Wind tower and wind farm inspections via unmanned aircraft systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9759200-B2
Application number	US-201414335115-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2014
Priority date	Jul 18, 2014
Publication date	Sep 12, 2017
Grant date	Sep 12, 2017

Abstract

An unmanned aircraft system (UAS) to inspect equipment and a method of inspecting equipment with the UAS are described. The UAS includes a scanner to obtain images of the equipment and a memory device to store information for the UAS. The UAS also includes a processor to determine a real-time flight path based on the images and the stored information, and a camera mounted on the UAS to obtain camera images of the equipment as the UAS traverses the real-time flight path.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of inspecting equipment with an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), the method comprising:
obtaining images of the equipment;
obtaining, from a memory device, stored information for the UAS;
determining, using a processor, a real-time flight path for the UAS based on the images and the stored information;
obtaining camera images of the equipment, using a camera of the UAS, while traversing the real-time flight path with the UAS,
wherein the stored information includes rules to generate the real-time flight path, and the determining the real-time flight path includes processing the images to obtain a real-time three-dimensional model of the equipment and applying the rules to the real-time three-dimensional model, and
overlaying the camera images on the real-time three-dimensional model as a textural overlay.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the UAS flying from a remote location to the equipment based on global positioning system (GPS) coordinates of the equipment.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the obtaining the images includes scanning the equipment with a laser scanner.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, using an interface of the UAS, the camera images of the equipment.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the inspecting the equipment includes inspecting wind turbine towers of a wind farm.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable medium on an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) storing instructions which, when processed by a processor of the UAS, cause the processor to implement a method of inspecting equipment, the method comprising:
obtaining images of the equipment;
obtaining stored information for the UAS;
determining a real-time flight path for the UAS based on the images and the stored information;
obtaining camera images of the equipment, using a camera of the UAS, while traversing the real-time flight path with the UAS,
wherein the stored information includes rules to generate the real-time flight path, and the determining the real-time flight path includes processing the images to obtain a real-time three-dimensional model of the equipment and applying the rules to the real-time three-dimensional model, and
overlaying the camera images on the real-time three-dimensional model as a textural overlay.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 6 , further comprising transmitting the camera images of the equipment.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 6 , wherein the inspecting the equipment includes inspecting wind turbine towers of a wind farm.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Craft David Glenn
• Thompson Christopher Edward

Classifications

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• B64C2201/127

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• H04N7/185

  from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control · CPC title

• F03D11/0091 Primary

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• F03D17/00 Primary

  Monitoring or testing of wind motors, e.g. diagnostics (testing during commissioning of wind motors F03D13/30) · CPC title