Using drones to coordinate labor activities

Abstract

Techniques and implementations for coordinating a plurality of drones, including facilitating the management of the drones during the performance of a service, are disclosed. The management of the drones is facilitated by causing one of the plurality of drones to perform a supervisory procedure to supervise the drone during the performance of a service.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 62 / 695,629, entitled “COORDINATED LABOR ACTIVITIES USING DRONES,” filed on July 9, 2018. U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 62 / 695,629 is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Background Art

[0003] Unless otherwise indicated herein, the approaches described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.

[0004] Vehicles that are not operated by a human operator may include various types of vehicles (e.g., "unmanned"). An example of an unmanned vehicle may be an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). UAVs may include a variety of vehicles (e.g., some semi-autonomous vehicles and some autonomous vehicles). For example, some UAVs used by the military may be semi-autonomous because a user (e.g., a pilot) can remotely control the UAV. Certain UAVs that are generally available to public users may be semi-autonomous because they can be controlled indefinitely by a user using a remote control with various toggle keys and switches. Examples of these UAVs typically require continuous user control, even if it is remote user control.

[0005] Some UAVs may be autonomous and therefore may not require continuous user control. These UAVs are often referred to as "drones". An example of a drone may be a UAV that can be programmed to fly to a predetermined location (and / or return from a predetermined location) without the user controlling the UAV during flight. Some technologies that may help promote the use of drones may include a global positioning system (GPS), various types of lithium-ion batteries (e.g., Li-ion, LiFePO4, LiPo, etc.) as power sources, improved computer processing power (e.g., ARM, Intel, NVIDIA, etc.), lightweight materials (e.g., carbon fiber, Kevlar, etc.), etc. One or more of these technologies may promote the use of UAVs, including both autonomous UAVs and semi-autonomous UAVs.

[0006] Even though autonomous UAVs may be more commonly referred to as "drones", it should be noted that the term "drone" may be used to refer to both semi-autonomous UAVs and autonomous UAVs. Therefore, in the following, the term "drone" may include autonomous UAVs and / or semi-autonomous UAVs.

[0007] Drones are becoming more and more commonly used in military applications, surveillance applications, delivery applications, etc. to perform various tasks. Usually, drones can be used as a single vehicle to perform various tasks. However, with the addition of various technologies, drones are becoming more and more complex, and more than one drone can be used to perform various tasks. For example, during the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in South Korea, several drones flew in different patterns to form different images.

[0008] As in PyeongChang, multiple drones may be used to perform various missions and / or services. However, coordinating multiple drones to perform these missions and / or services may be difficult and complex. Additionally, remote monitoring and management of drones during the performance of these missions and / or services may be difficult, including attempting to confirm that the missions and / or services have been performed to predetermined standards. Furthermore, if one or more drones malfunction or fail to perform their designated missions or services, it may be difficult to correct and / or compensate for the malfunctioning drones. Summary of the invention

[0009] Various illustrative methods for coordinating a plurality of drones are described herein. An exemplary method may include receiving an indication that is a request for a service to be performed by the plurality of drones; and in response to the received indication, activating a coordination protocol for the plurality of drones based at least in part on the service to be performed by the plurality of drones. The method may include determining, in response to the activation of the coordination protocol, based at least in part on the service to be performed, whether each of the plurality of drones is equipped with a suitable service module, the suitable service module being configured for the service to be performed. The method also includes, if it is determined that each of the plurality of drones is equipped with the suitable service module, designating one of the plurality of drones to execute a supervisory procedure, the supervisory procedure being used to facilitate management of the remaining drones of the plurality of drones during the performance of the service. In addition, the method may include launching the plurality of drones, the plurality of drones including the designated one of the plurality of drones, in a direction of the service to be performed, the direction of the service to be performed being determined by geographic data.

[0010] The present disclosure also describes a plurality of exemplary machine-readable non-volatile media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, are operable to cause a drone coordination module (DCM) to coordinate to receive an indication of a request for a service to be performed by the plurality of drones. The DCM may, in response to the received indication, activate a coordination protocol for the plurality of drones based at least in part on the service to be performed by the plurality of drones. The DCM may, in response to the activation of the coordination protocol, determine, based at least in part on the service to be performed, whether each of the plurality of drones is equipped with a suitable service module, the suitable service module being configured for the service to be performed. The DCM may, if it is determined that each of the plurality of drones is equipped with the suitable service module, designate one of the plurality of drones to perform a supervisory procedure, wherein the supervisory procedure may be used to facilitate management of the remaining drones of the plurality of drones during the performance of the service. In addition, the DCM may be used to cause the plurality of drones to launch in a direction of the service to be performed, the plurality of drones including the designated one of the plurality of drones, the direction of the service to be performed being determined by geographic data.

[0011] In addition, the present disclosure describes an exemplary system. An exemplary system may include a processor, a drone, a storage medium, and a drone coordination module (DCM), wherein the drone is communicatively coupled to the processor, the storage medium is communicatively coupled to the processor, and the DCM is communicatively coupled to the processor and the storage medium. The DCM may be used to receive an indication of a request for a service to be performed by the plurality of drones. The DCM may, in response to the received indication, activate a coordination protocol for the plurality of drones based at least in part on the services to be performed by the plurality of drones. The DCM may, in response to the activation of the coordination protocol, determine, based at least in part on the services to be performed, whether each of the plurality of drones is equipped with a suitable service module, the suitable service module being configured for the service to be performed. The DCM may, if it is determined that each of the plurality of drones is equipped with the suitable service module, designate one of the plurality of drones to execute a supervisory procedure, wherein the supervisory procedure may be used to facilitate management of the remaining drones of the plurality of drones during the execution of the service. In addition, the DCM can be used to launch the multiple drones towards the direction of the service to be performed, the multiple drones including the designated one of the multiple drones, and the direction of the service to be performed is determined by geographic data.

[0012] The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be limiting in any way. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The claimed subject matter is particularly pointed out and identified in the concluding portion of the specification. The foregoing and other features of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following description and the appended claims in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that although these drawings depict only a few embodiments according to the present disclosure, this should not be construed as limiting the scope thereof. Through the use of the accompanying drawings, the present disclosure will be described with additional specificity and detail.

[0014] In the attached picture:

[0015] Figure 1 illustrates coordination of multiple drones according to various embodiments;

[0016] Figure 2 A drone according to various embodiments is shown;

[0017] Figure 3 An example of an electronic system module according to various embodiments is shown;

[0018] Figure 4 A flowchart of operations for coordinating multiple drones according to various embodiments is shown;

[0019] Figure 5 An exemplary computer program product is shown that is arranged in accordance with at least some embodiments described herein; and

[0020] Figure 6 is an illustration of a block diagram of an exemplary computing device, all of which may be arranged in general in accordance with at least some embodiments described herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] The following description sets forth various examples and specific details to provide a thorough understanding of the claimed subject matter. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the claimed subject matter may be practiced without some or more of the specific details disclosed herein. In addition, in some cases, in order to avoid unnecessary ambiguity of the claimed subject matter, well-known methods, processes, systems, components and / or circuits are not described in detail.

[0022] In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the detailed description. In the accompanying drawings, similar reference numerals generally identify similar components unless the context otherwise indicates. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be restrictive. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented herein. It is readily understood that aspects of the present disclosure as generally described herein and shown in the accompanying drawings may be arranged, replaced, combined, and designed in a variety of different configurations, all of which are clearly intended and constitute a part of the present disclosure.

[0023] The present disclosure relates, among other things, to methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable media related to coordination of multiple drones for performing various tasks and / or services.

[0024] Drones and their uses are not yet known. However, various technological advances have helped to increase the use of drones to perform various tasks and / or services in the military and public spheres. For example, some drones can be used to perform military missions, such as but not limited to surveillance and combat missions. In another example, some drones can be used to perform news-related tasks, such as but not limited to video collection for news anchors. In yet another example, some drones can be used to perform geographic surveying tasks, such as but not limited to town surveying. Some drones can be used to perform delivery tasks, such as but not limited to delivering packages. It is understood that drones can be used to perform a wide variety of tasks and / or services. As in human-related tasks and / or services, if more than one drone is used, it may be difficult and complicated to coordinate more than one drone, especially when these drones are to be used to perform specific tasks and / or services.

[0025] In order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed subject matter, a non-limiting example scenario may be described as utilizing the various embodiments disclosed herein. In this non-limiting example scenario, multiple drones may be used to perform tasks and / or services such as, but not limited to, washing windows of a multi-story building.

[0026] In this example, a business may use multiple drones to locate in a specific geographic location, such as, but not limited to, Las Vegas, Nevada. The task and / or service to be performed by the multiple drones may be to wash the windows of a building. Continuing with this scenario, the company may receive a request to wash the exterior of the windows of a 5-story building in Las Vegas. The request may be transmitted to the drone, and in turn, the drone may activate a coordination protocol for the drone to perform the cleaning of the windows. As part of the coordination protocol, it may be confirmed that the drone is equipped with the function of washing windows. For example, the multiple drones may need to have appropriate accessories / equipment for washing windows (e.g., liquid sprayers, applicators, sponges, etc.). If the multiple drones are equipped with suitable accessories / equipment for the tasks and / or services to be performed, one of the multiple drones may be designated to assume a supervisory role for the service. This designation may be part of a command for executing a supervisory role module. At this point, the multiple drones may be launched to the 5-story building to perform the service.

[0027] It should be noted here that the number of drones may vary based at least in part on the mission and / or service to be performed. For example, the number of drones required to clean the windows of a 5-story building may be different than the number of drones required to clean the windows of a 20-story building. Of course, the total surface area of ​​the windows will also affect the number of drones (e.g., a 5-story building with 20 windows and a 20-story building with 10 windows).

[0028] Continuing with this non-limiting example scenario, the drone may be programmed to fly in the direction of a 5-story building through some geographic data of the city of Las Vegas. Once the drone arrives at the 5-story building site, the drone may obtain data that may provide dimensional information of the 5-story building, including the location of windows and their sizes.

[0029] A drone can be used to clean the windows of a 5-story building. For example, one drone can spray the windows with cleaning fluid, another drone can scrub the windows, and another drone can remove the cleaning fluid using a squeegee. In another example, a drone can have the ability to perform all of the previous tasks (e.g., spraying, scrubbing, and removing).

[0030] A drone designated as a supervisor (referred to herein as a supervisory drone) can perform various supervisory-type roles. For example, a supervisory drone can determine if a window is clean (e.g., streaks, residue, still dirty, etc.). In addition, a supervisory drone can monitor other drones for any problems, such as, but not limited to, mechanical and / or electrical failures (e.g., broken propellers, motor failure, exhausted batteries, not performing the correct mission, etc.). A supervisory drone can be configured to be able to cut in and complete a mission and / or service that another drone cannot complete (e.g., drone failure). As missions and / or services are completed, supervisory drones can be configured to ensure that the mission has been completed correctly (e.g., windows have been cleaned, the work site is clean without debris from the drone, there are no malfunctioning drones, etc.).

[0031] Once the mission and / or service is completed and verified by the supervisory drone, the drone can be configured to fly back to the company. Here, the supervisory drone may be the last to leave the 5-story building and make a final flight around the building to ensure that the mission and / or service has been completed before leaving the 5-story building and heading to the company.

[0032] The activities described in the above scenarios can be facilitated by various technologies including artificial intelligence (AI) (e.g., AI implemented as the basis of a regulatory program). In addition, AI can promote a certain degree of autonomy for drones, especially regulatory drones, to take various actions to complete the required tasks and / or services. Some other technologies that may help promote the use of drones may include global positioning systems (GPS), various types of lithium-ion batteries as power sources (e.g., Li-ion, LiFePCM, LiPo, etc.), improved computer processing power (e.g., ARM, Intel, NVIDIA, etc.), lightweight materials (e.g., carbon fiber, Kevlar, etc.), etc. One or more of these technologies can promote the use of UAVs, including both autonomous UAVs and semi-autonomous UAVs.

[0033] As shown in the non-limiting example scenario, multiple drones can be coordinated to perform tasks and / or services enabled by the various embodiments and examples disclosed herein. Thus, in the various embodiments described herein, intelligent and autonomous coordination of multiple drones can be provided to perform various tasks and / or services.

[0034] Figure 1 Coordination of multiple drones according to various embodiments is shown. Figure 1In the system 100, a base station 101 may include a UAV stationing area 102 (also referred to herein as a landing pad). As shown, the landing pad 102 may have a plurality of UAVs 104, 106, and 108 (also referred to herein as drones) stationed on the landing pad 120. The base station 101 may include a wireless communication system 110. In addition, in Figure 1 In FIG. 1 , building 112 is shown having a plurality of windows 114, 116, 118, and 120. Figure 1 In the example shown, building 112 may be a multi-story high-rise building. As described with respect to the non-limiting example scenario above, the service for cleaning windows 114, 116, 118, and 120 of building 112 may be a task and / or service to be performed by drones 104, 106, and 108.

[0035] Continuing with this example scenario, in Figure 1 In the example shown, an indication of a service request (e.g., a request to clean window 114, window 116, window 118, and window 120) performed by drone 104, drone 106, and drone 108 may be received by base station 101. Base station 101 may forward the request to drone 104, drone 106, and drone 108. In response to the received indication, drone 104, drone 106, and drone 108 may activate a coordination protocol. The coordination protocol may be based at least in part on the service (e.g., cleaning window 114, window 116, window 118, and window 120) performed by drone 104, drone 106, and drone 108. In one example shown, the coordination protocol may be wirelessly received by drone 104, drone 106, and drone 108 via wireless communication system 110. Therefore, drone 104, drone 106, and drone 108 may be configured with wireless communication capabilities.

[0036] In response to the activation of the coordination protocol, it can be determined whether each of the drones 104, 106, and 108 is equipped with a suitable service module. The suitable service module can be based at least in part on the service to be performed (e.g., cleaning windows 114, 116, 118, and 120). As described in the previous example, the suitable service module can include window cleaning related products, such as but not limited to cleaning fluids, squeegees, etc. If the drones are all equipped with suitable service modules, one of the drones 104, 106, and 108 can be designated as a supervisory drone (e.g., a message can be sent to the drone 104 to execute a supervisory procedure, or, as will be described, the drone itself can execute the supervisory procedure). The supervisory procedure can be used to facilitate the drone 104 (herein referred to as the supervisory drone) to manage the remaining drones 106 and 108. As described above, the supervisory drone 104 can act as a supervisor of the other drones 106 and 108.

[0037] Once drone 104, drone 106, and drone 108 (supervisory drone 104) are ready to perform the requested service, drone 104, drone 106, and drone 108 (supervisory drone 104) may be launched toward building 112. Drone 104, drone 106, and drone 108 may have geographic data about their range to building 112. In addition, once drone 104, drone 106, and drone 108 have arrived at building 112, the drones may obtain dimensional data of building 112, such as, but not limited to, the location and size of windows 114, window 116, window 118, and window 120.

[0038] The drone 104, drone 106, and drone 108 (supervisory drone 104) may proceed to perform the requested task / service (e.g., cleaning windows 114, 116, 118, and 120 of building 112). During the performance of the task and / or service, the supervisory drone 104 may be configured to ensure that windows 114, 116, 118, and 120 are properly cleaned (e.g., streaks, residue, still dirty, etc.). Next, once the drone 104, drone 106, and drone 108 (supervisory drone 104) have completed their task / service, the supervisory drone 104 may confirm that the task / service was performed to a predetermined level, such as, but not limited to, windows cleaned, work site cleaned without debris from drone activity, no failed drones or no drone parts failed, etc.). Finally, after completing the task / service, the drone 104, drone 106, and drone 108 (supervisory drone 104) may fly back to the base station 101 and land on the landing pad 102. Thus, multiple drones can be facilitated to intelligently and autonomously coordinate to perform various tasks / services.

[0039] In one example, as part of determining whether each of the drones 104, 106, and 108 is equipped with a suitable service module, each of the drones 104, 106, and 108 may perform a self-diagnostic check, such as, but not limited to, one or more of a battery charge check, a mechanical check, or an electronic system check. In another example, if each of the drones 104, 106, and 108 is not equipped with a suitable service module (e.g., materials for window cleaning), the base station 101 may send a service request to an alternative base station, wherein the drone may be equipped with the suitable service module based at least in part on the service to be performed. In yet another example, if each of the drones 104, 106, and 108 is not equipped with a suitable service module (e.g., materials for window cleaning), a request to switch the service module to a suitable service module may be sent to a facilitator of the switch (e.g., an administrator who manages the base 100).

[0040] According to various embodiments, drones 104, 106, and 108 may be configured to perform the requested tasks / services autonomously (i.e., without significant human interaction / control). For example, once drones 104, 106, and 108 have been launched, drones 104, 106, and 108 may be configured to perform tasks / services (e.g., cleaning windows 114, 116, 118, and 120 of building 112) without a human controlling drones 104, 106, and 108. However, if necessary, a human may intervene in the performance of the tasks / services through some form of wireless communication (e.g., a user operating an application on a smartphone or computer).

[0041] It should be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the relevant art that a wide variety of AI-capable processors may be used to facilitate at least some of the functions described herein, such as, but not limited to, processors with AI capabilities available from Intel Corporation of Santa Clara, California (e.g., Nervana™-type processors), processors with AI capabilities available from NVIDIA Corporation of Santa Clara, California (e.g., Volta™-type processors), processors with AI capabilities available from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, California (e.g., A11 Bionic™-type processors), processors with AI capabilities available from Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. of Shenzhen, Guangdong, China (e.g., Kirin™-type processors), processors with AI capabilities available from Advanced Micro Devices of Sunnyvale, California (e.g., Radeon Intuit™-type processors), processors with AI capabilities available from Samsung Corporation of Seoul, South Korea (e.g., Exynos™-type processors), etc., and therefore, the claimed subject matter is not limited in these respects. Processors with AI capabilities may be used to facilitate the activities of the supervisory drone 104 as described above.

[0042] Now go to Figure 2 , Figure 2 An exemplary drone according to various embodiments is shown. Figure 2 , a front plan view of drone 200 may include fuselage 202, and may have one or more rotors 204 and 206. Additionally, drone 200 may have one or more legs 208 and 210, and antenna 212 coupled to fuselage 202. As shown in this example, drone 200 may have a service module 214 coupled to fuselage 202. As shown, fuselage 202 may include electronic system module 216. According to various embodiments of the claimed subject matter, drone 200 may be used to perform various tasks / services.

[0043] It should be understood that Figure 2 The drone 200 shown is a simplified illustration of a drone, and thus, the drone 200 may have various configurations without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. For example, the drone 200 may have a single rotor or multiple rotors, the fuselage 202 may have a variety of shapes (e.g., substantially rectangular, substantially circular, substantially elliptical, etc.), the drone 200 may have a support 208 and a support 210 or not, and the antenna 212 may be incorporated into the fuselage 202, or the drone 200 may not include an antenna. In addition, the drone 200 may have a service module 214 coupled in various ways, such as, but not limited to, coupling through an articulated arm (e.g., a robotic arm) to facilitate the use of the service module 214. In some examples, the drone 200 may include an image acquisition device, such as, but not limited to, a digital camera. In some examples, the drone 200 may include various navigation electronics, such as, but not limited to, radar, GPS, altimeter, pitot tube, etc. Therefore, the claimed subject matter is not limited in these respects.

[0044] Figure 3 An example of an electronic system module according to various embodiments is shown, which may be included in a drone. Figure 3 In the embodiment of the present invention, an electronic system module (ESM) 300 may be shown as a block diagram. The ESM 300 may be similar to the electronic system module 216 (eg, Figure 2 As shown, the ESM 300 may include a processor 302, a storage medium 304, and a navigation module 306. In addition, the ESM 300 may include a power supply 308. As shown, the processor 302, the storage medium 304, the navigation module 306, and the power supply 308 may all be communicatively coupled to each other. As will be described in more detail, according to various embodiments, a navigation module 306 may be included in a drone (e.g., Figure 2 The ESM 300 in the drone 200 shown can help facilitate coordination of multiple drones.

[0045] exist Figure 3 In the example, the storage medium 304 may include a drone coordination module (DCM) 310. The DCM 310 may include instructions that, when executed by the processor 304, are operable to coordinate drones for performing tasks and / or services according to various embodiments. In one example, the DCM 310 may include instructions that may enable the drone 200 (e.g., Figure 2In another example, the DCM 310 may include instructions that may help determine the service to be performed by the drone 200 ( Figure 2 ) is equipped with a suitable service module (e.g. Figure 2 214 shown).

[0046] exist Figure 3 , the navigation module 306 may include various components for assisting the drone in autonomously performing tasks / services. For example, the navigation module 306 may include a global positioning system (GPS) module 312, a radar module 314, a vision module 316, and a communication module 318. The navigation module may facilitate autonomous operation of the drone to perform tasks / services according to various embodiments. In one example, multiple drones (e.g., the multiple drones 104, drone 106, and drone 108) may wirelessly receive various instructions to perform services (e.g., washing the windows of a building). The drones may utilize GPS information to fly to the location of the service to be performed. Once at the site (e.g., building 112), the drones may utilize radar technology to determine their location relative to the service to be performed (e.g., the location / positioning of window 114, window 116, window 118, and window 120). Once completed, the drones and / or supervisory drones may visually inspect the windows and may transmit still images and / or video images back to a base station (e.g., as Figure 1 Base station 101 is shown). Thus, multiple drones can be coordinated to autonomously perform tasks / services.

[0047] exist Figure 3 In the embodiment of the present invention, it should be understood that ESM 300 may include a number of other components / modules, which are not shown for the purpose of describing the disclosed subject matter. For example, ESM 300 may include a controller for controlling flight, such as but not limited to a motor controller, a direction controller, etc., and thus, the claimed subject matter is not limited in these respects.

[0048] It is contemplated that processor 302 may include a variety of processors, such as, but not limited to, processors capable of AI-type processing. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is not limited in these respects. Although navigation module 306 may include radar module 314, it is contemplated that in the present disclosure, navigation module 306 may include a variety of modules for determining various navigation information, such as, but not limited to, infrared (e.g., forward-looking infrared), synthetic aperture radar (SAR), long-range ultrasonic sensors, etc. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is not limited in these respects.

[0049] Figure 4An operational flow for coordinating multiple drones to perform tasks / services according to at least some embodiments described herein is shown. Figure 1 100 is used to describe an exemplary embodiment of the method. However, the described embodiments are not limited to these descriptions. More specifically, Figure 1 Some of the elements depicted in can be omitted from some embodiments of the methods described in detail herein. In addition, Figure 1 Other elements not shown may be used to implement the exemplary methods described in detail herein.

[0050] in addition, Figure 4 The exemplary methods described in detail herein are illustrated using block diagrams. These block diagrams may list various functional blocks or actions, which may be described as processing steps, functional operations, events and / or actions, etc., and may be performed by hardware, software and / or firmware. Various alternatives to the functional blocks described in detail may be implemented in various embodiments. For example, intervention actions not shown in the figure and / or other actions not shown in the figure may be adopted, and / or some actions shown in the figure may be eliminated. In some examples, the actions shown in one figure may be operated using the techniques discussed for another figure. In addition, in some examples, the actions shown in these figures may be operated using parallel processing techniques. Without departing from the scope of the claimed subject matter, the above content and other undescribed content may be rearranged, replaced, changed, modified, etc.

[0051] In some examples, operational flow 400 may be used as part of coordinating multiple drones to perform a task / service. Starting at block 402 ("Receive Requested Service"), DCM 310 may receive a request for a service to be performed by multiple drones. In one example, the service to be performed may be washing windows of a building.

[0052] Continuing from block 402 to block 404 ("Activate Coordination Protocol"), in response to receiving the request, DCM 310 may activate a coordination protocol for the drone based at least in part on the service to be performed by the drone.

[0053] Continuing from block 404 to decision block 406 ("Determine if the drone is properly equipped"), as part of the coordination protocol, the DCM 310 may determine whether each drone is equipped with a suitable service module 214 based at least in part on the service to be performed. The suitable service module may be configured for the service to be performed. In one example, as previously described, the service module 214 may include window washing materials.

[0054] Continuing from box 406 to box 408 ("Designate Supervisory Drone"), if it is determined that the drone is properly equipped with the appropriate service module 214, then under the control of DCM 310, one of the drones can execute a supervisory program designated as a supervisory drone, wherein the supervisory program is used to facilitate management of the remaining drones during the performance of the service.

[0055] Continuing from block 408 to block 410 (“Launch UAV”), the UAV may be launched, under control of the DCM 310 , in the direction of the service to be performed, as determined by the navigation module 306 .

[0056] If at decision block 406, it is determined that the drone is not equipped with a suitable service module, operations may continue from decision block 406 to operation block 412 ("Determine Alternative Action"). In one example, DCM 310 may send a request for the received service to an alternative drone base. In another example, DCM 310 may send a request to switch the current service module of each drone to a suitable service module.

[0057] As previously described, in some embodiments, DCM 310 may receive a request for a service to wash the windows of a building, and in one example, the building may be a high-rise building. It is contemplated that within the subject matter of the present disclosure, the service may include a wide variety of tasks / services such as, but not limited to, landscaping (e.g., lawn care), search and rescue, structural inspection, etc. Thus, the claimed subject matter is not limited in these respects.

[0058] In some embodiments, the DCM 310 can facilitate the performance of self-diagnostic checks, such as, but not limited to, battery power, mechanical checks, electronic system checks, and any combination of the foregoing. The self-diagnostic check may include an overall system check to confirm that the drone is in a state to perform the mission / service. Along these lines, the DCM 310 can facilitate the designation of the execution of a regulatory procedure based at least in part on the results of the self-diagnostic check. In one example, the DCM can send an instruction (e.g., a message) to the drone with the best system to perform the regulatory procedure, such as, but not limited to, having the following characteristics: low operating hours, highest battery power, recent mechanical maintenance, newer model, etc. In some embodiments, the regulatory procedure can help confirm that the service has reached a predetermined level (e.g., all windows have been cleaned, no debris is left, etc.).

[0059] Usually, reference Figure 4 The operational flows described in and elsewhere herein may be implemented as a computer program product executable on any suitable computing system or the like. For example, a computer program product for coordinating multiple drones may be provided. Figure 5 Example computer program products are described herein and elsewhere.

[0060] Figure 5 An exemplary computer program product 500 is shown, arranged in accordance with at least some embodiments described herein. The computer program product 500 may include a machine-readable non-transitory medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to coordinate multiple drones in accordance with the processes and methods discussed herein. The computer program product 500 may include a signal bearing medium 502. The signal bearing medium 502 may include one or more machine-readable instructions 504 that, when executed by one or more processors, may operatively enable a computing device to provide the functionality described herein. In various examples, some or all of the machine-readable instructions may be used by a computing device as discussed herein.

[0061] In some examples, the machine-readable instructions 504 may include instructions for receiving a request for a service to be performed by a plurality of drones. In response to the received request, the machine-readable instructions 504 may activate a coordination protocol for drones based at least in part on the service to be performed by the drones. In response to the activation of the coordination protocol, the machine-readable instructions 504 may include determining, based at least in part on the service to be performed, whether each of the plurality of drones is equipped with a suitable service module, the suitable service module being configured for the service to be performed. If it is determined that each of the plurality of drones is equipped with the suitable service module, the machine-readable instructions 504 may include designating one of the plurality of drones to execute a supervisory procedure, the supervisory procedure being used to facilitate management of the remaining drones of the plurality of drones during the performance of the service. The machine-readable instructions 504 may include launching the plurality of drones, the plurality of drones including the designated one of the plurality of drones, in a direction of the service to be performed, the direction of the service to be performed being determined by geographic data.

[0062] In some embodiments, the signal bearing medium 502 may include a computer readable medium 506, such as, but not limited to, a hard drive, an optical disk, a digital versatile disk, a digital tape, a memory, etc. In some embodiments, the signal bearing medium 502 may include a recordable medium 508, such as, but not limited to, a memory, a read / write optical disk, a read / write digital video disk, etc. In some embodiments, the signal bearing medium 502 may include a communication medium 510, such as, but not limited to, a digital and / or analog communication medium (e.g., an optical cable, a waveguide, a wired communication link, a wireless communication link, etc.). In some examples, the signal bearing medium 502 may include a machine-readable non-volatile medium.

[0063] Usually, reference Figure 4 The methods described herein and elsewhere may be implemented in any suitable computing system and / or interactive electronic game. Figure 6 Example systems are described elsewhere in the document. In general, the system can be configured to coordinate multiple drones for tasks / services to be performed.

[0064] Figure 6 600 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary computing device 600 arranged in accordance with at least some embodiments described herein. In various examples, the computing device 600 can be configured to coordinate multiple drones for tasks / services to be performed as discussed herein. In one example of a basic configuration 601, the computing device 600 can include one or more processors 610 and a system memory 620. A memory bus 630 can be used for communication between the one or more processors 610 and the system memory 620.

[0065] Depending on the desired configuration, one or more processors 610 may be of any type, including but not limited to a microprocessor (μP), a microcontroller (μC), a digital signal processor (DSP), or any combination thereof. In addition, the microprocessor may include a processor with AI capabilities, such as those mentioned above. One or more processors 610 may include one or more levels of cache (e.g., a first-level cache 611 and a second-level cache 612), a processor core 613, and registers 614. The processor core 613 may include an arithmetic logic unit (ALU), a floating point unit (FPU), a digital signal processing core (DSP core), or any combination thereof. A memory controller 615 may also be used with one or more processors 610, or in some embodiments, the memory controller 615 may be an internal part of the processor 610.

[0066] Depending on the desired configuration, the system memory 620 can be any type of memory, including but not limited to volatile memory (e.g., RAM), non-volatile memory (e.g., flash memory, etc.), or any combination of the above. The system memory 620 may include an operating system 621, one or more applications 622, and program data 624. The one or more applications 622 may include a drone coordination module application 623, which may be configured to perform the functions, actions, and / or operations described herein, including the functional blocks, actions, and / or operations described herein. The program data 624 may include coordination protocols and / or supervisory data 625 for the drone coordination module application 623. In some exemplary embodiments, one or more applications 622 may be configured to operate on the operating system 621 together with the program data 624. The basic configuration 601 described in Figure 6 , shown by those components within the dashed lines.

[0067] The computing device 600 may have other features or functions and additional interfaces to facilitate communication between the basic configuration 601 and any required devices and interfaces. For example, a bus / interface controller 640 may be used to facilitate communication between the basic configuration 601 and one or more data storage devices 650 via a storage interface bus 641. The one or more data storage devices 650 may be a removable storage device 651, a non-removable storage device 652, or a combination of the above items. Examples of removable storage devices and non-removable storage devices include magnetic disk devices such as floppy disk drives and hard disk drives (FIDDs), optical disk drives such as compact disk (CD) drives or digital versatile disk (DVD) drives, solid state drives (SSDs), and tape drives, etc. (to name just a few examples). Exemplary computer storage media may include volatile and non-volatile media, removable media, and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storing information (e.g., computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data).

[0068] System memory 620, removable storage 651, and non-removable storage 652 are all examples of computer storage media. Computer storage media include, but are not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to store the desired information and can be accessed by computing device 600. Any such computer storage media may be part of computing device 600.

[0069] The computing device 600 may also include an interface bus 642 for facilitating communication of various interface devices (e.g., output interfaces, peripheral interfaces, and communication interfaces) to the basic configuration 601 via the bus / interface controller 640. An exemplary output interface 660 may include a graphics processing unit 661 and an audio processing unit 662, which may be configured to communicate with various external devices such as a display or speakers via one or more A / V ports 663. An exemplary peripheral interface 670 may include a serial interface controller 671 or a parallel interface controller 672, which may be configured to communicate with external devices such as input devices (e.g., keyboards, mice, pens, voice input devices, touch input devices, etc.) or other peripheral devices (e.g., printers, scanners, etc.) via one or more I / O ports 673. An exemplary communication interface 680 includes a network controller 681, which may be arranged to facilitate communication with one or more other computing devices 683 via network communication via one or more communication ports 682. A communication connection is an example of a communication medium. Communication media can generally be implemented by computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal (e.g., a carrier wave or other transmission mechanism), and can include any information transfer medium. A "modulated data signal" can be a signal that sets or changes one or more characteristics in a manner that encodes information in the signal. As an example and not limitation, communication media can include wired media such as a wired network or a direct wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustics, radio frequency (RF), infrared (IR) and other wireless media. The term computer-readable medium used herein can include both storage media and communication media.

[0070] The computing device 600 may be implemented as part of a small-sized portable (or mobile) electronic device, such as a cell phone, a mobile phone, a tablet device, a laptop computer, a personal data assistant (PDA), a personal media player device, a wireless network viewing device, a personal headset device, a dedicated device, or a hybrid device including any of the above functions. The computing device 600 may also be implemented as a personal computer, including laptop and non-laptop computer configurations. In addition, the computing device 600 may be implemented as part of a wireless base station or other wireless system or device.

[0071] Some parts of the foregoing detailed description are presented according to algorithms or symbolic representations of operations on data bits or binary digital signals stored in a computing system memory such as a computer memory. These algorithmic descriptions or representations are examples of techniques used by those of ordinary skill in the field of data processing to convey the essence of their work to other technicians in the field. Here, an algorithm is generally considered to be a self-consistent sequence of operations or similar processes that produce a desired result. In this case, the operation or process involves physical control of physical quantities. Typically, although not necessarily, these quantities can take the form of electrical or magnetic signals that can be stored, transmitted, combined, compared or otherwise controlled. It has proven to be convenient to refer to such signals as bits, data, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, digital symbols, etc., mainly for general reasons. However, it should be understood that all of these and similar terms are associated with appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels. Unless otherwise noted, it will be apparent from the discussion below that: It should be understood that throughout the specification, discussions using terms such as "processing," "computing," "determining," etc. refer to the actions or processes of a computing device that manipulates or transforms data represented as physical electronic or magnetic quantities within the computing device's memory, registers, or other information storage devices, transmission devices, or display devices.

[0072] The claimed subject matter is not limited in scope to the specific embodiments described herein. For example, some embodiments may be applied to hardware, such as for operating on a device or a combination of devices, while other embodiments may be applied to software and / or firmware. Similarly, although the claimed subject matter is not limited in scope to this aspect, some embodiments may include one or more items, such as a signal bearing medium, a storage medium, and / or a plurality of storage media. The storage medium (e.g., a CD-ROM, a computer disk, a flash memory, etc.) may have instructions stored thereon, and when the instructions are executed by a computing device (e.g., a computing system, a computing platform, or other system), the instructions may cause the processor to execute according to the claimed subject matter (e.g., one of the embodiments described above). As a possibility, a computing device may include one or more processing units or processors, one or more input / output devices (e.g., a display, a keyboard, and / or a mouse), and one or more memories (e.g., a static random access memory, a dynamic random access memory, a flash memory, and / or a hard drive).

[0073] There is little distinction between hardware and software implementations of aspects of the system, and the use of hardware or software is typically (but not always, as the choice between hardware and software may become important in some circumstances) a design choice that represents a trade-off between cost and efficiency. There are a variety of tools (e.g., hardware, software, and / or firmware) that can affect the processes and / or systems and / or other techniques described herein, and the preferred tools will vary with the environment in which the processes and / or systems and / or other techniques are deployed. For example, if the implementer determines that speed and accuracy are most important, the implementer may choose primarily hardware and / or firmware tools; if flexibility is most important, the implementer may choose primarily software implementations; or, again alternatively, the implementer may choose some combination of hardware, software, and / or firmware.

[0074] The foregoing specific embodiments have been described various embodiments of devices and / or processes by using block diagrams, flow charts and / or examples. Where such block diagrams, flow charts and / or examples contain one or more functions and / or operations, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that each function and / or operation in such block diagrams, flow charts or examples can be implemented individually and / or together by a wide range of hardware, software, firmware or any combination thereof. In one embodiment, several parts of the subject matter described herein can be implemented by application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), digital signal processors (DSPs) or other integrated formats. However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that some aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in whole or in part equivalently in an integrated circuit as one or more computer programs running on one or more computers (e.g., implemented as one or more programs running on one or more computer systems), as one or more programs running on one or more processors (e.g., implemented as one or more programs running on one or more microprocessors), as firmware or any combination of the above items, and according to the present disclosure, designing circuits and / or writing code for software and / or firmware will be completely within the skill of those skilled in the art. Furthermore, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the mechanisms of the subject matter described herein can be distributed as a program product in a variety of forms, and that the illustrative embodiments of the subject matter described herein apply regardless of the specific type of signal-bearing medium used to actually perform the distribution. Examples of signal-bearing media include, but are not limited to, the following: recordable-type media (e.g., floppy disks, hard disk drives (HDDs), compact disks (CDs), digital versatile disks (DVDs), digital tapes, computer memory, etc.); and transmission-type media (e.g., digital and / or analog communication media (e.g., optical cables, waveguides, wired communication links, wireless communication links, etc.).

[0075] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that it is common in the art to describe devices and / or processes in the manner set forth herein and then to integrate such described devices and / or processes into data processing systems using engineering practices. That is, at least a portion of the devices and / or processes described herein can be integrated into data processing systems by a reasonable amount of experimentation. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that a typical data processing system typically includes one or more system unit housings, a video display device, a memory such as volatile and non-volatile memory, a processor such as a microprocessor and a digital signal processor, a computing entity such as an operating system, a driver, a graphical user interface, and an application program, one or more interactive devices such as a touch pad or screen, and / or a control system including a feedback loop and a control motor (e.g., a feedback loop for sensing position and / or velocity; a control motor for moving and / or adjusting components and / or quantities). A typical data processing system can be implemented using any suitable commercially available components, such as those typically found in data computing / communication and / or network computing / communication systems.

[0076] The subject matter described herein sometimes shows different parts contained in or connected to different other parts.It should be understood that the architecture described in this way is merely exemplary, and in fact many other architectures can also realize the same function.In a conceptual sense, any arrangement of parts that realize the same function is effectively "associated" to achieve the desired function.Therefore, any two components combined to realize a specific function herein can be regarded as "associated" with each other to achieve the desired function, regardless of the architecture or intermediate components.Similarly, any two components so associated can also be regarded as "operably connected" or "operably coupled" to each other to achieve the desired function, and any two components that can be so associated can also be regarded as "operably coupled" to each other to achieve the desired function.Specific examples of operably coupling include but are not limited to physically matable and / or physically interactive components and / or wirelessly interactive components and / or wirelessly interactive components and / or logically interactive and / or logically interactive components.

[0077] With respect to the use of substantially any plural and / or singular terms herein, those skilled in the art may translate the plural to the singular and / or the singular to the plural, as appropriate to the context and / or application. For clarity, various singular / plural permutations may be expressly set forth herein.

[0078] Those skilled in the art will understand that, in general, the terms used herein, especially in the appended claims (e.g., the bodies of the appended claims), are generally intended to be "open" terms (e.g., the term "including" should be interpreted as "including but not limited to," the term "having" should be interpreted as "having at least," the term "comprising" should be interpreted as "including but not limited to," etc.). Those skilled in the art will further understand that if a specific number of claim recitations is intended to be introduced, such intent will be explicitly stated in the claim, and in the absence of such a statement, no such intent is present. For example, to aid understanding, the appended claims may contain the use of the introductory phrases "at least one" and "one or more" to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be interpreted as implying that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite article "a" or "an" limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to subject matter containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrase "one or more" or "at least one" and an indefinite article such as "a" or "an" (e.g., "a" and / or "an" should generally be interpreted as meaning "at least one" or "one or more"). The same applies to the use of definite articles to introduce claim recitations. Furthermore, even if specific numbers of referenced claim recitations are explicitly listed, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should generally be interpreted to mean at least the referenced numbers (e.g., the simple recitation of "two references" without other modifiers generally means at least two references, or two or more references). In addition, where a convention similar to "at least one of A, B, and C, etc." is used, such a construction is generally intended to indicate that a person skilled in the art can understand the meaning of the convention (e.g., "a system having at least one of A, B, and C" includes but is not limited to having A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B, A and C, B and C, and / or having A, B, and C, etc.). Where a convention similar to "at least one of A, B, or C, etc." is used, such a construction is generally intended to indicate that a person skilled in the art can understand the meaning of the convention (e.g., "a system having at least one of A, B, or C" includes but is not limited to having A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B, A and C, B and C, and / or having A, B, and C, etc.). It will be further understood by those skilled in the art that almost any separate word and / or phrase representing two or more alternative terms, whether in the specification, claims, or drawings, should be understood to consider the possibility of including one of the terms, either term, or both terms. For example, the phrase "A or B" will be understood to include "A" or "B" or "A and B".

[0079] References in the specification to "one embodiment", "some embodiments" or "other embodiments" may mean that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in conjunction with one or more embodiments may be included in at least some embodiments, but not necessarily in all embodiments. In the foregoing description, various appearances of "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.

[0080] Although various methods and systems have been used herein to describe and illustrate certain exemplary techniques, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various other modifications may be made, and equivalents may be substituted, without departing from the claimed subject matter. Furthermore, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation to the teachings of the claimed subject matter without departing from the central concepts described herein. Therefore, it is intended that the claimed subject matter is not limited to the specific examples disclosed, but that such claimed subject matter may also include all implementations and their equivalents that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for coordinating multiple drones, characterized in that: include: receiving an indication, the indication being a request for a service to be performed by the plurality of drones; In response to the received indication, activating a coordination protocol for the plurality of drones based at least in part on services to be performed by the plurality of drones; wherein the coordination protocol includes determining, based at least in part on the service to be performed, whether each of the plurality of drones is equipped with a suitable service module, the suitable service module being configured for the service to be performed; If it is determined that each of the plurality of drones is equipped with the suitable service module, designating one of the plurality of drones to execute a supervisory procedure, the supervisory procedure being used to facilitate management of the remaining drones of the plurality of drones during execution of the service; and launching the plurality of drones, including the one drone designated among the plurality of drones, toward a direction of the service to be performed, the direction of the service to be performed being determined by geographic data; wherein the regulatory procedures are also used to promote the performance of the services to a predetermined level; Among them, the supervision drone that executes the supervision procedure can execute the supervision procedure itself, and the supervision drone can be configured to cut in and complete the service that another drone of the multiple drones cannot complete and be configured to ensure that the task has been completed; after the service is completed, the completion of the service is verified by the supervision drone.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that Receiving the instruction includes: receiving the instruction at a drone base.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The request for the service comprises a request for service for washing the windows of a building.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that The request for service of washing windows of a building includes a request for service of washing windows of a high-rise building.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that Activating the coordination protocol includes broadcasting a wireless communication message to the plurality of drones.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that Determining whether each of the plurality of drones is equipped with the appropriate service module includes each of the plurality of drones performing a self-diagnostic check, the self-diagnostic check including one or more of a battery charge check, a mechanical check, or an electronic system check.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The designating the one of the plurality of drones to execute the supervisory program includes: wirelessly sending a message to the designated one of the plurality of drones, the message having instructions for executing the stored executable program.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that If it is determined that each of the plurality of drones is not equipped with the appropriate service module, the indication of the received request for the service to be performed is sent to a backup drone base.

9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: If it is determined that each of the plurality of drones is not equipped with the appropriate service module, a request is sent to switch a current service module of each of the plurality of drones to the appropriate service module.

10. A machine-readable non-volatile medium, characterized in that: The machine-readable non-volatile medium stores instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors, are operable to cause a drone coordination module DCM to perform the following operations: receiving an indication, the indication being a request for a service to be performed by the plurality of drones; activating a coordination protocol for the plurality of drones based at least in part on the services to be performed by the plurality of drones in response to the received indication; the coordination protocol comprising determining, based at least in part on the services to be performed, whether each of the plurality of drones is equipped with a suitable service module, the suitable service module being configured for the service to be performed; if it is determined that each of the plurality of drones is equipped with the suitable service module, designating one of the plurality of drones to execute a supervisory procedure, the supervisory procedure being used to facilitate management of the remaining drones of the plurality of drones during the performance of the service; and launching the multiple drones in the direction of the service to be performed, the multiple drones including the one drone specified among the multiple drones, the direction of the service to be performed being determined by geographic data; wherein, when the stored instructions are executed by the one or more processors, the instructions are further operable to cause the DCM to promote the execution of the service to a predetermined level; wherein, the supervisory drone that executes the supervisory procedure itself can execute the supervisory procedure, the supervisory drone can be configured to cut in and complete a service that another drone of the multiple drones cannot complete and is configured to ensure that the task has been completed; after the service is completed, the completion of the service is verified by the supervisory drone.

11. The machine-readable non-volatile medium according to claim 10, wherein: When the stored instructions are executed by the one or more processors, the instructions are further operable to cause the DCM to receive the indication at the drone base.

12. The machine-readable non-volatile medium according to claim 10, wherein: The stored instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, are further operable to cause the DCM to receive a request for service for washing windows of a building.

13. The machine-readable non-volatile medium according to claim 12, wherein: The stored instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, are further operable to cause the DCM to receive a request for service for washing windows of a high-rise building.

14. The machine-readable non-volatile medium according to claim 10, wherein: When the stored instructions are executed by the one or more processors, the instructions are further operable to cause the DCM to broadcast wireless communication messages to the plurality of drones.

15. The machine-readable non-volatile medium according to claim 10, wherein: When the stored instructions are executed by the one or more processors, the instructions are further operable to cause the DCM to perform a self-diagnostic check on each of the plurality of drones, the self-diagnostic check comprising one or more of a battery charge check, a mechanical check, or an electronic system check.

16. The machine-readable non-volatile medium according to claim 10, wherein: When the stored instructions are executed by the one or more processors, the instructions are further operable to cause the DCM to wirelessly send a message to the designated one of the plurality of drones, the message having instructions to execute the stored executable program.

17. The machine-readable non-volatile medium according to claim 10, wherein: When the stored instructions are executed by the one or more processors, the instructions are further operable to: upon determining that each of the multiple drones is not equipped with the appropriate service module, cause the DCM to send the indication of the received request for the service to be performed to a backup drone base.

18. The machine-readable non-volatile medium according to claim 10, wherein: When the stored instructions are executed by the one or more processors, the instructions are further operable to: upon determining that each of the multiple drones is not equipped with the suitable service module, cause the DCM to send a request to switch the current service module of each of the multiple drones to the suitable service module.

19. A system for coordinating multiple drones, characterized in that: include: processor; a drone communicatively coupled to the processor; a storage medium communicatively coupled to the processor; as well as a drone coordination module DCM, communicatively coupled to the processor and the storage medium, the DCM being configured to: receive an indication, the indication being a request for a service to be performed by the plurality of drones; In response to the received indication, activating a coordination protocol for the plurality of drones based at least in part on the service to be performed by the plurality of drones; the coordination protocol comprising determining whether each of the plurality of drones is equipped with a suitable service module based at least in part on the service to be performed, the suitable service module being configured for the service to be performed; if it is determined that each of the plurality of drones is equipped with the suitable service module, designating one of the plurality of drones to execute a supervisory procedure, the supervisory procedure being used to facilitate management of the remaining drones of the plurality of drones during the performance of the service; and launching the plurality of drones in a direction of the service to be performed, the plurality of drones including the one drone designated by the plurality of drones, the direction of the service to be performed being determined by geographic data; wherein the supervisory drone executing the supervisory procedure can itself execute the supervisory procedure, the supervisory drone can be configured to cut in and complete a service that another drone of the plurality of drones cannot complete and is configured to ensure that the task has been completed; After the service is completed, the supervision drone verifies that the service is completed.

20. The system according to claim 19, characterized in that The DCM is further operable to cause the DCM to receive the indication at a drone base.

21. The system according to claim 19, characterized in that The DCM is further operable to cause the DCM to receive a request for service of washing windows of a building.

22. The system according to claim 21, characterized in that The DCM is further operable to cause the DCM to receive a request for service of washing windows of a high-rise building.

23. The system according to claim 19, characterized in that The DCM is further operable to cause the DCM to broadcast wireless communication messages to the plurality of drones.

24. The system according to claim 19, characterized in that The DCM is further operable to cause the DCM to perform a self-diagnostic check on each of the plurality of drones, the self-diagnostic check comprising one or more of a battery charge check, a mechanical check, or an electronic system check.

25. The system according to claim 19, characterized in that The DCM is further operable to cause the DCM to wirelessly send a message to the designated one of the plurality of drones, the message having instructions to execute a stored executable program.

26. The system according to claim 19, characterized in that The DCM is further operable to: upon determining that each of the plurality of drones is not equipped with the appropriate service module, cause the DCM to send the indication of the received request for the service to be performed to a backup drone base.

27. The system according to claim 19, characterized in that The DCM is further operable to: upon determining that each of the plurality of drones is not equipped with the appropriate service module, send a request to switch a current service module of each of the plurality of drones to the appropriate service module.

Images