UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE ELECTROMAGNETIC AVOIDANCE AND UTILIZATION SYSTEM

• US 20170336806A1
• Filed: 05/17/2017
• Published: 11/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skydio, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Unmanned Innovation Inc (Delair SAS)
• Inventors: Blanc-Paques, Fabien, Michini, Bernard J., Bauer, Mark Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 11,029,352 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/87 Mounting of imaging devices, e.g. mounting of gimbals
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 29/085 for detecting presence or location of electric lines or cables fault detection G01R31/50; fault location G01R31/08
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0086 for monitoring terrain radar or analogous systems specially adapted for terrain avoidance G01S13/935
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/045 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. determination of anti-collision manoeuvers radar or analogous systems specially adapted for anti-collision between aircraft G01S13/933

Abstract

Methods, systems and apparatus, for an unmanned aerial vehicle electromagnetic avoidance and utilization system. One of the methods includes obtaining a flight package indicating a flight pattern associated with inspecting a structure, the flight pattern causing the UAV to remain at a standoff distance from the structure, wherein the standoff distance is based on an electromagnetic field associated with the structure, and wherein the flight pattern is laterally constrained according to a property geofence associated with a right of way of the structure. The UAV is navigated according to the flight pattern, and the UAV captures images of the structure. For an initial portion of the flight pattern, the UAV navigates at an altitude based on the standoff distance and the property geofence towards the structure. The UAV determines a location at which to capture images of the structure, and the UAV provides the captured images to a user device.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system comprising one or more processors comprising hardware, the one or more processors configured to perform operations comprising:

determining a standoff distance from a structure, wherein the standoff distance is a distance the UAV is to remain from the structure while the UAV is navigating;

determining a flight pattern for the UAV to implement, the flight pattern configured such that the UAV remains at least the determined standoff distance from the structure, and the flight pattern including a predetermined path for the UAV to follow;

navigating the UAV according to the determined flight pattern; and

obtaining sensor data of the structure at multiple aerial positions about the structure.

2. The system of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

during navigation of the UAV, increasing the standoff distance from the structure when the system determines an increased magnetic field strength of the structure.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein determining a standoff distance from the structure comprises:

navigating the UAV to a first altitude above one or more conductors carried by the structure;

navigating the UAV to descend from the first altitude towards the conductors;

determining information indicative of an electromagnetic field associated with the one or more conductors;

determining, using the information, a second altitude at which the electromagnetic field associated with the one or more conductors affects navigation of the UAV; and

setting the standoff distance based on the second altitude.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein determining a standoff distance from the structure comprises:

obtaining a magnetic field measurement of the structure;

determining a distance from the structure and a location where the measurement was taken; and

using a model to select a distance for the standoff distance where the selected distance would be at or below a predetermined threshold value.

5. The system of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

preventing flight of the UAV closer to the structure than the standoff distance.

6. The system of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

periodically determining a magnetic interference of the structure; and

adjusting the standoff distance based on the periodically determined magnetic interference.

7. The system of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

measuring by the UAV, a magnetic field strength of a magnetic field of the structure; and

obtaining the geospatial location of the UAV and the magnetic field measurement.

8. The system of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

determining that the UAV has navigated to a distance closer to the structure than the standoff distance; and

causing the UAV to perform a contingency operation.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein determining a standoff distance from the structure comprises:

receiving, via a user interface of the system, a numerical value for the standoff distance.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein determining the standoff distance is based on physical information of a model of the structure.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein determining a standoff distance from the structure comprises:

determining the standoff distance based upon a model describing an electromagnetic field associated with the structure; and

utilizing the model to determine different standoff distances at various locations along the flight pattern.

12. A non-transitory computer storage medium comprising instructions that when executed by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system comprising one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

determining a standoff distance from a structure, wherein the standoff distance is a distance the UAV is to remain from the structure while the UAV is navigating;

determining a flight pattern for the UAV to implement, the flight pattern configured such that the UAV remains at least the determined standoff distance from the structure, and the flight pattern including a predetermined path for the UAV to follow;

navigating the UAV according to the determined flight pattern; and

obtaining sensor data of the structure at multiple aerial positions about the structure.

13. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 12, the operations further comprising:

during navigation of the UAV, increasing the standoff distance from the structure when the system determines an increased magnetic field strength of the structure.

14. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 12, wherein determining a standoff distance from the structure comprises:

navigating the UAV to a first altitude above one or more conductors carried by the structure;

navigating the UAV to descend from the first altitude towards the conductors;

determining information indicative of an electromagnetic field associated with the one or more conductors;

determining, using the information, a second altitude at which the electromagnetic field associated with the one or more conductors affects navigation of the UAV; and

setting the standoff distance based on the second altitude.

15. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 12, wherein determining a standoff distance from the structure comprises:

obtaining a magnetic field measurement of the structure;

determining a distance from the structure and a location where the measurement was taken; and

using a model to select a distance for the standoff distance where the selected distance would be at or below a predetermined threshold value.

16. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 12, the operations further comprising:

preventing flight of the UAV closer to the structure than the standoff distance.

17. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 12, the operations further comprising:

periodically determining a magnetic interference of the structure; and

adjusting the standoff distance based on the periodically determined magnetic interference.

18. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 12, the operations further comprising:

measuring by the UAV, a magnetic field strength of a magnetic field of the structure; and

obtaining the geospatial location of the UAV and the magnetic field measurement.

19. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 12, the operations further comprising:

determining that the UAV has navigated to a distance closer to the structure than the standoff distance; and

causing the UAV to perform a contingency operation.

20. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 12, wherein determining a standoff distance from the structure comprises:

receiving, via a user interface of the system, a numerical value for the standoff distance.

21. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 12, wherein determining the standoff distance is based on physical information of a model of the structure.

22. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 12, wherein determining a standoff distance from the structure comprises:

determining the standoff distance based upon a model describing an electromagnetic field associated with the structure; and

utilizing the model to determine different standoff distances at various locations along the flight pattern.

23. A computerized method performed by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system comprising one or more processors, the method comprising:

determining a standoff distance from a structure, wherein the standoff distance is a distance the UAV is to remain from the structure while the UAV is navigating;

determining a flight pattern for the UAV to implement, the flight pattern configured such that the UAV remains at least the determined standoff distance from the structure, and the flight pattern including a predetermined path for the UAV to follow;

navigating the UAV according to the determined flight pattern; and

obtaining sensor data of the structure at multiple aerial positions about the structure.

24. The computerized method of claim 23, the operations further comprising:

during navigation of the UAV, increasing the standoff distance from the structure when the system determines an increased magnetic field strength of the structure.

25. The computerized method of claim 23, wherein determining a standoff distance from the structure comprises:

navigating the UAV to a first altitude above one or more conductors carried by the structure;

navigating the UAV to descend from the first altitude towards the conductors;

determining information indicative of an electromagnetic field associated with the one or more conductors;

determining, using the information, a second altitude at which the electromagnetic field associated with the one or more conductors affects navigation of the UAV; and

setting the standoff distance based on the second altitude.

26. The computerized method of claim 23, wherein determining a standoff distance from the structure comprises:

obtaining a magnetic field measurement of the structure;

determining a distance from the structure and a location where the measurement was taken; and

using a model to select a distance for the standoff distance where the selected distance would be at or below a predetermined threshold value.

27. The computerized method of claim 23, the operations further comprising:

preventing flight of the UAV closer to the structure than the standoff distance.

28. The computerized method of claim 23, the operations further comprising:

periodically determining a magnetic interference of the structure; and

adjusting the standoff distance based on the periodically determined magnetic interference.

29. The computerized method of claim 23, the operations further comprising:

measuring by the UAV, a magnetic field strength of a magnetic field of the structure; and

obtaining the geospatial location of the UAV and the magnetic field measurement.

30. The computerized method of claim 23, the operations further comprising:

determining that the UAV has navigated to a distance closer to the structure than the standoff distance; and

causing the UAV to perform a contingency operation.

31. The computerized method of claim 23, wherein determining a standoff distance from the structure comprises:

receiving, via a user interface of the system, a numerical value for the standoff distance.

32. The computerized method of claim 23, wherein determining the standoff distance is based on physical information of a model of the structure.

33. The computerized method of claim 23, wherein determining a standoff distance from the structure comprises:

determining the standoff distance based upon a model describing an electromagnetic field associated with the structure; and

utilizing the model to determine different standoff distances at various locations along the flight pattern.