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. A method, comprising:
determining, in reference to a geospatial coordinate system onto which an image captured using a camera of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is projected, that a portion of the image depicts an object located outside of a geofence by:
determining an area of the geospatial coordinate system that is outside of the geofence and inside of the projection of the image, wherein a location of the object outside of the geofence corresponds to the area of the geospatial coordinate system; and
projecting the area of the geospatial coordinate system into a pixel coordinate system of the image, wherein the portion of the image corresponds to a location of the pixel coordinate system to which the area of the geospatial coordinate system is projected; and
obfuscating the portion of the image.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
projecting the image onto the geospatial coordinate system; and
overlaying the projection of the image on the geofence.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a location at which the image is captured is determined based on a flight path identified for the UAV.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein camera parameters used by the camera of the UAV to capture the image are determined during a pre-flight simulation of the flight path.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the image is obfuscated while the UAV is in-flight.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the portion of the image is obfuscated using one or more camera parameters of the camera of the UAV.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the image is obfuscated via a post-flight process using log data generated by the UAV.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the log data includes one or more of an identification of a geospatial location at which the image was captured, a time at which the image was captured, a pose or position of the camera when the image was captured, or information indicative of or usable to determine a field of view of the camera relative to the geofence.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
delete or destroy the image responsive to a determination that a size of the portion of the image exceeds a threshold value.
10. A system, comprising:
one or more processors of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flight processing system, the one or more processors operable to:
obfuscate a portion of an image captured using a camera of the UAV responsive to a determination, in reference to a geospatial coordinate system onto which the image is projected, that a portion of the image depicts an object located outside of a geofence based on an area of the geospatial coordinate system falling outside of the geofence but inside of the projection of the image and based on a projection of the area of the geospatial coordinate system into a pixel coordinate system of the image,
wherein a location of the object outside of the geofence corresponds to the area of the geospatial coordinate system, and
wherein the portion of the image corresponds to a location of the pixel coordinate system to which the area of the geospatial coordinate system is projected.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are further operable to:
project the image onto the geospatial coordinate system; and
overlay the projection of the image on the geofence.
12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the portion of the image is obfuscated via a post-flight process using log data generated by the UAV.
13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are further operable to:
delete or destroy the image responsive to a determination that a size of the portion of the image exceeds a threshold value.
14. A system, comprising:
one or more processors of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) ground control system, the one or more processors operable to:
obfuscate a portion of an image captured using a camera of the UAV responsive to a determination, in reference to a geospatial coordinate system onto which image is projected, that a portion of the image depicts an object located outside of a geofence based on an area of the geospatial coordinate system falling outside of the geofence but inside of the projection of the image and based on a projection of the area of the geospatial coordinate system into a pixel coordinate system of the image,
wherein a location of the object outside of the geofence corresponds to the area of the geospatial coordinate system,
wherein the portion of the image corresponds to a location of the pixel coordinate system to which the area of the geospatial coordinate system is projected, and
wherein the portion of the image is obfuscated while the UAV is in-flight.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the one or more processors are further operable to:
project the image onto the geospatial coordinate system; and
overlay the projection of the image on the geofence.
16. The system of claim 14 , wherein a location at which the image is captured is determined based on a flight path identified for the UAV.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein camera parameters used by the camera of the UAV to capture the image are determined during a pre-flight simulation of the flight path.