SYSTEM AND METHOD OF REAL TIME DETECTION OF AERIAL VEHICLE FLIGHT PATTERNS AND INSURANCE POLICY UPDATES

• US 20170103465A1
• Filed: 08/03/2016
• Published: 04/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackbird Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Blackbird Holdings, LLC
• Inventors: ZENTLER, Erik T.
• Granted Patent: US 9,892,464 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

A system and method for providing real-time insurance coverage and updating the insurance coverage for an aerial vehicle based on current flight characteristics and an operator profile. A current flight pattern is generated from the current flight characteristics and is compared to a flight pattern of another aerial vehicle that was involved in an incident to generate a current risk profile of the aerial vehicle. The risk profile is adjusted based on an operator profile for the current operator of the aerial vehicle. As the operator operates the aerial vehicle, an insurance policy is automatically adjusted in real time as the risk profile changes in response to changes in the flight characteristics of the aerial vehicle.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

generating a previous flight pattern of an aerial vehicle that was involved in an incident, the previous flight pattern generated in response to previous flight characteristics of the aerial vehicle prior to the incident;

receiving signals from a plurality of sensors associated with a target aerial vehicle, wherein each of the received signals indicates a unique current flight characteristic of the target aerial vehicle;

generating an operator profile for a current operator of the target aerial vehicle in response to the current flight characteristics of the target aerial vehicle;

generating a current flight pattern of the target aerial vehicle in response to the current flight characteristics of the target aerial vehicle;

generating a current risk profile for the current operator of the target aerial vehicle in response to a comparison of the current flight pattern with the previous flight pattern;

adjusting the current risk profile based on the operator profile; and

automatically updating an insurance policy for the target aerial vehicle in real time as the current risk profile changes in response to changes in the current flight characteristics as the current operator operates the target aerial vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the current risk profile includes:

increasing the current risk profile when a score associated with the operator profile is below a first predetermined threshold; and

decreasing the current risk profile when the score associated with the operator profile is above a second predetermined threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the operator profile indicates actions performed by the current operator to control the target aerial vehicle in response to changes in the current flight characteristics.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the actions performed by the current operator include a reaction time to a change in the current flight characteristics, a type of input by the current operator in response to the change in the current flight characteristics, and a rate at which the current operator adjusts operation of the target aerial vehicle in response to the change in the current flight characteristics.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the current flight characteristics of the target aerial vehicle include at least one of:

a ground position of the target aerial vehicle, an altitude of the target aerial vehicle, a speed of the target aerial vehicle, an acceleration of the target aerial vehicle, a pitch of the target aerial vehicle, a roll of the target aerial vehicle, a yaw of the target aerial vehicle, a duration of operation of the target aerial vehicle, a lifetime inflight duration of the target aerial vehicle, known objects relative to the target aerial vehicle, or a spatial relationship between the target aerial vehicle and the current operator.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the previous flight pattern of the aerial vehicle that was involved in the incident includes a plurality of movements of the aerial vehicle within a time period prior to the incident.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a plurality of previous flight patterns of a plurality of aerial vehicles that were involved in a plurality of incidents, wherein each of the plurality of previous flight patterns includes a location of a corresponding incident, an altitude change prior to the corresponding incident, and a speed of the aerial vehicle prior to the corresponding incident.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically billing the current operator for premiums of the insurance policy as the insurance policy is updated in real time.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining operator information for the current operator of the target aerial vehicle;

obtaining aerial vehicle information for the target aerial vehicle; and

generating the insurance policy based on the operator information and the target aerial vehicle information.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the operator information for the current operator of the target aerial vehicle includes at least one of a total number of hours that the current operator has operated the target aerial vehicle, previous aerial vehicle incidents, total number of hours that the current operator has operated other aerial vehicles, or previously demonstrated ability to operate the target aerial vehicle.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the aerial vehicle information for the target aerial vehicle includes a type, a make, a model, and a total number of operating hours of the target aerial vehicle.

12. A system, comprising:

an aerial-vehicle monitoring system that receives signals from a plurality of sensors associated with an aerial vehicle, wherein each of the received signals indicates a unique current flight characteristic of the aerial vehicle; and

a risk generator computing device comprising;

a memory and a processor that executes instructions stored on the memory, wherein execution of the instructions causes the processor to;

generate a previous flight pattern of another aerial vehicle that was involved in an incident, the previous flight pattern generated in response to previous flight characteristics of the other aerial vehicle;

generate an operator profile for a current operator of the aerial vehicle in response to the current flight characteristics of the aerial vehicle;

generate a current flight pattern of the aerial vehicle in response to the current flight characteristics of the target aerial vehicle;

generate a current risk profile for the current operator of the aerial vehicle in response to a comparison of the current flight pattern with the previous flight pattern;

adjust the current risk profile based on the operator profile; and

automatically update an insurance policy for the target aerial vehicle in real time as the current risk profile changes in response to changes in the current flight characteristics as the current operator flies the aerial vehicle.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a remote-control monitoring system that receives other signals from a plurality of other sensors on a remote control that sends operation control signals to the aerial vehicle, wherein each of the other signals indicates a response from the current operator to change at least one operational parameter of the aerial vehicle to alter the current flight characteristics.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the execution of the instructions causes the processor to adjust the current risk profile by:

increasing the current risk profile when a score associated with the operator profile is below a first predetermined threshold; and

decreasing the current risk profile when the score associated with the operator profile is above a second predetermined threshold.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the operator profile indicates actions performed by the current operator to control the target aerial vehicle in response to changes in the current flight characteristics.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the previous flight pattern of the aerial vehicle that was involved in the incident includes a plurality of movements of the aerial vehicle within a time period prior to the incident.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the execution of the instructions further cause the processor to:

obtain operator information for the current operator of the target aerial vehicle;

obtain aerial vehicle information for the target aerial vehicle; and

generate the insurance policy based on the operator information and the target aerial vehicle information.

18. A risk generator computing device, comprising:

a memory that stores instructions; and

at least one processor that executes the instructions to perform actions, including;

receiving a plurality of current flight characteristics of an aerial vehicle as the aerial vehicle is operated by an operator;

generating an operator profile for the operator in response to the current flight characteristics of the aerial vehicle;

generating a current flight pattern of the aerial vehicle in response to the current flight characteristics of the target aerial vehicle;

generating a current risk profile for the operator of the aerial vehicle in response to a comparison of the current flight pattern with at least one previous flight pattern associated with another aerial vehicle involved in an incident;

adjusting the current risk profile based on the operator profile; and

automatically updating an insurance policy for the aerial vehicle in real time as the current risk profile changes in response to changes in the current flight characteristics as the operator operates the aerial vehicle.

19. The computing device of claim 18, wherein the actions performed by the operator include a reaction time to a change in the current flight characteristics, a type of input by the operator in response to the change in the current flight characteristics, and a rate at which the operator adjusts operation of the aerial vehicle in response to the change in the current flight characteristics.

20. The computing device of claim 18, wherein the current flight characteristics of the aerial vehicle include at least one of:

a ground position of the aerial vehicle, an altitude of the aerial vehicle, a speed of the aerial vehicle, an acceleration of the aerial vehicle, a pitch of the aerial vehicle, a roll of the aerial vehicle, a yaw of the aerial vehicle, a duration of operation of the aerial vehicle, a lifetime inflight duration of the aerial vehicle, known objects relative to the aerial vehicle, or a spatial relationship between the aerial vehicle and the operator.