UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE PRIVACY CONTROLS
Disclosed in this specification are methods, systems and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on non-transitory computer storage media for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flight operation and privacy controls. Based on geofence types, and UAV distance from a geofence, sensors and other devices connected to a UAV are conditionally operational. Image data collected during a UAV flight may be obfuscated by the UAV while in flight, or via a post-flight process using log data generated by the UAV.
1 . An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flight processing system, comprising:
a computer system comprising one or more processors configured to:
receive information describing a privacy geofence;
navigate the unmanned aerial vehicle;
receive or derive a geospatial position of the UAV from global navigation satellite system (GNSS) data provided by a GNSS receiver;
periodically determine a distance of the UAV's geospatial position to the privacy geofence; and
perform a privacy operation if the determined distance of the UAV is within a predetermined distance to the privacy geofence.
2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor; and
a controller,
wherein the privacy operation comprises:
determining a flight path for the UAV around or over the privacy geofence;
determining one or more orientations of the UAV while traveling on the flight path that results in a sensing portion of the sensor being pointed in a direction away from a boundary of the privacy geofence; and
providing a command to the controller to control at least one of a motor or actuator of the UAV to cause the UAV to travel the determined flight path with the determined one or more orientations.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein receive information describing a privacy geofence further comprises:
generate a privacy geofence for one or more locations, the locations having a latitude and longitude coordinate, the privacy geofence having a different-sized boundary for the one or more locations based on one or more characteristics of the location.
4 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor; and
a controller,
wherein the privacy operation comprises:
determining a flight path for the UAV around or over the privacy geofence;
determining one or more orientations of the sensor while traveling on the flight path that results in a sensing portion of the sensor being pointed in a direction away from a boundary of the privacy geofence; and
providing a command to the controller to rotate the sensor to align with the one or more determined orientations while the UAV travels the determined flight path.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
determine a strength of a wireless signal originating from a source external to the UAV;
determine whether the signal strength of the source of the signal exceeds a threshold value; and
perform a flight maneuver moving the UAV away from the signal source if the determined signal strength exceeds a threshold value.
6 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a camera operatively coupled to the computer system, and wherein the privacy operation includes maintaining an orientation of the camera such that a field of view of the camera points away from a boundary of the privacy geofence.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system includes one or more sensors or devices operatively coupled to the computer system and the privacy operation comprises:
determining a geofence type for the privacy geofence and disabling operation of the one or more sensors or devices based on the geofence type.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system includes one or more sensors or devices operatively coupled to the computer system and the predetermined distance is based on a type of the one or more sensors or other devices.
9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the privacy geofence is generated based on a residential address or a population density.
10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
receive a flight boundary geofence, the flight boundary geofence limiting flight of the UAV within the flight boundary geofence, wherein the privacy geofence is wholly or partially contained within the flight boundary geofence.
11 . A method performed by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flight processing system, the method comprising:
receiving, by a computer system including one or more processors, information describing a privacy geofence;
navigating, by the computer system, the unmanned aerial vehicle;
receiving or deriving a geospatial position of the UAV from global navigation satellite system (GNSS) data provided by a GNSS receiver.
determining, by the computer system, a distance of the UAV's geospatial position to the privacy geofence; and
performing, by the computer system, a privacy operation if the determined distance of the UAV is within a predetermined distance to the privacy geofence.
12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining a flight path for the UAV around or over the privacy geofence;
determining one or more orientations of the UAV while traveling on the flight path that results in a sensing portion of a sensor of the UAV being pointed in a direction away from a boundary of the privacy geofence; and
providing a command to a controller of the UAV to control at least one of a motor or actuator of the UAV to cause the UAV to travel the determined flight path with the determined one or more orientations.
13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein receive information describing a privacy geofence further comprises:
generate a privacy geofence for one or more locations, the locations having a latitude and longitude coordinate, the privacy geofence having a different sized boundary for the one or more locations based on one or more characteristics of the location.
14 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining a flight path for the UAV around or over the privacy geofence;
determining one or more orientations of a sensor while traveling on the flight path that results in a sensing portion of the sensor being pointed in a direction away from a boundary of the privacy geofence; and
providing a command to a controller to rotate the sensor to align with the one or more determined orientations while the UAV travels the determined flight path.
15 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining a strength of a wireless signal originating from a source external to the UAV;
determining whether the signal strength of the source of the signal exceeds a threshold value; and
performing, by the UAV, a flight maneuver moving the UAV away from the signal source if the determined signal strength exceeds a threshold value.
16 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
maintaining, by a camera of the UAV, an orientation of the camera such that a field of view of the camera points away from a boundary of the privacy geofence.
17 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining a geofence type for the privacy geofence and disabling operation of one or more sensors or devices of the UAV based on the geofence type.
18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the predetermined distance is based on a type of one or more sensors or other devices of the UAV.
19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the privacy geofence is generated based on a residential address or a population density.
20 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising:
receiving a flight boundary geofence, the flight boundary geofence limiting flight of the UAV within the flight boundary geofence, wherein the privacy geofence is wholly or partially contained within the flight boundary geofence.
21 . A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by one or more processors of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
receiving information describing a privacy geofence;
navigating the unmanned aerial vehicle;
receiving or deriving a geospatial position of the UAV from global navigation satellite system (GNSS) data provided by a GNSS receiver;
determining a distance of the UAV's geospatial position to the privacy geofence; and
performing a privacy operation if the determined distance of the UAV is within a predetermined distance to the privacy geofence.
22 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21 , further comprising:
determining a flight path for the UAV around or over the privacy geofence;
determining one or more orientations of the UAV while traveling on the flight path that results in a sensing portion of a sensor of the UAV being pointed in a direction away from a boundary of the privacy geofence; and
providing a command to a controller of the UAV to control at least one of a motor or actuator of the UAV to cause the UAV to travel the determined flight path with the determined one or more orientations.
23 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21 , wherein receive information describing a privacy geofence comprises:
generate a privacy geofence for one or more locations, the locations having a latitude and longitude coordinate, the privacy geofence having a different sized boundary for the one or more locations based on one or more characteristics of the location.
24 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21 , further comprising:
determining a flight path for the UAV around or over the privacy geofence;
determining one or more orientations of a sensor while traveling on the flight path that results in a sensing portion of the sensor being pointed in a direction away from a boundary of the privacy geofence; and
providing a command to a controller to rotate the sensor to align with the one or more determined orientations while the UAV travels the determined flight path.
25 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21 , further comprising:
determining a strength of a wireless signal originating from a source external to the UAV;
determining whether the signal strength of the source of the signal exceeds a threshold value; and
performing, by the UAV, a flight maneuver moving the UAV away from the signal source if the determined signal strength exceeds a threshold value.
26 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21 , further comprising:
maintaining, by a camera of the UAV, an orientation of the camera such that a field of view of the camera points away from a boundary of the privacy geofence.
27 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21 , further comprising:
determining a geofence type for the privacy geofence and disabling operation of one or more sensors or devices of the UAV based on the geofence type.
28 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21 , wherein the predetermined distance is based on a type of one or more sensors or other devices of the UAV.
29 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21 , wherein the privacy geofence is generated based on a residential address or a population density.
30 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21 , further comprising:
receiving a flight boundary geofence, the flight boundary geofence limiting flight of the UAV within the flight boundary geofence, wherein the privacy geofence is wholly or partially contained within the flight boundary geofence.