US 12,256,724 B2
System for damaging and/or destroying crop of plants, and related methods
Morgan Perry, Phoenix, AZ (US)
Assigned to STRATUS AERO, LLC, Oro Valley, AZ (US)
Appl. No. 17/053,714
Filed by Morgan Perry, Phoenix, AZ (US)
PCT Filed May 13, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/032041
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 6, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/222109, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 21, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/673,040, filed on May 17, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0244011 A1, Aug. 12, 2021
Int. Cl. A01M 21/04 (2006.01); G06V 10/20 (2022.01); G06V 20/10 (2022.01); G06V 10/58 (2022.01)
CPC A01M 21/04 (2013.01) [A01M 21/046 (2013.01); G06V 10/255 (2022.01); G06V 20/188 (2022.01); G06V 10/58 (2022.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A mobile system for targeting and damaging at least one growing plant within a predetermined target area containing a first plurality of plants, the system comprising:
a source configured to generate a beam of energy sufficient to damage at least one plant when the plant is exposed to the beam;
an optical component operable to focus and direct the beam of energy generated by the source;
a controller communicatively coupled to the source and optical component;
the controller being configured to:
identify the predetermined target area;
access a first set of threat data relating to operator/system safety from land-based threats in or near the predetermined target area;
determine, using the first set of threat data, whether or not at least one hostile action is expected in response to a first planned activity involving deployment of the system to damage the at least one growing plant within the predetermined target area;
identify a first operating configuration to be utilized for carrying out the first planned activity if the at least one hostile action is not expected;
identify a second operating configuration to be utilized for carrying out the first planned activity if the at least one hostile action is expected, wherein the second operating configuration is different from the first operating configuration;
cause the system to execute the first planned activity using the first operating configuration in response to determining that the at least one hostile action is expected;
cause the system to execute the first planned activity using the second operating configuration in response to determining that the at least one hostile action is not expected;
identify a first object within the predetermined target area;
determine whether or not the first object corresponds to at least one plant to be damaged;
prevent the energy beam from reaching the first object in response to determining that the first object does not correspond to the at least one plant to be damaged; and
cause the energy beam to reach the first object in response to determining that the first object corresponds to the at least one plant to be damaged.