Velocity control for an unmanned aerial vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9625907-B2
Application number	US-201514801599-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 16, 2015
Priority date	Sep 5, 2014
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle within an environment are provided. In one aspect, a system comprises one or more sensors carried on the unmanned aerial vehicle and configured to receive sensor data of the environment and one or more processors. The one or more processors may be individually or collectively configured to: determine, based on the sensor data, an environmental complexity factor representative of an obstacle density for the environment; determine, based on the environmental complexity factor, one or more operating rules for the unmanned aerial vehicle; receive a signal indicating a desired movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle; and cause the unmanned aerial vehicle to move in accordance with the signal while complying with the one or more operating rules.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle within an environment, the system comprising:
one or more sensors carried on the unmanned aerial vehicle and configured to receive sensor data of the environment; and
one or more processors individually or collectively configured to:
determine, based on the sensor data, an environmental complexity factor representative of an obstacle density for the environment,
select, based on the determined environmental complexity factor, one or more operating rules for the unmanned aerial vehicle,
receive a signal indicating a desired movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle in said environment, and
cause the unmanned aerial vehicle to move in accordance with the signal while complying with the selected one or more operating rules.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise at least one of the following: a vision sensor, a lidar sensor, or an ultrasonic sensor.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise a plurality of different sensor types.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle is caused to move in accordance with the signal while complying with the selected one or more operating rules without manual intervention.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the environmental complexity factor is determined based on a three-dimensional digital representation of the environment generated using the sensor data.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the three-dimensional digital representation comprises a three-dimensional point cloud or an occupancy grid.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more operating rules are determined based on previously obtained flight data.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more operating rules are configured to reduce collisions between the unmanned aerial vehicle and obstacles in the environment.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more operating rules comprise one or more velocity rules.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more velocity rules are determined using a first-in-first-out (FIFO) queue of previously determined velocity rules.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more velocity rules comprise a velocity limit for the unmanned aerial vehicle.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more velocity rules are determined based on a minimum braking distance for the unmanned aerial vehicle.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more operating rules comprise one or more altitude rules.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the signal comprises a user input command.

15. A method for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle within an environment, the method comprising:
receiving sensor data of the environment from one or more sensors carried on the unmanned aerial vehicle;
determining, based on the sensor data and with aid of a processor, an environmental complexity factor representative of an obstacle density for the environment;
selecting, based on the determined environmental complexity factor and with aid of the processor, one or more operating rules for the unmanned aerial vehicle;
receiving a signal indicating a desired movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle in said environment; and
causing the unmanned aerial vehicle to move in accordance with the signal while complying with the selected one or more operating rules.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise at least one of the following: a vision sensor, a lidar sensor, or an ultrasonic sensor.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise a plurality of different sensor types.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle is caused to move in accordance with the signal while complying with the selected one or more operating rules without manual intervention.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the environmental complexity factor is determined based on a three-dimensional digital representation of the environment generated using the sensor data.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the three-dimensional digital representation comprises a three-dimensional point cloud or an occupancy grid.

21. The method of claim 15 , wherein the one or more operating rules are determined based on previously obtained flight data.

22. The method of claim 15 , wherein the one or more operating rules are configured to reduce collisions between the unmanned aerial vehicle and obstacles in the environment.

23. The method of claim 15 , wherein the one or more operating rules comprise one or more velocity rules.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the one or more velocity rules are determined using a first-in-first-out (FIFO) queue of previously determined velocity rules.

25. The method of claim 23 , wherein the one or more velocity rules comprise a velocity limit for the unmanned aerial vehicle.

26. The method of claim 23 , wherein the one or more velocity rules are determined based on a minimum braking distance for the unmanned aerial vehicle.

27. The method of claim 15 , wherein the one or more operating rules comprise one or more altitude rules.

28. The method of claim 15 , wherein the signal comprises a user input command.

Assignees

• Sz Dji Technology Co Ltd
• Sz Dj Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hu Xiao
• Liu Ang
• Zhou Guyue
• Pan Xuyang

Classifications

• B64U2201/20

  Remote controls · CPC title

• B64U2201/10

  autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS] · CPC title

• G05D1/0088 Primary

  characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours (using knowledge based models G06N5/00) · CPC title

• G05D1/102

  specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft · CPC title

• G05D1/0011

  associated with a remote control arrangement · CPC title