Patent ID: 11970287
Assignee: SKYDIO, INC.
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  G | IPC B  G

Claim 13:
14. A computing apparatus comprising
one or more non-transitory computer-readable media; and
program instructions stored on the one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media that, when executed by one or more processors, direct a control system of an aerial vehicle having a plurality of upward-facing image capture devices and a plurality of downward-facing image capture devices to at least:
process images captured by any one or more of the plurality of upward-facing image capture devices or the plurality of downward-facing image capture devices to estimate a position and/or orientation of the aerial vehicle;
generate a planned trajectory for the aerial vehicle through a physical environment based on the processing of the images;
control a propulsion system and/or flight surface of the aerial vehicle to cause the aerial vehicle to autonomously maneuver along the planned trajectory;
wherein the plurality of upward-facing image capture devices are oriented relative to a body of the aerial vehicle to enable stereoscopic computer vision substantially above the aerial vehicle and the plurality of downward-facing image capture devices are oriented relative to the body of the aerial vehicle to enable stereoscopic computer vision substantially below the aerial vehicle; and
wherein the aerial vehicle includes a body that extends along a longitudinal axis from a forward end to an aft end, the body having a port side and a starboard side on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis, a first rotor assembly extending from the port side of the body proximate to the forward end of the body, a second rotor assembly extending from the starboard side of the body proximate to the forward end of the body, a third rotor assembly extending from the port side of the body proximate to the aft end of the body, and a fourth rotor assembly extending from the starboard side of the body proximate to the aft end of the body.