US Patent 9847034 Compliant autonomous aircraft maneuvering

An aerial vehicle maneuvers in compliance with applicable aviation regulations by formulating a request to air traffic control (ATC) for permission to perform a proposed maneuver, overlaying, as a sub-modulated secondary signal, data characterizing the request on top of a primary ADS-B signal such that the primary ADS-B signal is not interfered with, and transmitting an ADS-B message comprising the primary and secondary signals. Permission can likewise be transmitted and received from ATC using ADS-B overlay communication. The aerial vehicle can conduct emergency maneuvers in the absence of permission and update ATC as to flight path deviations taken using ADS-B overlay communication, without the need for a voice radio and by using existing ADS-B digital communications.