Unmanned aircraft structure evaluation system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9612598-B2
Application number	US-201514591556-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 7, 2015
Priority date	Jan 10, 2014
Publication date	Apr 4, 2017
Grant date	Apr 4, 2017

Abstract

An unmanned aircraft structure evaluation system includes a computer system with an input unit, a display unit, one or more processors, and one or more non-transitory computer readable medium. Image display and analysis software causes the one or more processors to generate unmanned aircraft information. The unmanned aircraft information includes flight path information configured to direct an unmanned aircraft to fly a flight path around the structure.

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 image display and analysis software to cause the one or more processors to:
receive an identification of a structure from the input unit, the structure having multiple sides and an outline;
obtain data indicative of multiple geographic positions pertaining to an outline of a structure having multiple sides and structure height information;
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 geographic positions of the outline of the structure, the lateral and vertical offset being dependent upon the structure height information, an orientation of the camera relative to the unmanned aircraft, and the characteristics of the camera; and,

storing the unmanned aircraft information on the one or more non-transitory computer readable medium.

2. The computerized system of claim 1 , wherein the image display and analysis software causes the one or more processors to cause a camera on the unmanned aircraft to capture at least one image of at least one of the sides of the structure.

3. The computerized system of claim 2 , wherein the image display and analysis software causes the one or more processors to display an image of the structure on the display unit, the image depicting at least a portion of the outline of the structure.

4. The computerized system of claim 3 , wherein the image is a first image, and wherein the image display and analysis software causes the one or more processors to display a second image and a flight path layer overlaying the second image, the flight path layer depicting the flight path that the flight path information is configured to direct the unmanned aircraft to fly.

5. The computerized system of claim 4 , wherein the first image is selected from a group consisting of an oblique image and a nadir image; and the second image is selected from a group consisting of an oblique image and a nadir image.

6. The computerized system of claim 2 , wherein the computer system includes a communication port and wherein the image display and analysis software causes the one or more processors to receive, via the communication port, one or more oblique images captured by the unmanned aircraft and store the one or more oblique images in the one or more non-transitory computer readable medium.

7. The computerized system of claim 6 , wherein the computer system includes a user terminal having one or more first processors communicating with a computer system having one or more second processors and hosting an aerial imaging database, and wherein the image display and analysis software causes the one or more first processors to receive the one or more oblique images captured by the unmanned aircraft and communicate with the one or more second processors to load the one or more oblique images into the aerial imaging database.

8. The computerized system of claim 7 , wherein the oblique images are first images, and wherein one or more second images are stored in the one or more non-transitory computer readable medium, and wherein the image display and analysis software causes the one or more processors to display the first images and the one or more second images simultaneously on the display unit.

9. The computerized system of claim 1 , wherein the computer system includes a communication port and wherein the image display and analysis software causes the one or more processors to load the unmanned aircraft information onto the unmanned aircraft via the communication port.

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 image display and analysis software to cause the one or more processors to:
receive an identification of a structure from the input unit, the structure having multiple sides and an outline;
obtaining data indicative of multiple geographic positions pertaining to the outline of the structure and structure height information,
generating unmanned aircraft information including:
flight path information configured to direct an unmanned aircraft to fly a flight path around the structure that is laterally and vertically offset from the geographic positions of the outline of the structure; and
camera control information configured to cause a camera on the unmanned aircraft to capture oblique images of at least one of the sides of the structure; and

storing the unmanned aircraft information on the one or more non-transitory computer readable medium.

11. The computerized system of claim 10 , wherein the image display and analysis software causes the one or more processors to display an image of a structure on the display unit, the image depicting at least a portion of the outline of the structure.

12. The computerized system of claim 11 , wherein the image is a first image, and wherein the image display and analysis software causes the one or more processors to display a second image and a flight path layer overlaying the second image, the flight path layer depicting the flight path that the flight path information is configured to direct the unmanned aircraft to fly.

13. The computerized system of claim 12 , wherein the first image is selected from a group consisting of an oblique image and a nadir image; and the second image is selected from a group consisting of an oblique image and a nadir image.

14. The computerized system of claim 10 , wherein the computer system includes a communication port and wherein the image display and analysis software causes the one or more processors to load the unmanned aircraft information onto the unmanned aircraft via the communication port.

15. The computerized system of claim 10 , wherein the computer system includes a communication port and wherein the image display and analysis software causes the one or more processors to receive the one or more oblique images captured by the unmanned aircraft and store the one or more oblique images in the one or more non-transitory computer readable medium.

16. The computerized system of claim 15 , wherein the computer system includes a user terminal having one or more first processors communicating with a computer system having one or more second processors and hosting an aerial imaging database, and wherein the image display and analysis software causes the one or more first processors to receive the one or more oblique images captured by the unmanned aircraft and communicate with the one or more second processors to load the one or more oblique images into the aerial imaging database.

17. The computerized system of claim 16 , wherein the oblique images are first images, and wherein one or more second images are stored in the one or more non-transitory computer readable medium, and wherein the image display and analysis software causes the one or more processors to display the first images and the one or more second images simultaneously on the display unit.

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

• B64U2201/10

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

• B64U2201/20

  Remote controls · CPC title

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title