Systems and methods for service drone landing zone operations
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsRichard Ortman, Syed Amaar Ahmad
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for service drone landing zone operations are disclosed herein. An example method includes determining location-specific information for a location, the location-specific information including at least images of the location from at least one of a vehicle or a mobile device at the location, determining a landing area for a drone at the location using the location-specific information, receiving localizing signals from at least one of the vehicle or the mobile device as the drone approaches the location, and causing the drone to land in the landing area using the localizing signals.
Claims13
A method comprising:
- receiving a request to dispatch a drone to a location of a vehicle;
- determining, by at least one processor of a drone, location-specific information for a location, wherein the location-specific information comprises information from each of a camera of a vehicle at the location, a LIDAR sensor of the vehicle, a radar sensor of the vehicle, an ultrasonic sensor of the vehicle, and an audio sensor of the vehicle;
- determining, by the processor, prior to dispatching the drone, and based on the location-specific information, a first landing area for the drone at the location;
- determining that the drone cannot land at the first landing area;
- preventing the drone from launching;
- transmitting a message to the vehicle that instructs a user to locate an alternative landing area;
- determining a second landing area for the drone at the location;
- determining, by the processor as the drone approaches the location, localizing signals emitted periodically from each of the camera, the LIDAR sensor, the radar sensor, the ultrasonic sensor, and the audio sensor which causes the vehicle to act as a beacon to guide the drone to the location;
- determining, by the processor, global positioning system signals and satellite images in combination with the location-specific information to determine the second landing area;
- and
- causing, by the processor and based on the localizing signals, the drone to land in the second landing area.
A drone comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a memory for storing instructions, the processor is configured to execute the instructions to:
- receive a request to dispatch a drone to a location of a vehicle;
- prior to launching the drone, determine location-specific information for a location, the location-specific information comprising information from each of a camera of a vehicle at the location, a LIDAR sensor of the vehicle, a radar sensor of the vehicle, an ultrasonic sensor of the vehicle, and an audio sensor of the vehicle;
- determine, prior to dispatching the drone, and based on the location-specific information, a first landing area for the drone at the location information;
- determine that the drone cannot land at the first landing area;
- prevent the drone from launching;
- transmit a message to the vehicle that instructs a user to locate an alternative landing area;
- determining a second landing area for the drone at the location;
- navigate the drone to the location;
- receive localizing signals from the vehicle when the drone is at the location, the localizing signals being emitted periodically from each of the camera, the LIDAR sensor, the radar sensor, the ultrasonic sensor, and the audio sensor which causes the vehicle to act as a beacon to guide the drone to the location;
- determining, by the processor, global positioning system signals and satellite images in combination with the location-specific information to determine the second landing area;
- and
- cause the drone to land in the second landing area using the localizing signals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.