Patent ID: 7676304

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of controlling a personal air vehicle, flown at altitudes below general aviation traffic without assistance from air traffic controllers, comprising: providing a processor programmed with flight control rules for the personal air vehicle to assist in avoiding a collision with other personal air vehicles, the flight control rules requiring: that when the personal air vehicle is operating in a take-off-and-landing zone between a ground altitude and a first altitude that the personal air vehicle be flown between a first minimum airspeed and a first maximum airspeed but not requiring the personal air vehicle to fly at a unique altitude for every different heading of the personal air vehicle; and that when the personal air vehicle is operating in a forward flight zone between the first altitude and a second altitude that the personal air vehicle be flown between a second minimum airspeed and a second maximum airspeed and also requiring the personal air vehicle to fly at the unique altitude for said every different heading of the personal air vehicle; and flying the personal air vehicle using the programmed flight control rules.