Altitude estimator for a rotary-wing drone with multiple rotors

• US 8,989,924 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Parrot Drones
• Original Assignee: Parrot SA
• Inventors: Seydoux, Henri, Callou, Francois, Babel, Mathieu
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOUIE, WAE LENNY
• Application Number:
  US13/797,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20130325217A1
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2, 701/3, 701/4, 701/5, 701/11, 244/17.13, 244/17.17, 244/190, 345/173
• US Class Current: 701/4
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/12 Helicopters A63H27/04 takes precedence; Flying tops
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 5/005 altimeters for aircraft G01C5/02, G01C5/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/042 specially adapted for aircraft

Abstract

The drone comprises altitude determination means (134), with an estimator (152) combining the measures of an ultrasound telemetry sensor (154) and of a barometric sensor (156) to deliver an absolute altitude value of the drone in a terrestrial system. The estimator comprises a predictive filter (152) incorporating a representation of a dynamic model of the drone making it possible to predict the altitude based on the motor commands (158) and to periodically readjust this prediction as a function of the signals delivered by the telemetry sensor (154) and the barometric sensor (156). Validation means analyze the reflected echoes and possibly modify the parameters of the estimator and/or allow or invalidate the signals of the telemetry sensor. The echo analysis also makes it possible to deduce the presence and the configuration of an obstacle within the operating range of the telemetry sensor, to apply if need be a suitable corrective action.

Claims

1. A rotary-wing drone (10) with multiple rotors (12) driven by respective motors (110) controlled by application of differentiated motor commands (158) so as to pilot the drone in attitude and speed, said drone comprising altitude estimator circuit (134), adapted to deliver an absolute altitude value of the drone expressed in an absolute terrestrial system, comprising:

a telemetry sensor (154), adapted to estimate a relative distance separating the drone from a surface (18) reflecting echoes of ultrasound pulses emitted by the drone,

characterized in that the altitude estimator circuit (134) further comprise;

a barometric sensor (156), adapted to deliver a drone altitude variation signal;

an estimator (152), receiving as an input the signals delivered by the telemetry sensor and by the barometric sensor, and combining these signals to deliver as an output said absolute value of altitude of the drone;

a state estimator module for validating the signal delivered by the telemetry sensor, adapted to analyze the echoes reflected, and, based on the result of this analysis, to modify accordingly the parameters of the estimator and/or allow or inhibit the application to the estimator of the signal delivered by the telemetry sensor; and

wherein the state estimator module is further adapted to analyze the echoes reflected, and, based on the result of this analysis, to deduce the presence and the configuration of an obstacle in the operating range of the telemetry sensor and to apply to the estimator a corrective action adapted to compensate for the effect of the obstacle on the relative distance estimated by the telemetry sensor.

2. The drone of claim 1, wherein the estimator comprises a predictive filter (152) incorporating a representation of a dynamic model of the drone, this filter being adapted to perform a prediction of said absolute value of altitude of the drone based on said motor commands (158) and to periodically readjust this prediction as a function of the signals delivered by the telemetry sensor (154) and by the barometric sensor (156).

3. The drone of claim 2, wherein the predictive filter is in particular a four-state filter, comprising:

said absolute value of altitude, counted with respect to a lift-off position of the drone;

a component of drone vertical speed;

a bias of said motor commands with respect to said dynamic model of the drone; and

a bias of the barometric sensor.

4. The drone of claim 1, wherein the state estimator module estimates the quality of said surface reflecting the echoes, as a function of the number of echoes received concurrently for a same pulse emitted.

5. The drone of claim 1, wherein the state estimator module estimates the quality of said surface reflecting the echoes, as a function of the dispersion between the distance values obtained for a time succession of pulses emitted by the telemetry sensor.

6. The drone of claim 1, wherein the validation means comprise means for rejecting the distance values estimated by the telemetry sensor, as a function of an analysis of coherence of a plurality of distance values obtained for a time succession of pulses emitted by the telemetry sensor.

7. The drone of claim 6, wherein the distance values are rejected with respect to variable thresholds, as a function of an estimation of quality of the surface reflecting the echoes.

8. The drone of claim 6, wherein the state estimator module further calculates an altitude offset value (OFFSET) at the time when the estimated distance values are rejected, and for adding this offset value to the estimated distance value when the the estimated distance values are not rejected.

9. The drone of claim 1, wherein the state estimator module rejects the distance values estimated by the telemetry sensor, as a function of the difference of a current distance value with respect to a distance prediction obtained from a plurality of distance values obtained for a time succession of pulses emitted by the telemetry sensor.

10. The drone of claim 9, wherein the distance values are rejected with respect to variable thresholds, as a function of an estimation of quality of the surface reflecting the echoes.

11. The drone of claim 9, wherein the state estimator module further calculates an altitude offset value (OFFSET) at the time when the estimated distance values are rejected, and for adding this offset value to the estimated distance value when the the estimated distance values are not rejected.

12. The drone of claim 1, wherein the state estimator module detects in the distance values obtained for a time succession of pulses emitted by the telemetry sensor, two consecutive jumps of opposite sign with similar distance values obtained before and after these two jumps.

13. The drone of claim 12, wherein the state estimator module further calculates an altitude offset value (OFFSET) at the time of the first jump, and for adding this offset value to the distance value estimated at the time of the second jump.

14. The drone of claim 1, wherein the state estimator module detects oscillation, between two values, of the distance values obtained for a time succession of pulses emitted by the telemetry sensor when the drone is in a fixed-point state.

15. The drone of claim 14, wherein the state estimator module further smoothes the distance values successively obtained in the presence of a detected oscillation.

16. The drone of claim 1, wherein the state estimator module detects a loss of the signal delivered by the telemetry sensor due to an absence of reflected echo, to calculate an altitude offset value (OFFSET) at the time of this loss of signal, and to apply this offset value as a telemetry signal at the input of the estimator.

17. The drone of claim 16, wherein, in case of telemetry signal loss:

i) if the altitude of the drone is lower than a given threshold altitude, the recorded offset value is applied at the input of the estimator if this recorded value is present, a predetermined value being applied in the opposite case, and ii) if the altitude of the drone is higher than said given threshold altitude, the recorded offset value is applied unchanged at the input of the estimator.