Unmanned aerial vehicles, videography, and control methods

Abstract

Videography of surfaces and improved positional control of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) are disclosed. Embodiments include a 'panning' piloting scenario. The panning can include control parameters relative to a normal vector to a point P of a plane representing a surface, or relative to a direction of gravity and attributes of the surface. For example, the UAV can be programmed, or controlled, to 'pan' about the point on the plane maintaining a certain distance therefrom while rotating about angles to the normal vector. Methods of estimating a surface include determining a plane including three non-collinear points of the surface. The plane determined can be relative to the direction of gravity, such as vertically parallel to gravity. A piloting routine can include piloting a UAV to various angles relative to the vector normal to the plane and distances to the location on the surface and/or point on the plane.