Method for adaptive mission execution on an unmanned aerial vehicle

1. A system comprising:

an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising an onboard camera; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the UAV and configured to:

control the UAV to execute a UAV diagnostic test prior to a UAV mission;

determine a set of mission parameters based upon the UAV diagnostic test and corresponding to the UAV mission, the mission parameters defining a first area to be imaged by a camera of the UAV;

initiate execution of the UAV mission;

receive UAV operation data during the UAV mission, the UAV operation data comprising aerial images taken at a first imaging resolution;

calculate a set of modified mission parameters from the set of mission parameters and an analysis of aerial images, the set of modified mission parameters corresponding to a modified UAV mission; and

automatically execute the modified UAV mission with the UAV.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is wirelessly connected to the UAV during the UAV diagnostic test and the UAV mission.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the UAV diagnostic test comprises a pre-mission flight test, comprising: executing a flight sequence with the UAV evaluating: level flight at a first altitude with determination of a first parameter of the UAV and a climb to a second altitude with determination of a second parameter of the UAV.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the first parameter is associated with the first image resolution and the second parameter is associated with a second image resolution.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the set of modified mission parameters are configured to allow images to be captured at the second image resolution.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the analysis comprises: at a mobile user device comprising the processor, identifying an image artifact based on the UAV operation dataset.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the analysis comprises evaluating an image resolution of the UAV operation dataset at a mobile user device during execution of the UAV mission.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the analysis comprises a range analysis; wherein the set of modified mission parameters are configured to decrease an image resolution associated with the UAV mission based on a range parameter for the UAV.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the diagnostic test comprises: level flight at a first altitude with determination of an airspeed parameter of the UAV, a climb to a second altitude with determination of a thrust parameter of the UAV, and a transition of a motor of the UAV from a first to a second power setting with determination of a range of the UAV and a weight parameter of the UAV.

10. A system, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium; and

a processor coupled to the non-transitory computer readable medium, the processor configured to:

prior to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) mission of a UAV, executing a flight sequence with the UAV which evaluates: level flight at a first altitude with determination of a first parameter of the UAV and a climb to a second altitude with determination of a second parameter of the UAV;

based upon the flight sequence, determining a set of mission parameters corresponding to the UAV mission, wherein the mission parameters define a first area to be imaged by a camera of the UAV;

initiating execution of the UAV mission with collection of a UAV operation dataset during the UAV mission; and

modifying behavior of the UAV based upon an analysis of the UAV operation dataset.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein executing the flight sequence further comprises: transitioning a motor of the UAV from a first to a second power setting based on determination of a third parameter of the UAV.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first parameter is a first airspeed parameter or a first thrust parameter; wherein the second parameter is a second airspeed parameter or a second thrust parameter.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first parameter is associated with a first image resolution and the second parameter is associated with a second image resolution.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein modifying behavior of the UAV comprises modifying the set of mission parameters to allow images to be captured at the first image resolution.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the set of mission parameters are determined based on the second parameter, wherein modifying behavior of the UAV comprises: calculating a set of modified mission parameters based on the first parameter and the set of mission parameters; and initiating execution of a modified UAV mission based on the set of modified mission parameters.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the analysis comprises evaluating an image resolution of the UAV operation dataset at a mobile user device during execution of the UAV mission.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the analysis comprises: at a mobile user device, identifying an image artifact based on the UAV operation dataset.

18. The system of claim 10 , wherein the analysis comprises: tracking at least one of: a motor speed parameter, a propeller usage parameter, a control surface actuator usage parameter, or a fuselage usage parameter of the UAV during the mission; and generating a comparison between of at least one of the motor speed parameter, the propeller usage parameter, a control surface actuator usage parameter, or a fuselage usage parameter to a respective life limit.

19. The system of claim 10 , wherein the analysis comprises a range analysis; wherein modifying behavior of the UAV comprises decreasing an image resolution of the UAV mission based on a range parameter of the UAV.

20. The system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is housed within a mobile device and is wirelessly connected to the UAV.