Unmanned aircraft obstacle avoidance
First Claim
1. An unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:
- a body;
a source of propulsion connected to the body;
a camera supported by the body and configured to capture aerial images;
a collision detection and avoidance system supported by the body, the collision detection and avoidance system comprising at least one active distance detector; and
one or more processors supported by the body, and executing instructions configured to;
receive a flight path, wherein the flight path comprises instructions for the unmanned aerial vehicle to travel from its current location to at least one other location adjacent to a structure of interest;
detect, with the collision detection and avoidance system, an obstacle for avoidance by the unmanned aerial vehicle based at least in part on the flight path going through the obstacle;
receive distance data generated by the collision detection and avoidance system concerning at least the obstacle;
process the distance data generated by the collision detection and avoidance system; and
execute a target path for directing the propulsion system to cause the unmanned aerial vehicle to traveling around the obstacle and to the at least one other location based at least in part on the flight path and the distance data, the target path configured to maintain at least a minimum overlap between adjacent aerial images captured by the camera to ensure complete coverage of the structure of interest.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatuses, systems, and methods are disclosed including an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising: a collision detection and avoidance system comprising at least one active distance detector; and one or more processors configured to: receive a flight path with instructions for the UAV to travel from its current location to at least one other location; determine direction priorities for the collision detection and avoidance system based at least in part on the flight path; determine an obstacle for avoidance by the UAV based on the flight path going through the obstacle; receive distance data generated by the collision detection and avoidance system concerning the obstacle; process the distance data based at least in part on the determined direction priorities; and execute a target path for traveling around the obstacle and to the at least one other location based at least in part on the flight path and the distance data.
237 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:
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a body; a source of propulsion connected to the body; a camera supported by the body and configured to capture aerial images; a collision detection and avoidance system supported by the body, the collision detection and avoidance system comprising at least one active distance detector; and one or more processors supported by the body, and executing instructions configured to; receive a flight path, wherein the flight path comprises instructions for the unmanned aerial vehicle to travel from its current location to at least one other location adjacent to a structure of interest; detect, with the collision detection and avoidance system, an obstacle for avoidance by the unmanned aerial vehicle based at least in part on the flight path going through the obstacle; receive distance data generated by the collision detection and avoidance system concerning at least the obstacle; process the distance data generated by the collision detection and avoidance system; and execute a target path for directing the propulsion system to cause the unmanned aerial vehicle to traveling around the obstacle and to the at least one other location based at least in part on the flight path and the distance data, the target path configured to maintain at least a minimum overlap between adjacent aerial images captured by the camera to ensure complete coverage of the structure of interest. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for collision detection by an unmanned aerial vehicle having a camera to conduct an evaluation of a structure of interest, the method comprising:
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receiving a flight path and camera control information, wherein the flight path includes instructions for the unmanned aerial vehicle to travel through a series of spaced apart flight capture points about the structure of interest, the camera control information including instructions to cause the camera to capture an image of a target capture point on the structure of interest when the unmanned aerial vehicle is at one of the flight capture points; as the unmanned aerial vehicle is flying the flight path, detecting an obstacle for avoidance by the unmanned aerial vehicle based at least in part on the flight path and data collected from a collision detection and avoidance system, the collision detection and avoidance system having at least one active sensor; receiving data generated by the collision detection and avoidance system concerning at least the obstacle for avoidance; and execute a target path for traveling to a first flight capture point of the flight capture points based at least in part on the flight path and the data, the target path configured to maintain at least a minimum overlap between adjacent aerial images of the structure of interest captured by the camera to ensure complete coverage of the structure of interest. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification