System and method for controlling a movable object

Abstract

Systems and methods can control a movable object such as an unmanned vehicle when an active object is present. A controller can detect active objects in a surrounding area of ​​the movable object, wherein the surrounding area of ​​the movable object is configured as a plurality of operating areas. The controller can then determine an operating mode for operating the movable object using the active objects detected in the surrounding area of ​​the movable object, so as to apply different operating modes to operate the movable object when the active object is located in different operating areas. In addition, the controller can apply a control scheme associated with the operating mode to control the operation of the movable object.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to the control of movable objects, and more particularly, but not limited to, the control of unmanned vehicles. Background Art

[0002] Unmanned vehicles such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can be used to perform surveillance, reconnaissance and exploration missions for various applications. Due to the widespread popularity of UAVs and the high expectations of the UAV market, there is a need to add more attractive functions to UAVs. For example, it is desirable for UAVs to operate in environments where there are moving objects. This is the general area that embodiments of the present invention are intended to address. Summary of the invention

[0003] Described herein are systems and methods that can control an unmanned vehicle in the presence of an active object. A controller can detect an active object in a vicinity of a movable object. The controller can then use the active object in the vicinity of the movable object to determine an operating mode for operating the movable object. In addition, the controller can apply a control scheme associated with the operating mode to control the operation of the movable object. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] Figure 1 A movable object environment according to various embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0005] Figure 2 An exemplary carrier in a movable object environment according to an embodiment is shown.

[0006] Figure 3 Control of UAV movement in the presence of one or more moving objects according to various embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0007] Figure 4 Exemplary diagrams are shown for illustrating transitions between various UAV operating modes according to various embodiments of the present invention.

[0008] Figure 5 Exemplary UAV operating mechanisms according to various embodiments of the present invention are shown.

[0009] Figure 6 Support for interaction between active objects and UAVs according to various embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0010] Figure 7 Exemplary control schemes for controlling a UAV according to various embodiments of the present invention are shown.

[0011] Figure 8 Exemplary control schemes for supporting interactive modes according to various embodiments of the present invention are shown.

[0012] Fig. 9 Control of a UAV in an interactive mode is shown according to various embodiments of the present invention.

[0013] Fig.10 A flow chart of controlling a movable object when there are active objects in a movable object environment according to various embodiments of the present invention is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] By way of example and not limitation, embodiments of the present invention are illustrated in the figures of the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals indicate like elements. It should be noted that references to "an embodiment" or "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" in this disclosure do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one embodiment.

[0015] The following description of the present invention uses an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) as an example of a movable object. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other types of movable objects may be used without limitation.

[0016] According to various embodiments of the present invention, the system can automatically track and detect target active objects for a long time, for example using a movable object such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) (which has limited resources, for example, in terms of computing power and power resources). In addition, the system can provide a re-localization capability once the target is lost.

[0017] Figure 1 1 shows a movable object environment according to various embodiments of the present invention. Figure 1 As shown, movable objects 118 in movable object environment 100 may include carrier 102 and payload 104. Although movable object 118 may be depicted as an aircraft, this description is not intended to be limiting, and any suitable type of movable object may be used. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that any embodiments described herein in the context of an aircraft system may be applied to any suitable movable object (e.g., a UAV). In some cases, payload 104 may be disposed on movable object 118 without carrier 102.

[0018] According to various embodiments of the invention, movable object 118 may include one or more movement mechanisms 106 (eg, propulsion mechanisms), sensing systems 108 , and communication systems 110 .

[0019] The mobile mechanism 106 may include one or more of a rotor, a propeller, a blade, an engine, a motor, a wheel, a shaft, a magnet, a nozzle, an animal, or a human. For example, the movable object may have one or more propulsion mechanisms. All mobile mechanisms 106 may be of the same type. Alternatively, the mobile mechanisms 106 may be different types of mobile mechanisms. The mobile mechanism 106 may be mounted on the movable object 118 (or vice versa) using any suitable method such as a support element (e.g., a drive shaft). The mobile mechanism 106 may be mounted on any suitable part of the movable object 118, such as the top, bottom, front, rear, side, or a suitable combination thereof.

[0020] In some embodiments, the mobile mechanism 106 can enable the movable object 118 to take off vertically from a surface or land vertically on a surface without any horizontal movement of the movable object 118 (for example, without traveling along a runway). Optionally, the mobile mechanism 106 can be operable to allow the movable object 118 to hover in the air at a specific position and / or orientation. One or more of the mobile mechanisms 106 can be controlled independently of other mobile mechanisms. Alternatively, the mobile mechanism 106 can be configured to be controlled simultaneously. For example, the movable object 118 can have multiple horizontally oriented rotors, which can provide lift and / or thrust to the movable object. Multiple horizontally oriented rotors can be driven to provide vertical take-off, vertical landing and hovering capabilities to the movable object 118. In some embodiments, one or more of the horizontally oriented rotors can rotate in a clockwise direction, and of course one or more of the horizontal rotors can also rotate in a counterclockwise direction. For example, the number of clockwise rotors can be equal to the number of counterclockwise rotors. The rotational speed of each horizontally oriented rotor may be independently varied in order to control the lift and / or thrust generated by each rotor, thereby adjusting the spatial placement, velocity, and / or acceleration of movable object 118 (eg, with respect to up to three degrees of translation and three degrees of rotation).

[0021] The sensing system 108 may include one or more sensors that can sense the spatial arrangement, velocity, and / or acceleration of the movable object 118 (e.g., with respect to various degrees of translation and various degrees of rotation). The one or more sensors may include any sensor, including a GPS sensor, a motion sensor, an inertial sensor, a proximity sensor, or an image sensor. The sensed data provided by the sensing system 108 may be used to control the spatial arrangement, velocity, and / or orientation of the movable object 118 (e.g., using a suitable processing unit and / or control module). Alternatively, the sensing system 108 may be used to provide data about the environment surrounding the movable object, such as weather conditions, proximity to potential obstacles, location of geographic features, location of man-made structures, etc.

[0022] The communication system 110 is capable of communicating with a terminal 112 having a communication system 114 via wireless signals 116. The communication systems 110, 114 may include any number of transmitters, receivers and / or transceivers suitable for wireless communication. The communication may be a one-way communication, such that data can only be sent in one direction. For example, a one-way communication may only involve the movable object 118 sending data to the terminal 112, and vice versa. Data may be sent from one or more transmitters of the communication system 110 to one or more receivers of the communication system 114, or vice versa. Alternatively, the communication may be a two-way communication, such that data may be sent in both directions between the movable object 118 and the terminal 112. A two-way communication may involve sending data from one or more transmitters of the communication system 110 to one or more receivers of the communication system 114, and vice versa.

[0023] In some embodiments, the terminal 112 may provide control data to one or more of the movable object 118, the carrier 102, and the load 104, and receive information from one or more of the movable object 118, the carrier 102, and the load 104 (e.g., position and / or motion information of the movable object, the carrier, or the load; data sensed by the load, such as image data captured by the load camera; and data generated from the image data captured by the load camera). In some cases, the control data from the terminal may include instructions for the relative position, movement, actuation, or control of the movable object, the carrier, and / or the load. For example, the control data (e.g., via control of the moving mechanism 106) may result in a change in the position and / or orientation of the movable object, or (e.g., via control of the carrier 102) result in movement of the load relative to the movable object. The control data from the terminal may result in control of the load, such as control of the operation of a camera or other image capture device (e.g., taking still or moving pictures, zooming in or out, turning on or off, switching imaging modes, changing image resolution, changing focus, changing depth of field, changing exposure time, changing viewing angle or field of view).

[0024] In some cases, the communication from the movable object, carrier and / or load may include information from one or more sensors (e.g., of the sensing system 108 or the load 104) and / or data generated based on the sensed information. The communication may include sensing information from one or more different types of sensors (e.g., GPS sensors, motion sensors, inertial sensors, proximity sensors, or image sensors). Such information may relate to the position (e.g., positioning, orientation), movement, or acceleration of the movable object, carrier, and / or load. Such information from the load may include data captured by the load or a sensed state of the load. The control data sent by the terminal 112 may be configured to control the state of one or more of the movable object 118, the carrier 102, or the load 104. Alternatively or in combination, the carrier 102 and the load 104 may also each include a communication module configured to communicate with the terminal 112, so that the terminal can independently communicate with and control each of the movable object 118, the carrier 102, and the load 104.

[0025] In some embodiments, the movable object 118 may be configured to communicate with another remote device in addition to the terminal 112, or to communicate with another remote device instead of the terminal 112. In addition to the movable object 118, the terminal 112 may also be configured to communicate with another remote device. For example, the movable object 118 and / or the terminal 112 may communicate with another movable object or a carrier or load of another movable object. When necessary, the remote device may be a second terminal or other computing device (e.g., a computer, laptop, tablet, smart phone, or other mobile device). The remote device may be configured to send data to the movable object 118, receive data from the movable object 118, send data to the terminal 112, and / or receive data from the terminal 112. Optionally, the remote device may be connected to the Internet or other telecommunications network so that data received from the movable object 118 and / or the terminal 112 may be uploaded to a website or server.

[0026] Figure 2 An exemplary carrier in a movable object environment according to an embodiment is shown. The carrier 200 can be used to connect a payload 202 such as an image capture device to a movable object such as a UAV.

[0027] The carrier 200 can be configured to allow the load 202 to rotate relative to the movable object around one or more axes, such as three axes: the X-axis or pitch axis, the Z-axis or roll axis, and the Y-axis or yaw axis. For example, the carrier 200 can be configured to allow the load 202 to rotate only around one, two, or three axes. The axes may or may not be orthogonal to each other. The range of rotation around any axis may be limited or unrestricted and may vary for each axis. The axes of rotation may or may not intersect with each other. For example, orthogonal axes may intersect with each other. They may intersect at the load 202, or they may not intersect at the load 202. Alternatively, they may not intersect.

[0028] The carrier 200 may include a frame assembly 211 including one or more frame members. For example, the frame members may be configured to connect to and support a load 202 (eg, an image capture device).

[0029] In some embodiments, the carrier 201 may include one or more carrier sensors 213 for determining the state of the carrier 201 or the state of the load 202 carried by the carrier 201. The state information may include spatial arrangement (e.g., position, orientation, or attitude), velocity (e.g., linear velocity or angular velocity), acceleration (e.g., linear acceleration or angular acceleration), and / or other information about the carrier, its components, and / or the load 202. In some embodiments, the state information obtained or calculated from the sensor data may be used as feedback data to control the rotation of a component (e.g., a frame member) of the carrier. Examples of such carrier sensors may include motion sensors (e.g., accelerometers), rotation sensors (e.g., gyroscopes), inertial sensors, etc.

[0030] The carrier sensors 213 may be connected to any suitable one or more parts of the carrier (e.g., frame members and / or actuator members), and may be movable relative to the UAV or immovable relative to the UAV. Additionally or alternatively, at least some of the carrier sensors may be directly connected to the load 202 carried by the carrier 201.

[0031] The carrier sensor 213 can be connected to some or all of the actuator components of the carrier. For example, three carrier sensors can be respectively connected to the actuator components 212 for the three-axis carrier and configured to measure the drive of the corresponding actuator components 212 for the three-axis carrier. Such sensors can include potentiometers or other similar sensors. In one embodiment, a sensor (e.g., a potentiometer) can be inserted into the motor shaft of the motor to measure the relative position of the motor rotor and the motor stator, thereby measuring the relative position of the rotor and the stator and generating a position signal representing it. In one embodiment, each sensor connected to the actuator is configured to provide a position signal for the corresponding actuator component measured by it. For example, a first potentiometer can be used to generate a first position signal for a first actuator component, a second potentiometer can be used to generate a second position signal for a second actuator component, and a third potentiometer can be used to generate a third position signal for a third actuator component. In some embodiments, the carrier sensor 213 can also be connected to some or all of the frame components of the carrier. The sensor can be capable of conveying information about the position and / or orientation of one or more frame components and / or image capture devices of the carrier. The sensor data may be used to determine the position and / or orientation of the image capture device relative to the movable object and / or reference frame.

[0032] The carrier sensor 213 may provide position and / or orientation data, which may be sent to one or more controllers (not shown) on the carrier or movable object. The sensor data may be used in a feedback-based control scheme. The control scheme may be used to control the drive of one or more actuator members (such as one or more motors). One or more controllers may be located on the carrier or on a movable object carrying the carrier, and may generate control signals for driving the actuator members. In some cases, the control signals may be generated based on data received from the carrier sensor, the data indicating the spatial arrangement of the carrier or the load 202 carried by the carrier 201. The carrier sensor may be located on the carrier or the load 202, as previously described herein. The control signals generated by the controller may be received by different actuator drivers. Based on the control signals, different actuator drivers may control the drive of different actuator members, for example, to achieve the rotation of one or more components of the carrier. The actuator driver may include hardware and / or software components adapted to control the drive of the corresponding actuator member and receive position signals from the corresponding sensor (e.g., a potentiometer). The control signals may be sent to the actuator drivers simultaneously to generate simultaneous drive of the actuator members. Alternatively, the control signals may be sent sequentially, or transmitted to only one of the actuator drivers.Advantageously, the control scheme may be used to provide feedback control of the actuator member driving the carrier, thereby achieving more precise and accurate rotation of the carrier component.

[0033] In some cases, carrier 201 can be indirectly connected to the UAV via one or more damping elements. The damping element can be configured to reduce or eliminate the movement of a load (e.g., load, carrier, or both) caused by the movement of a movable object (e.g., UAV). The damping element can include any element suitable for damping the movement of the connected load, such as an active damping element, a passive damping element, or a hybrid damping element with active and passive damping characteristics. The movement damped by the damping element provided herein can include one or more of vibration, swing, shaking, or impact. This movement may originate from the movement of the movable object transferred to the load. For example, the movement can include vibrations caused by the operation of other components of the propulsion system and / or the UAV.

[0034] The damping element can provide motion damping by isolating the load from undesirable sources of motion (e.g., vibration isolation) by dissipating or reducing the amount of motion transferred to the load. The damping element can reduce the magnitude (e.g., amplitude) of motion that may be experienced by the load. The motion damping applied by the damping element 208 can be used to stabilize the load, thereby improving the quality of images captured by the load (e.g., image capture device) and reducing the computational complexity of the image stitching step required to generate a panoramic image based on the captured images.

[0035] The damping elements described herein may be formed of any suitable material or combination of materials, including solid, liquid or gaseous materials. The materials used for the damping elements may be compressible and / or deformable. For example, the damping elements may be made of sponges, foams, rubber, gels, etc. For example, the damping elements may include a generally spherical rubber ball. The damping elements may be of any suitable shape, such as generally spherical, rectangular, cylindrical, etc. Alternatively or additionally, the damping elements may include piezoelectric materials or shape memory materials. The damping elements may include one or more mechanical elements, such as springs, pistons, hydraulic devices, pneumatic devices, buffers, shock absorbers, isolators, etc. The properties of the damping elements may be selected to provide a predetermined amount of motion damping. In some cases, the damping elements may have viscoelastic properties. The properties of the damping elements may be isotropic or anisotropic. For example, the damping elements may provide motion damping uniformly along all directions of motion. In contrast, the damping elements may provide motion damping only along a subset of the directions of motion (e.g., along a single direction of motion). For example, the shock absorbing element may provide shock absorption primarily along the Y (yaw) axis. Thus, the shock absorbing element shown may be configured to reduce vertical motion.

[0036] Although various embodiments may be described as utilizing a single type of shock absorbing element (e.g., a rubber ball), it will be appreciated that any suitable combination of multiple types of shock absorbing elements may be used. For example, one or more shock absorbing elements of any suitable type or types may be used to connect the carrier to the movable object. The shock absorbing elements may have the same or different characteristics or properties, such as stiffness, viscoelasticity, etc. Each shock absorbing element may be connected to a different portion of the load or only to a specific portion of the load. For example, the shock absorbing element may be located near a contact point or connection point or surface between the load and the movable object. In some cases, the load may be embedded within or surrounded by one or more shock absorbing elements.

[0037] Figure 3 The control of UAV movement in the presence of one or more moving objects according to various embodiments of the present invention is shown. Figure 3 As shown, UAV 301 can detect one or more active objects 311, 312, and 313 present in UAV operating environment 300. For example, each of active objects 311, 312, or 313 can be a person, an animal, a pet, or any other form of living object. In addition, active objects 311, 312, or 313 can be any object that can behave like a living object (e.g., a robot), but is not limited thereto.

[0038] According to various embodiments of the present invention, the detection of active objects 311, 312, or 313 can be based on the detection of environmental changes. For example, UAV 301 can detect active objects 311, 312, or 313 using one or more sensors on and / or outside UAV 301.

[0039] According to various embodiments, sensors on or outside the UAV can collect various types of environmental information. A single sensor may be able to collect a set of information in the environment, or a group of sensors may work together to collect a set of information in the environment. In addition to location mapping, navigation between locations, and detection of obstacles, sensors can also be used to detect active objects. Sensors can also be used to monitor the environment or objects of interest. Sensors can be used to identify active objects. Active objects can be distinguished from other objects in the environment. Sensors can be used to identify objects worn or carried by active objects. Objects worn or carried can be distinguished from other objects in the environment. In addition, sensors on or outside the UAV can collect information such as the location of active objects, the location of the UAV, and the orientation of the UAV.

[0040] Various examples of sensors may include, but are not limited to, position sensors (e.g., global positioning system (GPS) sensors, mobile device transmitters that implement position triangulation), visual sensors (e.g., imaging devices capable of detecting visible light, infrared light, or ultraviolet light, such as cameras), proximity sensors or range sensors (e.g., ultrasonic sensors, laser radar (LADAR), time-of-flight cameras, or depth cameras), inertial sensors (e.g., accelerometers, gyroscopes, inertial measurement units (IMUs)), altitude sensors, attitude sensors (e.g., compasses), pressure sensors (e.g., barometers), audio sensors (e.g., microphones), or field sensors (e.g., magnetometers, electromagnetic sensors). Any suitable number of sensors and combinations of sensors may be used, such as one, two, three, four, five, or more sensors.

[0041] Optionally, data can be received from different types of sensors (e.g., two, three, four, five or more types). Different types of sensors can measure different types of signals or information (e.g., position, orientation, speed, acceleration, proximity, pressure, etc.) and / or utilize different types of measurement techniques to obtain data. For example, the sensor may include any suitable combination of active sensors (e.g., sensors that generate and measure energy from their own energy source) and passive sensors (e.g., sensors that detect available energy). As another example, some sensors may generate absolute measurement data provided according to a global coordinate system (e.g., position data provided by a GPS sensor, attitude data provided by a compass or magnetometer), while other sensors may generate relative measurement data provided according to a local coordinate system (e.g., relative angular velocity provided by a gyroscope; relative translation acceleration provided by an accelerometer; relative attitude information provided by a visual sensor; relative distance information provided by an ultrasonic sensor, a laser radar (LADAR) or a time-of-flight camera).

[0042] In some embodiments, UAV 301 may have sensors onboard UAV 301 that collect information directly from the environment. For example, UAV 301 may detect the presence of active object 311, 312, or 313 when a visual sensor or an audio sensor onboard the UAV captures an image or sound indicating the presence of active object 311, 312, or 313. In some embodiments, such detection may be based on matching one or more observed features of the detected object with one or more active object signature features (e.g., body temperature and certain movement features).

[0043] In one example, UAV 301 may include a visual sensor, such as a camera. The visual sensor may be encapsulated in the body of the UAV, or carried by the UAV as an external payload. For example, when the visual sensor is carried externally as a payload, the visual sensor may be oriented below the body of the UAV. In addition, the visual sensor may be attached to the UAV via a carrier. The carrier may be configured so that the visual sensor may rotate and / or tilt relative to the UAV. In addition, the carrier allows the visual sensor to translate and / or rotate in three dimensions. For example, the carrier may allow the visual sensor to rotate only around one or two axes.

[0044] In another example, UAV 301 can include an audio sensor. The audio sensor can be encapsulated in the body of UAV 301, or carried by UAV 301 as an external load. The audio sensor can be arranged on different parts of the body of UAV 301, or oriented in different directions around UAV 301. In addition, the audio sensor can utilize a noise filter, which can filter out background noise such as motor noise, propeller noise, or wind noise. In addition, the audio sensor on the UAV can receive audio signals collected by an audio receiver installed in the surrounding environment.

[0045] In yet another example, the UAV 301 may include a thermal sensor. The thermal sensor may be located in the body of the UAV 301 or carried by the UAV 301 as an external payload. The thermal sensor may detect temperature changes in the environment surrounding the UAV 301, for example, based on infrared light detection. Then, based on the temperature readings and / or related movement characteristics assessment (e.g., gait recognition), the UAV may be aware of the presence of active objects (e.g., users) in the surrounding neighborhood.

[0046] In some embodiments, the UAV 301 may rely on one or more sensors external to the UAV to collect data indicative of changes in the environment. Various sensors may be installed in the environment in which the UAV operates. The UAV may directly or indirectly receive information collected by sensors external to the UAV to detect the presence of active objects in the operating environment within the vicinity of the UAV 301 (e.g., within a predetermined distance threshold from the UAV 301).

[0047] According to various embodiments of the present invention, once a signal is received from an active object 311, the UAV 301 can detect the active object 311. For example, the active object 311 can be a user. The user can be located at a location such as a house, a yard, a room, a building, a vehicle, or another space or area. The user can communicate with one or more processors on the UAV 301 via an electronic device. The electronic device may or may not be a mobile device. The electronic device may or may not be a remote terminal capable of manually controlling the flight of the UAV. The electronic device can communicate directly with the UAV via a wired or wireless connection. The electronic device can also communicate with the processor via a wired or wireless connection, and the processor can also communicate with the UAV via a wired or wireless connection. Alternatively, the processor can be on the electronic device and / or on the UAV 301. For example, the UAV can have one or more onboard processors. The one or more onboard processors can communicate with an external processor and / or an electronic device with a user interface. In one example, the communication can be based on a user interface, which can be located on an electronic display, such as a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a smart phone, a smart watch, smart glasses, a tablet computer, or another device configured to communicate with the one or more processors. The onboard processor can perform any of the functions of the processor described herein. Alternatively, the UAV 301 can communicate directly with the electronic device to communicate with an intermediate device or processor.

[0048] According to various embodiments, UAV 301 can detect the presence of an active object by detecting a signal emitted from the active object. For example, the active object can carry or be embedded with an electronic device or tag that can be automatically identified or tracked. For example, such an electronic device or tag can be based on radio frequency identification (RFID), Bluetooth, or any near field communication (NFC) technology. The tag can passively collect energy from an interrogating RFID reader on UAV 301, or actively transmit a signal to the surrounding environment using local power.

[0049] According to various embodiments, the live object 311, 312, or 313 may optionally have a wearable identifier. For example, the live object may wear a ring, necklace, wristband, or collar. The UAV visual sensor may detect the visual pattern on the wearable identifier to locate the target live object. Alternatively, the wearable identifier may be embedded with an electronic device or tag that can be electronically recognized by a sensor on the UAV.

[0050] In some embodiments, detection of active objects 311, 312, or 313 can be achieved by coordinating different sensors, including sensors on the UAV and sensors outside the UAV 301. For example, one or more motion detectors can be installed on the ground in the UAV operating environment 300. Once the motion detector detects an active object, such information can be sent to the UAV 301, and the UAV 301 can accordingly confirm the presence of the active object and the orientation and distance of the active object relative to the UAV. In addition, the UAV 301 can refine the detection of the active object by measuring the speed of the active object and / or obtaining the size of the active object (e.g., the height of the active object). For example, a thief entering a house can trigger a motion detector, which can notify the UAV. The UAV can then start a tracking mode and track the thief based on the movement of the thief measured by the sensors on the UAV.

[0051] According to various embodiments, the UAV 301 in the UAV operating environment 300 may detect active objects present in the surrounding area of ​​the UAV 301. In addition, the surrounding area of ​​the UAV 301 (e.g., the surrounding area of ​​the UAV 301) may be configured as a plurality of areas. For example, the surrounding area of ​​the UAV 301 may be configured as various operating areas such as a normal area, a safety area, and an interactive area.

[0052] like Figure 3 As shown, the surrounding area of ​​UAV 301 can be configured into multiple areas 310-330, as defined by geographic radius. For example, active object 311 is located in normal area 330 (e.g., outside the vicinity of UAV 301), while active object 312 is located in safe area 320 and active object 313 is located in interactive area 310 (e.g., within the vicinity of UAV 301).

[0053] In some embodiments, the geographic radius can define a radius area centered on the current location of the UAV 301. Alternatively, the geographic radius can define a radius area centered on the location of an active object (e.g., a user). In some embodiments, various geometric shapes (such as polygons, ellipses, and other geometric shapes) can be used to define the surrounding area. The user can define the geographic area using global coordinates or local coordinates. In some cases, the geographic area can be defined as an area within a boundary defined by the user, for example, using global coordinates.

[0054] According to various embodiments, a user can define a surrounding area of ​​the UAV 301 via a user interface that communicates with a processor on or outside the UAV 301. One or more processors can communicate with one or more memory storage units. The memory storage unit can store past user-defined areas. The memory storage device unit can store geographic data (e.g., a map that can be optionally updated). Whenever the UAV detects an active object, the user can optionally define a surrounding area. For example, a surrounding area can be defined as: an area where an active object can safely travel without interfering with the UAV, a boundary where an active object may interfere with the UAV when crossing it, and / or an area where an active object may interfere with the UAV when it is therein.

[0055] In various embodiments, a user can provide a visual map. A visual map can be generated in a user interface on an electronic device. The user interface can provide a map of a selected space or a local space in which an active object can interact with the UAV. The user can mark areas on the map provided by the user interface where the UAV and / or active object is allowed or not allowed to travel. In some cases, the user can use a touch screen provided on the user interface to mark an area on the map. The user's finger or pointer (e.g., a mouse pointer, a trackball pointer, etc.) can be used to outline the boundary. The user can draw a circle on the user interface to define the area. Alternatively, the user can click or touch a point to define the coordinates of the area.

[0056] According to various embodiments, one or more processors on the UAV 301 can monitor active objects and simultaneously receive one or more location signals on or outside the UAV. For example, the UAV can automatically track and detect target active objects for a long time, for example using a movable object such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) (e.g., with limited resources in terms of computing power and power resources). In addition, the system can provide a relocation capability once the target active object is lost.

[0057] According to various embodiments, after detecting a moving object, UAV 301 can change the operating mode. This determination can be based on distance, speed or other factors. For example, when UAV 301 operates in a normal area, UAV 301 can be in a normal operating mode. Alternatively, when UAV operates in a safe area, UAV 301 can be in a safe operating mode, and when UAV is in an interactive area, UAV 301 can be in an interactive operating mode. In some embodiments, after detecting a moving object, UAV 301 can change the operating mode. This determination can be based on distance, speed and / or other factors. In addition, the determination of the operating mode can be based on the type of environment. In some embodiments, the configuration of the area can be achieved by factors such as whether the UAV is in an indoor environment or an outdoor environment. For example, when the UAV operates in an outdoor environment, a larger radius or a regular shape can be used to define the operating area. On the other hand, when the UAV operates in an indoor environment, a smaller radius or an irregular shape can be used to define the operating area.

[0058] Figure 4 An exemplary diagram is shown for illustrating transitions between various UAV operating modes according to various embodiments of the present invention. Figure 4 As shown, UAV 400 can be configured to operate in various operating modes 401-404.

[0059] For example, when no moving object is detected or is located in a normal area, the UAV 400 may operate in a normal mode 401. On the other hand, when the UAV 400 detects a moving object in a vicinity of the UAV 400 (e.g., a safe area), the UAV 400 may switch to a safe mode 402. In this case, the UAV 400 may apply various safety schemes in order to safely, reliably, and conveniently operate the UAV 400. For example, such a safety scheme may include limiting the moving speed of the UAV 400 to prevent a collision with a moving object, or may include controlling the UAV 400 to be in a hovering state.

[0060] In addition, after the UAV 400 determines that the user has expressed an intent to interact with the UAV (e.g., by approaching the UAV 301 or waving), the UAV 400 can transition to the interaction-ready mode 403. In some embodiments, when the UAV 301 is in the interaction-ready mode, the UAV 301 can prepare itself for interaction.

[0061] According to various embodiments, the UAV may employ different mechanisms to support interaction with active objects such as users. For example, the UAV may remain stable (i.e., remain hovering) for user interaction. Thus, the user may press a button on the UAV body. In addition, the UAV may raise the rotors to allow the user to easily approach.

[0062] like Figure 4 As shown, once the user begins (or is about to) interact with the UAV 400, the UAV 400 may enter the interactive mode 404 (e.g., from the interactive ready mode 403). According to various embodiments, the UAV may adopt a different control scheme or reconfigure the control scheme to support the interaction between the active object and the UAV 400. Alternatively, the UAV may directly transition from the safe mode 402 to the interactive mode 404.

[0063] Once the user has completed the interaction with the user, or if the user decides not to interact with the UAV (e.g., by moving away from the UAV), the UAV may return to the safe mode 402 before returning to the normal mode 401. Alternatively, the UAV may transition from the interactive mode 404 to the interactive ready mode 403 so that the UAV can remain ready (or ready) for interaction with the active object. For example, if the user reestablishes a relationship with the UAV, the UAV may transition from the interactive ready mode 403 to the interactive mode 404.

[0064] Additionally, the UAV may transition from the safe mode 402 to the normal mode 401 when the living object decides not to interact with the UAV or is unable to interact with the UAV (eg, when the living object is far away from the UAV).

[0065] Figure 5 An exemplary UAV operation mechanism according to various embodiments of the present invention is shown. Figure 5 As shown, the UAV 500 can be configured to operate in a UAV operating mode 510. The UAV operating mode 510 can determine how the UAV 500 operates in a specific environment (e.g., after detecting an active object 501). For example, the UAV 500 can be configured to take certain safety measures when the UAV 500 operates in a safe mode. Alternatively, the UAV can be in an interactive ready mode to prepare to enter an interactive mode. In some embodiments, when an active object is detected in the vicinity of the movable object, the system can apply a first component operating mode (e.g., a safe mode), and when no active object is detected in the vicinity of the movable object, the system can apply a second component operating mode (e.g., a normal mode), and, wherein the first component operating mode and the second component operating mode are different.

[0066] According to various embodiments, when the UAV 500 is operating in the UAV operating mode 510, the UAV 500 may be configured to operate in the UAV component operating mode 502. The UAV component operating mode 502 may be configured differently for various components (e.g., sensors, rotors, and motors) on the UAV 500 corresponding to different UAV operating modes 510. In addition, a set of UAV components that may adopt the UAV component operating mode may be preselected or predefined. For example, when the UAV is operating in the interactive mode, a set of components such as visual sensors and ultrasonic radars may be configured to operate in the interactive mode, while the barometer and inertial measurement unit remain in the normal mode. In some embodiments, when the operation of the UAV 500 is converted to the interactive mode, the operation of the UAV components may be adjusted accordingly to support the interactive mode. For example, since the operation of the sensors may be interfered with by moving objects, the operation of UAV components such as sensors on the UAV may adopt the UAV component operating mode.

[0067] According to various embodiments, when the operation of the UAV transitions between different operating modes, the UAV may utilize different UAV component operating modes 502 that employ different control logic. In some embodiments, when the UAV is operating in an interactive mode or an interactive ready mode, measurements by a visual sensor or an ultrasonic sensor may be interfered with. For example, when a user holds or touches the UAV from below in an interactive mode, measurements by a sensor mounted on the bottom of the UAV may be corrupted and untrustworthy when the sensor is blocked by the user's hand. The UAV may employ logic that may exclude or modify measurements (e.g., data jumps) generated by an interfered sensor. For example, the system may choose to trust and use measurements generated by an undisturbed sensor, such as a sensor mounted on the top of the UAV or a different type of sensor, such as a barometer or an inertial measurement unit (IMU).

[0068] According to various embodiments, when the UAV 500 is operating in the UAV operating mode 510, the UAV 500 may be configured to operate in the UAV payload operating mode 512. For example, when an active object is detected within the vicinity of the movable object, the system may apply a first payload operating mode (e.g., a safety mode), and when no active object is detected within the vicinity of the movable object, the system may apply a second payload operating mode (e.g., a normal mode), and wherein the first payload operating mode and the second payload operating mode are different.

[0069] In some embodiments, the UAV payload operating modes 512 may be configured differently for different UAV operating modes 510. In some embodiments, a payload (e.g., a camera) attached to the UAV 500 may be operated corresponding to the operating mode of the UAV 500 (e.g., by adopting a corresponding UAV payload operating mode). For example, when the UAV 500 is operating in a normal mode, control logic for a carrier carrying a payload (e.g., a camera) may stabilize the camera to face a particular direction. On the other hand, when the UAV 500 enters an interactive mode, control logic for the carrier may allow a user to freely rotate the camera to point in a desired random direction.

[0070] Figure 6 Support for interaction between active objects and UAVs according to various embodiments of the present invention is shown. Figure 6 As shown, UAV 601 can associate an operating mode 602 with a control scheme 603. For example, control scheme 603 can be based on various control methods, such as a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control scheme.

[0071] According to various embodiments, the UAV 601 may be configured to behave differently for different operating modes. For example, different control schemes 603 may be employed to configure the UAV in different operating modes 602. Alternatively, the control scheme 603 may be used to handle different operating modes.

[0072] like Figure 6 As shown, when an active object 611 is detected outside the vicinity 610 of the UAV 601, the UAV 601 can operate in a normal operation mode. In this case, the UAV 601 can adopt a normal control scheme to control various motion characteristics of the UAV 601 (e.g., the position, speed, orientation, and tilt of the UAV 601). Accordingly, a predetermined or selected set of UAV components and payloads can operate in a normal operation mode. On the other hand, when an active object 612 moves into the vicinity 610 of the UAV 601, the UAV 601 can operate in a safe mode or an interactive ready mode. In this case, the UAV 601 can adopt a control scheme that can control the mobile characteristics of the UAV in different ways. For example, the UAV 601 can apply a speed limit or enter a hovering state. In addition, when the active object 613 operates in an interactive mode, components such as sensors on the UAV 601 and payloads carried by the UAV can operate in a corresponding interactive mode.

[0073] According to various embodiments, the UAV 601 may be configured to adopt different control schemes corresponding to different operating modes. For example, in a first operating mode, the system may allow the user to rotate the UAV 601 relative to two axes. On the other hand, in a second operating mode, the system may allow the user to rotate the UAV 601 relative to all three axes. In addition, the UAV 601 may be configured to adopt different control schemes corresponding to different active objects. For example, by utilizing various gait recognition technologies, the UAV 601 may know different types of active objects (e.g., distinguishing between users and pets). In addition, the system may assign different roles and / or associate different privileges to different users based on different user profiles. For example, an adult user may have full control of the UAV 601, while a child user may only have a subset of the capabilities. In addition, the UAV 601 may be configured to adopt different control schemes based on various additional factors, such as the type of environment (e.g., indoor / crowded space vs. outdoor / open space) and the state of the UAV or its components (e.g., altitude, speed, orientation, battery life, sensor status). Furthermore, the correspondence between various control schemes and different operating modes can be rule-based and configurable in real time.

[0074] Figure 7 An exemplary control scheme for controlling a UAV according to various embodiments of the present invention is shown. Figure 7 As shown, UAV 701 can adopt a control scheme 700 including a position control component 703, a speed control component 704, a tilt control component 705 and a heading control component 706.

[0075] According to various embodiments, a sensing system on the UAV 701 can measure the state of the UAV 701. In addition, the system can obtain an estimated flight state based on various data fusion techniques 702. The sensing system can obtain measured UAV position, speed, heading, tilt, and angular velocity. For example, a GPS sensor can obtain an estimated position of the UAV 701, an IMU that may include a gyroscope, an accelerometer, and a magnetometer can obtain an estimated acceleration and angular velocity of the UAV 701, and an estimated heading of the UAV 701.

[0076] According to various embodiments, the control scheme 700 can be adjusted to control the UAV 701 in different environments. For example, in order to keep the UAV 701 hovering in a fixed position or traveling along a desired path, the position control component 703 can generate a desired velocity 722 to offset any drift movement of the UAV 701 away from its desired position 721. In addition, the velocity control component 704 can generate a desired tilt 723 to achieve the desired velocity 722. The tilt control component 705 can then generate a motor control signal for achieving the desired tilt 723 based on the estimated tilt 714 and the estimated angular velocity 715. Such motor control signals can be used to control various movement mechanisms 731-733 associated with the UAV 701.

[0077] like Figure 7 As shown, based on the difference between the desired position 721 and the estimated position 711, the position control component 703 can obtain the desired speed 722. In addition, based on the difference between the desired speed 722 and the estimated speed 712, the speed control component 704 can obtain the desired tilt 723. In addition, based on the estimated angular velocity 715 and based on the difference between the desired tilt 723 and the estimated tilt 714, the tilt control component 705 can calculate the motor control signal.

[0078] In addition, the UAV 701 can maintain a fixed or desired orientation, and the orientation control component can generate motor control signals for generating forces that can counteract any drift in the orientation of the UAV. Figure 7 As shown, the heading control component 706 can generate motor control signals based on the difference between the desired heading 724 and the estimated heading 713. Thus, the combined or integrated motor control signals can be used to control various movement mechanisms 731-733 associated with the UAV 701, whose movement characteristics can be measured and used to generate other control signals for controlling the UAV 701 in real time.

[0079] According to various embodiments, the control scheme 700 can be configured for different operating modes. For example, the system can limit the control gain in the heading control component 706 so that when the user applies force to the UAV from a side direction (e.g., yaw direction), the UAV 701 can turn according to the user's needs. On the other hand, if the control scheme is not modified, the UAV 701 can generate a resistance for keeping the UAV 701 in the current heading.

[0080] According to various embodiments, the system can limit the control gain in the position control component 703 in a similar manner so that when the user applies force to the UAV 701 from the side, the UAV 701 can move to a different position desired by the user. On the other hand, if the control scheme is not modified, the UAV 701 can generate a resistance that can try to maintain the current position.

[0081] Figure 8 An exemplary control scheme for supporting interactive modes according to various embodiments of the present invention is shown. Figure 8 As shown, UAV 801 may employ control scheme 800 including a pitch control component 804 while limiting control gains for other control components (not shown).

[0082] According to various embodiments, based on different measured states of the UAV, the UAV 801 can obtain an estimated tilt 812. For example, an inertial measurement module 802 on the UAV 801 can measure the state of the UAV, such as the angular velocity measured by the gyroscope and the tilt measured by the accelerometer. The estimation can be based on a filter 803 that can perform data fusion of different types of measurements. Then, based on the difference between the expected tilt 811 and the estimated tilt 812, the tilt control component 804 can determine the expected control signals for the motors 821-823 of the UAV 801.

[0083] According to various embodiments, the safety control mechanism 810 can be applied in the control scheme so that the UAV 801 can be operated in a safe, reliable and convenient manner. In some embodiments, once an abnormal situation is detected, the UAV can direct the motor to stop moving. For example, once the UAV detects a sudden increase in current in the motor, the safety control mechanism 810 can direct the motor to stop running, which can indicate a potential motor stall (a situation where the motor stops rotating). A stall situation occurs when the load torque is greater than the motor shaft torque (for example, in a collision situation). In a stall situation, the motor consumes maximum current but the motor does not rotate.

[0084] Fig. 9 The control of the UAV in the interactive mode according to various embodiments of the present invention is shown. In the interactive mode, the control scheme 900 can be used to keep the UAV in the horizontal plane while allowing the user to freely rotate the UAV to the desired orientation or freely move the UAV to the desired position.

[0085] like Fig. 9 As shown in FIG. 9A , a force F may be applied in a yaw direction to adjust the orientation of the UAV in a horizontal plane (e.g., an xy plane) 901. After releasing the force F, the UAV may remain in the orientation 911 as a result of the force F being applied by the user. Thus, the user may freely rotate the UAV to a desired orientation, for example, for the purpose of taking pictures or monitoring a pet.

[0086] On the other hand, Fig. 9As shown in FIG. 9B , the user may apply a force F′ in a vertical direction (e.g., in the xz plane) to hold the UAV in a tilted position 912. Once the force F′ is released, the UAV may return to the original horizontal attitude 902 because the tilt control component in the control scheme may generate a reaction force to return the UAV to a horizontal position. Thus, the control scheme 900 may prevent the UAV from drifting in a horizontal direction (because the UAV may move horizontally when in a tilted position). As a result, the UAV may remain in a tightly controlled space and may avoid collisions with surrounding objects such as moving objects.

[0087] According to various embodiments, when a random force is applied to the UAV, the control scheme 900 may be configured to respond only to a component (or portion) of the applied force. Figure 8 With the control scheme shown, only the yaw component of the applied force can take effect, while a reaction force can be generated to maintain the UAV in a horizontal attitude. In other words, the UAV can be configured to allow the user to freely rotate the UAV in the yaw direction and return to a horizontal attitude once the force is released. Thus, the UAV can be prevented from drifting in the horizontal direction, which is disadvantageous and can be dangerous due to the presence of active objects (e.g., to avoid hitting the user).

[0088] In some embodiments, the control scheme 900 can be configured in a variety of different ways. For example, the UAV can be configured to maintain yaw and pitch attitudes while allowing the user to rotate the UAV around the roll axis. In addition, the UAV can be configured to maintain yaw and roll attitudes while allowing the user to rotate the UAV along the pitch direction. Alternatively, the UAV can be configured to maintain only one of the yaw, roll, and pitch attitudes while allowing the user to rotate the UAV around the other two axes.

[0089] According to various embodiments, similar control schemes can be applied to payloads or components on a UAV. For example, a user can first move the UAV to a specific location with a specific orientation. The user can then adjust a camera carried by the UAV to point in a specific direction in order to take a picture (by limiting the control gains of various control components of the carrier (e.g., the gimbal)).

[0090] Fig.10 FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of controlling a movable object when there are active objects in a movable object environment according to various embodiments of the present invention. Fig.10 As shown, at step 1001, the system may detect an active object in the vicinity of a movable object. Then, at step 1002, the system may determine an operation mode for operating the movable object using the active object in the vicinity of the movable object. Furthermore, at step 1003, the system may apply a control scheme associated with the operation mode to control the operation of the movable object.

[0091] Many features of the present invention may be implemented in the form of hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof, or using or with the aid of hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. Thus, features of the present invention may be implemented using a processing system (e.g., including one or more processors). Exemplary processors may include, but are not limited to, one or more general-purpose microprocessors (e.g., single-core or multi-core processors), application-specific integrated circuits, application-specific instruction set processors, graphics processing units, physical processing units, digital signal processing units, coprocessors, network processing units, audio processing units, encryption processing units, and the like.

[0092] Features of the invention may be implemented using or with the aid of a computer program product, which is a storage medium (media) or computer readable medium (media) having instructions stored thereon / in which instructions can be used to program a processing system to perform any of the features set forth herein. The storage medium may include (but is not limited to) any type of disk, including floppy disks, optical disks, DVDs, CD-ROMs, microdrives and magneto-optical disks, ROMs, RAMs, EPROMs, EEPROMs, DRAMs, VRAMs, flash memory devices, magnetic or optical cards, nanosystems (including molecular memory ICs), or any type of medium or device suitable for storing instructions and / or data.

[0093] Features of the present invention stored on any machine-readable medium (media) may be incorporated into software and / or firmware to control the hardware of a processing system and to enable the processing system to interact with other mechanisms using the results of the present invention. Such software or firmware may include, but is not limited to, application code, device drivers, operating systems, and execution environments / containers.

[0094] Features of the present invention may also be implemented in hardware, for example, in hardware components such as application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that a hardware state machine is implemented to perform the functions described herein.

[0095] In addition, the present invention can be conveniently implemented using one or more conventional general or special digital computers, computing devices, machines or microprocessors including one or more processors, memories and / or computer-readable storage media programmed according to the teachings of the present disclosure. Appropriate software coding can be readily prepared by programming technicians based on the teachings of the present disclosure, which will be apparent to those skilled in the art of software.

[0096] Although various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they are presented by way of example only and not limitation. It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0097] The present invention has been described above with the aid of functional building blocks, which illustrate the execution of specified functions and their relationships. For ease of description, the boundaries of these functional building blocks are usually arbitrarily defined herein. As long as the specified functions and their relationships are properly executed, alternative boundaries can be defined. Therefore, any such alternative boundaries are within the scope and spirit of the present invention.

[0098] The above description of the present invention has been provided for the purpose of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. The breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above exemplary embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art. Modifications and variations include any relevant combination of disclosed features. The selection and description of the embodiments are in order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application, so that other technical personnel in the art can understand the present invention and various embodiments with various modifications suitable for the intended specific use. It is intended that the scope of the present invention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a movable object, comprising: Detecting a moving object in a surrounding area of ​​the movable object, wherein the surrounding area of ​​the movable object includes a plurality of operation areas; Determining an operation mode of operating the movable object by using the detected active object, wherein different operation modes correspond to different operation areas where the active object is located; and applying a control scheme associated with the operating mode to control operation of the movable object; Wherein, the moving objects being located in different operating areas correspond to different operating modes, including: When the movable object is located in a normal area, operating the movable object in a normal mode; When the movable object is located in a safe area, operating the movable object in a safe mode; When the movable object is located in the interactive area, an interactive mode is applied to operate the movable object.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The normal mode is used to operate the movable object normally; The safety mode is used to safely operate the movable object; The interaction mode is used to support the interaction between the movable object and the active object. 3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the operation mode further comprises an interaction-ready mode for keeping the movable object ready for interaction with the active object.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising: In response to determining that the interaction is completed or determining that the active object intends to exit the interaction with the movable object, the movable object is controlled to switch from the interaction mode to the interaction-ready mode or the safety mode.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The control scheme uses at least one control component to control a set of movement characteristics of the movable object.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising: A control gain of at least one of the control components is limited in the control scheme when the active object interacts with the movable object.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: When the moving object is detected in the safety area of ​​the movable object, the movable object is controlled to maintain a hovering state, or the moving speed of the movable object is limited.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: When the movable object is operated in the interactive mode, the movable object is allowed to have yaw movement.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein: In the interactive mode, the movable object is kept horizontal, and the active object is allowed to rotate the movable object to a target orientation or move the movable object to a target position.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein: In the interactive mode, the active object is allowed to hold or touch the movable object, and / or different control schemes are allowed to be configured for different types of active objects.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The distances of the interaction area, the safety area, and the normal area relative to the movable object are from small to large.

12. A system for controlling a movable object, comprising: one or more microprocessors; at least one memory including computer program code; Wherein, at least one of the memories and the computer program code is configured to enable the system to perform at least the following operations through at least one of the microprocessors: Detecting a moving object in a surrounding area of ​​the movable object, wherein the surrounding area of ​​the movable object includes a plurality of operation areas; Determining an operation mode of operating the movable object by using the detected active object, wherein different operation modes correspond to different operation areas where the active object is located; and applying a control scheme associated with the operating mode to control operation of the movable object; Wherein, the moving objects being located in different operating areas correspond to different operating modes, including: When the movable object is located in a normal area, operating the movable object in a normal mode; When the movable object is located in a safe area, operating the movable object in a safe mode; When the movable object is located in the interactive area, an interactive mode is applied to operate the movable object.

13. A movable object, comprising: one or more sensing devices for collecting information from the surrounding area of ​​the movable object; one or more microprocessors; at least one memory including computer program code; Wherein, at least one of the memories and the computer program code is configured to enable the movable object to perform at least the following operations through at least one of the microprocessors: Detecting a moving object in a surrounding area of ​​the movable object, wherein the surrounding area of ​​the movable object includes a plurality of operation areas; Determining an operation mode of operating the movable object by using the detected active object, wherein different operation modes correspond to different operation areas where the active object is located; and applying a control scheme associated with the operating mode to control operation of the movable object; Wherein, the moving objects being located in different operating areas correspond to different operating modes, including: When the movable object is located in a normal area, operating the movable object in a normal mode; When the movable object is located in a safe area, operating the movable object in a safe mode; When the movable object is located in the interactive area, an interactive mode is applied to operate the movable object.

14. A method for controlling a movable object, comprising: detecting moving objects in a surrounding area of ​​the movable object; Determining an operation mode for operating the movable object by utilizing the detected active object; as well as applying a control scheme associated with the operating mode to control operation of the movable object; Wherein, in the case where the surrounding area includes an interaction area, the control scheme uses one or more control components, and when the active object interacts with the movable object in the interaction area, the control gain of at least one of the control components is limited in the control scheme; and / or, Wherein, in a case where the surrounding area includes a safety area, when the moving object is detected in the safety area of ​​the movable object, the movable object is controlled to maintain a hovering state.

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