Systems and methods for target tracking

A system for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:

• one or more receivers configured to receive from a remote controller one or more navigation commands to move the UAV along a flight path;
• an imaging device coupled to the UAV via a carrier configured to permit the image device to move relative to the UAV, and
• one or more processors configured to:
• receive a user selection of a target in a first image displayed on the remote controller;
• generate target information for the target to be tracked based on the user selection of the target, the target information comprising:
• initial information generated based on coordinates and pixel size of the target in the first image, the initial information including an initial target position of the target in the first image and an initial target size of the target in the first image;
• and
• expected information generated based on information about the target and specifying characteristics that the target is expected to meet in images captured by the imaging device, the characteristics including a target position of the target in the images captured by the imaging device and/or a target size of the target in the images captured by the imaging device, and the expected information including:
• an expected target position of the target in the images captured by the imaging device, the expected target position being away from the initial target position by a predetermined offset;
• and/or
• an expected target size of the target in the images captured by the imaging device, the expected target size equaling the initial target size multiplied by a predetermined ratio;
• detect the target in a second image captured by the imaging device based on the initial information;
• detect a deviation of a detected position and/or a detected size of the target in the second image from the expected target position and/or the expected target size;
• and
• adjust at least one of the UAV or the carrier based on the deviation to reduce the deviation to maintain the target to have a relative position and/or a relative size within a field of view of the image device that corresponds to the expected target position and/or the expected target size.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with visual tracking capability, the UAV comprising:

• a carrier configured to carry an imaging device;
• one or more receivers configured to receive from a remote controller one or more navigation commands to move the UAV along a flight path, and
• one or more processors configured to:
• generate target information for the target to be tracked based on a user selection of the target, the target information comprising:
• initial information generated based on coordinates and pixel size of the target in the first image, the initial information including an initial target position of the target in the first image and an initial target size of the target in the first image;
• and
• expected information generated based on information about the target and specifying characteristics that the target is expected to meet in images captured by the imaging device, the characteristics including a target position of the target in the images captured by the imaging device and/or a target size of the target in the images captured by the imaging device, and the expected information including:
• an expected target position of the target in the images captured by the imaging device, the expected target position being away from the initial target position by a predetermined offset;
• and/or
• an expected target size of the target in the images captured by the imaging device, the expected target size equaling the initial target size multiplied by a predetermined ratio;
• detect the target in a second image captured by the imaging device based on the initial information;
• detect a deviation of a detected position and/or a detected size of the target in the second image from the expected target position and/or the expected target size;
• and
• adjust at least one of the UAV or the carrier based on the deviation to reduce the deviation to maintain the target to have a relative position and/or a relative size within a field of view of the image device that corresponds to the selected position and/or the expected target size.