Flying sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018099744-A1
Application number	US-201715727629-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 8, 2017
Priority date	Oct 7, 2016
Publication date	Apr 12, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A flying sensor comprising an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and at least one profiler mounted on the UAV, the profiler comprising a base, a scanning unit for providing (LiDAR) data, the scanning unit mounted on the base and comprising a shaft carrying a deflector and being mounted in the scanning unit and rotatable, a transmitter transmitting a transmission beam, a first receiver configured for receiving a first reception beam reflected from the setting via the deflector, and an electric port configured for connecting the profiler to the UAV, and comprising a data interface and a power interface, and wherein the UAV comprises a visual sensor providing visual data, and comprising one or more cameras, a pose sensor for providing pose data, and a computer to compute a 3 D point cloud based on the LiDar data and a Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping (SLAM) algorithm using the visual and pose data.

First claim

1 . A flying sensor comprising:
an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV); and at least one profiler mounted on the UAV, wherein the at least one profiler comprises:
a base;
a scanning unit configured for providing Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) data, the scanning unit mounted on the base and comprising:
a shaft carrying a deflector, the shaft being mounted in the scanning unit and rotatable about a rotation axis,
a first transmitter configured for transmitting a first transmission beam via the deflector towards a setting,
a first receiver configured for receiving a first reception beam reflected from the setting via the deflector, and
an electric port configured for connecting the profiler to the UAV, said

electric port comprising a data interface and a power interface, wherein the UAV comprises:
a visual sensor for providing visual data, the visual sensor comprising one or more cameras,
a pose sensor for providing pose data, the pose sensor comprising:
an Inertial Measuring Unit (IMU), and
a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) sensor or a Pseudo GNSS sensor,

a computer configured to generate a 3D point cloud of the setting based on the LiDar data and a Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping (SLAM) algorithm using the visual data and the pose data.

2 . The flying sensor according to claim 1 ,
wherein the pose sensor is integrated in one single box, which is modularly mounted on a main body of the UAV.

3 . The flying sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the profiler is mounted on a main body of the UAV in such a way that a nodal point of the scanning unit ispositioned
in a levelled state of the UAV and vertically below a central point of the GNSS sensor.

4 . The flying sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the scanning unit comprises:
second transmitter configured to transmit a second transmission beam via the deflector towards a setting, and a second receiver configured to receive a second reception beam reflected from the setting via the deflector.

5 . The flying sensor according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first transmission beam and the second transmission beam is a transmission beam fan.

6 . The flying sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the profiler further comprises at least one add-on scanning unit configured similar to the scanning unit.

7 . The flying sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the UAV comprises:
a plurality of propellers, and an aviation unit configured for providing aviation data, the aviation data comprising data regarding at least one of a height and a velocity of the UAV, and wherein the computer is configured for controlling the propellers based at least on the aviation data and the pose data.

8 . The flying sensor according to claim 5 , wherein the SLAM algorithm is further using the aviation data.

9 . The flying sensor according to claim 1 , wherein by the base, the profiler is configured to be mounted on one of:
an upper side, a lateral side, and a bottom side of a main body of the UAV.

10 . The flying sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the scanning unit is mounted to the base by one of:
a pivot joint, a gimbal joint, and a ball joint.

11 . The flying sensor according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a wireless communication unit, wherein the computer is configured for receiving commands by a remote control via the wireless communication unit.

12 . The flying sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the power interface is configured to provide electric power from a battery of the UAV to the profiler.

13 . The flying sensor according to any of claim 7 , wherein the computer is configured for controlling the propellers further based on the LiDar data and the visual data.

14 . The flying sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the computer is configured for controlling at least one of:
a landing approach, a collision avoidance, hovering, and automatic height control, based at least in part on the LiDar data, the visual data and the pose data.

15 . The flying sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one camera of the visual sensor is one of:
a thermal infrared camera, and a hyperspectral camera.

Assignees

• Leica Geosystems Ag

Inventors

• Böckem Burkhard
• Dold Jürgen
• Mark Simon

Classifications

• G01S17/89

  for mapping or imaging · CPC title

• G01S17/86

  Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders · CPC title

• G01S7/4813

  Housing arrangements · CPC title

• G01S7/4817

  relating to scanning · CPC title

• G01S7/4808 Primary

  Evaluating distance, position or velocity data · CPC title