UAV FLIGHT DISPLAY

• US 20160117853A1
• Filed: 10/14/2015
• Published: 04/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2014
• 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: Zhong, Heli, Zhang, Zhiyuan, Li, Xiaojun
• Granted Patent: US 10,086,954 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/87 Mounting of imaging devices, e.g. mounting of gimbals
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• 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: G01C 21/387 Organisation of map data, e.g. version management or database structures
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices are provided for displaying flight information related to a UAV. The UAV may carry a payload via a carrier that may permit the payload to move relative to the UAV. UAV related information including UAV state information and payload state information can be provided to a remote display terminal. The UAV state information can include position information as well as attitude information of the UAV. The payload state information can include attitude information of the payload relative to the UAV. The remote display terminal can be configured to simultaneously display the UAV state information and the payload state information so as to provide the user with an intuitive, comprehensive, yet efficient user interface.

Claims

1. A method for providing flight information related to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) coupled to a payload, said method comprising:

receiving, by a remote terminal, UAV state information comprising at least attitude information of the UAV when the UAV is airborne;

receiving, by the remote terminal, payload state information comprising at least attitude information of the payload relative to the UAV when the UAV is airborne; and

simultaneously displaying the UAV state information and the payload state information on a display of the remote terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the UAV state information further comprises a distance of the UAV relative to a reference point.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the reference point includes a location of the remote terminal or a home point for the UAV to return to.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the reference point includes an object within a predetermined range from the UAV.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the UAV state information and the payload state information comprises displaying said information in one or more display regions.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein a display region for displaying the UAV state information and a display region for displaying the payload state information at least partially overlap.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more display regions comprises an icon display region and a flight parameters display region.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the UAV state information and the payload state information comprises displaying one or more graphical indicators.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more graphical indicators comprise an attitude indicator used to indicate an orientation of the UAV and/or the payload relative to a pitch axis, a roll axis, or a yaw axis.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein an area used to display the attitude indicator is used to display a position and/or bearing of the UAV.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the area used to display the attitude indicator is used to display a field of view (FOV) of the payload.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the area used to display the attitude indicator is used to display one or more range indicators.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the range indicators include one or more concentric range rings, each with a radius corresponding to a geographic distance by a predetermined ratio.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving state information of the remote terminal and simultaneously displaying the remote terminal state information with the UAV state information and the payload state information.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the remote terminal information comprises a position and/or orientation of the remote terminal.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein displaying the remote terminal state information with the UAV state information and the payload state information comprises displaying a spatial relationship between the remote terminal and the UAV.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving payload data obtained by the payload and simultaneously displaying the payload data with the UAV state information and the payload state information.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the UAV is coupled to a payload via a carrier that permits the payload to move relative to the UAV.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving one or more user-defined parameters and wherein the display is based at least in part on the user-defined parameters.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying additional information in response to a user selection of a user interface control.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the user interface control includes an icon representing the UAV and the additional information includes a three-dimensional (3D) depiction of the UAV'"'"'s spatial orientation relative to the remote terminal.

22. A system for providing flight information related to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) coupled to a payload, said system comprising:

a receiver configured to receive UAV state information comprising at least attitude information of the UAV and payload state information comprising at least attitude information of the payload relative to the UAV when the UAV is airborne; and

one or more processors, collectively or individually, configured to simultaneously display the UAV state information and the payload state information on a display that is remote to the UAV.

23. A method for providing flight information related to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) coupled to a payload, said method comprising:

receiving, by a remote terminal, UAV state information comprising at least position information of the UAV;

receiving, by the remote terminal, payload state information comprising at least attitude information of the payload relative to the UAV; and

simultaneously displaying the payload state information and a map showing the state information of the UAV on a display of the remote terminal.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising receiving image data captured by the payload and displaying the image data with the payload state information.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising displaying the image data with the map.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the map overlaps with the image data.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the map shows a spatial relationship between the UAV and one or more reference points.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the map shows a field of view (FOV) of the payload or a flight path of the UAV.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein the UAV is coupled to a payload via a carrier that permits the payload to move relative to the UAV.

30. A system for providing flight information of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) coupled to a payload, said system comprising:

a receiver configured to receive UAV state information comprising at least position information of the UAV and payload state information comprising at least attitude information of the payload relative to the UAV; and

one or more processors, collectively or individually, configured to simultaneously display the payload state information and a map showing the state information of the UAV on a remote terminal.