An approach is provided for dynamic obstacle data in a collision probability map. The approach, for example, involves monitoring a flight of an aerial vehicle through a three-dimensional (3D) space that is partitioned into 3D shapes of varying resolutions. The approach also involves detecting an entry of the aerial vehicle into one 3D shape of the plurality of 3D shapes. The approach further involves, on detecting an exit of the aerial vehicle form the one 3D shape, recording a 3D shape identifier (ID) of the one 3D shape and at least one of a first timestamp indicating the entry, a second timestamp indicating the exit, a duration of stay in the one 3D shape, dimensions of the aerial vehicle, or a combination thereof as a dynamic obstacle observation record. The approach further involves transmitting the dynamic obstacle observation record to another device (e.g., a server for creating the collision probability map).

A flight management system for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVS), in which the UAV is equipped for cellular fourth generation (4G) flight control. The UAV caches on-board a 4G modem, an antenna connected to the modern for providing for downlink wireless RF. A computer is connected to the modem. A 4G infrastructure to support sending via uplink and receiving via downlink from and to the UAV. The infrastructure further includes 4G base stations capable of communicating with the UAV along its flight path. An antenna in the base station is capable of supporting a downlink to the UAV. A control centre accepts navigation related data from the uplink. In addition, the control centre further includes a connection to the 4G Infrastructure for obtaining downlinked data. A computer for calculating location of the UAV using navigation data from the downlink.

A method and system for continuously re-planning a vehicle's path, in the face of stationary and moving obstacles, dynamically calculates a new path in real time which is both efficient and maintains minimum safety clearances relative to obstacles. Repulsion signals emanating from obstacles and propagating through delineated sections of a grid representing a geographic space are summed along with values representing the relative distance of the sections from the vehicle origin and vehicle destination. The grid sections having optimal values according to a predetermined criteria represent an efficient and safe travel path between the vehicle origin and destination.

A method, apparatus and system are provided for operating one or more drones in a building. In the context of a method, information is determined that includes at least one of real time information or predictive information. The real time information is indicative of a position of at least one individual in the building, while the predictive information is indicative of a predicted location of the at least one individual in the building at a certain time. The method also includes controlling the one or more drones in the building according to the at least one of the real time information or the predictive information to avoid the at least one individual while the drone is performing a task.

A method of performing deconfliction comprises receiving a request to accept a first operational intent associated with a first unmanned aircraft system, determining whether a conflict exists between the first operational intent and one or more scheduled operational intents, and if a conflict exists between the first operational intent and a second operational intent associated with a second unmanned aircraft system, transmitting data associated with the conflict to a first operator of the first unmanned aircraft system and a second operator of the second unmanned aircraft system, and transmitting information to the first and second operator allowing them to negotiate a resolution of the conflict. If a conflict does not exist, the first operational intent may be accepted. Bids may also be received for a right to utilize a volume of airspace at a particular time and the right may be granted to a highest bidder.

A method of performing deconfliction comprises receiving a request to accept a first operational intent associated with a first unmanned aircraft system, determining whether a conflict exists between the first operational intent and one or more scheduled operational intents, and if a conflict exists between the first operational intent and a second operational intent associated with a second unmanned aircraft system, transmitting data associated with the conflict to a first operator of the first unmanned aircraft system and a second operator of the second unmanned aircraft system, and transmitting information to the first and second operator allowing them to negotiate a resolution of the conflict. If a conflict does not exist, the first operational intent may be accepted. Bids may also be received for a right to utilize a volume of airspace at a particular time and the right may be granted to a highest bidder.

A method is provided for detecting and avoiding conflict along a current route of a robot. The method includes accessing or determining trajectories of the robot and a nearby moving object forward in time from their respective current positions, and detecting a conflict from a comparison of the trajectories. The method includes selecting a maneuver to avoid the conflict, and outputting an indication of the maneuver for use in at least one of guidance, navigation or control of the robot to avoid the conflict. Selection of the maneuver includes determining a plurality of angles that describe the conflict such as those at which the robot and moving object observe one another, and/or an angle between their trajectories, and evaluating the plurality of angles to select the maneuver.

A method of collision warning using broad antenna pattern ultra-wide band (UWB) radar includes emitting a first radar ping from a broad beam UWB antenna and receiving a first return signal identifying an object. A first hemisphere with a first radius is determined for the object. A second ping, second return and second hemisphere is defined for the object. At the intersection of the hemispheres, an object ring is defined. The radius of the object ring is compared with the radius of a collision cylinder (e.g., representing a safe distance around a system or device, such as a drone). The object may be identified as posing a collision threat when the radius of the object ring is smaller than the radius of the collision cylinder.

Provided is a method of avoiding collision of an unmanned aerial vehicle with an obstacle, the method including: calculating two potential fields using ament positional information of the unmanned aerial vehicle, a target point that is set, and positional information of the obstacle measured by a sensor, computing an attractive force and a repulsive force by differentiating the computed potential fields, respectively; computing a direction of a potential force that results from adding up the computed attractive force and repulsive force; and performing control that brings about a change from the computed direction of the potential force to a direction in which the unmanned aerial vehicle moves.

A device for managing air traffic, in an airspace includes a reference aircraft and at least one other aircraft, the device receiving a three-dimensional representation of the airspace at a time when an air conflict is detected between the reference aircraft and the at least one other aircraft, the device comprising an airspace-encoding unit configured to determine a reduced-dimension representation of the airspace by applying a recurrent autoencoder to the three-dimensional representation of the airspace at the air-conflict detection time; a decision-assisting unit configured to determine a conflict-resolution action to be implemented by the reference aircraft, the decision-assisting unit implementing a deep-reinforcement-learning algorithm to determine the action on the basis of the reduced-dimension representation of the airspace, of information relating to the reference aircraft and/or the at least one other aircraft, and of a geometry corresponding to the air conflict.