Patent attributes
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can include one or more cameras for capturing image data within a field of view that depends in part upon the location and orientation of the UAV. At least a portion of the image data can be processed on the UAV to locate objects of interest, such as people or cars, and use that information to determine where to fly the drone in order to capture higher quality image data of those or other such objects. Once identified, the objects of interest can be counted, and the density, movement, location, and behavior of those objects identified. This can help to determine occurrences such as traffic congestion or unusual patterns of pedestrian movement, as well as to locate persons, fires, or other such objects. The data can also be analyzed by a remote system or service that has additional resources to provide more accurate results.