FLIGHT PATH DEVELOPMENT FOR REMOTE SENSING VEHICLES IN A MOVING REFERENCE FRAME
First Claim
1. A method of producing a travel path for a vehicle, comprising:
- receiving target parameters, wherein the target parameters determine a location of a target area with respect to a first reference frame;
receiving a velocity a second reference frame is moving with respect to the first reference frame;
receiving one or more sensor parameters relating to a sensor to be transported by a vehicle traveling in the second reference frame so as to travel along a travel path with respect to the target, anddetermining a travel path for the vehicle with respect to the target area, wherein the travel path includes travel curves and turns, wherein when the vehicle travels along the travel curves the sensor acquires sensor data with respect to the target area to be used to provide information regarding the target area and when the vehicle travels along the turns the sensor does not acquire sensor data with respect to the target area to be used to provide information regarding the target area, wherein the turns connect the travel curves to form the travel path.
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Abstract
Embodiments of the invention relate to a method and apparatus to produce a flightplan for a sUAS. Embodiments can produce such a flightplan for a variety of environmental and/or geographical parameters. A specific embodiment produces an optimal flightplan based on one or more metrics and/or one or more assumptions or boundary conditions. Embodiments take in vehicle parameters and/or the properties of the sensor systems used for imaging, and compute a partial, or complete, flightplan. Such a flightplan can include altitude, airspeeds, flight paths encompassing the target area, and/or the direction and/or path to turn in-between flightlines. Embodiments can improve the flight planning procedure compared to a manual process, which can be completely dependent on the operator, to implement a partially, or totally, automated process. Specific embodiments can produce a flightplan that results in the optimal data collection path.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of producing a travel path for a vehicle, comprising:
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receiving target parameters, wherein the target parameters determine a location of a target area with respect to a first reference frame; receiving a velocity a second reference frame is moving with respect to the first reference frame; receiving one or more sensor parameters relating to a sensor to be transported by a vehicle traveling in the second reference frame so as to travel along a travel path with respect to the target, and determining a travel path for the vehicle with respect to the target area, wherein the travel path includes travel curves and turns, wherein when the vehicle travels along the travel curves the sensor acquires sensor data with respect to the target area to be used to provide information regarding the target area and when the vehicle travels along the turns the sensor does not acquire sensor data with respect to the target area to be used to provide information regarding the target area, wherein the turns connect the travel curves to form the travel path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. The method according 14, wherein if the width of the turn is larger than the flightline width and the wind is a crosswind or the aircraft is traveling upwind, the turn is a bulb turn, wherein if the width of the turn is larger than the flightline width and the aircraft is traveling upwind, the turn is a hook turn, wherein if the width of the turn is larger than the flightline width and the aircraft is flying downwind, the turn is a hook turn, wherein if the width of the turn is not larger than the flightline width the turn is a flat turn.
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17. A method of acquiring sensor data with respect to a target area, comprising:
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traveling a vehicle along a travel path with respect to a target area, wherein a sensor is transported by the vehicle and acquires sensor data with respect to the target area while the vehicle travels along the travel path, wherein the travel path is produced via; receiving target parameters, wherein the target parameters determine a location of a target area with respect to a first reference frame; receiving a velocity a second reference frame is moving with respect to the first reference frame; receiving one or more sensor parameters relating to a sensor to be transported by a vehicle traveling in the second reference frame so as to travel along a travel path with respect to the target, and determining a travel path for the vehicle with respect to the target area, wherein the travel path includes travel curves and turns, wherein when the vehicle travels along the travel curves the sensor acquires sensor data with respect to the target area to be used to provide information regarding the target area and when the vehicle travels along the turns the sensor does not acquire sensor data with respect to the target area to be used to provide information regarding the target area, wherein the turns connect the travel curves to form the travel path. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing a set of instructions that when executed cause a computer to perform a method, the method comprising:
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receiving target parameters, wherein the target parameters determine a location of a target area with respect to a first reference frame; receiving a velocity a second reference frame is moving with respect to the first reference frame; receiving one or more sensor parameters relating to a sensor to be transported by a vehicle traveling in the second reference frame so as to travel along a travel path with respect to the target, and determining a travel path for the vehicle with respect to the target area, wherein the travel path includes travel curves and turns, wherein when the vehicle travels along the travel curves the sensor acquires sensor data with respect to the target area to be used to provide information regarding the target area and when the vehicle travels along the turns the sensor does not acquire sensor data with respect to the target area to be used to provide information regarding the target area, wherein the turns connect the travel curves to form the travel path. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification