Systems and methods for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11733692-B2
Application number	US-202117332007-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 27, 2021
Priority date	Dec 22, 2015
Publication date	Aug 22, 2023
Grant date	Aug 22, 2023

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle are disclosed. The system comprises an image sensor configured to generate output signals conveying visual information, the visual information including one or more images of a user, and one or more physical processors. The one or more physical processors are configured by computer-readable instructions to recognize one or more gestures from the user based on the visual information, interpret the one or more gestures from the user as flight control information, and provide flight control for the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the flight control information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
an image sensor configured to provide visual information; and
one or more physical processors configured by computer-readable instructions to:
recognize one or more gestures based on the visual information;
interpret the one or more gestures as flight control information; and
provide flight control for an aerial vehicle based on the flight control information.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured by the computer-readable instructions to:
interpret the one or more gestures as sensor control information; and
control the image sensor based on the sensor control information.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein to control the image sensor based on the sensor control information comprises to:
control the image sensor through adjustments of at least one of aperture timing, exposure, focal length, angle of view, depth of field, focus, light metering, white balance, resolution, frame rate, object of focus, capture angle, a zoom parameter, video format, a sound parameter, or a compression parameter.

4. The system of claim 2 , further comprising:
a remote controller configured to provide at least one of the flight control information or the sensor control information to the one or more physical processors.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the remote controller is further configured to be carried or worn by a user.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the remote controller is further configured to project a pattern on an object, wherein the one or more physical processors is further configured by the computer-readable instructions to:
recognize the pattern based on the visual information; and
interpret the pattern as at least one of the flight controller information or the sensor control information.

7. The system of claim 4 , wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured by the computer-readable instructions to:
provide the flight control for the aerial vehicle such that a target altitude differential between the aerial vehicle and the remote controller is maintained, wherein the one or more gestures include a gesture interpreted by the one or more physical processors to adjust the target altitude differential.

8. The system of claim 4 , wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured by the computer-readable instructions to:
provide the flight control for the aerial vehicle such that a target cardinal direction between the aerial vehicle and the remote controller is maintained, wherein the one or more gestures include a gesture interpreted by the one or more physical processors to adjust the target cardinal direction.

9. The system of claim 4 , wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured by the computer-readable instructions to:
provide the flight control for the aerial vehicle such that a target distance between the aerial vehicle and the remote controller is maintained, wherein the one or more gestures include a gesture interpreted by one or more physical processors to adjust the target distance.

10. The system of claim 4 , wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured by the computer-readable instructions to:
provide the flight control for the aerial vehicle such that a target distance between the aerial vehicle and the remote controller is maintained, wherein the one or more gestures include a gesture interpreted by the one or more physical processors to rotate the aerial vehicle around the remote controller by a predetermined number of degrees.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured by the computer-readable instructions to:
provide the flight control for the aerial vehicle such that a target distance between the aerial vehicle and an object is maintained, wherein the one or more gestures include a gesture interpreted by the one or more physical processors to adjust the target distance.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flight control includes control of at least one of altitude, longitude, latitude, geographical location, heading, or speed of the aerial vehicle.

13. A method for controlling an aerial vehicle, the method being implemented in a system including a sensor and a processor, the method comprising:
recognizing one or more gestures based on visual information;
interpreting the one or more gestures as flight control information; and
providing flight control for the aerial vehicle based on the flight control information.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
interpreting the one or more gestures as sensor control information; and
controlling the sensor based on the sensor control information.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein controlling the sensor based on the sensor control information comprises:
controlling the sensor through adjustments of at least one of aperture timing, exposure, focal length, angle of view, depth of field, focus, light metering, white balance, resolution, frame rate, object of focus, capture angle, a zoom parameter, video format, a sound parameter, or a compression parameter.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
receiving at least one of the flight control information or the sensor control information from a remote controller.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the remote controller is further configured to project a pattern on an object, the method further comprising:
recognizing the pattern based on the visual information; and
interpreting the pattern as at least one of the flight controller information or the sensor control information.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein providing the flight control for the aerial vehicle based on the flight control information comprises:
maintaining a target altitude differential between the aerial vehicle and the remote controller; and
interpreting the one or more gestures to effectuate an adjustment of the target altitude differential.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the flight control includes control of at least one of altitude, longitude, latitude, geographical location, heading, or speed of the aerial vehicle.

20. A method, comprising:
recognizing one or more gestures based on visual information; and
providing flight control for an aerial vehicle based on the one or more gestures.

Assignees

• Gopro Inc

Inventors

• Lema Pablo
• Ip Shu Ching

Classifications

• B64C39/024

  of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV · CPC title

• B64U10/13

  Flying platforms · CPC title

• B64U10/14

  with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters · CPC title

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• G05D1/0016 Primary

  characterised by the operator's input device (input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00) · CPC title