Low-cost, long-term aerial imagery

A method comprising:

• receiving first data, the first data comprising information related to a region to be imaged and information related to a field of vision of a camera device positioned on an aerial platform above the region;
• receiving second data from the camera device, the second data including a plurality of images taken by the camera device;
• extracting a plurality of features from the plurality of images;
• rejecting selected features of the plurality of features that do not match across the plurality of images;
• determining a homography that maps features in each image of the plurality of images to features in another image of the plurality of images;
• applying the homography to a current image of the plurality of images and align the current image to a previous image of the plurality of images taken previously to the current image;
• determining, based at least on the first data, a path within the region and providing information on the path to a mobile entity;
• receiving the second data from the camera device during a time period as the mobile entity moves the aerial platform along the path using a steering device;
• receiving third data from the position sensor of the camera device as the mobile entity moves the aerial platform along the path using the steering device;
• determining, based at least on the third data, at least one unimaged area of the region that remains unimaged in the movement along the path;
• and
• determining, based at least on the at least one unimaged area and the first data, an additional path within the region and providing information on the additional path to the mobile entity.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions, which when executed by a computer device, cause the computer device to:

• receive first data, the first data comprising information related to a region to be imaged and information related to a field of vision of a camera device positioned on an aerial platform above the region;
• receive second data from the camera device, the second data including a plurality of images taken by the camera device;
• extract a plurality of features from the plurality of images;
• reject selected features of the plurality of features that do not match across the plurality of images;
• determine a homography that maps features in each image of the plurality of images to features in another image of the plurality of images;
• apply the homography to a current image of the plurality of images and align the current image to a previous image of the plurality of images taken previously to the current image;
• determine, based at least on the first data, a path within the region and provide information on the path to a mobile entity;
• receive the second data from the camera device during a time period as the mobile entity moves the aerial platform along the path using the steering device;
• receive third data from the position sensor of the camera device as the mobile entity moves the aerial platform along the path using the steering device;
• determine, based at least on the third data, at least one unimaged area of the region that remains unimaged in the movement along the path;
• and
• determine, based at least on the at least one unimaged area and the first data, an additional path within the region and providing information on the additional path to the mobile entity.