Image processing for gesture-based control of an unmanned aerial vehicle

Apparatus for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that includes an imaging device, the apparatus comprising:

• a touch screen;
• and
• a processor, configured to:
• receive a gesture that is performed, on the touch screen, with respect to a first image acquired by the imaging device,
• communicate, to the UAV, a first control signal that causes the UAV to begin executing a flying maneuver that is suggested by the gesture, at a first speed,
• subsequently, compute a rate of change or a position of a feature in subsequent images that are acquired by the imaging device, and
• in response to the rate of change being different from a target rate of change, communicate, to the UAV, a second control signal that causes the UAV to continue executing the flying maneuver at a second speed that is different from the first speed.

A method for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UA) that includes an imaging device, the method comprising:

• receiving a gesture that is performed with respect to a first image acquired by the imaging device, the gesture indicating a requested change with respect to the first image;
• communicating, to the UAV, a first control signal that causes the UAV to begin executing a flying maneuver that is suggested by the gesture;
• identifying a plurality of features in a subsequent image acquired by the imaging device;
• ascertaining that respective positions of the features indicate that the flying maneuver has effected the requested change;
• and
• in response to the ascertaining, communicating, to the UAV, a subsequent control signal that causes the UAV to stop execution of the flying maneuver.

A method for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that includes an imaging device, the method comprising:

• receiving a gesture that is performed with respect to a first image acquired by the imaging device;
• communicating, to the UAV, a first control signal that causes the UAV to begin executing a flying maneuver that is suggested by the gesture, at a first speed;
• subsequently, computing a rate of change of a position of a feature in subsequent images that are acquired by the imaging device;
• and
• in response to the rate of change being different from a target rate of change, communicating, to the UAV, a second control signal that causes the UAV to continue executing the flying maneuver at a second speed that is different from the first speed.