System and method for automated aerial system operation

• US 10,126,745 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2017
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hangzhou Zero Zero Technology Co.Ltd (Shenzhen Zero Zero Infinite Technology Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hangzhou Zero Zero Technology Co.Ltd (Shenzhen Zero Zero Infinite Technology Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Qu, Zheng, Jin, Pengxiang, Zhang, Tong
• Primary Examiner(s): Trivedi, Atul
• Application Number:
  US15/811,183
• Publication Number:
  US 20180081363A1
• Time in Patent Office: 365 Days
• Field of Search: 701 3
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/00 UAVs characterised by their flight controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/30 for capturing UAVs in flight by ground or sea-based arresting gear, e.g. by a cable or a net
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 5/00 Measuring height; Measuring distances transverse to line of sight; Levelling between separated points; Surveyors' levels G01C3/20, G01C3/30 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0016 characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0033 by having the operator tracking the vehicle either by direct line of sight or via one or more cameras located remotely from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/042 specially adapted for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0607 specially adapted for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0669 specially adapted for vertical take-off
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0858 specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft

Abstract

An aerial system, preferably including one or more proximity sensors, such as sensors arranged in opposing directions. A method for aerial system operation, preferably including: determining a set of sensors; sampling measurements at the set of sensors; localizing the aerial system based on the measurements, such as to determine one or more obstacle clearances; and controlling system flight, such as based on the clearances.

Claims

1. A method for aircraft operation comprising, while operating an aircraft in a flight mode:

during a first time interval, at a downward proximity sensor of the aircraft, sampling a first downward proximity measurement, wherein the downward proximity sensor is oriented substantially downward with respect to an aircraft vertical axis;

based on the first downward proximity measurement, determining a first ground clearance between the aircraft and a floor below the aircraft;

during the first time interval, at an upward proximity sensor of the aircraft, sampling a first upward proximity measurement, wherein the upward proximity sensor is oriented substantially upward with respect to the aircraft vertical axis;

based on the first upward proximity measurement, determining a first ceiling clearance between the aircraft and a ceiling above the aircraft, wherein the first ceiling clearance is greater than zero;

during a second time interval after the first time interval, at the upward proximity sensor, sampling a second upward proximity measurement;

based on the second upward proximity measurement, determining a second ceiling clearance between the aircraft and the ceiling;

based on the first and second ceiling clearances, determining a ceiling clearance change;

based on the ceiling clearance change and the first ground clearance, determining a second ground clearance between the aircraft and the floor; and

controlling flight of the aircraft based on the second ground clearance.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

during the first time interval, determining a first orientation of the aircraft, wherein the first ceiling clearance is further determined based on the first orientation; and

during the second time interval, determining a second orientation of the aircraft, wherein the second ceiling clearance is further determined based on the second orientation.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the first orientation comprises:

at an accelerometer of the aircraft, sampling a first acceleration measurement; and

based on the first acceleration measurement, determining the first orientation of the aircraft with respect to a gravity vector.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining an orientation change of the aircraft, wherein the second orientation is determined based on the orientation change.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein determining the orientation change comprises:

at a camera of the aircraft, sampling a first image during the first time interval;

at the camera, sampling a second image during the second time interval; and

at a processing module of the aircraft, analyzing the first and second images to determine the orientation change.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the second ground clearance comprises subtracting the ceiling clearance change from the first ground clearance.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

during the second time interval, at the downward proximity sensor, sampling a second downward proximity measurement;

based on the second downward proximity measurement, determining that the floor is not within a measurement range of the downward proximity sensor; and

in response to determining that the floor is not within the measurement range, determining the second ground clearance by subtracting the ceiling clearance change from the first ground clearance.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the measurement range is defined between a minimum distance and a maximum distance; and

during the second time interval, a distance between the aircraft and the floor is less than the minimum distance.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling flight of the aircraft based on the second ground clearance comprises controlling the aircraft to substantially remain a setpoint distance from the floor.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first downward proximity measurement and the first upward proximity measurement are sampled substantially concurrently.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

during the second time interval, at the downward proximity sensor, sampling a second downward proximity measurement indicative of a presumed ground clearance change substantially greater than the ceiling clearance change;

at an inertial measurement unit of the aircraft, sampling a series of inertial data indicative of an amount of aircraft movement toward the floor, wherein the amount of aircraft movement is closer in magnitude to the ceiling clearance change than to the presumed ground clearance change; and

based on the ceiling clearance change and the series of inertial data, determining that the second downward proximity measurement is unreliable.

12. A method for aircraft operation comprising, while operating an aircraft in a flight mode between a first obstacle and a second obstacle:

during a first time interval, at a first proximity sensor of the aircraft, sampling a first proximity measurement indicative of aircraft proximity to the first obstacle, wherein the first proximity sensor is oriented in a first direction;

based on the first proximity measurement, determining a first obstacle clearance between the aircraft and the first obstacle;

during a first time interval, at a second proximity sensor of the aircraft, sampling a second proximity measurement indicative of aircraft proximity to the second obstacle, wherein the second proximity sensor is oriented in a second direction substantially different from the first direction;

based on the second proximity measurement, determining a second obstacle clearance between the aircraft and the second obstacle, wherein the second obstacle clearance is greater than zero;

during a second time interval after the first time interval, at the second proximity sensor, sampling a third proximity measurement indicative of aircraft proximity to the second obstacle;

based on the third proximity measurement, determining an updated second obstacle clearance;

based on the second obstacle clearance and the updated second obstacle clearance, determining a second obstacle clearance change;

based on the second obstacle clearance change and the first obstacle clearance, determining an updated first obstacle clearance; and

controlling flight of the aircraft based on the updated first obstacle clearance.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the second direction is substantially opposite the first direction.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first direction is substantially parallel a gravity vector.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the aircraft is flying within a room of a building;

the first obstacle is a first substantially planar structure of the room; and

the second obstacle is a second substantially planar structure of the room, the second obstacle substantially opposing the first obstacle across an interior of the room.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

during the first time interval, at a camera of the aircraft, sampling an image indicative of a landing location of the first obstacle;

at a processing module of the aircraft, detecting the landing location, comprising analyzing the image; and

in response to detecting the landing location, before the second time interval, controlling the aircraft to fly toward the landing location;

wherein controlling flight of the aircraft based on the updated first obstacle clearance comprises controlling the aircraft to land at the landing location based on the updated first obstacle clearance.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

during the second time interval, at the camera, sampling a series of images; and

at the processing module, performing a simultaneous localization and mapping process based on the series of images, wherein controlling the aircraft to land at the landing location is based further on a result of the simultaneous localization and mapping process.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the landing location comprises a human hand.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

during the second time interval, at the first proximity sensor, sampling a fourth proximity measurement; and

based on the fourth proximity measurement, determining that the landing location is not within a measurement range of the first proximity sensor;

wherein controlling flight of the aircraft based on the updated first obstacle clearance is performed in response to determining that the landing location is not within the measurement range.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the updated first obstacle clearance comprises subtracting the second obstacle clearance change from the first obstacle clearance.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

during the second time interval, at the first proximity sensor, sampling a fourth proximity measurement indicative of a first obstacle clearance change; and

based on the first obstacle clearance change and the second obstacle clearance change, determining an amount of aircraft movement toward the first obstacle equal to an average magnitude of the first obstacle clearance change and the second obstacle clearance change;

wherein the updated first obstacle clearance is determined based on the amount of aircraft movement toward the first obstacle.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein controlling flight of the aircraft based on the updated first obstacle clearance comprises:

determining that the updated first obstacle clearance is less than a threshold clearance; and

in response to determining that the updated first obstacle clearance is less than the threshold clearance, controlling the aircraft to fly away from the first obstacle.