Unmanned aircraft structure evaluation system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10318809-B2
Application number	US-201816049253-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2018
Priority date	Jan 10, 2014
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 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 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 software to cause the one or more processors to:
receive a first geographic location of a structure of interest, the first geographic location having one or more coordinates of the structure of interest;
display, on the display unit, one or more images depicting an aerial view of the structure of interest;
receive, via the input unit, an alteration of the one or more coordinates of the structure of interest indicating a second geographic location of the structure of interest, the second geographic location being different from the first geographic location, and being a validated location of the structure of interest;
subsequent to receiving the alteration of the one or more coordinates of the structure of interest, generate unmanned aircraft information based on the one or more coordinates of the second geographic location, the unmanned aircraft information including flight path information configured to direct an unmanned aircraft to fly an autonomous flight path above the structure of interest, and camera control information to direct a camera of the unmanned aircraft to capture images of the structure of interest at predetermined target capture points on the structure of interest while the unmanned aircraft is flying the flight path;
receive the images of the structure of interest captured by the camera while the unmanned aircraft is flying the autonomous flight path from the unmanned aircraft; and
generate a structure report for the structure of interest based at least in part on the images.

2. The computerized system of claim 1 , wherein the flight path information includes a plurality of flight capture points adjacent to the structure of interest such that the unmanned aircraft captures images of the structure of interest at the plurality of flight capture points.

3. The computerized system of claim 2 , wherein first information associated with a first one of the plurality of flight capture points directs the unmanned aircraft to capture a first image of the structure of interest from a first angle relative to the structure of interest and second information associated with a second one of the plurality of flight capture points directs the unmanned aircraft to capture a second image of the structure of interest from a second angle relative to the structure of interest.

4. The computerized system of claim 1 , wherein the unmanned aircraft is a multi-rotor aircraft.

5. The computerized system of claim 1 , wherein displaying, on the display unit, one or more images depicting an aerial view of the structure of interest includes causing the one or more processors to display a drag and drop element on the aerial view of the structure of interest, and wherein receiving, via the input unit, the alteration of the one or more coordinates of the structure of interest includes a user moving the drag and drop element on the display unit from the first geographic location to the second geographic location.

6. The computerized system of claim 1 , wherein receiving, via the input unit, the alteration of the one or more coordinates of the structure of interest indicating the second geographic location of the structure of interest includes the alteration being manual manipulation of the one or more coordinates.

7. The computerized system of claim 1 , wherein the computer system has a Geographic Positioning System (GPS), and wherein the first geographic location of the structure of interest is determined by the GPS.

8. The computerized system of claim 1 , wherein the first geographic location of the structure of interest is determined by an address of the structure of interest.

9. The computerized system of claim 1 , wherein the first geographic location is determined by scrolling on a map displayed on the display unit.

10. 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 software to cause the one or more processors to:
display on the display unit a graphical representation of a structure of interest to be evaluated, the graphical representation comprising one or more images describing an aerial view of the structure of interest;
display on the display unit a first flight path on the graphical representation of the structure of interest to be evaluated, in which an unmanned aircraft is to navigate about the structure of interest, the first flight path having a first group of flight capture points adjacent to a first side of the structure of interest, and a second group of flight capture points adjacent to a second side of the structure of interest;
alter the first flight path to generate a second flight path;
subsequent to generating the second flight path, 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 having a computer controlled gimbal mount connected to a camera to fly the second flight path above the structure of interest, the camera control information configured to control the camera to capture overlapping aerial images while the unmanned aircraft is flying the second flight path, and the gimbal control information configured to control the computer controlled gimbal mount to aim the camera at the structure of interest, the second flight path having first instructions to navigate the unmanned aircraft at a first altitude above the structure of interest during a first portion of the flight path and second instructions to navigate the unmanned aircraft at a second altitude above the structure of interest during a second portion of the flight path, wherein the flight path information includes a plurality of flight capture points adjacent to the structure of interest such that the unmanned aircraft captures an image of the structure of interest at the plurality of flight capture points, and wherein first information associated with a first one of the plurality of flight capture points directs the unmanned aircraft to capture a first image of the structure from a first angle relative to the structure and second information associated with a second one of the plurality of flight capture points directs the unmanned aircraft to capture a second image of the structure of interest from a second angle relative to the structure of interest;
receive the overlapping aerial images captured while the unmanned aircraft was flying the second flight path from the unmanned aircraft; and
generate a structure report for the structure of interest based at least in part on the overlapping aerial images.

11. The computerized system of claim 10 , wherein the unmanned aircraft is a multi-rotor aircraft.

12. The computerized system of claim 10 , wherein the second flight path includes a plurality of spatially disposed flight capture points, a spacing of the flight capture points maintaining at least a minimum overlap between adjacent aerial images to ensure full coverage of the structure of interest in the aerial images captured by the camera.

13. The computerized system of claim 10 , wherein the structure of interest has an outline, and wherein the second flight path has flight capture points outside the outline of the structure of interest.

14. The computerized system of claim 13 , wherein the second flight path extends entirely

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