Systems and methods for adjusting flight control of an unmanned aerial vehicle

• US 10,599,139 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2017
• Issued: 03/24/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
• Original Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
• Inventors: Lema, Pablo, Ip, Shu Ching
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lewandroski, Sara J
• Application Number:
  US15/807,399
• Publication Number:
  US 20180067482A1
• Time in Patent Office: 867 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/10 Rotorcrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• 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 2201/20 Remote controls
• 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 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/101 specially adapted for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/13 Satellite images
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/41 Higher-level, semantic clustering, classification or understanding of video scenes, e.g. detection, labelling or Markovian modelling of sport events or news items segmenting video sequences G06V20/49
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/44 Event detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/20 Movements or behaviour, e.g. gesture recognition recognition of facial expressions G06V40/16

Abstract

A first pattern associated with a performer may be recognized based upon visual information. A sensor carried by an unmanned aerial vehicle may be configured to generate output signals conveying the visual information. A first distance may be determined between the first pattern and the unmanned aerial vehicle. A second pattern associated with a performee may be recognized based upon the visual information. A second distance may be determined between the second pattern and the unmanned aerial vehicle. Flight control may be adjusted based upon the first distance and the second distance. A flight control subsystem may be configured to provide the flight control for the unmanned aerial vehicle.

Claims

1. A system for adjusting flight control of an unmanned aerial vehicle, the system comprising:

an image sensor carried by the unmanned aerial vehicle, the image sensor configured to generate output signals conveying visual information; and

one or more physical processors configured by computer-readable instructions to;

determine a first position of a performer based on the visual information;

determine a second position of a performee based on the visual information;

provide the flight control for the unmanned aerial vehicle such that, responsive to the performer approaching the performee, the unmanned aerial vehicle is positioned for the image sensor to capture an image including the performer and the performee, wherein the flight control is provided such that a target altitude differential, a target cardinal direction, and a target distance are maintained between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the performer based upon the first position and the second position; and

capture the image including the performer and the performee.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein providing the flight control includes controlling at least one of an altitude, a longitude, a latitude, a geographical location, a heading, or a speed of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the image is a video frame of a video segment.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured to:

mark the video segment at a point in time in which the performer and the performee are separated by a predefined distance.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured to:

mark the video segment at a point in time in which the performer and the performee overlap.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the flight control is provided such that at least one of a target altitude differential, a target cardinal direction, or a target distance is adjusted between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the performer based upon one or more gestures associated with the performer.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the flight control is provided such that at least one of a target altitude differential, a target cardinal direction, or a target distance is maintained between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the performee based upon the first position and the second position.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the flight control is provided such that at least one of a target altitude differential, a target cardinal direction, or a target distance is adjusted between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the performee based upon one or more gestures associated with the performer.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the flight control is provided such that the unmanned aerial vehicle being positioned for the image sensor to capture the image includes repositioning the unmanned aerial vehicle from an original position to a new position.

10. A method for adjusting flight control of an unmanned aerial vehicle, the method performed by a computing system including one or more physical processors, the method comprising:

generating, by an image sensor carried by the unmanned aerial vehicle, output signals conveying visual information;

determining, by the computing system, a first position of a performer based on the visual information;

determining, by the computing system, a second position of a performee based on the visual information;

providing, by the computing system, the flight control for the unmanned aerial vehicle such that, responsive to the performer approaching the performee, the unmanned aerial vehicle is positioned for the image sensor to capture an image including the performer and the performee wherein the flight control is provided such that a target altitude differential, a target cardinal direction, and a target distance are maintained between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the performer based upon the first position and the second position; and

capturing, by the computing system, the image including the performer and the performee.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the flight control is provided such that the unmanned aerial vehicle being positioned for the image sensor to capture the image includes repositioning the unmanned aerial vehicle from an original position to a new position.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein providing the flight control includes controlling at least one of an altitude, a longitude, a latitude, a geographical location, a heading, or a speed of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the image is a video frame of a video segment.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

marking, by the computing system, the video segment at a point in time in which the performer and the performee are separated by a predefined distance.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

marking, by the computing system, the video segment at a point in time in which the performer and the performee overlap.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the flight control is provided such that at least one of a target altitude differential, a target cardinal direction, or a target distance is adjusted between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the performer based upon one or more gestures associated with the performer.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the flight control is provided such that at least one of a target altitude differential, a target cardinal direction, or a target distance is maintained between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the performee based upon the first position and the second position.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the flight control is provided such that at least one of a target altitude differential, a target cardinal direction, or a target distance is adjusted between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the performee based upon one or more gestures associated with the performer.