Drone Navigation Using Cameras and Echolocation
This 2017 patent describes a drone navigation system that uses both cameras and echolocation sensors to detect obstacles and find its way, with echolocation taking priority for immediate threats.
Original patent title: “Autonomous vehicle navigation system and method”
This 2017 patent describes a drone navigation system that uses both cameras and echolocation sensors to detect obstacles and find its way, with echolocation taking priority for immediate threats. Granted to Aurora Flight Sciences in 2017 with 23 claims and 12 forward citations, and it is expected to expire in 2035.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent details a navigation system for aerial vehicles, like drones. It combines a GPS transceiver for general location, an optical system (cameras) providing a wide 180-degree view to spot visible obstacles, and an acoustic system (echolocation) with a narrower 10-degree view to detect obstacles, especially smaller ones not visible to cameras. A central processor uses all this data to plot a course to a destination. If the acoustic system detects an obstacle directly in the path, it overrides the GPS and camera data to command an immediate dodging maneuver. Once the obstacle is clear, the drone returns to its original path. The optical system can even provide a full 360-degree view, and the acoustic system can cover up to 45 degrees.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Navigation systems that only use cameras and no echolocation sensors.
- Navigation systems that only use echolocation sensors and no cameras.
- Navigation systems where GPS data always overrides sensor data for obstacle avoidance.
- Navigation systems that do not have a processor to calculate dodging maneuvers.
- Systems for ground-based vehicles; this patent is specifically for aerial vehicles.
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 how the system prioritizes immediate, short-range acoustic sensor data over GPS and camera data when an obstacle is detected. This ensures rapid reaction to close-proximity threats, which is crucial for preventing collisions in dynamic environments.
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
Aurora Flight Sciences drones
Modern autonomous drone navigation systems
Advanced aerial vehicle guidance systems
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent addresses a key challenge in autonomous flight: reliable obstacle detection and avoidance in diverse conditions. By combining multiple sensor types with a prioritized processing logic, it enables drones to navigate more safely and effectively, even when encountering unexpected or hard-to-see objects.
Filed
March 13, 2015
Granted
February 7, 2017
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Aurora Flight Sciences, the assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →, is a leader in autonomous flight technology. Many companies developing advanced drones and autonomous aerial systems, including those in defense and logistics, likely employ similar multi-sensor fusion and prioritized obstacle avoidance strategies.
Market impact
This patent contributes to the ongoing development of more robust and reliable autonomous flight systems. The integration of diverse sensors and intelligent processing is fundamental to enabling widespread commercial adoption of drones for delivery, inspection, and surveillance, moving beyond simple GPS-guided flight paths.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent details a navigation system for aerial vehicles, like drones. It combines a GPS transceiver for general location, an optical system (cameras) providing a wide 180-degree view to spot visible obstacles, and an acoustic system (echolocation) with a narrower 10-degree view to detect obstacles, especially smaller ones not visible to cameras. A central processor uses all this data to plot a course to a destination. If the acoustic system detects an obstacle directly in the path, it overrides the GPS and camera data to command an immediate dodging maneuver. Once the obstacle is clear, the drone returns to its original path. The optical system can even provide a full 360-degree view, and the acoustic system can cover up to 45 degrees.
The clever bit
The core innovation is how the system prioritizes immediate, short-range acoustic sensor data over GPS and camera data when an obstacle is detected. This ensures rapid reaction to close-proximity threats, which is crucial for preventing collisions in dynamic environments.
What it does not cover
- Navigation systems that only use cameras and no echolocation sensors.
- Navigation systems that only use echolocation sensors and no cameras.
- Navigation systems where GPS data always overrides sensor data for obstacle avoidance.
- Navigation systems that do not have a processor to calculate dodging maneuvers.
- Systems for ground-based vehicles; this patent is specifically for aerial vehicles.
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
Moderate
Citation count
22/40
Moderately cited
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
$78K – $250K
Midpoint $156K · 8.4 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
Mckenna, T., & Paduano, J. (2017). Drone Navigation Using Cameras and Echolocation (U.S. Patent No. 9,562,773). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9562773/autonomous-vehicle-navigation-system-and-method
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
Embed
Add this patent to your site
Drop this plain-English patent card into any blog post or article — free, no signup. It always links back to the full breakdown here.
<div data-patentlens-widget data-patent-number="US9562773"></div> <script src="https://patentbrief.org/embed.js" async></script>
Stay in the loop
Get a weekly digest of new patents.
One email per week. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Keep exploring
Related patents you should know
US 4683195 · 1987
How to Make Billions of Copies of a DNA Segment
This patent describes the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), a method to rapidly create many copies of a specific piece of DNA or RNA, enabling its detection and analysis.
Cetus Corp
US 8697359 · 2014
How to Edit Genes in Human Cells Using an Engineered CRISPR System
This patent describes an engineered CRISPR-Cas9 system for precisely cutting DNA in eukaryotic cells to change how genes work, opening the door for gene editing in complex organisms.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
US 7657849 · 2010
How the iPhone's Slide-to-Unlock Gesture Works
Apple's 2010 patent describes unlocking a device by dragging a specific graphical image across the touchscreen along a predefined path, a gesture that became iconic with the original iPhone.
Apple Inc
US 4733665 · 1988
How Doctors Implant a Permanent Stent Using a Balloon
This patent describes the method for placing a permanent, expandable wire mesh tube inside a blood vessel or other body tube using a balloon-tipped catheter to widen it and keep it open.
Expandable Grafts Partnership
US 4965188 · 1990
How to Make Many Copies of a DNA Piece with Heat
This patent describes the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method, a technique to make millions of copies of a specific DNA segment using a heat-resistant enzyme and repeated temperature changes.
Cetus Corp
US 4235871 · 1980
How to Encapsulate Active Materials in Lipid Bubbles Efficiently
This patent describes a method for trapping biologically active substances inside tiny, multi-layered fat bubbles called liposomes, using a specific water-in-oil emulsion and gel-forming process to improve how much material gets captured.
Individual
Semantically similar
You might also find these interesting
US 10107627 · 2018 · Northrop Grumman Systems
How Vehicles and Drones Find Their Way Using Many Sensors
US 10133281 · 2018 · Pinnacle Vista
How a Drone Can Fly Ahead of a Moving Vehicle
US 20180321681 · Pinnacle Vista
How a Drone Flies Ahead of a Moving Ground or Water Vehicle
US 11513606 · 2022
How Autonomous Air Taxis Use Hand Gestures and 3D Mapping
More to explore
More in Energy & Clean Tech
US RE49155 · 2022 · Halliburton Energy Services Inc
Electric or Natural Gas Blending and Pumping for Oil Wells
US 11436484 · 2022 · Nvidia Corp
Nvidia's Method for Training Self-Driving Car AI in Simulations
US 11840398 · 2023 · Titan Trailers Inc
How Titan Trailers Builds Stronger, Smoother Cargo Containers
US 2708656 · 1955
How the First Nuclear Reactor Works
New to patents?
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Drone Navigation Using Cameras and Echolocation cover?
This 2017 patent describes a drone navigation system that uses both cameras and echolocation sensors to detect obstacles and find its way, with echolocation taking priority for immediate threats.
Who owns patent US 9562773?
Aurora Flight Sciences owns this patent, granted in 2017.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on March 13, 2035, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 9562773 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 12 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent addresses a key challenge in autonomous flight: reliable obstacle detection and avoidance in diverse conditions. By combining multiple sensor types with a prioritized processing logic, it enables drones to navigate more safely and effectively, even when encountering unexpected or hard-to-see objects.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Navigation systems that only use cameras and no echolocation sensors.
Patent monitoring