Unmanned aircraft structure evaluation system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10181081-B2
Application number	US-201816049056-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2018
Priority date	Jan 10, 2014
Publication date	Jan 15, 2019
Grant date	Jan 15, 2019

Abstract

A computerized system, comprising: a computer system having an input unit, a display unit, one or more processors and one or more non-transitory computer readable medium, the one or more processors executing image display and analysis software to cause the one or more processors to: receive an identification of a structure from the input device, the structure having multiple sides, an outline, and a height; obtain characteristics of a camera mounted onto an unmanned aircraft; generate unmanned aircraft information including: flight path information configured to direct the unmanned aircraft to fly a flight path around the structure that is laterally and vertically offset from the structure, the lateral and vertical offset being dependent upon the height of the structure, an orientation of the camera relative to the unmanned aircraft, and the characteristics of the camera; and, store the unmanned aircraft information on the one or more non-transitory computer readable medium.

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 flight capture points for a structure of interest having an outline, wherein the plurality of flight capture points each comprise a point having a geospatial reference, a first group of flight capture points adjacent to a first side of the outline, and a second group of flight capture points adjacent to a second side of the outline;
conducting an evaluation of the structure of interest according to the flight plan, the evaluation comprising:
directing the UAV to fly the flight path having the plurality of flight capture points, and capture images while the UAV is at the flight capture points, the flight capture points being a distance from an exterior surface of the structure of interest such that the images includes at least a particular level of detail, the UAV having a collision detection and avoidance system, and
detecting an obstruction in the flight path with the collision detection and avoidance system;
the collision detection and avoidance system steering the aircraft to bypass the obstruction, and aiming the camera at a target capture point on the exterior surface of the structure of interest to capture an image and ensure complete coverage of the structure of interest;
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 steering the UAV to bypass the obstruction includes steering the UAV towards the structure of interest.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein conducting the evaluation further comprises triggering the camera to capture the images based upon a schedule.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein aiming the camera at the target capture point includes directing a yaw of the UAV.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein directing the yaw of the UAV includes measuring a current yaw of the UAV using a position and orientation system that is part of the UAV.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flight plan is generated by determining an effective image resolution of the images to be captured by the camera, characteristics of the camera, and a path length that achieves the effective image resolution with the characteristics of the camera.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the structure of interest includes a perimeter, and wherein the flight path follows the perimeter of the structure of interest.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein conducting an evaluation further comprises allowing an operator to steer the UAV around the obstacle.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising transmitting a signal to the operator in the form of an audible alarm, prior to allowing the operator to steer the UAV around the obstacle.

10. A non-transitory computer storage medium comprising instructions that when executed by one or more processors included in an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) having a camera to cause the UAV to perform operations comprising:
receiving, by the UAV, a flight plan comprising a plurality of flight capture points about a roof, wherein the plurality of flight capture points each comprise a waypoint having a geospatial reference, the flight capture points being spaced apart to obtain overlapping images of the roof from the camera, the images having an effective image resolution, the flight plan comprising instructions to aim the camera at a target capture point on the roof as the UAV is at one of the flight capture points;
conducting an evaluation of the roof through autonomous flight by:
directing the UAV to fly to a first one of the flight capture points of the flight plan during a first portion of the flight of the UAV, the first one of the flight capture points being spaced from the roof a path length to capture a first image having the effective image resolution,
directing the UAV to fly towards the roof during a second portion of the flight of the UAV to obtain a second image having a finer resolution than the effective image resolution,
the distance from the UAV to a selected target capture point on the roof during the second portion of the flight being less than the path length from the one of the flight capture points to the roof; and
capturing, while the UAV is spaced a distance from the roof less than the path length, the second image describing the surface of the roof, the second image having the finer resolution;

directing the UAV to fly to another one of the flight capture points after the second portion of the flight; and
navigating the UAV to a landing location.

11. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the UAV includes a collision detection and avoidance system, and wherein the collision detection and avoidance system detects an obstacle lying along the flight path, and causes the UAV to fly closer to the roof during the second portion of the flight.

12. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the collision detection and avoidance system is imaging based.

13. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the collision detection and avoidance system is active sensor based.

14. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the collision detection and avoidance system steers the UAV so as to ensure complete coverage of the roof with images captured by the camera.

15. A computerized system, comprising:
a computer system having an input unit, a display unit, one or more processors and one or more non-transitory computer readable medium, the one or more processors executing image display and analysis software to cause the one or more processors to:
receive an identification of a structure of interest from the input device, the structure of interest having multiple sides, an outline, and a height;
obtain characteristics of a camera mounted to a computer controlled gimbal mount of an unmanned aircraft to capture images of the structure of interest;
obtain geographic locations of obstructions in potential flight paths pertaining to the structure of interest; and
generate unmanned aircraft information including:
flight path information, camera control information, and gimbal control information, the flight path information configured to direct the unmanned aircraft to fly a flight path around the structure of interest that is laterally and/or vertically offset from an exterior surface of the structure of interest, and avoid the geographic locations of obstructions, the lateral and vertical offset being dependent upon the height of the structure, an orientation of the camera relative to the unmanned aircraft, the characteristics of the camera, and geographic locations of obstructions, the camera control information configured to control the camera to capture aerial images from the camera on the unmanned aircraft while the unmanned aircraft is flying the flight path, the gimbal control information configured to control the computer controlled gimbal mount to align the camera with the structure of interest during capture of the aerial images;

receive aerial images from the unmanned aircraft; and
generate a structure report for evaluating the structure of interest using one or more aerial images obtained from the camera of the unmanned aircraft.

16. The computerized system of claim 15 , wherein the lateral and vertical offsets are determined to provide an effective image resolution due to the characteristics of the camera.

17. The

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

• B64U2201/10

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

• B64U2201/20

  Remote controls · CPC title

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title