US 12,271,208 B2
Aerial vehicle touchdown detection
Rowland Wilde O'Flaherty, Chicago, IL (US); Teodor Tomic, Redwood City, CA (US); Hayk Martirosyan, San Francisco, CA (US); Abraham Galton Bachrach, Emerald Hills, CA (US); Kristen Marie Holtz, Menlo Park, CA (US); and Jack Louis Zhu, San Mateo, CA (US)
Assigned to Skydio, Inc., San Mateo, CA (US)
Filed by Skydio, Inc., San Mateo, CA (US)
Filed on Jul. 11, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/350,061.
Application 18/350,061 is a continuation of application No. 17/306,204, filed on May 3, 2021, granted, now 11,726,498.
Application 17/306,204 is a continuation of application No. 16/272,132, filed on Feb. 11, 2019, granted, now 10,996,683, issued on May 4, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/628,876, filed on Feb. 9, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2024/0069572 A1, Feb. 29, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G05D 1/04 (2006.01); B64C 39/02 (2023.01); B64U 10/14 (2023.01); B64U 70/00 (2023.01); B64U 101/30 (2023.01); G05D 1/00 (2024.01); G05D 1/06 (2006.01); G06N 20/00 (2019.01)
CPC G05D 1/042 (2013.01) [B64U 10/14 (2023.01); B64U 70/00 (2023.01); G06N 20/00 (2019.01); B64U 2101/30 (2023.01); B64U 2201/10 (2023.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for landing an aerial vehicle, the method comprising:
processing, by a processor, perception inputs of the aerial vehicle to estimate external forces acting on the aerial vehicle while the aerial vehicle is descending to land on a physical surface in a physical environment;
determining, by the processor, based on the estimated external forces that the aerial vehicle is in contact with a physical surface;
generating, by the processor, a first control command configured to cause a propulsion system of the aerial vehicle to reduce thrust;
executing, by the processor, the first control command to cause the propulsion system of the aerial vehicle to reduce thrust;
monitoring, by the processor, changes in the external forces as the propulsion system reduces thrust;
generating, by the processor, a second control command configured to cause the propulsion system to power down in response to determining that the aerial vehicle is supported by the physical surface; and
executing, by the processor, the second control command to cause the aerial vehicle to land.