Image acquisition planning systems and methods used to generate information for structures of interest

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to improvements in systems and methods in acquiring images via imaging devices, where such imaging devices can be configured, in some implementations, with an unmanned aerial vehicle or other vehicle types, as well as being hand-held. Images are acquired from the imaging devices according to capture plans where useful information types about a structure of interest (or objects, items, etc.) can be derived from a structure image acquisition event. Images acquired from capture plans can be evaluated to generate improvements in capture plans for use in subsequent structure image acquisition events. Capture plans provided herein generate accurate information as to all or part of the structure of interest, where accuracy is in relation to the real-life structure incorporated in the acquired images.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 a. defining a capture plan goal for an aerial imaging event, wherein the capture plan goal is configured to provide one or more defined information types about a structure of interest;   b. generating a capture plan configured to substantially complete the capture plan goal, wherein the capture plan comprises instructions configured for capturing information about the structure of interest;   c. acquiring a plurality of images of the structure of interest in a structure imaging event, wherein the plurality of images are acquired according to the capture plan; and   d. processing the plurality of acquired images to generate information types about the structure of interest, wherein the generated information types comprise at least some of the one or more information types about the structure of interest defined by the capture plan goal.