Patent ID: 8838289
Filing Date: 2014-09-16
Classification: G05D

Abstract:
1. A system for safely flying an unmanned aerial vehicle in civilian airspace comprising: (a) a ground station equipped with a synthetic vision system; (b) an unmanned aerial vehicle capable of supporting said synthetic vision system; (c) a remote pilot operating said ground station; (d) a communications link between said unmanned aerial vehicle and said ground station; (e) a system onboard said unmanned aerial vehicle for detecting the presence and position of nearby aircraft and communicating this information to said remote pilot; whereas said remote pilot uses said synthetic vision system to control said unmanned aerial vehicle during at least selected phases of the flight of said unmanned aerial vehicle, and during those phases of the flight of said unmanned aerial vehicle when said synthetic vision system is not used to control said unmanned aerial vehicle said unmanned aerial vehicle is flown using an autonomous control system, wherein said selected phases of the flight of said unmanned aerial vehicle comprise: (a) when said unmanned aerial vehicle is within a selected range of an airport or other designated location and is below a first specified altitude; (b) when said unmanned aerial vehicle is outside said selected range of an airport or other designated location and is below a second specified altitude.