Airborne inventory and inspection system and apparatus
US7184072B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 6, 2002 |
| Grant date | Feb 27, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 18, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01S17/86
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system and apparatus for acquiring images of electric transmission line tower structures, equipment attached to said tower structures, and transmission lines suspended from said towers. The system uses a fixed wing aircraft and an arrangement of at least one still camera, means for detecting a tower structure, a data storage unit, and a central processing unit containing operational software. The central processing unit is connected to the camera, the means for detecting a tower structure, and the storage unit. The detection means is a laser altimeter or a combination of preset longitude/latitude coordinates for tower locations and a GPS unit which supplies continuous longitude/latitude coordinates for the aircraft location for comparison to those preset coordinates. The aircraft is flown along the transmission line at a predetermined altitude above the tops of said towers (60–100 feet). The still camera points rearwardly relative to the line of flight of the aircraft and take a picture from between two adjacent towers and along an exposure line directed downwardly at an angle to the line of flight, 30–60 degrees and preferably 45 degrees. The detecting means transmits a signal t…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.