US 12,169,404 B2
Enhanced unmanned aerial vehicle flight along computed splines
Saumya Pravinbhai Shah, Sunnyvale, CA (US); Matthew Thomas Beaudouin-Lafon, La Jolla, CA (US); Kristen Marie Holtz, Menlo Park, CA (US); James Anthony Ferrandini, San Rafael, CA (US); Hayk Martirosyan, San Francisco, CA (US); Matthew Joseph Donahoe, Redwood City, CA (US); Charles Vanschoonhoven Wood, Cazenovia, NY (US); Clara Kelley, Half Moon Bay, CA (US); Adam Parker Bry, Redwood City, CA (US); and Jack Louis Zhu, San Mateo, CA (US)
Assigned to Skydio, Inc., San Mateo, CA (US)
Filed by Skydio, Inc., Redwood City, CA (US)
Filed on Mar. 8, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/689,414.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/296,285, filed on Jan. 4, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/282,725, filed on Nov. 24, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0161338 A1, May 25, 2023
Int. Cl. G05D 1/00 (2024.01); B64C 39/02 (2023.01); B64D 43/02 (2006.01); B64D 47/08 (2006.01); G05D 1/10 (2006.01); G05D 1/223 (2024.01); G05D 1/654 (2024.01); G05D 1/689 (2024.01); G08G 5/00 (2006.01); H04N 23/60 (2023.01); B64U 10/13 (2023.01); B64U 101/00 (2023.01); B64U 101/30 (2023.01); H04N 23/67 (2023.01); H04N 23/695 (2023.01)
CPC G05D 1/0016 (2013.01) [B64C 39/024 (2013.01); B64D 43/02 (2013.01); B64D 47/08 (2013.01); G05D 1/0094 (2013.01); G05D 1/101 (2013.01); G05D 1/223 (2024.01); G05D 1/654 (2024.01); G05D 1/689 (2024.01); G08G 5/003 (2013.01); H04N 23/64 (2023.01); B64U 10/13 (2023.01); B64U 2101/00 (2023.01); B64U 2101/30 (2023.01); B64U 2201/20 (2023.01); H04N 23/67 (2023.01); H04N 23/695 (2023.01)] 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:
a flight control subsystem; and
an electromechanical subsystem coupled with the flight control subsystem and configured to fly the unmanned aerial vehicle as directed by the flight control subsystem;
wherein the flight control subsystem is configured to:
record keyframes during one or more flights of the unmanned aerial vehicle;
compute a spline based on at least one or more of the keyframes;
save the computed spline for playback when flying the unmanned aerial vehicle;
during a subsequent flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle:
direct the electromechanical subsystem to fly the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the computed spline;
receive user input from a remote control comprising a modification to the computed spline, wherein the user input comprises joystick data;
modify the computed spline based at least on the joystick data resulting in a modified version of the computed spline, wherein to modify the computed spline, the flight control system is configured to apply a dampening function to the joystick data resulting in an attenuation of the joystick data; and
save the modified version of the computed spline for later playback.