System and method for adaptive y-axis power usage and non-linear battery usage for unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with action camera system

• US 9,511,878 B1
• Filed: 08/13/2015
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Draganfly Innovations Inc. (Frontier Energy Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Trace Live Network Inc.
• Inventors: McDermott, Craig, McDonald, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Dhaval
• Application Number:
  US14/825,914
• Time in Patent Office: 481 Days
• Field of Search: 340/945, 340/947, 340/950, 340/960, 345/8, 345/46, 345/633, 345/156, 348/14.08, 348/46
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• 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 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/185 Electrical failure alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

A system and method for power management aboard an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) configured to follow a subject based on images captured by an onboard camera includes a power monitor that determines if available power from the UAV'"'"'s onboard batteries has dropped below predetermined thresholds. If a low power level is detected, the power management system may divert power from non-essential systems to the attitude control system to keeping the UAV aloft. If a critical power level is detected, the power management system may shut down other UAV subsystems so that the attitude control system can safely land the UAV. The power management system may send an alert to a smartphone or other device carried by the subject. Position sensors of the subject'"'"'s device may be used to interpolate the position of the UAV based on the subject'"'"'s own position for recovery of the UAV.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:

an airframe;

one or more rotors fixed to the airframe;

one or more motors coupled to the one or more rotors, the one or more motors configured to articulate the one or more rotors at one or more rotor speeds;

an attitude control system coupled to the one or more motors, the attitude control system configured to determine the one or more rotor speeds;

at least one tracking component, the at least one tracking component including at least one of

(1) a camera configured to capture at least one image associated with a subject, the UAV configured to follow the at least one subject at a predetermined orientation based on the at least one image;

(2) an image processor configured to generate at least one image stream based on the at least one image; and

(3) a first transceiver configured to establish a wireless link with a communications device carried by the at least one subject;

at least one power source having a charge level;

a power monitor coupled to the at least one power source, the power monitor configured to determine the at least one charge level;

a power management system coupled to the power monitor and configured to

(1) receive the at least one charge level from the power monitor;

(2) determine whether the at least one charge level is below a first threshold;

(3) if the at least one charge level is below the first threshold, adjust the distribution of power from the at least one power source to one or more of the attitude control system and the one or more tracking components based on the at least one charge level.

2. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the power management system is configured to:

generate at least one first alert associated with the first threshold; and

transmit the at least one first alert to the at least one subject.

3. The UAV of claim 1, wherein the power management system is configured to

determine whether the at least one charge level is below a second threshold;

and

if the at least one charge level is below the second threshold, deactivate the at least one tracking component and direct the attitude control system to land the UAV by adjusting the one or more rotor speeds.

4. The UAV of claim 3, wherein the power management system is configured to:

generate at least one second alert associated with the second threshold; and

transmit the at least one alert to the at least one subject.

5. A system for tracking at least one subject, the system comprising:

at least one unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the at least one UAV including

an airframe;

one or more rotors fixed to the airframe;

one or more motors coupled to the one or more rotors, the one or more motors configured to articulate the one or more rotors at one or more rotor speeds;

an attitude control system coupled to the one or more motors, the attitude control system configured to determine the one or more rotor speeds;

at least one tracking component, the at least one tracking component including at least one of

(1) a camera configured to capture at least one image associated with the at least one subject, the UAV configured to follow the at least one subject at a predetermined orientation based on the at least one image;

(2) an image processor configured to generate at least one image stream based on the at least one image; and

(3) a first transceiver configured to establish a wireless link with a communications device carried by the at least one subject;

at least one power source having a charge level;

a power monitor coupled to the at least one power source, the power monitor configured to determine the at least one charge level;

at least one power management system coupled to the power monitor and configured to

     1) receive the at least one charge level from the power monitor and

     2) based on the at least one charge level, distribute power from the at least one power source to one or more of the attitude control system and the at least one tracking component;

the at least one communications device including

at least one position sensor configured to determine a first position of the at least one subject;

a clock configured to associate a time with the at least one first position;

at least one processor configured to generate one or more timestamps, each timestamp of the one or more timestamps including at least a first position and a time associated with the first position;

a memory configured to store the at least one timestamp;

a second transceiver configured to transmit the at least one timestamp to the at least one UAV via the wireless link;

the at least one processor further configured to

     1) determine the at least one orientation;

     2) transmit the at least one orientation to the at least one UAV via the wireless link; and

at least one display unit.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the power management system is configured to

determine whether the at least one charge level is below a first threshold;

if the at least one charge level is below the first threshold,

     1) distribute power to the attitude control system and

     2) distribute power to at least one tracking component based on the distribution of power to the attitude control system.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the power management system is configured to

generate at least one first alert associated with the first threshold;

and

transmit the at least one first alert to the at least one communications device via the wireless link.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the power management system is configured to

determine whether the at least one charge level is below a second threshold;

if the at least one charge level is below the second threshold,

     1) deactivate at least one tracking component and

     2) direct the attitude control system to land the at least one UAV by adjusting the one or more rotor speeds.

9. The system of claim 8, where the power management system is configured to

generate at least one second alert associated with the second threshold;

and

transmit the at least one second alert to the at least one communications device via the wireless link.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein:

the at least one processor is configured to interpolate at least one second position of the at least one UAV based on the at least one timestamp and the at least one orientation; and

the memory is configured to store the at least one second position.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one communications device is configured to:

when at least one of a first alert and a second alert is received, notify the at least one subject via at least one of an auditory alert, a haptic alert, and a visual alert displayed by the display unit; and

when a second alert is received, direct the at least one subject to return to at least one second position via the at least one display unit.

12. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one communications device includes at least one of a smartphone, a tablet, and a portable computing device.

13. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one position sensor includes at least one of a GNSS receiver, an accelerometer, a magnetometer, a compass, an inertial sensor, and a displacement sensor.

14. The system of claim 5, wherein:

the at least one communications device includes a Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) configured to determine a signal strength of the wireless link; and

each timestamp of the one or more timestamps includes a first signal strength associated with at least one of the first position and the associated time.

15. A method for power management aboard an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) configured to follow at least one subject, the method comprising:

determining whether a charge level of at least one power source of the UAV is below a first threshold; and

if the at least one charge level is below the first threshold,

adjusting the distribution of power from the at least one power source to at least one of an attitude control system of the UAV and a subsystem of the UAV;

generating at least one first alert associated with the first threshold; and

transmitting the at least one first alert to a communications device of the at least one subject via a first transceiver of the UAV.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein adjusting the distribution of power from the at least one power source to at least one of an attitude control system of the UAV and a subsystem of the UAV includes:

adjusting the distribution of power from the at least one power source to at least one of an attitude control system of the UAV and at least one of a camera of the UAV configured to capture at least one image, the UAV configured to follow the at least one subject based on the at least one image;

an image processor of the UAV, the image processor configured to generate at least one image stream based on the at least one image; and

the first transceiver.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein adjusting the distribution of power from the at least one power source to at least one of an attitude control system of the UAV and a subsystem of the UAV includes:

reducing the power supply to the at least one subsystem of the UAV.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining whether the at least one charge level is below a second threshold;

if the at least one charge level is below the second threshold,

deactivating the at least one subsystem of the UAV;

directing the UAV to land by adjusting at least one rotor speed associated with a rotor of the UAV;

generating at least one second alert associated with the second threshold; and

transmitting the at least one second alert to the at least one communications device via the first transceiver.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving the at least one second alert via the at least one communications device;

displaying the at least one second alert to the at least one subject via the at least one communications device;

interpolating a first position of the at least one UAV via at least one position sensor of the at least one communications device;

directing the at least one subject to the at least one first position via a display unit of the at least one communications device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein displaying the at least one second alert to the at least one subject via the at least one communications device includes:

displaying the at least one second alert to the at least one subject via the at least one communications device by at least one of an auditory alert, a haptic alert, and a visual alert displayed by the at least one display unit.