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US 12,372,972 B2Granted
Method for controlling a flight movement of an aerial vehicle for landing or for dropping a cargo, and aerial vehicle
AssigneeSpleenlab GmbH
InventorsChris Hagen, Florian Ölsner, Stefan Milz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The preferred embodiments relate to a method for controlling a flight movement of an aerial vehicle for landing the aerial vehicle, including: recording of first image data by means of a first camera device, which is provided on an aerial vehicle, and is configured to record an area of ground, wherein the first image data is indicative of a first sequence of first camera images. The method also includes recording of second image data by means of a second camera device, which is provided on the aerial vehicle, and is configured to record the area of ground, wherein the second image data is indicative of a second sequence of second camera images.
Claims10
A method for controlling a flight movement of an aerial vehicle, for dropping a cargo by the aerial vehicle, comprising:
- recording first image data using a first camera, wherein the first camera is provided on an aerial vehicle and configured to record a first area of ground, wherein the first image data is indicative of a first sequence of first camera images;
- recording of second image data using a second camera, wherein the second camera is provided on the aerial vehicle and configured to record a second area of ground, wherein the second image data register a second sequence of second camera images;
- processing the first and the second image data by means of an evaluation computer, comprising:
- performing a first image analysis using a neural network and an artificial intelligence algorithm based on machine learning, of the first image data, wherein at least a first drop zone is thereby determined in the first area of ground, so as to drop a cargo of the aerial vehicle;
- performing a second image analysis, which is conducted free of use of the artificial intelligence algorithm, of the second image data, wherein at least a second drop zone is thereby determined in the second area of ground, so as to drop a cargo of the aerial vehicle;
- determining position coordinates of a clear drop zone, which is comprised by the first and the second drop zones, when a comparison reveals that the first and the second drop zones overlap, at least in the clear drop zone, wherein the overlap includes the first and the second drop zones clear of ground obstacles that could hinder the dropping of the cargo, said ground obstacles determined in at least one of the first and the second image analyses;
- receiving position coordinates of a target drop site by a control processor of the aerial vehicle;
- determining release characteristics, when a comparison of the position coordinates of the clear drop zone and the position coordinates of the target drop site reveals a match;
- and
- transmitting the release characteristics, which are indicative of an availability of the target drop site for the dropping of the cargo, to the control processor of the aerial vehicle;
- and
- controlling a flight movement of the aerial vehicle by the control processor, so as to drop the cargo on the target drop site.
9 more elements
An aerial vehicle, with:
- a sensor device, comprising a first and a second camera;
- an evaluation computer, comprising at least one processor;
- and
- a control processor, configured to control an operation of the aerial vehicle so as to drop a cargo on a target drop site;
- wherein the control processor is configured for:
- recording first image data using the first camera, wherein the first camera is configured to record a first area of ground, wherein the first image data is indicative of a first sequence of first camera images;
- recording second image data using a second camera, wherein the second camera is configured to record a second area of ground, wherein the second image data is indicative of a second sequence of second camera images;
- processing the first and the second image data using the evaluation computer, wherein the evaluation computer is configured for:
- performing a first image analysis using a neural network and an artificial intelligence algorithm based on machine learning, of the first image data, wherein at least a first drop zone is thereby determined, so as to drop a cargo of the aerial vehicle in the first area of ground;
- performing a second image analysis, which is performed free of use of the artificial intelligence algorithm, of the second image data, wherein at least a second drop zone is thereby determined, so as to drop a cargo of the aerial vehicle in the second area of ground;
- determining position coordinates of a clear drop zone comprised by the first and second drop zones, when a comparison reveals that the first and second drop zones overlap in the area of ground, at least in the clear drop zone, wherein the overlap comprises the first and the second drop zones clear of ground obstacles that could hinder the dropping of the cargo, said ground obstacles determined in at least one of the first and the second image analyses;
- receiving position coordinates of a target drop site by a control processor of the aerial vehicle;
- determining release characteristics, when a comparison of the position coordinates of the clear drop zone and the position coordinates of the target drop site reveals a match;
- and
- transmitting the release characteristics, which are indicative of an availability of the target drop site for the dropping of the cargo, to the control processor of the aerial vehicle;
- and
- controlling of a flight movement of the aerial vehicle by the control processor, so as to drop the cargo on the target drop site.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.