US 12,436,540 B2
Using UAV flight patterns to enhance machine vision detection of obstacles
Ali Shoeb, San Rafael, CA (US); and Marcus Hammond, Redwood City, CA (US)
Assigned to Wing Aviation LLC, Palo Alto, CA (US)
Filed by WING Aviation LLC, Mountain View, CA (US)
Filed on Apr. 7, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/132,288.
Prior Publication US 2024/0338026 A1, Oct. 10, 2024
Int. Cl. G05D 1/00 (2024.01); B64C 39/02 (2023.01); B64U 101/30 (2023.01); B64U 101/64 (2023.01); G06T 7/20 (2017.01); G06T 7/70 (2017.01)
CPC G05D 1/106 (2019.05) [B64C 39/024 (2013.01); G05D 1/0607 (2013.01); G06T 7/20 (2013.01); G06T 7/70 (2017.01); B64U 2101/30 (2023.01); B64U 2101/64 (2023.01); B64U 2201/10 (2023.01); G06T 2207/10032 (2013.01); G06T 2207/20081 (2013.01); G06T 2207/20084 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for detection of an obstacle by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) providing an aerial delivery service, the method comprising:
arriving above a delivery location at a first altitude by the UAV;
initiating a descent flight pattern for the UAV that facilitates detection or tracking of the obstacle by a machine vision system disposed onboard the UAV, wherein the descent flight pattern comprises a rectangular spiral descent having linear flight path segments that sequentially descend;
navigating the descent flight pattern from the first altitude towards the delivery location;
acquiring aerial images of the delivery location below the UAV with a camera system disposed onboard the UAV, wherein at least some of the aerial images are acquired while the UAV navigates the descent flight pattern; and
analyzing the aerial images with the machine vision system disposed onboard the UAV to detect or track the obstacle in the aerial images.