IP Library Granted Patent US 12,282,989
Granted Patent B2
US 12,282,989 · App. 18/218,918 · Granted Apr 22, 2025

Map view

Inventor: Joseph Anthony Enke (Campbell, CA)
Assignee: Skydio, Inc.
G06T11/60G01C11/00G01C21/3852G06T5/80B64U10/14B64U30/20B64U50/19B64U60/50B64U2101/32B64U2201/20G06T2207/30244G06T2207/30248
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,282,989
App. No.
18/218,918
Granted
Apr 22, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method includes determining an altitude of a camera of an aerial vehicle, determining a field of view (FOV) of a camera, generating a localized map, determining a relative position of the aerial vehicle on the localized map, and determining a relative heading of the aerial vehicle.

Claims (55)

1. A method comprising:

determining an altitude of a camera of an aerial vehicle;

determining a field of view (FOV) of the camera;

generating a localized map;

determining a relative position of the aerial vehicle on the localized map;

determining a relative heading of the aerial vehicle;

generating a relative position of a wireless communication device, on the localized map, wherein the wireless communication device is in communication with the aerial vehicle; and

generating a relative heading of the wireless communication device on the localized map.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating a footprint of the camera, wherein generating the footprint comprises:

generating a length of the footprint based on the altitude and a first component of the FOV; and

generating a width of the footprint based on the altitude and a second component of the FOV.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first component comprises a horizontal component and the second component comprises a vertical component.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving sensor data from the aerial vehicle; and

determining the altitude and the FOV based on the sensor data.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the localized map is generated based on stored images.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

de-warping the stored images by distortion correction or chromatic aberration correction.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the images when de-warped so that the stored images align with the localized map.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining the relative position of the aerial vehicle relative to an initial position of the of the aerial vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the initial position is associated with sensor data and images captured by the camera.

10. An aerial vehicle comprising:

a camera, a processor, and a memory, the memory including instructions that when executed cause the processor to:

determine information associated with the camera of the aerial vehicle;

generate a footprint of the camera based on the information;

determine a localized map based on the footprint;

determine a relative position of the aerial vehicle on the localized map, by:

receiving sensor data from the aerial vehicle; and

determining an altitude and field of view (FOV) based on the sensor data;

determine a relative heading of the aerial vehicle; and

de-warp images captured by the camera by either distortion correction or chromatic aberration correction.

11. The aerial vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the information includes the altitude and the field of view (FOV) of the camera.

12. The aerial vehicle of claim 11 , wherein to generate the footprint of the camera comprises to:

generate a length of the footprint based on the altitude and a horizontal component of the FOV; and

generate a width of the footprint based on the altitude and a vertical component of the FOV.

13. The aerial vehicle of claim 12 , the memory further including instructions that when executed cause the processor to:

receive sensor data from the aerial vehicle; and

determine the altitude and the FOV based on the sensor data.

14. The aerial vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the localized map includes at least one of a road network, railroad network, airport, elevation contour, coastline, boundary, or index of geographical names.

15. The aerial vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the images are de-warped by a de-warping module.

16. The aerial vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the footprint is calculated with a footprint calculation module.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising stored instructions that, when executed, causes at least one processor to:

generate a footprint of a camera of an aerial vehicle based on altitude information and field of view (FOV) information associated with the camera;

determine a localized map based on the footprint;

determine a relative position of the aerial vehicle including the camera on the localized map;

determine a relative heading of the aerial vehicle on the localized map; and

generate a relative position of a wireless communication device, on the localized map, wherein the wireless communication device is in communication with the aerial vehicle.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein to generate the footprint of the camera comprises to:

generate a length of the footprint based on the altitude information and a horizontal component of the FOV; and

generate a width of the footprint based on the altitude information and a vertical component of the FOV.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , further comprising instructions to:

determine the relative position of the aerial vehicle relative to an initial position of the aerial vehicle.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the position of the aerial vehicle on the localized map is determined using the camera.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 1, 2024
From: GOPRO, INC.
To: SKYDIO, INC.
Reel/Frame 069083/0355 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 6, 2023
From: ENKE, JOSEPH ANTHONY
To: GOPRO, INC.
Reel/Frame 064173/0042 →