Ground control point assignment and determination system
First Claim
1. A ground control point marker comprising:
- a top portion having a pattern thereon, the pattern configured to be recognizable in aerial images obtained by an unmanned aerial vehicle;
a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver, wherein the GNSS receiver obtains geospatial position information of a location where the ground control point marker is placed on a ground surface; and
a transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit the geospatial position information and an identifier of the ground control point marker to a separate computer systemwherein the top portion comprises a display with a plurality of lights, wherein the display is configured to display the pattern, and wherein the pattern comprises variable shapes, numbers, letters or figures.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for ground control point assignment and determination. One of the methods includes receiving information describing a flight plan for the UAV to implement, the flight plan identifying one or more waypoints associated with geographic locations assigned as ground control points. A first waypoint identified in the flight plan is traveled to, and an action to designate a surface at the associated geographic location is designated as a ground control point. Location information associated with the designated surface is stored. The stored location information is provided to an outside system for storage.
48 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A ground control point marker comprising:
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a top portion having a pattern thereon, the pattern configured to be recognizable in aerial images obtained by an unmanned aerial vehicle; a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver, wherein the GNSS receiver obtains geospatial position information of a location where the ground control point marker is placed on a ground surface; and a transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit the geospatial position information and an identifier of the ground control point marker to a separate computer system wherein the top portion comprises a display with a plurality of lights, wherein the display is configured to display the pattern, and wherein the pattern comprises variable shapes, numbers, letters or figures. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method comprising:
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placing a plurality of ground control point markers on a ground surface, each ground control point marker comprising; a top portion having a pattern thereon, the pattern configured to be recognizable in aerial images obtained by an unmanned aerial vehicle; a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver, wherein the GNSS receiver obtains geospatial position information of a location where the ground control point marker is placed on a ground surface; and a transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit the geospatial position information and an identifier of the ground control point marker to a separate computer system, wherein for at least one ground control point market, the top portion comprises a display configured to display the pattern, and wherein the pattern comprises variable shapes, numbers, letters or figures; obtaining by the respective ground control point markers their respective geospatial position information; and transmitting the respective geospatial position information and identifiers of each of the ground control point markers to a separate computer system. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system comprising:
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an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising one or more processors, the UAV configured to; place a ground control point marker on a surface, the ground control point marker being usable as a ground control point; and the ground control point marker, the ground control point marker comprising; an upper portion having a pattern thereon, the pattern being recognizable from an aerial view, a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver, wherein the GNSS receiver obtains location information of the ground control point marker, and a transmitter configured to receive the location information from the GNSS receiver and wirelessly transmit the location to the UAV, wherein the upper portion comprises a display configured to display the pattern, and wherein the pattern comprises variable shapes, numbers, letters or figures. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system comprising:
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an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising one or more processors, the UAV configured to; place a ground control point marker on a surface, determine, using a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver of the UAV, location information associated with the ground control point marker, and provide the determined location information to an outside system for storage as being associated with a ground control point; and the ground control point marker, the ground control point marker comprising; an upper portion having a pattern thereon, the pattern being recognizable from an aerial view, wherein the upper portion comprises a display configured to display the pattern, and wherein the pattern comprises variable shapes, numbers, letters or figures. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification