IP Library Granted Patent US 10,037,464
Granted Patent B2
US 10,037,464 · App. 15/803,129 · Granted Jul 31, 2018

Unmanned aircraft structure evaluation system and method

Inventors: Stephen L. Schultz (West Henrietta, NY); John Monaco (Penfield, NY)
Assignee: Pictometry International Corp.
G06K9/00637B60R1/00B64C39/024B64D47/08G01S19/39G05D1/0094G06F17/3028G06F17/30256G06F17/30268G06K9/0063G06T11/60G08G5/0039G08G5/0069G08G5/0086G08G5/045H04N5/44591B60R2300/8093B64C2201/123B64C2201/127B64C2201/141G06Q40/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,037,464
App. No.
15/803,129
Granted
Jul 31, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed including a computer storage medium, comprising instructions that when executed by one or more processors included in an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), cause the UAV to perform operations, comprising: receiving, by the UAV, a flight plan configured to direct the UAV to fly a flight path having a plurality of waypoints adjacent to and above a structure and to capture sensor data of the structure from a camera on the UAV while the UAV is flying the flight path; adjusting an angle of an optical axis of the camera mounted to a gimbal to a predetermined angle within a range of 25 degrees to 75 degrees relative to a downward direction, and capturing sensor data of at least a portion of a roof of the structure with the optical axis of the camera aligned with at least one predetermined location on the structure.

Claims (19)

1. A non-transitory computer storage medium comprising instructions that when executed by one or more processors included in an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), cause the UAV to perform operations, comprising:

receiving, by the UAV, a flight plan configured to direct the UAV to fly a flight path having a plurality of waypoints adjacent to and above a structure and to capture sensor data of the structure from a camera on the UAV while the UAV is flying the flying path;

adjusting an angle of an optical axis of the camera mounted to a gimbal to a predetermined angle within a range of 25 degrees to 75 degrees relative to a downward direction; and

capturing sensor data of at least a portion of a roof of the structure with the optical axis of the camera aligned with at least one predetermined location on the structure.

2. The computer storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the at least one predetermined location on the structure is a roof surface and the optical axis of the camera is aligned orthogonal to the roof surface.

3. The computer storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the flight path includes a plurality of capture points adjacent to the structure such that the UAV captures sensor data of the structure at the plurality of capture points.

4. The computer storage medium of claim 3 , wherein a first one of the plurality of capture points is positioned to direct the UAV to capture sensor data of the structure from a first angle relative to the structure and a second one of the plurality of capture points is positioned to direct the UAV to capture sensor data of the structure from a second angle relative to the structure.

5. The computer storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the UAV is a multi-rotor aircraft.

6. A computerized system, comprising:

a computer system having an input unit, a display unit, one or more processors and one or more non-transitory computer readable medium, the one or more processors executing software to cause the one or more processors to:

display, on the display unit, one or more images from an image database, the one or more images depicting a structure;

receiving a validation from the input unit indicating a validation of a location of the structure depicted in the one or more images;

generate unmanned aircraft information including flight path information configured to direct an unmanned aircraft to fly a flight path above the structure and capture sensor data from a camera on the unmanned aircraft while the unmanned aircraft is flying the flight path, wherein the camera is mounted to a gimbal and an optical axis of the camera is adjusted to align with at least one predetermined location on the structure prior to capture of the sensor data;

receive the sensor data from the unmanned aircraft; and

generate a structure report based at least in part on the sensor data.

7. The computerized system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one predetermined location on the structure is a roof surface and the optical axis of the camera is aligned orthogonal to the roof surface.

8. The computerized system of claim 6 , wherein the flight path information includes a plurality of capture points adjacent to the structure such that the unmanned aircraft captures sensor data of the structure at the plurality of capture points.

9. The computerized system of claim 8 , wherein a first one of the plurality of capture points is positioned to direct the unmanned aircraft to capture sensor data of the structure from a first angle relative to the structure and a second one of the plurality of capture points is positioned to direct the unmanned aircraft to capture sensor data of the structure from a second angle relative to the structure.

10. The computerized system of claim 6 , wherein the unmanned aircraft is a multi-rotor aircraft.

Assignments (6)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 14, 2025
From: HPS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, LLC
To: PICTOMETRY INTERNATIONAL CORP.
Reel/Frame 070828/0266 →
RELEASE OF FIRST LIEN SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Apr 9, 2025
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: PICTOMETRY INTERNATIONAL CORP.; EAGLE VIEW TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; OMNIEARTH, INC.
Reel/Frame 070786/0022 →
FIRST LIEN SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 28, 2025
From: EAGLE VIEW TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; PICTOMETRY INTERNATIONAL CORP.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 070671/0078 →
FIRST LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 23, 2018
From: PICTOMETRY INTERNATIONAL CORP.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 046919/0065 →
SECOND LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 14, 2018
From: PICTOMETRY INTERNATIONAL CORP.
To: HPS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, LLC,
Reel/Frame 046823/0755 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2017
From: SCHULTZ, STEPHEN L.; MONACO, JOHN
To: PICTOMETRY INTERNATIONAL CORP.
Reel/Frame 044032/0586 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 15475978 · Mar 31, 2017
Continuation 14591556 · Jan 7, 2015
Provisional Application 61926137 · Jan 10, 2014
Related Publication 20180068186A1 · Mar 8, 2018
Cited By (2)
US 12,198,197 US 12,646,121