Ducted rotor unmanned aerial vehicles
First Claim
1. A method of capturing images, comprising:
- launching an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) by way of a Flight Management Unit (FMU) wherein the FMU executes an automatic takeoff process;
utilizing a map maintained by the UAV to perform in flight path planning to scan an area for people using the UAV;
detecting the presence of at least one subject by processing image data captured by at least one camera on the UAV;
utilizing an Application Processing Unit (APU) to determine at least one ideal position from which to capture images of detected at least one subject using the UAV;
performing path planning by communication between the APU and a Robotics Processing Unit in order to navigate the UAV to the determined at least one ideal position; and
capturing images of the detected at least one subject using at least one camera on the UAV when the UAV is positioned in one of the determined at least one ideal positions.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods in accordance with various embodiments of the invention can be utilized to implement unmanned aerial vehicles (“UAVs”) designed for autonomous operation in cluttered environments, indoor environments and/or as photography drones. One embodiment includes: launching an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV); performing in flight path planning to scan an area for people using the UAV; detecting the presence of at least one subject by processing image data captured by at least one camera on the UAV; determining at least one pose from which to capture images of detected at least one subject using the UAV; performing path planning to navigate the UAV to the determined at least one pose; and capturing images of the detected at least one subject using at least one camera on the UAV when the UAV is posed in one of the determined at least one pose.
-
Citations
16 Claims
-
1. A method of capturing images, comprising:
-
launching an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) by way of a Flight Management Unit (FMU) wherein the FMU executes an automatic takeoff process; utilizing a map maintained by the UAV to perform in flight path planning to scan an area for people using the UAV; detecting the presence of at least one subject by processing image data captured by at least one camera on the UAV; utilizing an Application Processing Unit (APU) to determine at least one ideal position from which to capture images of detected at least one subject using the UAV; performing path planning by communication between the APU and a Robotics Processing Unit in order to navigate the UAV to the determined at least one ideal position; and capturing images of the detected at least one subject using at least one camera on the UAV when the UAV is positioned in one of the determined at least one ideal positions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 9, 10, 12)
-
-
3. An unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:
-
at least one rotor system having a plurality of rotor blades connected to one central rotation point wherein the plurality of rotor blades are configured to incorporate uneven angular blade spacing about the one central rotation point and wherein the at least one rotor system is configured to be mounted within a ducted propulsion system; a flight management unit (FMU) configured to handle all of the computation associated with controlling rotors within the ducted propulsion system; a robotics processing unit (RPU) configured to perform autonomous navigation; an application processing unit (APU) configured to perform processing associated with high level behavior. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
Specification