US 12,221,232 B2
Lighting system inspection using an unmanned aerial vehicle
Gregory James Sweers, Renton, WA (US); James J. Troy, Issaquah, WA (US); and Gary E. Georgeson, Tacoma, WA (US)
Assigned to THE BOEING COMPANY, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by THE BOEING COMPANY, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed on Apr. 5, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/627,887.
Application 18/627,887 is a continuation of application No. 17/661,623, filed on May 2, 2022, granted, now 11,975,869.
Prior Publication US 2024/0246699 A1, Jul. 25, 2024
Int. Cl. B64F 5/60 (2017.01); B64C 39/02 (2023.01); B64D 47/02 (2006.01); G01M 11/02 (2006.01); G06T 7/00 (2017.01); G06V 10/60 (2022.01); G08G 5/00 (2006.01); B64U 101/30 (2023.01)
CPC B64F 5/60 (2017.01) [B64C 39/024 (2013.01); B64D 47/02 (2013.01); G01M 11/0228 (2013.01); G06T 7/0004 (2013.01); G06V 10/60 (2022.01); G08G 5/003 (2013.01); G08G 5/0069 (2013.01); B64U 2101/30 (2023.01); G06T 2207/30252 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:
communication circuitry;
one or more sensors; and
one or more processors coupled to the communication circuitry and the one or more sensors, the one or more processors configured to:
obtain a flight plan for the unmanned aerial vehicle, the flight plan based on an aircraft type of an aircraft to be inspected;
coordinate, with a control device onboard the aircraft via the communication circuitry, operation of a particular device of the aircraft based on the flight plan such that a state of the particular device changes when a particular sensor of the one or more sensors is located to perform a sensing operation on the particular device, wherein to coordinate the operation of the particular device based on the flight plan, the one or more processors are configured to:
determine, based on the flight plan, a particular location where the particular sensor will be located to perform the sensing operation on the particular device; and
communicate, to the control device onboard the aircraft via the communication circuitry, to change the operation of the particular device responsive to the unmanned aerial vehicle arriving at the particular location;
perform the sensing operation on the particular device using the particular sensor; and
determine a functionality metric associated with the particular device based on the sensing operation.