Unmanned aerial vehicle-based systems and methods associated with cell sites and cell towers

{
  "publication_number": "US9596617B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Unmanned aerial vehicle-based systems and methods associated with cell sites and cell towers",
  "abstract": "A method performed at a cell site with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) communicatively coupled to a controller to perform a cell site audit, without requiring a tower climb at the cell site, includes causing the UAV to fly substantially vertically up to cell site components using the controller, wherein flight of the UAV is constrained in a three-dimensional rectangle at the cell site; collecting data associated with the cell site components and the surrounding airspace and environment using the UAV; transmitting and/or storing the collected data; and processing the collected data to obtain information for the cell site audit.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method performed at a cell site with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) communicatively coupled to a controller to perform a cell site audit, without requiring a tower climb at the cell site, the method comprising: causing the UAV to fly substantially vertically up to cell site components using the controller, wherein flight of the UAV is constrained in a three-dimensional rectangle at the cell site, wherein the three-dimensional rectangle is defined about a cell tower, and wherein the UAV is flown by a single operator without a license based on the three-dimensional rectangle constrained flight; collecting data associated with the cell site components and the surrounding airspace and environment using the UAV; transmitting and/or storing the collected data; and processing the collected data to obtain information for the cell site audit, wherein the processing comprises determining a down tilt angle of one or more antennas of the cell site components based on measuring three points comprising two defined by each antenna and one by an associated support bar using the UAV, plumb of the cell tower and/or the one or more antennas, azimuth of the one or more antennas using a location determining device of the UAV, dimensions of the cell site components, equipment type and serial number of the cell site components, connections between the cell site components, a status of a lighting rod and warning light on the cell tower, and Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) coordinates, for the cell site audit.",
    "2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: performing one or more aspects of the cell site audit without the UAV at least a portion of which are in a shelter or cabinet located proximate to the cell tower; and utilizing the UAV to perform one or more aspects of the cell site audit that would require the tower climb.",
    "3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: flying the UAV to another cell site, wherein, once at the another cell site, flight of the UAV is constrained in a three-dimensional rectangle at the another cell site.",
    "4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining further comprises ensuring the down tilt angle and the azimuth are within a tolerance based on previous data collected on a Radio Frequency (RF) data sheet for the cell site.",
    "5. The method of claim 1, wherein an operator operates the UAV through a mobile device to perform various aspects of the cell site audit on the cell site components, the UAV comprising a camera broadcasting to the mobile device, providing a real-time view to the operator.",
    "6. The method of claim 1, wherein the UAV comprises one or more antennas configured to provide wireless service, and the method further comprising: hovering the UAV at the cell site to provide the wireless service, wherein the wireless service is provided through one of licensed or unlicensed spectrum.",
    "7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: utilizing the UAV to attach or detach one or more components associated with the cell site components.",
    "8. The method of claim 1, further comprising: hovering the UAV at the cell site to provide real-time video footage back to a mobile device or another location.",
    "9. An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) configured to perform a cell site audit at a cell site, without requiring a tower climb at the cell site, the UAV comprising: one or more rotors disposed to a body; a camera associated with the body; wireless interfaces; a processor coupled to the wireless interfaces; and memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to: receive instructions, via the wireless interfaces, related to flight at the cell site, wherein flight of the UAV is constrained in a three-dimensional rectangle at the cell site, wherein the three-dimensional rectangle is defined about a cell tower, and wherein the UAV is flown by a single operator without a license based on the three-dimensional rectangle constrained flight; cause the one or more rotors to operate pursuant to the instructions; operate the camera pursuant to the instructions; and transmit, via the wireless interfaces, or store, in a data store, data from the camera, for performing the cell site audit, wherein the data is processed to obtain information for the cell site audit, wherein the information comprises a down tilt angle of one or more antennas of the cell site components based on measuring three points comprising two defined by each antenna and one by an associated support bar using the UAV, plumb of the cell tower and/or the one or more antennas, azimuth of the one or more antennas using a location determining device of the UAV, dimensions of the cell site components, equipment type and serial number of the cell site components, connections between the cell site components, a status of a lighting rod and warning light on the cell tower, and Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) coordinates, for the cell site audit.",
    "10. The UAV of claim 9, wherein one or more aspects of the cell site audit are performed without the UAV at least a portion of which are in a shelter or cabinet located proximate to the cell tower, and wherein the UAV is utilized to perform one or more aspects of the cell site audit that would require the tower climb.",
    "11. The UAV of claim 9, wherein the UAV is flown to another cell site, and, once at the another cell site, flight of the UAV is constrained in a three-dimensional rectangle at the another cell site.",
    "12. The UAV of claim 9, wherein the information is used to ensure the down tilt angle and the azimuth are within a tolerance based on previous data collected on a Radio Frequency (RF) data sheet for the cell site.",
    "13. The UAV of claim 9, wherein an operator operates the UAV through a mobile device to perform various aspects of the cell site audit on the cell site components, the camera broadcasting to the mobile device providing a real-time view to the operator.",
    "14. The UAV of claim 9, wherein the UAV comprises one or more antennas configured to provide wireless service, wherein the UAV is configured to hover at the cell site to provide the wireless service, wherein the wireless service is provided through one of licensed or unlicensed spectrum.",
    "15. The UAV of claim 9, wherein the UAV is utilized to attach or detach one or more components associated with the cell site components.",
    "16. The UAV of claim 9, wherein the UAV is configured to hover at the cell site to provide real-time video footage back to a mobile device or another location.",
    "17. A system configured to perform a cell site audit at a cell site, without requiring a tower climb at the cell site, the system comprising: a mobile device comprising: mobile device wireless interfaces communicatively coupled to wireless interfaces on an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV); a display; a processor, wherein the mobile device wireless interfaces, the display, and the processor are communicatively coupled to one another; and memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to: cause the UAV to fly substantially vertically up to cell site components through communication to the UAV wireless interfaces, wherein flight of the UAV is constrained in a three-dimensional rectangle at the cell site wherein the three-dimensional rectangle is defined about a cell tower, and wherein the UAV is flown by a single operator without a license based on the three-dimensional rectangle constrained flight; receive data associated with the cell site components from the UAV wireless interfaces; display the received data to the display; and process the received data to obtain information for the cell site audit, wherein the information comprises a down tilt angle of one or more antennas of the cell site components based on measuring three points comprising two defined by each antenna and one by an associated support bar using the UAV, plumb of the cell tower and/or the one or more antennas, azimuth of the one or more antennas using a location determining device of the UAV, dimensions of the cell site components, equipment type and serial number of the cell site components, connections between the cell site components, a status of a lighting rod and warning light on the cell tower, and Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) coordinates, for the cell site audit."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates generally to cell tower audit systems and methods. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based systems and methods associated with cell sites and cell towers, such as assisting in cell site audits.\n\nDue to the geographic coverage nature of wireless service, there are hundreds of thousands of cell towers in the United States. For example, in 2014, it was estimated that there were more than 310,000 cell towers in the United States. Cell towers can have heights up to 1,500 feet or more. There are various requirements for cell site workers (also referred to as tower climbers or transmission tower workers) to climb cell towers to perform maintenance, audit, and repair work for cellular phone and other wireless communications companies. This is both a dangerous and costly endeavor. For example, between 2003 and 2011, 50 tower climbers died working on cell sites (see, e.g., www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/social-issues/cell-tower-deaths/in-race-for-better-cell-service-men-who-climb-towers-pay-with-their-lives/). Also, OSHA estimates that working on cell sites is 10 times more dangerous than construction work, generally (see, e.g., www.propublica.org/article/cell-tower-work-fatalities-methodology). Furthermore, the tower climbs also can lead to service disruptions caused by accidents. Thus, there is a strong desire, from both a cost and safety perspective, to reduce the number of tower climbs.\n\nConcurrently, the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), referred to as drones, is evolving.",
  "cpc": [
    "H04W 24/08",
    "B64C 2201/027",
    "B64C 2201/127",
    "B64U 10/13",
    "B64U 2101/30",
    "H04W 88/08"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B64U 10/13",
    "H04W 24/02",
    "H04W 24/08"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Etak Systems LLC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Lee Priest",
    "Charlie TERRY",
    "Ross ERICKSON"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2015-04-14",
  "publication_date": "2017-03-14",
  "grant_date": "2017-03-14",
  "priority_date": "2015-04-14",
  "application_number": "US-201514685720-A",
  "family_id": "57130094",
  "cited_by_count": 16,
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}