Unmanned aerial vehicle electromagnetic avoidance and utilization system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11029352-B2
Application number	US-201715598204-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2017
Priority date	May 18, 2016
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

Methods, systems and apparatus, for an unmanned aerial vehicle electromagnetic avoidance and utilization system. One of the methods includes obtaining a flight package indicating a flight pattern associated with inspecting a structure, the flight pattern causing the UAV to remain at a standoff distance from the structure, wherein the standoff distance is based on an electromagnetic field associated with the structure, and wherein the flight pattern is laterally constrained according to a property geofence associated with a right of way of the structure. The UAV is navigated according to the flight pattern, and the UAV captures images of the structure. For an initial portion of the flight pattern, the UAV navigates at an altitude based on the standoff distance and the property geofence towards the structure. The UAV determines a location at which to capture images of the structure, and the UAV provides the captured images to a user device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system comprising:
one or more processors comprising hardware, the one or more processors configured to perform operations comprising:
determining a standoff distance from a structure based on an electromagnetic field of the structure, wherein the standoff distance is a distance the UAV is to remain from the structure while the UAV is navigating;
determining a flight pattern for the UAV to implement, the flight pattern configured such that the UAV remains at least the determined standoff distance from the structure, and the flight pattern including a predetermined path for the UAV to follow;
navigating the UAV according to the determined flight pattern; and
obtaining sensor data of the structure at multiple aerial positions about the structure.

2. The system of claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
during navigation of the UAV, increasing the standoff distance from the structure when the system determines an increased magnetic field strength of the structure.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein determining a standoff distance from the structure comprises:
navigating the UAV to a first altitude above one or more conductors carried by the structure;
navigating the UAV to descend from the first altitude towards the conductors;
determining information indicative of an electromagnetic field associated with the one or more conductors;
determining, using the information, a second altitude at which the electromagnetic field associated with the one or more conductors affects navigation of the UAV; and
setting the standoff distance based on the second altitude.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein determining a standoff distance from the structure comprises:
obtaining a magnetic field measurement of the structure;
determining a distance from the structure and a location where the measurement was taken; and
using a model to select a distance for the standoff distance where the selected distance would be at or below a predetermined threshold value.

5. The system of claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
preventing flight of the UAV closer to the structure than the standoff distance.

6. The system of claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
periodically determining a magnetic interference of the structure; and
adjusting the standoff distance based on the periodically determined magnetic interference.

7. The system of claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
measuring by the UAV, a magnetic field strength of a magnetic field of the structure; and
obtaining the geospatial location of the UAV and the magnetic field measurement.

8. The system of claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
determining that the UAV has navigated to a distance closer to the structure than the standoff distance; and
causing the UAV to perform a contingency operation.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein determining a standoff distance from the structure comprises:
receiving, via a user interface of the system, a numerical value for the standoff distance.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein determining the standoff distance is based on physical information of a model of the structure.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein determining a standoff distance from the structure comprises:
determining the standoff distance based upon a model describing the electromagnetic field of the structure; and
utilizing the model to determine different standoff distances at various locations along the flight pattern.

12. A non-transitory computer storage medium comprising instructions that when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
determining a standoff distance from a structure based on an electromagnetic field of the structure, wherein the standoff distance is a distance an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is to remain from the structure while the UAV is navigating;
determining a flight pattern for the UAV to implement, the flight pattern configured such that the UAV remains at least the determined standoff distance from the structure, and the flight pattern including a predetermined path for the UAV to follow;
navigating the UAV according to the determined flight pattern; and
obtaining sensor data of the structure at multiple aerial positions about the structure.

13. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 12 , the operations further comprising:
during navigation of the UAV, increasing the standoff distance from the structure when the system determines an increased magnetic field strength of the structure.

14. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 12 , wherein determining a standoff distance from the structure comprises:
navigating the UAV to a first altitude above one or more conductors carried by the structure;
navigating the UAV to descend from the first altitude towards the conductors;
determining information indicative of an electromagnetic field associated with the one or more conductors;
determining, using the information, a second altitude at which the electromagnetic field associated with the one or more conductors affects navigation of the UAV; and
setting the standoff distance based on the second altitude.

15. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 12 , wherein determining a standoff distance from the structure comprises:
obtaining a magnetic field measurement of the structure;
determining a distance from the structure and a location where the measurement was taken; and
using a model to select a distance for the standoff distance where the selected distance would be at or below a predetermined threshold value.

16. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 12 , the operations further comprising:
preventing flight of the UAV closer to the structure than the standoff distance.

17. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 12 , the operations further comprising:
periodically determining a magnetic interference of the structure; and
adjusting the standoff distance based on the periodically determined magnetic interference.

18. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 12 , the operations further comprising:
measuring by the UAV, a magnetic field strength of a magnetic field of the structure; and
obtaining the geospatial location of the UAV and the magnetic field measurement.

19. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 12 , the operations further comprising:
determining that the UAV has navigated to a distance closer to the structure than the standoff distance; and
causing the UAV to perform a contingency operation.

20. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 12 , wherein determining a standoff distance from the structure comprises:
receiving, via a user interface of the system, a numerical value for the standoff distance.

21. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 12 , wherein determining the standoff distance is based on physical information of a model of the structure.

22. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 12 , wherein determining a standoff distance from the structure comprises:
determining the standoff distance based upon a model describing the electromagnetic field of the structure; and
utilizing the model to determine different standoff distances at various locations along the flight pattern.

23. A computerized method performed by an unmanned aerial vehicle (

Assignees

• Skydio Inc

Inventors

• Blanc-Paques Fabien
• Michini Bernard J
• Bauer Mark Patrick

Classifications

• B64U2201/10

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

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• G05D1/689

  Pointing payloads towards fixed or moving targets (positioning towed, pushed or suspended implements G05D1/672) · CPC title

• G08G5/74

  for monitoring terrain · CPC title

• G08G5/80 Primary

  Anti-collision systems · CPC title