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System and method for controller-free user drone interaction

  • US 10,409,276 B2
  • Filed: 07/20/2017
  • Issued: 09/10/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2016
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An aerial system, comprising:

  • a body;

    a lift mechanism coupled to the body;

    an orientation sensor coupled to the body for sensing an orientation of the body;

    an optical system controllably mounted to the body by an actuation system; and

    a processing system coupled to the lift mechanism, the optical system, and the actuation system, the processing system configured to;

    detect a release event in which the aerial system is released from being physically held by a user;

    enter a hover idle state in which the aerial system searches for a target person;

    recognize the target person;

    track the target person and scan for user expressions;

    identify a hand of the target person;

    detect a first predefined user expression including an open palm gesture of the hand of the target person and responsively track a movement of the hand in the open palm gesture and execute a first corresponding event including operating the lift mechanism to fly the aerial system in the direction of the tracked movement of the hand in the open palm gesture while maintaining the target person within a field of view of the optical system;

    detect a second predefined user expression including a “

    V”

    sign gesture by the hand of the target person and responsively execute a second corresponding event including operating the optical system to take a picture of the target person;

    enter the hover idle state upon completing the second corresponding event;

    detect a standby event including a change in an orientation vector of the body upon sensing a change in an orientation sensor signal received from the orientation sensor; and

    responsively operate the lift mechanism in a standby mode.

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