Systems and methods for collecting and analyzing hazardous materials information using an unmanned aerial vehicle

• US 11,062,614 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2018
• Issued: 07/13/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alliance Solutions Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Alliance Solutions Group, Inc.
• Inventors: Campbell, Robert K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Park, Hyun D
• Application Number:
  US16/129,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20200135036A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/35 for science, e.g. meteorology
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/00 UAVs characterised by their flight controls
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2033/0093 radioactive materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/61 Scene description
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0056 in an emergency situation, e.g. hijacking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0086 for monitoring terrain radar or analogous systems specially adapted for terrain avoidance G01S13/935
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0091 for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W

Abstract

A computer-implemented method includes receiving a first input associated with an incident location of an incident. A second input associated with a measurement zone surrounding the incident location is received. The method further includes producing, via a display monitor, a set of waypoints associated with a flight path of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) based on the first input and the second input. The set of waypoints is displayed on a satellite aerial map including the incident location.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a first input associated with an incident location of an incident involving a hazardous substance;

receiving a second input associated with a measurement zone surrounding the incident location;

producing, via a display monitor, a plurality of waypoints associated with a flight path of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) using the first input and the second input, the plurality of waypoints displayed on a satellite aerial map of a region including the incident location, the UAV including an emissions sensor configured to produce an emissions signal associated with a concentration of the hazardous substance;

determining, via a georectification module implemented in at least one of a memory or a processing device of a UAV control system, a maximum air speed threshold for the UAV using a sensor response time of the emissions sensor and a target data resolution;

producing, via the display monitor, a notification associated with the maximum air speed threshold for the UAV; and

producing, via the UAV control system, a control signal to limit a speed of the UAV to the maximum air speed threshold.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

producing, via the display monitor, a measurement zone image representing the measurement zone, the measurement zone image displayed on the satellite aerial map of the region, the measurement zone image being scaled to the satellite aerial map to represent a size of the measurement zone.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the measurement zone image has an opacity in order for the satellite aerial map to be viewed through the measurement zone image.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein:

the second input includes the size of the measurement zone; and

the second input is received in response to an input prompt displayed via the display monitor.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the second input includes an identification of the hazardous substance and the concentration of the hazardous substance, the second input being received in response to an input prompt displayed via the display monitor, the method further comprising:

determining, via a measurement zone module implemented in the at least one of a memory or a processing device of the UAV control system and using the second input, the size of the measurement zone.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the measurement zone is an isolation zone, the method further comprising:

receiving a third input associated with a protective action zone associated with the incident location; and

producing, via the display monitor, a protective action zone image representing the protective action zone, the protective action zone image displayed on the satellite aerial map of the region, the protective action zone image being scaled to the satellite aerial map to represent a size of the protective action zone.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein:

the third input includes a downwind distance associated with the hazardous substance and a wind direction of the incident location;

the isolation zone is a circle about the incident location; and

the protective action zone image includes an arc downwind from the incident location, a first edge and a second edge, the arc centered at the incident location and having an arc radius equal to the downwind distance, the first edge and the second edge each tangent to the circle.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the UAV includes a position sensor, the method further comprising:

receiving, from the emissions sensor, the emissions signal;

receiving, from the position sensor, a position of the UAV;

determining, via a georectification module implemented in the at least one of a memory or a processing device of the UAV control system and using at least a time stamp of the emissions signal, the position of the UAV, and the sensor response time, a set of geographic coordinates associated with the emissions signal; and

displaying an emissions indicator on the satellite aerial map using the set of geographic coordinates.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

the second input is associated with a size of the measurement zone; and

the producing the plurality of waypoints includes;

determining, via a flight path module implemented in the at least one of a memory or a processing device of the UAV control system and using the size and the incident location, a set of geographic coordinates for each waypoint from the plurality of waypoints; and

displaying the plurality of waypoints on the satellite aerial map using the set of geographic coordinates.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the measurement zone is an isolation zone, the isolation zone being a circle about the incident location and the size of the isolation zone is a radius of the circle, the method further comprising:

determining, via the flight path module, a plurality of flight segments to define the flight path, each flight segment from the plurality of flight segments connecting at least two waypoints from the plurality of waypoints, the plurality of flight segments including a first flight segment and a second flight segment, the first flight segment being between a first waypoint from the plurality of waypoints and a second waypoint from the plurality of waypoints, the second flight segment being between the second waypoint and a third waypoint from the plurality of waypoints, the set of geographic coordinates for each waypoint from the plurality of waypoints determined in order for the first flight segment to intersect the incident location and the second flight segment to be tangent to the isolation zone circle; and

displaying the plurality of flight segments on the satellite aerial map.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a third input associated with a wind direction of the incident location, the set of geographic coordinates for each waypoint from the plurality of waypoints being determined in order for the first flight segment to be aligned with the wind direction.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein:

the second flight segment is tangent to the isolation zone circle in a downwind direction from the incident location; and

the determining the plurality of flight segments includes determining a third flight segment between the first waypoint and a fourth waypoint from the plurality of waypoints, the set of geographic coordinates for each waypoint from the plurality of waypoints determined in order for the third flight segment to be tangent to the isolation zone circle in an upwind direction from the incident location.

13. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving an emissions signal from an emissions sensor coupled to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the emission signal being associated with a concentration of a hazardous material detected by the emissions sensor;

receiving a position signal from a position sensor coupled to the UAV;

generating, via a georectification module implemented in at least one of a memory or a processing device of a UAV emissions display system and using at least the position signal, an air speed of the UAV, and a sensor response time, a set of geographic coordinates associated with the emissions signal;

producing, via a display monitor, an emissions indicator using the emissions signal and the set of geographic coordinates, the emissions indicator displayed on a satellite aerial map;

determining a maximum air speed threshold for the UAV using the sensor response time and a display size resolution of the emission indicator on the display monitor;

producing, via the display monitor, a notification associated with the maximum air speed threshold for the UAV; and

sending a control signal to the UAV to limit a speed of the UAV to the maximum air speed threshold.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the producing the emissions indicator includes:

selecting a color associated with the concentration of the hazardous material; and

producing the color within an emissions area of the display monitor.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the emissions area is scaled to represent a region on the satellite aerial map corresponding to the concentration of the hazardous material.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the emissions area is scaled to represent a region on the satellite aerial map as a result of the display size resolution.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the selecting the color from a color scale representing a range of the concentration of the hazardous material associated with an exposure safety level based on a safety standard.