Drone-based inventory management method and systems. One embodiment provides a drone-based inventory management system including one or more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and a central management system having an electronic processor, and a transceiver configured to communicate with the one or more UAVs. The electronic processor is configured to determine a discrepancy in inventory and select a UAV for verification. The electronic processor is also configured to determine whether weather permits UAV operation and operate the UAV in a pre-determined route when the weather permits UAV operation. The electronic processor is further configured to capture images using the UAV and determine new inventory based on captured images. The electronic processor is also configured to update inventory based on the new inventory.

A weather drone (100) comprising: a first sensor (101) configured to repeatedly measure one or more parameters indicative of weather; a memory (103) coupled to the first sensor (101) and configured to store data recorded by the first sensor (101), the data comprising a series of repeatedly measured parameters; and a processor (104) coupled to the first sensor (104) and the memory (103). The processor (104) is configured to analyse the data as it is being recorded by the first sensor (101), and determine if the data exceeds a first threshold value and/or falls below a second threshold value. If the processor (104) determines that the data exceeds the first threshold value and/or falls below the second threshold value on at least one occasion, the processor (104) is configured to prevent the storage of further data from the first sensor (101) in the memory (102).

A weather drone (100) comprising: a first sensor (101) configured to repeatedly measure one or more parameters indicative of weather; a memory (103) coupled to the first sensor (101) and configured to store data recorded by the first sensor (101), the data comprising a series of repeatedly measured parameters; and a processor (104) coupled to the first sensor (104) and the memory (103). The processor (104) is configured to analyse the data as it is being recorded by the first sensor (101), and determine if the data exceeds a first threshold value and/or falls below a second threshold value. If the processor (104) determines that the data exceeds the first threshold value and/or falls below the second threshold value on at least one occasion, the processor (104) is configured to prevent the storage of further data from the first sensor (101) in the memory (102).

When information related to road surface conditions is conveyed from a vehicle body side system to a tire-mounted sensor and the tire-mounted sensor determines the road surface condition, an integrated voltage value is corrected based on the information related to the road surface condition. It is thus possible to estimate the road surface condition more accurately. Furthermore, in as much as the road surface condition is estimated at each tire-mounted sensor, the road surface condition can be estimated for each wheel.

When information related to road surface conditions is conveyed from a vehicle body side system to a tire-mounted sensor and the tire-mounted sensor determines the road surface condition, an integrated voltage value is corrected based on the information related to the road surface condition. It is thus possible to estimate the road surface condition more accurately. Furthermore, in as much as the road surface condition is estimated at each tire-mounted sensor, the road surface condition can be estimated for each wheel.

Solar radiation is collected and converted to microwave energy by means maintained in outer space on one or more platforms in space. The microwave energy is then transmitted to earth and directed to and constantly focused on one or more segments of a generally circular and slowly rotating tropical depression, which is a precursor to a tropical storm and then a hurricane (alternatively called a cyclone or typhoon). The focused microwave energy interrupts the cycle of vertical upward and downward movement of air, water, & water vapor, and destabilizes the developing rotational motion of the tropical depression, causing it to break up and dissipate, and preventing it from ultimately developing into a hurricane. When not focusing microwave energy on a tropical depression, the microwave energy can alternatively be used to create earth based solar energy, which would help alleviate costs of operating the system solely for hurricane prevention.

Solar radiation is collected and converted to microwave energy by means maintained in outer space on one or more platforms in space. The microwave energy is then transmitted to earth and directed to and constantly focused on one or more segments of a generally circular and slowly rotating tropical depression, which is a precursor to a tropical storm and then a hurricane (alternatively called a cyclone or typhoon). The focused microwave energy interrupts the cycle of vertical upward and downward movement of air, water, & water vapor, and destabilizes the developing rotational motion of the tropical depression, causing it to break up and dissipate, and preventing it from ultimately developing into a hurricane. When not focusing microwave energy on a tropical depression, the microwave energy can alternatively be used to create earth based solar energy, which would help alleviate costs of operating the system solely for hurricane prevention.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) may include a communication interface and a pressure sensor configured to measure barometric pressure. The UAV may also include a processor configured to generate a request for elevation data and barometric pressure data and transmit, via the communication interface, the request to the at least one other device. The processor may also be configured to receive, from each of the at least one other device, elevation data and barometric pressure data, and estimate the elevation of the UAV based on the measured barometric pressure, the received elevation data and the received barometric pressure data.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) may include a communication interface and a pressure sensor configured to measure barometric pressure. The UAV may also include a processor configured to generate a request for elevation data and barometric pressure data and transmit, via the communication interface, the request to the at least one other device. The processor may also be configured to receive, from each of the at least one other device, elevation data and barometric pressure data, and estimate the elevation of the UAV based on the measured barometric pressure, the received elevation data and the received barometric pressure data.

Improved mechanisms for collecting information from a diverse suite of sensors and systems, calculating the current precipitation, atmospheric water vapor, atmospheric liquid water content, or precipitable water and other atmospheric-based phenomena, for example presence and intensity of fog, based upon these sensor readings, predicting future precipitation and atmospheric-based phenomena, and estimating effects of the atmospheric-based phenomena on visibility, for example by calculating runway visible range (RVR) estimates and forecasts based on the atmospheric-based phenomena.