Imaging using multiple unmanned aerial vehicles

• US 10,005,555 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2016
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Mishra, Lalan Jee, Corleto Mena, Jose G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens, Tsion B
• Application Number:
  US15/144,105
• Publication Number:
  US 20170313416A1
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/00 Equipment not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/02 Arrangements or adaptations of signal or lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/80 Arrangement of on-board electronics, e.g. avionics systems or wiring
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/006 Apparatus mounted on flying objects
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/03 Combinations of cameras with lighting apparatus; Flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/05 Combinations of cameras with electronic flash apparatus; Electronic flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/104 involving a plurality of aircrafts, e.g. formation flying traffic control systems for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

An aerial imaging system and method of aerially capturing an image including a first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and a second UAV. The first UAV includes a camera and may be configured to receive input from an operator. The second UAV may be configured to dock with and deploy from the first UAV. The second UAV includes a light configured to provide remote illumination for the camera. The light on the second UAV may be activated to illuminate a target of photography by the camera while the second UAV is flown separate from the first UAV.

Claims

1. An aerial imaging system, comprising:

a first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) including a camera and configured to receive input from an operator; and

a second UAV configured to dock with and deploy from the first UAV, the second UAV comprising a light configured to provide illumination for the camera, wherein the second UAV is configured to fly to a position relative to a target of photography by the camera in order to provide a determined amount of illumination of the target of photography by the camera.

2. The aerial imaging system of claim 1, wherein the second UAV is configured to fly separate from the first UAV without the input from the operator.

3. The aerial imaging system of claim 1, wherein the first UAV is configured to fly while the second UAV is docked on the first UAV.

4. The aerial imaging system of claim 1, wherein the second UAV includes a microphone configured to record sounds.

5. The aerial imaging system of claim 1, further comprising:

a third UAV configured to dock with and deploy from the first UAV, wherein the first UAV is configured to fly while supporting both the second UAV and the third UAV.

6. The aerial imaging system of claim 1, wherein the camera and the first UAV are configured to use camera images for controlling the second UAV.

7. The aerial imaging system of claim 1, wherein the camera is configured to contemporaneously capture two or more different images.

8. The aerial imaging system of claim 7, wherein the camera is configured so that the two or more different images overlap.

9. The aerial imaging system of claim 1, wherein the first UAV includes a processor configured to determine a position of the second UAV from a first image from the camera.

10. The aerial imaging system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the position of the second UAV from camera images.

11. The aerial imaging system of claim 1, wherein the first UAV includes a processor configured to determine an aerial position of the second UAV flying separate from the first UAV based on a comparison of camera images and images received from the second UAV.

12. The aerial imaging system of claim 1, wherein the second UAV is configured to fly separate from the first UAV to a predetermined aerial position relative to the first UAV.

13. The aerial imaging system of claim 1, wherein the second UAV is configured to use signals received from a proximity sensor to maintain a determined aerial position of the second UAV relative to the target of photography by the camera.

14. The aerial imaging system of claim 1, wherein the second UAV includes a processor configured to recognize the target of photography by the camera in images obtained from an image capture device on the second UAV.

15. The aerial imaging system of claim 1, wherein the second UAV includes a processor configured to independently control flight of the second UAV separate from the first UAV and maintain an aerial position of the second UAV relative to the target of photography by the camera.

16. The aerial imaging system of claim 1, wherein an amount of illumination provided by the light on the second UAV is adjustable.

17. The aerial imaging system of claim 1, wherein the light emits in an infrared spectrum and the camera is configured for thermal imaging.

18. The aerial imaging system of claim 1, wherein the first UAV includes a processor configured to:

determine the determined amount of illumination provided by the light on the second UAV;

determine an adjustment for the determined amount of illumination provided by the light on the second UAV; and

transmit instructions to the second UAV for making the adjustment for the determined amount of illumination provided by the light on the second UAV.

19. A method of capturing a visual image, comprising:

deploying, from a first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) including a camera, a second UAV to fly separate from the first UAV;

activating a light on the second UAV to illuminate a target of photography by the camera on the first UAV; and

activating the camera on the first UAV to photograph the target of photography by the camera on the first UAV illuminated by the light from the second UAV.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

re-docking the second UAV with the first UAV after activating the camera on the first UAV to photograph the target of photography.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising flying the second UAV separate from the first UAV without input from a remotely controlling operator of the first UAV.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising flying the first UAV while the second UAV is docked on the first UAV.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

activating a microphone on the second UAV for recording sounds emanating from a target of a sound recording.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

deploying, from the first UAV, a third UAV configured to dock with and deploy from the first UAV; and

flying the first UAV while supporting both the second UAV and the third UAV.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

determining a position of the second UAV using camera images from the camera on the first UAV for controlling the second UAV.

26. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

determining the determined amount of illumination provided by the light on the second UAV;

determining an adjustment for the determined amount of the illumination provided by the light on the second UAV; and

transmitting instructions to the second UAV for making the adjustment for the determined amount of the illumination provided by the light on the second UAV.

27. An aerial imaging system, comprising:

a first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), wherein the first UAV comprises;

means for capturing visual images; and

means for receiving input from an operator for flying the first UAV and activating the means for capturing visual images; and

a second UAV, wherein the second UAV comprises;

means for emitting light to provide illumination for the means for capturing visual images; and

means for docking with and deploy from the first UAV, wherein the second UAV is configured to fly to a position relative to a target of the means for capturing visual images in order for the means for emitting light to provide illumination of the target.

28. A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable instructions configured to cause a processor of a first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to perform operations comprising:

deploying a second UAV from the first UAV and flying the second UAV separate from the first UAV;

activating a light on the second UAV to illuminate a target of photography by a camera on the first UAV; and

activating the camera on the first UAV to photograph the target of photography illuminated by the light from the second UAV.