System and method for controlling autonomous flying vehicle flight paths

Abstract

A method is provided for limiting access to airspace by drones. The method includes receiving position information from a user associated with a property identified by the position information. The method also includes assembling the position information with other position information to compile a comprehensive configurable flight zone database. The method further includes pushing the configurable flight zone database to at least one drone. The drone accesses the configurable flight zone database to determine if movement is allowed, and the drone is programmed to not fly into areas identified in the configurable flight zone database. In the method, the drone may be further programmed to prohibit directing a camera into the areas identified in the configurable flight zone database.

1 . A method, comprising:
 at a drone:
 controlling the drone according to a set of rules, the set of rules indicating one or more restrictions of a first behavior of the drone and a second behavior of the drone, the one or more restrictions associated with a defined location; and 
 while controlling the drone according to the set of rules:
 in accordance with a determination that the drone is at the defined location, and that the set of rules indicates that the first behavior of the drone is restricted with respect to the defined location, restricting the first behavior of the drone with respect to the defined location while the drone is at the defined location; and 
 in accordance with a determination that the drone is at the defined location, and that the set of rules indicates that the second behavior of the drone is not restricted with respect to the defined location, not restricting the second behavior of the drone with respect to the defined location while the drone is at the defined location. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 while controlling the drone according to the set of rules, receiving an update to the set of rules, and controlling the drone according to the updated set of rules.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 in accordance with a determination that a condition is satisfied, the set of rules indicates that the first behavior of the drone is restricted with respect to the defined location; and   in accordance with a determination that the condition is not satisfied, the set of rules indicates that the first behavior of the drone is not restricted with respect to the defined location.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein in accordance with a determination that the drone is navigating at a defined time, the condition is satisfied, and in accordance with a determination that the drone is not navigating at the defined time, the condition is not satisfied. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein in accordance with a determination that the drone is navigating at a defined altitude, the condition is satisfied, and in accordance with a determination that the drone is not navigating at the defined altitude, the condition is not satisfied. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the drone is capable of implementing a set of functions comprising a first subset of functions and a second subset of functions, the second subset of functions comprising one or more security features;   in accordance with a determination that the drone is not currently implementing the one or more security features, the condition is satisfied; and   in accordance with a determination that the drone is currently implementing the one or more security features, the condition is not satisfied.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first behavior of the drone comprises a first type of behavior; and   the second behavior of the drone comprises a second type of behavior, different from the first type of behavior.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first type of behavior comprises navigational behavior of the drone, and the second type of behavior comprises non-navigational behavior of the drone. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the non-navigational behavior of the drone comprises camera functions of the drone. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the non-navigational behavior of the drone comprises delivery functions of the drone. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first type of behavior comprises commercial behavior of the drone, and the second type of behavior comprises non-commercial behavior of the drone. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the drone is at the defined location in accordance with a determination that the drone is within the defined location.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the set of rules indicates that drone photography is restricted at the defined location and drone navigation is not restricted at the defined location; and   while controlling the drone according to the set of rules, in accordance with the determination that the drone is at the defined location, the drone is restricted from performing photographic functions at the defined location and the drone is not restricted from navigating in the defined location.   
     
     
         14 . A drone, comprising:
 one or more processors; and   memory coupled to the one or more processors, the memory storing instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the drone to perform a method comprising:
 controlling the drone according to a set of rules, the set of rules indicating one or more restrictions of a first behavior of the drone and a second behavior of the drone, the one or more restrictions associated with a defined location; and 
 while controlling the drone according to the set of rules:
 in accordance with a determination that the drone is at the defined location, and that the set of rules indicates that the first behavior of the drone is restricted with respect to the defined location, restricting the first behavior of the drone with respect to the defined location while the drone is at the defined location; and 
 in accordance with a determination that the drone is at the defined location, and that the set of rules indicates that the second behavior of the drone is not restricted with respect to the defined location, not restricting the second behavior of the drone with respect to the defined location while the drone is at the defined location. 
 
   
     
     
         15 . The drone of  claim 14 , wherein:
 in accordance with a determination that a condition is satisfied, the set of rules indicates that the first behavior of the drone is restricted with respect to the defined location; and   in accordance with a determination that the condition is not satisfied, the set of rules indicates that the first behavior of the drone is not restricted with respect to the defined location.   
     
     
         16 . The drone of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the first behavior of the drone comprises a first type of behavior; and   the second behavior of the drone comprises a second type of behavior, different from the first type of behavior.   
     
     
         17 . The drone of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the set of rules indicates that drone photography is restricted at the defined location and drone navigation is not restricted at the defined location; and   while controlling the drone according to the set of rules,   in accordance with the determination that the drone is at the defined location, the drone is restricted from performing photographic functions at the defined location and the drone is not restricted from navigating in the defined location.   
     
     
         18 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of a drone, cause the drone to perform a method comprising:
 controlling the drone according to a set of rules, the set of rules indicating one or more restrictions of a first behavior of the drone and a second behavior of the drone, the one or more restrictions associated with a defined location; and   while controlling the drone according to the set of rules:
 in accordance with a determination that the drone is at the defined location, and that the set of rules indicates that the first behavior of the drone is restricted with respect to the defined location, restricting the first behavior of the drone with respect to the defined location while the drone is at the defined location; and 
 in accordance with a determination that the drone is at the defined location, and that the set of rules indicates that the second behavior of the drone is not restricted with respect to the defined location, not restricting the second behavior of the drone with respect to the defined location while the drone is at the defined location. 
   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the first behavior of the drone comprises a first type of behavior; and   the second behavior of the drone comprises a second type of behavior, different from the first type of behavior.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the set of rules indicates that drone photography is restricted at the defined location and drone navigation is not restricted at the defined location; and   while controlling the drone according to the set of rules,   in accordance with the determination that the drone is at the defined location, the drone is restricted from performing photographic functions at the defined location and the drone is not restricted from navigating in the defined location.