US 11,112,798 B2 · Methods and apparatus for regulating a position of a drone

Abstract

A drone autonomously operates to track an object and/or observe the details of an object while maintaining communication at a rate equal to or greater than a threshold. A drone may operate to maintain the image of an object at or above a predetermined resolution in an image captured by a camera mounted on the drone and to maintain a wireless communication rate equal to or greater than a threshold rate. The object resolution may be a function of the position of the drone relative to the object. The position of the drone may include the altitude of the drone. The communication rate may be a function of the position of the drone relative to one or more base stations. The position of the drone relative to the object and to the base stations may be a function of altitude. A drone may autonomously move to capture an image of an object at an object resolution and maintain wireless communication at or above a threshold. A drone may operate in one or more modes while moving to accomplish the objectives of object resolution and communication data rate.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method performed by a drone for regulating an altitude of the drone, the method performed autonomously by the drone, the method comprising:

detecting a mode of operation, the mode of operation includes a stealth mode and an observation mode;
while in the observation mode:
performing at least one of decreasing the altitude of the drone to move closer to an object and changing a zoom factor of a camera until a resolution of the object in an image captured by the camera is equal to or greater than an observation resolution;
and
transmitting wirelessly to a server a video data captured by the camera at a rate of wireless communication that is equal to or greater than a threshold;
while in the stealth mode:
increasing the altitude of the drone to move away from the object;
adjusting the zoom factor of the camera until the resolution of the object in the image is about a surveillance resolution;
and
transmitting wirelessly to the server the video data captured by the camera at the rate of wireless communication;
wherein:
the camera is coupled to the drone;
and
the observation resolution is greater than the surveillance resolution.

11 more elements

A system for regulating an altitude of a drone, the system comprising:

a processing circuit, the processing circuit positioned on the drone, the processing circuit controls a flight of the drone;
a communication circuit, the communication circuit communicates with a server via a wireless communication link, the communication circuit positioned on the drone;
a camera, the camera captures an image, the image includes a plurality of pixels, the camera positioned on the drone;
wherein:
the processing circuit detects a mode of operation, the mode of operation includes a stealth mode and an observation mode;
while in the observation mode, the system:
performs at least one of decreases the altitude of the drone to move closer to an object and changes a zoom factor of the camera until a resolution of the object in the image is equal to or greater than an observation resolution;
and
transmits wirelessly to the server a video data captured by the camera at a rate of wireless communication that is equal to or greater than a threshold;
while in the stealth mode, the system:
increases the altitude of the drone to move away from the object;
adjusts the zoom factor of the camera until the resolution of the object in the image is about a surveillance resolution;
and
transmits to the server the video data captured by the camera at the rate of wireless communication;
and
the observation resolution is greater than the surveillance resolution.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Methods and apparatus for regulating a position of a drone

Life of this patent

Methods and apparatus for regulating a position of a drone

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20