Systems and methods for estimating user intent to launch autonomous aerial vehicle

A system for controlling an autonomous vehicle, the system comprising:

• hardware processing circuitry;
• one or more hardware memories storing instructions that when executed configure the hardware processing circuitry to perform operations comprising:
• determine that the autonomous vehicle is enabled for launching by detecting, with a first input from an accelerometer or a gyroscope, at least two 360° rotations around an axis of the autonomous vehicle within a predetermined elapsed duration of time;
• while the autonomous vehicle is enabled for launching:
• receiving a second input from a touch sensor;
• receiving a third input from an accelerometer;
• determining whether a launch of the autonomous vehicle is detected based on the second input and the third input;
• and
• controlling the autonomous vehicle in response to determining the launch of the autonomous vehicle.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed configure hardware processing circuitry to perform operations for controlling an autonomous vehicle, the operations comprising:

• determining, via hardware processing circuitry, that the autonomous vehicle is enabled for launching by detecting, with a first input from an accelerometer or a gyroscope, at least two 360° rotations around an axis of the autonomous vehicle within a predetermined elapsed duration of time;
• and
• while the autonomous vehicle is enabled for launching:
• receiving a first input from a touch sensor, the first input a measurement of an electrical characteristic of a shell of the autonomous vehicle;
• receiving a second input from an accelerometer;
• determining whether a launch of the autonomous vehicle is detected based on the first input and the second input;
• and
• controlling the autonomous vehicle in response to determining the launch of the autonomous vehicle has been detected.