Ground effect based surface sensing using multiple propellers in automated aerial vehicles
First Claim
1. An automated aerial vehicle, comprising:
- first and second propellers;
first and second propeller motors that rotate the first and second propellers, respectively;
a power supply connected to the first and second propeller motors that provides power to the first and second propeller motors; and
a control system, comprising;
one or more processors; and
a memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to at least;
determine a first distance to a surface based at least in part on a level of a first parameter that is associated with the first propeller and that is influenced by a first ground effect, wherein the first ground effect corresponds to a condition in which an airflow of the first propeller is directed against the surface which increases an effective thrust of the first propeller and which influences the first parameter; and
determine a second distance to the surface based at least in part on a level of a second parameter that is associated with the second propeller and that is influenced by a second ground effect, wherein the second distance is different than the first distance and the second ground effect corresponds to a condition in which an airflow of the second propeller is directed against the surface which increases an effective thrust of the second propeller and which influences the second parameter.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for operating an automated aerial vehicle are provided wherein influences of ground effects (e.g., which may increase the effective thrusts of propellers by interfering with the respective airflows) are utilized for sensing the ground or other surfaces. In various implementations, operating parameters of the automated aerial vehicle are monitored to determine when ground effects are influencing the parameters associated with each of the propellers, which correspondingly indicate proximities to a surface (e.g., the ground). Utilizing such techniques, different propellers of an automated aerial vehicle may provide different sensing data (e.g., for detecting issues with an uneven landing area, a sloped ground, determining an automated aerial vehicle'"'"'s location based on a unique ground surface profile, etc.)
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An automated aerial vehicle, comprising:
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first and second propellers; first and second propeller motors that rotate the first and second propellers, respectively; a power supply connected to the first and second propeller motors that provides power to the first and second propeller motors; and a control system, comprising; one or more processors; and a memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to at least; determine a first distance to a surface based at least in part on a level of a first parameter that is associated with the first propeller and that is influenced by a first ground effect, wherein the first ground effect corresponds to a condition in which an airflow of the first propeller is directed against the surface which increases an effective thrust of the first propeller and which influences the first parameter; and determine a second distance to the surface based at least in part on a level of a second parameter that is associated with the second propeller and that is influenced by a second ground effect, wherein the second distance is different than the first distance and the second ground effect corresponds to a condition in which an airflow of the second propeller is directed against the surface which increases an effective thrust of the second propeller and which influences the second parameter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system for determining a proximity to a surface, the system comprising:
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an automated aerial vehicle, comprising; a first propeller; a second propeller; a computing system, comprising; one or more processors; and a memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to at least; monitor first and second operating parameters that are associated with the first and second propellers, respectively; detect a change in the first operating parameter as caused by a first ground effect, the first ground effect corresponding to a condition in which an airflow of the first propeller is directed against a surface which increases an effective thrust of the first propeller; and determine that a proximity of the first propeller to the surface is different than a proximity of the second propeller to the surface based at least in part on the detected change in the first operating parameter as caused by the first ground effect. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system, comprising:
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an automated aerial vehicle, comprising; a first propeller; a second propeller; a computing system, comprising; one or more processors; and a memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to at least; determine a proximity to a first surface portion based at least in part on a level of a first parameter that is related to the operation of the first propeller of the automated aerial vehicle, wherein a first ground effect that influences the airflow of the first propeller also influences the first parameter, the first ground effect corresponding to a condition in which the airflow of the first propeller is directed against the first surface portion which increases an effective thrust of the first propeller; and determine a proximity to a second surface portion based at least in part on a level of a second parameter that is related to the operation of the second propeller of the automated aerial vehicle, wherein a second ground effect that influences the airflow of the second propeller also influences the second parameter, the second ground effect corresponding to a condition in which the airflow of the second propeller is directed against the second surface portion which increases an effective thrust of the second propeller. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification