Marker based smart landing pad

A smart landing pad, comprising:

• a flexible display including a display surface configured to show one or more images or patterns;
• a protective layer over the display surface, wherein the protective layer is configured to allow an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to land on the smart landing pad without damaging the flexible display;
• one or more locator and range finder devices operatively coupled to the flexible display and operative to communicate with the UAV, such that the flexible display is self-locatable based on a three-dimensional location communicated to the UAV during a landing approach;
• and
• one or more communication devices operatively coupled to the flexible display and operative for wireless communications with a computer or mobile computational device that is operative to provide on-demand user functions, which allow for dynamically changing or customizing in real time the one or more images or patterns that are shown on the display surface;
• wherein the one or more images or patterns comprise:
• a background area configurable to show changeable images that match an environment where the smart landing pad is placed for use as a landing site for the UAV;
• a target landing area that is surrounded by the background area, the target landing area including:
• a changeable insensitive, contrast portion that allows the target landing area to be more recognizable from the UAV under bright light, in darkness at nighttime, or due to poor visibility from inclement weather or dusty environmental conditions;
• and
• one or more changeable marker pattern portions having changeable colors and/or shapes that provide for ease of pattern recognition from the UAV;
• and
• one or more changeable quick response (QR) codes on the target landing area, the one or more QR codes operative as fiducial points or for communications;
• wherein the flexible display is Internet of things (IoT) enabled so that data from the smart landing pad is remotely cloud accessible, allowing the data to be changed, logged, or processed.