The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 20, 2021
Filed:
Aug. 29, 2019
Amazon Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA (US);
Amir Navot, Seattle, WA (US);
Brian C. Beckman, Newcastle, WA (US);
Daniel Buchmueller, Seattle, WA (US);
Gur Kimchi, Seattle, WA (US);
Fabian Hensel, Seattle, WA (US);
Scott A. Green, North Bend, WA (US);
Brandon William Porter, Yarrow Point, WA (US);
Severan Sylvain Jean-Michel Rault, Bellevue, WA (US);
Amazon Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA (US);
Abstract
A system and method for operating an automated aerial vehicle are provided wherein influences of ground effects (e.g., which may increase the effective thrusts of propellers by interfering with the respective airflows) are utilized for sensing the ground or other surfaces. In various implementations, operating parameters of the automated aerial vehicle are monitored to determine when ground effects are influencing the parameters associated with the propellers, which correspondingly indicate proximities to a surface (e.g., the ground). Such ground effect sensing techniques may be utilized as a backup to other sensors (e.g., which may be determined to not be functioning properly and/or may be otherwise inhibited due factors such as to rain, snow, fog, reflections, bright sunlight, etc.).