Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) swarm control

Abstract

A method and system for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) swarm control is provided. The system includes a plurality of UAVs including a lead UAV and a plurality of wingman UAVs communicably coupled with the lead UAV. The system also includes a ground control station (GCS). The GCS determines a geographic location of the lead UAV and determines formation information based on the geographic location. The formation information indicates a relative position of each wingman UAV relative to the lead UAV. The GCS also transmits the formation information directly to the lead UAV and each of the plurality of wingman UAVs. Each wingman UAV receives the formation information and adjusts a position based on the formation information.

Description

[0001] Cross-references / incorporation of related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 407,613, filed August 20, 2021, with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Each of the foregoing applications is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The various embodiments of this disclosure relate to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). More specifically, the various embodiments of this disclosure relate to the control of UAV swarms. Background Technology

[0004] With advancements in electronics, propulsion systems, and information technology, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have become more capable and cheaper. This increased capability and reduced cost of UAVs has led to the use and adoption of UAV-based solutions across various industries and applications, including but not limited to surveillance, defense, film, mining, seaports, oil and gas, warehousing, and other industrial facilities. In some UAV-based solutions, multiple UAVs can be used as a group or swarm to capture photographs and / or videos of targets from multiple locations and / or angles. Conventional methods for controlling UAVs in a UAV swarm can be based on technologies that may involve predefined tasks or path planning for the UAVs. However, dynamic control of UAVs can be challenging due to the unpredictability associated with target movement and the need to maintain specific formations within a UAV swarm.

[0005] As described in the remainder of this application and with reference to the accompanying drawings, the further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional methods will become apparent to those skilled in the art by comparing the described system with some aspects of this disclosure. Summary of the Invention

[0006] As described more fully in the claims, a system and method for controlling a swarm of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are provided, substantially as shown in at least one of the drawings and / or in conjunction with at least one of the drawings.

[0007] These and other features and advantages of this disclosure can be understood by careful study of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals always denote the same parts. Attached Figure Description

[0008] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating an exemplary network environment for controlling a drone swarm according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0009] Figure 2 According to embodiments of this disclosure Figure 1 A block diagram of an exemplary ground control station.

[0010] Figure 3 According to embodiments of this disclosure Figure 1 A block diagram of an exemplary drone.

[0011] Figure 4 This is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary processing pipeline operation for drone swarm control according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0012] Figure 5A , Figure 5B and Figure 5C This is an illustration of an exemplary scenario of drone swarm control according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0013] Figure 6A , Figure 6B and Figure 6C This is an illustration of an exemplary scenario of drone swarm control using electronic devices according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0014] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for controlling a drone swarm according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0015] The embodiments described below can be found in the disclosed systems and methods for controlling unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) swarms. The system may include multiple UAVs configured to form a group (or swarm arrangement). The multiple UAVs may include a lead UAV and multiple wingman UAVs. The multiple wingman UAVs may be communicatively coupled to the lead UAV. The system may also include a ground control station (GCS), which may include circuitry configured to determine the geographic location (i.e., current location) of the lead UAV. The GCS circuitry may also be configured to determine formation information based on the determined geographic location of the lead UAV and / or based on formation requests (e.g., but not limited to user requests) that can be received by the GCS. The formation information determined by the GCS circuitry may at least indicate the relative position of each of the multiple wingman UAVs relative to the lead UAV. The GCS may also be configured to send the determined formation information directly to the lead UAV and each of the multiple wingman UAVs. Each of the plurality of wingman UAVs can also be configured to receive formation information transmitted from the GCS and adjust the position of the corresponding wingman UAV based on the received formation information. In an embodiment, the GCS may be integrated with the lead UAV.

[0016] In another embodiment, the implementation described below can be found in an electronic device for controlling a swarm of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The electronic device may act as a leader device (e.g., but not limited to, a controller, computing device, ground station controller, or wearable device) with one or more functions of a lead UAV or GCS. The electronic device may be configured to determine target information, which may indicate the location of a target to be captured by multiple wingman UAVs. The target may be a living or inanimate object to be captured by an image capture device (e.g., a camera) integrated with one or more of the multiple wingman UAVs. The location of the target may be offset from the location of the electronic device by an offset distance. The electronic device may also be configured to determine formation information of the multiple wingman UAVs. The determined formation information may at least indicate the relative position of each of the multiple wingman UAVs relative to the electronic device or relative to the target to be captured. The electronic device may also be configured to directly send the determined formation information and target information to each of the multiple wingman UAVs. Each of the plurality of wingman UAVs can receive the transmitted formation information and target information, and can also adjust the position of the corresponding wingman UAV based on the received formation information and target information to maintain the relative distance between the wingman UAV and the electronic device or target, regardless of any changes in the movement of the electronic device or target, or any changes in the distance (angle or orientation) of the electronic device (or target) relative to each wingman UAV.

[0017] The disclosed GCS and / or the disclosed electronic equipment can directly control the positions of multiple wingman UAVs and / or lead UAVs based on direct communication with multiple wingman UAVs and / or lead UAVs regarding defined formation information. Formation information may include, but is not limited to, instructions to adjust the position of each of the lead UAVs and / or multiple wingman UAVs. Furthermore, the electronic equipment can also send target information to multiple wingman UAVs. Target information may indicate the location of the target to be captured, while the electronic equipment itself may be positioned at an offset distance from the target. The movement (or angle or orientation) of multiple wingman UAVs can be automatically controlled based on the movement of the lead UAV and / or the target, using formation information and / or target information, while maintaining the established formation of the multiple UAVs (i.e., without requiring complex computer vision technology). Automatic control of the movement of multiple wingman UAVs eliminates the need for individual manual control of each of the multiple wingman UAVs. This can further reduce the costs and manpower associated with the control of multiple UAVs. Automated control can also ensure that multiple wingman UAVs can maintain the desired formation relative to the lead UAV and / or accurately capture targets that may be in motion. Due to the precise and dynamic positioning of multiple wingman UAVs relative to each other, the lead UAV, and the target, automated control can also improve the quality of images / videos captured by each wingman UAV.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating an exemplary network environment for controlling a drone swarm according to embodiments of the present disclosure. (See reference...) Figure 1 The figure illustrates a network environment including system 100. System 100 may include a ground control station (GCS) 102, a lead unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) 104, and multiple wingman UAVs 106 (e.g., wingman UAV-1 106A, wingman UAV-2 106B, ... and wingman UAV-N 106N). GCS 102 may be communicatively coupled to the lead UAV 104 and the multiple wingman UAVs 106 via a communication network 108. GCS 102 may communicate directly with the lead UAV 104 and each of the multiple wingman UAVs 106 via the communication network 108. The lead UAV 104 may communicate directly with each of the multiple wingman UAVs 106. The lead UAV 104 and the multiple wingman UAVs 106 may be configured to form a group (or cluster arrangement).

[0019] Figure 1 The number N of multiple wingman UAVs 106 shown is merely an example. Without departing from the scope of this disclosure, the multiple wingman UAVs 106 may include only two wingman UAVs for UAV cluster control or more than N wingman UAVs. For the sake of brevity, Figure 1 Only N wingman UAVs are shown in the diagram. However, in some embodiments, more than N wingman UAVs may exist without limiting the scope of this disclosure.

[0020] GCS102 may include appropriate logic, circuitry, interfaces, and / or code that can be configured to communicate with each of the lead UAV 104 and multiple wingman UAVs 106. GCS102 can communicate directly with each of the lead UAV 104 and multiple wingman UAVs 106. GCS102 can receive user requests to control the multiple UAVs (including the lead UAV 104 and multiple wingman UAVs 106). GCS102 can determine the geographic location of the lead UAV 104 and determine formation information based on the determined geographic location and / or user requests (i.e., including user input). The formation information can at least indicate the relative position of each of the multiple wingman UAVs 106 relative to the lead UAV 104. GCS102 can send the determined formation information to the lead UAV 104 and multiple wingman UAVs 106 to control the formation of the multiple UAVs (including the lead UAV 104 and multiple wingman UAVs 106). In embodiments, GCS102 may include formation control software (FCS) or an application for determining formation information. Examples of GCS102 may include, but are not limited to, station communication systems, communication equipment, UAV controllers, portable computing devices, controller systems, smartphones, cellular phones, mobile phones, gaming devices, mainframes, distributed computing systems (such as edge computing systems), computer workstations, and / or consumer electronics (CE) devices.

[0021] In one embodiment, GCS102 may include a server configured to determine platooning information for multiple UAVs, including a lead UAV 104 and multiple wingmen UAVs 106, based on user input. The server of GCS102 may be configured to send the determined platooning information to each of the lead UAV 104 and the multiple wingmen UAVs 106. The server of GCS102 may be implemented as a cloud server and may perform operations via web applications, cloud applications, HTTP requests, repository operations, file transfers, etc. Other example implementations of the server may include, but are not limited to, database servers, file servers, web servers, media servers, application servers, mainframe servers, or cloud computing servers. In another embodiment, GCS102 may be implemented as multiple distributed cloud-based resources using several techniques well known to those skilled in the art.

[0022] The system 100 may include a lead UAV 104 and multiple wingman UAVs 106. The multiple UAVs may include appropriate logic, circuitry, and / or interfaces corresponding to unmanned aerial vehicles or systems controlled by a remote pilot via a remote system (such as GCS 102) or capable of autonomous flight. Typically, the multiple UAVs may be components of an unmanned aerial vehicle system (UAS), which may additionally include a ground-based controller and systems communicating with the UAVs. Essentially, a UAV can be defined as a flying robot that can be remotely controlled or autonomously flown via a flight plan controlled by software in its embedded system, combined with onboard sensors and GPS (not shown) and / or complex dynamic automation systems. UAVs are typically used to perform tasks ranging from mundane to extremely dangerous. In embodiments, the robotic UAV may operate without an onboard pilot and may have varying degrees of autonomy depending on the requirements. Each of the multiple UAVs may include one or more onboard image capture devices (e.g., Figure 3 The image capture device 308 shown is used to capture images or videos of a target from different angles or positions. Examples of multiple UAVs may include, but are not limited to, unmanned aerial vehicles, intelligent aircraft, or other such aircraft that can be controlled by pre-programmed flight plans and / or automated systems (such as GCS102). Depending on the frame type and the number of motors, various examples of multiple UAVs may include, but are not limited to, a tricopter with three arms and one motor, a quadcopter with four arms and one motor, a hexcopter with six arms and one motor, a Y6 rotorcraft with six arms and six motors, an octocopter with eight arms and one motor, and / or an X8 with eight arms and eight motors.

[0023] Communication network 108 may include a communication medium through which GCS 102 and multiple UAVs can communicate with each other. Communication network 108 may be one or a combination of wired and wireless connections. Examples of communication network 108 may include, but are not limited to, the Internet, cloud networks, cellular or wireless mobile networks (such as LTE and 5G New Radio), Wi-Fi networks, personal area networks (PANs), local area networks (LANs), or metropolitan area networks (MANs). Various devices in the network environment including system 100 may be configured to connect to communication network 108 in accordance with various wired and wireless communication protocols, or a combination of both wired and wireless protocols. Examples of such wired and wireless communication protocols may include, but are not limited to, at least one of Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol (TCP / IP), User Datagram Protocol (UDP), Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), File Transfer Protocol (FTP), Zig-Bee, EDGE, IEEE 802.11, Li-Fi, 802.16, IEEE 802.11s, IEEE 802.11g, multi-hop communication, wireless access point (AP), device-to-device communication, cellular communication protocols, and Bluetooth (BT) communication protocols.

[0024] In relation to Figure 1 In operation, GCS102 can be configured to receive user requests for multiple UAVs, including a lead UAV 104 and multiple wingman UAVs 106. User requests can be received based on user input from a user or human controller associated with GCS102. User input can instruct the selection of one UAV from the multiple UAVs as the lead UAV (e.g., lead UAV 104) and the selection (i.e., among the multiple UAVs) of the remaining UAVs as multiple wingman UAVs (e.g., multiple wingman UAVs 106). User input can also indicate the desired or required formation type of the multiple UAVs. GCS102 can also be configured to determine the geographic location (i.e., current location) of the lead UAV 104. GCS102 can also be configured to determine formation information based on the determined geographic location of the lead UAV 104 and / or the received user requests. The determined formation information can indicate information about the formation of multiple UAVs in a specific cluster arrangement. For example, in Figures 5A-5C and Figures 6A-6C The document describes certain examples of formations of multiple UAVs. In embodiments, the determined formation information may at least indicate each of the multiple wingman UAVs 106 relative to the lead UAV 104 or the target (in Figures 6A-6CThe relative positions of the UAVs (shown in the diagram) can be included. Formation information may include, but is not limited to, geographical origin, geographical end, or one or more altitude positions of multiple (or groups of) UAVs along a flight path. Additionally, formation information may indicate, but is not limited to, a series of intermediate geographical locations or waypoints along the flight path of multiple UAVs, the spacing between adjacent UAVs, or information about one or more speeds or rates of the multiple UAVs at corresponding waypoints.

[0025] GCS102 can also be configured to send determined formation information directly to each of the lead UAV 104 and multiple wingman UAVs 106 in a group or swarm of UAVs. Each of the multiple wingman UAVs 106 in system 100 can also be configured to receive the transmitted formation information directly from GCS102 (i.e., without passing through the lead UAV 104). Each wingman UAV can also be configured to adjust the position (or angle or orientation) of the corresponding UAV relative to the lead UAV 104 based on the formation information received from GCS102.

[0026] In one embodiment, GCS102 may be integrated with the lead UAV 104. In this case, the lead UAV 104 may include formation control software (FCS) or an application for determining formation information. In another embodiment, the lead UAV (e.g., lead UAV 104) may be an electronic device, such as, but not limited to, a vehicle (e.g., such as...). Figure 5A (as described in) and / or portable electronic devices (e.g., such as Figure 5B and Figure 5C (as described in) and / or wearable devices (e.g., such as Figure 5C (As described in the text). In an embodiment, the electronic device (i.e., having one or more functions of GCS102 and / or the lead UAV) can be configured to determine target information that can indicate the location of a target to be captured (i.e., a living or inanimate object). The location of the target can be offset from the location of the electronic device by a distance. The electronic device can be configured to determine formation information of a plurality of wingman UAVs 106. The determined formation information can at least indicate the relative position of each of the plurality of wingman UAVs 106 relative to the electronic device or the target. The electronic device can be configured to directly transmit the determined formation information and target information to each of the plurality of wingman UAVs 106. Each of the plurality of wingman UAVs 106 can receive the transmitted formation information and target information, and can also adjust the position of the corresponding wingman UAV based on the received formation information and target information. For example, in Figures 6A-6C Further details about the electronic devices were provided.

[0027] The disclosed GCS102 and / or the disclosed electronic equipment can control the positions of multiple wingman UAVs 106 and / or lead UAVs 104 based on direct communication with multiple wingman UAVs 106 and / or lead UAVs 104 regarding determined formation information. Formation information may include instructions to adjust the position (or orientation or field of view) of each of the multiple wingman UAVs 106 and / or lead UAV 104. Additionally, the electronic equipment can also send target information to the multiple wingman UAVs 106. Target information may indicate the location of a target to be captured, while the electronic equipment itself may be positioned at an offset distance from the target (i.e., the target is close to the electronic equipment). The movement of the multiple wingman UAVs 106 can be automatically controlled based on the movement of the lead UAV 104 and / or the target, using the formation information and / or target information. Dynamic calculations based on the nearest position or movement formation information and / or target information of the lead UAV 104 and / or the target can provide dynamic control of multiple wingman UAVs 106 to form (or modify) a desired cluster arrangement. Automatic and dynamic control of the movement of multiple wingman UAVs 106 eliminates the need for individual manual control of each of the multiple wingman UAVs 106. This can further reduce the cost and workload associated with the control of multiple UAVs. Automatic control also ensures that multiple wingman UAVs can maintain the desired formation relative to the lead UAV 104 and capture targets that may be in motion. Due to the precise and dynamic positioning of the multiple wingman UAVs 106 relative to each other, the lead UAV 104, and the target, automatic control can also improve or achieve higher quality images / videos captured by each wingman UAV.

[0028] Figure 2 According to embodiments of this disclosure Figure 1 A block diagram of an exemplary ground control station. Combined with... Figure 1 To explain the elements Figure 2 . refer to Figure 2 The diagram shows Ground Control Station (GCS) 202 (for example, Figure 1 The block diagram 200 shows GCS102. GCS202 may include circuitry 204, memory 206, input / output (I / O) devices 208, and a network interface 210. Network interface 210 can be connected to communication network 108. Figure 1 Circuit 204 can be communicatively coupled to memory 206, I / O device 208 and network interface 210.

[0029] Circuit 204 may include appropriate logic, circuitry, and / or interfaces that can be configured to execute program instructions associated with different operations to be performed by GCS 202. For example, one or more of such operations may be dynamically determining a lead UAV from a group of UAVs and assigning other UAVs in that group as wingmen UAVs. The determination of the lead UAV (e.g., lead UAV 104) and multiple wingmen UAVs (e.g., multiple wingmen UAVs 106) may be based on input received from a user (not shown). One or more operations may also include determining the geographic location of lead UAV 104, determining formation information based on user input and / or the geographic location of lead UAV 104, and sending the formation information to lead UAV 104 and multiple wingmen UAVs 106. Circuit 204 may include one or more dedicated processing units, which may be implemented as separate processors. In embodiments, the one or more dedicated processing units may be implemented as integrated processors or a cluster of processors collectively performing the functions of one or more dedicated processing units. Circuit 204 may be implemented based on many processor technologies known in the art. Examples of implementations of circuit 204 may be x86-based processors, graphics processing units (GPUs), reduced instruction set computing (RISC) processors, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) processors, complex instruction set computing (CISC) processors, microcontrollers, central processing units (CPUs), other control circuits, and / or combinations thereof.

[0030] Memory 206 may include appropriate logic, circuitry, and / or interfaces that can be configured to store program instructions executable by circuitry 204. Memory 206 may also be configured to store information such as, but not limited to, the geographic location of the lead UAV 104, determined formation information, flight paths of multiple UAVs, and / or target information. Example implementations of memory 206 may include, but are not limited to, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), hard disk drive (HDD), solid-state drive (SSD), CPU cache memory, and / or secure digital card (SD card). Other forms of storage devices known in the art and not listed herein may also be included within the scope of embodiments of this disclosure.

[0031] I / O device 208 may include appropriate logic, circuitry, and interfaces that can be configured to receive input and provide output based on the received input. I / O device 208 may include various input and output devices that can be configured to communicate with circuitry 204. For example, I / O device 208 may receive user input associated with multiple UAVs of system 100 from a user. For example, user input may be creating a specific formation via multiple wingman UAVs 106, or user input may instruct each of the multiple UAVs to follow a specific flight path. For example, I / O device 208 may present output associated with a set of images captured by the multiple UAVs of system 100. Examples of I / O device 208 may include, but are not limited to, touchscreens, keyboards, mice, joysticks, microphones, display devices, and speakers.

[0032] Network interface 210 may include appropriate logic, circuitry, interfaces, and / or code that can be configured to facilitate communication between GCS 102 and each of a plurality of UAVs (such as lead UAV 104 and multiple wingman UAVs 106A) via communication network 108. Network interface 210 may be configured to implement known technologies for supporting wired or wireless communication. Network interface 210 may include, but is not limited to, antennas, radio frequency (RF) transceivers, one or more amplifiers, tuners, one or more oscillators, digital signal processors, codec (CODEC) chipsets, subscriber identification module (SIM) cards, and / or local buffers.

[0033] Network interface 210 can be configured to communicate wirelessly with networks such as the Internet, intranets, and / or wireless networks such as cellular telephone networks, wireless local area networks (WLANs), personal area networks, and / or metropolitan area networks (MANs). Wireless communication can use any of a variety of communication standards, protocols, and technologies, such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), LTE, Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi (such as IEEE 802.11, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n, and / or any other IEEE 802.11 protocol), Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), Wi-MAX, Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, Machine Type Communication (MTC) technologies, email protocols, instant messaging, and / or Short Message Service (SMS).

[0034] like Figure 1 The function or operation performed by GCS102 can be performed by circuit 204 of GCS202. For example, in Figure 4 , Figure 5A , Figure 5B, Figure 5C , Figure 6A , Figure 6B and Figure 6C The operation performed by circuit 204 is described in detail.

[0035] Figure 3 According to embodiments of this disclosure Figure 1 A block diagram of an exemplary unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Combined with... Figure 1 and Figure 2 To explain the elements Figure 3 . refer to Figure 3 The figure shows a diagram 300 including an exemplary UAV 302 (e.g., a lead UAV 104 or one of multiple wingman UAVs 106). UAV 302 may include circuitry 304, memory 306, image capture device 308, network interface 310, power supply unit 312, propulsion system 314, position sensor 316, and inertial measurement unit (IMU) 318. Network interface 310 can be connected to communication network 108 (…). Figure 1 (As shown in the diagram). Circuit 304 can be communicatively coupled to memory 306, image capture device 308, network interface 310, power supply unit 312, propulsion system 314, position sensor 316 and IMU 318.

[0036] Circuit 304 may include appropriate logic, circuitry, and interfaces that can be configured to execute program instructions associated with different operations to be performed by UAV 302. For example, one or more of such operations may be from GCS202 ( Figure 2 (As shown in the diagram) Receiving formation information, assigning one of a plurality of UAVs as the lead UAV (e.g., lead UAV 104), and assigning the other UAVs in the plurality of UAVs as wingman UAVs, such as a plurality of wingman UAVs 106. One or more operations may also include controlling the flight path, position, altitude, speed, or orientation of UAV 302 based on the received formation information. Circuit 304 may also be configured to control the power supply unit 312 of UAV 302 and notify the user when the battery power associated with the power supply unit 312 becomes less than a certain threshold. In embodiments, circuit 304 may be implemented based on many processor technologies known in the art. Examples of implementations of circuit 304 may be x86-based processors, graphics processing units (GPUs), reduced instruction set computing (RISC) processors, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) processors, complex instruction set computing (CISC) processors, microcontrollers, central processing units (CPUs), other control circuitry, and / or combinations thereof.

[0037] Memory 306 may include appropriate logic, circuitry, and / or interfaces that can be configured to store program instructions executable by circuitry 304. In embodiments, memory 306 may be configured to store received queuing information and / or target information. Example implementations of memory 306 may include, but are not limited to, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), hard disk drive (HDD), solid-state drive (SSD), CPU cache memory, and / or secure digital card (SD card).

[0038] Image capture device 308 may include components that can be configured to capture a target object (not in...) Figure 3 The appropriate logic, circuitry, and interfaces for one or more image or video streams (shown in the diagram) are described. In an embodiment, image capture device 308 may be activated by GCS202 or by the lead UAV 104 to capture images / video of a target object. In an embodiment, image capture device 308 may be activated based on user input to capture images / video of a target object. Examples of image capture device 308 may include, but are not limited to, image sensors, wide-angle cameras, 360-degree cameras, action cameras, closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, portable cameras, digital cameras, camera phones, time-of-flight (ToF) cameras, night vision cameras, and / or other image capture devices.

[0039] Network interface 310 may include appropriate logic, circuitry, interfaces, and / or code that can be configured to facilitate communication between UAV 302, GCS 202, and / or other UAVs among a plurality of UAVs. Network interface 310 may be configured to implement known technologies for supporting wired or wireless communication. Network interface 310 may include, but is not limited to, antennas, radio frequency (RF) transceivers, one or more amplifiers, tuners, one or more oscillators, digital signal processors, codec chipsets, subscriber identification module (SIM) cards, and / or local buffers. The functionality of network interface 310 may be similar to, for example, in… Figure 2 The functions of network interface 210 described herein are as follows. Therefore, for the sake of brevity, the description of network interface 310 is omitted in this disclosure.

[0040] Power supply unit 312 may include appropriate logic, circuitry, and interfaces that can be configured to execute program instructions associated with different operations to be performed by UAV 302. Power supply unit 312 may provide power to UAV 302 using a combustible energy source or solar panel attached to UAV 302. In embodiments, power supply unit 312 may use a fuel cell that uses hydrogen to generate current, which can be used to power an electric motor associated with propulsion system 314. Combustible energy sources and solar power are well known to those skilled in the art and are therefore omitted from the discussion of embodiments of this disclosure. Power supply unit 312 may power the entire UAV 302, enabling the operation of various components of UAV 302. In embodiments, a combination of different energy sources may be used to power UAV 302. The choice of power source may depend on the type of UAV 302 (e.g., based on the weight, payload capacity, size, and airfoil of UAV 302). In embodiments, power supply unit 312 may include a battery that stores energy generated by the energy source. The battery may be a source of power for one or more circuits of UAV 302. For example, the battery can be a source of power for circuitry 304, memory 306, image capture device 308, network interface 310, propulsion system 314, position sensor 316, and IMU 318. The battery can be a rechargeable battery. The battery can be a source of power to start or control the movement of the UAV 302. In some embodiments, the battery can correspond to a battery pack, which can have multiple battery groups. Examples of batteries may include, but are not limited to, lead-acid batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, lithium-ion batteries, and other rechargeable batteries.

[0041] The propulsion system 314 is a set of mechanical and electrical components that generate thrust during flight to propel the UAV 302 upward / downward and / or forward / backward. The propulsion system 314 can control the movement of the UAV 302 based on one or more control commands received from circuit 304 or GCS202. The propulsion system 314 may also include, but is not limited to, electric motors, propellers, and electronic speed controllers (ESCs).

[0042] The electric motor can be a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor in which coils are fixed to the motor housing or inner casing, and magnets are configured to rotate. Based on the rotational speed at a given voltage, the brushless DC motor can be one of an internal rotor motor, an external rotor motor, or a hybrid rotor motor. The propeller can include rotor blades with a predefined diameter that rotate at a preconfigured speed to generate minimum thrust for the UAV 302. In addition to the predefined diameter, the propeller can also be associated with the shape, angle of attack, pitch, and surface area of ​​the rotor blades. The propeller can be manufactured using different materials, such as injection-molded plastics, fiber-reinforced polymers, or natural materials (such as wood). The ESC can include appropriate logic, circuitry, interfaces, and / or codes that can be configured to control the speed and direction of the electric motor, thereby correspondingly controlling the speed and direction of movement of the UAV 302. The ESC can be configured to receive one or more control commands from the GCS202 or circuit 304 to control the speed and direction of the UAV 302.

[0043] The location sensor 316 may include appropriate logic, circuitry, and / or interfaces configured to determine the current geographic location of the UAV 302. The location sensor 316 may be configured to transmit the current geographic location to circuitry 304 and GCS202 of the UAV 302. Examples of the location sensor 316 may include, but are not limited to, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) based sensors. Examples of GNSS-based sensors may include, but are not limited to, Global Positioning System (GPS), Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS), or other regional navigation systems or sensors. In another embodiment, the location sensor 316 may provide information about geographic location based on real-time kinematic (RTK) positioning.

[0044] IMU 318 may include appropriate logic, circuitry, and / or interfaces that can be configured to detect the current orientation of UAV 302 and provide the detected current orientation as IMU data to circuitry 304 or GCS202. Based on the IMU data, GCS202 can determine formation information associated with the current orientation of UAV 302 and send the determined formation information to circuitry 304 or other UAVs. Circuitry 304 can further control the orientation of UAV 302 based on the received formation information determined by GCS202 based on the current orientation of UAV 302. Examples of IMU 318 may include, but are not limited to, motion sensors, tilt sensors, accelerometers, or gyroscopes.

[0045] It should be noted that, Figure 3The UAV 302 described herein is given by way of example only and should not be construed as limiting this disclosure. This disclosure can also be applied to other types of unmanned vehicles, such as unmanned aerial vehicle systems (UAS). Those skilled in the art will understand that the UAV 302 may include other suitable components or systems besides those shown herein for the purpose of describing and illustrating the function and operation of this disclosure. For the sake of brevity, detailed descriptions of other components or systems of the UAV 302 have been omitted from this disclosure.

[0046] Figure 4 This is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary processing pipeline for drone swarm control according to embodiments of the present disclosure. (In conjunction with...) Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 To explain the elements Figure 4 . refer to Figure 4 The figure illustrates an exemplary processing pipeline 400 with operations 402 to 410. Operations 402-410 of the processing pipeline 400 can be performed by any computing system, device, or equipment, such as by... Figure 1 System 100 or Figure 2 GCS202 will be conducted.

[0047] At 402, the geographic location of the lead UAV can be determined. In an embodiment, circuitry 204 of GCS202 can be configured to determine the geographic location of the lead UAV (e.g., lead UAV 104) among a plurality of UAVs (e.g., lead UAV 104 and a plurality of wingman UAVs 106). Prior to determining the geographic location, circuitry 204 may receive a user request from a user or human control party associated with GCS202. The user request may include user input indicating the role assigned to the UAVs among the plurality of UAVs (e.g., lead UAV role or wingman UAV role). The user input may also indicate the desired alignment or position of a wingman UAV in a particular formation relative to the lead UAV among the plurality of UAVs. Position may correspond to different coordinates in the XYZ plane, and alignment may correspond to different angles or orientations of the UAV relative to the lead UAV or the target to be captured. In one embodiment, circuit 204 can assign the role of the lead UAV to a specific UAV (e.g., lead UAV 104) and the role of the wingman UAV to the remaining UAVs among a plurality of UAVs (e.g., a plurality of wingman UAVs 106) based on user input in a user request. In an alternative embodiment, the role assignments for the lead and wingman UAVs to each UAV among the plurality of UAVs can be predefined. In another embodiment, circuit 204 can send information associated with the roles assigned to the corresponding UAVs to the plurality of UAVs. Based on the role-associated information received by the UAV, the corresponding UAV can assign a role among the plurality of UAVs. For example, based on the role-associated information, a UAV (e.g., lead UAV 104) can be assigned the lead role among the plurality of UAVs. Similarly, a UAV (e.g., one of the plurality of wingman UAVs 106) can be assigned the wingman role among the plurality of UAVs. In this embodiment, user input may also include, but is not limited to, information about: a geographic origin, a geographic destination, a specific flight path that multiple UAVs will take between the geographic origin and the geographic destination, one or more altitude positions that multiple UAVs will take along the flight path, or a series of intermediate geographic locations or waypoints in the flight path.

[0048] In an embodiment, circuit 204 of GCS202 can send geolocation requests to a UAV among multiple UAVs that has been assigned the role of lead UAV (e.g., lead UAV 104). Based on the lead UAV's (e.g., lead UAV 104) receipt of the geolocation request, the lead UAV can further determine its geolocation and send the determined geolocation to circuit 204 of GCS202. For example, lead UAV 104 can use an onboard position sensor (e.g., position sensor 316) to determine its geolocation and send information associated with the determined geolocation to circuit 204 of GCS202. Based on the receipt of information associated with lead UAV 104's geolocation, circuit 204 can determine the geolocation of lead UAV 104. In an embodiment, circuit 204 of GCS202 can periodically receive the geolocation of lead UAV 104, allowing GCS202 to know the current location of lead UAV 104 in real time.

[0049] At 404, IMU data associated with the lead UAV (e.g., lead UAV 104) can be determined. In an embodiment, circuit 204 can determine the IMU data associated with lead UAV 104. Circuit 204 can send an IMU data request to lead UAV 104. Based on the receipt of the IMU data request, lead UAV 104 can use an onboard orientation sensor (e.g., IMU 318) to determine the IMU data. Lead UAV 104 can also send the determined IMU data to circuit 204 of GCS 202. In an embodiment, lead UAV 104 can be configured to smooth sensor readings included in the IMU data before sending the IMU data to GCS 202. For example, a Kalman filter can be used to smooth the sensor readings. Smoothed sensor readings in the IMU data can improve the prediction of changes in the direction of lead UAV 104 based on the IMU data. Circuit 204 of GCS 202 can be configured to receive the determined IMU data from lead UAV 104. In embodiments, IMU data may include, but is not limited to, motion information, tilt information, yaw rotation information, pitch rotation information, roll rotation information, velocity information, acceleration information, or gyroscope measurements associated with the lead UAV 104. In addition to transmitting geographic location, the IMU data associated with the lead UAV 104 can provide the GCS 202 with accurate details related to the exact location and / or orientation of the lead UAV 104. In embodiments, circuitry 204 of the GCS 202 can periodically receive IMU data from the lead UAV 104, allowing the GCS 202 to know in real time the current orientation (or changes in acceleration or direction) of the lead UAV 104. In some embodiments, IMU 318 may be integrated into electronic devices and / or integrated into the target (i.e., Figures 6A-6C The target described herein is used to detect changes in direction, tilt, orientation, or acceleration.

[0050] At 406, target information can be determined. In an embodiment, circuit 204 of GCS 202 can be configured to determine target information. Target information may indicate at least one of the following: the identifier of the target or the location of the target to be captured, but is not limited thereto. In an embodiment, the location of the target may be related to GCS 202 (e.g., in a...). Figures 6A-6CThe electronic devices described herein are spaced apart by an offset distance. In another embodiment, circuitry 204 of GCS202 can send a request for target information to the lead UAV 104. Based on the request for target information received from GCS202, the lead UAV 104 can determine target information that can indicate the location of the target to be captured. Circuitry 204 of GCS202 can also receive the determined target information from the lead UAV 104. In another embodiment, target information (e.g., the identification and / or location of the target) can be determined by circuitry 204 based on user input received from a user or human controller associated with GCS202. Based on the target information, UAVs in a plurality of UAVs (i.e., including lead UAV 104 and a plurality of wingmen UAVs 106) can be configured to follow the target and capture images and / or video of the target. In the example, the target can be a moving object that can be followed by a plurality of UAVs in a particular formation. The formation can be determined based on formation information. Details of the target information, for example, are described in Figure 6A , Figure 6B and Figure 6C Further details will be provided in China.

[0051] At 408, formation information can be determined. In an embodiment, circuit 204 of GCS202 can be configured to determine formation information for multiple UAVs. In an embodiment, formation information can be determined based on the determined geographic location of the lead UAV 104. In an embodiment, the determination of formation information can also be based on a received user request (including user input regarding the formation of multiple UAVs). In other words, formation information can be determined based on the receipt of user input provided by the user of GCS202 or a human controller. Formation information may include the position of the lead UAV 104 and the position of each of the wingmen UAVs 106A-106N relative to the lead UAV 104 or a target (…). Figures 6A-6CDetails of the relative positions (shown in the diagram). For example, formation information can indicate the position of each of the multiple wingman UAVs 106 to form a specific cluster arrangement. The position of each of the multiple UAVs can be an explicit XYZ position or a relative position relative to the current position, geographic location, and / or IMU data associated with the lead UAV 104. For example, formation information for the multiple wingman UAVs 106 can indicate, but is not limited to, distances, angles, or orientations relative to the position and / or orientation of the lead UAV 104 or the target. For example, the distances of each of the multiple wingman UAVs 106 to the lead UAV 104 can be the same, such that each of the multiple wingman UAVs 106 can be equidistant from the position of the lead UAV 104. The angles indicated by the formation information can correspond to the angles between each of the multiple wingman UAVs 106 and the lead UAV 104. Therefore, based on the real-time changes in the position / IMU data of the lead UAV 104 or the target, the circuit 204 of GCS202 can automatically determine or update the XYZ position, angle, and / or orientation of each of the multiple wingman UAVs 106 in the formation information, so that the cluster arrangement of the multiple UAVs formed can remain the same, or the distance between each of the multiple wingman UAVs 106 and the lead UAV 104 (or the angle between each wingman UAV and the lead UAV) can remain fixed. This can further achieve a consistent cluster arrangement of multiple UAVs during a defined flight path, independent of any movement (or change in angle or orientation) of the lead UAV 104 or the target captured by the multiple UAVs; or without any human intervention. Further details of the determination of formation information and certain cluster arrangements are provided, for example, in... Figure 5A , Figure 5B and Figure 5C Provided by China.

[0052] At 410, definitive formation information can be transmitted. In an embodiment, circuit 204 of GCS202 can be configured to transmit definitive formation information directly to each of the lead UAV 104 and multiple wingman UAVs 106. The transmitted formation information may include relative positions, such as the distance between each of the multiple wingman UAVs 106 and the lead UAV 104 (or the target), the altitude of each of the multiple wingman UAVs 106 relative to the lead UAV 104 (or the target), and the orientation of each of the multiple wingman UAVs 106 relative to the lead UAV 104 (or the target). Based on the formation information received by each of the multiple UAVs, a desired formation (or cluster arrangement) of multiple UAVs can be created around the target to capture images / videos of the target as needed by the user or for any different purpose (e.g., but not limited to entertainment-related, surveillance-related, sports-related, education-related, or health-related purposes). Each of the multiple UAVs (i.e., using the built-in image capture device) can be configured to capture an image or video stream of a predefined target and send the captured image or video stream to the GCS102.

[0053] In this embodiment, each of the plurality of wingman UAVs 106 may be configured to receive formation information transmitted directly from the GCS 202 (i.e., without via the lead UAV 104). In some conventional solutions, the wingman UAVs may receive formation information from the ground control station (GCS) via the lead UAV or associated equipment, which may result in a time lag in the transmission of formation information or other instructions between the GCS and the wingman UAVs. Instead, the disclosed GCS 202 may receive formation information via a communication network 108 (i.e., Figure 1 (As shown in the diagram) the determined formation information is sent directly to each of the multiple wingman UAVs 106 to minimize any transmission delay between the GCS202 and the multiple wingman UAVs 106. This minimization of transmission delay can further provide lower latency, as well as better and / or real-time control of the multiple wingman UAVs 106 based on any changes to the lead UAV 104 (or target), or based on any predefined need to form a specific cluster or pattern of multiple UAVs.

[0054] In this embodiment, based on the received formation information, each of the multiple wingman UAVs 106 can further adjust the position of the corresponding wingman UAV among the multiple wingman UAVs 106. The positions (i.e., XYZ positions) of the multiple wingman UAVs 106 can be adjusted to dynamically form or adjust the cluster arrangement according to any changes in the position (or geographic location) or angle / orientation of the lead aircraft UAV 104. The adjustment of the position (or angle or orientation) of the UAVs (e.g., wingman UAVs) based on the formation information is, for example, in… Figure 5A , Figure 5B and Figure 5C Further description is provided below. In an embodiment, the determined formation information may also indicate changes in the orientation of each of the lead UAV 104 and the multiple wingmen UAVs 106. Precise changes in the orientation or direction of the lead UAV 104 can be determined at the lead UAV 104 via IMU data (i.e., using IMU 318). Based on the IMU data received from the lead UAV 104, the formation information may include information relating to changes in the orientation or direction of each of the multiple wingmen UAVs 106 according to a predefined cluster arrangement, flight path, or target to be acquired. For example, the formation information may indicate that the lead UAV 104 and the multiple wingmen UAVs 106 will be in a straight line, for example, as... Figure 5A As illustrated in the diagram. It should be noted that, based on changes in user input regarding the formation (or pattern) of the multiple UAVs to be formed by the group (or pattern) of the multiple UAVs (i.e., lead UAV 104 and multiple wingman UAVs 106), or based on the movement of the lead UAV 104 or the target, some of the operations from 402 to 410 can be automatically repeated to change the formation of the multiple UAVs around the selected target. User input can be included in a formation request (or user request) provided by the user or human controller of GCS202 or the multiple UAVs.

[0055] Figure 5A , Figure 5B and Figure 5C This is an illustration of an exemplary scenario of drone swarm control according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Combined with... Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 To explain the elements Figure 5A , Figure 5B and Figure 5C .

[0056] refer to Figure 5A The figure illustrates an exemplary first scenario 500A. First scenario 500A includes multiple UAVs, which may include a lead UAV 502 and multiple wingmen UAVs 504A-504D in a specific formation. GCS (e.g.) Figure 2The GCS202 shown can be configured to determine the geographic location (or current location) of the lead UAV 502, and is also configured to determine formation information based on the determined geographic location of the lead UAV 502. The formation information can indicate at least the relative position of each of the multiple wingmen UAVs 504A-504D relative to the lead UAV 502. The GCS202 can also be configured to send the determined formation information directly to the lead UAV 502 and each of the multiple wingmen UAVs 504A-504D. Each of the multiple wingmen UAVs 504A-504D can also be configured to receive the sent formation information and adjust the position of the corresponding UAV based on the received formation information. For example, as... Figure 5A As illustrated in the diagram, initially, each of the multiple wingman UAVs 504A-504D can be spaced equidistant from the lead UAV 502 (for example, forming an arc formation around the lead UAV 502). Based on the geographical location of the lead UAV 502 and / or based on user requests, the formation information can be updated so that the multiple UAVs, including the lead UAV 502 and the wingman UAVs 504A-504D, form a straight formation, for example, as shown in the diagram. Figure 5A As shown in the diagram. Based on the reception of such formation information by each of the lead UAV 502 and the multiple wingmen UAVs 504A-504D, one or more of the lead UAV 504 and the multiple wingmen UAVs 504A-504D can adjust their positions. The adjustment of the positions of one or more of the multiple UAVs can be made so that the multiple UAVs can achieve a desired formation. For example, the multiple UAVs can achieve a straight-line formation as a desired formation that can be predefined or indicated by user input received from the user of GCS202. In other words, after the position adjustment of the wingmen UAVs 504A-504D relative to the lead UAV 502, the XYZ position of each of the wingmen UAVs 504A-504D and the position of the lead UAV 502 can be aligned in a straight line, for example, as... Figure 5A As shown in the diagram. In this straight-line formation, the distance between adjacent UAVs among the multiple UAVs can be the same as the desired formation. Furthermore, based on any change in the position (geographical location) of the lead UAV 502, the circuit 204 of the GCS202 can dynamically change the formation information of the multiple wingman UAVs 504-504D to adjust the position of each of the multiple wingman UAVs 504-504D, thereby maintaining the straight-line formation or cluster arrangement of the multiple UAVs (including the lead UAV 502 and the multiple wingman UAVs 504A-504D). It can be noted that... Figure 5AThe four wingman UAVs and straight formation shown are merely examples. Without departing from the scope of this disclosure, a formation may include N wingman UAVs to accommodate different formation patterns formed by the lead UAV as needed.

[0057] refer to Figure 5B The figure illustrates an exemplary second scenario 500B. The second scenario 500B includes multiple UAVs, comprising a lead UAV 506 and multiple wingmen UAVs 508A-508E in a specific formation (e.g., an arc formation as an initial or current formation). GCS202 can be configured to determine the geographic location of the lead UAV 506 and, based on the determined geographic location, determine formation information, such as... Figure 4 and Figure 5A As described above, the GCS202 can also determine formation information for multiple wingman UAVs 508A-508E based on user input that can indicate changes in formation. For example, the formation information can instruct the lead UAV 506 and multiple wingman UAVs 508A-508E to form a circular formation, with the lead UAV 506 located at the center of the circular formation (i.e., indicated in user input, formed either based on the current position of the lead UAV 506, or based on the specific position of the target to be captured by the multiple wingman UAVs 508A-508E and the lead UAV 506). The GCS202 can also send the formation information directly to each of the multiple UAVs including the lead UAV 506 and multiple wingman UAVs 508A-508E. Based on the receipt of the formation information, each of the multiple wingman UAVs 508A-508E can be configured to adjust the position (or angle or orientation) of the corresponding UAV relative to the lead UAV 506. Based on position adjustments, multiple UAVs can achieve, for example, circular formation. For example, such as... Figure 5B As shown, the multiple UAVs in the circular formation may include a lead UAV 506 located at the center of the circular formation, and multiple wingmen UAVs 508A-508DE that may be located around the center. That is, based on the adjustment of the positions of the multiple wingmen UAVs 508A-508E relative to the lead UAV 506, each of the multiple wingmen UAVs 508A-508E may be located on the circumference of the circular formation, with the lead UAV 506 located at the center of the circular formation.

[0058] refer to Figure 5CThe figure illustrates an exemplary third scenario 500C. The third scenario 500C includes multiple UAVs, which may include a lead UAV 510 and multiple wingman UAVs 512A-512D in a specific formation (e.g., an arc formation as an initial or current formation). GCS202 can be configured to determine the geographic location of the lead UAV 510 and determine formation information based on the determined geographic location and / or user input (i.e., user input included in the formation request), such as... Figure 4 and Figure 5A As described above. For example, based on user input (i.e., specific to a particular formation, or based on the target location, or based on the current position of the lead UAV 510), GCS202 can update formation information to instruct the lead UAV 510 and multiple wingmen UAVs 512A-512D to form a triangular formation, for example, as... Figure 5C As shown in the diagram. The GCS202 can also directly send updated formation information to the lead UAV 510 and multiple wingmen UAVs 512A-512D. Based on the received formation information, each of the multiple wingmen UAVs 512A-512D can be configured to adjust the position of the corresponding UAV relative to the lead UAV 510. Based on the position adjustment, the multiple UAVs can achieve, for example, a triangular or arrowhead formation. For example, as... Figure 5C As shown, based on the adjustment of the positions of multiple wingman UAVs 512A-512D relative to the lead UAV 510, the multiple UAVs in the triangular or arrow-shaped formation may include the lead UAV 510 located at the head of the arrow-shaped formation, and multiple wingman UAVs 512A-512D located at the tail positions on both sides of the arrow-shaped formation.

[0059] In an embodiment, circuit 204 of GCS202 may be configured to dynamically determine the formation information of each of a plurality of wingman UAVs (e.g., wingman UAVs 504A-504D, wingman UAVs 508A-508E, or wingman UAVs 512A-512E) based on a formation request (i.e., user input) and / or the determined geographic location or IMU data of the lead UAV (e.g., lead UAV 502, lead UAV 506, or lead UAV 510). Circuit 204 can also be configured to send determined formation information directly to each of the lead UAV (e.g., lead UAV 502, lead UAV 506, or lead UAV 510) and multiple wingman UAVs (e.g., wingman UAVs 504A-504D, wingman UAVs 508A-508E, or wingman UAVs 512A-512D, respectively).

[0060] In an embodiment, multiple UAVs may need to travel along a predefined path while maintaining a specific formation that can be predefined or formed based on user input. In this case, formation information may indicate at least one of the following: the geographic origin of each of the multiple UAVs, the geographic destination of each of the multiple UAVs, one or more altitude positions of each of the multiple UAVs along the flight path, a series of intermediate geographic locations or waypoints along the flight path, the spacing between adjacent UAVs, or information regarding one or more rates or speeds of the multiple UAVs at corresponding waypoints. For example, the geographic origin of a UAV may indicate a location or geographic location (e.g., GPS coordinates) where the UAV can begin flight or take off, while the geographic destination may indicate a location or geographic location where the UAV may need to end flight (or land) or finally position itself to capture a target for a specific duration. One or more altitude positions of a UAV may indicate a set of altitudes above the ground at which the UAV may need to fly along a specific flight path (or flight trajectory). A series of intermediate geographic locations or waypoints of a UAV may indicate a set of geographic locations (e.g., GPS coordinates) that the UAV may need to reach along its flight path. The spacing between adjacent UAVs can be the minimum distance that each UAV might need to maintain with other UAVs (e.g., nearby UAVs) in the flight path. This is likely necessary to avoid collisions between UAVs during the flight path. Information about one or more rates or speeds of multiple UAVs at corresponding waypoints can indicate the range of required rates and speed vectors that each UAV should maintain at different geographic locations (or waypoints) in the flight path. Different information in the formation information regarding start / end positions, altitude, intermediate geographic locations, and rates / speeds can ensure that multiple UAVs maintain consistent formation during the flight path (i.e., without requiring sophisticated computer vision techniques). In an embodiment, circuit 204 of GCS202 is further configured to directly transmit formation information (i.e., formation information determined for each UAV) at a predetermined frequency to each of the multiple wingman UAVs (i.e., wingman UAVs 504A-504D, 508A-508E, or 512A-512D) and the lead UAV (i.e., correspondingly, lead UAV 502, lead UAV 506, or lead UAV 510). For example, the predetermined frequency may be, but is not limited to, in milliseconds, seconds, or minutes. Based on the predetermined frequency, circuit 204 of GCS202 can determine changes in the position or IMU data of the lead UAV 104 (or the target) and accordingly determine or update the formation information of the multiple wingman UAVs 106. In an embodiment, the predetermined frequency may be, but is not limited to, 10Hz or 20Hz.

[0061] In an embodiment, GCS202 may be configured to receive target information from a lead UAV (e.g., lead UAV 502). The target information may indicate the location or position of a target to be captured by multiple UAVs. In an example, the lead UAV may determine the target information based on user input or by applying one or more machine learning and image processing techniques to a set of images of a target captured by the lead UAV. In this case, the target may be an object (e.g., but not limited to, a specific person, animal, event, vehicle, building, etc.) that can be identified by the lead UAV by applying one or more machine learning and image processing techniques to a set of images of the target. The lead UAV 104 may further determine the current location or position of the identified target in three-dimensional real space, include the determined location or position of the target in the target information, and further send the target information to GCS202. In some embodiments, GCS202 may be configured to directly identify a specific target, determine the relevant location of the identified target, and generate target information. GCS202 may also be configured to determine formation information of multiple UAVs based on the received or determined target information. Formation information determined based on target information can indicate the XYZ position, angle, or orientation of each of the multiple UAVs based on the current position (or attitude) of the target to be captured. Formation information for each of the multiple UAVs can be determined, enabling the capture of appropriate and high-quality 2D or 3D images of the target through the formation of the multiple UAVs. GCS202 can also be configured to send the determined formation information to each of the multiple wingman UAVs (e.g., wingman UAVs 504A-504N). Each of the multiple wingman UAVs can be configured to control a built-in image capture device (e.g., image capture device 308) based on target information in the received formation information. For example, the wingman UAVs among the multiple UAVs can adjust one or more camera parameters associated with the image capture device (e.g., but not limited to focal length, aperture, zoom, tilt, or field of view) to further capture images or video of the target. Such one or more camera parameters can be included in the formation information determined for each of the multiple wingman UAVs 106 and / or the lead UAV 104. Such camera parameters can be determined based on the target's location and the current location or IMU data associated with the lead UAV and multiple wingman UAVs.

[0062] In this embodiment, the lead UAV (e.g., Figure 5A The lead UAV 502 shown in the image) and multiple wingman UAVs (e.g., Figure 5AThe wingman UAVs (504A-504N) shown can be configured to maintain their relative positions and created formation until a specific task assigned to the corresponding UAV (e.g., an image / video capture task) is completed, or optionally until the lead UAV and / or multiple wingman UAVs can receive new commands (e.g., updated formation information) from the GCS202. In another embodiment, the lead UAV and multiple wingman UAVs can be configured to maintain their relative positions and created formation independently of any changes in the position (or IMU data) associated with the target or lead UAV (i.e., without requiring sophisticated computer vision techniques). Furthermore, based on the receipt of new commands, the lead UAV and multiple wingman UAVs can be configured to dynamically change the formation (i.e., position, angle, orientation, or camera parameters) based on the updated formation information. For example, updated formation information can be transmitted by the GCS202 to the lead UAV and multiple wingman UAVs at a predetermined frequency. Therefore, the UAVs among the multiple UAVs can adjust their positions (or angles, orientations, or imaging parameters) based on the updated formation information received at the predetermined frequency.

[0063] It should be noted that, Figure 5A , Figure 5B and Figure 5C The first scenario 500A, the second scenario 500B, and the third scenario 500C are given merely as examples and should not be construed as limiting this disclosure. Various other formations are also possible, and all such formations fall within the scope of this disclosure. For the sake of brevity, ... Figure 5A , Figure 5B and Figure 5C The illustrations only depict five UAVs or six UAs. It should be clear to those skilled in the art that the number of UAVs can be based on the type of task that can be performed by multiple UAVs.

[0064] Figure 6A , Figure 6B and Figure 6C This is an illustration illustrating an exemplary scenario of drone swarm control using electronic devices according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Combined with... Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5A , Figure 5B and Figure 5C To explain the elements Figure 6A , Figure 6B and Figure 6C .

[0065] refer to Figure 6AThe figure illustrates an exemplary first scenario 600A. First scenario 600A may include a target object 602 (i.e., the target), a vehicle 604, multiple wingman UAVs 606A-606N, and electronic devices 608 associated with, used within, or integrated into the vehicle 604. For example, as... Figure 6A As shown, target object 602 can be a bicycle ridden by a person. Vehicle 604 can follow or approach target object 602 (e.g., during a bicycle race event), and electronic device 608 can act as a lead UAV (e.g., lead UAV 104). In some embodiments, vehicle 604 can have one or more functions of lead UAV 104. In this case, electronic device 608 can be integrated into the processing system of vehicle 604 (e.g., electronic control unit (ECU)). Multiple wingman UAVs 606A-606N can be configured to follow electronic device 608 (and / or vehicle 604) in a specific formation relative to electronic device 608 (and / or vehicle 604) to capture images / videos of target object 602. The position of target object 602 can be offset from the position of vehicle 604 (or the position of electronic device 608) by an offset distance (i.e., as shown). Figures 6A-6C (as shown by 'D'). In embodiments, the offset distance may be, but is not limited to, in centimeters, meters, feet, or yards.

[0066] In an embodiment, electronic device 608 may be communicatively coupled to each of a plurality of wingman UAVs 606A-606N. Electronic device 608 may also function as a GCS (e.g., GCS102) and / or a lead UAV (e.g., lead UAV 104). In this case, electronic device 608 may include one or more processing functions of GCS202 and / or lead UAV 104. Examples of electronic device 608 may include, but are not limited to, computing devices, mobile phones, onboard processing integrated circuits (ICs), computer workstations, controller systems, personal digital assistants (PDAs), smartphones, cellular phones, camera devices, gaming devices, servers, distributed computing systems, or any electrical / electronic device with imaging, computing, and communication capabilities. In an embodiment, electronic device 608 may be, for example, Figure 6C The wearable device described in the document.

[0067] Electronic device 608 may include circuitry (not shown) configured to determine target information that may indicate the location of a target to be captured (e.g., target object 602). The location of target object 602 may be offset from the location of electronic device 608 by an offset distance. In embodiments, the target information may be predefined. For example, target object 602 may be at a predetermined distance (i.e., in feet, meters, or yards) from electronic device 608 or from a vehicle 604 on which electronic device 608 may be located. In another embodiment, circuitry of electronic device 608 may periodically capture one or more images of target object 602 to determine the location of target object 602 (or the distance from electronic device 608) based on different image processing techniques, thereby further determining the target information in real time. Thus, any real-time changes in the location of target object 602 (or the distance between target object 602 and electronic device 608) can be updated in the target information. In some embodiments, electronic device 608 may receive captured images of target object 602 from different imaging devices (not shown), and target object 602 may be included in the field of view (FOV) of the imaging device.

[0068] The circuitry of electronic device 608 can also be configured to determine formation information for a plurality of wingman UAVs 606A-606N. The formation information can at least indicate the relative position of each of the plurality of wingman UAVs 606A-606N with respect to electronic device 608 or with respect to the position of target object 602. The circuitry of electronic device 608 can also be configured to directly transmit the determined formation information and target information to each of the plurality of wingman UAVs 606A-606N. Each of the plurality of wingman UAVs 606A-606N can also be configured to receive the transmitted formation information and target information. Based on the received formation information and target information, each of the plurality of wingman UAVs 606A-606N can be configured to adjust the position (or angle, orientation, or imaging parameters of the built-in imaging device) of the corresponding UAV relative to electronic device 608 or target object 602. The formation information transmitted to each of the plurality of wingman UAVs 606A-606N can include, but is not limited to, for example, in… Figure 4 and Figures 5A-5C The information provided includes the relative XYZ position of each UAV relative to the target object 602 (or electronic device 608), information on the angle or orientation of each UAV relative to the target object 602 (or electronic device 608), imaging parameters, information on the flight path, and start / end geographic coordinates. In an embodiment, the electronic device 608 may be integrated into (or located on) the target object 602, such that the target object 602 and the electronic device 608 can be in the same position.

[0069] In an embodiment, each of the plurality of wingman UAVs 606A-606N may include an image capture device (e.g., image capture device 308). The field of view (FOV) of the image capture device may be controlled based on received target information. For example, the target information may include information associated with the position of the target object 602 and / or the offset distance between the target object 602 and the electronic device 608. Based on the information associated with the position and offset distance, each of the plurality of wingman UAVs 606A-606N may adjust the FOV of the image capture device (e.g., image capture device 308) associated with the corresponding wingman UAV to capture images / videos of the target object 602. Information about the FOV may be included as one of the imaging parameters associated with each wingman UAV in the formation information or target information. In an embodiment, the electronic device (e.g., electronic device 608) may be associated with a vehicle (e.g., as shown in the image capture device 608). Figure 6A As shown), it can be a portable electronic device (e.g., such as...). Figure 6B and Figure 6C (as shown), or it could be a wearable device (e.g., such as...) Figure 6C (as shown in the image), where wearable devices may also include clothing.

[0070] refer to Figure 6B The figure illustrates an exemplary second scenario 600B. The second scenario 600B may include one or more target objects 612, a person 614, multiple wingman UAVs 616A-616N, and a mobile device 610 associated with or operated by the person 614. For example, as... Figure 6B As shown, one or more target objects 612 can be a group of individuals, who may be participants in a race (or marathon) or actors located in a film studio. A person 614 can follow one or more target objects 612, and a mobile device 610 can function as an electronic device 608. Figure 6AThe role of the wingman UAV (e.g., wingman UAV 104) or the specific functions of the GCS202 are as follows. For example, the person 614 may be the director or cameraman of a film scene (i.e., it may include one or more target objects 612) and may wish to capture images of one or more target objects 612 from different angles or perspectives using multiple wingman UAVs 616A-616N, based on the position of movement of one or more target objects 612 or based on the movement of the person 614 (or mobile device 610) relative to one or more target objects 612. For example, the director or cameraman of a film scene may hold mobile device 610 and may want to move around one or more target objects 612 so that multiple wingman UAVs 616A-616N can move accordingly (or adjust their corresponding angles or orientations) to capture images / videos from different angles and positions. Therefore, multiple wingman UAVs 616A-616N can be configured to follow mobile device 610 or person 614 in a specific formation relative to mobile device 610 and / or person 614 to capture images / videos of one or more target objects 612. This can be done in a manner similar to, for example... Figure 6A The method described herein controls multiple wingman UAVs 616A-616N (and their built-in imaging equipment) to form a specific formation relative to a mobile device 610 and / or a person 614, and to capture appropriate images / videos of one or more target objects 612. In the event of any change in the position, angle, or orientation of the person 614 (or mobile device 610), the mobile device 610 can measure the real-time position or IMU data of the person 614 (or mobile device 610) (i.e., using a built-in GPS or IMU sensor), further updating the formation information and / or target information of the multiple wingman UAVs 616A-616N, and directly sending the updated formation information to each of the multiple wingman UAVs 616A-616N to appropriately capture images / videos of one or more target objects 612. Therefore, by using the mobile device 610 and multiple wingman UAVs 616A-616N, the person 614 can dynamically control the capture of one or more target objects 612 from different angles or positions in real time based on changes in position and / or IMU data associated with the person 614 and / or the mobile device 610 (i.e., as electronic devices). Thus, in the event of any change in the position / angle / or orientation of one or more target objects 612 and / or the person 614, the person 614 may not need to manually control the position and / or angle / or orientation of the multiple wingman UAVs 616A-616N.

[0071] refer to Figure 6CThe figure illustrates an exemplary third scenario 600C. The third scenario 600C may include one or more target objects 618, a person 620, multiple wingman UAVs 622A-622N, and a wearable device 624 associated with, worn by, or operated by the person 620. For example, as... Figure 6C As shown, person 620 can follow one or more target objects 618 (e.g., such as...). Figure 6B As described above, wearable device 624 (such as a smartwatch, portable digital assistant, electronic helmet, head-mounted device, or smart clothing) can function as electronic device 608 or lead UAV (e.g., lead UAV 104). Multiple wingman UAVs 622A-622N can be configured to follow wearable device 624 and / or person 620 in a specific formation relative to wearable device 624 and / or person 620 to capture images / videos of one or more target objects 618. This can be done in a manner similar to, for example... Figure 6A and Figure 6B The method described herein controls multiple wingman UAVs 622A-622N to form a specific formation (or cluster pattern) relative to wearable device 624 and / or person 620, and captures appropriate images / videos of one or more target objects 618.

[0072] It is worth noting that Figure 6A , Figure 6B and Figure 6C The first scenario 600A, the second scenario 600B, and the third scenario 600C are given only as examples and should not be construed as limiting this disclosure. Various other formations are also possible, and all of these formations fall within the scope of this disclosure. According to embodiments of this disclosure, multiple UAVs, including a lead UAV (or the disclosed electronic equipment) and multiple wingman UAVs, can follow a target object (i.e., the target) based on formation information and can be configured to dynamically change the formation based on real-time changes (i.e., real-time changes in the position, IMU, or user input associated with the lead UAV, electronic equipment, or target object) without any human intervention.

[0073] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for controlling a drone swarm according to embodiments of the present disclosure. (See also:) Figure 7 The diagram shows flowchart 700. Combined with... Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5A , Figure 5B , Figure 5C , Figure 6A , Figure 6B and Figure 6C To explain the elements Figure 7The flowchart 700 is provided. The operations in flowchart 700 can be performed by a computing system (such as system 100, GCS202, or circuit 204). The operation can begin at 702 and proceed to 704.

[0074] At 704, a user request can be received at GCS202. In an embodiment, circuit 204 can be configured to receive a user request at GCS202. The user request can be directed to multiple UAVs, including a lead UAV 104 and multiple wingman UAVs 106. The user request can include, but is not limited to, one or more instructions for the multiple UAVs to form a specific formation, one or more instructions for the multiple UAVs to follow a specific target in a specific formation and capture images / videos of that target, or roles defined for the multiple UAVs. For example, in Figure 4 , Figure 5A , Figure 5B and Figure 5C The document describes different exemplary formations whose inputs can be provided in the form of user requests or automatically generated.

[0075] At 706, the geographic location of the lead UAV 104 can be determined. In an embodiment, circuitry 204 can be configured to determine the geographic location of the lead UAV 104. Geographic location can refer to the geographic (e.g., latitude, longitudinal, and / or altitude) position of the lead UAV 104. For example, in Figure 4 The determination of the geographic location of the lead UAV 104 is further described. In some embodiments, circuit 204 may be configured to determine the target object (i.e., Figures 6A-6C The geographical location of the target object shown in the figure.

[0076] At 708, formation information can be determined based on the determined geographic location of the lead UAV 104, a received user request, or the geographic location of the target object. In an embodiment, circuitry 204 can be configured to determine formation information based on the geographic location of the lead UAV 104, a received user request, or the target object. The formation information can at least indicate the relative position of each of the plurality of wingman UAVs 106 relative to the lead UAV 104 among the plurality of UAVs. The formation information can be dynamically determined or updated for each of the plurality of wingman UAVs 106 based on a user-provided formation request (i.e., a user request), the determined geographic location of the lead UAV 104 (or the target to be captured), or based on changes in IMU data relative to the lead UAV 104 and the target object. For example, in Figure 4 , Figure 5A , Figure 5B and Figure 5C The determination of formation information is described in the text.

[0077] At 710, definitive formation information can be sent. In an embodiment, circuit 204 can be configured to send the definitive formation information directly to each of the multiple wingman UAVs 106 and the lead UAV 104. Formation information can be sent to initiate the creation of a desired formation of multiple UAVs, for example, around a target object. In an embodiment, each of the multiple wingman UAVs 106 can be configured to receive formation information directly from GCS 202 and adjust the position of the corresponding wingman UAV relative to the lead UAV 104 based on the received formation information. Therefore, based on the formation information, each of the multiple UAVs can automatically organize itself into a formation (e.g., as...). Figure 5A , Figure 5B and Figure 5C (As discussed in the document), and can follow a target object in a defined direction and / or orientation. In an embodiment, if the formation information is updated based on a user request or based on changes in the position / IMU data of the lead UAV 104 (or the target object), the updated formation information can be sent directly to the lead UAV 104 and multiple wingman UAVs 106. Based on the updated formation information, multiple UAVs can dynamically reorganize into a new formation or change their position / angle / orientation (i.e., while maintaining the same formation) in real time, for example, as in Figures 5A-5C and Figures 6A-6C As described above, control can be switched to end.

[0078] Although flowchart 700 is illustrated as discrete operations, such as 704, 706, 708, and 710, this disclosure is not limited thereto. Therefore, in some embodiments, depending on the specific implementation, such discrete operations may be further divided into other operations, combined into fewer operations, or eliminated without departing from the essence of the disclosed embodiments.

[0079] Various embodiments of this disclosure may provide a non-transitory computer-readable medium and / or storage medium storing instructions executable by a machine and / or computer (e.g., ground control station 202). The instructions may cause the machine and / or computer to operate, including receiving user requests to a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including a lead UAV (e.g., lead UAV 104) and a plurality of wingman UAVs (e.g., a plurality of wingman UAVs 106). The operation may also include determining the geographic location of the lead UAV. The operation may further include determining formation information based on the determined geographic location of the lead UAV and the received user requests. The formation information may at least indicate the relative position of each of the plurality of wingman UAVs relative to the lead UAV. The operation may further include directly sending the determined formation information to each of the plurality of wingman UAVs. Each of the plurality of wingman UAVs may further receive the sent formation information and adjust its position based on the received formation information.

[0080] Various embodiments of this disclosure can provide an exemplary system (e.g., system 100) for UAV cluster control. System 100 may include a plurality of UAVs, including a lead UAV (e.g., lead UAV 104) and a plurality of wingman UAVs (e.g., a plurality of wingman UAVs 106) communicatively coupled to lead UAV 104. System 100 may also include a GCS (e.g., GCS 202), which may include circuitry (e.g., circuitry 204). Circuitry 204 may be configured to determine the geographic location of lead UAV 104. Circuitry 204 may also be configured to determine formation information based on the determined geographic location of lead UAV 104. Here, formation information may at least indicate the relative position of each of the plurality of wingman UAVs 106 relative to lead UAV 104 among the plurality of UAVs. Circuitry 204 may also be configured to send the determined formation information directly to lead UAV 104 and each of the plurality of wingman UAVs 106. Each of the multiple wingmen UAV 106 can be configured to receive transmitted formation information and adjust its position based on the received formation information.

[0081] In an embodiment, circuit 204 may also be configured to dynamically determine formation information for each of the plurality of wingman UAVs 106 based on a formation request (i.e., a user request) and the determined geographic location of the lead UAV 104. Circuit 204 may also be configured to send the determined formation information to the lead UAV 104 and each of the plurality of wingman UAVs 106. In an embodiment, the formation information may also indicate, but is not limited to, at least one of the following: a geographic origin, a geographic destination, one or more altitude positions of the plurality of UAVs along a flight path, a series of intermediate geographic locations or waypoints along the flight path, the spacing between adjacent UAVs among the plurality of UAVs, or information regarding one or more rates or speeds of the plurality of UAVs at corresponding waypoints.

[0082] In one embodiment, the lead UAV 104 among the plurality of UAVs may include a vehicle. In another embodiment, GCS 102 or circuit 204 may also be configured to send formation information to each of the plurality of wingmen UAVs 106 and the lead UAV 104 at a predetermined frequency.

[0083] In this embodiment, GCS102 and / or circuit 204 may also be configured to receive inertial measurement unit (IMU) data from the lead UAV 104. GCS102 and / or circuit 204 may also be configured to determine formation information based on the received IMU data. The determined formation information may also indicate changes in orientation for each of the lead UAV 104 and the multiple wingmen UAVs 106.

[0084] In an embodiment, each of the lead UAV 104 and the plurality of wingman UAVs 106 may include an image capture device (e.g., Figure 3 Image capture device 308). The image capture device 308 on each of the plurality of UAVs can be configured to capture images or video streams of a specified target or object and transmit the captured images and / or video streams to ground control station (GCS) 202.

[0085] In embodiments, GCS102 and / or circuitry 204 may also be configured to receive target information from the lead UAV 104, wherein the target information may indicate the location of a target to be captured. Examples of targets are... Figure 6A , Figure 6B and Figure 6C As shown in the diagram. GCS102 and / or circuit 204 can also be configured to determine formation information based on the received target information and send the determined formation information to each of the plurality of wingman UAVs 106. Each of the plurality of UAVs 106 can be configured to control the image capture device 308 based on the target information in the received formation information.

[0086] Various embodiments of this disclosure may provide an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 608) that may include circuitry configured to determine target information, which may indicate the location of a target to be captured. The location of the target may be offset from the location of electronic device 608. In one embodiment, the circuitry of electronic device 608 may be configured to determine formation information of a plurality of wingman unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The formation information may at least indicate the relative position of each of the plurality of wingman UAVs relative to electronic device 608. In another embodiment, electronic device 608 may also be configured to directly transmit the determined formation information and target information to each of the plurality of wingman UAVs. Each of the plurality of wingman UAVs may also be configured to receive the transmitted formation information and target information, and may further adjust its position based on the received formation information and target information.

[0087] In one embodiment, each of the plurality of wingman UAVs may include an image capture device. The field of view (FOV) of the image capture device may be controlled based on received target information. In another embodiment, the electronic device may be a wearable device. In yet another embodiment, the electronic device may be integrated into a vehicle.

[0088] This disclosure can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and software. It can be implemented centrally in at least one computer system or in a distributed manner, where different components can be distributed across several interconnected computer systems. A computer system or other apparatus suitable for performing the methods described herein may be appropriate. The hardware and software combination can be a general-purpose computer system with computer programs that, when loaded and executed, can control the computer system to perform the methods described herein. This disclosure can be implemented in hardware that includes a portion of an integrated circuit that also performs other functions.

[0089] This disclosure can also be embedded in a computer program product that includes all the features enabling the implementation of the methods described herein and, when loaded into a computer system, the execution of those methods. In this context, a computer program means any expression of a set of instructions in any language, code, or notation, designed to cause a system capable of information processing to perform a specific function directly or subsequently: a) be translated into another language, code, or notation; or b) be reproduced in a different material form.

[0090] While this disclosure has been described with reference to certain embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes can be made and equivalents can be substituted without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, many modifications can be made to adapt particular situations or materials to the teachings of this disclosure without departing from its scope. Therefore, this disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, but rather will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A system for UAV swarm control, the system comprising: Multiple UAVs, including a lead aircraft UAV and multiple wingman UAVs communicatively coupled to the lead aircraft UAV, wherein the lead aircraft UAV is configured to: Target information is determined by applying one or more machine learning and image processing techniques, wherein the target information indicates the current position of the target to be captured in three-dimensional real space; as well as Send the identified target information to the ground control station GCS; and The ground control station (GCS) includes circuitry configured to: Determine the geographical location of the lead UAV; Receive target information determined by the lead UAV from the lead UAV; Formation information is determined based on the determined geographic location of the lead UAV and the received target information, wherein the formation information indicates at least the relative position of each of the plurality of wingman UAVs relative to the lead UAV; as well as The determined formation information is sent directly to each of the lead UAV and each of the plurality of wingman UAVs, wherein each of the plurality of wingman UAVs is further configured to: Receive the sent formation information, and Adjust position based on received formation information.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the circuit is further configured to: Based on the formation request and the determined geographical location of the lead UAV, the formation information of each of the multiple wingman UAVs is dynamically determined; and The determined formation information is sent to each of the lead UAV and the plurality of wingman UAVs.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the formation information further indicates at least one of the following: a geographical origin, a geographical end, one or more altitude positions of the plurality of UAVs along a flight path, a series of intermediate geographical locations or waypoints in the flight path, the spacing between adjacent UAVs among the plurality of UAVs, or information regarding one or more rates or speeds of the plurality of UAVs at corresponding waypoints.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the lead vehicle among the plurality of UAVs comprises a car.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to send the formation information to each of the lead UAV and the plurality of wingman UAVs at a predetermined frequency.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the circuit is further configured to: Receive inertial measurement unit (IMU) data from the lead UAV; and Formation information is determined based on received IMU data, wherein the determined formation information also indicates the change in orientation of each of the lead UAV and the plurality of wingman UAVs.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of UAVs includes an image capture device configured to capture an image or video stream and transmit the captured image or video stream to the ground control station GCS.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein: The determined formation information includes the target information, and Each of the plurality of wingman UAVs is configured to control the image capture device based on target information in the received formation information.

9. A ground control station (GCS), comprising: The circuit is configured as follows: Receive user requests to control multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including a lead UAV and multiple wingman UAVs; Determine the geographical location of the lead UAV; Receive target information determined by the lead UAV through the application of one or more machine learning and image processing techniques, wherein the target information indicates the current position of the target to be captured in three-dimensional real space; Formation information is determined based on the determined geographic location of the lead UAV, received target information, and received user requests, wherein the formation information indicates at least the relative position of each of the plurality of wingman UAVs relative to the lead UAV. and The determined formation information is directly sent to each of the plurality of wingman UAVs, wherein each of the plurality of wingman UAVs further: Receive the sent formation information, and Adjust position based on received formation information.

10. The Ground Control Station (GCS) according to claim 9, wherein the formation information further indicates at least one of the following: a geographic origin, a geographic end, one or more altitude positions of the plurality of UAVs along the flight path, a series of intermediate geographic locations or waypoints in the flight path, the spacing between adjacent UAVs among the plurality of UAVs, or information regarding one or more rates or speeds of the plurality of UAVs at corresponding waypoints.

11. The ground control station GCS according to claim 9, wherein the circuit is further configured to: Receive inertial measurement unit (IMU) data from the lead UAV; and Formation information is determined based on received IMU data, wherein the determined formation information also indicates the change in orientation of each of the lead UAV and the plurality of wingman UAVs.

12. The ground control station GCS according to claim 9, wherein the ground control station GCS is integrated with the lead aircraft UAV.

13. The ground control station GCS according to claim 9, wherein: The determined formation information includes the target information, and Each of the plurality of wingman UAVs is configured to control the image capture device based on target information in the received formation information.

14. A method for UAV swarm control, the method comprising: In the lead aircraft UAV: Target information is determined by applying one or more machine learning and image processing techniques, wherein the target information indicates the current position of the target to be captured in three-dimensional real space; as well as Send the identified target information to the ground control station GCS; as well as In the ground control station GCS: Receive user requests for multiple UAVs, including the lead aircraft UAV and multiple wingman UAVs; Determine the geographical location of the lead UAV; Receive target information determined by the lead UAV from the lead UAV; Formation information is determined based on the determined geographic location of the lead UAV, received target information, and received user requests, wherein the formation information indicates at least the relative position of each of the plurality of wingman UAVs relative to the lead UAV. and The determined formation information is directly sent to each of the plurality of wingman UAVs, wherein each of the plurality of wingman UAVs further: Receive the sent formation information, and Adjust position based on received formation information.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the formation information further indicates at least one of the following: a geographical origin, a geographical end, one or more altitude positions of the plurality of UAVs along a flight path, a series of intermediate geographical locations or waypoints in the flight path, the spacing between adjacent UAVs among the plurality of UAVs, or information regarding one or more rates or speeds of the plurality of UAVs at corresponding waypoints.

16. The method according to claim 14, further comprising: Receive inertial measurement unit (IMU) data from the lead UAV; and Formation information is determined based on received IMU data, wherein the determined formation information also indicates the change in orientation of each of the lead UAV and the plurality of wingman UAVs.

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