Structures and protocols are presented for configuring an unmanned aerial device to participate in the performance of tasks, for using data resulting from such a configuration or performance, or for facilitating other interactions with such devices.

Unmanned device interaction methods and systems

A system is provided for providing location-specific images to a mobile device for display. The system generally comprises three components: a mobile device (20a, 20b, 20c) having a screen, a position identification system (e.g., a GPS receiver) that determines the position of the mobile device, and a database (43) containing location-specific images taken at various locations. Each location-specific image is associated with geographic coordinates of the location at which the image was taken. Based on the position of the mobile device as determined by the position identification system, a location-specific image is selected from the database and displayed on th screen of the mobile device. For example, when a user is using the mobile device as a car navigation system, a location-specific image of the user's destination location can be selected and displayed when the determined position of the mobile device comes within a certain distance from the geographic coordinates of the destination location.

System and method for displaying location-specific images on a mobile device

Systems, methods, and devices are provided for providing flight response to flight-restricted regions. The location of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) may be compared with a location of a flight-restricted region. If needed a flight-response measure may be taken by the UAV to prevent the UAV from flying in a no-fly zone. Different flight-response measures may be taken based on the distance between the UAV and the flight-restricted region and the rules of a jurisdiction within which the UAV falls.

Flight control for flight-restricted regions

A vehicle driving assist system calculates a risk potential indicative of a degree of convergence between a host vehicle and a preceding obstacle. Then, the system performs a driver notification operation that produces a driver notification stimulus based on the risk potential such as decreasing the driving force exerted against the vehicle as the risk potential increases and increasing an actuation reaction force exerted on the accelerator pedal during its operation as the risk potential increases. If a failure is detected in a reaction force generating device serving to add a reaction force to the accelerator pedal in accordance with the risk potential, then the system corrects an engine torque characteristic such that the engine torque does not increase even if the accelerator pedal is depressed to suppress an odd feeling in the vehicle performance by the driver when a failure occurs in the reaction force generating device.

Vehicle driving assist system

Structures and protocols are presented for configuring an unmanned aerial device to perform a task, alone or in combination with other entities, or for using data resulting from such a configuration or performance.

Unmanned device utilization methods and systems

The present invention relates to the definition, in a flight plan, of the horizontal profile of an air route with vertical flight and speed profile prescribed on departure and/or on arrival, by a stringing together of check-points and/or turn points associated with local flight constraints and called “D-Fix” because they are not listed in a published navigation database like those called “Waypoints”. It consists in charting, on curvilinear distance maps, a direct curvilinear path joining the departure point to the destination point of the air route while complying with vertical flight and speed profiles prescribed on departure and/or on arrival and while guaranteeing a circumnavigation of the surrounding reliefs and compliance with regulated overfly zones, then in approximating the series of points of the direct curvilinear path by a sequence of straight segments complying with an arbitrary maximum deviation threshold relative to the points of the series and an arbitrary minimum lateral deviation threshold relative to the set of obstacles to be circumnavigated and in adopting as “D-Fix” points the points of the intermediate intersections of the rectilinear segments.

Method of determining the horizontal profile of a flight plan complying with a prescribed vertical flight profile

The parts of the flight plan of an aircraft corresponding to lateral trajectories at low altitude can comprise passages with limited lateral freedom of deployment either because of risks of collision with the ground, or because of risks of penetration into a forbidden overfly zone. The method makes it possible to signal them for the attention of the crew, on the onboard navigation screen, so that said crew should redouble their attention. To do this it uses a detection procedure analogous to that of TAWS ground collision risk warning systems with protection envelopes related to the aircraft, of shapes suitable for the monitoring of the integrity of the spaces necessary for the aircraft to perform flat turns that are as tight as is permitted, while taking account of the local wind.

Method for Evaluating and Signaling Lateral Manoeuvring Margins on Both Sides of the Planned Flight Plan of an Aircraft

This method facilitates the joining, by an aircraft, of a secure zone, without constraint of deployment in the horizontal plane, in particular when the latter is threatened by a risk of collision with the ground or by a risk of penetration into a forbidden zone which cannot be resolved by a purely vertical avoidance maneuver It consists in selecting a point for joining a zone of free lateral deployment by means of a criterion of minimum cost of the initial maneuver of turning at the start of the trajectory for joining the possible points of access to the zones of free lateral deployment

Method for selecting aircraft access point into a lateral free evolution area

The navigation of an aircraft is facilitated through the displaying on a map of the region overflown, of the limits of zones within range of the aircraft in an emergency situation (case of engine failure, loss of pressurization, etc.). The points of the zones within range of the aircraft are tagged on the basis of an estimate of the vertical margins remaining to the aircraft if it were to reach these points, having regard to zones of nonmanoeuvrability to be circumvented in the neighbourhood of the current position of the aircraft, of a vertical flight profile to be complied with and of a safety height margin to be complied with.

Method of aiding navigation for aircraft in an emergency situation

The device relates to the signaling, to the pilot of a craft, of the risks that it incurs due to obstacles placed in its zone of deployment. This device determines, on the zone of deployment of the craft, the contours of several types of risk region as well as the contours of two lateral regions of tight deployment tied to the craft and produces alarms as a function of the types of zones at risk found in the lateral regions of tight deployment.

Elias Bitar

Papers

Method of determining the horizontal profile of a flight plan complying with a prescribed vertical flight profile

Method for Evaluating and Signaling Lateral Manoeuvring Margins on Both Sides of the Planned Flight Plan of an Aircraft

Method for selecting aircraft access point into a lateral free evolution area

Method of aiding navigation for aircraft in an emergency situation

Device For Signaling Risks, Risk Level Map Obtained By The Device And Method For Formulating The Map