Method and system for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

A method is provided. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is operated. A position of the UAV is determined while in flight, and a timestamp is formed. The timestamp and the position of the UAV are transmitted. A current block is generated using a cryptographic hash based at least in part on a previous block, the UAV identifier, the position, and the timestamp.

1 . A method comprising:
 transmitting a plurality of commands over an interval to an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) at least in part over a switched packet network, wherein the plurality of commands would form a flight path for the UAV when executed by the UAV;   at a first time during the interval, receiving at least in part over the switched packet network a first telemetry data set from the UAV, wherein the first telemetry data set includes a UAV identifier and a first position;   forming a first timestamp for each for the first telemetry data set;   calculating a first block using a cryptographic hash based at least in part on a previous block, the UAV identifier, the position, and the first timestamp;   storing the first block;   at a second time during the interval, receiving at least in part over the switched packet network a second telemetry data set from the UAV, wherein the second telemetry data set includes the UAV identifier and a second position;   forming a second timestamp for each for the first telemetry data set;   calculating a second block using the cryptographic hash based at least in part on the first block, the UAV identifier, the second position, and the second timestamp; and   storing the second block.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second positions are first and second Global Positioning System (GPS) positions, respectively. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second telemetry data sets further comprise first and second nonces, respectively. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
 at a third time during the interval, receiving sensor data corresponding to an environmental condition of UAV; and   determining whether the environmental condition was known.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the method further comprises transmitting a plurality of corrected commands at least in part over the switched packet switched to avoid the environmental condition. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the environmental condition is an object within with the flight path. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the method further comprises predicting whether the UAV will collide with the object. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cryptographic hash is SHA256. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second blocks are stored in the UAV. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 operating a UAV having a UAV identifier;   determining a position of the UAV while in flight;   forming a timestamp corresponding to the position;   transmitting the timestamp and the position of the UAV; and   calculating a current block using a cryptographic hash based at least in part on a previous block, the UAV identifier, the position, and the timestamp.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the UAV is operated in an autonomous mode. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of determining the position further comprises acquiring a GPS position. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving sensor data corresponding to an environmental condition of UAV; and   determining whether the environmental condition was known.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises correcting a flight path to avoid the environmental condition. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the environmental condition is an object. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises predicting whether the UAV will collide with the object.