uAvionix receives patent for drones to use ADS-B safety benefits

Image: uAvionix

uAvionix has been granted a patent that aids safe and secure integration of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System (NAS).

U.S. Patent 10,991,260, “Intelligent Non-Disruptive ADS-B Integration for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS),” provides the ability for UAS to take advantage of the safety benefits of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcasts (ADS-B) while minimizing spectrum use.

uAvionix first revealed this concept in a 2018 white paper titled “ADS-B Inert and Alert – A Solution to the ADS-B Spectrum Concerns.” The Inert and Alert Concept preserves spectrum by allowing the onboard UAS ADS-B solution to remain inert in a non-broadcasting listening mode until a safety-critical event such as a C2 lost-link or other aircraft proximity triggers it to begin broadcasting its ADS-B position as an alert. Once the conditions are safe again, the system reverts to its inert state.

“uAvionix is a firm believer in the benefits of a cooperative airspace for UAS integration,” said Christian Ramsey, president of uAvionix. “Recognizing the concerns by regulators of over-use of the spectrum, Inert and Alert is a means to leverage ADS-B for collision avoidance while significantly reducing those concerns.”