Methods and systems for landing of unmanned aerial vehicle

• US 9,889,932 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2016
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TATA Consultancy Services Limited (Tata Sons Pvt Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: TATA Consultancy Services Limited (Tata Sons Pvt Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sharma, Hrishikesh, Purushothaman, Balamuralidhar
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US15/087,298
• Publication Number:
  US 20170017240A1
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 701 4
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/00 UAVs characterised by their flight controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/00 Launching, take-off or landing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/93 for use on a land or nautical vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0676 specially adapted for landing

Abstract

This disclosure relates generally to Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), and more particularly to system and a method for landing of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). In one embodiment, the method includes estimating a 3-dimensional (3D) location of at least one media sensor mounted on the UAV relative to a marker representative of a landing location of the UAV. The marker comprises a recursive geometrical pattern. The landing of the UAV on the marker at the landing location is facilitated based on the 3D location of the at least one media sensor mounted on the UAV relative to the marker.

Claims

1. A processor-implemented method for landing of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:

estimating, via one or more hardware processors, a 3-dimensional (3D) location of at least one media sensor mounted on the UAV relative to a marker representative of a landing location of the UAV, the marker comprising a recursive geometrical pattern, and wherein the recursive geometrical pattern comprises a recursive fractal pattern; and

facilitating, via the one or more hardware processors, landing of the UAV on the marker at the landing location based on the 3D location of the at least one media sensor mounted on the UAV relative to the marker.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the recursive fractal pattern comprises a Sierpinski fractal pattern.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the recursive fractal pattern comprises a plurality of polygons, the plurality of polygons being self-similar, wherein size of each polygon of the plurality of polygons is from among a set of preconfigured sizes.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising performing a scanning, by the at least one media sensor mounted on the UV, to detect at least one portion of the marker, wherein detecting the at least one portion of the marker comprises capturing an image of the at least one portion of the marker containing at least one complete polygon.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one portion of the marker comprises a complete marker pattern, and the image of the at least one portion of the marker comprises an image of the complete marker pattern, and wherein estimating the 3D location of the at least one media sensor relative to the marker comprises:

determining a centroid of the complete marker pattern based on the size of the plurality of polygons in the complete image;

determining a 3D orientation of the at least one media sensor relative to the centroid of the complete marker pattern; and

estimating an altitude of the UAV based on the 3D orientation of the at least one media sensor.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising assigning a distinct color code to each polygon of the plurality of polygons, the color code being indicative of an order and relative orientation of the polygon with respect to a centroid of the marker.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one portion of the marker comprises a partial marker pattern, and the image of the at least one portion of the partial marker comprises a partial image of the marker having a set of polygons, and wherein estimating the 3D location of the at least one media sensor relative to the marker comprises:

extrapolating the partial image the marker to generate the complete marker image based on the distinct color coding assigned to each of the polygon within the set of polygons;

determining a centroid of the complete marker image based on the size of the plurality of polygons in the complete image;

determining a 3D orientation of the at least one media sensor relative to the centroid of the complete marker pattern; and

estimating an altitude of the UAV based on the 3D orientation of the at least one media sensor.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the landing location comprises a static surface.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the marker being located on a ground vehicle (GV), the GV is in one of a static condition and mobile condition.

10. A computer implemented system for landing of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), the system comprising:

at least one media sensor;

at least one memory; and

one or more hardware processors, the at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor wherein the at least one processor is capable of executing programmed instructions stored in the at least one memory to;

estimate a 3-dimensional (3D) location of the at least one media sensor mounted on the UAV relative to a marker representative of a landing location of the UAV, the marker comprising a recursive geometrical pattern, and wherein the recursive geometrical pattern comprises a recursive fractal pattern; and

facilitate landing of the UAV on the marker at the landing location based on the 3D location of the at least one media sensor mounted on the UAV relative to the marker.

11. The system of claimed in claim 10, wherein the recursive fractal pattern comprises a Sierpinski fractal pattern.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the Sierpinski fractal pattern comprises a plurality of polygons, the plurality of polygons being self-similar, wherein size of each polygon of the plurality of polygons is from among a set of preconfigured sizes.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more hardware processors are further configured by the instructions to perform a scanning, by the at least one media sensor mounted on the UV, to detect at least one portion of the marker, wherein for detecting the at least one portion of the marker, the one or more hardware processors are further configured by the instructions to capture an image of the at least one portion of the marker containing at least one complete polygon.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one portion of the marker comprises a complete marker pattern, and the image of the at least one portion of the marker comprises an image of the complete marker pattern, and wherein for estimating the 3D location of the at least one media sensor relative to the marker, the one or more hardware processors are further configured by the instructions to:

determine a centroid of the complete marker pattern based on the size of the plurality of polygons in the complete image;

determine a 3D orientation of the at least one media sensor relative to the centroid of the complete marker pattern; and

estimate an altitude of the UAV based on the 3D orientation of the at least one media sensor.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more hardware processors are further configured by the instructions to assign a distinct color code to each polygon of the plurality of polygons, the color code being indicative of an order and relative orientation of the polygon with respect to a centroid of the marker.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one portion of the marker comprises a partial marker pattern, and the image of the at least one portion of the partial marker comprises a partial image of the marker having a set of polygons, and wherein for estimating the 3D location of the at least one media sensor relative to the marker, the one or more hardware processors are further configured by the instructions to:

extrapolate the partial image the marker to generate the complete marker image based on the distinct color coding assigned to each of the polygon within the set of polygons;

determine a centroid of the complete marker image based on the size of the plurality of polygons in the complete image;

determine a 3D orientation of the at least one media sensor relative to the centroid of the complete marker pattern; and

estimate an altitude of the UAV based on the 3D orientation of the at least one media sensor.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the marker being located on a ground vehicle (GV), and the GV is in one of a static condition and mobile condition.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program for executing a method for landing of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:

estimating a 3-dimensional (3D) location of at least one media sensor mounted on the UAV relative to a marker representative of a landing location of the UAV, the marker comprising a recursive geometrical pattern, and wherein the recursive geometrical pattern comprises a recursive fractal pattern; and

facilitating landing of the UAV on the marker at the landing location based on the 3D location of the at least one media sensor mounted on the UAV relative to the marker.