UAV measuring apparatus and UAV measuring system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10324183-B2
Application number	US-201715702902-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 13, 2017
Priority date	Sep 16, 2016
Publication date	Jun 18, 2019
Grant date	Jun 18, 2019

Abstract

The invention provides a UAV measuring apparatus, which comprises a flying vehicle, a laser scanner mounted on the flying vehicle and for performing two-dimensional scanning with a reference optical axis extending in an approximately vertically downward direction as the center, an image pickup unit having an image pickup optical axis parallel to the reference optical axis and a control arithmetic component, wherein the control arithmetic component is configured to synchronize the two-dimensional scanning performed by the laser scanner with an image pickup performed by the image pickup unit, and to correspond a scanning locus obtained by the two-dimensional scanning with an acquired image.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) measuring apparatus comprising: a flying vehicle, a laser scanner mounted on said flying vehicle and for performing two-dimensional scanning with a reference optical axis extending in an approximately vertically downward direction as the center, an image pickup unit having an image pickup optical axis parallel to said reference optical axis and a control arithmetic component, wherein said control arithmetic component is configured to synchronize said two-dimensional scanning performed by said laser scanner with an image pickup performed by said image pickup unit, and to correspond a scanning locus obtained by said two-dimensional scanning with an acquired image, and
wherein said control arithmetic component is configured to use a plurality of images with overlapping portions and said scanning loci, and to determine point where said scanning loci intersect with each other as a connecting point, and to connect said images with said scanning loci based on said connecting point.

2. The UAV measuring apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said two-dimensional scanning is a closed loop.

3. The UAV measuring apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said control arithmetic component is configured to image-match a previous image and a subsequent image which are acquired sequentially, to repeat to take over an information of a scanning locus included in said previous image to a corresponding portion of said subsequent image, and to integrate said information of said scanning locus in one image.

4. The UAV measuring apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an attitude detector for detecting a tilt angle with respect to a verticality, wherein said attitude detector is configured to detect a tilt angle of said reference optical axis with respect to the verticality, and said control arithmetic component is configured to correct scanning data obtained by said laser scanner based on the detected tilt angle and to correct an acquired image to a horizontal image.

5. The UAV measuring apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein said control arithmetic component is configured to acquire two images in which said information of said scanning locus are integrated in such a manner that an overlapping portion is present, to correct said two images to a horizontal image based on a detection result of said attitude detector, to image-match said two images based on said scanning loci present in said overlapping portion in common, and to fabricate a detailed three-dimensional map.

6. A UAV measuring system comprising a UAV measuring apparatus according to claim 1 and a total station installed at a known position, wherein said UAV measuring apparatus has a prism provided with a predetermined relationship with a reference position of said laser scanner, said total station is configured to measure said prism while tracking said prism, and to convert a measurement result by said UAV measuring apparatus into three-dimensional data of a ground coordinates system based on a distance measurement result of said total station.

7. A UAV measuring system comprising a UAV measuring apparatus according to claim 2 and a total station installed at a known position, wherein said UAV measuring apparatus has a prism provided with a predetermined relationship with a reference position of said laser scanner, said total station is configured to measure said prism while tracking said prism, and to convert a measurement result by said UAV measuring apparatus into three-dimensional data of a ground coordinates system based on a distance measurement result of said total station.

8. A UAV measuring system comprising a UAV measuring apparatus according to claim 3 and a total station installed at a known position, wherein said UAV measuring apparatus has a prism provided with a predetermined relationship with a reference position of said laser scanner, said total station is configured to measure said prism while tracking said prism, and to convert a measurement result by said UAV measuring apparatus into three-dimensional data of a ground coordinates system based on a distance measurement result of said total station.

9. A UAV measuring system comprising a UAV measuring apparatus according to claim 4 and a total station installed at a known position, wherein said UAV measuring apparatus has a prism provided with a predetermined relationship with a reference position of said laser scanner, said total station is configured to measure said prism while tracking said prism, and to convert a measurement result by said UAV measuring apparatus into three-dimensional data of a ground coordinates system based on a distance measurement result of said total station.

10. A UAV measuring system comprising a UAV measuring apparatus according to claim 5 and a total station installed at a known position, wherein said UAV measuring apparatus has a prism provided with a predetermined relationship with a reference position of said laser scanner, said total station is configured to measure said prism while tracking said prism, and to convert a measurement result by said UAV measuring apparatus into three-dimensional data of a ground coordinates system based on a distance measurement result of said total station.

Assignees

• Topcon Corp

Inventors

• Ohtomo Fumio
• Kumagai Kaoru

Classifications

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• G01S17/42

  Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates (indirect measurement G01S17/46) · CPC title

• G01C9/02

  Details · CPC title

• G01S7/4808

  Evaluating distance, position or velocity data · CPC title

• G06T7/30

  Determination of transform parameters for the alignment of images, i.e. image registration · CPC title