A quad visual imaging device for unmanned aerial vehicles

Abstract

A kind of unmanned aerial vehicle four-eye vision imaging device.It includes installation base, data processing unit, four-eye vision camera system and auxiliary lighting system;Wherein, the top surface of the installation base is installed on the belly bottom surface of unmanned aerial vehicle platform;Data processing unit is arranged in the inside of installation base or unmanned aerial vehicle platform;Four-eye vision camera system and auxiliary lighting system are installed on the front end surface of installation base, and are electrically connected with data processing unit respectively.The utility model discloses the effect: give consideration to overall and local, comprehensive perception ability;Long-distance measurement precision is high;Structural innovation, strong adaptability;All-weather operation ability is enhanced;Data fusion, decision is better;Data acquisition synchronism is high, and fusion precision is better.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) auxiliary equipment technology, and specifically relates to a four-eye vision imaging device for UAVs. Background Technology

[0002] Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly widely used in fields such as inspection, exploration, and surveying, and their environmental perception capabilities are crucial for ensuring flight safety and mission efficiency. Currently, UAV environmental perception mainly relies on the following technologies:

[0003] Monocular vision: It uses only one camera, which is low in cost and computational load, but it cannot directly obtain depth information. The judgment of the size and distance of the target depends on complex algorithms and prior knowledge, resulting in lower accuracy and reliability.

[0004] LiDAR: It can directly acquire high-precision 3D point cloud data and is the current mainstream perception method. However, it is expensive, bulky, and consumes a lot of power. It is also sensitive to severe weather conditions such as rain, fog, and dust, which limits its widespread use in small, low-cost drones.

[0005] Traditional binocular stereo vision: uses a pair of (single baseline) cameras for distance measurement. While less expensive, it has inherent limitations:

[0006] Short baseline wide-angle cameras: with short baselines, short focal lengths, and large fields of view, they are suitable for near-range obstacle detection and global map building. However, for distant targets, their parallax is very small, resulting in a sharp drop in ranging accuracy, which cannot meet the needs of accurate long-distance measurements.

[0007] Long baseline telephoto cameras: With a long baseline and long focal length, they offer high ranging accuracy for distant targets. However, their field of view is very narrow, failing to cover the overall environment around the drone and easily missing sudden obstacles at close range, posing a safety hazard.

[0008] Furthermore, in environments with insufficient lighting or heavy shadows (such as under cables during power line inspections), the image quality of the camera will be severely degraded, thus affecting the reliability of the sensing system.

[0009] Therefore, there is an urgent need in this field for a UAV visual imaging device that can innovate at the hardware structure level to simultaneously achieve close-range large field-of-view perception and long-range high-precision measurement, and can adapt to complex lighting conditions.

[0010] In summary, existing technologies struggle to achieve a good balance between close-range global obstacle avoidance and long-range accurate measurement, and they also exhibit poor adaptability in complex lighting environments, which limits the application capabilities of drones in complex scenarios. Summary of the Invention

[0011] In order to solve the above problems, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a four-eye vision imaging device for unmanned aerial vehicles.

[0012] To achieve the above objectives, the UAV four-eye vision imaging device provided by this utility model includes a mounting base, a data processing unit, a four-eye vision camera system, and an auxiliary lighting system; wherein, the top surface of the mounting base is mounted on the underside of the UAV platform; the data processing unit is located inside the mounting base or the UAV platform; the four-eye vision camera system and the auxiliary lighting system are mounted on the front end surface of the mounting base and are electrically connected to the data processing unit respectively.

[0013] The mounting base is a gimbal with a passive damping structure, which consists of a silicone damping pad or a spring damper.

[0014] The quad-camera system includes a pair of short-baseline wide-angle cameras, a pair of long-baseline telephoto cameras, and a synchronization control module. The pair of short-baseline wide-angle cameras consists of a left short-baseline wide-angle camera and a right short-baseline wide-angle camera arranged side by side on the left and right sides of the front face of the mounting base. The pair of long-baseline telephoto cameras consists of an upper long-baseline telephoto camera and a lower long-baseline telephoto camera arranged in a row at the upper and lower ends of the front face of the mounting base. The synchronization control module is connected to the left short-baseline wide-angle camera, the right short-baseline wide-angle camera, the upper long-baseline telephoto camera, and the lower long-baseline telephoto camera simultaneously via a synchronization trigger signal line.

[0015] The data processing unit includes a synchronization trigger module, a wide-angle processing module, a telephoto processing module, a data fusion module, and an illumination control module. The synchronization trigger module is electrically connected to the synchronization control module in the quad-camera system, driving the synchronization control module to issue a synchronization trigger signal. The wide-angle processing module is electrically connected to a pair of short-baseline wide-angle cameras in the quad-camera system, processing images acquired by the short-baseline wide-angle cameras, executing a stereo matching algorithm, and generating a local 3D point cloud map in real time. The telephoto processing module is electrically connected to a pair of long-baseline telephoto cameras in the quad-camera system, processing images acquired by the long-baseline telephoto cameras, executing a stereo matching algorithm, and accurately calculating the depth and position information of distant targets. The data fusion module is electrically connected to both the wide-angle and telephoto processing modules, converting and superimposing the depth and position information of the distant targets onto the local 3D point cloud map to form a unified environment model containing global information and key details. The illumination control module is electrically connected to the wide-angle and telephoto processing modules and to the auxiliary illumination system, generating control signals to drive the auxiliary illumination system based on the image brightness information output by the data fusion module.

[0016] The auxiliary lighting system includes two large-area LED light sources and one long-distance LED light source; wherein, the two large-area LED light sources are respectively installed inside the short-baseline wide-angle left camera and the short-baseline wide-angle right camera; the long-distance LED light source is installed parallel to the optical axis of the long-baseline telephoto upper camera and the long-baseline telephoto lower camera.

[0017] The baseline distance between the short-baseline wide-angle left camera and the short-baseline wide-angle right camera is 20mm to 200mm, the focal length is 2mm to 4mm, and the field of view is 90 degrees to 200 degrees.

[0018] The baseline distance between the long-baseline telephoto upper camera and the long-baseline telephoto lower camera is 50mm to 200mm, the focal length is 4mm to 30mm, and the field of view is 10 degrees to 90 degrees.

[0019] The four-eye vision imaging device for unmanned aerial vehicles provided by this utility model has the following beneficial effects:

[0020] (1) Taking into account both the overall situation and the local situation, the perception capability is comprehensive: By combining a short baseline wide-angle camera and a long baseline telephoto camera, it can achieve safe obstacle avoidance at a wide range and close distance, and can also complete high-precision measurement of distant targets, thus solving the contradiction between the field of view and accuracy of a single vision system.

[0021] (2) High accuracy of long-distance measurement: The design of the long-baseline long-focal-length camera significantly improves the parallax resolution of distant targets, and is especially suitable for the accurate three-dimensional positioning of linear or small targets such as cables and insulators in power inspection.

[0022] (3) Innovative structure and strong adaptability: The two long baseline cameras are set up vertically, which can make better use of the length of the UAV body and achieve a longer baseline distance in a limited space, while reducing the obstruction of the horizontal field of view.

[0023] (4) Enhanced all-weather operation capability: The integrated auxiliary lighting system can provide precise supplementary lighting according to the needs of different cameras, effectively overcoming the impact of low light environments such as shadows and dusk on the visual system, and improving the reliability of the system and the operating time window.

[0024] (5) Data fusion for better decision-making: The data processing unit fuses the data from the two pairs of cameras, providing the UAV with more complete and accurate environmental information, which helps to make better path planning and mission decisions.

[0025] (6) High data acquisition synchronization and better fusion accuracy: Through the synchronization control module, the strict consistency of the four image data in time is ensured, which fundamentally eliminates the image misalignment problem caused by the movement of the UAV and significantly improves the accuracy of subsequent data fusion and 3D reconstruction. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 A three-dimensional view of the UAV four-eye vision imaging device provided by this utility model.

[0027] Figure 2 A connection diagram of electrical components in the UAV four-eye vision imaging device provided by this utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0029] like Figures 1-2 As shown, the UAV four-eye vision imaging device provided by this utility model includes a mounting base 1, a data processing unit 2, a four-eye vision camera system 3, and an auxiliary lighting system 4; wherein, the top surface of the mounting base 1 is mounted on the underside of the UAV platform; the data processing unit 2 is disposed inside the mounting base 1 or the UAV platform; the four-eye vision camera system 3 and the auxiliary lighting system 4 are mounted on the front end surface of the mounting base 1 and are electrically connected to the data processing unit 2 respectively.

[0030] The mounting base 1 is a gimbal with a passive damping structure, which is made of silicone damping pads or spring dampers. It is used to absorb the vibration of the UAV motor and high-frequency jitter during flight to ensure the clarity and stability of the camera image.

[0031] The quad-camera system 3 includes a pair of short-baseline wide-angle cameras, a pair of long-baseline telephoto cameras, and a synchronization control module. The pair of short-baseline wide-angle cameras consists of a left short-baseline wide-angle camera 31 and a right short-baseline wide-angle camera 32 arranged side by side on the left and right sides of the front face of the mounting base 1. The pair of long-baseline telephoto cameras consists of an upper long-baseline telephoto camera 33 and a lower long-baseline telephoto camera 34 arranged in a row at the upper and lower ends of the front face of the mounting base 1. The synchronization control module is connected to the left short-baseline wide-angle camera 31, the right short-baseline wide-angle camera 32, the upper long-baseline telephoto camera 33, and the lower long-baseline telephoto camera 34 simultaneously through a synchronization trigger signal line.

[0032] The data processing unit 2 includes a synchronization trigger module, a wide-angle processing module, a telephoto processing module, a data fusion module, and an illumination control module. The synchronization trigger module is electrically connected to the synchronization control module in the quad-camera system 3, driving the synchronization control module to issue a synchronization trigger signal. The wide-angle processing module is electrically connected to a pair of short-baseline wide-angle cameras in the quad-camera system 3, processing images acquired by the short-baseline wide-angle cameras, executing a stereo matching algorithm, and generating a local 3D point cloud map in real time. The telephoto processing module is electrically connected to a pair of long-baseline telephoto cameras in the quad-camera system 3, processing images acquired by the long-baseline telephoto cameras, executing a stereo matching algorithm, and accurately calculating the depth and position information of distant targets. The data fusion module is electrically connected to both the wide-angle and telephoto processing modules, converting and superimposing the depth and position information of the distant targets onto the local 3D point cloud map to form a unified environment model containing global information and key details. The illumination control module is electrically connected to the wide-angle and telephoto processing modules and to the auxiliary illumination system 4, generating control signals to drive the auxiliary illumination system 4 based on the image brightness information output by the data fusion module.

[0033] The auxiliary lighting system 4 includes two large-range LED light sources 41 and one long-distance LED light source 42; wherein, the two large-range LED light sources 41 are respectively installed on the inner side of the short-baseline wide-angle left camera 31 and the short-baseline wide-angle right camera 32; the long-distance LED light source 42 is installed parallel to the optical axis of the long-baseline telephoto upper camera 33 and the long-baseline telephoto lower camera 34.

[0034] The baseline distance between the short-baseline wide-angle left camera 31 and the short-baseline wide-angle right camera 32 is 20 cm, the focal length is 4 mm, and the field of view reaches 120 degrees.

[0035] The baseline distance between the long-baseline telephoto upper camera 33 and the long-baseline telephoto lower camera 34 is 50 cm, the focal length is 25 mm, and the field of view reaches 15 degrees.

[0036] The working principle of the UAV four-eye vision imaging device provided by this utility model is described below:

[0037] When a drone equipped with this quad-camera vision imaging device is needed to perform tasks such as power line inspection, after takeoff, under the control of the data processing unit 2, the drone sends instructions to the synchronization control module in the quad-camera vision camera system 3 via its synchronization trigger module. This synchronizes the short-baseline wide-angle left camera 31, the short-baseline wide-angle right camera 32, the long-baseline telephoto upper camera 33, and the long-baseline telephoto lower camera 34, ensuring that all four cameras acquire images at the same time. This hardware-level synchronization design provides a time reference consistency guarantee for the accurate fusion of data from different cameras, especially for high-speed flying drones, effectively avoiding image registration errors caused by differences in acquisition time. Then, the short-baseline wide-angle left camera 31 and the short-baseline wide-angle right camera 32 acquire images of the large field of view and close-range (e.g., 5-30 meters) environment around the UAV along its flight path for global map construction and close-range obstacle detection and avoidance. The long-baseline telephoto upper camera 33 and the long-baseline telephoto lower camera 34 acquire images of distant (e.g., 30-150 meters) and small-area targets for detailed observation. For example, in power line inspection missions, it can accurately capture images of distant horizontal cable-like targets. The wide-angle processing module then uses a fast stereo matching algorithm optimized for large field-of-view images to process the images acquired by the short-baseline wide-angle left camera 31 and the short-baseline wide-angle right camera 32, generating a local 3D point cloud map in real time, providing a data foundation for the UAV's immediate obstacle avoidance strategy. The telephoto processing module uses a fast stereo matching algorithm to process the images acquired by the long-baseline telephoto upper camera 33 and the long-baseline telephoto lower camera 34, accurately calculating the depth and position information of distant targets with centimeter-level accuracy. Subsequently, the data fusion module transforms and overlays the depth and location information of the aforementioned distant targets (such as multiple sampling points on the cable) onto a local 3D point cloud map using pre-defined coordinate transformation relationships. This forms a unified environmental model containing global information and key details, enabling the UAV to "see the whole picture" and "see distant details," providing complete environmental perception information for upper-level path planning and task execution. The lighting control module analyzes the overall average brightness of the images captured by the short-baseline wide-angle left camera 31 and the short-baseline wide-angle right camera 32 in real time. When the brightness is lower than a preset threshold, it automatically turns on two large-area LED light sources 41. Simultaneously, it analyzes the contrast of the target area in the images captured by the long-baseline telephoto upper camera 33 and the long-baseline telephoto lower camera 34 in real time. If the contrast is insufficient, it automatically turns on the long-distance LED light source 42 for supplemental lighting, realizing adaptive lighting based on actual imaging quality. This improves the robustness of the system under complex lighting conditions, thereby achieving the best imaging effect.

[0038] With the above structure, the UAV four-eye visual imaging device provided by this utility model successfully combines wide-angle obstacle avoidance with long-focal distance measurement function, and is supplemented by intelligent lighting, which greatly improves the operation capability and safety of UAV in complex environments.

Claims

1. A four-eye vision imaging device for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), characterized in that: The UAV quad-vision imaging device includes a mounting base (1), a data processing unit (2), a quad-vision camera system (3), and an auxiliary lighting system (4); wherein, the top surface of the mounting base (1) is mounted on the underside of the UAV platform; the data processing unit (2) is located inside the mounting base (1) or the UAV platform; the quad-vision camera system (3) and the auxiliary lighting system (4) are mounted on the front end surface of the mounting base (1) and are electrically connected to the data processing unit (2) respectively.

2. The UAV four-eye vision imaging device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mounting base (1) is a gimbal with a passive damping structure, which is composed of a silicone damping pad or a spring damper.

3. The UAV four-eye vision imaging device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The four-lens vision camera system (3) includes a pair of short-baseline wide-angle cameras, a pair of long-baseline telephoto cameras, and a synchronization control module. The pair of short-baseline wide-angle cameras consists of a short-baseline wide-angle left camera (31) and a short-baseline wide-angle right camera (32) arranged side by side on the left and right sides of the front face of the mounting base (1). The pair of long-baseline telephoto cameras consists of a long-baseline telephoto upper camera (33) and a long-baseline telephoto lower camera (34) arranged in a row at the upper and lower ends of the front face of the mounting base (1). The synchronization control module is connected to the short-baseline wide-angle left camera (31), the short-baseline wide-angle right camera (32), the long-baseline telephoto upper camera (33), and the long-baseline telephoto lower camera (34) simultaneously through a synchronization trigger signal line.

4. The UAV four-eye vision imaging device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The data processing unit (2) includes a synchronization trigger module, a wide-angle processing module, a telephoto processing module, a data fusion module, and an illumination control module; wherein the synchronization trigger module is electrically connected to the synchronization control module in the quad-camera system (3) and is used to drive the synchronization control module to issue a synchronization trigger signal; the wide-angle processing module is electrically connected to a pair of short-baseline wide-angle cameras in the quad-camera system (3) and is used to process the images acquired by the short-baseline wide-angle cameras, execute a stereo matching algorithm, and generate a local three-dimensional point cloud map in real time; the telephoto processing module is electrically connected to a pair of long-baseline telephoto cameras in the quad-camera system (3). The data fusion module is used to process images acquired by long-baseline telephoto cameras, execute stereo matching algorithms, and accurately calculate the depth and position information of distant targets. The data fusion module is also electrically connected to the wide-angle processing module and the telephoto processing module, converts the depth and position information of the distant targets and superimposes it onto the local three-dimensional point cloud map to form a unified environment model containing global information and key details. The lighting control module is also electrically connected to the wide-angle processing module, the telephoto processing module and the auxiliary lighting system (4), and is used to generate control signals to drive the auxiliary lighting system (4) based on the image brightness information output by the data fusion module.

5. The UAV four-eye vision imaging device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The auxiliary lighting system (4) includes two large-range LED light sources (41) and one long-distance LED light source (42); wherein, the two large-range LED light sources (41) are respectively installed on the inner side of the short-baseline wide-angle left camera (31) and the short-baseline wide-angle right camera (32); the long-distance LED light source (42) is installed parallel to the optical axis of the long-baseline telephoto upper camera (33) and the long-baseline telephoto lower camera (34).

6. The UAV four-eye vision imaging device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The baseline distance between the short-baseline wide-angle left camera (31) and the short-baseline wide-angle right camera (32) is 20mm to 200mm, the focal length is 2mm to 4mm, and the field of view is 90 degrees to 200 degrees.

7. The UAV four-eye vision imaging device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The baseline distance between the long baseline telephoto upper camera (33) and the long baseline telephoto lower camera (34) is 30mm to 200mm, the focal length is 4mm to 30mm, and the field of view is 10 degrees to 90 degrees.

Images