Unmanned aerial vehicle inspection system
First Claim
1. A computerized method performed by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising one or more processors, the method comprising:
- receiving, by the UAV, a flight plan associated with conducting an inspection of a structure, the flight plan comprising a first plurality of vertical inspection locations set at respective horizontal positions around the structure, wherein the first plurality of vertical inspection locations are each associated with a waypoint having a geospatial reference;
conducting an inspection for a vertical inspection location of the first plurality of vertical inspection locations according to the received flight plan, the inspection comprising;
navigating the UAV to the associated horizontal position at a first altitude;
navigating the UAV along a vertical direction at the associated horizontal position between the first altitude and a second altitude; and
obtaining, while at one or more altitudes during the navigation along the vertical direction, sensor information describing the structure,wherein subsequent to obtaining sensor information describing the structure at the one or more altitudes, conducting an inspection for a subsequent vertical inspection location of the first plurality of inspection locations; and
navigating the UAV to a landing location.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for an unmanned aerial system inspection system. One of the methods is performed by a UAV and includes obtaining, from a user device, flight operation information describing an inspection of a vertical structure to be performed, the flight operation information including locations of one or more safe locations for vertical inspection. A location of the UAV is determined to correspond to a first safe location for vertical inspection. A first inspection of the structure is performed is performed at the first safe location, the first inspection including activating cameras. A second safe location is traveled to, and a second inspection of the structure is performed. Information associated with the inspection is provided to the user device.
153 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A computerized method performed by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising one or more processors, the method comprising:
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receiving, by the UAV, a flight plan associated with conducting an inspection of a structure, the flight plan comprising a first plurality of vertical inspection locations set at respective horizontal positions around the structure, wherein the first plurality of vertical inspection locations are each associated with a waypoint having a geospatial reference; conducting an inspection for a vertical inspection location of the first plurality of vertical inspection locations according to the received flight plan, the inspection comprising; navigating the UAV to the associated horizontal position at a first altitude; navigating the UAV along a vertical direction at the associated horizontal position between the first altitude and a second altitude; and obtaining, while at one or more altitudes during the navigation along the vertical direction, sensor information describing the structure, wherein subsequent to obtaining sensor information describing the structure at the one or more altitudes, conducting an inspection for a subsequent vertical inspection location of the first plurality of inspection locations; and navigating the UAV to a landing location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system comprising one or more processors, and a computer storage media storing instructions, that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
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receiving, by the UAV, a flight plan associated with conducting an inspection of a structure, the flight plan comprising a first plurality of vertical inspection locations set at respective horizontal positions around the structure, wherein the first plurality of vertical inspection locations are each associated with a waypoint having a geospatial reference; conducting an inspection for a vertical inspection location of the first plurality of vertical inspection locations according to the received flight plan, the inspection comprising; navigating the UAV to the associated horizontal position at a first altitude; navigating the UAV along a vertical direction at the associated horizontal position between the first altitude and a second altitude; and obtaining, while at one or more altitudes during the navigation along the vertical direction, sensor information describing the structure; and navigating the UAV to a landing location. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A computer storage medium comprising instructions that when executed by one or more processors included in an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), cause the UAV to perform operations comprising:
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receiving, by the UAV, a flight plan associated with conducting an inspection of a structure, the flight plan comprising a first plurality of vertical inspection locations set at respective horizontal positions around the structure, wherein the first plurality of vertical inspection locations are each associated with a waypoint having a geospatial reference; conducting an inspection for a vertical inspection location of the first plurality of vertical inspection locations according to the received flight plan, the inspection comprising; navigating the UAV to the associated horizontal position at a first altitude; navigating the UAV along a vertical direction at the associated horizontal position between the first altitude and a second altitude; and obtaining, while at one or more altitudes during the navigation along the vertical direction, sensor information describing the structure; and navigating the UAV to a landing location. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A user device comprising one or more processors, and a computer storage media storing instructions, that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
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receiving, by the user device, information describing a job for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to perform an inspection of a structure; receiving, by the user device, a selection of a plurality of vertical inspection locations for the UAV, the vertical inspection locations set at respective horizontal positions around the structure; determining a flight pattern for the UAV, wherein the flight pattern comprises waypoints for the selected vertical inspection locations and a landing waypoint, wherein the waypoints have an associated geospatial location, and wherein the flight pattern indicates that the UAV is to perform an inspection for each vertical inspection location that comprises the UAV navigating to the associated horizontal position at a first altitude, and while navigating along a vertical direction between the first altitude and a second altitude at the associated horizontal position, obtaining sensor information describing the structure; and transmitting, to the UAV, flight information including the flight pattern via a wireless or wired connection. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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Specification