OPTICALLY ASSISTED LANDING OF AUTONOMOUS UNMANNED AIRCRAFT
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A landing system comprising:
- a landing platform comprising first and second optical markers, wherein the first optical marker is larger than the second optical marker;
an unmanned aerial vehicle comprising;
an electronic camera; and
a hardware processor configured to execute computer-executable instructions to at least;
access a first image captured by the electronic camera, wherein the first image is of the first optical marker;
determine a first position of the unmanned aerial vehicle relative to the first optical marker based at least in part on the accessed first image;
cause a change in altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle based at least in part on the determined first position;
access a second image captured by the electronic camera, wherein the second image is of the second optical marker;
determine a second position of the unmanned aerial vehicle relative to the second optical marker based at least in part on the accessed second image; and
cause a further change in altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle based at least in part on the determined second position.
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Abstract
Systems, methods, apparatuses, and landing platforms are provided for visual and/or ground-based landing of unmanned aerial vehicles. The unmanned aerial vehicles may be capable of autonomously landing. Autonomous landings may be achieved by the unmanned air vehicles with the use of an imager and one or more optical markers on a landing platform. The optical markers may be rectilinear, monochromatic patterns that may be detected by a computing system on the unmanned aerial vehicle. Furthermore, the unmanned aerial vehicle may be able to automatically land by detecting one or more optical markers and calculating a relative location and/or orientation from the landing platform.
122 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A landing system comprising:
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a landing platform comprising first and second optical markers, wherein the first optical marker is larger than the second optical marker; an unmanned aerial vehicle comprising; an electronic camera; and a hardware processor configured to execute computer-executable instructions to at least; access a first image captured by the electronic camera, wherein the first image is of the first optical marker; determine a first position of the unmanned aerial vehicle relative to the first optical marker based at least in part on the accessed first image; cause a change in altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle based at least in part on the determined first position; access a second image captured by the electronic camera, wherein the second image is of the second optical marker; determine a second position of the unmanned aerial vehicle relative to the second optical marker based at least in part on the accessed second image; and cause a further change in altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle based at least in part on the determined second position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for landing an unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:
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accessing a first image, wherein the first image is of a first optical marker; determining a first position of an unmanned aerial vehicle relative to the first optical marker based at least in part on the accessed first image; providing first instructions to the unmanned aerial vehicle to change from the determined first position to a second position; accessing a second image, wherein the second image is of a second optical marker, and wherein the second optical marker is a different size than the first optical marker; determining a third position of the unmanned aerial vehicle relative to the second optical marker based at least in part on the accessed second image; and providing second instructions to the unmanned aerial vehicle to change from the determined third position to a fourth position. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A landing platform comprising:
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a landing area, wherein the landing area is capable of supporting one or more unmanned aerial vehicles; and a marking area comprising a first optical marker and a second optical marker, wherein the first optical marker is larger than the second optical marker, and wherein each optical marker of the first and second optical markers are detectable to enable a first unmanned aerial vehicle to determine its position relative to each respective optical marker of the first and second optical markers. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification