Image based localization for unmanned aerial vehicles, and associated systems and methods
AssigneeX Development LLC
InventorsDinuka Abeywardena, Damien Jourdan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for image based localization for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for navigating a UAV includes: flying a UAV along a flight path; acquiring an image of a ground area along the flight path with a camera carried by the UAV; and sending the image to a base station. The method further includes receiving navigation data from the base station, based upon a comparison of the image of the ground area to at least one terrestrial map of the flight path.
Claims26
A method for navigating an aerial vehicle, comprising:
- flying the aerial vehicle along a flight path;
- acquiring, by a camera carried by the aerial vehicle, an image of a ground area along the flight path;
- sending the image to a base station;
- receiving navigation data for the aerial vehicle from the base station, wherein the navigation data is determined based upon a comparison of the image of the ground area to at least one terrestrial map of the flight path;
- and
- adjusting a flight course based at least in part upon the navigation data.
A method for determining navigation data of an aerial vehicle, comprising:
- receiving an image of a ground area by a base station in communication with the aerial vehicle in flight;
- comparing the image with a terrestrial map of the ground area;
- identifying a section of the terrestrial map that corresponds to the image;
- based on the section that is identified, determining the navigation data of the aerial vehicle;
- and
- transmitting the navigation data to the aerial vehicle.
An Unmanned Autonomous Vehicle (UAV), comprising:
- a camera configured to acquire an image of a ground area along a flight path of the UAV;
- a pivot mechanism configured to orient the camera toward the ground area;
- a communication interface configured to:
- send the image to a base station, and
- receive UAV location information from the base station;
- and
- a controller coupled to the communication interface to adjust the flight path of the UAV based, at least in part, on the UAV location information.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by one or more processors of a computing device, cause the computing device to perform actions comprising:
- receiving an image of a ground area by a base station, wherein the image is acquired by a camera carried by the UAV;
- comparing the image with a terrestrial map of the ground area;
- identifying a section of the terrestrial map that corresponds to the image;
- identifying a correspondence between a plurality of pixels of the image and a plurality of characteristic points of the section;
- assigning X, Y, Z coordinates to the plurality of pixels of the image;
- and
- determining navigation data of the UAV based on the plurality of pixels of the image;
- and
- transmitting navigation data from the base station to the UAV.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.