Unkown
First Claim
1. A rotary-wing drone (10) with multiple rotors (12) driven by respective motors selectively controlled by application of differentiated motor commands to pilot the drone in altitude and speed, comprising:
- a plurality of sensors adapted to deliver respective drone-state signals, such sensors comprising;
a vertical-view camera (16, 132) pointing downward, adapted to pick up images of a scene of the ground (20) overflown by the drone and to produce a horizontal speed signal, derived from an analysis of the displacement of the picked-up scene from one image to the following;
gyrometer (102), magnetometer (116) and accelerometer (114) sensors, adapted to deliver linear and rotational acceleration signals; and
an altimeter (22, 152-158), adapted to deliver a signal of drone altitude relative to the overflown ground; and
a predictive-filter estimator incorporating a representation of a dynamic model of the drone, this filter being adapted to perform a prediction of at least one state value of the drone based on the motor commands and to periodically readjust this prediction as a function of the signals delivered by the sensors,wherein the drone further comprises navigation means adapted to determine position coordinates of the drone in an absolute coordinate system (NED) linked to the ground, and in that these navigation means;
are autonomous means adapted to operate without reception of signals external to the drone;
comprise image analysis means (160), adapted to derive a position signal from an analysis of known predetermined patterns (210), present in the scene picked up by the camera;
implement the predictive-filter estimator (172) at the input of which are applied;
the position signal;
the horizontal speed signal;
the linear and rotational acceleration signals; and
the altitude signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The drone comprises: a vertical-view camera (132) pointing downward to pick up images of a scene of the ground overflown by the drone; gyrometer, magnetometer and accelerometer sensors (176); and an altimeter (174). Navigation means determine position coordinates (X, Y, Z) of the drone in an absolute coordinate system linked to the ground. These means are autonomous, operating without reception of external signals. They include image analysis means, adapted to derive a position signal from an analysis of known predetermined patterns (210), present in the scene picked up by the camera, and they implement a predictive-filter estimator (172) incorporating a representation of a dynamic model of the drone, with as an input the position signal, a horizontal speed signal, linear and rotational acceleration signals, and an altitude signal.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A rotary-wing drone (10) with multiple rotors (12) driven by respective motors selectively controlled by application of differentiated motor commands to pilot the drone in altitude and speed, comprising:
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a plurality of sensors adapted to deliver respective drone-state signals, such sensors comprising; a vertical-view camera (16, 132) pointing downward, adapted to pick up images of a scene of the ground (20) overflown by the drone and to produce a horizontal speed signal, derived from an analysis of the displacement of the picked-up scene from one image to the following; gyrometer (102), magnetometer (116) and accelerometer (114) sensors, adapted to deliver linear and rotational acceleration signals; and an altimeter (22, 152-158), adapted to deliver a signal of drone altitude relative to the overflown ground; and a predictive-filter estimator incorporating a representation of a dynamic model of the drone, this filter being adapted to perform a prediction of at least one state value of the drone based on the motor commands and to periodically readjust this prediction as a function of the signals delivered by the sensors, wherein the drone further comprises navigation means adapted to determine position coordinates of the drone in an absolute coordinate system (NED) linked to the ground, and in that these navigation means; are autonomous means adapted to operate without reception of signals external to the drone; comprise image analysis means (160), adapted to derive a position signal from an analysis of known predetermined patterns (210), present in the scene picked up by the camera; implement the predictive-filter estimator (172) at the input of which are applied;
the position signal;
the horizontal speed signal;
the linear and rotational acceleration signals; and
the altitude signal.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification