Unmanned aerial vehicle inspection system

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system comprising one or more processors, and a computer storage media storing instructions, that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

• receiving, by the UAV, a flight plan associated with conducting an inspection of a structure, the flight plan comprising a first plurality of vertical inspection locations set at respective horizontal positions around the structure, wherein the first plurality of vertical inspection locations are each associated with a waypoint having a geospatial reference;
• conducting an inspection for a vertical inspection location of the first plurality of vertical inspection locations according to the received flight plan, the inspection comprising:
• navigating the UAV to the associated horizontal position at a first altitude;
• navigating the UAV along a vertical direction at the associated horizontal position between the first altitude and a second altitude;
• and
• obtaining, while at one or more altitudes during the navigation along the vertical direction, sensor information describing the structure;
• and
• navigating the UAV to a landing location.

A computer storage medium comprising instructions that when executed by one or more processors included in an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), cause the UAV to perform operations comprising:

• receiving, by the UAV, a flight plan associated with conducting an inspection of a structure, the flight plan comprising a first plurality of vertical inspection locations set at respective horizontal positions around the structure, wherein the first plurality of vertical inspection locations are each associated with a waypoint having a geospatial reference;
• conducting an inspection for a vertical inspection location of the first plurality of vertical inspection locations according to the received flight plan, the inspection comprising:
• navigating the UAV to the associated horizontal position at a first altitude;
• navigating the UAV along a vertical direction at the associated horizontal position between the first altitude and a second altitude;
• and
• obtaining, while at one or more altitudes during the navigation along the vertical direction, sensor information describing the structure;
• and
• navigating the UAV to a landing location.

A user device comprising one or more processors, and a computer storage media storing instructions, that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

• receiving, by the user device, information describing a job for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to perform an inspection of a structure;
• receiving, by the user device, a selection of a plurality of vertical inspection locations for the UAV, the vertical inspection locations set at respective horizontal positions around the structure;
• determining a flight pattern for the UAV, wherein the flight pattern comprises waypoints for the selected vertical inspection locations and a landing waypoint, wherein the waypoints have an associated geospatial location,
• and wherein the flight pattern indicates that the UAV is to perform an inspection for each vertical inspection location that comprises the UAV navigating to the associated horizontal position at a first altitude, and while navigating along a vertical direction between the first altitude and a second altitude at the associated horizontal position, obtaining sensor information describing the structure;
• and
• transmitting, to the UAV, flight information including the flight pattern via a wireless or wired connection.