Systems and methods for autonomous drone navigation

Abstract

Described are systems, methods, and computer readable medium for a drone navigation system. Exemplary embodiments provide a drone with an imaging device and a computing device in communication with the drone. The computing device receives a selection of a CAD blueprint that includes measurements of an interior portion of a building, and receives a start point and an end point on the blueprint. The computing device analyzes the blueprint and generates a route from the start point to the end point, and determines a first set of instructions in terms of distance and degrees to navigate the generated route. The computing device processes the first set of instructions to generate a second set of instructions in terms of yaw, pitch and roll. The second set of instructions are exported to the drone to cause the drone to navigate the generated route in the building.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A drone system comprising:
 a drone equipped with an imaging device; and   a computing device in communication with the drone;   wherein the computing device is configured to:   receive a selection of a CAD blueprint, the CAD blueprint including measurements of an interior portion of a building,   receive input indicating a start point and an end point on the blueprint,   establish multiple waypoints, each of the multiple waypoints at a predetermined distance from a fixture in the CAD blueprint; and   instruct the drone to fly between the waypoints, and to stop at each of the multiple waypoints to record each fixture until at least a section of the interior portion of the building has been scanned.   
     
     
         2 . The drone system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a server configured to perform image processing, and   wherein the drone stops periodically while navigating the route and actuates an imaging device to acquire imaging data, the imaging data transmitted to a server for image processing.   
     
     
         3 . The drone system of  claim 2 , wherein the imaging data indicates information related to items placed on a plurality of shelves in the building. 
     
     
         4 . The drone system of  claim 3 , wherein the position of the drone at a point in time is recorded with respect to the imaging data. 
     
     
         5 . The drone system of  claim 1 , wherein the CAD blueprint indicates positions of fixtures and shelves. 
     
     
         6 . The drone system of  claim 1 , wherein the CAD blueprint includes a plurality of rows or aisles of shelves, and the extraction module is configured to generate the route from the start point to the end point through each of the plurality of rows or aisles of shelves. 
     
     
         7 . The drone system of  claim 1 , wherein only a subset of the fixtures are used to establish the multiple waypoints and wherein the route is based on a type of fixture. 
     
     
         8 . A method for navigating a drone, the method comprising:
 receiving, at computing device, a selection of a CAD blueprint, the CAD blueprint including measurements of an inside of a building;   receiving input indicating a start point and an end point on the blueprint;   analyzing the blueprint to generate a route from the start point to the end point;   establishing multiple waypoints, each of the multiple waypoints at a predetermined distance from a fixture in the CAD blueprint; and   instructing the drone to fly between the multiple waypoints, and stopping at each of the multiple waypoints to record each fixture until at least a section of the interior portion of the building has been scanned.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the drone stops periodically while navigating the route and actuates an imaging device to acquire imaging data, the imaging data transmitted to a server for image processing. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the imaging data indicates information related to items placed on a plurality of shelves in the building. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the position of the drone at a point in time is recorded with respect to the imaging data. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the CAD blueprint indicates positions of fixtures and shelves. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the CAD blueprint includes a plurality of rows or aisles of shelves, and the route is generated from the start point to the end point through each of plurality of rows or aisles of shelves. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising using only a subset of the fixtures to establish the multiple waypoints and wherein the route is based on a type of fixture. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor causes the processor to implement a method for navigating a drone, the method comprising:
 receiving a selection of a CAD blueprint, the CAD blueprint including measurements of an inside of a building;   receiving input indicating a start point and an end point on the blueprint;   analyzing the blueprint to generate a route from the start point to the end point;   establishing multiple waypoints, each of the multiple waypoints at a predetermined distance from each fixture in the CAD blueprint; and   instructing the drone to fly between the multiple waypoints, and stopping at each of the multiple waypoints to record each fixture until at least a section of the interior portion of the building has been scanned.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , further comprising instructions for the drone to stop periodically while navigating the route and actuate an imaging device to acquire imaging data, the imaging data transmitted to a server for image processing. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the imaging data indicates information related to items placed on a plurality of shelves in the building. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the position of the drone at a point in time is recorded with respect to the imaging data. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the CAD blueprint indicates positions of fixtures and shelves. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the CAD blueprint includes a plurality of rows or aisles of shelves, and the route is generated from the start point to the end point through each of plurality of rows or aisles of shelves.