Drone system with distributed basing

Abstract

A system for basing drones is described. A network of geographically diverse hangars provides storage and charging locations as well as backhaul communications infrastructure and video monitoring. As drones are needed, a central command point tasks an available drone, which may or may not already be located in proximity to a target. If additional drones are needed, drones can be flown to the area of interest and continuous coverage provided by charging drones while an active drone is conducting the mission, then rotating charged drones into the active mission. Structures for the hangars, the overall system, and methods of operation are described.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of operating a network of distributed bases for drones, comprising the steps of:
 a. Basing drones at a plurality of basing locations in an area, wherein at least two of the basing locations are separated by a distance that represents at least one fourth of the drones rated range;   b. Dispatching a first drone to a location of interest in the area from a first basing location that is closest to the location of interest;   c. Dispatching a second drone from a second basing location that is farther from the location of interest than the first basing location of the first drone, to a third basing location nearer the first basing location than the second basing location; and   d. Alternating the first and second drones at the location of interest such that one of the first or second drone is returned to the first or second basing location for charging, and the other of the first or second drone is dispatched to the location of interest.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein alternating the first and second drones to the location of interest provides continuous monitoring of the location of interest. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a third drone is dispatched to a second basing location that is the next nearest basing location to the location of interest, and the third drone is alternated with the first and second drones such that continuous monitoring of the location of interest is achieved. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dispatching and basing of the second and third drones is automatic. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the basing locations are hangars. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the closest basing location is a mobile basing location. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the drones are dispatched from a central location. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the central location is a mobile location. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising dispatching the second drone from the second basing location to the first basing location. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein operation of the first or second drone is initiated by an action such as a 911 emergency call. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising autonomously dispatching the first or second drone from the hangar in response to a predetermined set of instructions, sensor data, timing guidelines, or based on actions of another drone. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a. Identifying a location of the first or the second drone;   b. Identifying the plurality of basing locations, each drone base configured to house one or more drones,   c. Controlling the first or second drone to deploy from the plurality of basing locations to the location of interest; and   d. Controlling the first or second drone to dock at a basing location of the plurality of basing locations based on a relative distance from the basing location.   
     
     
         13 . A radio communications system for connecting distributed drone bases and drones, comprising:
 A plurality of drones comprising one or more drone network connections to receive or transmit control signals; and   A plurality of drone hangars configured to house one or more drones of the plurality of drones, each of the plurality of drone hangars comprising one or more drone network connections to receive or transmit control signals,   wherein the one or more hangar network connections and the one or more drone network connections form a communications network between the plurality of drone hangars, the plurality of drones, or a central control point network connection.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more hangar network connections and the one or more drone network connections comprises wired or wireless transceiver. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more hangar network connections and the one or more drone network connections are connected via one or more of Wi-Fi, fiber optic, or coaxial networks. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more hangar network connections and the one or more drone network connections are connected via a public communications network. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more hangar network connections and the one or more drone network connections are connected via a closed communications network. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein each of the one or more hangar network connections and each of the one or more drone network connections comprise one or more antennas, each of the one or more antenna configured to communicate via a common transmission protocol. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein each of the one or more hangar network connections and each of the one or more drone network connections comprise one or more of a global positioning system or an altimeter. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the communications network comprises a wide area network. 
     
     
         21 . A mesh communications system for connecting distributed drone bases and drones, comprising:
 A plurality of drones comprising one or more drone network connections to receive or transmit control signals; and   A plurality of drone hangars configured to house one or more drones of the plurality of drones, each of the plurality of drone hangars comprising one or more hangar network connections to receive or transmit control signals,   wherein each of the one or more hangar network connections and the one or more drone network connections operate as communication nodes in a mesh communications network linking the plurality of drone hangars, the plurality of drones, or a central control point network connection.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein each of the plurality of drone hangars or the plurality of drones are configured to coordinate deployment and docking of a drone of the one or more drones from a hangar of the one or more hangars with each other based on one or more control signals. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein each of the one or more hangar network connections and the one or more drone network connections are configured to operate in millimeter wave wireless signal region 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein each of the one or more hangar network connections and the one or more drone network connections are configured to communicate across a separation distance between nodes of one or more miles. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein each of the one or more hangar network connections and the one or more drone network connections are configured to communicate employing directional antennas. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein each of the one or more hangar network connections and the one or more drone network connections are configured to communicate at frequencies between 700 MHz and 40 GHz. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein each of the one or more hangar network connections and the one or more drone network connections are configured to communicate at mm wave frequencies. 
     
     
         28 . A method for connecting and controlling a network of distributed drone bases and drones, comprising:
 a. Identifying a location of one or more drones;   b. Identifying a location of one or more drone bases, each drone base configured to house one or more drones,   c. wherein each of the one or more drones and the one or more drone bases are configured to communicate via a secure mesh communications network linking the drones and the drone bases;   d. Controlling a drone of the one or more drones to deploy from the one or more drone bases to an area of interest; and   e. Controlling the drone to dock at the one or more drone bases based on a relative distance between the drone and the one or more drone bases.