Autonomous aerial vehicle hardware configuration

A computing apparatus comprising

• one or more non-transitory computer-readable media;
• and
• program instructions stored on the one or more computer-readable storage media that, when executed by one or more processors, direct a control system of an aerial vehicle having a plurality of upward-facing image capture devices and a plurality of downward-facing image capture devices to at least:
• process images captured by any one or more of the plurality of upward-facing image capture devices or the plurality of downward-facing image capture devices to estimate a position and/or orientation of the aerial vehicle;
• generate a planned trajectory for the aerial vehicle through a physical environment based on the processing of the images;
• control a propulsion system and/or flight surface of the aerial vehicle to cause the aerial vehicle to autonomously maneuver along the planned trajectory;
• wherein the plurality of upward-facing image capture devices are oriented relative to a body of the aerial vehicle to enable stereoscopic computer vision substantially above the aerial vehicle and the plurality of downward-facing image capture devices are oriented relative to the body of the aerial vehicle to enable stereoscopic computer vision substantially below the aerial vehicle;
• and
• wherein the aerial vehicle includes a body that extends along a longitudinal axis from a forward end to an aft end, the body having a port side and a starboard side on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis, a first rotor assembly extending from the port side of the body proximate to the forward end of the body, a second rotor assembly extending from the starboard side of the body proximate to the forward end of the body, a third rotor assembly extending from the port side of the body proximate to the aft end of the body, and a fourth rotor assembly extending from the starboard side of the body proximate to the aft end of the body.

An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:

• a body that extends along a longitudinal axis from a forward end to an aft end, the body having a port side and a starboard side on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis;
• a first rotor assembly extending from the port side of the body proximate to the forward end of the body;
• a second rotor assembly extending from the starboard side of the body proximate to the forward end of the body;
• a third rotor assembly extending from the port side of the body proximate to the aft end of the body;
• a fourth rotor assembly extending from the starboard side of the body proximate to the aft end of the body;
• a plurality of upward-facing image capture devices including at least three image capture devices arranged on one or more top surfaces of the aerial vehicle so as to enable trinocular stereoscopic computer vision in a first plurality of directions substantially above the aerial vehicle;
• a plurality of downward-facing image capture devices including at least three image capture devices arranged on one or more bottom surfaces of the aerial vehicle so as to enable trinocular stereoscopic computer vision in a second plurality of directions substantially below the aerial vehicle;
• and
• a computer system communicatively coupled to the plurality of upward-facing image capture devices and the plurality of downward-facing image capture devices, the computer system configured to:
• process images captured by any one or more of the plurality of upward-facing image capture devices or the plurality of downward-facing image capture devices to estimate a position and/or orientation of the aerial vehicle;
• generate a planned trajectory for the aerial vehicle through a physical environment based on the processing of the images;
• and
• control a propulsion system and/or flight surface of the aerial vehicle to cause the aerial vehicle to autonomously maneuver along the planned trajectory.