Backup navigation system for unmanned aerial vehicles
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- operating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to begin a flight along a first flight path to a destination, wherein the UAV uses a primary navigation system to navigate to the destination;
operating an image capture device coupled to the UAV and having a field-of-view (FOV) of an environment of the UAV to capture a first set of images as the UAV travels along the first flight path;
analyzing the images to localize visual features within the environment;
generating a local flight log for the first flight path, wherein the local flight log comprises location information and image data for the detected features;
detecting a failure event involving the primary navigation system;
responsive to detecting the failure event, capturing at least one post-failure image using the image capture device;
identifying, in the at least one post-failure image, one or more visual features within the environment; and
detecting a match between a first of the identified visual features and a first of the localized visual features, and responsively;
determining, based at least in part on (i) location information for the first localized visual feature indicated by the local flight log, and (ii) an orientation of the UAV corresponding to the capture of the post-failure image, a current location of the UAV.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Described is a method that involves operating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to begin a flight, where the UAV relies on a navigation system to navigate to a destination. During the flight, the method involves operating a camera to capture images of the UAV'"'"'s environment, and analyzing the images to detect features in the environment. The method also involves establishing a correlation between features detected in different images, and using location information from the navigation system to localize a feature detected in different images. Further, the method involves generating a flight log that includes the localized feature. Also, the method involves detecting a failure involving the navigation system, and responsively operating the camera to capture a post-failure image. The method also involves identifying one or more features in the post-failure image, and determining a location of the UAV based on a relationship between an identified feature and a localized feature.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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operating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to begin a flight along a first flight path to a destination, wherein the UAV uses a primary navigation system to navigate to the destination; operating an image capture device coupled to the UAV and having a field-of-view (FOV) of an environment of the UAV to capture a first set of images as the UAV travels along the first flight path; analyzing the images to localize visual features within the environment; generating a local flight log for the first flight path, wherein the local flight log comprises location information and image data for the detected features; detecting a failure event involving the primary navigation system; responsive to detecting the failure event, capturing at least one post-failure image using the image capture device; identifying, in the at least one post-failure image, one or more visual features within the environment; and detecting a match between a first of the identified visual features and a first of the localized visual features, and responsively; determining, based at least in part on (i) location information for the first localized visual feature indicated by the local flight log, and (ii) an orientation of the UAV corresponding to the capture of the post-failure image, a current location of the UAV. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:
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a primary navigation system that provides the UAV with navigational functionality; a backup navigation system configured to replace the navigational functionality of the primary navigation system upon detecting a failure event involving the primary navigation system; wherein the backup navigation system comprises an image capture device configured to capture images of an environment of the UAV and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to; operate the UAV to begin a flight along a first flight path to a destination; operate the backup navigation system in a feature localization mode in which the controller;
(i) causes the image capture device to capture a first set of images along the first flight path, and (ii) analyzes the images to localize a set of visual features within the environment, wherein each localized visual feature is associated with a respective geolocation, and wherein the set of localized features is stored in a memory location;detect a failure event involving the primary navigation system; responsive to detecting the failure event, operate the backup navigation system in a UAV localization mode in which the controller;
(i) causes the image capture device to capture at least one post-failure image of the environment, (ii) identifies in the at least one post-failure image visual features within the environment, and (iii) compares the identified visual features to the set of localized visual features stored in the memory location; anddetect a match between a first of the identified visual features and a first of the localized visual features, and responsively determine, based at least in part on (i) location information for the first localized visual feature indicated by the local flight log, and (ii) an orientation of the UAV corresponding to the capture of the post-failure image, a current location of the UAV. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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Specification