Unmanned aerial vehicle rooftop inspection system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021065563-A1
Application number	US-201816132284-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 14, 2018
Priority date	Dec 31, 2015
Publication date	Mar 4, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for an unmanned aerial system inspection system. One of the methods is performed by a UAV and includes receiving, by the UAV, flight information describing a job to perform an inspection of a rooftop. A particular altitude is ascended to, and an inspection of the rooftop is performed including obtaining sensor information describing the rooftop. Location information identifying a damaged area of the rooftop is received. The damaged area of the rooftop is traveled to. An inspection of the damaged area of the rooftop is performed including obtaining detailed sensor information describing the damaged area. A safe landing location is traveled to.

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 one or more inspection locations for a structure, wherein the one or more inspection locations each comprise a waypoint having a geospatial reference; navigating the UAV to ascend to a clearance altitude above the height of the structure; conducting an inspection for an inspection location of the one or more inspection locations, the inspection comprising:
navigating the UAV to a position above the inspection location, and at the position, navigating the UAV to descend to an inspection altitude above the inspection location, and
obtaining, at the inspection altitude, information from one or more sensors describing the structure;
navigating the UAV to ascend to an altitude higher than the inspection altitude; and navigating the UAV to a landing location.

Assignees

• Skydio Inc

Inventors

• Bauer Mark Patrick
• Richman Brian
• Poole Alan Jay
• Michini Bernard J
• Lovegren Jonathan Anders
• Bethke Brett Michael
• Li Hui

Classifications

• G06V20/17

  taken from planes or by drones · CPC title

• B64U2201/202

  using tethers for connecting to ground station · CPC title

• B64U2201/20

  Remote controls · CPC title

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• G06F18/24

  Classification techniques · CPC title