Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can deliver a package to a delivery destination. Packages delivered by a UAV may be lowered towards the ground while the UAV continues to fly rather than the UAV landing on the ground and releasing the package. Packages may sway during lowering as a result of wind or movement of the UAV. A package sway may be monitored and mitigated by rapidly paying out a tether, when using a winch mechanism, to dissipate the energy of the sway as downward energy. Further, the UAV may navigate in the direction of the sway or reduce the altitude of the UAV to dissipate the energy of the sway. Open-loop and/or closed loop drop techniques may be utilized to lower a package from the UAV, and the package may be released in the air or on the ground.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments involving use of a multi-scale fiducial by an autonomously controlled aerial vehicle. A first image at a first location is captured, and a first fiducial at a first scale of a multi-scale fiducial is recognized within the first image. The autonomously controlled aerial vehicle is piloted relative to the multi-scale fiducial based at least in part on information contained within the first fiducial. A second image at a second location is captured, and a second fiducial at a second scale of the multi-scale fiducial is recognized within the second image. An action is then performed based at least in part on information contained within the second fiducial.

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can deliver a package to a delivery destination. Packages delivered by a UAV may be lowered towards the ground while the UAV continues to fly rather than the UAV landing on the ground and releasing the package. Packages may sway during lowering as a result of wind or movement of the UAV. A package sway may be monitored and mitigated by rapidly paying out a tether, when using a winch mechanism, to dissipate the energy of the sway as downward energy. Further, the UAV may navigate in the direction of the sway or reduce the altitude of the UAV to dissipate the energy of the sway. Open-loop and/or closed loop drop techniques may be utilized to lower a package from the UAV, and the package may be released in the air or on the ground.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments involving use of a multi-scale fiducial by an autonomously controlled aerial vehicle. A first image at a first location is captured, and a first fiducial at a first scale of a multi-scale fiducial is recognized within the first image. The autonomously controlled aerial vehicle is piloted relative to the multi-scale fiducial based at least in part on information contained within the first fiducial. A second image at a second location is captured, and a second fiducial at a second scale of the multi-scale fiducial is recognized within the second image. An action is then performed based at least in part on information contained within the second fiducial.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments of a multi-scale fiducial. A multi-scale fiducial may have three or more scales, where the child fiducials are nested or otherwise linked by a relative position to the parent fiducials. Multi-scale fiducials may facilitate target identification and tracking at varying distances, potentially without the aid of a scale-invariant recognition algorithm. One application of multi-scale fiducials may involve target identification for autonomously controlled aerial vehicles.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments of a multi-scale fiducial. A multi-scale fiducial may have three or more scales, where the child fiducials are nested or otherwise linked by a relative position to the parent fiducials. Multi-scale fiducials may facilitate target identification and tracking at varying distances, potentially without the aid of a scale-invariant recognition algorithm. One application of multi-scale fiducials may involve target identification for autonomously controlled aerial vehicles.