Imaging Sensor-Based Position Detection

A system comprising:

• a mobile device comprising an imaging sensor affixed to a body of the mobile device, the imaging sensor configured to capture two-dimensional images;
• and
• processing circuitry configured to receive the captured two-dimensional images from the imaging sensor for processing, the processing circuitry being configured to:
• receive a two-dimensional image comprising at least four markers from the imaging sensor, wherein coordinates of each of the at least four markers with respect to a coordinate frame are known;
• determine a unit direction vector for each of the markers based on an association between a pixel location of each of the at least four markers in the two-dimensional image;
• determine apex angles between each pair of the unit direction vectors;
• determine marker distances from the imaging sensor to each of the at least four markers via a first iterative process based on the apex angles;
• and
• determine a position of the mobile device with respect to the coordinate frame via a second iterative process based on the marker distances, the apex angles, and the coordinates of each of the at least four markers.

An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:

• a maneuvering assembly that is controllable to change a position, orientation, and direction of travel of the unmanned aerial vehicle;
• an imaging sensor affixed to a body of the unmanned aerial vehicle, the imaging sensor configured to capture two-dimensional images;
• and
• processing circuitry configured to control the maneuvering assembly and receive the captured two-dimensional images from the imaging sensor for processing, the processing circuitry being configured to:
• receive a two-dimensional image comprising at least four markers from the imaging sensor, wherein coordinates of each of the at least four markers with respect to a coordinate frame are known;
• determine a unit direction vector for each of the markers based on an association between a pixel location of each of the at least four markers in the two-dimensional image;
• determine apex angles between each pair of the unit direction vectors;
• determine marker distances from the imaging sensor to each of the at least four markers via a first iterative process based on the apex angles;
• and
• determine a position of the unmanned aerial vehicle with respect to the coordinate frame via a second iterative process based on the marker distances, the apex angles, and the coordinates of each of the at least four markers.