Unmanned aircraft for positioning an instrument for inspection purposes and methods of inspecting a target surface
AssigneeAMTS Co., Ltd.
InventorsMichael L. Krogh, Ed DeMoss
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of positioning an instrument by an unmanned aircraft for measurement purposes relating to a target surface is provided. The method includes coupling the instrument to the unmanned aircraft and moving the unmanned aircraft to position the instrument away from the target surface. The method further includes stabilizing the unmanned aircraft to maintain a constant altitude and a level attitude relative to the target surface and orientating the instrument perpendicular to the target surface. A measurement is conducted by the instrument while the instrument is orientated perpendicular to the target surface. The method also includes transmitting the measurement to a receiver.
Claims24
A method of positioning an instrument by an unmanned aircraft for measurement purposes relating to a target surface, the method comprising:
- coupling the instrument to the unmanned aircraft;
- moving the unmanned aircraft to position the instrument away from the target surface;
- detecting one or more parameters associated with the target surface;
- using the one or more parameters to determine one or more controls for maintaining a constant altitude and a level attitude relative to the target surface;
- using the one or more controls to manage a plurality of motor propulsion systems to position the unmanned aircraft such that the instrument is orientated perpendicular to the target surface;
- conducting a measurement by the instrument while the unmanned aircraft is positioned such that the instrument is orientated perpendicular to the target surface;
- and
- transmitting the measurement to a receiver.
An unmanned aircraft for positioning an instrument for measurement purposes relative to a target surface during flight operations of the unmanned aircraft, the unmanned aircraft comprising:
- an aircraft frame comprising a first arm, a second arm, and a third arm coupled to each other, the aircraft frame is configured to couple to the instrument;
- a first motor propulsion system coupled to the aircraft frame and configured to facilitate lift/altitude and attitude control for the aircraft frame;
- and
- a second motor propulsion system coupled to the aircraft frame and configured to facilitate translation and drift control for the aircraft frame, wherein the first motor propulsion system and the second motor propulsion system are configured to stabilize the aircraft frame and to orientate the unmanned aircraft such that the instrument is perpendicular to the target surface during the flight operations.
16-26. (canceled)
A system for inspecting a target surface comprising:
- an unmanned aircraft configured to inspect the target surface during flight operations of the unmanned aircraft, the unmanned aircraft comprising:
- an aircraft frame comprising a first arm, a second arm, and a third arm coupled to each other;
- a first motor propulsion system coupled to the aircraft frame and configured to facilitate lift/altitude and attitude control for the aircraft frame;
- and
- a second motor propulsion system coupled to the aircraft frame configured to facilitate translation and drift control for the aircraft frame;
- an instrument coupled to the aircraft frame and configured to take a measurement relative to the target surface and transmit the measurement, wherein the first motor propulsion system and the second motor propulsion system are configured to stabilize the aircraft frame and to orientate the unmanned aircraft such that the instrument is perpendicular to the target surface during the flight operations;
- and
- a centralized inspection station communicatively coupled to the instrument and configured to receive the measurement and analyze the measurement to facilitate generating a virtual model of the target surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.