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Control of image triggering for aerial image capturing in nadir alignment for an unmanned aircraft

  • US 10,273,000 B2
  • Filed: 04/03/2014
  • Issued: 04/30/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2013
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A control unit for use in an unmanned aircraft during an aerial image capture flight, the control unit comprising:

  • a sensor unit configured for progressively determining a camera position and a real time alignment of an optical camera axis of a camera; and

    a memory device configured for providing flight plan data for the unmanned aircraft,wherein;

    the control unit is configured to;

    obtain camera position information from the sensor unit;

    obtain alignment information from the sensor unit; and

    obtain flight plan data for the unmanned aircraft having the control unit from the memory device; and

    generate control signals for controlling the camera of the unmanned aircraft for aerial image capture such that the capture of each aerial image of an aerial image series is triggered in a manner controlled based on the control signals;

    if a camera position derivable from the position information is present inside a respective image triggering region derivable from the flight plan data, wherein the location of the respective image triggering region is determined in each case at least by a triggering position, which is associated with the respective image triggering region, according to the flight plan data, andin dependence on the real time alignment of the optical camera axis, which is derivable from the alignment information, in regard to a fulfillment of a defined maximum angle deviation (α

    ) with respect to a predetermined spatial alignment, wherein no image is captured if the real time alignment is not within the defined maximum angle deviation (α

    ).

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