US 12,404,023 B2
Visual and tactile confirmation of package presence for UAV aerial deliveries
Ali Shoeb, San Rafael, CA (US); and Ivan Qiu, Redwood City, CA (US)
Assigned to Wing Aviation LLC, Palo Alto, CA (US)
Filed by WING Aviation LLC, Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed on Aug. 26, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/896,564.
Prior Publication US 2024/0067340 A1, Feb. 29, 2024
Int. Cl. G06V 20/17 (2022.01); B64D 1/22 (2006.01); B64D 47/08 (2006.01); B66D 3/26 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01); G06T 7/10 (2017.01); G06T 7/60 (2017.01); G06T 7/70 (2017.01); B64U 101/64 (2023.01)
CPC B64D 1/22 (2013.01) [B64D 47/08 (2013.01); B66D 3/26 (2013.01); G05D 1/101 (2013.01); G06T 7/10 (2017.01); G06T 7/60 (2013.01); G06T 7/70 (2017.01); G06V 20/17 (2022.01); B64U 2101/64 (2023.01); G06T 2207/10032 (2013.01); G06T 2207/20021 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) adapted for package deliveries, the UAV comprising:
an airframe adapted for carrying a package;
a camera mounted to the airframe and oriented to capture an image of a scene below the airframe;
a tether mounted to the airframe at a first end and adapted to attach the package to the UAV via a second end opposite the first end; and
a control system coupled to the camera and including logic, that when executed by the control system, causes the UAV to perform operations including:
capturing the image of the scene below the airframe;
analyzing the image to classify pixels in the image deemed to satisfy a package classification; and
determining whether the package is attached to the UAV based at least on whether a threshold number of contiguous pixels in the image are classified into the package classification.