US 12,067,887 B2
Method and system for generating aerial imaging flight path
James W. Dow, Birmingham, AL (US); and W. Scott Dow, Birmingham, AL (US)
Assigned to D2, LLC, Picayune, MS (US)
Filed by D2, LLC, Birmingham, AL (US)
Filed on Dec. 20, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/069,103.
Application 18/069,103 is a continuation of application No. 16/988,274, filed on Aug. 7, 2020, granted, now 11,587,446.
Application 16/988,274 is a continuation of application No. 16/053,558, filed on Aug. 2, 2018, granted, now 10,741,086, issued on Aug. 11, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/648,094, filed on Mar. 26, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0121363 A1, Apr. 20, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G08G 5/00 (2006.01); B64C 39/02 (2023.01); B64U 101/30 (2023.01)
CPC G08G 5/0034 (2013.01) [B64C 39/024 (2013.01); G08G 5/0069 (2013.01); B64U 2101/30 (2023.01); B64U 2201/20 (2023.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of developing a flight path/trajectory over a geographic area, corridor, or point in space, the method comprising:
determining a set of trajectories, each trajectory determined based on a logarithmic spiral curve derived from a basis angle from a predetermined range of basis angles and selecting a constant tangent angle between a radial line from the location of a vehicle to a target location, and a tangent line to the slope of the logarithmic spiral curve at the location of the vehicle on the logarithmic spiral curve;
scaling the set of trajectories to cover the geographic area, corridor, or point in space;
transforming the set of trajectories to coordinates corresponding to the geographic area, corridor, or point in space; and
storing a flight path/trajectory based on the set of trajectories in a storage device.
 
11. A system to determine a flight path/trajectory for flying over a geographic area, corridor, or point in space, the system comprising:
a storage device storing coordinates of the geographic area, corridor, or point in space;
a trajectory module coupled to the storage device, the trajectory module operative to:
determine a set of trajectories, each trajectory determined based on a logarithmic spiral curve derived from a basis angle from a predetermined range of basis angles and selecting a constant tangent angle between a radial line from the location of a vehicle to a target location, and a tangent line to the slope of the logarithmic spiral curve at the location of the vehicle on the logarithmic_spiral curve;
store the set of trajectories in the storage device,
scale the set of trajectories to cover the geographic area, corridor, or point in space, and
transform the scaled set of trajectories to coordinates to cover the geographic area, corridor, or point in space; and
a display module coupled to the trajectory module, the display module displaying the scaled set of trajectories over the geographic area, corridor, or point in space.
 
23. A vehicle control system for determining a route over a geographic area, corridor, or point in space, the system comprising:
a storage device storing a route plan, the route plan based on determining a set of trajectories, each trajectory determined based on a logarithmic spiral curve derived from a basis angle from a predetermined range of basis angles and selecting a constant tangent angle between a radial line from the location of the vehicle to a target location, and a tangent line to the slope of the logarithmic spiral curve at the location of the vehicle on the logarithmic spiral curve;
scaling the set of trajectories to cover the geographic area, corridor, or point in space;
transforming the set of trajectories to coordinates corresponding to the geographic area, corridor, or point in space; and
generating a set of waypoints based on the coordinates for a route plan; and
a display displaying the route plan.