Drone for collecting images and system for categorizing image data

• US 20140316614A1
• Filed: 12/16/2013
• Published: 10/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: David L. Newman
• Original Assignee: David L. Newman
• Inventors: Newman, David L.
• Application Number:
  US13/998,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20140316614A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/80 UAVs characterised by their small size, e.g. micro air vehicles [MAV]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/31 for surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/24 Coaxial rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/102 specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0611 Request for offers or quotes

Abstract

A data collection system provides a first computer media for collecting image data, a second computer media for analyzing the image data and locating anomalies in the image data, a third computer media for linking particular image data to address data of the property where the anomaly is present and a fourth computer media for generating a list of pertinent properties having similar anomalies by address. The image data collected by an unmanned aerial vehicle or drone.

Claims

1. A data collection system comprising:

an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a micro-processor for managing control of the UAV and transmitting and receiving data and a camera;

a ground station for controlling the UAV;

first computer media for collecting image data from the camera;

second computer media for analyzing image data and locating anomalies in the image data; and

third computer media for linking particular image data to address data.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising fourth computer media for generating a list of pertinent properties having similar anomalies by address.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the address data is obtained from Google maps or other internet mapping database.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the anomalies consist of at least one of vegetation overgrowing power lines, defective shingles on roofs, defective asphalt on driveways, debris in gutters, defective grout on brick, defective caulking on windows, excessive heat or cool air dissipation from windows, overgrown grass, excessive leaves on ground and snow filling driveway or walkway.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the second computer media may calculate a particular monetary quote for corrective services to correct the anomaly based on the measured anomaly identified from the image data.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the corrective service consists of at least one of

removing vegetation overgrowing power lines, replacing shingles on roofs, repairing asphalt on driveways, removing debris from gutters, repairing defective grout on brick, repairing defective caulking on windows, determining amount of energy saved by replacing excessive heat or cool air dissipation from windows, mowing overgrown grass, removing excessive leaves on ground and removing snow filling driveway or walkway.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the UAV is programmed to continuously provide surveillance of a group of properties over a regular period of time and to store image data for the group of properties, the image data categorized by maintenance category and analyzed to determine proper maintenance routines have been followed for a group of properties.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the maintenance routines are monitored by one of a landlord, municipality, insurance company, brokerage agency or government.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the anomalies consist of at least one of vegetation overgrowing power lines, defective shingles on roofs, defective asphalt on driveways, debris in gutters, defective grout on brick, defective caulking on windows, excessive heat or cool air dissipation from windows, overgrown grass, excessive leaves on ground and snow filling driveway or walkway.

9. A data collection system comprising:

first computer media for collecting image data;

second computer media for analyzing the image data and locating anomalies in the image data;

third computer media for linking particular image data to address data of the property where the anomaly is present; and

fourth computer media for generating a list of pertinent properties having similar anomalies by address.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the address data is obtained from Google maps or other internet mapping database.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the second computer media may calculate a particular monetary quote for corrective services to correct the anomaly based on the measured anomaly identified from the image data.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the corrective service consists of at least one of

removing vegetation overgrowing power lines, replacing shingles on roofs, repairing asphalt on driveways, removing debris from gutters, repairing defective grout on brick, repairing defective caulking on windows, determining amount of energy saved by replacing excessive heat or cool air dissipation from windows, mowing overgrown grass, removing excessive leaves on ground and removing snow filling driveway or walkway.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the UAV is programmed to continuously provide surveillance of a group of properties over a regular period of time and to store image data for the group of properties, the image data categorized by maintenance category and analyzed to determine proper maintenance routines have been followed for a group of properties.

15. A method of collecting and classifying comprising the steps of:

collecting image data from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV);

analyzing the image data and locating anomalies in the image data;

linking particular image data to address data of the property where the anomaly is present; and

generating a list of pertinent properties having similar anomalies by address.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of calculating a particular monetary quote for corrective services to correct the anomaly based on the measured anomaly identified from the image data.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the corrective service consists of at least one of removing vegetation overgrowing power lines, replacing shingles on roofs, repairing asphalt on driveways, removing debris from gutters, repairing defective grout on brick, repairing defective caulking on windows, determining amount of energy saved by replacing excessive heat or cool air dissipation from windows, mowing overgrown grass, removing excessive leaves on ground and removing snow filling driveway or walkway.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of programming the UAV to continuously provide surveillance of a group of properties over a regular period of time and storing image data for the group of properties, categorizing the image data by maintenance category and analyzing the image data to determine that proper maintenance routines have been followed for a group of properties.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of launching the UAV from a moving ground vehicle, providing verbal instructions to control the UAV and retrieving image data from the UAV that coordinates the itinerary and routing of the ground vehicle.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the ground vehicle is a cross country truck and the image data includes at least one of bridge data, traffic data, road construction data and weather data.