US 2019/0197908 A1 · METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR IMPROVING THE PRECISION OF AUTONOMOUS LANDINGS BY DRONE AIRCRAFT ON LANDING TARGETS

Abstract

Methods and system are disclosed for guiding an autonomous drone aircraft during descent to a landing target. The method features the steps of: (a) acquiring an image using a camera on the drone aircraft of an active fiducial system at the landing target; (b) verifying the active fiducial system in the image by comparing the image to a stored model or representation of the active fiducial system; (c) determining a relative position and/or orientation of the drone aircraft to the landing target using data from the image; (d) using the relative position and/or orientation determined in step (c) to guide the drone aircraft toward the landing target; and (e) repeating steps (a) through (d) a plurality of times.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A computer-implemented method of guiding an autonomous drone aircraft during descent to a landing target, comprising the steps of:

(a) acquiring an image using a camera on the drone aircraft of an active fiducial system at the landing target;
(b) verifying the active fiducial system in the image by comparing the image to a stored model or representation of the active fiducial system;
(c) determining a relative position and/or orientation of the drone aircraft to the landing target using data from the image;
(d) using the relative position and/or orientation determined in step (c) to guide the drone aircraft toward the landing target;
and
(e) repeating steps (a) through (d) a plurality of times.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Methods and systems for improving the precision of autonomous landings by drone aircraft on landing targets

Life of this patent

Methods and systems for improving the precision of autonomous landings by drone aircraft on landing targets

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26