Abstract: A smart landing pad comprises a flexible display that shows images or patterns, and a protective layer over the display. The protective layer allows a UAV to land without damaging the display. Locator and range finder devices, coupled to the display, communicate with the UAV. The display is operative for wireless communications with a computer or mobile device that provides on-demand user functions, allowing for dynamically changing or customizing the images/patterns shown on the display. The images/patterns comprise a background area showing changeable images that match an environment where the landing pad is placed, and a target landing area surrounded by the background area. The target landing area includes a changeable insensitive, contrast portion, and changeable marker pattern portions having changeable colors/shapes. The images/patterns also include changeable QR codes on the target landing area. The display is IoT enabled so that data from the landing pad is remotely cloud accessible.

Abstract: Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems are described that determine when to automatically transfer telemetry data from a UAV to a ground-based computing device by monitoring one or more context states of the UAV. In some examples, a UAV system includes a UAV; a ground-based computing device; and processing circuitry configured to acquire data from one or more sensors on the UAV; store the data at a local storage device on the UAV; maintain a state machine configured to monitor one or more context states of the UAV system; determine, based on the one or more context states, that a current situation of the UAV system meets minimum criteria for transferring the data from the UAV to the ground-based computing device; and automatically transfer, based on the determination, the data from the UAV to the ground-based computing device.

Abstract: In some examples, a system includes a memory configured to store a first image and a second image captured by one or more cameras mounted on one or more vehicles and store locations and orientations of the one or more cameras at times when the first and second images were captured. The system also includes processing circuitry configured to identify an existing landmark in the first and second images. The processing circuitry is also configured to determine a latitude, a longitude, and an altitude of the existing landmark based on the locations and orientations of the one or more cameras at the times when the images were captured. The processing circuitry is configured to create a file including the location of the existing landmark and pixel coordinates of the existing landmark in the first and second images.

Abstract: A computing system obtains asset information, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) information, and regulation information, and determines, based on the obtained information, a 3-D global asset-inspection plan including a plurality of UAV route segments and respective UAV launch locations.

Abstract: In some examples, a system includes at least three receivers configured to receive a surveillance packet from another vehicle at respective arrival times. The system includes a first receiver configured to receive a surveillance packet from the other vehicle at a first time. The system also includes a second receiver configured to receive the surveillance packet from the other vehicle at a second time. The system further include a third receiver configured to receive the surveillance packet from the other vehicle at a third time. In addition, the system includes processing circuitry configured to determine a location of the ownship vehicle based on the received surveillance packet and the respective arrival times.

Abstract: In some examples, a system includes at least three receivers configured to receive a surveillance packet from another vehicle at respective arrival times. The system includes a first receiver configured to receive a surveillance packet from the other vehicle at a first time. The system also includes a second receiver configured to receive the surveillance packet from the other vehicle at a second time. The system further include a third receiver configured to receive the surveillance packet from the other vehicle at a third time. In addition, the system includes processing circuitry configured to determine a location of the ownship vehicle based on the received surveillance packet and the respective arrival times.

Abstract: A smart landing pad comprises a flexible display that shows images or patterns, and a protective layer over the display. The protective layer allows a UAV to land without damaging the display. Locator and range finder devices, coupled to the display, communicate with the UAV. The display is operative for wireless communications with a computer or mobile device that provides on-demand user functions, allowing for dynamically changing or customizing the images/patterns shown on the display. The images/patterns comprise a background area showing changeable images that match an environment where the landing pad is placed, and a target landing area surrounded by the background area. The target landing area includes a changeable insensitive, contrast portion, and changeable marker pattern portions having changeable colors/shapes. The images/patterns also include changeable QR codes on the target landing area. The display is IoT enabled so that data from the landing pad is remotely cloud accessible.

Abstract: A method for performing an inspection of a utility asset includes obtaining current magnetic signature data for at least one electrical asset; comparing the current magnetic signature data to a model describing an expected change in the electrical asset's magnetic signature over time; and determining a current state-of-wear of the at least one electrical asset based on the comparison to the model.

Abstract: Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems are described that determine when to automatically transfer telemetry data from a UAV to a ground-based computing device by monitoring one or more context states of the UAV. In some examples, a UAV system includes a UAV; a ground-based computing device; and processing circuitry configured to acquire data from one or more sensors on the UAV; store the data at a local storage device on the UAV; maintain a state machine configured to monitor one or more context states of the UAV system; determine, based on the one or more context states, that a current situation of the UAV system meets minimum criteria for transferring the data from the UAV to the ground-based computing device; and automatically transfer, based on the determination, the data from the UAV to the ground-based computing device.

Abstract: In some examples, a system includes a memory configured to store a first image and a second image captured by one or more cameras mounted on one or more vehicles and store locations and orientations of the one or more cameras at times when the first and second images were captured. The system also includes processing circuitry configured to identify an existing landmark in the first and second images. The processing circuitry is also configured to determine a latitude, a longitude, and an altitude of the existing landmark based on the locations and orientations of the one or more cameras at the times when the images were captured. The processing circuitry is configured to create a file including the location of the existing landmark and pixel coordinates of the existing landmark in the first and second images.

Abstract: A method for performing an inspection of a utility asset includes obtaining current magnetic signature data for at least one electrical asset; comparing the current magnetic signature data to a model describing an expected change in the electrical asset's magnetic signature over time; and determining a current state-of-wear of the at least one electrical asset based on the comparison to the model.

Abstract: A computing system obtains asset information, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) information, and regulation information, and determines, based on the obtained information, a 3-D global asset-inspection plan including a plurality of UAV route segments and respective UAV launch locations.

Abstract: A device for database management includes processing circuitry configured to convert inspection data into a 3D model, the inspection data being generated using one or more sensors arranged on a vehicle, and identify a plurality of objects of interest using the inspection data, the 3D model, or a combination of the inspection data and the 3D model. The processing circuitry is configured to estimate respective geographical location information for each object of the plurality of objects of interest using the 3D model and generate a database using the geographical location information for each object of the plurality of objects of interest.

Abstract: In some examples, an auxiliary device for presenting images captured by a vehicle includes a display, a communication module configured to receive data signals from the vehicle, and processing circuitry configured to determine one or more images based on the data signals received from the vehicle and present, via the display, the one or more images. The auxiliary device also includes an input device configured to receive user inputs. The processing circuitry is further configured to determine a set of annotations to the one or more images based on the user inputs and cause the communication module to transmit the set of annotations to a primary device that remotely controls movements of the vehicle.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for determining a cut location for a machine implement is provided. The method may include comparing a target cut volume to a projected cut volume associated with each boundary of a selected bin, designating the cut location as the boundary most closely approximating the target cut volume if both of the projected cut volumes at the boundaries are either greater than or less than the target cut volume, and designating the cut location as an average of the boundaries if the projected cut volumes at the boundaries are greater than and less than the target cut volume.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for automatically detecting a need for a ripping pass to be performed by a machine along a work surface is provided. The method may include monitoring one or more of machine parameters of the machine and profile parameters of the work surface, determining whether one or more predefined trigger conditions suggestive of the need for the ripping pass are met based on the machine parameters and the profile parameters, and generating a ripping pass request if one or more of the trigger conditions are satisfied.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for automatically detecting a need for a ripping pass to be performed by a machine along a work surface is provided. The method may include monitoring one or more of machine parameters of the machine and profile parameters of the work surface, determining whether one or more predefined trigger conditions suggestive of the need for the ripping pass are met based on the machine parameters and the profile parameters, and generating a ripping pass request if one or more of the trigger conditions are satisfied.

Abstract: A system for controlling an earthmoving machine is provided. The system includes a positioning system and a controller. The controller is configured to receive the position signals from the positioning system, store the position signals in a pass history, and determine, based on pass history, an actual profile of the work surface. The controller is further configured to determine, based on the actual profile of the work surface in the pass history, existence of a first condition, the first condition exists when the actual profile has a first volume having a height above a threshold for an upper pass, and existence of a second condition, the second condition exists when the actual profile has a valley having a floor lower than the threshold for the upper pass. The controller is configured to direct the earthmoving machine to operate based on the lower pass if the first and second conditions exist.

Abstract: A sensor calibration system for a mobile machine is disclosed. The sensor calibration system may have a positioning device configured to determine a desired sensing location on the mobile machine, a calibration object, and a sensor configured to sense a characteristic of the calibration object from an actual sensing location on the mobile machine and to generate a corresponding signal. The sensor calibration system may also have a controller in communication with the sensor and the positioning device. The controller may be configured to compare the characteristic sensed from the actual sensing location to a known characteristic associated with the desired sensing location, and to determine a difference between the actual sensing location and the desired sensing location based on the comparison. The controller may further be configured to correct subsequent signals generated by the sensor based on the difference.

Abstract: A system for controlling an earthmoving machine is provided. The system includes a positioning system and a controller. The controller is configured to receive the position signals from the positioning system, store the position signals in a pass history, and determine, based on pass history, an actual profile of the work surface. The controller is further configured to determine, based on the actual profile of the work surface in the pass history, existence of a first condition, the first condition exists when the actual profile has a first volume having a height above a threshold for an upper pass, and existence of a second condition, the second condition exists when the actual profile has a valley having a floor lower than the threshold for the upper pass. The controller is configured to direct the earthmoving machine to operate based on the lower pass if the first and second conditions exist.