Unmanned aerial vehicle heat sensor calibration
First Claim
1. An aerial vehicle sensor calibration method, comprising:
- landing an aerial vehicle at a delivery destination;
ascending from the delivery destination to a defined altitude;
obtaining image information that includes a representation of at least a portion of the delivery destination;
processing the image information to determine at least one of a size of a heat signature at the delivery destination as represented in the image information, a shape of the heat signature at the delivery destination as represented in the image information, a pattern of the heat signature at the delivery destination as represented in the image information, a position of the heat signature at the delivery destination as represented in the image information, an orientation of the heat signature at the delivery destination as represented in the image information, or an intensity of the heat signature at the delivery destination as represented in the image information, wherein the heat signature was produced from at least a portion of the aerial vehicle while the aerial vehicle was landed at the delivery destination;
determining a variation between at least one of the size of the heat signature at the delivery destination as represented in the image information, the shape of the heat signature at the delivery destination as represented in the image information, the pattern of the heat signature at the delivery destination as represented in the image information, the position of the heat signature at the delivery destination as represented in the image information, the orientation of the heat signature at the delivery destination as represented in the image information, or the intensity of the heat signature at the delivery destination as represented in the image information and an actual size of the heat signature, an actual shape of the heat signature, an actual pattern of the heat signature, an actual position of the heat signature, an actual orientation of the heat signature, or an actual intensity of the heat signature;
determining that the variation is within a tolerance range; and
altering a calibration of at least one sensor of the aerial vehicle based at least in part on the variation; and
continuing a flight of the aerial vehicle away from the delivery destination.
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Abstract
This disclosure describes systems, methods, and apparatus for automating the verification of aerial vehicle sensors as part of a pre-flight, flight departure, in-transit flight, and/or delivery destination calibration verification process. At different stages, aerial vehicle sensors may obtain sensor measurements about objects within an environment, the obtained measurements may be processed to determine information about the object, as presented in the measurements, and the processed information may be compared with the actual information about the object to determine a variation or difference between the information. If the variation is within a tolerance range, the sensor may be auto adjusted and operation of the aerial vehicle may continue. If the variation exceeds a correction range, flight of the aerial vehicle may be aborted and the aerial vehicle routed for a full sensor calibration.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An aerial vehicle sensor calibration method, comprising:
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landing an aerial vehicle at a delivery destination; ascending from the delivery destination to a defined altitude; obtaining image information that includes a representation of at least a portion of the delivery destination; processing the image information to determine at least one of a size of a heat signature at the delivery destination as represented in the image information, a shape of the heat signature at the delivery destination as represented in the image information, a pattern of the heat signature at the delivery destination as represented in the image information, a position of the heat signature at the delivery destination as represented in the image information, an orientation of the heat signature at the delivery destination as represented in the image information, or an intensity of the heat signature at the delivery destination as represented in the image information, wherein the heat signature was produced from at least a portion of the aerial vehicle while the aerial vehicle was landed at the delivery destination; determining a variation between at least one of the size of the heat signature at the delivery destination as represented in the image information, the shape of the heat signature at the delivery destination as represented in the image information, the pattern of the heat signature at the delivery destination as represented in the image information, the position of the heat signature at the delivery destination as represented in the image information, the orientation of the heat signature at the delivery destination as represented in the image information, or the intensity of the heat signature at the delivery destination as represented in the image information and an actual size of the heat signature, an actual shape of the heat signature, an actual pattern of the heat signature, an actual position of the heat signature, an actual orientation of the heat signature, or an actual intensity of the heat signature; determining that the variation is within a tolerance range; and altering a calibration of at least one sensor of the aerial vehicle based at least in part on the variation; and continuing a flight of the aerial vehicle away from the delivery destination. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An aerial vehicle apparatus, comprising:
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a frame; a sensor coupled to the frame; an aerial vehicle control system in communication with the sensor and configured to at least; cause the aerial vehicle to land at a location; cause the aerial vehicle to ascend from the location to a defined altitude; cause the sensor to obtain data representative of the location; process the data to generate processed information that includes information indicative of at least one aspect of a heat signature present at the location as represented in the data; compare the processed information with actual information corresponding to the heat signature expected to be generated by the aerial vehicle to determine a variation between the processed information and the actual information; determine if the variation is within a tolerance range; and in response to a determination that the variation is within the tolerance range, continue an aerial navigation of the aerial vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A sensor calibration method, comprising:
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obtaining, while an unmanned aerial vehicle (“
UAV”
) is aerially navigating away from a location, data representative of a heat signature produced by the UAV while the UAV was positioned at the location;processing the data to generate processed information that includes at least one aspect of the heat signature as represented in the data; determining a variation between the processed information and actual information that corresponds to at least one actual aspect of the heat signature; determining that the variation between the processed information and the actual information does not exceed a threshold; altering a calibration of at least one sensor of the UAV based at least in part on the variation; and continuing the aerial navigation of the UAV. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification