---
publication_id: "OT-2026-000000202"
title: "System and method for controlling an aerial drone for exploring off-road trails"
published_at: "2026-09-15T19:02:36.319436Z"
canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000000202"
categories:
  - "sensors-controls-machine-vision/industrial-control"
keywords:
  - "g05d1/639"
  - "g05d2107/30"
---

# System and method for controlling an aerial drone for exploring off-road trails

## Abstract

A system includes a processor and a memory in communication with the processor. The memory includes instructions that cause the processor to determine, based on images of an off-road trail captured by an aerial drone in communication with a vehicle, whether the off-road trail has a positive condition indicating that the vehicle can traverse the off-road trail or an abandonment condition indicating that the vehicle cannot traverse the off-road trail. Depending on the determination, the processor either controls the aerial drone to navigate along the off-road trail or controls the aerial drone to navigate to a different off-road trail.