Intel Corporation

Tahoe Research, Ltd.

Markus Achtelik

Daniel Pohl

Daniel Gurdan

Jan Stumpf

Bastian Jaeger

Jan Willem Vervoorst

Andre Ryll

Thomas Seiler

Stefan Menzel

Anna Magdalena Bloeckner

According to various aspects, a collision avoidance method may include: receiving depth information of one or more depth imaging sensors of an unmanned aerial vehicle; determining from the depth information a first obstacle located within a first distance range and movement information associated with the first obstacle; determining from the depth information a second obstacle located within a second distance range and movement information associated with the second obstacle, the second distance range is distinct from the first distance range, determining a virtual force vector based on the determined movement information, and controlling flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the virtual force vector to avoid a collision of the unmanned aerial vehicle with the first obstacle and the second obstacle.

Collision avoidance system, depth imaging system, vehicle, map generator and methods thereof

An unmanned aerial vehicle is described having a support frame, a sensor arrangement consisting of a sensor array including at least one sensor, the sensor array having a limited detection field of up to approximately 90 degrees. The at least one sensor is fixedly mounted to the support frame. The at least one sensor is arranged in a flight direction of the unmanned aerial vehicle. The unmanned aerial vehicle further includes a holding structure having a camera holder. The holding structure is mounted to the support frame. The holding structure is configured to provide a continuous 360 degree movement of the camera holder. The unmanned aerial vehicle further includes a first circuit configured to receive sensor data from the at least one sensor. The first circuit is further configured to determine obstacle avoidance data based on the sensor data. The unmanned aerial vehicle further includes a second circuit configured to receive image data from a camera mounted in the camera holder. The second circuit is further configured to determine holding structure control data to control movement of the holding structure based on the image data.

Unmanned aerial vehicle

An unmanned aerial vehicle may include a flight control circuit configured to control flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle and to provide a flight path based at least on an actual position of the unmanned aerial vehicle and a desired target position for the unmanned aerial vehicle; and at least one sensor configured to monitor an environment of the unmanned aerial vehicle and to detect one or more obstacles in the environment; wherein the flight control circuit is further configured to determine a local flight path to avoid a collision with one or more detected obstacles, and to superimpose the flight path with the local flight path, thereby generating a flight path to the desired target position avoiding a collision with the one or more detected obstacles.

Unmanned aerial vehicle avoiding obstacles

According to various aspects, an obstacle map generator is provided, including: one or more processors configured to receive one or more depth images from a depth imaging system, determine, for each depth image of the one or more received depth images, a first set of pixels and a second set of pixels, each pixel of the first set of pixels has a depth value assigned thereto and each pixel of the second set of pixels has no depth value assigned thereto or has a depth value outside a predefined depth value range assigned thereto, assign a pre-defined depth value to one or more pixels of the second set of pixels, and generate an obstacle map based on the determined first set of pixels and the one or more pixels of the second set of pixels having the pre-defined depth value assigned thereto.

Collision avoidance system, depth imaging system, vehicle, obstacle map generator, and methods thereof

Unmanned aerial vehicle-based systems and related methods for aerial vehicle-based systems and methods for generating landscape models are disclosed herein. An example unmanned aerial vehicle includes a communicator to receive an instruction for the unmanned aerial vehicle to fly over an area of interest. The example unmanned aerial vehicle includes a camera to generate sensor data for the area of interest. The example unmanned aerial vehicle includes data generator to generate a three-dimensional model of the area of interest based on the sensor data. The communicator is to communicate the three-dimensional model to a vehicle.

Unmanned aerial vehicle-based systems and methods for generating landscape models

Unmanned aerial vehicle-based systems and methods for agricultural landscape modeling are disclosed herein. An example unmanned aerial vehicle includes a communicator to receive an instruction to request the unmanned aerial vehicle to fly over an area of interest. The instruction is from a vehicle in the area of interest. The unmanned aerial vehicle is to fly over the area of interest. The example unmanned aerial vehicle includes a camera to generate image data for the area of interest. The example unmanned aerial vehicle includes a data generator to generate a vegetation landscape model of the area of interest based on the image data. The communicator is to communicate the vegetation landscape model to the vehicle.

Unmanned aerial vehicle-based systems and methods for agricultural landscape modeling

Herein is disclosed an unmanned aerial vehicle light flash comprising a support structure; a camera coupled to the support structure and configured to take a photograph; one or more processors coupled to the support structure and configured to control a predetermined flight plan of the unmanned aerial vehicle, control the camera, generate or process a synchronization signal to synchronize a light flash to be generated by a further unmanned aerial vehicle with a taking of the photograph by the camera; a transceiver coupled to the support structure and configured to transmit or receive the synchronization signal to or from the further unmanned aerial vehicle.

Unmanned aerial vehicle light flash synchronization

Methods and apparatus to reduce a depth map size for use in a collision avoidance system are described herein. Examples described herein may be implemented in an unmanned aerial vehicle. An example unmanned aerial vehicle includes a depth sensor to generate a first depth map. The first depth map includes a plurality of pixels having respective distance values. The unmanned aerial vehicle also includes a depth map modifier to divide the plurality of pixels into blocks of pixels and generate a second depth map having fewer pixels than the first depth map based on distance values of the pixels in the blocks of pixels. The unmanned aerial vehicle further includes a collision avoidance system to analyze the second depth map.

Methods and apparatus to reduce depth map size in collision avoidance systems

According to various aspects, an unmanned aerial vehicle may be described, the unmanned aerial vehicle including: one or more sensors configured to gather thermal information associated with a vicinity of the unmanned aerial vehicle; one or more processors configured to determine at least one control information based on the thermal information and to control the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the at least one control information.

Growing community of inventors

Woerthsee, Germany

Markus Achtelik