Navigating a UAV having an on-board digital camera to capture desired geographic area

• US 7,418,320 B1
• Filed: 01/24/2005
• Issued: 08/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wildcat Licensing LLC
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Thorson, Derral Charles, Bodin, William Kress, Redman, Jesse
• Primary Examiner(s): Black; Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chen; Shelley
• Application Number:
  US11/041,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20080228335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,310 Days
• Field of Search: 701/26
• US Class Current: 701/26
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target

Abstract

Methods, systems, and products for navigating a UAV having an on-board digital camera are provided. Embodiments include identifying a geographic area not captured by the digital camera while the UAV is flying in a current flying pattern, and modifying the current flying pattern to capture an image of the identified geographic area. Identifying a geographic area not captured by the digital camera while the UAV is flying in a current flying pattern may be carried out by determining an area captured by the onboard camera, extrapolating the area captured by the onboard camera along the flying pattern to determine a perimeter of uncaptured geographic area, and determining the area of the uncaptured geographic area in dependence upon the perimeter.

Claims

1. A method for navigating a UAV having an on-board digital camera, the method comprising:

piloting the UAV in a current flying pattern;

wherein piloting the UAV in a current flying pattern comprises;

receiving from a GPS receiver a current position of the UAV;

calculating a heading in dependence upon a flying pattern algorithm; and

flying on the heading;

identifying a geographic area not captured by the digital camera while the UAV is flying in the current flying pattern;

wherein identifying a geographic area not captured by the digital camera while the UAV is flying in the current flying pattern further comprises;

determining an area captured by the onboard camera;

extrapolating the area captured by the onboard camera along the flying pattern to determine a perimeter of uncaptured geographic area; and

determining the area of the uncaptured geographic area in dependence upon the perimeter;

and modifying the current flying pattern to capture an image of the identified geographic area.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying a geographic area not captured by the digital camera while the UAV is flying in a current flying pattern further comprises determining a gap in camera coverage between the camera coverage of the on-board camera of the UAV in the current flying pattern and a camera coverage of another on-board camera of another UAV in another flying pattern.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein modifying the current flying pattern to capture an image of the identified geographic area further comprises identifying flight control instructions for changing the altitude of the UAV.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein modifying the current flying pattern to capture an image of the identified geographic area further comprises identifying flight control instructions for changing the shape of the current flying pattern of the UAV.