Unmanned aircraft structure evaluation system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10037463-B2
Application number	US-201715802950-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 3, 2017
Priority date	Jan 10, 2014
Publication date	Jul 31, 2018
Grant date	Jul 31, 2018

Abstract

A computerized method performed by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising: receiving, by the UAV, a flight plan comprising a plurality of inspection locations for a structure, wherein the plurality of inspection locations each comprise a waypoint having a geospatial reference; navigating to ascend to a first altitude above the structure; conducting an inspection for an object of interest in at least one of the plurality of inspection locations according to the flight plan, the inspection comprising: navigating to a position above a surface of the structure associated with the object of interest based on monitoring an active sensor, and obtaining, while within a particular distance from the surface of the structure, information from one or more sensors describing the structure such that obtained information includes at least a particular level of detail; navigating to another inspection location of the plurality of inspection locations; and navigating to a landing location.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computerized method performed by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising one or more processors, the method comprising:
receiving, by the UAV, a flight plan comprising a plurality of inspection locations for a structure, wherein the plurality of inspection locations each comprise a waypoint having a geospatial reference;
navigating the UAV to ascend to a first altitude above the structure;
conducting an inspection for an object of interest in at least one of the plurality of inspection locations according to the flight plan, the inspection comprising:
navigating the UAV to a position above a surface of the structure associated with the object of interest based on monitoring an active sensor, and
obtaining, while the UAV is within a particular distance from the surface of the structure, information from one or more sensors describing the structure such that obtained information includes at least a particular level of detail;

navigating the UAV to another inspection location of the plurality of inspection locations; and
navigating the UAV to a landing location.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein navigating the UAV to a position within a particular distance above a surface of the structure comprises:
accessing one or more images obtained during a prior inspection of the structure, the one or more images including less than the particular level of detail;
performing, based on portions of the accessed images associated with the inspection location, visual odometry using sensor information obtained while descending; and
correcting a position of the UAV, along a horizontal direction, while descending based on the performed visual odometry, such that the UAV descends along a vertical direction towards the surface of the structure associated with the inspection location.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein conducting an inspection further comprises triggering the one or more sensors to obtain sensor information, and wherein triggering comprises one or more of: periodically triggering the sensors while the UAV is within the particular distance from the surface of the structure, triggering the sensors in response to an event.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein triggering the sensors in response to an event comprises:
determining a value from accelerometers or rotational rate gyros of the UAV while the UAV is obtaining sensor information; and
determining whether the value exceeds a threshold value, and in response to a positive determination, triggering the sensors to again obtain the sensor information.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein triggering the sensors in response to an event comprises:
evaluating obtained sensor information to determine whether the sensor information passes a quality criteria; and
determining whether the sensor information passes the quality criteria, and in response to a negative determination, triggering the sensor again to obtain the sensor information.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
obtaining, from a user device, a 3D model of the structure;
while navigating, obtaining geospatial location information of the UAV;
determining based on the 3D model, a position of the UAV in relation to the 3D model; and
adjusting a location of the UAV based on a determined position.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting the obtained sensor information to a user device, the sensor information comprising one or more digital images, the one or more digital images having associated geospatial references.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein conducting an inspection further comprises:
allowing limited control of the UAV by a user device, the limited control comprising one or more of:
controlling a vertical rate of ascent or descent of the UAV, controlling rotation of the UAV, triggering of one or more sensors, controlling a direction of one or more sensors, nudging of the UAV or resuming auto-piloted navigation of the UAV.

9. A non-transitory computer storage medium comprising instructions that when executed by one or more processors included in an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), cause the UAV to perform operations, comprising:
receiving, by the UAV, a flight plan comprising a plurality of inspection locations for a structure, wherein the plurality of inspection locations each comprise a waypoint having a geospatial reference;
navigating the UAV to ascend to a first altitude above a height of the structure;
conducting an inspection for an object of interest in the plurality of inspection locations, the inspection comprising:
navigating the UAV to a position above a surface of the structure associated with the inspection location, and descending, from the first altitude to a second altitude a particular distance from the surface of the structure,
the particular distance above the surface being determined to obtain at least a particular level of detail in sensor information; and
obtaining, while the UAV is within the particular distance from the surface of the structure, information from one or more sensors describing the structure, such that obtained sensor information includes at least the particular level of detail;

navigating the UAV to another inspection location of the plurality of inspection locations; and
navigating the UAV to a landing location.

10. The computer storage medium of claim 9 , wherein navigating the UAV to a position within a particular distance above a surface of the structure comprises:
accessing one or more images obtained during a prior inspection of the structure, the one or more images including less than the particular level of detail;
performing, based on portions of the accessed images associated with the inspection location, visual odometry using sensor information obtained while descending; and
correcting a position of the UAV, along a horizontal direction, while descending based on the performed visual odometry, such that the UAV descends along a vertical direction towards the surface of the structure associated with the inspection location.

11. The computer storage medium of claim 9 , wherein conducting an inspection further comprises triggering the one or more sensors to obtain sensor information, and wherein triggering comprises one or more of: periodically triggering the sensors while the UAV is within the particular distance from the surface of the structure, triggering the sensors in response to an event.

12. The computer storage medium of claim 11 , wherein triggering the sensors in response to an event comprises:
determining a value from accelerometers or rotational rate gyros of the UAV while the UAV is obtaining sensor information; and
determining whether the value exceeds a threshold value, and in response to a positive determination, triggering the sensors to again obtain the sensor information.

13. The computer storage medium of claim 11 , wherein triggering the sensors in response to an event comprises:
evaluating obtained sensor information to determine whether the sensor information passes a quality criteria; and
determining whether the sensor information passes the quality criteria, and in response to a negative determination, triggering the sensor again to obtain the sensor information.

14. The computer storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the particular level of detail indicates an acceptable image pixel resolution of digital images included in the obtained sensor information.

15. The computer storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise:
obtaining, from a user device, a 3D model of the structure;
while navigating, obtaining geospat

Assignees

• Pictometry Int Corp

Inventors

• Schultz Stephen L
• Monaco John

Classifications

• G01S19/39 Primary

  the satellite radio beacon positioning system transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO · CPC title

• G06V20/176

  Urban or other man-made structures · CPC title

• B64U2201/20

  Remote controls · CPC title

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• B64U2201/10

  autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS] · CPC title