GB2553862A

GB2553862A - A Pilotless drone system

Info

Publication number: GB2553862A
Application number: GB1616023.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Harvey Alex; Maurice Harvey Jonathan; Cooper Stuart
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2016-09-20
Filing date: 2016-09-20
Publication date: 2018-03-21
Also published as: GB201616023D0

Abstract

A pilotless drone system for capturing images of an area beneath the drone comprises a drone having a body 12, at least four propulsion means (20, fig 8), a battery power source (34, fig 9), a downwardly pointing camera (24, Fig 9) and data storage means on the drone. The drone also has a control system constraining the drone to a substantially vertical predetermined flight path from a departure point. A portable container 10 for housing the drone includes a connector means for connecting to a power supply system for recharging the battery power source on the drone, a calibration means 16 associated with the container for calibrating linear distance on images captured by camera means mounted on the drone. The container also includes an anemometer 14.

Description

(54) Title of the Invention: A Pilotless drone system Abstract Title: A pilotless drone system (57) A pilotless drone system for capturing images of an area beneath the drone comprises a drone having a body 12, at least four propulsion means (20, fig 8), a battery power source (34, fig 9), a downwardly pointing camera (24, Fig 9) and data storage means on the drone. The drone also has a control system constraining the drone to a substantially vertical predetermined flight path from a departure point. A portable container 10 for housing the drone includes a connector means for connecting to a power supply system for recharging the battery power source on the drone, a calibration means 16 associated with the container for calibrating linear distance on images captured by camera means mounted on the drone. The container also includes an anemometer 14.

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A Pilotless Drone System

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A Pilotless Drone System

The invention relates to a pilotless drone system, more particularly to a compact, self-contained drone system with a plurality of flight modes, aerial camera system and ground-based measurement reference means. Preferably, at least one of the flight modes is an automated flight mode.

Drones have become increasingly used for a range of applications and can be fitted with cameras to enable them to operate remote surveillance. It is important that such operations are safe and do not endanger members of the public or property in a normal operation.

It has been found that drones piloted by specialists can be of great assistance to emergency services in the field of investigation of a road traffic collision (RTC) or supervision in the cleaning up after such an accident or other emergency.

It has also been found that the emergency services can benefit from the use of automated drones for the recording of scenes at road traffic collisions. In particular, the use of a drone with a camera system and a pre-determined or possibly automated flight path can make recording of a scene of an accident much quicker and more efficient and provide a permanent record for later use. The quicker recording of the scene enables a clean-up process to commence sooner and for a road to be fully re-opened after a serious incident.

Individual pilot training is considered an obstructive cost to widespread use amongst emergency personnel. An automated system is cheaper, quicker and potentially safer over a piloted version in this setting, presenting an opportunity for improved efficiency and cost savings.

An advantage of the present invention is that it enables rapid, safe capture of high quality image or video data for analysis in incident investigation without the need for pilot-trained personnel.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a pilotless drone system for capturing images of an area beneath the drone, the drone system including pilotless drone, the drone having a body, at least four propulsion means, a battery power source, at least one downwardly pointing camera for capturing images of objects beneath the drone, data storage means on the drone for storing data comprising images captured by the camera, the drone further having a control system constraining the drone to a substantially vertical predetermined flight path from a departure point, a portable container for housing the drone, the container including connector means for connecting to a power supply system for recharging the battery power source on the drone, calibration means associated with the container for calibrating linear distance on images captured by camera means mounted on the drone.

A particular advantage of the present invention is that it is portable and can easily be transported in a vehicle, particularly a police vehicle. The automated nature of its operation also means that users without specific training in operating of drones can safely operate the system, including unpacking, selecting flight mode and triggering launch of the drone.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of operating a pilotless drone system, the system including a pilotless drone for capturing aerial images of an area beneath the drone, the drone having a body, at least four propulsion rotors, a battery power source, at least one downwardly pointing camera for capturing images of objects beneath the drone, control means for controlling a pre-determined flight path of the drone, a portable container for housing the drone, the container including connector means for connecting to a power supply system for recharging the battery power source on the drone, the container having linear calibrations means associated with it, data storage means on the drone for storing data comprising images captured by the camera means for storing the image data in memory storage means in the drone, the method including the steps of checking the flight path above the drone is clear of obstructions; providing the flight path is clear, initiating a launch procedure of the drone; the propulsion rotors on the drone causing the drone to climb in a generally vertical flight path to an altitude of approximately 100m, the drone then descending to return to the container or a pre-determined location near the container; means for determining the altitude of the drone, the camera means capturing images of the ground area beneath the drone at predetermined intervals whilst the drone is in flight, the images including the linear calibration means associated with the container.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the drone of the system can be launched directly from the portable container

According to another aspect of the present invention the system includes a beacon or reference associated with the container which assists the drone to return directly to the container.

According to another aspect of the present invention the data stored in the data storage means is encrypted.

According to another aspect of the present invention the drone is fitted with at least one inflatable cushioning device.

According to another aspect of the present invention the inflatable cushioning protection devices are located to protect the top of the drone.

According to another aspect of the present invention the inflatable cushioning protection devices are located to protect the bottom of the drone.

According to another aspect of the present invention the calibration means are a pair of calibrated rulers mounted on the inside of the container and positioned such that they are clearly visible when viewed from above.

According to another aspect of the present invention the calibration means comprises an arm extendable from the container to provide an elongate linear measurement means.

According to another aspect of the present invention the system includes visible light means comprising any one or more of LEDs, lasers or other convenient light sources projects light to indicate a landing area in the vicinity of the container.

According to another aspect of the present invention the drone utilises on-board positioning systems and programmed flight control to automatically return directly to the open portable container.

A number of flight modes are envisaged, some of which are described below.

Flight Mode 1 (Images of incident):

The System performs predetermined pre-launch checks before initiating a safe vertical launch. The system can operate to capture static images either as the drone climbs to its pre-determined maximum altitude or as it descends or both. Images can be captured at preferred pre-determined altitudes, preferably at 3m intervals up to the maximum normal operating altitude of approximately 50m.

At the end of the flight, the drone can land back in its container or within a predetermined distance from the container, say within 5m of the container. The system can be provided with a homing beacon or system, or preferably a GPS (Global Positioning System) guidance system. A particular advantage of using a GPS system is that such systems are now readily available and relatively inexpensive, in addition to which the GPS data could be super-imposed on the captured images, which could be of particular advantage when investigating an incident after it has been cleared away.

Image data captured by the cameras on the drone can be stored to either on removable storage media such as an SD Card or the like or a USB compatible memory storage means or on an integrated solid state drive (with secure/encrypted extraction) located within the drone. Alternatively, the image information could be transmitted by a telemetry link to a ground station and stored in the storage means in the ground station. Preferably, if the image information is transmitted to a ground station, a secure or encrypted transmission protocol is used.

Flight Mode 2 (Video or live-feed of incident)

In an alternative mode of operation, the system performs predetermined prelaunch checks before initiating a safe vertical launch. The drone performs its safe vertical launch and the camera or cameras operate in a video mode, recording the scenes beneath from a preferred altitude of approximately 35m. The operation in the video mode can continue until battery depletes to a predetermined low level of say, 10% or ‘land function’ is triggered via control means operated by the operator.

As in the other mode of operation in which still images are captured, the drone is preferably landed in its container or close to it, say within a 5m radius..

Also, as with the static image mode, the Video data is stored to at least one removable storage media, such as an SD Card or USB compatible memory or integrated solid state drive (with secure/encrypted extraction) with capacity for, say, 20 mins HD footage typical usage. Preferably, the data is encrypted as it is stored in the storage means.

A wireless-streaming accessory may be provided to enable ground users to view footage in real-time on a container-mounted display accessory or remote users to observe an incident in real-time via known distribution means.

Preferably, the drone battery contains sufficient charge for up to 3 flights or a total of 20 mins flight time before it needs to be recharged. Preferably the recharging of the drone can be carried out in the container and the container includes a connector connectable to the drone to enable a rapid charge of the drone. Preferably, the drone can be fully charged within 30 minutes when connected to a suitable power supply.

A ‘hot-swop’ system for exchanging battery/memory packs may be used to extend available flight time.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows an open case with drone charging;

Figure 2 shows an embodiment of the measurement reference system located on the drone container;

Figure 3 shows a side elevation of the drone above the container;

Figure 4 shows how the image capture mode might appear at various altitudes above an RTC;

Figure 5 shows a possible positioning of the container on the top of a vehicle providing a working platform;

Figure 6 shows a possible aerial view of an output from the drone above an RTC;

Figure 7 shows a view of the drone from above;

Figure 8 shows a view of the underside of the drone;

Figure 9 shows a view of the underside of the drone with some protective panels removed;

Figure 10 shows a view of the container with an anemometer extended;

Figure 11 shows alternative embodiments of the measurement and calibration means;

Figure 12 shows a further an alternative set of embodiments of the measurement and calibration means;

Figure 13 shows a projected landing zone;

Figure 14 shows a top view of a drone fitted with a top mounted airbag and

200 inflation means;

Figure 15 shows a side elevation of the drone with airbags deployed above and below the drone;

205 Figure 16 shows an exploded view of the open portable container highlighting a set of batteries for in-field recharging along with a high performance GNSS/GPS unit for accurately locating the container position.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to each of the figures.

Figure 1 shows an open portable container used for housing and transporting a drone that can be used in the present system. A container 10 has a base part and a cover to close the container and protect a drone 12 whilst it is being transported. The container may be provided with a anemometer 14 to provide information of the wind strength and direction to a flight control system.

Figure 2 shows a plan view of the portable container 10 embodiment of the measurement reference system or calibration means 16 located on the drone container. It also indicates the possible location of indicator means 18 to provide drone battery status, container battery status, data usage, selected flight mode and system readiness.

Figure 3 shows a side elevation of the drone above the container.

Figure 4 indicates how a number of images might be the captured at various altitudes above the RTC in one mode of operation in which the drone ascends and descends in a generally vertical flight path. The images can be captured either at pre-determined intervals on the ascent or descent - or both or alternatively, a moving image could be captured of the scene as the drone ascends and descends.

Figure 5 shows a possible positioning of the container on the top of a vehicle, in particular an emergency services vehicle where the container could be arranged for remote opening and drone launch by the driver to assist in personnel and asset monitoring at an emergency scene.

Figure 6 shows a possible aerial view of an output from the drone above an RTC with the drone 12 superimposed at the centre of the figure. It will be appreciated of course that the drone cameras could be mounted and controlled so that it is able to capture side views or partial side views in place of or in addition to the plan view shown in this figure.

Figure 7 shows a view of the drone from above. The drone 12 is provided with 6 propulsion units 20, and a protective guard 22. In this example, the propulsion units are known rotors operating in a substantially vertical axis. It will be appreciated by the man skilled in the art that the drone could be provided with 4 or more propulsion units. In this embodiment, six propulsion units have been used because it is considered to offer continued safe flight in the event of individual rotor failure, an important factor to be considered when the drone will be operating above a possible crowded ground area comprising the RTC scene. On the upper surface it is preferable for the drone to be fitted with ultrasonic and or optical sensors 26 for the purpose of detecting possible obstructions or hazards in the airspace above the drone. Additionally, user controls may be mounted on the upper surface of the drone. These will be convenient and accessible when the drone is housed in its container and when it is envisaged that the drone will be launched directly from the container.

Figure 8 shows a view of the underside of the drone, additionally showing a downward pointing camera 24.

Figure 9 shows a more detailed view of the underside of the drone with any protective covers removed. The drone will be provided with a connector port to which may be connected a power supply to recharge the on board batteries and download data stored from capturing images and recording flight paths. The drone will have a primary battery power supply 34, and a secondary power supply 36.

Figure 10 shows a view of the container 10 with an anemometer 14 extended and the drone 12 housed in the container.

Figure 11 shows an alternative set of embodiments of the measurement and calibration means. In this embodiment, they are a pair of calibrated rulers 16 are mounted on the inside of the container and positioned such that they are clearly visible when viewed from above.

Such calibration or measurement means are important in the operation of this type of drone system because the accurate measurement of distances are required for evidentiary purposes when investigating an RTC or with the intent of prosecution. Various embodiments can be envisaged, but it is important they show an accurate calibrated distance from which other measurements may be derived and used in legal proceedings if necessary.

Figure 12 shows a further an alternative embodiment of the measurement and calibration means comprising an arm 40 extended from the container 10 to provide a longer measurement means. The arm 40 can extend either from the side of the container or preferably be stored with in it and withdrawn from the container. This latter mechanism has the advantage of protecting the calibrating means and any scales on it form inadvertent damage whilst not in use.

Figure 13 shows a projected landing zone area to alert personnel in the vicinity. Projection may be by means of LEDs, lasers or other convenient light sources.

Figure 14 shows a top view of a drone fitted with a top mounted inflatable cushioning devices, often referred to as an airbag 42 (in un-deployed state) and inflation means (not shown). A similar and complimentary air bag structure could be mounted on the lower surface to protect the drone and any people or property beneath it in the event of a crash landing.

Figure 15 shows a side view of the drone in which an upper surface air bag 42 is deployed and a lower surface airbag 44 is also shown deployed.

Figure 16 shows an exploded view of the open portable container highlighting a set of three batteries 51 for in-field recharging of the drone, along with a high performance global navigation satellite system (GNSS) unit 52 for accurately locating the container position. This position data would be used in addition to the less accurate GPS reference recorded by the drone GPS on image capture.

The various steps that might be included in the operation of the drone system will now be described.

It is envisaged the drone will normally be transported in or on an emergency services vehicle. Upon arrival at the scene, the portable container 10 will be removed from the vehicle and placed approximately central to RTC site. The precise site will need to checked and surveyed to ensure it is clear of overhead obstructions.

The container lid will be opened and any power connectors unplugged from the drone. This can be used as a signal to “wake” the drone.

The flight mode will be selected by the operator by means of a switch on the drone. Any additional pre-launch checks, including use of the supplied anemometer will be performed. The operator will then press a single large push-button to trigger flight status check that must include establishing GPS home data. The drone will record its start GPS location to enable it to return to the container or target landing zone upon flight completion. If the check is successful a green LED indicator will be displayed on the drone. The operator will then press and hold the button again to trigger launch. The imminent launch will be signalled by a flashing indicator, giving the operator time to move clear of launch area. The drone will perform an overhead clearance using on-board optics/ultrasound transmitters and sensors.

Once image capture is complete, or if the batteries are running low, the drone can be landed or grounded using ‘land’ button located on or in the container. Preferably, the drone can be landed in the container, but more frequently it is expected the drone will land in a landing zone close to the container. Once landed, the data storage means may be retrieved form the drone, if it is not transmitted by telemetry means to a data receiving means. If a second or further flight is required, replacement storage means may be installed in the drone and the new flight commenced. This can be initiated from the landing site.

If no further flights are needed at that time, the drone can be retrieved from the landing site and placed in the container, if it has not landed directly in container.

Preferably, the power lead is reconnected to the drone. An operator can observe the drone battery levels and container battery levels via visual indicators on or in the container.

The container lid may be closed and the container may be replaced in the vehicle and connected to in-vehicle power source.

It will be appreciated that a number of different configurations of drone are possible. At a minimum, the drone should have four propulsion rotors, but for part redundancy and safety, it is preferable that the drone be provided with 6 rotors.

Preferably the lower surface is provided with a crash guard to protect electronics and cameras carried by the drone. This can be additionally supplemented by an airbag system which can be deployed under pre-determined emergency situations.

The drone can be made from all manner of known materials. Preferably the drone body shall be machined from carbon-fibre sheet, the rotors will be offshelf components in a suitable durable polymer and the protective hull will be moulded foam construction. Programmable flight control and GPS modules will be used from off-shelf solutions.

It is envisaged the drone will need to be able to operate in a hostile environment and under adverse weather conditions, and so the top surface shall incorporate a rain shield to allow deployment in wet conditions

By default the drone shall have a single high-resolution CCD (camera) surfacemounted centrally on the drone underside for downward-facing imaging. Currently this will be an off-shelf 37.5MP CMOS-based lens with 4K video at 60fps but exact specification will develop with industry advances. Additionally, the drone frame shall include standard mechanical fittings to accommodate a range of sensing accessories for specialist imaging suited to emergency service use, such as thermal and other non-visible light.

Image or video data will be stored direct to on-board media or to a remote device via existing wireless transmission solutions. The drone may store to both a primary and secondary removable media simultaneously to provide assurance of a back-up source. Either SD card or USB storage device can be accommodated, using large capacities in the order of 64GB per storage device. Alternatively, data may be written to a fixed solid state drive (SSD) which would be encrypted and only be extractable via specialist computer software postincident.

It is anticipated that individual images captured from flight mode 1 shall be approximately 6mb each, depending on image quality. Data from a single ascent may reach file sizes in the order of 250MB. Continuous video data from flight mode 2 may be several GB in size, ultimately reaching the storage limit of the fitted removable media or SSD. Critical for the legal use of obtained data, each data package will also incorporate GPS location and time/date details.

The drone may be powered by any suitable known battery pack. It is envisaged that there will be a primary power pack 1200mAh LiPo rechargeable battery which will give a flight time of greater than 12 minutes. A Secondary power pack having comprising a 500mAh LiPo rechargeable battery to provide an emergency flight time or recovery time of approximately 1 minute.

Preferably, the container 10 will house sets of power packs that can be used to recharge the drone packs in the absence of more direct power supplies - such as would be available from the mains electricity supply or a vehicle source. These could be four packs each comprising 2500mAh LiPo rechargeable batteries.

Preferably, the container is provided with a 12V supply socket on its exterior to facilitate charging in a vehicle. More preferably, the container is additionally provided with a mains charging point on an exterior surface.

The flight path and trajectory is controlled by a pre-programmed system. It ensures the drone can ascend to a maximum regulated height limit of 120m to give a maximum viewing footprint of approx. 100m diameter. It is expected that practical use will employ heights closer to 50m. The drone shall maintain a position above the container centre within an accuracy of +/- 50cm using the GPS position taken by the drone GPS module prior to launch. An existing offshelf flight-controller module will be fitted on the drone where flight parameters are programmed via computer connection in manufacture. Ultrasonic sensors will be used for ground altitude measurement on descent and aid safe, low speed landing directly in or closely surrounding the container.

To satisfy the high demands of data accuracy and integrity within legal proceedings following a serious incident, the container shall also house a highperformance GNSS/GPS unit alongside the reserve batteries used for in-field recharging of the drone. This secondary positioning reference shall be similar to that used by surveying applications and provide positioning accuracy to less than 1m. It is anticipated that standard drone-fitted GPS systems may only be accurate between 5 to 10m.

In order to be able to provide evidentiary material which would be admissible in legal proceedings, the system shall include a known, fixed length ground reference, suggested as a 1m ruler or calibration means, which remains visible at all times and can be used to aid post-incident analysis. This can be provided by calibration means 16, or additionally the extendable calibration means 40. The calibration means shall be easily distinguishable from environment in images captured by the on-board cameras. They can be, for example, day-glow markers or continuous reflective strip with calibration markings thereon, either open (or closed) on the container. Alternatively, they could be comprised of a powered LED array within the container, possibly combined with day-glow markers. Alternatively, or additionally, the open container shape and colour alone could also be used as known dimensions and avoid the need for additional calibration features.

As described above, it is envisaged that at least 2 modes of operation would be available, and a user shall be able to select flight mode, for example, continuous video capture, or discrete images capture or a combination via a multi-position switch on the drone. Alternatively, the drone could employ more than one camera, with each camera performing one of the chosen special functions, i.e. either static or moving image collection.

A user can initiate launch via single large countersunk push-button on drone top. In order to ensure the launch is intended, and protect against an inadvertent pressing of the launch button, a pre-determined launch sequence is employed, for example - push, push then hold. Alternatively, the user may be required to press 2 push-buttons simultaneously on drone top as a method to prevent accidental launch. As an additional safeguard, the user shall be able to repress the launch button within the pre-launch window to safely cancel a launch action.

It is preferred that the drone shall display red/green LEDs 28 for system (safe to fly) status after single press of the launch button 50.

Additional indicators 28 on the drone are used to display battery charge status and these could be provided by red/amber/green LEDs. It is advantageous for the container to include a drone battery fill level via LED array or LCD display.

The container may incorporate a safety means whereby closing the container lid could trigger a landing procedure for planned or emergency stops. In this instance the drone will land on the top of the closed container and power down, leaving the operator to replace the drone inside the container.

The anemometer 14 is shown in figure 10 as being raised from a protected position in the container. The operator can be trained to remove and use the anemometer as part of pre-launch checks, to judge safe conditions for flight. Additionally, the anemometer reading may be electronically linked to the drone control system to prevent launch in unsafe conditions.

The container may incorporate a system of projected or physical ground markers to indicate a 5m radius of a drone landing zone. Additionally, the container may incorporate a system of side facing ultrasonic sensors which

480 trigger an audible alarm if any objects enter the predetermined landing site, say within a distance of 5m thereof.

The container may incorporate a removable beacon to create a physical waypoint that is separate from the container, whereby the drone launches and

485 moves to centre over the waypoint. The removable measurement reference may double as this beacon.

An alternative form of launch control may be provided in which the container incorporates a removable launch/land trigger in the form of a wrist-worn remote

490 control device.

The drone could additionally be compatible with a Wi-Fi accessory that allows remote real-time streaming or remote data storage.

495 Additionally, the drone may include the function for automated point of interest (POI) photogrammetry (circular flight around a centre point) to capture 3D data of the incident scene with existing off-shelf camera solutions.

A Pilotless Drone System

Claims

1. A pilotless drone system for capturing images of an area beneath the drone, the drone system including pilotless drone, the drone having a body, at least four propulsion means, a battery power source, at least one downwardly pointing camera for capturing images of objects beneath the drone, data storage means on the drone for storing data comprising images captured by the camera, the drone further having a control system constraining the drone to a substantially vertical predetermined flight path from a departure point, a portable container for housing the drone, the container including connector means for connecting to a power supply system for recharging the battery power source on the drone, calibration means associated with the container for calibrating linear distance on images captured by camera means mounted on the drone.

2. A system according to claim 1 in which the drone can be launched directly from the container.

3. A system according to claim 1 which the drone uses on-board GPS or optical means to land directly in the open portable container or within the immediate vicinity.

4. A system according to claim 1 in which the data stored in the data storage means is encrypted.

5. A system according to claim 1 in which the drone is fitted with at least one inflatable cushioning device.

6. A system according to claim 5 in which the inflatable cushioning devices are located to protect the top of the drone.

7. A system according to claim 5 in which the inflatable cushioning protection devices are located to protect the bottom of the drone.

8. A system according to any preceding claim in which the calibration means are a pair of calibrated rulers mounted on the inside of the container and positioned such that they are clearly visible when viewed from above.

9. A system according to any preceding claim in which the calibration means comprises an arm extendable from the container to provide an elongate linear measurement means.

10. A system according to any preceding claim in which visible light means comprising any one or more of LEDs, lasers or other convenient light sources project a warning light to indicate a landing area in the vicinity of the container, coupled with an audible alert triggered using ultrasonic means on the container.

11. A system according to claim 3 in which includes a high precision GNSS/GPS system within the portable container to provide a secondary, high accuracy positional reference source in addition to the GPS reference associated to the captured image(s) from the drone GPS.

12. A system according to claim 1 in which the container includes a deployable anemometer that can be mechanically retained to prevent loss or electronically integrated to the system to automatically inform safe flight conditions.

13. A method of operating a pilotless drone system, the system including a pilotless drone for capturing aerial images of an area beneath the drone, the drone having a body, at least four propulsion rotors, a battery power source, at least one downwardly pointing camera for capturing images of objects beneath the drone, control means for controlling a pre-determined flight path of the drone, a portable container for housing the drone, the container including connector means for connecting to a power supply system for recharging the battery power source on the drone, the container having linear calibrations means associated with it, data storage means on the drone for storing data comprising images captured by the camera means for storing the image data in memory storage means in the drone, the method including the steps of checking the flight path above the drone is clear of obstructions; providing the flight path is clear, initiating a launch procedure of the drone;

the propulsion rotors on the drone causing the drone to climb in a generally vertical flight path to an altitude of approximately 100m, the drone then descending to return to the container or a pre-determined location near the container;

means for determining the altitude of the drone;

the camera means capturing images of the ground area beneath the drone at pre-determined intervals whilst the drone is in flight, the images including the linear calibration means associated with the container.

14. A method of operating a pilotless drone system according to claim 13, in which the images are still images.

15. A method of operating a pilotless drone system according to claim 13, in which the images are moving images.

16. A method of operating a pilotless drone system according to claim 13, in which the images captured by the cameras are moving images and still images.

17. A method of operating a pilotless drone system according to either of claims 14 or 15 in which the at least one cameras captures images on either or both of the ascent to or descent from the pre-determined operating height.

18. A method of operating a pilotless drone system according to claim 13, in which in the event of a sensor detecting a descent rate greater than or outside pre-determined parameters, the system deploys at least one inflatable cushioning protection device to protect the drone.

19. A method of operating a pilotless drone system according to claim 13, in which flight control and GPS devices are used to automatically land the drone directly in or close to the portable container.

Intellectual

Property

Office

Application No: Claims searched:

GB1616023.6

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