Carrier-assisted tracking

A carrier configured to support a payload, comprising:

• one or more actuators configured to allow rotation of the payload relative to the carrier;
• a communication unit configured to receive one or more payload control signals from the payload, the one or more payload control signals being generated by the payload in response to:
• (1) receiving user selection of a target within an image displayed on a user interface of the payload that is captured by the payload;
• and
• (2) detecting a deviation of the target from an expected target state within the image;
• wherein the one or more payload control signals include a first angular velocity configured to rotate the payload with respect to an axis of the carrier to reduce the detected deviation with respect to the axis in a subsequent image captured by the payload;
• and
• a carrier controller communicatively coupled to the communication unit and the one or more actuators, the carrier controller being configured to control the one or more actuators to change a pose of the payload based at least in part on the one or more payload control signals and one or more base support control signals generated by a base support coupled to the carrier, the one or more base support control signals including a second angular velocity configured to rotate the payload with respect to the axis of the carrier;
• wherein in response to receiving the first angular velocity and the second angular velocity, the carrier controller controls the carrier to rotate the payload at a third angular velocity with respect to the axis of the carrier, the third angular velocity being one of the first angular velocity, the second angular velocity, or a combination of the first angular velocity and the second angular velocity.

One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing computer executable instructions that, when executed by a computing system of a payload, configure the computing system to perform operations comprising:

• receiving, by a user interface of a payload, user selection of a target within an image displayed on the user interface, the image being captured by an image sensor of the payload;
• detecting, by one or more processors of the payload, a deviation of the target from an expected target state within the image, the payload being coupled to a carrier;
• generating, by the one or more processors, one or more payload control signals based at least in part on the detected deviation of the target, the one or more payload control signals including a first angular velocity configured to rotate the payload with respect to an axis of the carrier to reduce the detected deviation with respect to the axis in a subsequent image captured by the image sensor;
• generating, by a base support, one or more base support control signals including a second angular velocity configured to rotate the payload with respect to the axis of the carrier, the base support being coupled to the carrier;
• and
• in response to receiving the first angular velocity and the second angular velocity, controlling the carrier to rotate the payload at a third angular velocity with respect to the axis of the carrier, the third angular velocity being one of the first angular velocity, the second angular velocity, or a combination of the first angular velocity and the second angular velocity.