Ground effect based surface sensing utilized with other sensing technologies in automated aerial vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10984663-B2
Application number	US-201916556062-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2019
Priority date	Jun 26, 2014
Publication date	Apr 20, 2021
Grant date	Apr 20, 2021

Abstract

A system and method for operating an automated aerial vehicle are provided wherein influences of ground effects (e.g., which may increase the effective thrusts of propellers by interfering with the respective airflows) are utilized for sensing the ground or other surfaces. In various implementations, operating parameters of the automated aerial vehicle are monitored to determine when ground effects are influencing the parameters associated with the propellers, which correspondingly indicate proximities to a surface (e.g., the ground). Such ground effect sensing techniques may be utilized as a backup to other sensors (e.g., which may be determined to not be functioning properly and/or may be otherwise inhibited due factors such as to rain, snow, fog, reflections, bright sunlight, etc.).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An automated aerial vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of propellers that are utilized to fly the automated aerial vehicle, the plurality of propellers comprising a first propeller that is rotated by a first propeller motor;
a power supply connected to the first propeller motor that provides power to the first propeller motor;
a sensor system that provides an output that indicates a distance to a surface; and
a control system, comprising:
one or more processors; and
a memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to at least:
control the first propeller motor to rotate the first propeller;
monitor a level of a first parameter, wherein the first parameter is associated with the first propeller and a level of the first parameter is influenced by a first ground effect, the first ground effect corresponding to a condition in which an airflow of the first propeller is directed against a surface which increases an effective thrust of the first propeller and which influences a level of the first parameter;
determine a first distance of the automated aerial vehicle to the surface based on the level of the first parameter as influenced by the first ground effect;
receive an output from the sensor system that indicates a second distance of the automated aerial vehicle to the surface;
compare the first distance to the second distance; and
determine that there is an issue with the output of the sensor system based at least in part on a difference between the first distance and the second distance.

2. The automated aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the sensor system operates based on at least one of imaging, sonar, radar, lidar, infrared or laser technology.

3. The automated aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the issue with the output of the sensor system is related to an external condition that is inhibiting an ability of the sensor system to indicate an accurate distance to the surface.

4. The automated aerial vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the external condition is at least one of an atmospheric condition or a weather condition.

5. The automated aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the issue with the output of the sensor system is related to a malfunction of the sensor system.

6. The automated aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions when executed by the one or more processors further cause the one or more processors to:
determine that the automated aerial vehicle is in danger of colliding with the surface based at least in part on the determination of the first distance of the automated aerial vehicle to the surface; and
control the first propeller motor to perform an evasive aerial maneuver to prevent the automated aerial vehicle from colliding with the surface.

7. A system, comprising:
an automated aerial vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of propellers, wherein each propeller is rotated by a propeller motor; and
a sensor system that provides an output that indicates a distance of the automated aerial vehicle to a surface; and

a computing system, comprising:
one or more processors; and
a memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to at least:
determine a first distance of the automated aerial vehicle to a surface based at least in part on a level of a first parameter that is associated with a first propeller of the plurality of propellers and that is influenced by a ground effect, wherein the ground effect corresponds to a condition in which an airflow of the first propeller is directed against the surface which increases an effective thrust of the first propeller and which influences the first parameter;
receive an output from the sensor system that indicates a second distance of the automated aerial vehicle to the surface, wherein the second distance is different than the first distance; and
perform a safety action related to the flying of the automated aerial vehicle based at least in part on the difference between the first distance and the second distance.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the safety action comprises flying the automated aerial vehicle away from the surface.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the safety action comprises landing the automated aerial vehicle.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the determination of the first distance is utilized as a backup to the sensor system.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the program instructions when executed by the one or more processors further cause the one or more processors to perform a check to determine if the sensor system is operating properly based at least in part on the difference between the first distance and the second distance.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the first distance is determined by referencing data that is stored in the memory for correlating levels of the first parameter to distances from the surface.

13. The system of claim 7 , wherein the program instructions when executed by the one or more processors further cause the one or more processors to compare the first distance to an expected distance during at least one of a landing process, a takeoff process or a flying process.

14. A computer-implemented method for operating an automated aerial vehicle, comprising:
under control of one or more computing systems configured with executable instructions,
flying an automated aerial vehicle along a flight path, wherein a plurality of propellers are utilized for flying the automated aerial vehicle;
determining a first proximity of the automated aerial vehicle to a surface based at least in part on a parameter level, wherein the parameter level is associated with a first propeller of the plurality of propellers and is influenced by a ground effect, and the ground effect corresponds to a condition in which an airflow of the first propeller is directed against the surface which increases an effective thrust of the first propeller and which influences the parameter level; and
determining that there is an issue related to an output of a sensor system of the automated aerial vehicle based at least in part on the output of the sensor system not indicating the first proximity of the automated aerial vehicle to the surface.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , wherein the determination of the first proximity of the automated aerial vehicle to the surface is utilized as a backup to the sensor system.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , further comprising performing an assessment of the sensor system.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , further comprising monitoring the parameter level for a specified time period to determine a consistency of the parameter level.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , further comprising determining that the automated aerial vehicle is in danger of colliding with the surface based at least in part on the determination of the first proximity of the automated aerial vehicle to the surface.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18 , further comprising flying the automated aerial vehicle to avoid colliding with the surface.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , further comprising utilizing at least one of machine learning or modeling to indicate the level of the parameter that corresponds to the first proximity to the surface.

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Navot Amir
• Beckman Brian C
• Buchmueller Daniel
• Kimchi Gur
• Hensel Fabian
• Green Scott A
• Porter Brandon William
• Rault Severan Sylvain Jean-Michel

Classifications

• B64U2201/10

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

• G08G5/74 Primary

  for monitoring terrain · CPC title

• B64U30/20

  Rotors; Rotor supports · CPC title

• G01S2007/4975

  of sensor obstruction by, e.g. dirt- or ice-coating, e.g. by reflection measurement on front-screen · CPC title

• G07C5/0808

  Diagnosing performance data (testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005) · CPC title