Systems and methods for obtaining accurate 3D modeling data using multiple cameras

• US 10,187,806 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2017
• Issued: 01/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Etak Systems, Llc
• Original Assignee: Etak Systems, Llc
• Inventors: Priest, Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Kimberly A
• Application Number:
  US15/415,040
• Publication Number:
  US 20170134963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• Field of Search: 345427
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/06 with single rotor
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/80 Arrangement of on-board electronics, e.g. avionics systems or wiring
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/202 using tethers for connecting to ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0866 specially adapted to captive aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/145 involving simulating, designing, planning or modelling of a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools

Abstract

Systems and methods using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to obtain data capture at a cell site for developing a three dimensional (3D) thereof include causing the UAV to fly a given flight path about a cell tower at the cell site; obtaining data capture during the flight path about the cell tower, wherein the data capture includes a plurality of photos or video subject to a plurality of constraints, wherein the plurality of photos are obtained by a plurality of cameras which are coordinated with one another; and subsequent to the obtaining, processing the data capture to define a three dimensional (3D) model of the cell site based on one or more objects of interest in the data capture.

Claims

1. A method using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to obtain data capture at a cell site for developing a three dimensional (3D) model thereof, the method comprising:

causing the UAV to fly a given flight path about a cell tower at the cell site;

obtaining data capture during the flight path about the cell tower, wherein the data capture comprises a plurality of photos or video subject to a plurality of constraints, wherein the plurality of photos are obtained by a plurality of cameras on the UAV which are coordinated with one another and which each have different settings for one or more of angle, zoom, and focus, wherein the flight path comprises a plurality of orbits comprising at least four orbits around the cell tower each with a different set of characteristics of altitude, radius, and camera angle with each of the plurality of cameras angled downward, and wherein a number of the plurality of orbits, a number of the plurality of photos, and the different set is based on whether the cell tower is a self-support tower, a guyed tower, or a monopole tower; and

subsequent to the obtaining, processing the data capture to define a three dimensional (3D) model of the cell site based on one or more objects of interest in the data capture,

wherein the plurality of constraints comprise (i) each flight of the UAV having a similar lighting condition and at about a same time of day, (ii) each flight having a take off and landing at a same location in a same orientation, and (iii) each photograph taken with between about 75% and 80% overlap with adjacent photographs for processing to create the three-dimensional (3D) model.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

remotely performing a site survey of the cell site utilizing a Graphical User Interface (GUI) of the 3D model to collect and obtain information about the cell site, the cell tower, one or more buildings, and interiors thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a launch location and launch orientation is defined for the UAV to take off and land at the cell site such that each flight at the cell site has the same launch location and launch orientation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a total number of photos comprises around 300-400 for a monopole cell tower and 500-600 for a self-support cell tower, and the total number is taken concurrently by the plurality of cameras.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data capture comprises a plurality of photographs each with at least 10 megapixels.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the data capture comprises a video with at least 4 k high definition.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of constraints comprises a plurality of flight paths around the cell tower with each of the plurality of flight paths at one or more of different elevations.

8. An apparatus adapted to obtain data capture at a cell site for developing a three dimensional (3D) model thereof, the apparatus comprising:

a network interface and a processor communicatively coupled to one another; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to cause the UAV to fly a given flight path about a cell tower at the cell site;

obtain data capture during the flight path about the cell tower, wherein the data capture comprises a plurality of photos or video subject to a plurality of constraints, wherein the plurality of photos are obtained by a plurality of cameras on the UAV which are coordinated with one another and which each have different settings for one or more of angle, zoom, and focus, wherein the flight path comprises a plurality of orbits comprising at least four orbits around the cell tower each with a different set of characteristics of altitude, radius, and camera angle with each of the plurality of cameras angled downward, and wherein a number of the plurality of orbits, a number of the plurality of photos, and the different set is based on whether the cell tower is a self-support tower, a guyed tower, or a monopole tower; and

process the obtained data capture to define a three dimensional (3D) model of the cell site based on one or more objects of interest in the data capture,

wherein the plurality of constraints comprise (i) each flight of the UAV having a similar lighting condition and at about a same time of day, (ii) each flight having a take off and landing at a same location in a same orientation, and (iii) each photograph taken with between about 75% and 80% overlap with adjacent photographs for processing to create the three-dimensional (3D) model.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to

perform a site survey of the cell site utilizing a Graphical User Interface (GUI) of the 3D model to collect and obtain information about the cell site, the cell tower, one or more buildings, and interiors thereof.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a launch location and launch orientation is defined for the UAV to take off and land at the cell site such that each flight at the cell site has the same launch location and launch orientation.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a total number of photos comprises around 300-400 for a monopole cell tower and 500-600 for a self-support cell tower, and the total number is taken concurrently by the plurality of cameras.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the data capture comprises a plurality of photographs each with at least 10 megapixels.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the data capture comprises a video with at least 4 k high definition.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the plurality of constraints comprises a plurality of flight paths around the cell tower with each of the plurality of flight paths at one or more of different elevations.

15. An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) adapted to obtain data capture at a cell site for developing a three dimensional (3D) model thereof, the UAV comprising:

one or more rotors disposed to a body;

a plurality of cameras associated with the body;

wireless interfaces;

a processor coupled to the wireless interfaces and the camera; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to

fly the UAV about a given flight path about a cell tower at the cell site;

obtain data capture during the flight path about the cell tower, wherein the data capture comprises a plurality of photos or video, wherein the plurality of photos are obtained by the plurality of cameras which are on the UAV and coordinated with one another and which each have different settings for one or more of angle, zoom, and focus, wherein the flight path comprises a plurality of orbits comprising at least four orbits around the cell tower each with a different set of characteristics of altitude, radius, and camera angle with each of the plurality of cameras angled downward, and wherein a number of the plurality of orbits, a number of the plurality of photos, and the different set is based on whether the cell tower is a self-support tower, a guyed tower, or a monopole tower; and

provide the obtained data for a server to process the obtained data capture to define a three dimensional (3D) model of the cell site based on one or more objects of interest in the data capture,

wherein the plurality of constraints comprise (i) each flight of the UAV having a similar lighting condition and at about a same time of day, (ii) each flight having a take off and landing at a same location in a same orientation, and (iii) each photograph taken with between about 75% and 80% overlap with adjacent photographs for processing to create the three-dimensional (3D) model.

16. The UAV of claim 15, wherein the data capture comprises a plurality of photographs each with at least 10 megapixels.