Obstacle avoidance for aircraft from shadow analysis
US12344374B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 13, 2022 |
| Grant date | Jul 1, 2025 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 27, 2043 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG08G5/57
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A technique for avoiding obstacles by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes: acquiring an aerial image of a ground area below the UAV; analyzing the aerial image to identify a shadow in the aerial image cast by an object rising from the ground area; determining a pixel length of the shadow in the aerial image; calculating an estimated height of the object based at least on the pixel length of the shadow and an angle of the sun when the aerial image is acquired; and generating a clearance zone around the object having at least one dimension determined based on the estimated height, wherein the clearance zone represents a region in space to avoid when navigating the UAV.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.