Unmanned aerial vehicle assisted system for vehicle reverse and parking

1. A method of managing parking spaces in a parking lot, the method comprising:

receiving, at a path controller, one or more live images from an imaging device positioned to capture live images of the parking lot;

identifying, by the path controller, one or more available parking spaces based on the one or more images;

receiving, at the path controller, vehicle information associated with one or more vehicle systems positioned at a distance from the path controller, the vehicle information including a vehicle identifier, a vehicle size, and a vehicle position;

for each vehicle system from the one or more vehicle systems;

determining, by the path controller, a path from a current vehicle position associated with a current vehicle system to an identified available parking space from the one or more identified available parking spaces, the identified available parking space sized to accommodate the current vehicle system based on the vehicle size;

transmitting, from the path controller to the current vehicle system the determined path associated with the current vehicle system, and

transmitting the determined path to a vehicle controller of the current vehicle system, the vehicle controller in communication with a drive system supported by the current vehicle system and executing a path following sub-system causing the drive system to autonomously maneuver the current vehicle system along the determined path.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the path controller is supported by an unmanned aerial vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the path controller communicates with the one or more vehicle systems by way of a wireless network.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising capturing at the imaging device, the one or more images of the parking lot having the one or more available spaces, the imaging device supported by an unmanned aerial vehicle.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the path controller communicates with the imaging device by way of a wireless network.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, at the path controller, sensor data from a sensor system of the current vehicle system, the sensor system supported by the current vehicle system and configured to detect one or more objects within a proximity of the current vehicle system; and

updating, by the path controller, the path based on the received sensor data.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the imaging device is positioned at an altitude from the current vehicle system and configured to capture the images of the parking lot.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the current vehicle system comprises a vehicle and a trailer.

9. A method of managing parking spaces in a parking lot, the method comprising:

receiving, at a path controller, one or more live images from an imaging device positioned to capture live images of the parking lot;

identifying, by the path controller, one or more available parking spaces based on the one or more images;

receiving, at the path controller, vehicle information associated with one or more vehicle systems positioned at a distance from the path controller, the vehicle information including a vehicle identifier, a vehicle size, and a vehicle position;

for each vehicle system from the one or more vehicle systems;

determining, by the path controller, a path from a current vehicle position associated with a current vehicle system to an identified available parking space from the one or more identified available parking spaces, the identified available parking space sized to accommodate the current vehicle system based on the vehicle size; and

transmitting, from the path controller to the current vehicle system the determined path associated with the current vehicle system,

wherein the path controller is supported by an unmanned aerial vehicle and communicates with the one or more vehicle systems via a wireless network, including transmitting, for each vehicle system, the determined path associated with the current vehicle system.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein transmitting the determined path from the path controller to the current vehicle system comprises transmitting the determined path to a vehicle controller of the current vehicle system, the vehicle controller in communication with a drive system supported by the current vehicle system and executing a path following sub-system causing the drive system to autonomously maneuver the current vehicle system along the determined path.

11. A system for managing parking spaces in a parking lot, comprising:

a path controller, the path controller comprising data processing hardware and non-transitory memory having stored therein instructions which, when executed by the data processing hardware, causes the path controller to perform a method comprising

receiving one or more live images from an imaging device positioned to capture live images of the parking lot;

identifying one or more available parking spaces based on the one or more images;

receiving vehicle information associated with one or more vehicle systems positioned at a distance from the path controller, the vehicle information including a vehicle identifier, a vehicle size, and a vehicle position;

for each vehicle system from the one or more vehicle systems,

determining a path from a current vehicle position associated with a current vehicle system to an identified available parking space from the one or more identified available parking spaces, the identified available parking space sized to accommodate the current vehicle system based on the vehicle size; and

transmitting, from the path controller to the current vehicle system, the determined path associated with the current vehicle system, the transmitting including transmitting the determined path to a vehicle controller of the current vehicle system, the vehicle controller in communication with a drive system supported by the current vehicle system and executing a path following sub-system causing the drive system to autonomously maneuver the current vehicle system along the determined path.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the path controller is supported by an unmanned aerial vehicle and communicates with the one or more vehicle systems via a wireless network, including transmitting, for each vehicle system, the determined path associated with the current vehicle system.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the executed method further includes capturing, at the imaging device, the one or more images of the parking lot having the one or more available spaces, the imaging device supported by an unmanned aerial vehicle.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the path controller communicates with the imaging device by way of a wireless network.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the executed method comprises:

receiving, at the path controller, sensor data from a sensor system of the current vehicle system, the sensor system supported by the current vehicle system and configured to detect one or more objects within a proximity of the current vehicle system; and

updating, by the path controller, the path based on the received sensor data.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the imaging device is positioned at an altitude from the current vehicle system and configured to capture the images of the parking lot.