Geographic survey system for vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)

1. A method of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operation, comprising:

receiving from a customer a first data request, the first data request comprising:

a first geographic coverage area; and

a refresh rate for the first geographic coverage area;

planning a first plurality of flight missions to accomplish the first data request;

uploading flight missions data representing the first plurality of flight missions into a UAV pod;

deploying the UAV pod;

providing a two-rotor UAV with flight mission data for one of the first plurality of flight missions from the UAV pod;

launching the two-rotor UAV from the UAV pod to perform the one of the first plurality of flight missions;

receiving the two-rotor UAV on the UAV pod; and

receiving in the UAV pod a first flight survey data obtained from the one of the first plurality of flight missions from the two-rotor UAV.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first data request further comprises one of a ground resolution or ground surface distance (GSD).

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting the first flight survey data from the UAV pod.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing the UAV with a second flight mission data representing a second one of the first plurality of flight missions from the UAV pod;

autonomously launching the two-rotor UAV from the UAV pod to perform the second one of the first plurality of flight missions;

receiving the two-rotor UAV on the UAV pod after completing the second one of the first plurality of flight missions; and

receiving a second flight survey data in the UAV pod from the UAV;

wherein the launching and receiving of the two-rotor UAV to accomplish the second one of the first plurality of flight missions happens autonomously and without active human intervention.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

providing the second flight survey data from the UAV pod.

6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

receiving the first and second flight survey data from the UAV pod.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the receiving the first and second flight survey data from the UAV pod comprises receiving the first and second flight survey data wirelessly at a remote operational support center.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the receiving the first and second flight survey data from the UAV pod comprises removing a physical memory from the UAV pod.

9. The method of 6 , further comprising:

performing data analysis of the first and second flight survey data; and

providing the data analysis to the customer.

10. The method of 9 , further comprising:

providing the two-rotor UAV with a third flight mission data representing a third one of the first plurality of flight missions from the UAV pod; and

receiving the two-rotor UAV on a second UAV pod.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

receiving a second two-rotor UAV in the second UAV pod.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

retrieving the UAV pod;

uploading a fourth flight missions data representing a second plurality of flight missions into the UAV pod to accomplish a second data request; and

re-deploying the UAV pod.

13. A method of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operation, comprising:

receiving from a customer a first data request, the first data request comprising:

a first geographic coverage area; and

a refresh rate for the first geographic coverage area;

planning a first plurality of flight missions to accomplish the first data request;

uploading flight missions data representing the first plurality of flight missions into a UAV pod;

deploying the UAV pod; and

providing a second two-rotor UAV with a third flight mission data representing a third one of the first plurality of flight missions from the UAV pod.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

autonomously launching the second two-rotor UAV from the UAV pod to perform the third one of the first plurality of flight missions;

receiving the second two-rotor UAV on the UAV pod after completing the third one of the first plurality of flight missions; and

receiving a third survey data in the UAV pod from the second two-rotor UAV;

wherein the launching and receiving of the second two-rotor UAV to accomplish the third one of the plurality of flight missions happens autonomously and without active human intervention.

15. A method of migrating unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operations between geographic survey areas, comprising:

uploading a first plurality of flight missions into a first UAV pod;

deploying the UAV pod;

autonomously launching the UAV from the UAV pod a plurality of times to perform the first plurality of flight missions;

providing first survey data from the UAV to the UAV pod;

autonomously migrating the UAV from the first UAV pod to a second UAV pod;

receiving a second plurality of flight missions in the-a second UAV pod;

providing the UAV with one of the second plurality of flight missions from the second UAV pod;

autonomously launching the UAV from the second UAV pod a plurality of times to perform the second plurality of flight missions; and

providing a second survey data from the UAV to the second UAV pod;

wherein the autonomous migrating of the UAV to accomplish the first and second survey data happens autonomously and without active human intervention.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

performing data analysis of the first and second survey data; and

providing the data analysis to a customer.