# US 2022/0033073 A1 · Image Capture and Obstacle Detection Assembly Intended to be Mounted on a Platform Such as a Drone and Drone Provided with Such an Image Capture and Obstacle Detection Assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2022/0033073 A1 - Document ID: US20220033073A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/365,186 - Filed: 2021-07-01 - Published: 2022-02-03 - Earliest claimed: 2020-07-02 - Assignees: Parrot Drones - Applicants: Parrot Drones - Inventors: Henri Seydoux Fornier de Clausonne; Thomas Barse - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220033073A1 ## CPC - G03B 15/006: {Apparatus mounted on flying objects} - G08G 5/55: for a single aircraft - B64U 10/14: with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters - B64U 20/87: Mounting of imaging devices, e.g. mounting of gimbals - G01S 7/027: {Constructional details of housings, e.g. form, type, material or ruggedness} - G01S 13/867: {Combination of radar systems with cameras} - G01S 13/933: of aircraft or spacecraft - G03B 17/561: {Support related camera accessories} - G08G 5/57: for unmanned aircraft - B64U 2101/30: for imaging, photography or videography - B64U 2201/20: Remote controls - G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D) - G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93}) - B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES ## Abstract The image capture and obstacle detection assembly comprises a support device intended to be mounted on a platform, for example a drone, an image capture unit comprising at least one camera for capturing images and an obstacle detection unit comprising at least one obstacle sensor, the image capture unit and the obstacle detection unit being carried by the support device, the support device being configured such that the image capture unit is rotatable about at least one rotation axis and the obstacle detection unit is rotatable about at least one rotation axis. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image capture and obstacle detection assembly comprising a support device intended to be mounted on a platform, for example, a drone, an image capture unit comprising at least one camera for capturing images and an obstacle detection unit comprising at least one obstacle sensor, the image capture unit and the obstacle detection unit being carried by the support device, the support device being configured such that the image capture unit is rotatable about at least one rotation axis and the obstacle detection unit is rotatable about at least one rotation axis, wherein a rotation axis of the image capture unit and a rotation axis of the obstacle detection unit are coincident and define a common rotation axis, the image capture unit and the obstacle detection unit being rotatable relative to each other about the common rotation axis. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image capture and obstacle detection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the image capture unit is rotatable about three mutually perpendicular rotation axes. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image capture and obstacle detection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the image capture unit comprises a single camera. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image capture and obstacle detection assembly claim 1, wherein the obstacle detection unit is rotatable about a single rotation axis. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The obstacle detection assembly according to claim 4, wherein each obstacle sensor is oriented perpendicular to the rotation axis and located at a distance from the rotation axis, such that when the rotation axis is horizontal, the obstacle detection unit is rotatable to a position in which each obstacle sensor is oriented horizontally in one direction with being located lower than the rotation axis and a position in which each obstacle sensor is oriented horizontally in a second direction opposite to the first direction with being located higher than the rotation axis. ### Claim 6 (canceled) ### Claim 7 (canceled) ### Claim 8 (canceled) ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The image capture and obstacle detection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the obstacle detection unit comprises two obstacle sensors spaced apart along the common rotation axis, the image capture unit being located between the two obstacle sensors. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The image capture and obstacle detection assembly according to claim 1, wherein each sensor of the obstacle detection unit is carried by a support member rotatably mounted about the common rotation axis, the image capture unit being rotatable about the common rotation axis by pivoting about the support member. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The image capture and obstacle detection assembly according to claim 10, wherein the image capture unit is carried by an articulated bracket having an aperture, the support member extending through the aperture and wherein the articulated bracket comprises an actuator for controlling the orientation of the image capture unit about the common rotation axis, the aperture extending through the actuator. ### Claim 12 (canceled) ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The image capture and obstacle detection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the support device is provided with damper attachment assemblies configured to attach the support device to the platform, each attachment assembly comprising a damper provided to abut the platform when the support device is mounted on the platform. ### Claim 14 (canceled) ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The image capture and obstacle detection assembly according to claim 13, in which each damper is arranged to abut the platform along a bearing axis, the support device comprising three dampers whose bearing axes are not parallel to the same plane. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The image capture and obstacle detection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the support device comprises a mounting piece for mounting the support device, the mounting piece comprising a base and two side arms extending from the base, the obstacle detection uni being disposed between the free ends of the two side arms and carried by the two side arms. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The image capture and obstacle detection assembly according to claim 16, wherein the mounting piece comprises at least one intermediate arm, each intermediate arm extending from the base by being located between the two side arms, the image capture unit being carried by each intermediate arm. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The image capture and obstacle detection assembly according to claim 17, wherein the image capture unit is mounted to an intermediate arm via a sleeve through which the obstacle detection unit passes. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) A drone provided with an image capture and obstacle detection assembly according to claim 1, the drone comprising a capture module for controlling the orientation of the image capture unit relative to the drone and a detection module for controlling the orientation of the obstacle detection unit relative to the drone. ### Claim 20 (canceled) ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The drone according to claim 19, wherein the image capture unit is rotatable about three mutually perpendicular rotation axes, the other two rotation axes of the image capture unit being parallel to the yaw axis of the drone and the roll axis of the drone, when the drone is hovering or landing on a horizontal surface and the image capture unit is oriented horizontally forward. ### Claim 22 (canceled) ### Claim 23 (canceled) ### Claim 24 (canceled) ### Claim 25 (depends on 19) The drone according to claim 19, wherein the image capture and obstacle detection assembly is mounted at a front end of the drone body at an elevated position relative to a rear part of the drone body, the done body having a front part and a rear part, the front part being elevated relative to the rear part. ### Claim 26 (canceled) ### Claim 27 (depends on 19) The drone according to claim 19, wherein the sensing module is configured to control the orientation of the obstacle detection unit so as to orient it substantially in the flight direction of the drone. ### Claim 28 (depends on 19) The drone according to claim 19, comprising an autopilot module, the autopilot module and the sensor module being configured to pilot the drone and orient the obstacle detection unit so as to maintain the direction of flight of the drone within the detection field of the obstacle detection unit with a non-zero angular margin between the direction of flight and the edges of the detection field.