On-Demand Drone Imaging With Geofenced User Flight Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for on-demand drone-based capture of digital media, particularly for specific locations or events, and a means for users to control parameters of the digital media capture and define the target of capture.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a fleet of drones and mobile technology platforms with software that allows users to request drone services, control flight paths, and capture digital media by determining the user's location and dispatching drones, with features like graphical user interfaces for inputting capture and flight control commands, and geofence proximity for targeted imaging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fleet of drones is deployed for on-demand digital media capture, then the ability to provide targeted imaging services is improved, but the system complexity and operational coordination requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
A centralized server acts as an intermediary between mobile devices and drones, managing the fleet coordination, task assignment, and communication. This mediator absorbs the complexity of managing multiple drones, allowing individual users to simply request services through their mobile devices without dealing with the underlying system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented into independent modular components: mobile devices for user interaction, a centralized server for coordination and management, and individual drones for execution. This segmentation allows each component to be developed, maintained, and scaled independently, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining versatility.
2Measurement precision
If users are given control over drone flight paths and capture parameters, then the precision and relevance of captured media is improved, but the operational difficulty and training requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements partial automation where the drone autonomously handles navigation to the target location and basic flight stabilization, while allowing user control only over essential capture parameters like timing and specific positioning adjustments. This partial action approach maintains precision without requiring users to master full drone operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The drone system performs self-navigation and self-positioning using GPS and autonomous flight capabilities, eliminating the need for users to manually control flight paths. Users simply specify the target location, and the drone independently executes the navigation and capture sequence.
3Productivity
If multiple users can sequentially share drone control, then the utilization efficiency and cost-effectiveness is improved, but the coordination overhead and potential for conflicts increases
Solution Approach 1:
The centralized server continuously monitors drone status, location, and task completion, providing real-time feedback to coordinate user requests. When a drone becomes available, the server notifies waiting users and assigns the next task automatically, preventing conflicts and optimizing utilization without requiring direct user-to-user coordination.
Solution Approach 2:
The centralized server acts as a mediator that manages sequential user access to drones, handling task queuing, assignment, and status tracking. This intermediary absorbs the coordination complexity, allowing users to independently request services without directly interacting with other users or managing the sharing protocol themselves.
4Manufacturing precision
If drones are equipped with multiple capture devices and sensors, then the quality and variety of digital media captured is improved, but the drone weight and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The drone is designed with multi-functional capabilities, integrating camera, video recorder, and various sensors into a single unified platform. This universal design allows the same hardware to serve multiple capture functions, reducing the need for separate specialized devices and minimizing overall weight while maintaining high capture quality across different media types.
Data Source
AI summary
A system is provided for sending a drone to a target on request. The system includes a server provided in communication with a plurality of mobile technology platforms, each of which having an instance of a particular software installed therein. The software contains programming instructions configured to transmit a request from a user for a drone. The system, upon receiving a transmitted request for a drone from one of the plurality of mobile technology platforms, dispatches a drone to fly to a specified target and provides the user with at least partial control of the drone's flight or of media capture by the drone based on the location of the drone relative to a geofence associated with the target.