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US 11,884,390 B2Granted
Managing a fleet of spraying aerial vehicles
AssigneeSkyX Limited
InventorsEylon Sorek, Itzhak Turkel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A computing system is providing for managing a fleet of spraying vehicles by selecting one or more field zones to be sprayed by a fleet of spraying vehicles. The system reviews spraying requirements including material and quantity to be sprayed and reviews spraying vehicle parameters for each spraying vehicle in of the fleet. The system then calculates a travel plan for each spraying vehicle such that the selected field zones can be sprayed accordingly without spraying areas outside the selected field zones. Once in operation, the system verifies travel plan execution of each spraying vehicle and adjusts one or more travel plans in case of vehicle malfunctions, unexpected weather conditions, and unexpected field obstacles.
Claims17
A computerized system comprising:
- at least one processor;
- and
- at least one memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor comprising computer-readable instructions that when executed by the at least one processor cause the computing system to implement a method of managing a fleet of spraying vehicles, the method comprising:
- (i) selecting one or more field zones to be sprayed;
- (ii) receiving field zone parameters for each selected field zone comprising at least selected spraying material and quantity for each field zone or portion of field zone;
- (iii) receiving and processing field images to identify crop status and treatment requirements in sub-zones of a field zone;
- (iv) receiving spraying vehicle parameters for each spraying vehicle in of the fleet;
- (v) calculating a travel plan for each spraying vehicle of said fleet of spraying vehicles such that the selected field zones can be sprayed accordingly without spraying areas outside the selected field zones, wherein the travel plan includes, for each spraying vehicle, a flight path, speed and flying height, and all spraying vehicles maintain a predetermined safety distance from each other while flying;
- (vi) once in operation, verifying that the predetermined safety distance is maintained between all spraying vehicles, and if the safety distance is not maintained, modifying one or more travel plans by taking one or more correction actions comprising:
- modifying one or more flight paths, changing the order of one or more flight segments assigned to a spraying vehicle, reducing the speed of one or more spraying vehicles, increasing the speed of one or more spraying vehicles, or any combination thereof;
- and
- (vii) once in operation, verifying travel plan execution of each spraying vehicle, and adjusting one or more travel plans in case of vehicle malfunctions, unexpected weather conditions, and unexpected field obstacles.
9 more elements
A computerized method comprising:
- at least one processor;
- and
- at least one memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor comprising computer-readable instructions that when executed by the at least one processor implement a method of managing a fleet of spraying vehicles, the method comprising:
- selecting one or more field zones to be sprayed;
- (ii) receiving field zone parameters for each selected field zone comprising at least selected spraying material and quantity for each field zone or portion of field zone;
- (iii) receiving and processing field images to identify crop status and treatment requirements in sub-zones of a field zone;
- (iv) receiving spraying vehicle parameters for each spraying vehicle in of the fleet;
- (v) calculating a travel plan for each spraying vehicle of said fleet of spraying vehicles such that the selected field zones can be sprayed accordingly without spraying areas outside the selected field zones, and all spraying vehicles maintain a predetermined safety distance from each other while flying;
- (vi) once in operation, verifying that a predetermined safety distance is maintained between all spraying vehicles, and if the safety distance is not maintained, modifying one or more travel plans by taking one or more correction actions comprising:
- modifying one or more flight paths, changing the order of one or more flight segments assigned to a spraying vehicle, reducing the speed of one or more spraying vehicles, increasing the speed of one or more spraying vehicles, or any combination thereof;
- and
- (vii) once in operation, verifying travel plan execution of each spraying vehicle, and adjusting one or more travel plans in case of vehicle malfunctions, unexpected weather conditions, and unexpected field obstacles.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.