Ground effect based surface sensing using propellers in automated aerial vehicles
First Claim
1. An automated aerial vehicle, comprising:
- first and second propellers;
first and second propeller motors that rotate the first and second propellers, respectively;
a power supply connected to the first and second propeller motors that provides power to the first and second propeller motors; and
a control system, comprising;
one or more processors; and
a memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to at least;
control the first propeller motor to rotate the first propeller, wherein a first parameter is associated with the first propeller and a level of the first parameter is influenced by a first ground effect, the first ground effect corresponding to a condition in which an airflow of the first propeller is directed against a surface which increases an effective thrust of the first propeller and which influences a level of the first parameter;
control the second propeller motor to rotate the second propeller, wherein a second parameter is associated with the second propeller and a level of the second parameter is influenced by a second ground effect, the second ground effect corresponding to a condition in which an airflow of the second propeller is directed against a surface which increases an effective thrust of the second propeller and which influences a level of the second parameter; and
determine that a first proximity of a first portion of the automated aerial vehicle is different than a second proximity of a second portion of the automated aerial vehicle to the surface based at least in part on a difference between a level of the first parameter as influenced by the first ground effect and a level of the second parameter as influenced by the second ground effect.
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Abstract
A system and method for operating an automated aerial vehicle are provided wherein influences of ground effects (e.g., which may increase the effective thrusts of propellers by interfering with the respective airflows) are utilized for sensing the ground or other surfaces. In various implementations, operating parameters of the automated aerial vehicle are monitored to determine when ground effects are influencing the parameters associated with each of the propellers, which correspondingly indicate proximities to a surface (e.g., the ground). Utilizing such techniques, proximities of different portions of an automated aerial vehicle to the ground or other surfaces may be determined (e.g., for detecting issues with an uneven landing area, a sloped ground, etc.).
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An automated aerial vehicle, comprising:
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first and second propellers; first and second propeller motors that rotate the first and second propellers, respectively; a power supply connected to the first and second propeller motors that provides power to the first and second propeller motors; and a control system, comprising; one or more processors; and a memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to at least; control the first propeller motor to rotate the first propeller, wherein a first parameter is associated with the first propeller and a level of the first parameter is influenced by a first ground effect, the first ground effect corresponding to a condition in which an airflow of the first propeller is directed against a surface which increases an effective thrust of the first propeller and which influences a level of the first parameter; control the second propeller motor to rotate the second propeller, wherein a second parameter is associated with the second propeller and a level of the second parameter is influenced by a second ground effect, the second ground effect corresponding to a condition in which an airflow of the second propeller is directed against a surface which increases an effective thrust of the second propeller and which influences a level of the second parameter; and determine that a first proximity of a first portion of the automated aerial vehicle is different than a second proximity of a second portion of the automated aerial vehicle to the surface based at least in part on a difference between a level of the first parameter as influenced by the first ground effect and a level of the second parameter as influenced by the second ground effect. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system, comprising:
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an automated aerial vehicle, comprising; a plurality of propellers, wherein each propeller is rotated by a propeller motor; a computing system, comprising; one or more processors; and a memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to at least; monitor one or more parameter levels, wherein each parameter level is associated with a respective propeller and is influenced by a respective ground effect, and each ground effect corresponds to a condition in which an airflow of the respective propeller is directed against a surface which increases an effective thrust of the respective propeller and which influences the respective parameter level; and determine that a first proximity of a first portion of the automated aerial vehicle is different than a second proximity of a second portion of the automated aerial vehicle to the surface based at least in part on the one or more parameter levels. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer-implemented method for operating an automated aerial vehicle, comprising:
under control of one or more computing systems configured with executable instructions, controlling a plurality of propeller motors for flying the automated aerial vehicle along a flight path, each of the propeller motors rotating a respective propeller; and determining that a first proximity of a first portion of the automated aerial vehicle to a surface is different than a second proximity of a second portion of the automated aerial vehicle to the surface based at least in part on one or more parameter levels, wherein each parameter level of the one or more parameter levels is associated with a respective propeller and is influenced by a respective ground effect, and each ground effect corresponds to a condition in which an airflow of the respective propeller is directed against a surface which increases an effective thrust of the respective propeller and which influences the respective parameter level. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
Specification