Path-based flight maneuvering system
AssigneeFLIR Unmanned Aerial Systems AS
InventorsErik Falk-Pettersen, Ola Roer Thorsen, Petter Muren
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The presented embodiments relates to a path-based flight maneuvering system and a method for providing easier operation control and enhanced operation capability of unmanned aerial vehicles and their associated features. The embodiments further entails a method for maneuvering an aircraft by means of a positioning device, a camera and a display displaying an image captured by the camera including a cursor projected on the image in the display.
Claims20
A method for maneuvering an aircraft using an autopilot, a camera coupled to the aircraft, and a display configured to display an image captured by the camera, the method comprising:
- detecting a first position of the camera;
- determining a first direction from the first position of the camera directed towards a first target point, wherein the first target point corresponds to an image point within the image displayed by the display;
- if a flight mode of the aircraft comprises a locked path flight mode:
- maneuvering the aircraft according to a speed control signal and substantially along a locked flight path, wherein the locked flight path is defined, at least in part, by the detected first position and the determined first direction, and
- allowing the camera to tilt and/or pan freely substantially without disrupting the maneuvering of the aircraft along the locked flight path;
- and
- if the flight mode of the aircraft comprises a camera tracking flight mode:
- maneuvering the aircraft according to the speed control signal and substantially along a dynamic flight path starting substantially at the first position and defined, at least in part, by subsequent detected positions of the camera and/or corresponding determined directions and/or target points.
A system configured to maneuver an aircraft, the system comprising:
- a camera coupled to the aircraft and configured to communicate with a display, wherein the display is configured to display an image captured by the camera;
- and
- an autopilot coupled to the aircraft, wherein the autopilot is configured to:
- detect a first position of the camera;
- determine a first direction from the first position of the camera directed towards a first target point, wherein the first target point corresponds to an image point within the image displayed by the display;
- if a flight mode of the aircraft comprises a locked path flight mode:
- maneuver the aircraft according to a speed control signal and substantially along a locked flight path, wherein the locked flight path is defined, at least in part, by the detected first position and the determined first direction, and
- allow the camera to tilt and/or pan freely substantially without disrupting the maneuvering of the aircraft along the locked flight path;
- and
- if the flight mode of the aircraft comprises a camera tracking flight mode:
- maneuver the aircraft according to the speed control signal and substantially along a dynamic flight path starting substantially at the first position and defined, at least in part, by subsequent detected positions of the camera and/or corresponding determined directions and/or target points.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.