UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE FOR GENERATING GEOLOCATION EXCLUSION ZONES OF ANIMALS

• US 20170238505A1
• Filed: 02/19/2016
• Published: 08/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gordon, Michael S., Kozloski, James R., Kundu, Ashish, Malkin, Peter K., Pickover, Clifford A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,609,901 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/00 Marking of animals marking poultry or other birds A01K35/00
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/008 incorporating GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/00 Devices for taming animals, e.g. nose-rings or hobbles; Devices for overturning animals in general; Training or exercising equipment; Covering boxes
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 15/021 Electronic training devices specially adapted for dogs or cats
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/00 Other apparatus for animal husbandry
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/005 Monitoring or measuring activity, e.g. detecting heat or mating
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/02 characterised by special use
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors

Abstract

An unmanned aerial vehicle for determining geolocation exclusion zones of animals. The unmanned aerial vehicle includes a processor-based monitoring device to track geolocation information associated with an animal from the unmanned aerial vehicle, an identification device mounted on the unmanned aerial vehicle to identify the animal and to track a position of the animal over time, and a mapping device coupled to the monitoring device to determine locations where the animal has traversed and to identify where an encounter with the animal is reduced.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle for determining geolocation exclusion zones of animals, the unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:

a processor-based monitoring device to track geolocation information associated with at least one animal from the unmanned aerial vehicle;

an identification device mounted on the unmanned aerial vehicle to identify the at least one animal and to track a position of the at least one animal over time; and

a mapping device coupled to the monitoring device to determine locations where the at least one animal has traversed and to identify where an encounter with the at least one animal is reduced.

2. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the position of the at least one animal may include map coordinates associated with at least one of migration routes of the at least one animal and nesting sites of the at least one animal.

3. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the identification device is further configured to identify characteristics of the at least one animal, the characteristics including at least one of animal species information, anatomical characteristics of the at least one animal, and endangered status.

4. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the identification device is further configured to extract identification information relating to the at least one animal stored on a tag attached to the at least one animal.

5. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a risk analysis device configured to evaluate a level of risk associated with the at least one animal.

6. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 5, further comprising a deterrence generator configured to perform at least one function based on the level of risk, wherein the at least one function generates an avoidance response in the at least one animal such that interactions between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the at least one animal are avoided.

7. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 6, wherein the at least one function includes relocating the unmanned aerial vehicle, reducing noise generated by the unmanned aerial vehicle, mimicking predator behavior, transmitting at least one signal to the at least one animal, and communicating with a secondary device configured to distract the at least one animal.

8. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 6, wherein the deterrence generator is further configured to select the at least one function based on anatomical characteristics of the at least one animal.

9. A method for determining geolocation exclusion zones of animals using an unmanned aerial vehicle, the method comprising:

tracking, using a processor-based monitoring device, geolocation information associated with at least one animal from the unmanned aerial vehicle;

identifying the at least one animal and tracking a position of the at least one animal over time; and

determining locations where the at least one animal has traversed and identifying where an encounter with the at least one animal is reduced.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the position of the at least one animal may include map coordinates associated with at least one of migration routes of the at least one animal and nesting sites of the at least one animal.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein identifying the at least one animal includes identifying characteristics of the at least one animal, the characteristics including at least one of animal species information, anatomical characteristics of the at least one animal, and endangered status.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein identifying the at least one animal includes extracting identification information relating to the at least one animal stored on a tag attached to the at least one animal.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising evaluating a level of risk associated with the at least one animal.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising performing at least one function based on the level of risk, wherein the at least one function generates an avoidance response in the at least one animal such that interactions between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the at least one animal are avoided.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one function includes relocating the unmanned aerial vehicle, reducing noise generated by the unmanned aerial vehicle, mimicking predator behavior, transmitting at least one signal to the at least one animal, and communicating with a secondary device configured to distract the at least one animal.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising selecting the at least one function based on anatomical characteristics of the at least one animal.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising a computer readable program for determining geolocation exclusion zones of animals using an unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to execute:

tracking, using a processor-based monitoring device, geolocation information associated with at least one animal from the unmanned aerial vehicle;

identifying the at least one animal and tracking a position of the at least one animal over time; and

determining locations where the at least one animal has traversed and identifying where an encounter with the at least one animal is reduced.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein identifying the at least one animal includes identifying characteristics of the at least one animal, the characteristics including at least one of animal species information, anatomical characteristics of the at least one animal, and endangered status.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein identifying the at least one animal includes extracting identification information relating to the at least one animal stored on a tag attached to the at least one animal.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises evaluating a level of risk associated with the at least one animal.