Skydio, Inc.

Unmanned Innovation, Inc.

Joseph Moster

Bernard J Michini

Jonathan Downey

Donald Curry Weigel

James E Ogden

Donna Okazaki

James Ogden

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for unmanned aerial vehicle authorization and geofence envelope determination. One of the methods includes determining, by an electronic system in an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), an estimated fuel remaining in the UAV. An estimated fuel consumption of the UAV is determined. Estimated information associated with wind affecting the UAV is determined using information obtained from sensors included in the UAV. Estimated flights times remaining for a current path, and one or more alternative flight paths, are determined using the determined estimated fuel remaining, determined estimated fuel consumption, determined information associated wind, and information describing each flight path. In response to the electronic system determining that the estimated fuel remaining, after completion of the current flight path, would be below a first threshold, an alternative flight path is selected.

Unmanned aerial vehicle authorization and geofence envelope determination

Methods, systems and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media for unmanned aerial vehicle flight operations near physical structures or objects. In particular, a point cloud of the physical structure is generated using aerial images of the structure. The point cloud is then referenced to determine a flight path for the UAV to follow around the physical structure, determine whether a planned flight path to desired locations around the structure is possible, determine the fastest route to return home and land from a given position around the physical structure, determine possibility of inflight collision to surface represented in point cloud, or determine an orientation of a fixed or gimballed camera given a position of the UAV relative the point cloud.

Unmanned aerial vehicle visual point cloud navigation

Methods, systems and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media for unmanned aerial vehicle flight operations near physical structures or objects. In particular, a point cloud of the physical structure is generated using aerial images of the structure. The point cloud is then referenced to determine a flight path for the UAV to follow around the physical structure, determine whether a planned flight path to desired locations around the structure is possible, determine the fastest route to return home and land from a given position around the physical structure, determine possibility of inflight collision to surface represented in point cloud, or determine an orientation of a fixed or gimbaled camera given a position of the UAV relative the point cloud.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for unmanned aerial vehicle authorization and geofence envelope determination. One of the methods includes maintaining, in a datastore, flight operation information associated with UAV flight operations. A request to generate a risk assessment report is received, with the request including aspects of a UAV flight operation, with the risk assessment report describing risk associated with each aspect. Flight operation information accessed from the datastore is analyzed. Performance characteristics are determined based at least in part on the analysis of the flight operation information, with the performance characteristics including information that can inform, or affect, a safe or functional UAV flight operation. Risk assessments for each aspects in the request are determined using the performance characteristics. The risk assessment report is generated using the determined risk assessments.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for unmanned aerial vehicle authorization and geofence envelope determination. One of the methods includes maintaining, by a cloud system in wireless communication with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), allocated geofence envelopes for one or more of the UAVs, with each geofence envelope being a virtual barrier for a real-world geographic area. A request for approval of an updated geofence envelope is received from a first UAV in flight. The cloud system determines that the updated geofence envelope has not been allocated and/or the updated geofence envelope does not interfere with allocated geofence envelopes. In response to the determination, a response indicating approval of the request is generated. The generated response is provided to the first UAV.

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San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Joseph Moster