Method and Device for In-Flight Terrain Identification for Microdrone

A surface identification device for the autonomous movement of a moving vehicle at a distance from that surface, the surface identification device comprising:

• a) a surface detection head defining a coordinate system fixed to the detection head with an origin at the center of the detection head, an axis of advance, a drift axis, an ascent axis, the detection head including at least one sensor for a quantity depending on the distance of the center of the detection head from the surface, each sensor covering a detection zone centered on a line of sight;
• b) an orientation system for orienting the detection zone of each sensor by rotating the detection zone around the drift axis;
• and
• c) a controller suitable for receiving and processing the signals from each sensor and controlling the system for orienting the detection zone based on said signals,
• wherein the controller is configured for estimating the direction of the perpendicular to the surface in said coordinate system based on said signals, and for using said orientation system to rotate the line of sight of the viewing zone of each sensor into a direction separated by a determined reorientation angle from the direction of said perpendicular.