Remote visual monitoring system for autonomous flight operational areas
A visual monitoring system for monitoring an autonomous flight operational area from a remote location is provided. The visual monitoring system can be configured to capture image data related to a verification target with one or more cameras, transmit the image data to a remote location, and display the image data related to the verification target for review by operational personnel at the remote location. The image data can be related to at least a first verification target having a first nominal condition. The operational personnel can review the image data and compare it to the data to the first nominal condition. If an off-nominal condition of the first verification target is detected by the operational personnel, the visual monitoring system can pause operations at the autonomous flight operational area until the off-nominal condition of the first verification target is resolved.
1 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having logic stored thereon that, in response to execution by one or more processors of visual monitoring system at an autonomous flight operational area, causes the visual monitoring system to perform actions comprising:
capture image data with a first camera related to a first verification target, the first verification target having a first nominal condition;
transmit the image data related to the first verification target to a remote location;
display the image data related to the first verification target for review by operational personnel at the remote location, wherein, when compared to the first nominal condition if an off-nominal condition of the first verification target is detected by the operational personnel, the visual monitoring system pauses operations at the autonomous flight operational area until the off-nominal condition of the first verification target is resolved;
capture image data with a second camera related to a second verification target, the second verification target having a second nominal condition;
transmit the image data related to the second verification target to the remote location;
display the image data related to the second verification target for review by the operational personnel at the remote location, wherein, when compared to the second nominal condition if an off-nominal condition of the second verification target is detected by the operational personnel, the visual monitoring system pauses operations at the autonomous flight operational area until the off-nominal condition of the second verification target is resolved.
2 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the first verification target is a boundary of the autonomous flight operational area, and wherein the first nominal condition is continuity of the boundary.
3 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2 , wherein the second verification target is a flight line of an unmanned aerial vehicle of the autonomous flight operational area, and wherein the first nominal condition is an obstruction-free flight line.
4 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , further comprising causing the visual monitoring system to perform actions comprising:
capturing image data with a third camera related to a third verification target, the third verification target having a third nominal condition;
transmitting the image data related to the third verification target to the remote location;
displaying the image data related to the third verification target for review by operational personnel at the remote location, wherein, when compared to the third nominal condition if an off-nominal condition of the third verification target is detected by the operational personnel, the visual monitoring system pauses operations at the autonomous flight operational area until the off-nominal condition of the third verification target is resolved.
5 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 4 , wherein the first verification target is a boundary of the autonomous flight operational area, and wherein the first nominal condition is continuity of the boundary.
6 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5 , wherein the second verification target is a flight line of an unmanned aerial vehicle of the autonomous flight operational area, and wherein the first nominal condition is an obstruction-free flight line.
7 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the third verification target is an aircraft operation visibility criteria of an unmanned aerial vehicle of the autonomous flight operational area, and wherein the third nominal condition is a minimum visibility target.
8 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , further comprising causing the visual monitoring system to perform actions comprising:
identifying and reporting a device health issue detected by a device health monitoring system of the visual monitoring system, wherein the device health issue is a condition that would cause the visual monitoring system to be unreliable or unavailable for assessing image data.
9 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , further comprising at least one identifier operably coupled to a surface of an unmanned aerial vehicle in the autonomous flight operational area, wherein the identifier is configured to be captured by the visual monitoring system.
10 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the at least one identifier comprises alphanumeric identifiers, QR identifiers, or barcode identifiers.
11 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the at least one identifier comprises information related to an identity of the unmanned aerial vehicle, information related to a direction of a propulsion unit of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and/or information related to an attitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle.
12 . A method for visually monitoring an autonomous flight operational area from a remote location with a visual monitoring system, the method comprising:
receiving first image data from a first camera of the visual monitoring system showing a first verification target having a first nominal condition;
reviewing, by operational personnel located at the remote location, the first image data related to the first verification target, and comparing the first image data to the first nominal condition, wherein, if the first image data shows an off-nominal condition, the visual monitoring system pauses operations at the autonomous flight operational area until the off-nominal condition of the first verification target is resolved;
receiving second image data from a second camera of the visual monitoring system showing a second verification target having a second nominal condition;
reviewing, by operational personnel located at the remote location, the second image data related to the second verification target, and comparing the second image data to the second nominal condition, wherein, if the second image data shows an off-nominal condition, the visual monitoring system pauses operations at the autonomous flight operational area until the off-nominal condition of the second verification target is resolved.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the first verification target is a boundary of the autonomous flight operational area, and wherein the first nominal condition is continuity of the boundary.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the second verification target is a flight line of an unmanned aerial vehicle of the autonomous flight operational area, and wherein the first nominal condition is an obstruction-free flight line.
15 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
receiving third image data from a third camera of the visual monitoring system showing a third verification target having a third nominal condition;
reviewing, by operational personnel located at the remote location, the third image data related to the third verification target, and comparing the third image data to the third nominal condition, wherein, if the third image data shows an off-nominal condition, the visual monitoring system pauses operations at the autonomous flight operational area until the off-nominal condition of the third verification target is resolved.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the first verification target is a boundary of the autonomous flight operational area, and wherein the first nominal condition is continuity of the boundary.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the second verification target is a flight line of an unmanned aerial vehicle of the autonomous flight operational area, and wherein the first nominal condition is an obstruction-free flight line.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the third verification target is an aircraft operation visibility criteria of an unmanned aerial vehicle of the autonomous flight operational area, and wherein the third nominal condition is a minimum visibility target.
19 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
identifying and reporting a device health issue detected by a device health monitoring system of the visual monitoring system, wherein the device health issue is a condition that would cause the visual monitoring system to be unreliable or unavailable for assessing image data.