Aerial vehicle descent with delivery location identifiers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018364546-A1
Application number	US-201816110073-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 23, 2018
Priority date	Sep 24, 2015
Publication date	Dec 20, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Described are systems and methods for surveying a destination as an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) descends toward the destination. To confirm that the destination is clear of objects and includes a safe landing or delivery location, such as a substantially planar surface, the UAV may capture and process images at different altitudes during the descent. Feature points of a first image captured at a first altitude may be paired with feature points of a second image captured at a second, different altitude. A homography may be computed to confirm that the paired feature points lie in the same plane and then the two images may be registered based on the paired feature points. The registered images may then be processed to determine depth information and determine if descent of the UAV is to continue or be aborted.

First claim

1 .- 20 . (canceled)

21 . A method, comprising:
detecting, by an aerial vehicle positioned above a destination, a delivery location identifier placed at a delivery location within the destination; obtaining, with a camera of the aerial vehicle at a first altitude above the destination, a first image of the destination, wherein the first image includes a first representation of the delivery location identifier; descending, with the aerial vehicle, in altitude toward the delivery location identifier; obtaining, with the camera of the aerial vehicle at a second altitude above the destination, a second image of the destination, wherein the second image includes a second representation of the delivery location identifier; processing the first image and the second image to determine a plane that includes the delivery location identifier; determining that the plane includes an area of sufficient size to accept at least one of a package from the aerial vehicle or the aerial vehicle; and continuing to descend, with the aerial vehicle, toward the delivery location identifier.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein processing the first image and the second image to determine the plane, includes:
registering the first image and the second image, based at least in part on a plurality of feature points of the delivery location identifier detected in each of the first image and the second image; generating a depth disparity map of the destination based on the registered first image and second image; and wherein determining the plane is based at least in part on the depth disparity map.

23 . The method of claim 21 , further comprising:
obtaining, with the camera of the aerial vehicle at a third altitude above the destination, a third image of the destination; processing the second image and the third image to detect an object within a distance of the delivery location identifier; and in response to detecting the object, aborting descent of the aerial vehicle.

24 . The method of claim 21 , further comprising:
determining that a target altitude of the aerial vehicle has been achieved; and in response to determining that the target altitude has been achieved, complete a delivery of a package carried by the aerial vehicle.

25 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
under control of one or more computing systems configured with executable instructions,
detecting, by an aerial vehicle positioned above a destination, a delivery location identifier placed at a delivery location of the destination;
causing the aerial vehicle to descend toward the destination;
causing an image capture device of the aerial vehicle to obtain a first image of the destination when the aerial vehicle is at a first position, wherein the first image includes a first representation of the delivery location identifier;
causing the image capture device of the aerial vehicle to obtain a second image of the destination when the aerial vehicle is at a second position, wherein the second image includes a second representation of the delivery location identifier;
processing the first image and the second image to determine that a substantially planar surface is available at the destination; and
causing, in response to determining that the substantially planar surface is available at the destination, the aerial vehicle to continue to descend toward the destination.

26 . The computer-implemented method of claim 25 , wherein the substantially planar surface determined to be available at the destination is of sufficient size to accept at least one of a package from the aerial vehicle or the aerial vehicle.

27 . The computer-implemented method of claim 25 , wherein processing the first image and the second image further includes:
determining a first plurality of feature points of the first image, wherein the first plurality of feature points includes a first feature point corresponding to at least a portion of the first representation of the delivery location identifier; for each of the first plurality of feature points of the first image, associating a feature point of the first plurality of feature points with a corresponding feature point of the second image to form paired feature points that include the feature point of the first image and the corresponding feature point of the second image; determining a first plurality of paired feature points in which the feature point of the first image and the corresponding feature point of the second image are in a same plane, wherein a first pair of feature points of the first plurality of paired feature points includes the first feature point of the first image corresponding to at least a portion of the delivery location identifier and a second corresponding feature point of the second image corresponding to at least a portion of the delivery location identifier; and registering the first image and the second image based at least in part on the first plurality of paired feature points.

28 . The computer-implemented method of claim 27 , wherein determining a first plurality of paired feature points in which the feature point of the first image and the corresponding feature point of the second image are in the same plane, further includes:
for each paired feature point:
determining a homography between the feature point of the first image and the corresponding feature point of the second image.

29 . The computer-implemented method of claim 25 , wherein detecting the delivery location identifier includes at least one of:
processing a third image to determine a visual identifier included on the delivery location identifier; detecting a radio frequency identification tag included in the delivery location identifier; or detecting a sound emitted by the delivery location identifier.

30 . The computer-implemented method of claim 25 , wherein processing the first image and the second image includes:
generating a depth disparity map of the destination based at least in part on the first image and the second image.

31 . The computer-implemented method of claim 30 , wherein generating a depth disparity map includes:
applying a stereo matching algorithm to the first image and the second image to generate the depth disparity map.

32 . The computer-implemented method of claim 25 , wherein processing the first image and the second image includes:
defining a plane around the delivery location identifier; and determining that the substantially planar surface is within the plane around the delivery location identifier.

33 . The computer-implemented method of claim 25 , further comprising:
determining that the aerial vehicle has completed descent toward the destination; and causing the aerial vehicle to release a payload at the destination, wherein the payload includes an item ordered from an electronic commerce website.

34 . The computer-implemented method of claim 25 , further comprising:
causing the image capture device of the aerial vehicle to obtain a third image of the destination when the aerial vehicle is in a third position; processing the third image to detect an object; and in response to detecting the object, aborting descent of the aerial vehicle.

35 . The computer-implemented method of claim 34 , further comprising:
determining that the object is within a defined distance of the delivery location identifier.

36 . 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

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Harris Scott Raymond
• Safarik Stephen Thomas
• Viola Paul

Classifications

• G06V20/17

  taken from planes or by drones · CPC title

• G03B15/006 Primary

  Apparatus mounted on flying objects · CPC title

• G06V10/40

  Extraction of image or video features · CPC title

• G06V20/13

  Satellite images · CPC title

• G05D1/0676 Primary

  specially adapted for landing · CPC title