Vision system for detecting and tracking aerial objects

Abstract

A vision system for detecting and tracking one or more aerial objects such as one or more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) comprises a plurality of vision units, wherein each vision unit has a known spatial relationship relative to each of the other vision units. Each vision unit comprises a corresponding static camera arrangement for capturing one or more images in a corresponding static field of view, and a corresponding scanning camera arrangement for capturing one or more images in a corresponding movable field of view which is narrower than the corresponding static field of view of the corresponding static camera arrangement and which is movable across the corresponding static field of view of the corresponding static camera arrangement, wherein the corresponding scanning camera arrangement has a known spatial relationship relative to the corresponding static camera arrangement. The static fields of view of the static camera arrangements of the plurality of vision units together define a vision system field of view. The vision system further comprises at least one processing resource configured to detect one or more aerial objects anywhere in the vision system field of view based on the one or more images captured by the static camera arrangements and / or detect one or more aerial objects anywhere in the vision system field of view based on one or more images captured by the scanning camera arrangements.

Description

[0001] VISION SYSTEM FOR DETECTING AND TRACKING AERIAL OBJECTS

[0002] FIELD

[0003] The present disclosure relates to a vision system for detecting and tracking one or more aerial objects such as one or more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and a system for effecting the one or more aerial objects, and in particular though not exclusively, to a vision system for simultaneously detecting and tracking a plurality of aerial objects such as a plurality of UAVs and a system for simultaneously effecting the plurality of aerial objects.

[0004] BACKGROUND

[0005] Systems are known which use radar for detecting and tracking one or more aerial objects such as UAVs. Such known aerial object detection and tracking systems may also include one or more cameras to assist with the detection and tracking of one or more aerial objects. For example, such known aerial object detection and tracking systems may include one or more cameras which are triggered by radio wave signals returned from one or more aerial objects. Such known aerial object detection and tracking systems are active and may therefore risk detection of a user of the system. Such known aerial object detection and tracking systems may also be complex.

[0006] Systems are also known for effecting an aerial object such as a UAV. However, such known systems may not be able to effect a plurality of aerial objects simultaneously. Such known systems may also be complex.

[0007] SUMMARY

[0008] According to an aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a vision system for detecting and tracking one or more aerial objects, the vision system comprising a plurality of vision units, wherein each vision unit has a known spatial relationship relative to each of the other vision units, and wherein each vision unit comprises: a corresponding static camera arrangement for capturing one or more images in a corresponding static field of view; and a corresponding scanning camera arrangement for capturing one or more images in a corresponding movable field of view which is narrower than the corresponding static field of view of the corresponding static camera arrangement and which is movable across the corresponding static field of view of the corresponding static camera arrangement, the corresponding scanning camera arrangement having a known spatial relationship relative to the corresponding static camera arrangement, wherein the static fields of view of the static camera arrangements of the plurality of vision units together define a vision system field of view, and wherein the vision system comprises at least one processing resource configured to detect one or more aerial objects anywhere in the vision system field of view based on the one or more images captured by the static camera arrangements and / or detect one or more aerial objects anywhere in the vision system field of view based on one or more images captured by the scanning camera arrangements.

[0009] One of skill in the art will understand that different static camera arrangements may be capable of capturing corresponding images simultaneously. One of skill in the art will also understand that different scanning camera arrangements may be capable of capturing corresponding images simultaneously.

[0010] Optionally, the at least one processing resource is configured to simultaneously detect a plurality of aerial objects in the vision system field of view based on the one or more images captured by any one or more of the static camera arrangements and / or based on the one or more images captured by any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements.

[0011] Such a vision system may be used to detect and track one or more aerial objects passively without any requirement for the vision system to transmit energy, such as electromagnetic energy, or a signal such as an electromagnetic signal, to an aerial object in order to detect the aerial object. Thus, use of such a vision system to detect and track one or more aerial objects may allow a user of the vision system to remain undetected.

[0012] Such a vision system is modular in the sense that the static camera arrangements of the different vision units may be the same or similar, and the scanning camera arrangements of the different vision units may be the same or similar. Consequently, such a vision system may be simpler than known systems for detecting and tracking one or more aerial objects and / or the manufacturing of such a vision system may be simplified relative to the manufacturing of known systems for detecting and tracking one or more aerial objects.

[0013] Optionally, the respective static fields of view of adjacent static camera arrangements are contiguous or partially overlap so that the vision system field of view is continuous.

[0014] Optionally, the vision system field of view encompasses a scene comprising an angular range in azimuth of 360 degrees. Optionally, the vision system field of view encompasses a scene comprising an angular range in elevation of at least 90 degrees. For example, the vision system field of view may encompass a scene comprising elevation angles in the range from -15 or - 10 degrees to 90 degrees.

[0015] Optionally, the vision system field of view encompasses a hemispherical scene.

[0016] Optionally, the at least one processing resource comprises a plurality of processing resources, wherein each processing resource of the plurality of processing resources is configured to communicate with at least one of the other processing resources of the plurality of processing resources.

[0017] Optionally, each processing resource of the plurality of processing resources is configured to communicate with all of the other processing resources of the plurality of processing resources.

[0018] Optionally, the at least one processing resource comprises a plurality of processing resources and each vision unit comprises a corresponding processing resource of the plurality of processing resources. Such a vision system is modular in the sense that the static camera arrangements of the different vision units may be the same or similar, the scanning camera arrangements of the different vision units may be the same or similar, and the processing resources of the different vision units may be the same or similar. Consequently, such a vision system may be simpler than known systems for detecting and tracking one or more aerial objects and / or the manufacturing of such a vision system may be simplified relative to the manufacturing of known systems for detecting and tracking one or more aerial objects.

[0019] Optionally, the plurality of vision units comprises an axial vision unit arranged on a reference axis and at least two peripheral vision units distributed circumferentially around the reference axis.

[0020] Optionally, the plurality of vision units comprises an axial vision unit arranged on a reference axis and six peripheral vision units distributed circumferentially around the reference axis.

[0021] Optionally, the axial vision unit is configured so that the static field of view of the axial vision unit is directed along the reference axis and encompasses a range of azimuth angles of 360 degrees and a first range of elevation angles, and wherein the peripheral vision units are configured so that the respective static fields of view of different peripheral vision units encompass respective different ranges of azimuth angles but the same second range of elevation angles, wherein the ranges of azimuth angles of adjacent peripheral vision units are contiguous or partially overlap and the ranges of azimuth angles of the peripheral vision units together encompass a range of azimuth angles of 360 degrees, and wherein the first and second ranges of elevation angles are contiguous or partially overlap and together encompass a range of elevation angles of at least 90 degrees.

[0022] Optionally, the vision system further comprises a plurality of supplementary static camera arrangements, wherein each supplementary static camera arrangement is associated with a corresponding vision unit and has a known spatial relationship relative to the scanning camera arrangement of the corresponding vision unit, wherein each supplementary static camera arrangement has a narrower static field of view than the static camera arrangement of the corresponding vision unit and / or wherein each supplementary static camera arrangement has a higher angular resolution than the static camera arrangement of the corresponding vision unit, and wherein the at least one processing resource is configured to detect one or more aerial objects in a field of view of the supplementary static camera arrangements based on one or more images captured by the supplementary static camera arrangements.

[0023] Optionally, the plurality of supplementary static camera arrangements are distributed circumferentially around the reference axis in a ring or a belt below the peripheral vision units.

[0024] Optionally, one or more of the vision units comprises a plurality of the supplementary static camera arrangements.

[0025] Optionally, each peripheral vision unit comprises a plurality of the supplementary static camera arrangements.

[0026] Optionally, at least two of the vision units of the plurality of vision units are attached together.

[0027] Optionally, all of the vision units of the plurality of vision units are attached together.

[0028] Optionally, at least two of the vision units of the plurality of vision units are separated from one another by a gap or are located remotely from one another.

[0029] Optionally, none of the vision units of the plurality of vision units are attached together.

[0030] Optionally, each vision unit comprises a corresponding housing, wherein the corresponding static camera arrangement is located within, and attached to, the corresponding housing.

[0031] Optionally, each supplementary static camera arrangement is located within, and attached to, the housing of the corresponding vision unit. Optionally, the vision system comprises a plurality of supplementary peripheral vision units, wherein each supplementary peripheral vision unit is aligned circumferentially relative to the reference axis with a corresponding peripheral vision unit, and wherein each supplementary peripheral vision unit comprises a plurality of the supplementary static camera arrangements, for example wherein each supplementary peripheral vision unit comprises three of the supplementary static camera arrangements.

[0032] Optionally, each supplementary peripheral vision unit comprises a corresponding supplementary housing, wherein each supplementary static camera arrangement is located within, and attached to, the supplementary housing of the corresponding supplementary peripheral vision unit.

[0033] Optionally, the supplementary housing of each supplementary peripheral vision unit is aligned circumferentially relative to the reference axis with the housing of a corresponding peripheral vision unit.

[0034] Optionally, for each vision unit, the corresponding scanning camera arrangement is located within, and attached to, the corresponding housing.

[0035] Optionally, the at least one processing resource comprises a plurality of processing resources, each vision unit comprises a corresponding processing resource of the plurality of processing resources, and each processing resource is located within, and attached to, the housing of the corresponding vision unit.

[0036] Optionally, the respective housings of at least two of the vision units of the plurality of vision units are attached together.

[0037] Optionally, the respective housings of all of the vision units of the plurality of vision units are attached together.

[0038] Optionally, the respective housings of at least two of the vision units of the plurality of vision units are separated by a gap or are located remotely from one another.

[0039] Optionally, the respective housings of all of the vision units of the plurality of vision units are separated by a gap or are located remotely from one another.

[0040] Optionally, the respective housings of at least two of the vision units are the same or similar.

[0041] Optionally, the respective housings of at least two of the peripheral vision units are the same or similar.

[0042] Optionally, the respective housings of all of the peripheral vision units are the same or similar.

[0043] The vision system may be configured to be mounted on the ground. For example, the vision system may be configured to be mounted on a stationary platform such as a tripod. The vision system may be configured to be mounted on a movable vehicle such as a movable ground-based vehicle, a movable maritime vehicle, a movable floating vehicle, or a movable aerial vehicle. The vision system may be configured for use during movement of the movable vehicle.

[0044] Optionally, for each vision unit, the corresponding scanning camera arrangement is configured to capture a more detailed image than the corresponding static camera arrangement.

[0045] Optionally, the scanning camera arrangement of one or more of the vision units is configured to capture a more detailed image than the corresponding supplementary static camera arrangements.

[0046] Optionally, the at least one processing resource is configured to control the scanning camera arrangement of each vision unit to move the corresponding movable field of view based on one or more images captured by the corresponding static camera arrangement.

[0047] Optionally, the at least one processing resource is configured to control the scanning camera arrangement of each vision unit to move the corresponding movable field of view based on one or more images captured by the corresponding supplementary static camera arrangements.

[0048] Optionally, the at least one processing resource is configured to control the scanning camera arrangement of each vision unit to move the corresponding movable field of view along a predetermined path across the scene.

[0049] Optionally, the at least one processing resource is configured to detect one or more aerial objects in the vision system field of view based on one or more localised properties, or changes in one or more localised properties, of the one or more images captured using at least one of any one or more of the static camera arrangements, any one or more of the supplementary static camera arrangements, or any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements, for example using a “blob detection” algorithm.

[0050] Optionally, the at least one processing resource is configured to detect one or more aerial objects in the vision system field of view based on whether the one or more localised properties, or changes in one or more localised properties, of the one or more images captured using at least one of any one or more of the static camera arrangements, any one or more of the supplementary static camera arrangements, or any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements satisfy one or more predetermined criteria. Optionally, the at least one processing resource is configured to determine a position of one or more detected aerial objects in the vision system field of view based on the one or more images captured using at least one of any one or more of the static camera arrangements, any one or more of the supplementary static camera arrangements, or any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements.

[0051] Optionally, the at least one processing resource is configured to track, for example in real time, each of one or more detected aerial objects in the vision system field of view based on the one or more images captured using at least one of any one or more of the static camera arrangements, any one or more of the supplementary static camera arrangements, or any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements.

[0052] Optionally, the at least one processing resource is configured to simultaneously track, for example in real time, a plurality of detected aerial objects in the vision system field of view based on the one or more images captured using at least one of any one or more of the static camera arrangements, any one or more of the supplementary static camera arrangements, or any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements.

[0053] Optionally, the at least one processing resource is configured to track a detected aerial object by controlling any one of the scanning camera arrangements so that a detected aerial object is in a movable field of view of any one of the scanning camera arrangements at any time, for example in the centre of a movable field of view of any one of the scanning camera arrangements at any time.

[0054] Optionally, the at least one processing resource is configured to control the scanning camera arrangements of adjacent vision units to enable the scanning camera arrangements of the adjacent vision units to track a detected aerial object as the detected aerial object moves from the static field of view of the static camera arrangement of one of the adjacent vision units to the static field of view of the static camera arrangement of another one of the adjacent vision units.

[0055] Optionally, the at least one processing resource is configured to process one or more images captured by at least one of any one or more of the static camera arrangements, any one or more of the supplementary static camera arrangements, or any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements using a tracking algorithm to track the one or more detected aerial objects.

[0056] Optionally, the tracking algorithm is adapted to deal with at least one of: images captured at variable time intervals, angular position information, temporary occlusions or obstructions which temporarily hide the one or more detected aerial objects from at least one of the plurality of static camera arrangements, the plurality of supplementary static camera arrangements, or the plurality of scanning camera arrangements.

[0057] Optionally, the tracking algorithm comprises a Kalman filtering algorithm.

[0058] Optionally, the at least one processing resource is configured to process one or more images captured by at least one of any one or more of the static camera arrangements, any one or more of the supplementary static camera arrangements, or any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements to classify and / or identify the one or more detected aerial objects.

[0059] Optionally, the at least one processing resource is configured to process one or more images captured by at least one of any one or more of the static camera arrangements, any one or more of the supplementary static camera arrangements, or any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements to classify and / or identify the one or more detected aerial objects using an Al image processing algorithm which has been trained to classify and / or identify the one or more detected aerial objects as an aerial object selected from a group of aerial objects used to train the Al image processing algorithm.

[0060] Optionally, the at least one processing resource is configured to simultaneously classify and / or identify a plurality of detected aerial objects.

[0061] Optionally, the at least one processing resource is configured to process one or more images captured by at least one of any one or more of the static camera arrangements, any one or more of the supplementary static camera arrangements, or any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements to determine whether the one or more detected aerial objects is carrying a payload, and optionally also to classify or identify the payload, using an Al image processing algorithm which has been trained to classify and / or identify the payload as a payload selected from a group of payloads used to train the Al image processing algorithm.

[0062] Optionally, the at least one processing resource is configured to process one or more images captured by at least one of any one or more of the static camera arrangements, any one or more of the supplementary static camera arrangements, or any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements to simultaneously determine whether the detected aerial objects of a plurality of detected aerial objects are carrying a payload, and optionally also to simultaneously classify and / or identify a payload of the detected aerial objects of a plurality of detected aerial objects.

[0063] Optionally, for each vision unit, the static camera arrangement comprises a corresponding first static camera. Optionally, each supplementary static camera arrangement comprises a corresponding body, wherein the body is configured for attachment to a housing of the vision system such as a housing of one of the peripheral vision units or a supplementary housing of one of the supplementary peripheral vision units, and wherein the corresponding supplementary static camera is fixed relative to the corresponding body. Optionally, each supplementary static camera arrangement comprises a corresponding body, wherein the body is configured for attachment to a housing of the vision system such as a housing of one of the peripheral vision units or a supplementary housing of one of the supplementary peripheral vision units, and wherein the corresponding supplementary static camera is articulated or adjustable relative to the corresponding body. Use of such supplementary static camera arrangements may allow each supplementary static camera to be oriented along a corresponding desired direction once the body is attached to a housing of the vision system and the orientation of each supplementary static camera to be subsequently fixed along the corresponding desired direction.

[0064] Optionally, for each vision unit, the corresponding scanning camera arrangement comprises a corresponding second static camera, a corresponding scanning optical component, and a corresponding controller for controlling the corresponding scanning optical component, wherein the corresponding controller is configured to control a configuration of the corresponding scanning optical component to cause the corresponding scanning optical component to re-direct light incident on the corresponding scanning optical component from different regions of a scene onto the corresponding second static camera at different times to thereby move the field of view of the corresponding scanning camera arrangement.

[0065] Optionally, for each vision unit, the corresponding scanning optical component is reflective, for example, wherein the corresponding scanning optical component comprises a scanning reflective surface, an articulating mirror, or a scanning mirror, which is configured to rotate or tilt around one or two axes.

[0066] Optionally, for each vision unit, the corresponding scanning optical component is diffractive.

[0067] Optionally, for each vision unit, the corresponding scanning optical component comprises an array of reflective surfaces or mirrors, wherein each reflective surface or mirror is configured to rotate or tilt around one or two axes.

[0068] Optionally, for each vision unit, the corresponding scanning optical component comprises a digital micro-reflective surface array or a digital micro-mirror array. Optionally, for each vision unit, the corresponding scanning optical component comprises a spatial light modulator.

[0069] Optionally, for each vision unit, the at least one processing resource is configured to: cause a corresponding controller of the corresponding scanning camera arrangement to configure the corresponding scanning optical component in a corresponding first configuration in which the corresponding scanning optical component re-directs light incident on the corresponding scanning optical component from a corresponding first field of view to the corresponding second static camera, wherein the first field of view includes one or more detected aerial objects; cause the corresponding second static camera to capture an image of the corresponding first field of view; cause the corresponding controller of the corresponding scanning camera arrangement to configure the corresponding scanning optical component in a corresponding second configuration in which the corresponding scanning optical component re-directs light incident on the corresponding scanning optical component from a corresponding second field of view to the corresponding second static camera, wherein the second field of view also includes the one or more detected aerial objects; cause the corresponding second static camera to capture an image of the corresponding second field of view; and use the captured images of the corresponding first and second fields of view and the corresponding first and second configurations of the corresponding scanning optical component to determine a distance from the corresponding second static camera to each of the one or more detected aerial objects.

[0070] Optionally, the first and second configurations of the corresponding scanning optical component are known and / or set by the corresponding controller, or are sensed or measured. For each vision unit, the at least one processing resource may be calibrated so that the at least one processing resource is configured to determine the distance between the corresponding second static camera and each of the one or more detected aerial objects based on a change in the position of an image of each of the one or more detected aerial objects in the captured images of the corresponding first and second fields of view for the known change in configuration of the corresponding scanning optical component.

[0071] Optionally, each vision unit further comprises a corresponding optical rangefinder arrangement including a corresponding light source, a corresponding photodetector, and a corresponding dichroic filter, wherein the corresponding optical rangefinder arrangement is configured so that, in use, the corresponding dichroic filter directs a corresponding light beam generated by the corresponding light source onto the corresponding scanning optical component, the corresponding scanning optical component projects the corresponding light beam onto a detected aerial object, and light reflected from the detected aerial object is incident on the corresponding photodetector.

[0072] Optionally, each light source comprises a laser.

[0073] Optionally, each dichroic filter comprises a dichroic mirror.

[0074] Optionally, the at least one processing resource is configured to raise an alarm or alert a user of the vision system in response to at least one of: classification and / or identification of the one or more detected aerial objects; classification and / or identification of a payload of the one or more detected aerial objects; or a determined distance from the second static camera of each of one or more of the vision units to the one or more detected aerial objects

[0075] According to an aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a system for effecting one or more aerial objects, the system comprising the vision system for detecting and tracking one or more aerial objects as described above, and an effector arrangement for effecting one or more aerial objects detected and / or tracked by the vision system.

[0076] Optionally, the at least one processing resource is configured to activate the effector arrangement in response to classification and / or identification of the one or more detected aerial objects.

[0077] Optionally, the at least one processing resource is configured to activate the effector arrangement in response to classification and / or identification of a payload of the one or more detected aerial objects.

[0078] Optionally, the at least one processing resource is configured to activate the effector arrangement in response to a determined distance from the second static camera of each of one or more of the vision units to the one or more detected aerial objects.

[0079] Optionally, the at least one processing resource is configured to determine a speed and a trajectory of one or more tracked aerial objects based on one or more images captured by at least one of any one or more of the static camera arrangements, any one or more of the supplementary static camera arrangements, or any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements. Optionally, the at least one processing resource is configured to predict a future position of one or more tracked aerial objects at a future instant in time based at least in part on the determined speed and trajectory of the one or more tracked aerial objects and to activate the effector arrangement to effect the one or more tracked aerial objects at the future instant in time.

[0080] Optionally, the at least one processing resource is configured to determine the speed and the trajectory of the one or more tracked aerial objects based at least in part on the determined distance between the vision system and the one or more tracked aerial objects.

[0081] Optionally, the effector arrangement is configured to damage and / or disable the one or more detected aerial objects.

[0082] Optionally, the effector arrangement is configured to disrupt, damage and / or disable a visual guidance system of the one or more detected aerial objects.

[0083] Optionally, the effector arrangement comprises a ballistic kinetic effector arrangement.

[0084] Optionally, the effector arrangement comprises a plurality of effector units, wherein each effector unit is associated with a corresponding vision unit of the vision system.

[0085] Optionally, each effector unit comprises a corresponding light source effector and a corresponding dichroic filter, wherein the corresponding dichroic filter is positioned between the corresponding second static camera and the corresponding scanning optical component of the corresponding vision unit to enable the corresponding dichroic filter to direct a corresponding light beam generated by the corresponding light source effector onto the corresponding scanning optical component and enable the corresponding scanning optical component to project the corresponding light beam onto the one or more detected aerial objects.

[0086] Optionally, each light source effector comprises a laser and each light beam comprises a laser beam.

[0087] Optionally, each dichroic filter comprises a dichroic mirror.

[0088] Optionally, each light source effector is housed in the same housing as the corresponding vision unit.

[0089] Optionally, each dichroic filter is housed in the same housing as the corresponding vision unit. Optionally, the at least one processing resource is configured to activate any of the corresponding light source effectors in response to classification and / or identification of the one or more detected aerial objects.

[0090] Optionally, the at least one processing resource is configured to activate any of the corresponding light source effectors in response to classification and / or identification of a payload of the one or more detected aerial objects.

[0091] Optionally, the at least one processing resource is configured to activate any of the corresponding light source effectors in response to a determined distance from the second static camera of each of one or more of the vision units to the one or more detected aerial objects.

[0092] Optionally, the at least one processing resource is configured to determine a speed and a trajectory of one or more tracked aerial objects based on one or more images captured by at least one of any one or more of the static camera arrangements, any one or more of the supplementary static camera arrangements, or any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements.

[0093] Optionally, the at least one processing resource is configured to predict a future position of one or more tracked aerial objects at a future instant in time based at least in part on the determined speed and trajectory of the one or more tracked aerial objects and to cause any one of the controllers to control the corresponding scanning optical component based on the predicted future position of the one or more tracked aerial objects to enable the corresponding scanning optical component to project the corresponding light beam of the corresponding light source effector onto the one or more tracked aerial objects at the future instant in time.

[0094] Optionally, the at least one processing resource is configured to determine the speed and the trajectory of the one or more tracked aerial objects based at least in part on the determined distance between the vision system and the one or more tracked aerial objects.

[0095] Optionally, the light source effector of each vision unit is configured to generate a light beam for damaging and / or disabling the one or more detected aerial objects.

[0096] Optionally, the light source effector of each vision unit is configured to generate a light beam for dazzling, disrupting, damaging and / or disabling a visual guidance system of the one or more detected aerial objects.

[0097] It should be understood that any one or more of the optional features of any one of the foregoing aspects of the present disclosure may be combined with any one or more of the other foregoing aspects of the present disclosure or the optional features of any one or more of the other foregoing aspects of the present disclosure.

[0098] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0099] A vision system will now be described by way of non-limiting example only with reference to the drawings of which:

[0100] FIG. 1 is a partially cut-away schematic perspective view of a vision system for detecting and tracking one or more aerial objects;

[0101] FIG. 2A is a schematic perspective view of a static camera arrangement and a scanning camera arrangement of a vision unit of the vision system of FIG. 1 ;

[0102] FIG. 2B is a schematic side view of a static camera arrangement and a scanning camera arrangement of a vision unit of the vision system of FIG. 1 ;

[0103] FIG. 3 is a plot illustrating the fields of view of the peripheral vision units of the vision system of FIG. 1 ;

[0104] FIG. 4A is an image of a detected aerial object in the form of a detected UAV as captured by a static camera arrangement of the vision system of FIG. 1 ;

[0105] FIG. 4B is an image of the detected aerial object shown in FIG. 4A as captured by a scanning camera arrangement of the vision system of FIG. 1 ;

[0106] FIG. 5 illustrates the simultaneous tracking of a plurality of detected aerial objects in the form of a plurality of UAVs by different vision units of the vision system of FIG. 1 ;

[0107] FIG. 6 illustrates the simultaneous tracking of a further plurality of detected aerial objects in the form of a further plurality of UAVs by different vision units of the vision system of FIG. 1 ;

[0108] FIGS. 7A-7C illustrate the principle of a method for determining a distance between a vision unit of the vision system of FIG. 1 and at least one detected aerial object; FIG. 8 illustrates a variant of the vision system of FIG. 1 in which each vision unit of the vision system includes a corresponding optical rangefinder arrangement;

[0109] FIG. 9 illustrates a laser effector unit for use with the vision system of FIG. 1 in a system for effecting one or more aerial objects; and

[0110] FIG. 10 is a photographic image of an alternative vision system for detecting and tracking one or more aerial objects.

[0111] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0112] Referring initially to FIG. 1 there is shown a vision system generally designated 2 for detecting and tracking one or more aerial objects such as one or more flying objects, for example one or more drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The vision system 2 may be configured to be mounted on the ground. For example, the vision system 2 may be configured to be mounted on a stationary platform such as a tripod. Alternatively, the vision system 2 may be configured to be mounted on a movable vehicle such as a movable ground-based vehicle, a movable maritime vehicle, a movable floating vehicle, or a movable aerial vehicle.

[0113] The vision system 2 includes a plurality of vision units 4, 6, wherein each vision unit 4, 6 has a known spatial relationship relative to each of the other vision units 4, 6. More specifically, the vision system 2 includes an axial vision unit 4 arranged on a reference axis 5 and six peripheral vision units 6 distributed circumferentially around the reference axis 5.

[0114] Each vision unit 4, 6 includes a corresponding static camera arrangement 8 for capturing one or more images in a corresponding static field of view, and a corresponding scanning camera arrangement generally designated 10 for capturing one or more images in a corresponding movable field of view which is narrower than the corresponding static field of view of the corresponding static camera arrangement 8 and which is movable across the corresponding static field of view of the corresponding static camera arrangement 8. The static camera arrangement 8 and the corresponding scanning camera arrangement 10 of each vision unit 4, 6 have a known spatial relationship. The static fields of view of the static camera arrangements 8 of the plurality of vision units 4, 6 together define a vision system field of view.

[0115] FIGS. 2A and 2B show one of the static camera arrangements 8 and one of the scanning camera arrangements 10 in more detail. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, each static camera arrangement 8 includes a corresponding first static camera 20. Each scanning camera arrangement 10 includes a corresponding second static camera 22, a corresponding scanning optical component in the form of a corresponding articulating mirror (AM) such as a corresponding fast steering mirror (FSM) 24, and a corresponding controller 26 for controlling the AM 24. The corresponding AM 24 is configured to rotate or tilt around two axes. Each second static camera 22 looks directly at the corresponding FSM 24 which is arranged at a nominal 45 degree angle to the direction of view of the corresponding second static camera 22. Each FSM 24 is configured to move such that the corresponding second static camera 22 covers a very similar area to the corresponding first static camera 20.

[0116] Referring back to FIG. 1 , each vision unit 4, 6 includes a corresponding housing 30, wherein the corresponding static camera arrangement 8 and the corresponding scanning camera arrangement 10 are both located within, and attached to, the corresponding housing 30. Each housing 30 defines a corresponding first aperture or window 32 to allow light to enter the housing 30 and be incident on the corresponding static camera arrangement 8 and a corresponding second aperture or window 34 to allow light to enter the housing 30 and be incident on the corresponding AM 24. The housings 30 of the vision units 4, 6 are attached together.

[0117] The respective static fields of view of the static camera arrangements 8 of the vision units 4, 6 are configured so that the vision system field of view encompasses a hemispherical scene. The respective static fields of view of the static camera arrangements 8 of adjacent vision units 4, 6 are contiguous or partially overlap. More specifically, the axial vision unit 4 is configured so that the static field of view of the axial vision unit 4 is directed along the reference axis 5 and encompasses a range of azimuth angles of 360 degrees and a first range of elevation angles. As shown in FIG. 3, the peripheral vision units 6 are configured so that the static fields of view of different peripheral vision units 6 encompass respective different ranges of azimuth angles but the same second range of elevation angles. The ranges of azimuth angles of adjacent peripheral vision units 6 are contiguous or partially overlap and the ranges of azimuth angles of the peripheral vision units 6 together encompass a range of azimuth angles of 360 degrees. Moreover, the first and second ranges of elevation angles are contiguous or partially overlap and together encompass a range of elevation angles of at least 90 degrees.

[0118] As shown in FIG. 1 , the vision system 2 further includes a processing resource 40 located in one of the housings 30. The processing resource 40 is configured to detect one or more aerial objects anywhere in the vision system field of view based on one or more images captured by the static camera arrangements 8. The processing resource 40 is also configured to detect one or more aerial objects anywhere in the vision system field of view based on one or more images captured by the scanning camera arrangements 10. For example, the processing resource 40 may be configured to control the scanning camera arrangement 10 of each vision unit 4, 6 to move the corresponding movable field of view based on one or more images captured by the corresponding static camera arrangement 8. Additionally or alternatively, the processing resource 40 may be configured to control the scanning camera arrangement 10 of each vision unit 4, 6 to move the corresponding movable field of view along a predetermined path across the scene e.g. so as to perform a scan such as a raster scan of the scene. For example, the processing resource 40 may be configured to control the scanning camera arrangement 10 of each vision unit 4, 6 to autonomously move the corresponding movable field of view along a predetermined path across the scene. For each vision unit, the processing resource 40 controls the corresponding scanning camera arrangement 10 to move the field of view of the corresponding scanning camera arrangement 10 by controlling the corresponding controller 26 to cause the corresponding controller 26 to control a configuration of the corresponding AM 24 to cause the corresponding AM 24 to re-direct light incident on the corresponding AM 24 from different regions of a scene onto the corresponding second static camera 22 at different times to thereby move the field of view of the corresponding scanning camera arrangement 10. FIG. 4A shows an image of a detected aerial object in the form of a detected UAV as captured by one of the static camera arrangements 8 and FIG. 4B shows an image of the detected UAV as captured by the corresponding scanning camera arrangement 10. As may be appreciated from FIGS. 4A and 4B, the field of view of the scanning camera arrangement 10 is narrower than the field of view of the corresponding static camera arrangement 8 such that the image of FIG. 4B as captured by the scanning camera arrangement 10 is a more detailed “close-up” or zoomed image of a region of the scene in the image of FIG. 4A as captured by the corresponding static camera arrangement 8.

[0119] The processing resource 40 is configured to detect one or more aerial objects in the vision system field of view based on one or more localised properties, or changes in one or more localised properties, of the one or more images captured using any one or more of the static camera arrangements 8, for example using a “blob detection” algorithm known to one of skill in the art. For example, the processing resource 40 may be configured to detect one or more aerial objects in the vision system field of view based on whether one or more localised properties, or changes in one or more localised properties, of one or more images captured using any one or more of the static camera arrangements 8 and / or using any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements 10 satisfy one or more predetermined criteria. From the foregoing description, one of skill in the art will understand that the processing resource 40 is configured to enable simultaneous detection of a plurality of aerial objects in the vision system field of view based on one or more images captured using any one or more of the static camera arrangements 8 and / or based on one or more images captured using any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements 10. Moreover, one of skill in the art will understand that the detection of the one or more aerial objects is passive i.e. there is no requirement for the vision system 2 to transmit energy, such as electromagnetic energy, or a signal of any kind, such as an electromagnetic signal, to an aerial object in order to detect the aerial object. Thus, use of the vision system 2 to detect one or more aerial objects may allow a user of the vision system 2 to remain undetected. From the foregoing description, one of skill in the art will understand that the static camera arrangements 8 are configured to allow capture of corresponding images simultaneously and / or that the scanning camera arrangements 10 are configured to allow capture of corresponding images simultaneously. The processing resource 40 may be configured to simultaneously detect a plurality of aerial objects in the vision system field of view based on one or more images captured by any one or more of the static camera arrangements 8 and / or based on one or more images captured by any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements 10.

[0120] The processing resource 40 is configured to determine a position of each of the one or more detected aerial objects anywhere in the vision system field of view based on the one or more images captured using any one or more of the static camera arrangements 8 and / or based on the one or more images captured using any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements 10. The processing resource 40 is also configured to track, for example in real time, each of the one or more detected aerial objects anywhere in the vision system field of view based on the one or more images captured using any one or more of the static camera arrangements 8 and / or based on the one or more images captured using any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements 10. The processing resource 40 is configured to track a detected aerial object by controlling the scanning camera arrangements 10 so that a detected aerial object is in the centre of a movable field of view of one of the scanning camera arrangements 10 at any time. In this regard, the processing resource 40 is configured to control the scanning camera arrangements 10 of adjacent vision units 4, 6 to enable the scanning camera arrangements 10 of the adjacent vision units 4,6 to track a detected aerial object as the detected aerial object moves from the static field of view of the static camera arrangement 8 of one of the adjacent vision units 4, 6 to the static field of view of the static camera arrangement 8 of another one of the adjacent vision units 4, 6. The processing resource 40 is configured to track the one or more detected aerial objects using a tracking algorithm such as a Kalman filtering algorithm. The tracking algorithm may be adapted to deal with at least one of: image data captured at variable time intervals, angular position information, temporary occlusions or obstructions which temporarily hide the one or more detected aerial objects from the plurality of static camera arrangements 8 and / or the plurality of scanning camera arrangements 10. FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate the tracking of a detected aerial object in the form of a UAV by different vision units identified using labels “Module A” to “Module G”.

[0121] From the foregoing description, one of skill in the art will understand that the processing resource 40 is configured to enable simultaneous tracking of a plurality of detected aerial objects anywhere in the vision system field of view based on one or more images captured using any one or more of the static camera arrangements 8 and / or based on one or more images captured using any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements 10.

[0122] One of skill in the art will also understand that such a vision system 2 is modular in the sense that the static camera arrangements 8 of the different vision units 4, 6 may be the same or similar, and the scanning camera arrangements 10 of the different vision units 4, 6 may be the same or similar. Consequently, such a vision system may be simpler than known systems for detecting and tracking one or more aerial objects and / or the manufacturing of such a vision system may be simplified relative to the manufacturing of known systems for detecting and tracking one or more aerial objects.

[0123] As will now be described with reference to FIGS. 7A-7C, the processing resource 40 is also configured to determine a distance between any of the vision units 4, 6 and at least one detected aerial object based on images captured by the corresponding second static camera 22 for different orientations of the corresponding AM 24 using a method analogous to a parallax distance estimation method. In a known parallax distance estimation method, two images are captured by cameras located at two slightly different known positions and the location of the same object is compared in each image. If an object is very close to the cameras, then the object will be in very different positions in the two images. If the object is very far away from the cameras, then the object will be in very similar positions in the two images. It is possible to calculate the distance from the cameras to the object quite accurately using well-known, standard techniques. The accuracy drops off with distance, but can be improved by increasing the distance between the cameras. In a variant of this known parallax distance estimation method, two images are captured by the same camera before and after translation of the same camera between two slightly different known positions, the location of the same object is compared in each image, and the distance from the camera to the object is calculated from the different known positions of the camera and the positions of the object in each image.

[0124] In the distance estimate method described with reference to FIGS. 7A-7C, although the second static camera 22 is fixed, as the AM 24 orientation changes, it is possible to capture images of a detected aerial object from different effective or virtual positions of the second static camera 22. It should be understood that FIGS. 7A-7C show an exaggerated setup for two different orientations of the AM 24. As the AM 24 is re-oriented, the physical position of the second static camera 22 remains the same, but the effective or virtual position of the second static camera 22 changes, the field of view of the second static camera 22 changes, and the position of the detected aerial object relative to the field of view of the second static camera 22 changes. The virtual position of the second static camera 22 is the position that the physical second static camera 22 would have to be located at to obtain the same image if the AM 24 were removed. One of skill in the art will understand that this a slight simplification since the images captured by the physical second static camera 22 are not exactly the same as those images which would be captured by the second static camera 22 located at these virtual positions; there is going to be some distortion proportional to the orientation of the AM 24 and the exact image captured will exhibit that. However, this is a known and well-understood phenomenon that is easily compensated for. The virtual positions of the second static camera 22 form an arc around the centre of the AM 24, and it is the relative locations of the virtual positions, together with the relative positions of the aerial object in the resulting images that may be exploited to estimate distance from the second static camera 22 to the aerial object in a manner which is analogous to a known parallax distance estimation method. It should be understood that the method illustrated in FIGS. 7A-7C assumes that the aerial object is stationary, or does not move significantly, between the capture of the two images at the two different orientations of the AM 24. This assumption may be reasonable if the two images are captured in quick succession (e.g. within 0.05 seconds equivalent to a frame rate of 20 FPS) with different orientations of the AM 24 that both result in a view of the aerial object. FIG. 7A illustrates a field of view of a second static camera 22 of one of the vision units 4, 6 for a first orientation of the corresponding AM 24. Also shown in FIG. 7A is the virtual position 22’ of the second static camera 22 for the first orientation of the corresponding AM 24. As shown in FIG. 7A, an object may be located at a position along a central axis of the field of view of the second static camera 22, for example at a position P1 which is closer to the vision unit 4,6 or at a position P2 which is further from the vision unit 4, 6. Regardless of whether the object is located at position P1 or P2, the object is imaged to the same position on an image sensor of the second static camera 22. FIG. 7B illustrates the field of view of the same second static camera 22 illustrated in FIG. 7A for the same object positions P1 and P2 shown in FIG. 7A but for a second orientation of the corresponding AM 24. Also shown in FIG. 7B is a virtual position 22” of the second static camera 22 for the second orientation of the corresponding AM 24. However, as may be appreciated from FIG. 7B, when the corresponding AM 24 is in the second orientation, an object which is located at position P1 will be imaged to a position on the image sensor of the second static camera 22 which is located closer to the centre of the image sensor of the second static camera 22 than an object which is located at position P2. This is shown most clearly in FIG. 7C which shows the virtual positions 22’ and 22” of the second static camera 22 and the respective fields of view of the second static camera 22 for the first and second orientations of the corresponding AM 24 respectively. From the foregoing description of FIGS. 7A-7C, one of skill in the art will understand that it is possible to calibrate the vision system 2 so that the processing resource 40 can determine a distance between the second static camera 22 and at least one detected aerial object based on a change in the relative position of the image of the at least one detected aerial object in the field of view of the second static camera 22 for a known change in orientation of the corresponding AM 24, wherein the known change in orientation of the corresponding AM 24 may be controlled or set by the corresponding controller 26, or may be sensed or measured. One of skill in the art will also understand that the method of determining a distance between the second static camera 22 and at least one detected aerial object described with reference to FIGS. 7A to 7C is passive i.e. there is no requirement for the vision system 2 to transmit energy, such as electromagnetic energy, or a signal of any kind, such as an electromagnetic signal, to an aerial object in order to determine the distance between the second static camera 22 and at least one detected aerial object. Thus, the method of determining a distance described with reference to FIGS. 7A to 7C may allow a user of the vision system 2 to remain undetected. From the foregoing description of the method of determining a distance between the second static camera 22 and at least one detected aerial object described with reference to FIGS. 7A to 7C, one of skill in the art will understand that for each vision unit 4, 6, the at least one processing resource 40 is configured to: cause the corresponding controller 26 of the corresponding scanning camera arrangement 10 to configure the corresponding scanning optical component 24 in a corresponding first configuration in which the corresponding scanning optical component 24 re-directs light incident on the corresponding scanning optical component 24 from a corresponding first field of view to the corresponding second static camera 22, wherein the first field of view includes one or more detected aerial objects; cause the corresponding second static camera 22 to capture an image of the corresponding first field of view; cause the corresponding controller 26 of the corresponding scanning camera arrangement 10 to configure the corresponding scanning optical component 24 in a corresponding second configuration in which the corresponding scanning optical component 24 re-directs light incident on the corresponding scanning optical component 24 from a corresponding second field of view to the corresponding second static camera 22, wherein the second field of view also includes the one or more detected aerial objects; cause the corresponding second static camera 22 to capture an image of the corresponding second field of view; and use the captured images of the corresponding first and second fields of view and the corresponding first and second configurations of the corresponding scanning optical component 24 to determine a distance from the corresponding second static camera 22 to each of the one or more detected aerial objects.

[0125] Optionally, the first and second configurations of the corresponding scanning optical component 24 are known and / or set by the corresponding controller 26 , or are sensed or measured.

[0126] FIG. 8 illustrates a variant of the vision system 2 of FIGS. 1 to 7C in which each vision unit 4, 6 includes a corresponding optical rangefinder arrangement 50 including a corresponding light source in the form of a corresponding laser source 52, a corresponding photodetector 54, and a corresponding dichroic filter in the form of a dichroic mirror 56, wherein the corresponding dichroic mirror 56 is positioned between the corresponding second static camera 22 and the corresponding AM 24. The corresponding laser source 52 and the corresponding dichroic mirror 56 may be located inside the housing 30 of the vision unit 4, 6. The corresponding photodetector 54 may be located on an outer surface of the housing 30 adjacent to the corresponding aperture or window 34 for the corresponding AM 24.

[0127] In use, the corresponding laser source 52 generates a corresponding laser beam which is reflected by the corresponding dichroic mirror 56 onto the corresponding AM 24 to enable the corresponding AM 24 to project the corresponding laser beam onto a detected aerial object. Laser light is reflected and / or scattered from the detected aerial object and is incident on the corresponding photodetector 54. The at least one processing resource 40 may be configured to communicate with the corresponding laser source 52 and the corresponding photodetector 54 and determine a distance between the vision system 2 and a detected aerial object from the properties of the light transmitted from the corresponding laser source 52 and detected by the corresponding photodetector 54 e.g. from the time taken for one or more laser pulses to travel from the corresponding laser source 52 to the detected aerial object and back to the corresponding photodetector 54. One of skill in the art will understand that the optical rangefinder arrangement 50 may be used to provide a more accurate measurement of the distance between the vision system 2 and the detected aerial object than the method of determining a distance between the vision system 2 and the detected aerial object described with reference to FIGS. 7A to 7C. However, unlike the method of determining a distance between the vision system 2 and the detected aerial object described with reference to FIGS. 7A to 7C, use of the optical rangefinder arrangement 50 is not passive.

[0128] The processing resource 40 is also configured to process one or more images captured by any one or more of the static camera arrangements 8 and / or one or more of the images captured by any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements 10 to classify and / or identify the one or more detected aerial objects using an Al image processing algorithm. More specifically, the processing resource 40 is configured to process one or more images captured by any one or more of the static camera arrangements 8 and / or one or more of the images captured by any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements 10 to classify and / or identify the one or more detected aerial objects using a fully convolutional neural network (CNN) which has been trained to classify and / or identify the one or more detected aerial objects as an aerial object selected from a group of aerial objects used to train the CNN. From the foregoing description, one of skill in the art will understand that the processing resource 40 is configured to enable the simultaneous classification and / or identification of a plurality of detected aerial objects. One of skill in the art will also understand that the processing resource 40 may be configured to process one or more images captured by any one or more of the static camera arrangements 8 and / or one or more of the images captured by any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements 10 to classify and / or identify the one or more detected aerial objects using a computationally intensive, transformerbased network. Although the processing resource 40 may not be able to classify and / or identify the one or more detected aerial objects using the computationally intensive, transformer-based network in real time, the processing resource 40 may be able to classify and / or identify the one or more detected aerial objects using the computationally intensive, transformer-based network in a few tenths of a second, which is appropriate for a one-off execution to inform a user of the identity of the one or more detected aerial objects being tracked.

[0129] The processing resource 40 may also be configured to process one or more images captured by any one or more of the static camera arrangements 8 and / or one or more of the images captured by any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements 10 using an Al image processing algorithm to determine whether the one or more detected aerial objects is carrying a payload such as one or more weapons. For example, the processing resource 40 may be configured to classify or identify the payload, using a fully convolutional neural network (CNN) which has been trained to classify and / or identify the payload as a payload selected from a group of payloads used to train the CNN. From the foregoing description, one of skill in the art will understand that the processing resource 40 may be configured to process one or more images captured by any one or more of the static camera arrangements and / or one or more of the images captured by any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements to enable the simultaneous determination of whether the detected aerial objects of a plurality of detected aerial objects are carrying a payload, and optionally also to simultaneously classify and / or identify the payload of the detected aerial objects of a plurality of detected aerial objects. One of skill in the art will also understand that the processing resource 40 may be configured to process one or more images captured by any one or more of the static camera arrangements 8 and / or one or more of the images captured by any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements 10 to classify and / or identify the payload using a computationally intensive, transformer-based network. Although the processing resource 40 may not be able to classify and / or identify the payload using the computationally intensive, transformer-based network in real time, the processing resource 40 may be able to classify and / or identify the payload using the computationally intensive, transformer-based network in a few tenths of a second, which is appropriate for a one-off execution to inform a user of the identity of the payload.

[0130] FIG. 9 illustrates a laser effector unit generally designated 60 of a system for effecting one or more aerial objects, wherein the system includes the vision system 2 of any of FIGS. 1 to 8 for detecting and tracking one or more aerial objects and an effector arrangement for effecting one or more aerial objects detected and / or tracked by the vision system 2, wherein the effector arrangement comprises a plurality of laser effector units 60 like that shown in FIG. 9, and wherein each laser effector unit 60 is associated with a corresponding vision unit 4, 6. As shown in FIG. 9, each laser effector unit 60 includes a corresponding light source effector in the form of a laser source effector 62 and a corresponding dichroic filter in the form of a dichroic mirror 66, wherein the corresponding dichroic mirror 66 is positioned between the corresponding second static camera 22 and the corresponding AM 24 to enable the corresponding dichroic mirror 66 to direct a corresponding laser beam generated by the corresponding laser source effector 62 onto the corresponding AM 24 to enable the corresponding AM 24 to project the corresponding laser beam onto a detected aerial object to dazzle, disrupt, damage and / or disable a visual guidance system of the one or more detected aerial objects or to damage and / or disable the one or more detected aerial objects. As such, one of skill in the art will understand that the laser source effector 62 is configured to generate a laser beam which is suitable for dazzling, disrupting, damaging and / or disabling a visual guidance system of the one or more detected aerial objects or for damaging and / or disabling the one or more detected aerial objects. Although not shown in FIG. 9, it should be understood that the laser source effector 62 and the dichroic mirror 66 are housed in the same housing 30 as the corresponding vision unit 4, 6.

[0131] The processing resource 40 may be configured to activate any of the corresponding laser effector arrangements 60 in response to classification and / or identification of the one or more detected aerial objects. Additionally or alternatively, the processing resource 40 may be configured to activate any of the corresponding laser effector arrangements 60 in response to classification and / or identification of a payload of the one or more detected aerial objects.

[0132] The processing resource 40 may be configured to determine a speed and a trajectory of one or more tracked aerial objects based on one or more images captured by any one or more of the static camera arrangements and / or one or more of the images captured by any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements, to predict a future position of the one or more tracked aerial objects at a future instant in time based at least in part on the determined speed and trajectory of the one or more tracked aerial objects and to cause any one of the controllers 26 to control the corresponding AM 24 based on the predicted future position of the one or more tracked aerial objects to enable the corresponding AM 24 to project the corresponding laser beam generated by the corresponding laser source effector 62 onto the one or more tracked aerial objects at the future instant in time. The processing resource 40 may be configured to determine the speed and the trajectory of the one or more tracked aerial objects at the future instant in time based at least in part on a distance from the vision system 2 to the one or more tracked aerial objects as determined by the method described with reference to FIGS. 7A-7C and / or as determined using the optical rangefinder arrangement described with reference to FIG. 8.

[0133] Referring now to FIG. 10, there is shown an alternative vision system generally designated 102 for detecting and tracking one or more aerial objects such as one or more flying objects, for example one or more drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The features of the alternative vision system 102 of FIG. 10 correspond closely to like features of the vision system 2 of FIG. 1. Like features of the alternative vision system 102 of FIG. 10 and the vision system 2 of FIG. 1 are designated with like reference numerals.

[0134] Like the vision system 2 of FIG. 1 , the alternative vision system 102 of FIG. 10 may be configured to be mounted on the ground. For example, the vision system 102 may be configured to be mounted on a stationary platform such as a tripod. Alternatively, the vision system 102 may be configured to be mounted on a movable vehicle such as a movable ground-based vehicle, a movable maritime vehicle, a movable floating vehicle, or a movable aerial vehicle.

[0135] Like the vision system 2 of FIG. 1 , the alternative vision system 102 of FIG. 10 includes a plurality of vision units 104, 106, wherein each vision unit 104, 106 has a known spatial relationship relative to each of the other vision units 104, 106. More specifically, the vision system 102 includes an axial vision unit 104 and six peripheral vision units 106 distributed circumferentially around a reference axis 105.

[0136] Each vision unit 104, 106 includes a corresponding static camera arrangement 108 for capturing one or more images in a corresponding static field of view, and a corresponding scanning camera arrangement generally designated 110 for capturing one or more images in a corresponding movable field of view which is narrower than the corresponding static field of view of the corresponding static camera arrangement 108 and which is movable across the corresponding static field of view of the corresponding static camera arrangement 108. The static camera arrangement 108 and the corresponding scanning camera arrangement 110 of each vision unit 104, 106 have a known spatial relationship. The static fields of view of the static camera arrangements 108 of the plurality of vision units 104, 106 together define a vision system field of view.

[0137] Each static camera arrangement 108 includes a corresponding first static camera 120, and each scanning camera arrangement 110 includes a corresponding second static camera (not shown in FIG. 10), a corresponding scanning optical component in the form of a corresponding articulating mirror (AM) such as a corresponding fast steering mirror (FSM) 124, and a corresponding controller (not shown in FIG. 10) for controlling the AM 124. The corresponding AM 124 is configured to rotate or tilt around two axes.

[0138] Each vision unit 104, 106 includes a corresponding housing 130, wherein the corresponding static camera arrangement 108 and the corresponding scanning camera arrangement 110 are both located within, and attached to, the corresponding housing 130. Each housing 130 defines a corresponding first aperture or window 132 to allow light to enter the housing 130 and be incident on the corresponding static camera arrangement 108 and a corresponding second aperture or window 134 to allow light to enter the housing 130 and be incident on the corresponding AM 124. The housings 130 of the vision units 104, 106 are attached together.

[0139] Like the vision system 2 of FIG. 1 , the alternative vision system 102 is configured so that, if the static camera arrangement 108 of one of the vision units 104, 106 observes an aerial object of interest, the corresponding scanning camera arrangement 110 of the same vision unit 104, 106 is used for further investigation.

[0140] However, unlike the vision system 2 of FIG. 1 , the alternative vision system 102 of FIG. 10 further comprises a plurality of supplementary static camera arrangements 170, wherein each supplementary static camera arrangement 170 is associated with a corresponding peripheral vision unit 106, wherein each supplementary static camera arrangement 170 has a known spatial relationship relative to the scanning camera arrangement 110 of the corresponding peripheral vision unit 106, and wherein each supplementary static camera arrangement 170 has a narrower static field of view than the static camera arrangement 108 of the corresponding peripheral vision unit 106 and / or wherein each supplementary static camera arrangement 170 has a higher angular resolution than the static camera arrangement 108 of the corresponding peripheral vision unit 106. More specifically, the alternative vision system 102 comprises three supplementary static camera arrangements 170 corresponding to each peripheral vision unit 106 i.e. a total of 18 supplementary static camera arrangements 170. As shown in FIG. 10, the alternative vision system 102 comprises a plurality of supplementary peripheral vision units 106a distributed circumferentially around the reference axis 105 in a ring or a belt below the peripheral vision units 106, wherein each supplementary peripheral vision unit 106a is aligned circumferentially relative to the reference axis 105 with a corresponding one of the peripheral vision units 106, and each supplementary peripheral vision unit 106a comprises three supplementary static camera arrangements 170 associated with the corresponding peripheral vision unit 106. Each supplementary peripheral vision unit 106a comprises a corresponding supplementary housing 130a, wherein the supplementary housing 130a of each supplementary peripheral vision unit 106a is attached to the housing 130 of the corresponding peripheral vision unit 106. The supplementary housings 130a of the supplementary peripheral vision units 106a may be attached together. Each supplementary static camera arrangement 170 is located within and attached to the corresponding supplementary housing 130a of the corresponding supplementary peripheral vision unit 106a. Each supplementary housing 130a defines corresponding supplementary apertures or windows 132a to allow light to enter the supplementary housing 130a and be incident on the corresponding supplementary static camera arrangements 170.

[0141] Each supplementary static camera arrangement 170 comprises a corresponding supplementary static camera 172. Each supplementary static camera 172 covers approximately 20 degrees horizontally (x 18 = 360 degrees) and 14 degrees up from the horizon so that the plurality of supplementary static cameras 172 defines a continuous 360 x 14 degree belt of angular observation for detecting smaller and / or more distant UAVs approaching the vision system at elevation angles close to the horizon.

[0142] The supplementary static camera arrangements 170 work in a similar way to the static camera arrangements 108 as outlined above i.e. the alternative vision system 102 is configured so that if one of the supplementary static camera arrangements 170 corresponding to one of the peripheral vision units 106 observes an aerial object of interest, the scanning camera arrangement 110 of the corresponding peripheral vision unit 106 is used for further investigation.

[0143] However, since the FOV of each of the supplementary static cameras 172 is narrower than the FOV of each of the first static cameras 120, the supplementary static cameras 172 have a higher angular resolution than the first static cameras 120 so that the supplementary static cameras 172 are capable of resolving either aerial objects of the same size at greater distances, or smaller aerial objects for a given distance, than the first static cameras 120.

[0144] One of ordinary skill in the art will also understand that various modifications are possible to the vision system described above. For example, the at least one processing resource may comprise a plurality of processing resources, wherein each processing resource of the plurality of processing resources is configured to communicate with at least one of the other processing resources of the plurality of processing resources so that each processing resource of the plurality of processing resources is configured to communicate with each of the one or more other processing resources directly or indirectly. Each processing resource of the plurality of processing resources may be configured to communicate with all of the other processing resources of the plurality of processing resources. The at least one processing resource may comprise a plurality of processing resources and each vision unit may comprise a corresponding processing resource of the plurality of processing resources. Such a vision system is modular in the sense that the static camera arrangements of the different vision units may be the same or similar, the scanning camera arrangements of the different vision units may be the same or similar, and the processing resources of the different vision units may be the same or similar. Consequently, such a vision system may be simpler than known systems for detecting and / or tracking aerial objects and / or the manufacturing of such a vision system may be simplified relative to the manufacturing of known systems for detecting and / or tracking aerial objects.

[0145] Optionally, the at least one processing resource is configured to simultaneously detect a plurality of aerial objects in the vision system field of view based on the one or more images captured by any one or more of the static camera arrangements and / or on the one or more images captured by any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements.

[0146] In the embodiments of the vision system 2 described above, the scanning optical component of each vision unit 4,6 is described as a AM 24. In other embodiments, the corresponding scanning optical component of each vision unit may be reflective, for example, the corresponding scanning optical component may comprise a scanning reflective surface or a scanning mirror of any kind which is configured to rotate or tilt around one or two axes.

[0147] In other embodiments, the corresponding scanning optical component of each vision unit may be diffractive. Optionally, for each vision unit, the corresponding scanning optical component comprises an array of reflective surfaces or mirrors, wherein each reflective surface or mirror is configured to rotate or tilt around one or two axes. Optionally, for each vision unit, the corresponding scanning optical component comprises a digital micro-reflective surface array or a digital micro-mirror array. Optionally, for each vision unit, the corresponding scanning optical component comprises a spatial light modulator.

[0148] Optionally, the plurality of vision units comprises an axial vision unit arranged on a reference axis and at least two peripheral vision units distributed circumferentially around the reference axis.

[0149] Optionally, the axial vision unit is configured so that the static field of view of the axial vision unit is directed along the reference axis and encompasses a range of azimuth angles of 360 degrees and a first range of elevation angles, and wherein the peripheral vision units are configured so that the respective static fields of view of different peripheral vision units encompass respective different ranges of azimuth angles but the same second range of elevation angles, wherein the ranges of azimuth angles of adjacent peripheral vision units are contiguous or partially overlap and the ranges of azimuth angles of the peripheral vision units together encompass a range of azimuth angles of 360 degrees, and wherein the first and second ranges of elevation angles are contiguous or partially overlap and together encompass a range of elevation angles of at least 90 degrees.

[0150] Although the use of Al image processing algorithms are described above which use a fully convolutional neural network (CNN) or which use a computationally intensive, transformer-based network to classify and / or identify the one or more detected aerial objects and / or to classify and / or identify a payload of each of the one or more detected aerial objects, one of skill in the art will understand that the vision system is not limited to the use of such Al image processing algorithms to classify and / or identify the one or more detected aerial objects and / or to classify and / or identify a payload of each of the one or more detected aerial objects and that the vision system may use alternative Al image processing algorithms.

[0151] Optionally, at least two of the vision units of the plurality of vision units are separated from one another by a gap or are located remotely from one another.

[0152] Optionally, none of the vision units of the plurality of vision units are attached together.

[0153] Optionally, the respective housings of at least two of the vision units of the plurality of vision units are separated by a gap or are located remotely from one another. Optionally, the respective housings of all of the vision units of the plurality of vision units are separated by a gap or are located remotely from one another.

[0154] Optionally, the at least one processing resource comprises a plurality of processing resources, each vision unit comprises a corresponding processing resource of the plurality of processing resources, and each processing resource is located within, and attached to, the housing of the corresponding vision unit.

[0155] Optionally, the respective housings of at least two of the vision units are the same or similar.

[0156] Optionally, the respective housings of at least two of the peripheral vision units are the same or similar.

[0157] Optionally, the respective housings of all of the peripheral vision units are the same or similar.

[0158] Although the system for effecting one or more aerial objects described with reference to FIG. 9 comprises an effector arrangement which includes a plurality of laser effector units, wherein each laser effector unit is associated with a corresponding vision unit 4, 6 of the vision system 2, the system for effecting one or more aerial objects may comprise an effector arrangement of any kind, wherein the effector arrangement is configured to damage and / or disable the one or more detected aerial objects, or wherein the effector arrangement is configured to disrupt, damage and / or disable a visual guidance system of the one or more detected aerial objects. For example, the effector arrangement may comprise a ballistic kinetic effector arrangement. The effector arrangement may comprise a plurality of effector units of any kind, wherein each effector unit is associated with a corresponding vision unit of the vision system.

[0159] In a variant of the alternative vision system 102 of FIG. 10, there may be fewer than, or more than, three supplementary static camera arrangements 170 corresponding to each peripheral vision unit 106. Each supplementary static camera arrangement 170 may have a field of view which is greater than approximately 20 degrees horizontally and 14 degrees vertically, or which is less than approximately 20 degrees horizontally and 14 degrees vertically, depending on the desired angular resolution. The supplementary static camera arrangements may together define a continuous belt of angular observation for detecting smaller and / or more distant UAVs approaching the vision system, for example at elevation angles close to the horizon.

[0160] Although the supplementary static camera arrangements 170 of the alternative vision system 102 of FIG. 10 are described as being located within, and attached to, supplementary housings 130a of supplementary peripheral vision units 106a aligned circumferentially around the reference axis 105 with corresponding peripheral vision units 106 in a ring or a belt below the corresponding peripheral vision units 106, in a further variant of the alternative vision system 102 of FIG. 10, each peripheral vision unit 106 may comprise one or more corresponding supplementary static cameras. For example, each peripheral vision unit 106 may comprise one or more corresponding supplementary static cameras, wherein the one or more corresponding supplementary static cameras may be located within, and attached to, the corresponding housing 130 of the peripheral vision unit 106. For example, each peripheral vision unit 106 may comprise three corresponding supplementary static cameras, wherein the three corresponding supplementary static cameras may be located within, and attached to, the corresponding housing 130 of the peripheral vision unit 106. In such variants of the alternative vision system 102 of FIG. 10, the supplementary static cameras may be distributed circumferentially around the reference axis 105 in a ring or a belt adjacent to the bottom edges of the peripheral vision units 106.

[0161] Each supplementary static camera arrangement may comprise a corresponding body, wherein the body is configured for attachment to a housing of the vision system such as a housing of one of the peripheral vision units or a supplementary housing of one of the supplementary peripheral vision units, and wherein the corresponding supplementary static camera is fixed relative to the corresponding body.

[0162] Each supplementary static camera arrangement may comprise a corresponding body, wherein the body is configured for attachment to a housing of the vision system such as a housing of one of the peripheral vision units or a supplementary housing of one of the supplementary peripheral vision units, and wherein the corresponding supplementary static camera is articulated or adjustable relative to the corresponding body. Use of such supplementary static camera arrangements may allow each supplementary static camera to be oriented along a corresponding desired direction once the body is attached to a housing of the vision system and the orientation of each supplementary static camera to be subsequently fixed along the corresponding desired direction.

[0163] Although a vision system and a system for effecting one or more aerial objects have been described in terms of preferred embodiments as set forth above, it should be understood that these embodiments are illustrative only and that the invention is not limited to those embodiments. Those skilled in the art will be able to make modifications and alternatives to the described embodiments in view of the disclosure which are contemplated as falling within the scope of the appended claims. Each feature disclosed or illustrated herein may be incorporated in any embodiment, whether alone or in any appropriate combination with any other feature disclosed or illustrated herein. In particular, one of ordinary skill in the art will understand that one or more of the features of the embodiments of the present disclosure described above with reference to the drawings may produce effects or provide advantages when used in isolation from one or more of the other features of the embodiments of the present disclosure and that different combinations of the features are possible other than the specific combinations of the features of the embodiments of the present disclosure described above.

[0164] The skilled person will understand that in the preceding description and appended claims, positional terms such as ‘above’, ‘along’, ‘side’, etc. are made with reference to the accompanying drawings. These terms are used for ease of reference but are not intended to be of limiting nature. These terms are therefore to be understood as referring to an object when in an orientation as shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0165] Use of the term "comprising" when used in relation to a feature of an embodiment of the present disclosure does not exclude other features or steps. Use of the term "a" or "an" when used in relation to a feature of an embodiment of the present disclosure does not exclude the possibility that the embodiment may include a plurality of such features.

[0166] The use of reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1 . A vision system for detecting and tracking one or more aerial objects, the vision system comprising a plurality of vision units, wherein each vision unit has a known spatial relationship relative to each of the other vision units, and wherein each vision unit comprises: a corresponding static camera arrangement for capturing one or more images in a corresponding static field of view; and a corresponding scanning camera arrangement for capturing one or more images in a corresponding movable field of view which is narrower than the corresponding static field of view of the corresponding static camera arrangement and which is movable across the corresponding static field of view of the corresponding static camera arrangement, the corresponding scanning camera arrangement having a known spatial relationship relative to the corresponding static camera arrangement, wherein the static fields of view of the static camera arrangements of the plurality of vision units together define a vision system field of view, and wherein the vision system further comprises at least one processing resource configured to detect one or more aerial objects anywhere in the vision system field of view based on the one or more images captured by the static camera arrangements and / or detect one or more aerial objects anywhere in the vision system field of view based on one or more images captured by the scanning camera arrangements.

2. The vision system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the respective static fields of view of adjacent static camera arrangements are contiguous or partially overlap so that the vision system field of view is continuous, and optionally, wherein the vision system field of view encompasses a scene comprising an angular range in azimuth of 360 degrees and / or an angular range in elevation of at least 90 degrees.

3. The vision system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the plurality of vision units comprises an axial vision unit arranged on a reference axis and at least two, for example six, peripheral vision units distributed circumferentially around the reference axis.

4. The vision system as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a plurality of supplementary static camera arrangements, wherein each supplementary static camera arrangement is associated with a corresponding vision unit and has aknown spatial relationship relative to the scanning camera arrangement of the corresponding vision unit, wherein each supplementary static camera arrangement has a narrower static field of view than the static camera arrangement of the corresponding vision unit and / or wherein each supplementary static camera arrangement has a higher angular resolution than the static camera arrangement of the corresponding vision unit, and wherein the at least one processing resource is configured to detect one or more aerial objects in a field of view of the supplementary static camera arrangements based on one or more images captured by the supplementary static camera arrangements, and optionally wherein the plurality of supplementary static camera arrangements are distributed circumferentially around a reference axis in a ring or a belt below the peripheral vision units.

5. The vision system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the at least one processing resource comprises a plurality of processing resources, wherein each processing resource of the plurality of processing resources is configured to communicate with at least one of the other processing resources of the plurality of processing resources so that each processing resource of the plurality of processing resources is configured to communicate with each of the one or more other processing resources directly or indirectly and, optionally, each vision unit comprises a corresponding processing resource of the plurality of processing resources.

6. The vision system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each vision unit comprises a corresponding housing, wherein the corresponding static camera arrangement and the corresponding scanning camera are located within, and attached to, the corresponding housing, and optionally, wherein the at least one processing resource comprises a plurality of processing resources, each vision unit comprises a corresponding processing resource of the plurality of processing resources, and each processing resource is located within, and attached to, the housing of the corresponding vision unit.

7. The vision system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the respective housings of at least two, for example all, of the vision units of the plurality of vision units are attached together.

8. The vision system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein, for each vision unit, the corresponding scanning camera arrangement is configured to capture a more detailed image than the corresponding static camera arrangement and / or wherein the scanning camera arrangement of one or more of the vision units is configured to capture a more detailed image than the corresponding supplementary static camera arrangements.

9. The vision system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the at least one processing resource is configured to control the scanning camera arrangement of each vision unit to move the corresponding movable field of view based on one or more images captured by the corresponding static camera arrangement and / or wherein the at least one processing resource is configured to control the scanning camera arrangement of one or more of the vision units to move the corresponding movable field of view based on one or more images captured by the corresponding supplementary static camera arrangements.

10. The vision system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the at least one processing resource is configured to control the scanning camera arrangement of each vision unit to move the corresponding movable field of view along a predetermined path across the scene.11 . The vision system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least one of: the at least one processing resource is configured to determine a position of one or more detected aerial objects in the vision system field of view based on at least one of the one or more images captured using any one or more of the static camera arrangements, one or more images captured using any one or more of the supplementary static camera arrangements, or the one or more images captured using any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements; the at least one processing resource is configured to track, for example in real time, each of one or more detected aerial objects in the vision system field of view based on at least one of the one or more images captured using any one or more of the static camera arrangements, one or more images captured using any one or more of the supplementary static camera arrangements, or the one or more images captured using any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements; orthe at least one processing resource is configured to track a detected aerial object by controlling any one of the scanning camera arrangements so that a detected aerial object is in the movable field of view of any one of the scanning camera arrangements at any time, for example in the centre of a movable field of view of any one of the scanning camera arrangements at any time.

12. The vision system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the at least one processing resource is configured to control the scanning camera arrangements of adjacent vision units to enable the scanning camera arrangements of the adjacent vision units to track a detected aerial object as the detected aerial object moves from the static field of view of the static camera arrangement of one of the adjacent vision units to the static field of view of the static camera arrangement of another one of the adjacent vision units.

13. The vision system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the at least one processing resource is configured to process one or more images captured by at least one of any one or more of the static camera arrangements, any one or more of the supplementary static camera arrangements, or one or more of the images captured by any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements using a tracking algorithm such as a Kalman filtering algorithm to track the one or more detected aerial objects.

14. The vision system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein, for each vision unit: the corresponding static camera arrangement comprises a corresponding first static camera; and the corresponding scanning camera arrangement comprises a corresponding second static camera, a corresponding scanning optical component, and a corresponding controller for controlling the corresponding scanning optical component, wherein the corresponding controller is configured to control a configuration of the corresponding scanning optical component to cause the corresponding scanning optical component to re-direct light incident on the corresponding scanning optical component from different regions of a scene onto the corresponding second static camera at different times to thereby move the field of view of the corresponding scanning camera arrangement.

15. The vision system as claimed in claim 14, wherein, for each vision unit, the corresponding scanning optical component is reflective, for example, wherein the corresponding scanning optical component comprises a scanning reflective surface, an articulating mirror, or a steering mirror, which is configured to rotate or tilt around one or two axes.

16. The vision system as claimed in claim 14 or 15, wherein, for each vision unit, the at least one processing resource is configured to: cause a corresponding controller of the corresponding scanning camera arrangement to configure the corresponding scanning optical component in a corresponding first configuration in which the corresponding scanning optical component re-directs light incident on the corresponding scanning optical component from a corresponding first field of view to the corresponding second static camera, wherein the first field of view includes one or more detected aerial objects; cause the corresponding second static camera to capture an image of the corresponding first field of view; cause the corresponding controller of the corresponding scanning camera arrangement to configure the corresponding scanning optical component in a corresponding second configuration in which the corresponding scanning optical component re-directs light incident on the corresponding scanning optical component from a corresponding second field of view to the corresponding second static camera, wherein the second field of view also includes the one or more detected aerial objects; cause the corresponding second static camera to capture an image of the corresponding second field of view; and use the captured images of the corresponding first and second fields of view and the corresponding first and second configurations of the corresponding scanning optical component to determine a distance from the corresponding second static camera to each of the one or more detected aerial objects.

17. The vision system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first and second configurations of the corresponding scanning optical component are known and / or set by the corresponding controller, or are sensed or measured.

18. The vision system as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 17, wherein each vision unit further comprises a corresponding optical rangefinder arrangement including a corresponding light source, a corresponding photodetector, and a corresponding dichroic filter such as a dichroic mirror, wherein the corresponding optical rangefinder arrangement is configured so that, in use, the corresponding dichroic filter directs a corresponding light beam generated by the corresponding light source onto the corresponding scanning optical component, the corresponding scanning optical component projects the corresponding light beam onto a detected aerial object, and light reflected from the detected aerial object is incident on the corresponding photodetector.

19. The vision system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the at least one processing resource is configured to process one or more images captured by at least one of any one or more of the static camera arrangements, any one or more of the supplementary static camera arrangements, or any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements to classify and / or identify the one or more detected aerial objects, for example using an Al image processing algorithm which has been trained to classify and / or identify the one or more detected aerial objects as an aerial object selected from a group of aerial objects used to train the Al image processing algorithm.

20. The vision system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the at least one processing resource is configured to process one or more images captured by at least one of any one or more of the static camera arrangements, any one or more of the supplementary static camera arrangements, or any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements to determine whether the one or more detected aerial objects is carrying a payload, and optionally also to classify or identify the payload, for example using an Al image processing algorithm which has been trained to classify and / or identify the payload as a payload selected from a group of payloads used to train the Al image processing algorithm.

21. The system as claimed in claim 19 or 20, wherein the at least one processing resource is configured to raise an alarm or alert a user of the vision system in response to at least one of: classification and / or identification of the one or more detected aerial objects; classification and / or identification of a payload of the one or more detected aerial objects; ora determined distance from the second static camera of each of one or more of the vision units to the one or more detected aerial objects.

22. A system for effecting one or more aerial objects, the system comprising the vision system for detecting and tracking one or more aerial objects as claimed in any preceding claim, and an effector arrangement for effecting one or more aerial objects detected and / or tracked by the vision system.

23. The system as claimed in claim 22, wherein the at least one processing resource is configured to activate the effector arrangement in response to at least one of: classification and / or identification of the one or more detected aerial objects; classification and / or identification of a payload of the one or more detected aerial objects; or a determined distance from the second static camera of each of one or more of the vision units to the one or more detected aerial objects.

24. The system as claimed in claim 22 or 23, wherein the at least one processing resource is configured to: determine a speed and a trajectory of one or more tracked aerial objects based on one or more images captured by at least one of any one or more of the static camera arrangements, any one or more of the supplementary static camera arrangements, or any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements, and optionally also based on a determined distance between the vision system and the one or more tracked aerial objects; predict a future position of the one or more tracked aerial objects at a future instant in time based at least in part on the determined speed and trajectory of the one or more tracked aerial objects; and activate the effector arrangement to effect the one or more tracked aerial objects at the future instant in time.

25. The system as claimed in any one of claims 22 to 24, wherein the effector arrangement is configured to disrupt, damage and / or disable a visual guidance system of the one or more detected aerial objects or to damage and / or disable the one or more detected aerial objects.

26. The system as claimed in any one of claims 22 to 25, wherein the effector arrangement comprises a ballistic kinetic effector arrangement.

27. The system as claimed in any one of claims 22 to 26, wherein the effector arrangement comprises a plurality of effector units, wherein each effector unit is associated with a corresponding vision unit of the vision system.

28. The system as claimed in claim 27 when dependent on claim 14, wherein each effector unit comprises a corresponding light source effector and a corresponding dichroic filter such as a dichroic mirror, wherein the corresponding dichroic filter is positioned between the corresponding second static camera and the corresponding scanning optical component to enable the corresponding dichroic filter to direct a corresponding light beam generated by the corresponding light source effector onto the corresponding scanning optical component and enable the corresponding scanning optical component to project the corresponding light beam onto the one or more detected aerial objects.

29. The system as claimed in claim 28, wherein the at least one processing resource is configured to: determine a speed and a trajectory of one or more tracked aerial objects based on one or more images captured by at least one of any one or more of the static camera arrangements, any one or more of the supplementary static camera arrangements, or any one or more of the scanning camera arrangements, and optionally also based on a determined distance between the vision system and the one or more tracked aerial objects; predict a future position of the one or more tracked aerial objects at a future instant in time based at least in part on the determined speed and trajectory of the one or more tracked aerial objects; and cause any one of the controllers to control the corresponding scanning optical component based on the predicted future position of the one or more tracked aerial objects to enable the corresponding scanning optical component to project the corresponding light beam of the corresponding light source effector onto the one or more tracked aerial objects at the future instant in time.

30. The system as claimed in claim 28 or 29, wherein the light source effector of each vision unit is configured to generate a light beam for dazzling, disrupting, damaging and / or disabling a visual guidance system of the one or more detected aerial objects or for damaging and / or disabling the one or more detected aerial objects and, optionally, wherein the light source effector of each vision unit comprises a laser.

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