A system for dispatching and navigating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to a target location comprises a UAV and a navigation module comprising a processor and a memory storing a 3D map comprising the target location and machine-readable instructions such that, when executed by the navigation module processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising identifying a location of the UAV with respect to the 3D map, receiving a target location input, identifying the target location with respect to the 3D map, generating at least one potential route connecting the location of the UAV and the target location, assigning to at least one potential route an evaluation score according to at least one route assessment criterion, selecting the potential route having the highest evaluation score as a preferred route, and transmitting the preferred route to the UAV.

A robotic vehicle comprising a chassis and a manipulatable payload engagement portion, at least one sensor configured to acquire real-time sensor data, a pose validation system comprising computer program code executable by at least one processor to evaluate the sensor data to: determine if a goal pose of the robotic vehicle will result in a collision with infrastructure upon which the object is located when the engagement portion engages the object. If a potential collision is detected, the pose validation system can generate a signal to adjust the robotic vehicle's pose to avoid the collision. A corresponding method is also provided.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a distance measurement method and device, a robot and a storage medium. The method comprises: acquiring a first image, where the first image at least comprises a to-be-detected object and a ground on which the to-be-detected object is located; determining an initial constraint condition of the ground based on the first image; acquiring a second image, where the second image at least comprises an intersection line of a line structured light beam with the ground and/or with the to-be-detected object; determining a position parameter of the ground based on the second image, and correcting the initial constraint condition of the ground based on the position parameter; and determining a distance to the to-be-detected object based on the corrected initial constraint condition of the ground and the first image.

Some embodiments relate to a manned vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aerial vehicle (AV) and to methods relating to such VTOL AVs. An example vehicle comprises: a body comprising a cockpit; a propulsion system carried by the body to propel the body during flight; pilot-operable controls accessible from the cockpit; a sensing system configured to generate sensor data associated with a region around the manned VTOL AV; a control system configured to enable control of the manned VTOL AV to be shared between a pilot and an autonomous piloting system, wherein the control system may utilise the sensor data; and a three-dimensional model of the region; and program instructions to: determine a state estimate and a state estimate confidence metric; generate a three-dimensional point cloud of the region; generate a plurality of virtual particles within the three-dimensional model; compute a plurality of scores, each score being associated with one of the plurality of virtual particles; and update the state estimate based at least in part on the computed scores, thereby determining an updated state estimate.

A method including receiving a data structure including a model including a virtual object. The virtual object has spatial elements that form an area of the virtual object. The method also includes applying a ray tracing algorithm to the model. The ray tracing algorithm directs virtual rays from a remote point in the model towards the virtual object. The method also includes determining intersection values. Each of the intersection values represents a corresponding number of times that the virtual rays intersect a corresponding one of the spatial elements. The method also includes generating, from the intersection values, a coverage value representing a percentage of the area that is covered by the virtual rays. The method also includes returning the coverage value.

Systems and methods for enhanced object detection for autonomous vehicles based on field of view. An example method includes obtaining an image from an image sensor of one or more image sensors positioned about a vehicle. A field of view for the image is determined, with the field of view being associated with a vanishing line. A crop portion corresponding to the field of view is generated from the image, with a remaining portion of the image being downsampled. Information associated with detected objects depicted in the image is outputted based on a convolutional neural network, with detecting objects being based on performing a forward pass through the convolutional neural network of the crop portion and the remaining portion.

The disclosure relates generally to methods and systems for optimized assignment of traversal tasks under imperfect sensing of autonomous vehicles. Most of the techniques assumes perfect equipment conditions. With the imperfect sensing, most of the optimized assignment and scheduling algorithm may not be effective during actual execution of the tasks. The present disclosure solves the technical problems in the art by providing an analytical model which estimates the basic performance metrics such as an expected travel duration and safety estimation such as collision probability on its path, under imperfect sensing, for optimal assignment of the tasks. An analytical model is integrated with a performance estimator as implemented by the systems of the present disclosure, which tracks, predicts, and alerts on any major deviations from its intended performance of safety parameters.

In an example, a method of operating a surface marking robot comprises receiving a first digital representation of a floor plan comprising a plurality of floor plan features, and identifying a specific floor plan feature corresponding to a specific printing resources consumption. In response to identifying the specific floor plan feature, the method comprises modifying the first digital representation to produce a second digital representation in which the specific floor plan feature is replaced by an alternative floor plan feature corresponding to an alternative printing resources consumption which is reduced compared to the specific printing resources consumption.

A system and a method for generating three-dimensional scan data of areas of interest, the method comprising a user defining the areas of interest using a mobile device in the environment, and a scanning device performing a scanning procedure at each defined area of interest to generate the scan data of the respective area of interest, wherein defining the areas of interest comprises, for each area of interest, generating identification data, wherein generating the identification data at least comprises generating image data of the respective area of interest, and the scanning procedure at each defined area of interest is performed by a mobile robot comprising the scanning device and being configured for autonomously performing a scan of a surrounding area using the scanning device, the mobile robot having a SLAM functionality for simultaneous localization and mapping and being configured to autonomously move through the environment using the SLAM functionality.

An information processing device includes a position and orientation measurement unit to calculate a position and an orientation of a movable apparatus based on measurement information of a first sensor that measures an environment in surroundings of the movable apparatus. A first environment map is created in a vicinity of the movable apparatus based on the measurement information of the first sensor and the position and the orientation, and a second environment map to be merged with the first environment maps determined. Information regarding the second environment map is acquired and a traveling path of the movable apparatus is determined to merge the first environment map and the second environment map based on the information regarding the second environment map.