UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING AN UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE

• US 20190094861A1
• Filed: 09/28/2017
• Published: 03/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel IP Corporation (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Menzel, Stefan, Pohl, Daniel, Seiler, Thomas, Achtelik, Markus
• Granted Patent: US 10,459,445 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• 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: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• 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 1/106 Change initiated in response to external conditions, e.g. avoidance of elevated terrain or of no-fly zones
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0091 for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/04 Anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/045 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. determination of anti-collision manoeuvers radar or analogous systems specially adapted for anti-collision between aircraft G01S13/933

Abstract

According to various aspects, an unmanned aerial vehicle may be described, the unmanned aerial vehicle including: one or more sensors configured to gather thermal information associated with a vicinity of the unmanned aerial vehicle; one or more processors configured to determine at least one control information based on the thermal information and to control the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the at least one control information.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:

one or more sensors configured to gather thermal information associated with a vicinity of the unmanned aerial vehicle;

one or more processors configured to

determine at least one control information based on the thermal information and

control the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the at least one control information.

2. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1,

wherein the one or more sensors are configured to generate a thermal image having the thermal information associated therewith.

3. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1,

wherein the one or more sensors comprise at least one infrared thermal imaging camera to generate the thermal information.

4. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 2,

wherein the one or more sensors are further configured to generate a depth image having depth information associated therewith.

5. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 4,

wherein the one or more sensors comprise at least one time of flight (ToF) camera to generate the depth information.

6. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1,

wherein the one or more sensors comprise at least one temperature sensor to provide thermal information.

7. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 6,

wherein the at least one temperature sensor comprises a thermocouple.

8. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1,

wherein the one or more sensors are configured to monitor the vicinity in predefined time intervals.

9. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1,

wherein the one or more processors are configured to generate a map representing the vicinity of the unmanned aerial vehicle;

the at least one control information comprising one or more map elements associated with the map.

10. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 9,

wherein the map is a two-dimensional map representing a flight area of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

11. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 9,

wherein the map is a three-dimensional map representing a flight area of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

12. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 9,

wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the one or more map elements by mapping a thermal image having the thermal information associated therewith and a depth image having depth information associated therewith to one another and assigning position information and the thermal information to one or more objects in the vicinity of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

13. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 9,

wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the one or more map elements based on the thermal information and position information representing a position of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

14. An unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:

one or more sensors configured to

detect one or more objects in a vicinity of the unmanned aerial vehicle,

generate position data associated with a position of the one or more detected objects, and

generate temperature data associated with a temperature of the one or more objects; and

one or more processors configured to

generate a map based on the position data and the temperature data, the map representing the vicinity of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the one or more objects, and

control flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the map.

15. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 14,

wherein the one or more objects comprise at least one of a solid object, a liquid object, or a gaseous object.

16. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 14,

wherein the one or more sensors are configured to provide movement data associated with a movement of the one or more objects relative to ground.

17. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 14,

wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine heat obstacles in the vicinity of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the map.

18. An unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:

one or more memories comprising position information associated with one or more objects and thermal information associated with the one or more objects; and

one or more processors configured to control flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the position information and the thermal information.

19. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 18,

wherein the one or more objects comprise at least one of a solid object, a liquid object, or a gaseous object.

20. An unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:

one or more memories comprising position information associated with a position in a flight area of the unmanned aerial vehicle and thermal information associated with a temperature at the position; and

one or more processors configured to control flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the position information and the thermal information.