Drone Thermal Imaging for Building Lowest Floor Elevation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for calculating building Lowest Floor Elevation (LFE) are costly, time-consuming, and prone to errors due to obstructions, especially when performed one building-at-a-time, and lack comprehensive flood risk management capabilities.
Innovation Solution
An imaging system using a drone with dual thermal and visible sensors captures high-resolution images, processes them with AI and GPU-accelerated algorithms to identify building structures, detect foundation types, and estimate LFE accurately and efficiently, overcoming obstructions and reducing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional methods are used to calculate building Lowest Floor Elevation (LFE), then measurement precision may be adequate, but the process is costly and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical surveying methods with thermal imaging technology. Thermal cameras capture temperature differences between building components, allowing automated identification of LFE through image analysis rather than physical measurement, dramatically increasing processing speed and reducing time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the measurement parameter from physical distance measurement to thermal signature detection. By detecting temperature variations between building structures and foundations, the system converts a mechanical measurement problem into a thermal imaging problem, enabling rapid automated assessment of multiple buildings simultaneously.
2Measurement precision
If traditional LFE calculation methods are used, then accuracy may be maintained, but errors occur due to obstructions when performed one building-at-a-time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal thermal imaging system that can assess multiple buildings simultaneously through aerial flights. The system captures thermal data across entire neighborhoods in one operation, eliminating the need for individual building assessments and removing obstructions as a limiting factor through elevated imaging perspectives.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from ground-level or close-proximity measurement to aerial thermal imaging. By capturing thermal signatures from an elevated drone perspective, the system obtains a comprehensive view that eliminates line-of-sight obstructions and provides consistent measurement conditions across all buildings regardless of ground-level barriers.
3Adaptability or versatility
If comprehensive flood risk management capabilities are implemented, then flood hazard classification improves, but the cost and complexity of the system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements automated image processing algorithms that self-analyze thermal data to identify building structures, foundations, and LFE without human intervention. The system processes entire neighborhoods automatically through AI-driven analysis, eliminating the need for complex manual assessment procedures and reducing operational complexity while maintaining comprehensive flood risk management capabilities.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides precise LFE measurements with minimal error, enabling cost-effective, large-scale flood risk assessment and energy performance evaluation, improving urban resilience and sustainability.
Implementation Method 1
acquire one or more infrared thermal aerial images of a building; identify structural components of the building based on the one or more infrared thermal aerial images of the building
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure describes systems and methods for acquiring structural attributes of a building. One such method comprises acquiring, by one or more cameras of an unmanned aerial vehicle, infrared thermal and visible RGB aerial images of a building; identifying structural components of the building based on an infrared thermal aerial image, wherein a floor structure of the building is identified from a color change in the infrared thermal aerial image between the building and a foundation structure of the building; positioning a bounding box around the floor structure of the building present in the infrared thermal aerial image; and estimating a lowest floor elevation of the building by calculating a lowest floor elevation value based on an amount of image pixels representing a distance between a top of the bounding box and a top of the foundation structure of the building. Other methods and systems are also provided.