How a Drone Can Fly Ahead of a Moving Vehicle
This patent describes a system where a drone flies a non-linear path, deliberately spaced from a moving ground or water vehicle, using the vehicle's future path information to stay ahead or in a specific relative position.
Original patent title: “Leading drone system”
This patent describes a system where a drone flies a non-linear path, deliberately spaced from a moving ground or water vehicle, using the vehicle's future path information to stay ahead or in a specific relative position. Granted to Pinnacle Vista in 2018 with 23 claims and 2 forward citations, and it is expected to expire in 2037.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This system involves a 'leading drone' that flies a non-linear path relative to a 'base station' which is a vehicle moving on the ground or water. The base station automatically sends its planned non-linear route and future location to the drone (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1). The drone then calculates and follows its own non-linear path, maintaining a deliberate distance from the base station in real-time (Claim 1). For example, the drone might fly ahead of the base station, reaching a future location while the base station is still lagging behind (Claim 2). The drone can also collect sensor data, like with a directional radar, and update geographical maps as it flies (ClaimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more → 8, 10, 15).
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover systems where the base station is an airborne vehicle; it must be on the ground or water surface (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
- Does not cover scenarios where the base station or the drone follows a straight-line path; both paths must be non-linear (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
- Does not cover a drone that flies directly above the base station's path; its path must be parallel but not directly 'attitudinally above' (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 5).
- Does not cover a base station that manually provides its path information; it must automatically send this data (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1).
- Does not cover drones that simply follow the base station without maintaining a deliberate, pre-calculated spacing along a relative path.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The core innovation is the drone's ability to anticipate and proactively position itself relative to a moving base station by using the base station's *future* path information, rather than simply reacting to its current position or passively following it.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Autonomous agricultural vehicles using drones for crop scouting ahead of planting or harvesting.
Self-driving cars or trucks with accompanying drones for advanced road condition scanning.
Autonomous marine vessels deploying drones for ahead-of-ship navigation or environmental surveys.
Security patrols using ground robots with leading drones for perimeter surveillance.
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This technology is important for applications where a drone needs to scout ahead or perform tasks in advance of a slower-moving vehicle. It allows for proactive data collection or mission execution, rather than reactive following. This could be useful in fields like surveying, security, or environmental monitoring, enabling more efficient operations.
Filed
May 5, 2017
Granted
November 20, 2018
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Companies developing autonomous vehicles and drone systems, such as those in agriculture (e.g., John Deere, CNH Industrial), logistics (e.g., Amazon, FedEx), and defense, are exploring similar concepts. Startups focused on drone autonomy and swarm intelligence are also active in this space, aiming to create more sophisticated and collaborative drone-vehicle operations.
Market impact
This patent contributes to the broader field of autonomous systems and drone-vehicle collaboration. It offers a framework for more intelligent drone deployment, potentially enabling new service models in areas like precision agriculture, infrastructure inspection, and last-mile delivery. While not creating an entirely new market, it refines how drones can integrate with ground or water-based autonomous systems, offering efficiency gains and expanded capabilities for existing industries.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This system involves a 'leading drone' that flies a non-linear path relative to a 'base station' which is a vehicle moving on the ground or water. The base station automatically sends its planned non-linear route and future location to the drone (Claim 1). The drone then calculates and follows its own non-linear path, maintaining a deliberate distance from the base station in real-time (Claim 1). For example, the drone might fly ahead of the base station, reaching a future location while the base station is still lagging behind (Claim 2). The drone can also collect sensor data, like with a directional radar, and update geographical maps as it flies (Claims 8, 10, 15).
The clever bit
The core innovation is the drone's ability to anticipate and proactively position itself relative to a moving base station by using the base station's *future* path information, rather than simply reacting to its current position or passively following it.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover systems where the base station is an airborne vehicle; it must be on the ground or water surface (Claim 1).
- Does not cover scenarios where the base station or the drone follows a straight-line path; both paths must be non-linear (Claim 1).
- Does not cover a drone that flies directly above the base station's path; its path must be parallel but not directly 'attitudinally above' (Claim 5).
- Does not cover a base station that manually provides its path information; it must automatically send this data (Claim 1).
- Does not cover drones that simply follow the base station without maintaining a deliberate, pre-calculated spacing along a relative path.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
10/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
15/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
10/20
Granted 5–10 years ago
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$73K – $234K
Midpoint $146K · 10.7 yr remaining · industry ×1.5
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
The original legal language
Original claims
23 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Tu, H. (2018). How a Drone Can Fly Ahead of a Moving Vehicle (U.S. Patent No. 10,133,281). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10133281/leading-drone-system
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How a Drone Can Fly Ahead of a Moving Vehicle cover?
This patent describes a system where a drone flies a non-linear path, deliberately spaced from a moving ground or water vehicle, using the vehicle's future path information to stay ahead or in a specific relative position.
Who owns patent US 10133281?
Pinnacle Vista owns this patent, granted in 2018.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on May 5, 2037, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 10133281 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 2 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This technology is important for applications where a drone needs to scout ahead or perform tasks in advance of a slower-moving vehicle. It allows for proactive data collection or mission execution, rather than reactive following. This could be useful in fields like surveying, security, or environmental monitoring, enabling more efficient operations.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover systems where the base station is an airborne vehicle; it must be on the ground or water surface (Claim 1).
Same assignee
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