Imaging method and apparatus
First Claim
1. An imaging method for imaging an area of terrain using a sensor mounted on an unmanned aircraft, the method comprising:
- acquiring, by one or more processors, a specification of possible positions and orientations relative to the aircraft to which the sensor may be moved;
acquiring, by the one or more processors, positional information of the area of terrain;
acquiring, by the one or more processors, a specification of the manoeuvrability of the aircraft;
using the acquired specification of the possible positions and orientations of the sensor relative to the aircraft, the acquired positional information of the area of terrain, and the acquired specification of the manoeuvrability of the aircraft, determining, by the one or more processors, a first procedure and a second procedure;
performing, by the aircraft via one or more aircraft subsystems and the one or more processors, the first procedure, the first procedure comprising the aircraft moving with respect to the area of terrain along a first route and the sensor moving with respect to the aircraft such that, for each point in the area of terrain, each point is coincident with a footprint of the sensor on the ground for at least some time during the first procedure;
whilst the aircraft performs the first procedure, capturing, by the sensor, a first set of images, each image in the first set being of only part of the area of terrain, the first set of images being such that, for every point in the area of terrain, one of the points is present within at least one of the images in the first set;
processing the first set of images to detect, within at least one of the first images, a first target; and
acquiring, by the one or more processors, a position on the ground of the detected first target;
thereafter, performing, by the aircraft via said one or more aircraft subsystems and the one or more processors, the second procedure, the second procedure comprising the aircraft moving with respect to the area of terrain along a second route and the sensor moving with respect to the aircraft such that, for each point in the area of terrain, each point is coincident with a footprint of the sensor on the ground for at least some time during the second procedure, wherein the second procedure is determined using the position on the ground of the first target, such that a direction in which the aircraft flies when the first target is imaged during the second procedure is perpendicular to a direction in which the aircraft was flying during the first procedure when an image of the first target was captured; and
whilst the aircraft performs the second procedure, capturing, by the sensor, a second set of images, each image in the second set being of only part of the area of terrain, the second set of images being such that, for every point in the area of terrain, one of the points is present within at least one of the images in the second set.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is an imaging method for imaging terrain using a sensor on an unmanned aircraft. The method comprises: acquiring a range of motion of the sensor; acquiring positional information of the terrain; acquiring parameter values relating to aircraft maneuverability; using the acquired information, determining a procedure; performing, by the aircraft, the procedure and simultaneously capturing, by the sensor, a set of images of only parts of the terrain. The procedure comprises the aircraft moving with respect to the area of terrain and the sensor moving with respect to the aircraft such that each point in the area of terrain is coincident with a footprint of the sensor on the ground for at least some time. Also, every point in the area of terrain is present within at least one of the captured images.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. An imaging method for imaging an area of terrain using a sensor mounted on an unmanned aircraft, the method comprising:
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acquiring, by one or more processors, a specification of possible positions and orientations relative to the aircraft to which the sensor may be moved; acquiring, by the one or more processors, positional information of the area of terrain;
acquiring, by the one or more processors, a specification of the manoeuvrability of the aircraft;using the acquired specification of the possible positions and orientations of the sensor relative to the aircraft, the acquired positional information of the area of terrain, and the acquired specification of the manoeuvrability of the aircraft, determining, by the one or more processors, a first procedure and a second procedure; performing, by the aircraft via one or more aircraft subsystems and the one or more processors, the first procedure, the first procedure comprising the aircraft moving with respect to the area of terrain along a first route and the sensor moving with respect to the aircraft such that, for each point in the area of terrain, each point is coincident with a footprint of the sensor on the ground for at least some time during the first procedure; whilst the aircraft performs the first procedure, capturing, by the sensor, a first set of images, each image in the first set being of only part of the area of terrain, the first set of images being such that, for every point in the area of terrain, one of the points is present within at least one of the images in the first set; processing the first set of images to detect, within at least one of the first images, a first target; and acquiring, by the one or more processors, a position on the ground of the detected first target; thereafter, performing, by the aircraft via said one or more aircraft subsystems and the one or more processors, the second procedure, the second procedure comprising the aircraft moving with respect to the area of terrain along a second route and the sensor moving with respect to the aircraft such that, for each point in the area of terrain, each point is coincident with a footprint of the sensor on the ground for at least some time during the second procedure, wherein the second procedure is determined using the position on the ground of the first target, such that a direction in which the aircraft flies when the first target is imaged during the second procedure is perpendicular to a direction in which the aircraft was flying during the first procedure when an image of the first target was captured; and whilst the aircraft performs the second procedure, capturing, by the sensor, a second set of images, each image in the second set being of only part of the area of terrain, the second set of images being such that, for every point in the area of terrain, one of the points is present within at least one of the images in the second set. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. Apparatus for imaging an area of terrain the apparatus comprising:
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a sensor mounted on-board an aircraft; one or more processors configured to; acquire a specification of possible positions and orientations relative to the aircraft to which the sensor may be moved; acquire positional information of the area of terrain; acquire a specification of the manoeuvrability of the aircraft; using the acquired specification of possible positions and orientations relative to the aircraft to which the sensor may be moved, the acquired positional information of the area of terrain and the acquired specification of the manoeuvrability of the aircraft, determine a first procedure and a second procedure; and one or more aircraft subsystems and the one or more processors for controlling the aircraft to perform the first procedure and, thereafter, the second procedure;
whereinthe first procedure comprises the aircraft moving with respect to the area of terrain along a first route and the sensor moving with respect to the aircraft such that, for each point in the area of terrain, each point is coincident with a footprint of the sensor on the ground for at least some time during the first procedure; the second procedure comprises the aircraft moving with respect to the area of terrain along a second route and the sensor moving with respect to the aircraft such that, for each point in the area of terrain that point is coincident with a footprint of the sensor on the ground for at least some time during the second procedure; and the sensor is configured to; whilst the aircraft performs the first procedure, capture a first set of images, each image in the first set being of only part of the area of terrain, the first set of images being such that, for every point in the area of terrain, one of the points is present within at least one of the images in the first set; process the first set of images to detect, within at least one of the first images, a first target; acquire a position on the ground of the detected first target, determine the second procedure by using the position on the ground of the first target, such that a direction in which the aircraft flies when the first target is imaged during the second procedure is perpendicular to a direction in which the aircraft was flying during the first procedure when an image of the first target was captured; and whilst the aircraft performs the second procedure, capture a second set of images, each image in the first set being of only part of the area of terrain, the second set of images being such that, for every point in the area of terrain, that point is present within at least one of the images in the second set.
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12. A non-transitory program or plurality of non-transitory programs such that when executed by a computer system or one or more processors mounted on an unmanned aircraft it/they cause the computer system or the one or more processors to:
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acquire, by one or more processors, a specification of possible positions and orientations relative to the aircraft to which the sensor may be moved; acquire, by the one or more processors, positional information of the area of terrain; acquiring, by the one or more processors, a specification of the manoeuvrability of the aircraft use the acquired specification of the possible positions and orientations of the sensor relative to the aircraft, the acquired positional information of the area of terrain, and the acquired specification of the manoeuvrability of the aircraft, determining, by the one or more processors, a first procedure and a second procedure; perform, by the aircraft via one or more aircraft subsystems and the one or more processors, the first procedure, the first procedure comprising the aircraft moving with respect to the area of terrain along a first route and the sensor moving with respect to the aircraft such that, for each point in the area of terrain, each point is coincident with a footprint of the sensor on the ground for at least some time during the first procedure; whilst the aircraft performs the first procedure, capture, by the sensor, a first set of images, each image in the first set being of only part of the area of terrain, the first set of images being such that, for every point in the area of terrain, one of the points is present within at least one of the images in the first set; process the first set of images to detect, within at least one of the first images, a first target; and acquire, by the one or more processors, a position on the ground of the detected first target; thereafter, perform, by the aircraft via said one or more aircraft subsystems and the one or more processors, the second procedure, the second procedure comprising the aircraft moving with respect to the area of terrain along a second route and the sensor moving with respect to the aircraft such that, for each point in the area of terrain, each point is coincident with a footprint of the sensor on the ground for at least some time during the second procedure, wherein the second procedure is determined using the position on the ground of the first target, such that a direction in which the aircraft flies when the first target is imaged during the second procedure is perpendicular to a direction in which the aircraft was flying during the first procedure when an image of the first target was captured; and whilst the aircraft performs the second procedure, capture, by the sensor, a second set of images, each image in the second set being of only part of the area of terrain, the second set of images being such that, for every point in the area of terrain, one of the points is present within at least one of the images in the second set. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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Specification