Dynamic optimization of an operation of an aerial drone

1. A computer-implemented method of optimizing an operation of an aerial drone, the computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a drone on-board computer on an aerial drone, sensor readings from sensors on the aerial drone, wherein the sensor readings detect a change in flight conditions while the aerial drone is flying between a first location and a second location while being powered only by an electric motor, and wherein the change in flight conditions is a change to an environment through which the aerial drone is flying; and

in response to the sensors on the aerial drone detecting a change in the flight conditions while the aerial drone is flying between the first location and the second location while being powered only by the electric motor, disengaging, by the drone on-board computer, the electric motor from propellers on the aerial drone and engaging an internal combustion engine to the propellers.

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

identifying, by one or more sensors affixed to the aerial drone, aerial obstacles that the aerial drone must fly around when flying between the first location and the second location, wherein the aerial obstacles are the change in flight conditions; and

adjusting, by the drone on-board computer, a physical configuration of the aerial drone based on the aerial obstacles between the first location and the second location.

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

identifying, by a camera mounted on the aerial drone, the aerial obstacles as a flock of birds, wherein a presence of the flock of birds is the change in flight conditions.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , further comprising:

in response to the sensors affixed to the aerial drone detecting a subsequent change in the flight conditions while the aerial drone is flying between the first location and the second location, disengaging, by the drone on-board computer, the internal combustion engine from the propellers and engaging the electric motor to the propellers; and

in response to engaging the electric motor, emitting, from a speaker on the aerial drone, a tone having a frequency that has been predetermined to be effective in dispersing the flock of birds.

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

identifying, by a camera mounted on the aerial drone, the aerial obstacles as another aircraft, wherein a presence of said another aircraft is the change in flight conditions; and

adjusting, by the drone on-board computer, flight control surfaces on the aerial drone to avoid flying near said another aircraft.

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

identifying, by one or more sensors affixed to the aerial drone, the change in flight conditions as a change in weather conditions between the first location and the second location, wherein the change in weather conditions presents a hazardous weather condition to the aerial drone; and

adjusting, by the drone on-board computer, flight control surfaces on the aerial drone to avoid flying through the hazardous weather condition.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the aerial drone is transporting a product, and wherein the computer-implemented method further comprises:

determining that a value of the product exceeds a predetermined value; and

in response to determining that the value of the product exceeds the predetermined value, removing the product from the aerial drone and placing the product on a ground-based mode of transportation.

8. A computer program product for optimizing an operation of an aerial drone, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program code embodied therewith, the program code readable and executable by a processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving sensor readings from sensors on the aerial drone, wherein the sensor readings detect a change in flight conditions while the aerial drone is flying between a first location and a second location while being powered only by an electric motor, and wherein the change in flight conditions is a change to an environment through which the aerial drone is flying; and

in response to the sensors on the aerial drone detecting a change in the flight conditions while the aerial drone is flying between the first location and the second location while being powered only by the electric motor, disengaging, by a drone on-board computer, the electric motor from propellers on the aerial drone and engaging an internal combustion engine to the propellers.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises:

identifying, based on sensor readings from one or more sensors affixed to the aerial drone, aerial obstacles that the aerial drone must fly around when flying between the first location and the second location, wherein the aerial obstacles are the change in flight conditions; and

adjusting a physical configuration of the aerial drone based on the aerial obstacles between the first location and the second location.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises:

identifying, based on images captured by a camera mounted on the aerial drone, the aerial obstacles as a flock of birds, wherein a presence of the flock of birds is the change in flight conditions.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises:

in response to the sensors on the aerial drone detecting a subsequent change in the flight conditions while the aerial drone is flying between the first location and the second location, disengaging the internal combustion engine from the propellers and engaging the electric motor to the propellers; and

in response to engaging the electric motor, emitting, via a speaker on the aerial drone, a tone having a frequency that has been predetermined to be effective in dispersing the flock of birds.

12. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises:

identifying, by a camera mounted on the aerial drone, the aerial obstacles as another aircraft, wherein a presence of said another aircraft is the change in flight conditions; and

adjusting, by the drone on-board computer, flight control surfaces on the aerial drone to avoid flying near said another aircraft.

13. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises:

identifying, by one or more sensors affixed to the aerial drone, the change in flight conditions as a change in weather conditions between the first location and the second location, wherein the change in weather conditions presents a hazardous weather condition to the aerial drone; and

adjusting, by the drone on-board computer, flight control surfaces on the aerial drone to avoid flying through the hazardous weather condition.

14. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the aerial drone is transporting a product, and wherein the method further comprises:

determining that a value of the product exceeds a predetermined value; and

in response to determining that the value of the product exceeds the predetermined value, removing the product from the aerial drone and placing the product on a ground-based mode of transportation.

15. A computer system comprising:

a processor, a computer readable memory, and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium;

first program instructions to receive sensor readings from sensors on an aerial drone, wherein the sensor readings detect a change in flight conditions while the aerial drone is flying between a first location and a second location while being powered only by an electric motor, and wherein the change in flight conditions is a change to an environment through which the aerial drone is flying; and

second program instructions to, in response to the sensors on the aerial drone detecting a change in the flight conditions while the aerial drone is flying between the first location and the second location, disengage, by a drone on-board computer while being powered only by the electric motor, the electric motor from propellers on the aerial drone and engage an internal combustion engine to the propellers; and wherein

the first and second program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage medium for execution by one or more processors via the computer readable memory.

16. The computer system of claim 15 , further comprising:

third program instructions to identify, based on sensor readings from one or more sensors affixed to the aerial drone, aerial obstacles that the aerial drone must fly around when flying between the first location and the second location, wherein the aerial obstacles are the change in flight conditions; and

fourth program instructions to adjust a physical configuration of the aerial drone based on the aerial obstacles between the first location and the second location; and wherein the third and fourth program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage medium for execution by one or more processors via the computer readable memory.

17. The computer system of claim 16 , further comprising:

fifth program instructions to identify, based on images captured by a camera mounted on the aerial drone, the aerial obstacles as a flock of birds, wherein a presence of the flock of birds is the change in flight conditions; and wherein the fifth program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage medium for execution by one or more processors via the computer readable memory.

18. The computer system of claim 17 , further comprising:

sixth program instructions to, in response to the sensors on the aerial drone detecting a subsequent change in the flight conditions while the aerial drone is flying between the first location and the second location, disengage the internal combustion engine from the propellers and engaging the electric motor to the propellers; and

seventh program instructions to, in response to engaging the electric motor, direct a speaker on the aerial drone to emit a tone having a frequency that has been predetermined to be effective in dispersing the flock of birds; and wherein

the sixth and seventh program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage medium for execution by one or more processors via the computer readable memory.

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

determining that animal pets reside at the second location; and

in response to determining that animal pets reside at the second location, preventing, by the drone on-board computer, the aerial drone from flying to the second location.

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

determining that the second location is a high-rise building; and

in response to determining that the second location is a high-rise building, preventing, by the drone on-board computer, the aerial drone from flying to the second location.