination of local area network (LAN) and public network links. The ground control module sends instructions to the drone over LAN. The drone executes the instructions, generates data, and sends it back over LAN or public network depending on reliability. This allows longer range using the public network while still maintaining local LAN control.

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Enabling controlled and regulated flight operations for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) using wireless networks. The network can plan and manage UAV routes, transition between manual and network-controlled flight modes, and override manual control in emergencies. The network can send route instructions to UAVs and take over control if needed. This allows coordinated and safe UAV operations in congested airspace.

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Controlling unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in areas without satellite coverage by using ground-based internetworking devices and LOS communication. The system detects the UAV's flight area and routes commands through nearby ground devices instead of satellites. This allows continuous control even in areas with poor satellite reception. The ground control station communicates with the UAV via line-of-sight links and ground internetworking devices, converts satellite commands to local links, and relays them to the UAV. This enables seamless UAV operation without relying solely on satellite links.

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Reliable cellular communication system for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and remotely piloted vehicles (RPVs) that provides high-bandwidth support for remote sensing applications while also ensuring critical command and control reliability. The system uses separate RF frequency bands, with one dedicated to command/control and navigation and another optional for payload datagrams. The command/control band has elevated coverage areas for UAVs and RPVs to communicate with ground bases via skyward-pointing antennas. This allows reliable sky-to-sky connections for UAVs/RPVs out of ground coverage. The system uses polarization, frequency separation, and antenna steering to isolate signals between layers.

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Wireless communication method for exchanging unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) related information between wireless communication nodes like base stations. The method involves nodes transmitting UAV flight path and height info to each other, allowing coordinated UAV management. It enables nodes to share UAV details for optimizing UAV operation, like avoiding collisions or coordinating handovers.

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Signal transmission system for drones to extend the range of drone communications. The system uses a relay drone network to forward signals between a source drone and a ground control station. The system involves equipping drones with network chips that allow them to route signals through other drones and a base station. When a drone's signal can't reach the ground directly, it forwards the signal to a relay drone that can. The relay drone then forwards the signal to the ground. This multi-hop relaying allows signals to be transmitted over longer distances.

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Method for controlling multiple large unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in flight without interference between them. The method involves pairing each UAV with a dedicated wireless transceiver, allowing the UAV to receive commands directly from the base station through the transceiver. This avoids the issue of UAVs interfering with each other's signals in mid-air when using a shared communication channel. The base station transmits instructions to the transceivers, which relay them to the corresponding UAVs. This establishes exclusive control paths for each UAV.

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Method for improving stability of communication links between unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and ground stations by dynamically selecting the best link from multiple options. The UAV's flight control has a data forwarding protocol that sends data over multiple links like radio, cellular, and satellite. The ground station returns data with link selection commands based on analysis. The UAV's flight control selects the optimal link based on the command to ensure reliable and stable communication.

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Optimizing network communications of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) like drones to reduce interference with cellular networks, improve performance and reliability by adjusting communication parameters based on UAV flight parameters like altitude, speed and direction. The UAV's processor adjusts communication link parameters like frequency, power, modulation based on flight parameters to avoid interference with ground networks. This allows UAVs to safely fly at different altitudes and speeds while maintaining reliable network connections.

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Enabling long-range drone communication without increasing transmit power. The method involves a drone initially connecting to a primary controller. It then acquires request signals from secondary controllers and determines signal quality. Based on quality, it selects a secondary controller to connect with. This allows multiple controllers to relay the drone during flight without needing higher transmit power. The drone can interact in real-time during long-range flights without increasing transmit power.

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A communication system for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that improves reliability and range compared to direct controller-UAV links. It uses cellular networks to relay UAV-controller communications. This reduces UAV controller transmission power needs, simplifies antenna alignment, and enables fallback links if obstructions block direct links. Multiple UAVs can connect via a single controller through the cellular network.

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Communication system for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that enables reliable control and data transfer over long distances with low latency and bursty data transmission. The system uses a sectorized antenna array at the control station, organized frame groups, and time slot characteristics sharing to coordinate communication between UAVs and the base. UAVs transmit bursts on assigned time slots, with channel coding and error correction for reliability. The system allows efficient use of resources in UAV systems with constraints like long range, conversational audio, bursty data, and low latency.

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A cellular communication system that enables reliable communication with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and remote-controlled vehicles (RCVs) in airspace by leveraging existing ground cellular networks. The system has multiple layers of coverage, with a near-ground layer for ground devices and an elevated layer for aerial vehicles. Separate frequencies and polarization patterns are used to distinguish ground vs air communications. Skyward-radiating antennas on cell towers extend coverage for aerial vehicles. This allows cellular networks to handle both ground and aerial devices without satellite dependence.

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Millimeter wave communication networks for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that use mmWave frequency bands for secure and reliable UAV connectivity. The networks involve tilting mmWave antennas upward to provide RF coverage for UAVs in the sky. This reduces interference between UAV and ground communications since mmWave beams can be spatially separated. The base stations have separate mmWave and RF networks to serve UAVs and ground devices.

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A universal ground control station for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that can communicate with UAVs of different models using protocol conversion. The ground control station converts the communication protocols between the UAVs and itself to enable interoperability between UAVs from different manufacturers. This eliminates the need for separate ground control stations for each UAV model and reduces cost. The ground control station converts protocols like MavLink used by UAVs into a common protocol understood by the ground control station.

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Enabling reliable communication between a ground station and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) using a protocol conversion device when the UAV simulation software (MATLAB) has poor network performance. The conversion device receives UAV control data from the ground station over a protocol it supports. It caches the data and periodically sends it to the UAV over a protocol it supports. This allows the UAV to receive control data at regular intervals even when MATLAB has poor network performance.

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Controlling unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) using cellular networks, allowing remote operation from long distances. The UAVs have cellular connectivity using embedded SIM cards. This enables real-time data transfer, remote control, and cloud-based processing of UAV-captured images. The cellular link also provides higher bandwidth compared to short-range radio links. The UAVs can generate 3D models, maps, and surveys using sensors like Lidar, hyperspectral, and cameras. The data is rendered in 3D/4D format and streamed to devices like XR headsets, VR headsets, AR headsets, etc.

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Scalable and reliable command and control system for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) operating beyond visual line of sight. The system allows multiple UAVs to connect with multiple ground stations simultaneously on a single frequency. Each UAV's radio transmits on sequential channels, which are received and processed by ground radios. Routing algorithms optimize link performance between UAVs and ground stations. GMSK modulation with equalization restores waveforms over the channel impairments. This scalable multi-ground-station system improves reliability by seamlessly transitioning between stations based on performance.

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A cellular communication system for reliable high altitude communication with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and remotely piloted aircraft (RPVs) by deploying sky-directed antennas on existing cell towers. The system has additional coverage layers above ground level that are separated and elevated. It uses polarized signals to isolate skyward cones from ground cones. UAV/RPV transceivers are configured to communicate with the sky-directed signals. This allows reliable high altitude links for critical functions like command/control, while also providing high bandwidth support for payload operations.

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Allowing faster and more reliable control of drones by interrupting the downlink video transmission to prioritize uplink control signals. The drone has a controller that detects when the remote control unit hasn't sent a command for a certain time. When this happens, the drone interrupts the video downlink for a specific interval to clear the channel for the remote control uplink. This prevents long backoff delays in the distributed CSMA/CA protocol when the drone is constantly transmitting video.

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