Unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

The unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a vehicle body and an obstacle avoidance assembly arranged on the vehicle body, the obstacle avoidance assembly comprises a first camera and an auxiliary camera, and the first camera is arranged on the bottom side of the vehicle body; the auxiliary camera is arranged on the fuselage, the optical axis of the first camera and the optical axis of the auxiliary camera are both inclined to the course axis of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and the first camera and the auxiliary camera form a binocular obstacle avoidance system. According to the invention, the optical axes of the first camera and the auxiliary camera are arranged in an inclined manner, so that a binocular obstacle avoidance system is formed, and view field coverage is realized through fewer cameras.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, specifically to an UAV. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, drones are widely used in various fields. During the flight of a drone, it is usually necessary to avoid obstacles and locate its own position in order to perform its work. The obstacle avoidance and positioning functions require the use of cameras to collect images.

[0003] In related technologies, in order to achieve obstacle avoidance and positioning of drones, it is often necessary to set up a large number of cameras, which increases the power consumption of drones. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To overcome the problems existing in related technologies, this disclosure provides a drone, including a fuselage and an obstacle avoidance component disposed on the fuselage, the obstacle avoidance component including:

[0005] The first camera is located on the bottom side of the device body; and

[0006] An auxiliary camera is mounted on the fuselage. The optical axes of both the first camera and the auxiliary camera are tilted to the heading axis of the drone. The first camera and the auxiliary camera together form a binocular obstacle avoidance system.

[0007] In one possible implementation, the auxiliary camera includes:

[0008] The second camera is located on the bottom side of the fuselage, and the first camera and the second camera are located on opposite sides of the first reference plane of the drone. The first reference plane is the plane containing the yaw axis and roll axis of the drone.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the overlap rate between the field of view of the first camera and the field of view of the second camera projected onto a first reference plane is greater than or equal to 50%, and the first reference plane is the plane containing the heading axis and roll axis of the UAV.

[0010] The first camera and the second camera are also used to perform distance measurement.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the auxiliary camera further includes:

[0012] A third camera is disposed on the bottom side of the fuselage, and the third camera is positioned on a first reference plane of the drone, which is the plane containing the drone's yaw axis and roll axis; and...

[0013] The third camera and the first camera together form a binocular obstacle avoidance system;

[0014] The third camera and the second camera together form a binocular obstacle avoidance system;

[0015] The first and second cameras are tilted away from the third camera.

[0016] In one possible implementation, the auxiliary camera includes:

[0017] The fourth camera is located on the top side of the fuselage. The first camera and the fourth camera are located on the same side of the drone, and the first camera and the fourth camera are located on opposite sides of a second reference plane, which is the plane containing the pitch axis and roll axis of the drone.

[0018] In one possible implementation, the field of view of the first camera and the field of view of the fourth camera at least partially overlap in projection onto the second reference plane.

[0019] In one possible implementation, the auxiliary camera further includes:

[0020] The fifth camera is disposed on the top side of the fuselage, and the fifth camera and the fourth camera are disposed on opposite sides of the first reference plane of the drone, and the field of view of the fifth camera and the field of view of the fourth camera at least partially overlap in projection on the first reference plane.

[0021] A sixth camera is disposed on the top side of the fuselage. The sixth camera is disposed on the first reference plane of the drone, and the projection of the field of view of the third camera and the field of view of the sixth camera onto the second reference plane at least partially overlaps.

[0022] In one possible implementation, the first camera, the second camera, the third camera, the fourth camera, the fifth camera, and the sixth camera are arranged in a hexahedral configuration, and any two adjacent cameras in the hexahedron constitute a binocular obstacle avoidance system; and / or,

[0023] At least one or more of the first camera, the second camera, the third camera, the fourth camera, the fifth camera, and the sixth camera shall have an angle of less than or equal to 15° with the heading axis of the drone.

[0024] In one possible implementation, the drone further includes two camera brackets mounted on the fuselage, the camera brackets extending away from the fuselage along the pitch axis of the drone, with the first camera and the second camera respectively mounted on one of the camera brackets.

[0025] In one possible implementation, the fuselage is provided with a mounting groove, and the first camera and the auxiliary camera are mounted in the mounting groove. Along the heading axis of the drone, the highest point of the first camera and the auxiliary camera is lower than the highest point of the fuselage by a first preset distance, and the lowest point of the first camera and the auxiliary camera is higher than the lowest point of the fuselage by a second preset distance. The range of the first preset distance and the second preset distance is 3mm to 5mm.

[0026] In one possible implementation, the first camera and / or the auxiliary camera are mounted on the mounting plane of the fuselage, and the angle between the mounting plane and the second reference plane is less than or equal to 15°, wherein the second reference plane is the plane containing the pitch axis and roll axis of the UAV.

[0027] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this disclosure may include the following beneficial effects: This disclosure sets the optical axes of the first camera and the auxiliary camera at an angle to form a binocular obstacle avoidance system. It achieves field-of-view coverage with fewer cameras, avoiding the increase in power consumption and production costs of the drone due to too many cameras. In addition, since there is an angle between the optical axis of the camera and the heading axis of the drone, the camera surface is less likely to be bumped during the operation of the drone, thereby extending the service life of the camera.

[0028] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0029] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure.

[0030] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a drone according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0031] Figure 2 This is a top-view schematic diagram of a drone according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0032] Figure 3 This is a bottom-view schematic diagram of a drone according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0033] Figure 4This is a side view schematic diagram of a drone according to an exemplary embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0034] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numerals in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this disclosure. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this disclosure as detailed in the appended claims.

[0035] Currently, drones are widely used in various fields. During the flight of a drone, it is usually necessary to avoid obstacles and locate its own position in order to perform its work. The obstacle avoidance and positioning functions require the use of cameras to collect images.

[0036] In related technologies, in order to achieve obstacle avoidance and positioning of drones, it is often necessary to set up a lot of cameras, which leads to the need to set up more interfaces on the drone and increases the power consumption of the drone. In addition, when the drone takes off, lands, or encounters obstacles, it is easy to bump into the camera, affecting the lifespan of the camera and resulting in a poor user experience.

[0037] In related technologies, obstacle avoidance cameras located at the bottom of the fuselage are generally vertically downward, meaning that the optical axis and the yaw axis are parallel, resulting in low utilization of the bottom obstacle avoidance cameras.

[0038] To address the problems existing in related technologies, this disclosure provides a drone in which the optical axes of a first camera and an auxiliary camera are tilted to form a binocular obstacle avoidance system. This system achieves field-of-view coverage with fewer cameras, avoiding the increased power consumption and production costs of the drone due to too many cameras. In addition, since there is an angle between the optical axis of the camera and the heading axis of the drone, the camera surface is less likely to be bumped during drone operation, thereby extending the lifespan of the camera.

[0039] According to an exemplary embodiment, such as Figures 1-4 As shown, this embodiment of the present disclosure provides a drone, which includes a fuselage 10 and an obstacle avoidance component disposed on the fuselage 10. The obstacle avoidance component includes a first camera 201 disposed on the bottom side of the fuselage 10 and an auxiliary camera disposed on the fuselage. The number of auxiliary cameras can be one or more, and the auxiliary cameras can be disposed on the bottom side, top side, nose, tail or side of the fuselage 10, as long as they can overlap with the field of view of the first camera 201 to form a binocular obstacle avoidance system.

[0040] It should be noted that binocular obstacle avoidance requires the overlapping area of ​​two cameras to calculate depth; therefore, the overlap range can be considered the working range of binocular obstacle avoidance. In the following description, at least partial overlap can refer to an overlap rate greater than 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, or complete overlap.

[0041] In this embodiment, since the first camera 201 is set at an acute angle to the yaw axis, or is set at an angle, it can have a larger overlap range with the auxiliary camera, thereby achieving a larger binocular obstacle avoidance range. For example, the tilt direction of the first camera 201 can be the nose direction, the tail direction, the side direction of the fuselage 10, the front side direction of the fuselage 10, or the rear side direction of the fuselage 10. The specific setting can be combined with the position of the auxiliary camera to ensure that the auxiliary camera and the first camera 201 have a larger overlap range.

[0042] For example, if the first camera 201 and the auxiliary camera are both located on the bottom side of the body 10 and tilted toward the sides of the body 10 respectively, they can cover a wider field of view.

[0043] For example, if the first camera 201 and the auxiliary camera are respectively located on the bottom and top sides of the body 10 and tilted toward the sides of the body 10, then the first camera and the auxiliary camera can have more overlapping fields of view.

[0044] Furthermore, the overall field of view of the obstacle avoidance assembly can at least cover the bottom side of the fuselage 10. In one example, the field of view of the obstacle avoidance assembly can cover the bottom side of the fuselage 10 (i.e., Figure 4 (as shown below); in another example, the obstacle avoidance component's field of view can cover the bottom side of the fuselage 10, while also at least partially covering the top side of the fuselage 10 (i.e., below). Figure 4 (as shown above), thereby covering the bottom, top, and sides of the drone's fuselage and improving the drone's obstacle avoidance accuracy during flight.

[0045] To facilitate the description of the structure of the UAV in the following text, the embodiments disclosed herein are combined with... Figures 1-4 As shown, the meanings of the yaw axis, roll axis, and pitch axis of the UAV are explained. During flight, the UAV constructs a three-axis reference coordinate system based on itself. This system includes the yaw axis, roll axis, and pitch axis, which are mutually perpendicular. The yaw axis, also known as the vertical axis or yaw axis, represents the vertical takeoff and landing direction of the fuselage 10. The roll axis, also known as the longitudinal axis or roll axis, represents the extension direction of the fuselage 10, allowing the UAV to perform horizontal rotation. The pitch axis, also known as the horizontal axis, allows the UAV to pitch relative to the horizontal plane. Specifically, using... Figures 1-4 As shown in the example, the heading axis can be Figures 1-4 The z-axis direction shown is the vertical height direction, and the roll axis can be... Figures 1-4 The x-axis shown is the length direction of the UAV, and the pitch axis can be... Figures 1-4 The y-axis direction shown is the width direction of the drone.

[0046] In this configuration, the optical axis of both the first camera 201 and the auxiliary camera are tilted relative to the drone's heading axis. Figure 4 As shown, for ease of understanding, this embodiment uses the optical axis 21 of an auxiliary camera as an example. The optical axis 21 is tilted relative to the yaw axis of the drone. By tilting the optical axes of the first camera 201 and the auxiliary camera relative to the yaw axis, the cameras can be tilted relative to the horizontal plane, thereby preventing the cameras from protruding from the fuselage 10 and achieving the effect of preventing camera collisions. Simultaneously, the first camera 201 and an auxiliary camera can constitute a binocular obstacle avoidance system. The drone's obstacle avoidance function is achieved through the images captured by the first camera 201 and the auxiliary cameras. It can be understood that when there are multiple auxiliary cameras, the first camera 201 and different auxiliary cameras, as well as multiple auxiliary cameras, can respectively constitute multiple binocular obstacle avoidance systems to improve the obstacle avoidance accuracy of the drone.

[0047] It is worth noting that the tilt directions of the first camera 201 and the auxiliary cameras can be the same or different. For example, they can all tilt towards the front of the camera, all tilt towards the rear of the camera, each tilt towards the center of the body 10, or each tilt away from the center of the body 10. The center of the body 10 can be the geometric center or the center of gravity of the body 10. This embodiment does not impose too many restrictions on the specific tilt direction of each camera, as long as it can prevent collisions and meet the requirements of obstacle avoidance and positioning. Those skilled in the art can set it according to actual needs.

[0048] In some embodiments, both the first camera 201 and the auxiliary camera are fisheye lenses. Fisheye lenses are a special type of ultra-wide-angle lens, and some fisheye lenses can achieve a field of view greater than 180°. In this embodiment, the field of view of the first camera 201 and the auxiliary camera is greater than or equal to 180° and less than or equal to 220°. Since the field of view of any two adjacent cameras overlap, any two adjacent cameras can form a binocular obstacle avoidance system, improving the obstacle avoidance accuracy of the drone.

[0049] In some embodiments, the auxiliary camera includes a second camera 202. For example... Figures 1-4As shown, the second camera 202 is disposed on the bottom side of the fuselage 10, and the first camera 201 and the second camera 202 are disposed on opposite sides of the first reference plane of the drone. The first reference plane is the plane containing the drone's yaw axis and roll axis. Figure 3 As shown in the example, the first camera 201 and the second camera 202 are located on both sides of the first axis 41. The first axis 41 passes through the center of the fuselage 10 and extends along the roll axis of the drone, and the first axis 41 is located on the first reference plane.

[0050] In some embodiments, the field of view of the first camera 201 and the field of view of the second camera 202 are at least partially overlapped in projection onto the first reference plane. For example, the overlap rate of the field of view of the first camera 201 and the field of view of the second camera 202 is greater than or equal to 50%, 70%, 90%, or 95%. The first reference plane is the plane containing the heading axis and roll axis of the UAV. The fact that the field of view of the first camera 201 and the field of view of the second camera 202 are at least partially overlapped in projection onto the first reference plane means that their projections on the first reference plane approximately overlap, or that they are approximately located on the same horizontal plane. The specific positions of the first camera 201 and the second camera 202 can be adjusted according to the different structures of the fuselage 10 or the need to avoid other structures of the fuselage 10, as long as the projections of their field of view onto the first reference plane are at least partially overlapped.

[0051] In some embodiments, the first camera 201 and the second camera 202 are also used for ranging. Since both the first camera 201 and the auxiliary camera in this embodiment use fisheye lenses, the cameras can be used for ranging for positioning in addition to obstacle avoidance. In related technologies, drone camera setups typically require 6-8 ordinary lenses on the overall fuselage for obstacle avoidance. Furthermore, because ordinary lenses have a small field of view and cannot be used for positioning, two separate fisheye lenses are needed for positioning. This means a total of 8-10 cameras and corresponding hardware interfaces need to be installed on the drone's fuselage, increasing power consumption and cost. In this embodiment, since the cameras can be used for ranging and positioning in addition to obstacle avoidance, there is no need for additional positioning lenses. This reduces the number of camera hardware interfaces on the drone, which helps reduce power consumption and overall weight, and improves battery life. Since the cost of fisheye lenses is similar to that of ordinary lenses, even if all cameras use fisheye lenses, reducing the number of cameras can effectively reduce production costs.

[0052] In one example, the field of view of the first camera 201 and the field of view of the second camera 202 are completely overlapped by projection onto the first reference plane. The line connecting the first camera 201 and the second camera 202 is parallel to or coincides with the pitch axis of the UAV, which facilitates the establishment of a positioning coordinate system and the corresponding calculations during ranging and positioning.

[0053] In some embodiments, the auxiliary camera further includes a third camera 203. For example... Figures 1-4 As shown, the third camera 203 is disposed on the bottom side of the fuselage 10, and the third camera 203 is disposed on the first reference plane of the drone, which is the plane containing the drone's yaw axis and roll axis. Figure 3 As shown in the example, the first camera 201 and the second camera 202 are disposed on both sides of the first axis 41, and the projection of the third camera 203 on the second reference plane falls on the first axis 41.

[0054] In this system, the first camera 201 and the second camera 202 are tilted away from the third camera 203, and each pair of cameras 201, 202, and 203 forms a binocular obstacle avoidance system. Specifically, the first camera 201 and the second camera 202 form the first binocular obstacle avoidance system, the first camera 201 and the third camera 203 form the second binocular obstacle avoidance system, and the second camera 202 and the third camera 203 form the third binocular obstacle avoidance system. By constructing multiple binocular obstacle avoidance systems, a wider field of view can be achieved, while also improving obstacle avoidance accuracy.

[0055] In some embodiments, the auxiliary camera further includes a fourth camera 204. For example... Figures 1-4 As shown, the fourth camera 204 is located on the top side of the fuselage. The first camera 201 and the fourth camera 204 are located on the same side of the drone, meaning that the first camera 201 and the fourth camera 204 are located on the same side of the first reference plane, that is, both are located on the left side of the fuselage 10, or both are located on the right side of the fuselage 10. In addition, the first camera 201 and the fourth camera 204 are located on opposite sides of the second reference plane, which is the plane containing the pitch axis and roll axis of the drone. That is, the first camera 201 and the fourth camera 204 are located on the bottom side and the top side of the fuselage, respectively.

[0056] In some embodiments, the field of view of the first camera 201 and the field of view of the fourth camera 204 are projected onto the second reference plane in at least partially overlapping manner, for example, with an overlap rate greater than or equal to 50%, 70%, 90%, or 95%. The second reference plane is the plane containing the pitch and roll axes of the UAV. The fact that the field of view of the first camera 201 and the field of view of the fourth camera 204 are projected onto the second reference plane in at least partially overlapping manner means that their projections on the second reference plane approximately overlap, or that they are approximately located on the same vertical plane. Of course, it is understood that the specific positions of the first camera 201 and the fourth camera 204 can be adjusted according to different design needs, as long as the projections of their field of view onto the second reference plane are at least partially overlapping.

[0057] In some embodiments, the auxiliary camera further includes a fifth camera 205 and a sixth camera 206. For example... Figures 1-4 As shown, the fifth camera 205 is disposed on the top side of the fuselage 10. The fifth camera 205 and the fourth camera 204 are disposed on opposite sides of the first reference plane of the drone, and the projections of the field of view of the fifth camera 205 and the field of view of the fourth camera 204 onto the first reference plane at least partially overlap. That is, the fourth camera 204 and the fifth camera 205 are located on the left and right sides of the fuselage 10 respectively and are approximately on the same horizontal plane. The sixth camera 206 is disposed on the top side of the fuselage 10. The sixth camera 206 is disposed on the first reference plane of the drone, and the projections of the field of view of the third camera 203 and the field of view of the sixth camera 206 onto the second reference plane at least partially overlap. That is, the projection of the sixth camera 206 onto the second reference plane falls on the first axis 41, and the third camera 203 and the sixth camera 206 are arranged approximately symmetrically along the second reference plane.

[0058] In some embodiments, the first camera 201, the second camera 202, and the third camera 203 form an isosceles triangle with the third camera 203 as its vertex. For example... Figures 1-4 As shown, the first camera 201, the second camera 202, and the third camera 203 are disposed on the bottom side of the body 10. The field of view of the first camera 201 and the field of view of the second camera 202 overlap on the projection of the first reference plane. That is, the first camera 201 and the second camera 202 are symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides of the body 10. The projections of the first camera 201 and the second camera 202 on the second reference plane both fall on the second axis 42. The second axis 42 is a straight line that passes through the center of the body and extends along the pitch axis of the body. The third camera 203 is disposed on one side of the second axis 42, and the projection of the third camera 203 on the second reference plane falls on the first axis 41. That is, the obstacle avoidance components are symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides.

[0059] In some embodiments, the obstacle avoidance components are symmetrically arranged along the second reference plane. Specifically, the projections of the first camera 201 and the fourth camera 204 on the second reference plane coincide, the projections of the second camera 202 and the fifth camera 205 on the second reference plane coincide, and the projections of the third camera 303 and the sixth camera 206 on the second reference plane coincide. That is, the obstacle avoidance components are symmetrically arranged vertically.

[0060] In some embodiments, the first camera 201, the second camera 202, the third camera 203, the fourth camera 204, the fifth camera 205, and the sixth camera 206 are arranged in a hexahedral configuration, and any two adjacent cameras in the hexahedron constitute a binocular obstacle avoidance system. By forming multiple binocular obstacle avoidance systems among the cameras, the omnidirectional field of view of the UAV can be guaranteed, enabling omnidirectional obstacle avoidance and ranging / positioning, thereby improving obstacle avoidance and positioning accuracy.

[0061] In some embodiments, at least one or more of the first camera 201, second camera 202, third camera 203, fourth camera 204, fifth camera 205, and sixth camera 206 are tilted relative to the yaw axis of the drone, and the included angle of tilt is less than or equal to 15°. By tilting the cameras at a certain angle, the fields of view of adjacent cameras can overlap, ensuring coverage of the field of view. At the same time, due to the tilting of the cameras, the size of the cameras protruding from the body 10 can be reduced or eliminated altogether, reducing the risk of the cameras being bumped or knocked, increasing their service life, and reducing maintenance costs.

[0062] In some embodiments, the drone also includes a camera mount 11 mounted on the fuselage 10. For example... Figures 1-4 As shown, there are two camera brackets 11, which are used to mount a first camera 201 and an auxiliary camera. Exemplarily, the two camera brackets 11 are respectively disposed on both sides of the fuselage 10 and extend away from the fuselage 10 along the pitch axis of the fuselage 10. The auxiliary camera includes a second camera 202, and the first camera 31 and the second camera 32 are respectively disposed on one camera bracket 11. By configuring the camera brackets 11, the number of propeller blades entering the field of view of the obstacle avoidance camera (first camera 201 or auxiliary camera) can be reduced. Exemplarily, the auxiliary camera and the first camera are disposed on the upper and lower sides of the camera bracket 11, achieving field of view coverage of the fuselage side and reducing the number of propeller blades entering the field of view of the obstacle avoidance camera.

[0063] In some embodiments, the housing 10 is further provided with a mounting recess 12. For example... Figures 2-3As shown, the fuselage 10 has multiple mounting grooves 12, and each first camera 201 and auxiliary camera is installed in a mounting groove 12 to prevent the cameras from protruding beyond the outermost contour of the fuselage 10. Along the yaw axis of the drone, the highest point of the first camera 201 and the auxiliary camera is lower than the highest point of the fuselage 10 by a first preset distance, and the lowest point of the first camera 201 and the auxiliary camera is higher than the lowest point of the fuselage 10 by a second preset distance. Both the first and second preset distances are within the range of 3mm to 5mm to ensure that the drone will not bump into the cameras during flight and takeoff / landing, thereby improving the lifespan of the cameras.

[0064] Of course, it is understood that the first preset distance and the second preset distance can be the same or different. In one example, the first preset distance and the second preset distance are the same, and the fuselage 10 is set as a symmetrical structure, which can reduce the cost of separately molding the upper and lower halves of the fuselage 10. In another example, since the probability of the bottom of the fuselage 10 colliding with the ground, tabletop, or other objects during takeoff and landing is greater than the probability of the top of the fuselage 10 colliding with other obstacles during flight, the second preset distance can also be greater than the first preset distance. In yet another example, when the drone is equipped with other anti-collision structures to protect the bottom of the fuselage 10, the probability of the top of the fuselage 10 colliding with other obstacles is higher, so the first preset distance can be set to be greater than the second preset distance. This disclosure does not impose too many limitations on this aspect, and those skilled in the art can set the first preset distance and the second preset distance according to actual production needs.

[0065] In some embodiments, the body 10 is provided with a mounting surface 13 for mounting a camera. For example... Figures 1-4 As shown, the plane containing the pitch and roll axes of the UAV is used as the second reference plane. An angle exists between the mounting plane 13 and the second reference plane. The first camera 201 and the auxiliary camera are mounted on the mounting plane 13 so that the optical axes of each camera have an angle of less than or equal to 15° with the yaw axis of the UAV. In this embodiment, for ease of assembly, the cameras are mounted vertically on the mounting plane 13. Therefore, the angle between the mounting plane 13 and the second reference plane is the same as the angle between the optical axis of the camera and the yaw axis of the UAV. By setting the mounting plane 13 to have an angle with the reference plane, the optical axis of the camera is tilted relative to the yaw axis of the UAV. It is understood that when the camera itself is tilted on the mounting plane 13, the tilt angle of the mounting plane 13 can also be adjusted according to the tilt angle of the camera. This embodiment does not impose excessive limitations on this.

[0066] In some embodiments, the mounting plane 13 includes a first mounting plane 131 and a second mounting plane 132. For example... Figure 1As shown, the first mounting plane 131 is disposed on the body 10, and the second mounting plane 132 is disposed on the camera bracket 11. Each camera of the obstacle avoidance component can be directly mounted on the body 10 through the first mounting plane 131, or mounted on the camera bracket 11 of the body 10 through the second mounting plane 132.

[0067] In some embodiments, the drone further includes a propeller 51 and a propeller support 52. For example... Figures 1-4 As shown, the propeller bracket 52 is mounted on the fuselage 10 and extends beyond the fuselage 10. The propeller 51 is rotatably mounted on the propeller bracket 52, facing the second side, i.e., below the drone. The drone also includes a control device (not shown) and a drive device (not shown). The drive device may be, for example, a motor, and the control device may be, for example, a control chip, control circuit, etc. The drive device provides power to rotate the propeller 51, thereby providing lift for the drone. The control device controls the drive device, adjusting its start / stop and output power, thereby adjusting the presence and magnitude of lift provided by the propeller 51, and thus controlling the drone's motion state.

[0068] Other embodiments of this disclosure will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this disclosure that follow the general principles of this disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered illustrative only, and the true scope and spirit of this disclosure are indicated by the following claims.

[0069] It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the precise structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of this disclosure is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A drone, characterized in that, The unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a body and an obstacle avoidance assembly arranged on the body, the obstacle avoidance assembly comprises: a first camera arranged on the bottom side of the body; and an auxiliary camera arranged on the body, the optical axis of the first camera and the optical axis of the auxiliary camera are both arranged obliquely to the heading axis of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and the first camera and the auxiliary camera constitute a binocular obstacle avoidance system.

2. The drone of claim 1, wherein, The auxiliary camera comprises: a second camera arranged on the bottom side of the body, and the first camera and the second camera are arranged on two sides of a first reference plane of the unmanned aerial vehicle, the first reference plane being a plane in which the heading axis and the roll axis of the unmanned aerial vehicle are located.

3. The drone of claim 2, wherein, The overlap rate of the field of view range of the first camera and the field of view range of the second camera in the projection of the first reference plane is greater than or equal to 50%, the first reference plane being a plane in which the heading axis and the roll axis of the unmanned aerial vehicle are located; The first camera and the second camera are also used to realize distance measurement.

4. The drone of claim 3, wherein, The auxiliary camera further comprises: a third camera arranged on the bottom side of the body, the third camera being arranged on the first reference plane of the unmanned aerial vehicle, the first reference plane being a plane in which the heading axis and the roll axis of the unmanned aerial vehicle are located; and the third camera and the first camera constitute a binocular obstacle avoidance system; the third camera and the second camera constitute a binocular obstacle avoidance system; The first camera and the second camera are inclined towards a direction away from the third camera.

5. The drone of any one of claims 1-4, wherein, The auxiliary camera comprises: a fourth camera arranged on the top side of the body, the first camera and the fourth camera being arranged on the same lateral side of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and the first camera and the fourth camera being located on two sides of a second reference plane, the second reference plane being a plane in which the pitch axis and the roll axis of the unmanned aerial vehicle are located.

6. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 5, wherein the field of view range of the first camera and the field of view range of the fourth camera at least partially overlap in the projection of the second reference plane.

7. The drone of claim 5, wherein, The auxiliary camera further comprises: a fifth camera arranged on the top side of the body, and the fifth camera and the fourth camera are arranged on two sides of the first reference plane of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and the field of view range of the fifth camera and the field of view range of the fourth camera at least partially overlap in the projection of the first reference plane; a sixth camera arranged on the top side of the body, the sixth camera being arranged on the first reference plane of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and the field of view range of the third camera and the field of view range of the sixth camera at least partially overlap in the projection of the second reference plane.

8. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 7, wherein the first camera, the second camera, the third camera, the fourth camera, the fifth camera and the sixth camera are arranged in a hexahedral layout, and any two adjacent cameras of the hexahedral layout constitute a binocular obstacle avoidance system; and / or ​ An included angle between at least one or more of the first camera, the second camera, the third camera, the fourth camera, the fifth camera and the sixth camera and a heading axis of the unmanned aerial vehicle is less than or equal to 15°.

9. The drone of claim 2, wherein, The unmanned aerial vehicle further comprises two camera supports arranged on the fuselage, the camera supports respectively extend away from the fuselage along a pitch axis of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and the first camera and the second camera are respectively arranged on one of the camera supports.

10. The drone of claim 1, wherein, The fuselage is provided with a mounting groove, the first camera and the auxiliary camera are mounted in the mounting groove, along the heading axis of the unmanned aerial vehicle, the highest point of the first camera and the auxiliary camera is lower than the highest point of the fuselage by a first preset distance, the lowest point of the first camera and the auxiliary camera is higher than the lowest point of the fuselage by a second preset distance, and the first preset distance and the second preset distance are both in a range of 3mm to 5mm.

11. The drone of claim 1, wherein, The first camera and / or the auxiliary camera are arranged on a mounting plane of the fuselage, an included angle between the mounting plane and a second reference plane is less than or equal to 15°, and the second reference plane is a plane in which a pitch axis and a roll axis of the unmanned aerial vehicle are located.

Images