US 12,322,078 B2
Method and system for detection and localization of thermal defects
Mansour Asrani, Toronto (CA); Peyvand Melati Rad, Markham (CA); and Omid Alaei, Thornhill (CA)
Assigned to QEATECH INC., Markham (CA)
Filed by QEATECH INC., Markham (CA)
Filed on Jun. 3, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/731,876.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/505,569, filed on Jun. 1, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2024/0404033 A1, Dec. 5, 2024
Int. Cl. G06T 7/00 (2017.01); G06T 7/12 (2017.01); G06T 7/13 (2017.01); G06T 7/50 (2017.01); H04N 23/11 (2023.01); B64U 20/87 (2023.01); B64U 101/26 (2023.01); B64U 101/30 (2023.01); G06V 10/764 (2022.01)
CPC G06T 7/0002 (2013.01) [G06T 7/12 (2017.01); G06T 7/13 (2017.01); G06T 7/50 (2017.01); H04N 23/11 (2023.01); B64U 20/87 (2023.01); B64U 2101/26 (2023.01); B64U 2101/30 (2023.01); G06T 2207/10032 (2013.01); G06T 2207/10048 (2013.01); G06T 2207/20081 (2013.01); G06T 2207/20084 (2013.01); G06T 2207/20092 (2013.01); G06T 2207/30184 (2013.01); G06V 10/764 (2022.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A thermal inspection method, the method comprising:
providing an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”), the UAV comprising a thermal camera for capturing thermal image data, a visible light camera for capturing visible light image data, and a positioning system for capturing positioning data;
operating the UAV by flying the UAV along a predetermined flight path around an inspection structure;
simultaneously capturing thermal image data of the inspection structure, visible light image data of the inspection structure, and positioning data at regular intervals, while the UAV flies along the flight path;
defining a boundary around a building element within the thermal image data;
identifying a maximum temperature pixel within the boundary of the building element, the maximum temperature pixel associated with the greatest temperature;
defining a pixel region around the maximum temperature pixel according to a provided max walk parameter;
expanding the pixel region by a provided max step parameter, defining an expanded pixel area around the maximum temperature pixel; and
analysing a shape of the expanded pixel area to identify a thermal anomaly.