Unmanned aircraft structure evaluation system and method

• US 10,032,078 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2017
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pictometry International Corporation (EagleView Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Pictometry International Corporation (EagleView Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Schultz, Stephen L., Monaco, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huynh, Luat T
• Application Number:
  US15/803,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20180060658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 263 Days
• Field of Search: 701 3, 701 2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/27 providing all-round vision, e.g. using omnidirectional cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/10 Rotorcrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/87 Mounting of imaging devices, e.g. mounting of gimbals
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/39 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 Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/51 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5838 using colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5866 using information manually generated, e.g. tags, keywords, comments, manually generated location and time information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/587 using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/176 Urban or other man-made structures
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0086 for monitoring terrain radar or analogous systems specially adapted for terrain avoidance G01S13/935
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/045 : Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. determination of anti-collision manoeuvers radar or analogous systems specially adapted for anti-collision between aircraft G01S13/933
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 : for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 : End-user applications

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed including 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 software to cause the one or more processors to: display on the display unit one or more images, from an image database, depicting a structure; receive a validation from the input unit indicating a validation of a location of the structure depicted in the one or more images; generate unmanned aircraft information including flight path information configured to direct an unmanned aircraft to fly a flight path above the structure and capture sensor data from a camera on the unmanned aircraft while the unmanned aircraft is flying the flight path; receive the sensor data from the unmanned aircraft; and generate a structure report based at least in part on the sensor data.

Claims

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 software to cause the one or more processors to;

display, on the display unit, one or more images depicting a structure;

receive a validation from the input unit indicating validation of a location of the structure depicted in the one or more images;

generate unmanned aircraft information including flight path information configured to direct an unmanned aircraft to fly a flight path above the structure and capture sensor data from a camera on the unmanned aircraft while the unmanned aircraft is flying the flight path;

receive the sensor data from the unmanned aircraft; and

generate a structure report based at least in part on the sensor data.

2. The computerized system of claim 1, wherein the flight path information includes a plurality of capture points adjacent to the structure such that the unmanned aircraft captures sensor data of the structure at the plurality of capture points.

3. The computerized system of claim 2, wherein a first one of the plurality of capture points is positioned to direct the unmanned aircraft to capture sensor data of the structure from a first angle relative to the structure and a second one of the plurality of capture points is positioned to direct the unmanned aircraft to capture sensor data of the structure from a second angle relative to the structure.

4. The computerized system of claim 1, wherein the unmanned aircraft is a multi-rotor aircraft.

5. 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 software to cause the one or more processors to;

display on the display unit a first graphical representation of a structure to be inspected, the first graphical representation comprising one or more images describing an aerial view of the structure;

generate unmanned aircraft information including flight path information configured to direct an unmanned aircraft to fly a flight path above the structure and capture sensor data from a camera on the unmanned aircraft while the unmanned aircraft is flying the flight path, the flight path having first instructions to navigate the unmanned aircraft at a first altitude above the structure during a first portion of the flight path and second instructions to navigate the unmanned aircraft at a second altitude above the structure during a second portion of the flight path;

receive the sensor data from the unmanned aircraft; and

generate a structure report based at least in part on the sensor data.

6. The computerized system of claim 5, wherein the flight path information includes a plurality of capture points adjacent to the structure such that the unmanned aircraft captures sensor data of the structure at the plurality of capture points.

7. The computerized system of claim 6, wherein a first one of the plurality of capture points is positioned to direct the unmanned aircraft to capture sensor data of the structure from a first angle relative to the structure and a second one of the plurality of capture points is positioned to direct the unmanned aircraft to capture sensor data of the structure from a second angle relative to the structure.

8. The computerized system of claim 5, wherein the unmanned aircraft is a multi-rotor aircraft.

9. 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 software to cause the one or more processors to;

display on the display unit a first graphical representation of a structure to be inspected and an object incident and above at least a portion of the structure such that a first flight path above or around the structure would go through the object, the first graphical representation comprising one or more images describing an aerial view of the structure and the object;

determine a location of the object from the first graphical representation;

generate unmanned aircraft information including flight path information configured to direct an unmanned aircraft to fly a second flight path above the structure and to avoid the object, and capture sensor data from a camera on the unmanned aircraft while the unmanned aircraft is flying the second flight path;

receive the sensor data from the unmanned aircraft; and

generate a structure report based at least in part on the sensor data.

10. The computerized system of claim 9, wherein the flight path information includes a plurality of capture points adjacent to the structure such that the unmanned aircraft captures sensor data of the structure at the plurality of capture points.

11. The computerized system of claim 10, wherein a first one of the plurality of capture points is positioned to direct the unmanned aircraft to capture sensor data of the structure from a first angle relative to the structure and a second one of the plurality of capture points is positioned to direct the unmanned aircraft to capture sensor data of the structure from a second angle relative to the structure.

12. The computerized system of claim 9, wherein the unmanned aircraft is a multi-rotor aircraft.

13. 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 software to cause the one or more processors to;

display on the display unit a first graphical representation of a structure to be inspected, the first graphical representation comprising one or more images describing an aerial view of the structure;

generate unmanned aircraft information including flight path information configured to direct an unmanned aircraft to fly a flight path above the structure, and capture sensor data from a camera on the unmanned aircraft while the unmanned aircraft is flying the flight path, the flight path information including instructions to direct a roll, pitch or yaw of the unmanned aircraft to aim the camera at the structure;

receive the sensor data from the unmanned aircraft; and

generate a structure report based at least in part on the sensor data.

14. The computerized system of claim 13, wherein the flight path information includes a plurality of capture points adjacent to the structure such that the unmanned aircraft captures sensor data of the structure at the plurality of capture points.

15. The computerized system of claim 14, wherein a first one of the plurality of capture points is positioned to direct the unmanned aircraft to capture sensor data of the structure from a first angle relative to the structure and a second one of the plurality of capture points is positioned to direct the unmanned aircraft to capture sensor data of the structure from a second angle relative to the structure.

16. The computerized system of claim 13, wherein the unmanned aircraft is a multi-rotor aircraft.