Patent Application Published: for aerbits's core technology
Aerbits' Patent Journey Takes Flight
Exciting update for everyone – Aerbits is on the path to securing a patent for our core technology, with our application now published and under review by the USPTO.
The Origin Story
Rewind to November 2021: The seed of an idea that would disrupt urban waste management was planted. Picture drones soaring over urban landscapes, identifying illegal dumping spots with pinpoint accuracy. There were challenges, including privacy concerns and regulatory hurdles, but I was committed to pushing through.
The Strategy Unfolds
We developed a comprehensive approach to tackle illegal dumping using four methods: reactive, predictive, preventative, and punitive. Our solution was designed to address the issue on all fronts – identifying, predicting, deterring, and aiding enforcement against illegal dumping.
My hypothesis is that applying robotic and machine vision techniques
can exert a level of vigilance necessary to deter littering and illegal
dumping. I believe there will be three methods:
- **Reactive**. - using drones to identify litter and illegal dump sites
consistently and timely. Citizens grow tired of reporting littering and
dumping. Eventually we "give in" to the pressure of the wrongdoers and
accept their activities.
- **Predictive** - using the data from the reactive method, apply
predictive techniques to identify where new dumping and littering
may occur.
- **Preventative** - using predictive analysis results send drones to
the most likely locations at the right times and use audio, video,
and presence to deter.
- **Punitive** - using presence and video surveillance, identify and
prosecute the criminals.
Crafting the Prototype
We started with a simple but effective prototype: a DJI Mavic Mini 2, manual drone flights, and the drive to make a change. Our AI models learned from the images we collected, evolving to predict potential dumping hotspots.
Leveling Up with eBee
Scaling up, we switched to the SenseFly eBee X drone for greater flight time and image quality. Enhanced deep learning models and an extensive dataset of illegal dump sites bolstered our technology.
Community to Government Impact
The community rallied behind us. We found neighbors, nonprofits, and even local governments who shared our vision and backed us. San Francisco alone spends millions tackling trash – with Aerbits, we're not just cleaning up; we're saving the city a fortune. We found that cities are eager to adopt our technology to save time, money, and resources.... but ultimately to deliver better services to their citizens, and have a happier and healthier community.
Patent Progress
Today, we've transformed a vision born from a desire for cleaner, safer streets for our kids into a tangible technology poised to reshape urban cleanliness. The patent-pending title "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING TRASH WITHIN A PREDETERMINED GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARY USING UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES" is close to being more than just a sophisticated term – it's the footprint of our commitment to innovation and community well-being.
Aerbits is on its way to turning a dream into a standard for cities globally with our pending patent.