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US 11,931,610 B1Granted
Drones that use early detection systems to prevent wildfires
OwnerOwen Charles Wengreeninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Wildfires can quickly grow to enormous scales with devastating environmental impacts. Drone systems that provide early detection of wildfire risks can prevent wildfires before they grow out of control. Methods can use drones equipped with artificial intelligence to navigate through wooded locations and detect fire risks. Drones can include fire-detection hardware and fire-fighting hardware.
Claims21
A method of using a drone system comprising a first drone to prevent a wildfire, wherein the first drone comprises a camera system, and the camera system comprises an infrared camera, the method comprising:
- flying, by the drone system, the first drone in view of a camping area having a first campsite;
- detecting, by the infrared camera, a first heat signature of the first campsite, wherein the infrared camera detects the first heat signature while the drone is at a first location;
- determining, by the drone system, that the first heat signature is indicative of a first fire;
- in response to determining, by the drone system, that the first heat signature is indicative of the first fire, leaving, by the first drone, a first flight path configured to enable the first drone to fly between the first campsite and a second campsite of the camping area, then flying, by the first drone, along a second flight path;
- at a second location located on the second flight path, taking, by the camera system, at least one picture of the first campsite;
- determining that the at least one picture does not show a person at the first campsite;
- and
- in response to determining that the first heat signature is indicative of the first fire and determining that the at least one picture does not show the person at the first campsite, sending, by the drone system, a notification regarding the first fire to a remote computing device,
- wherein the second location is located within an area that is shaped as a 45-degree cone having a vertex that is located at a center of the first fire, wherein the height of the cone is 100 feet,
- wherein taking, by the camera system, the at least one picture of the first campsite comprises flying, by the first drone, into the area that is shaped as the 45-degree cone, and orienting, by the first drone, the camera system outward from the cone.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.