SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR UAV TRANSPORT AND DATA ACQUISITION

• US 20190055018A1
• Filed: 10/23/2018
• Published: 02/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (d/b/a DJI) (iFlight Technology Company Limited)
• Inventors: BEI, Shimeng, GUAN, Yijun
• Granted Patent: US 11,034,449 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/10 Rotorcrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/92 Portable platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/86 Land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

An image capturing method for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes determining whether the UAV is in a ground mode in which the UAV is carried by a carrier or a flight mode in which the UAV is released from the carrier, automatically adjusting a state of a camera carried by the UAV to be a first state in response to the UAV being in the ground mode or a second state in response to the UAV being in the flight mode, and controlling the camera to capture an image using the first state in response to the UAV being in the ground mode or the second state in response to the UAV being in the flight mode.

Claims

1. An image capturing method for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:

determining, with aid of one or more processors individually or collectively, whether the UAV is in;

a ground mode in which the UAV is carried by a carrier, or a flight mode in which the UAV is released from the carrier;

automatically adjusting a state of a camera carried by the UAV to be;

a first state in response to the UAV being in the ground mode, or a second state in response to the UAV being in the flight mode; and

controlling the camera to capture an image using;

the first state in response to the UAV being in the ground mode, or the second state in response to the UAV being in the flight mode.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the image to a remote terminal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the UAV is configured to switch between the ground mode and the flight mode in accordance with a signal received from a remote control terminal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the UAV is configured to switch between the ground mode and the flight mode based on relative position information between the UAV and the carrier.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the relative position information is determined based on positional data measured by one or more sensors carried by the UAV or on the carrier.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the unmanned carrier further comprises:

a landing area configured to support the UAV when the UAV is landed on the unmanned carrier; and

a coupling unit configured to releasably couple with the UAV when the UAV is borne by the landing area.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the coupling unit comprises one or more gripping structures configured to releasably lock one or more landing gears of the UAV on the landing area.

8. The method of claim 1,

wherein the image captured by the camera carried by the UAV is a first image;

the method further comprising;

transmitting the first image and a second image captured by a camera attached to the carrier to a remote control terminal, the second image being an image of a ground environment of the UAV in the flight mode.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first image and the second image are complementary to each other.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the camera is attached to a gimbal mounted at the UAV.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the state of the camera comprises at least one of position of the camera, orientation of the camera about one or more axes, zoom of the camera, or power on/off of the camera.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the ground mode corresponds to the UAV being beneath a predetermined altitude threshold.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the flight mode corresponds to the UAV being above a predetermined altitude threshold.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, through a communication module of the UAV, signals from the carrier with respect to switching between the ground mode and the flight mode.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically adjusting the state of the camera includes adjusting an angle of the camera relative to a direction of gravity.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the angle is in a range from about 70°

to about 90°

in the first state.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the angle is in a range from about 0°

to about 30°

in the second state.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the angle of the camera is adjusted instantaneously in response to the camera changing from the first state to the second state.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the angle of the camera is adjusted gradually in response to the camera changing from the first state to the second state.

20. An image capturing system for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:

one or more processors, individually or collectively configured to;

determine whether the UAV is in;

a ground mode in which the UAV is carried by a carrier, or a flight mode in which the UAV is released from the carrier;

automatically adjust a state of a camera carried by the UAV to be;

a first state in response to the UAV being in the ground mode, or

a second state in response to the UAV being in the flight mode; and

control the camera to capture an image using;

the first state in response to the UAV being in the ground mode, or

the second state in response to the UAV being in the flight mode.