Drone Zones

virtual geo-enclosures for air spaces

Confidentiality
The information contained in this
presentation is proprietary and confidential to
Zonal Systems Llc. and should not be
disclosed to any third parties without the
express permission of Zonal Systems Llc.

Copyright 2012-2017 Zonal Systems Llc.

All Rights Reserved

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Founders
Robert Pierce Ph. D.
Inventor and Architecture

James Chip Northrup, MBA Wharton

Inventor and Finance

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Key Contributors
David K. Hess
Software Development

Russ Schultz
Intellectual Property Legal Council

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Zones for Drones
Virtual polyhedral geo-fences zones can

Establish and segment test flight corridors

Confine drones to polygonal spaces
Monitor drones in test flight corridors
Measure drone performance in bounds
Prohibit access to pre-determined areas

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Drone Zone US Patents
Virtual polyhedral geo-enclosures
Route, track and control flight paths
Exclusionary zones
Inclusionary zones
Boundary adherence
Virtual gateways into zoned spaces

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Polyhedral Drone Zones

Guide
Empower
Prohibit
Confine

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What are Zones ?

Zones are virtual electronic geo-enclosures

Created on a PC web browser
Deployed on a smart device/ machine
Control functions on the device
Device self-track in zone

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Where are Zones Applicable ?
Zones are used when being within a defined
space is essential for monitoring, control,
financial, regulatory, legal, safety or security
reasons.

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How do Zones Work ?

Recruits devices GPS system

Device self-reports itself in/out of zone
+/- 3m resolution outdoors
Resolution +/- 10cm indoors
Controls device when in zone
Photography, inspection, package drop, etc.

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Zonal Advantages
Register an activity arrival/ departure
Empower/ exclude an activity by area
Guidance beyond horizon
Inexpensively deployed
Low power consumption

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Beyond line of sight

Flight corridors, action areas

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Line of Sight
Phone app or API on drone

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Exclusion Zone
Zonal Place
Owner draws zone on PC and
conveys coordinates to drone

Owner has excluded drone 4155 4155

from entering the zone but has 1619

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allowed drone 4138 to enter this
zone 4138
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1620

1616

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Drone Confinements

Drone fly circular routes around oil storage tanks

But neve fly outside the green zone. 15
Zones paired with Sensors
Work site zoned to
property outline

Drone stands off

building via sensors

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Temporary Control Zones

Zone locations for specific events

Drones confined/ excluded to property line

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Zonal Corridors
Flight paths confined to lat/lon/alt polyhedrons

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Aerial Toll Zones
Toll zones for air space usage over public ROW

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Guidance and Control

Top view shows flight path viewed from above

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Flight Path Control

Zone paths similar to NEODD and SWEVEN throughways

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Zone Supervisors Control
Extensive Zone Monitoring in Wide Blue Corridors

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Controlled/Excluded Access Areas

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Geo-fences are not Zones
Zones are closed polygons / polyhedrons

Zones can be nested within zones

Zones can have defined access gates

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A Zone is not Radial Proximity

Wi-Fi & cells are radial

Doesnt match boundary
Signal spills over
Dark corners no signal
Defeated by repeater

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Geo-tracking is not a Zone

Device self reports location

Is not tracked externally

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Timeline
Patents filed 2012 thru 2017
First patents granted Q1 2016
Beta tested daily in 2D for 4 years

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Drone Zone IP
U.S. Patent Publication US 2017/0018184

Control drone guidance

Create virtual corridors

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Zonal Systems Contacts
Robert Pierce

pierce@zonalsystems.com

Chip Northrup

northrup@zonalsystems.com

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