Aircraft video capturing method and aircraft
By cropping and rotating the target image on the aircraft, the problem of the difficulty in achieving image rotation video effects on aircraft in the existing technology has been solved, and efficient and low-cost video shooting effects and user experience improvement have been achieved.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SHENZHEN POTENSIC INTELLIGENT CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-11-13
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-16
Smart Images
Figure CN2025134572_16072026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Aircraft video shooting methods and aircraft Technical Field
[0001] This application belongs to the field of aircraft technology, and in particular relates to an aircraft video shooting method and an aircraft. Background Technology
[0002] Video sharing platforms now occupy an important place in people's daily lives, leading to a surge in video content creators and various video editing and post-production techniques. Among these, using drones equipped with cameras for video shooting is gaining popularity. While existing drones offer automatic forward and backward camera movement, hardware limitations make it difficult to achieve video effects with image rotation. Furthermore, some handheld gimbal products can achieve hardware camera rotation, but to achieve a combined forward / backward and rotation effect, manual camera movement is required, making shooting difficult and operation inconvenient. Summary of the Invention
[0003] This application provides a method for shooting video from an aircraft and an aircraft, so as to achieve video effects of superimposing images captured by the aircraft in advance, backward and rotation.
[0004] In a first aspect, this application provides a method for shooting video from an aircraft. The aircraft includes a camera for shooting video. The method includes: acquiring the target position of the aircraft; controlling the aircraft to fly toward the target position and shooting the original image through the camera; cropping the target image from the original image; controlling the rotation of the target image; and acquiring the superimposed effect of the forward and backward movement and rotation of the target image during the flight of the aircraft to the target position.
[0005] In this embodiment, during the flight of the aircraft toward the target position, the original image is captured by a camera, and the target image is cropped from the original image. By controlling the rotation of the target image, a superimposed video effect of the target image advancing and rotating is obtained during the flight of the aircraft to the target position. When the aircraft flies to the target position, the video shooting and the superimposed video effect of the target image advancing and rotating can be completed. There is no need to set up additional hardware on the aircraft to realize the rotation of the target image, which effectively controls the cost while obtaining rich video shooting effects and improving the user experience.
[0006] In some embodiments, the method further includes: setting the number of rotations of the target image; and controlling the target image to complete the number of rotations when the aircraft flies to the target position, and controlling the target image to rotate back to the origin position.
[0007] In some embodiments, obtaining the target position of the aircraft includes: setting the flight distance and flight speed of the aircraft; and controlling the aircraft to fly forward or backward toward the center of the current image of the camera, and obtaining the target position.
[0008] In some embodiments, the original image and the target image have the same preset aspect ratio, wherein the preset aspect ratio is the ratio of the width to the height of the original image.
[0009] In some embodiments, the vertex of the target image is located on the inscribed circle of the original image, and the radius of the inscribed circle is half the height of the original image.
[0010] In some embodiments, cropping a target image from the original image includes: obtaining the width and height of the target image based on the height of the original image and a preset aspect ratio.
[0011] In some embodiments, cropping a target image from the original image and controlling the rotation of the target image further includes: obtaining the flight time of the aircraft by means of flight distance and flight speed; obtaining the rotation angle of the target image based on the number of rotations, flight speed, flight distance and the current flight time of the aircraft, wherein the rotation angle of the target image is the angle of rotation of the target image from the origin position; obtaining the coordinates of the vertices of the target image based on the width and height of the original image, a preset aspect ratio and the rotation angle of the target image; and cropping the target image from the original image based on the coordinates of the vertices of the target image.
[0012] In some embodiments, the rotation direction of the cropping frame for cropping the target image is opposite to the rotation direction of the content of the target image.
[0013] In some embodiments, the method further includes: ending camera recording when the aircraft flies to the target position; and controlling the aircraft to hover.
[0014] Secondly, this application provides an aircraft including a camera for capturing video, the aircraft being used to perform the aircraft video capturing method as described in the first aspect. Attached Figure Description
[0015] Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of the functional modules of an aircraft and a remote controller provided in an embodiment of this application.
[0016] Figure 2 is a flowchart of an aircraft video shooting method provided in an embodiment of this application.
[0017] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the original screen and the target screen provided in the embodiments of this application.
[0018] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the target screen rotation provided in the embodiment of this application.
[0019] Figure 5 is a flowchart of an aircraft video shooting method provided in another embodiment of this application.
[0020] Figure 6 is another schematic diagram of the target screen rotation provided in the embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation
[0021] It should be noted that the terms "first" and "second" in the specification, claims, and drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects, not to describe a specific order or sequence. In the specification, claims, and drawings of this application, unless otherwise stated, " / " indicates "or," for example, A / B can mean A or B. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, and B alone. Furthermore, the term "multiple units" in the specification, claims, and drawings of this application refers to two or more units.
[0022] Understandably, the connection relationships described in this application refer to direct or indirect connections. For example, the connection between A and B, or A electrically connecting B, can be a direct connection between A and B, or an indirect connection between A and B through one or more other electrical components. For instance, A can be directly connected to C, and C can be directly connected to B, thus enabling a connection between A and B through C.
[0023] It should also be noted that the methods disclosed in the embodiments of this application or the methods shown in the flowcharts include one or more steps for implementing the method. Without departing from the scope of the claims, the execution order of multiple steps can be interchanged, and some steps can also be deleted.
[0024] Some embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features can be combined with each other.
[0025] The use of drones equipped with cameras for filming is becoming increasingly popular among video content creators. In scenarios where drones are used to shoot complex camera movements with a fixed subject, achieving better results often requires repeated flight maneuvers to ensure optimal shooting conditions, such as weather, lighting, and the subject itself. However, in actual shooting, conditions are often unstable, such as constantly changing weather, which can be fleeting. Furthermore, complex camera movements can be difficult to achieve with a high success rate. Additionally, the subject may also be operating the drone, making it challenging to maintain optimal posture while operating it. Considering these factors, the ability to store real-time camera movements and repeatedly shoot footage along those stored movements becomes exceptionally useful for achieving a higher success rate and more efficient shooting experience.
[0026] Therefore, embodiments of this application provide a method for shooting video from an aircraft and an aircraft to achieve automatic shooting and improve shooting results.
[0027] Referring to Figure 1, this application embodiment provides an aircraft 100 with flight capabilities. The aircraft 100 may include a camera 110, a main controller 120, a flight controller 130, and a video processor 140. The camera 110 may be mounted at at least one end of the aircraft 100, such as the front end, and can capture video or images from at least one end of the aircraft 100, such as the front end. In some embodiments, the camera 110 can be connected to the fuselage of the aircraft 100 via a gimbal structure to improve the shooting stability of the camera 110 during the flight of the aircraft 100. In some embodiments, the camera 110 can capture and provide raw footage after startup.
[0028] The main controller 120 is connected to the camera 110, flight controller 130, and video processor 140, respectively, for transmitting and receiving signals and information from these connected components to achieve control and information processing functions. The flight controller 130 controls the flight of the aircraft 100, such as flight distance, flight speed, target position, and flight trajectory. The video processor 140 processes the raw footage captured by the camera 110 and acquires the target image. The processing of the raw footage by the video processor 140 may include, but is not limited to, rotation, speed adjustment, editing video frames, and generating other video effects.
[0029] In some embodiments, the aircraft 100 may also be paired with a remote controller 200, which can wirelessly communicate with the aircraft 100. The aircraft 100 may be, but is not limited to, an unmanned aerial vehicle, drone, or unmanned aircraft. The remote controller 200 is a remote control device compatible with the aircraft 100, used to remotely control the flight of the aircraft and the recording of camera footage. The remote controller 200 can be held by a user or operator and can transmit commands to the aircraft wirelessly to control the flight of the aircraft and the recording of camera footage.
[0030] In some embodiments, the remote controller 200 may include a control component 210 and a display component 220. The control component 210 can control the flight of the aircraft 100 and / or the shooting of the camera 110. Exemplarily, the control component 210 may include multiple function buttons and a joystick, which can control the flight of the aircraft 100 and / or the shooting of the camera 110. The display component 220 can display the shooting footage of the camera 110 and the video footage processed by the video processor 140, such as the original footage and the target footage. In some embodiments, the display component 220 has a touch function or a display interface control, providing a touch component to control the shooting of the camera 110 and the video processing of the video processor 140. In other embodiments, during the use of the remote controller 200, in order to view the shooting effect and control the shooting of the camera in a timely manner, a display and control terminal such as a mobile phone or tablet computer can also be installed on the remote controller 200. The control terminal can display the flight parameters of the aircraft 100, the shooting footage of the camera 110, and the video footage processed by the video processor 140. In some embodiments, the remote controller 200 may display map software via the display component 220 or the control terminal, and display the flight trajectory and flight parameters of the aircraft 100 on the map software. It is understood that the map software may be an application installed on the display component 220 or the control terminal.
[0031] Please refer to Figure 2, which is a flowchart of an aircraft video shooting method provided in an embodiment of this application. Exemplarily, the aircraft video shooting method shown in Figure 2 can be executed by the aircraft 100 shown in Figure 1, and includes the following steps.
[0032] Step S201: Obtain the target position of the aircraft.
[0033] In some embodiments, the aircraft 100 is activated and preset parameters are set via the main controller 120. In some embodiments, the preset parameters may include the flight distance s, flight speed v, and the number of rotations n of the target image. In some embodiments, when the aircraft 100 is activated, the camera 110 may be activated simultaneously to capture the original image, and the aircraft 100 may be controlled to fly forward or backward toward the center of the current original image. In some embodiments, during the forward or backward flight of the aircraft 100 toward the center of the current original image, the video captured by the camera 110 or the original image may produce a forward or backward video effect.
[0034] In some embodiments, the aircraft 100 can calculate the target position P through the main controller 120. In some embodiments, the target position P is the target position that the aircraft 100 needs to reach for flight photography. Wherein, if the aircraft 100 is flying towards the center of the current original image, the target position P can be calculated using formula (1):
[0035] Where T1 is the rotation matrix from the camera system to the aircraft system, T2 is the rotation matrix from the aircraft system to the aircraft navigation system (or control system), and s is the flight distance of the aircraft.
[0036] In some embodiments, if the aircraft 100 is flying backward toward the center of the current original image, the target position P' can be calculated using formula (2):
[0037] Where T1 is the rotation matrix from the camera system to the aircraft system, T2 is the rotation matrix from the aircraft system to the aircraft navigation system (or control system), and s is the flight distance of the aircraft.
[0038] It can be understood that if the aircraft 100 flies forward or backward in the direction of the center of the current original image, the target position P can be located in the direction of the center of the current original image.
[0039] Step S202: Control the aircraft to fly toward the target location and capture the original footage using a camera.
[0040] In some embodiments, the flight controller 130 can control the aircraft 100 to start flight and the camera 110 can simultaneously capture the original footage. The aircraft 100 can fly towards the target position P, and the camera 110 can capture the original footage during flight. In some embodiments, the current position of the aircraft 100 can be the starting point of the flight distance s, and the target position P can be the ending point of the flight distance s. The flight speed v can be the speed of the aircraft 100 during the flight distance s, which can be uniform or non-uniform motion. In some embodiments, the aircraft 100 flies at a uniform speed during the flight to the target position P. The number of rotations n of the target image can be the number of rotations required for the target image during the flight of the aircraft 100 to the target position P, such as 5 rotations, 8 rotations, 10 rotations, etc., which are not limited in this application. It can be understood that when the aircraft 100 flies to the target position P, the target image completes the rotation of the number of rotations n, and the target image rotates back to the origin position.
[0041] It is understood that the aircraft 100 can capture the original image by shooting towards the target position P from the initial position (i.e., the current position) using the camera 110. In some embodiments, as the aircraft 100 flies forward or backward towards the center of the current original image, the video or original image captured by the camera 110 can produce a forward or backward video effect.
[0042] Step S203: Crop the target image from the original image.
[0043] In some embodiments, the original image captured by the camera 110 can be processed by the video processor 140 to obtain the target image. Please refer to Figure 3, which shows a schematic diagram of the original image 12 and the target image 14. The target image 14 can be located within the maximum rotatable area of the original image 12. In some embodiments, the original image 12 includes an inscribed circle 13, the area of which can be the maximum rotatable area of the target image 14 within the original image 12. It is understood that the camera 110 does not require hardware rotation during the flight of the aircraft 100, so the orientation of the original image 12 remains unchanged and does not rotate. The target image 14 can be the central area of the original image 12 and can rotate relative to the original image 12 along the inscribed circle 13, thereby enabling the target image 14 to produce a rotating video effect.
[0044] Please refer to Figure 4, which shows a schematic diagram of the size parameters of the original image 12 and the target image 14. The original image 12 is laid out along the xy plane and is a rectangular plane with a width w and a height h, thus having a preset aspect ratio k = w / h. The target image 14 is a rectangular plane with four vertices a, b, c, and d (which can be represented as a rectangle abcd). The lines connecting the vertices ab and cd represent the width of the target image 14, and the lines connecting the vertices bd and ac represent the height of the target image 14. In some embodiments, the target image 14 has a preset aspect ratio k = ab / bd. This means that the target image 14 has the same preset aspect ratio as the original image 12, allowing the target image 14 to be proportionally cropped from the original image 12 without causing image distortion or misalignment, thus ensuring the image quality of the target image 14. In some embodiments, the four vertices a, b, c, and d are located on the inscribed circle 13. In some embodiments, the original image 12, the inscribed circle 13, and the target image 14 are concentric structures with the same center point o. The line connecting the center point o to any one of the four vertices a, b, c, and d, for example ob, is the radius of the inscribed circle 13, and the radius of the inscribed circle 13 is half the height of the original image 12, i.e., ob = h / 2. In some embodiments, the width ab of the target image 14 can be calculated using formula (3):
[0045] Where h is the height of the original image 12, and k is the preset aspect ratio.
[0046] The height bd of the target image 14 can be calculated using formula (4):
[0047] Where h is the height of the original image 12, and k is the preset aspect ratio.
[0048] Step S204: Control the rotation of the target screen.
[0049] In some embodiments, the target image 14 can be rotated by the video processor 140. Referring to Figure 4, the angle θ between the central axes of the original image 12 and the target image 14 represents the rotation angle θ of the target image 14 relative to the original image 12. The rotation angle θ of the target image 14 can be expressed as the rotation angle of the current frame of the target image 14 relative to the original image 12 at the current flight time or current flight moment. It can be understood that during the flight of the aircraft 100 toward the target position P, the video processor 140 controls the target image 14 to continuously rotate to produce a rotating video effect. Therefore, the current frame of the target image 14 at each flight time or flight moment in the flight process has a corresponding rotation angle θ relative to the original image 12. In some embodiments, in the flight distance s of the aircraft 100 toward the target position P, the flight time t can be t = s / v. Here, s is the flight distance, and v is the flight speed. The rotation angle θ of the target image 14 can then be calculated using formula (5):
[0050] Where s is the flight distance of the aircraft, v is the flight speed of the aircraft, n is the number of rotations of the target image, and t is the current flight time or moment of the aircraft. It can be understood that the current flight time or moment of the aircraft can be the Nth time unit of flight of aircraft 100, for example, the Nth second. The calculated rotation angle θ of the target image 14 can be the rotation angle of the current frame of the target image 14 relative to the original image 12 at the current flight time or moment.
[0051] In some embodiments, the current frame of the target image 14 corresponding to each flight time or flight moment during the flight of the aircraft 100 has the coordinates of four vertices a, b, c, and d. The current frame of the target image 14 can be obtained from the coordinates of the four vertices a, b, c, and d. The vertex a of the target image can be calculated using formula (6):
[0052] The vertex b of the target image can be calculated using formula (7):
[0053] The vertex c of the target image can be calculated using formula (8):
[0054] The vertex d of the target image can be calculated using formula (9):
[0055] Where θ is the rotation angle of the target image 14, w is the width of the original image 12, h is the height of the original image 12, and k is the preset aspect ratio.
[0056] In some embodiments, the video processor 140 crops the region enclosed by the four vertices a, b, c, and d from the current frame of the original image 12 to obtain the current frame of the target image 14.
[0057] Step S205: Obtain the superimposed effect of the target image advancing, retreating, and rotating as the aircraft flies to the target position.
[0058] In some embodiments, the current frame of the target image 14 corresponding to each flight time or moment during the flight of the aircraft 100 is processed by the video processor 140 to continuously generate a superimposed video effect of forward / backward movement and rotation. It can be understood that as the aircraft 100 flies towards the target position, the forward / backward movement of the aircraft 100 towards the target position generates a forward / backward video effect, and then, through rotation control of the target image, a superimposed video effect of forward / backward movement and rotation is generated. In some embodiments, when the aircraft 100 flies to the target position, the target image completes the required number of rotations, causing the target image to rotate back to its origin position.
[0059] As the aircraft 100 flies toward the target location, it captures the original footage through the camera 110 and crops the target image from the original footage. By controlling the rotation of the target image, the aircraft 100 obtains a superimposed video effect of the target image advancing and rotating during its flight to the target location. The video capture and the superimposed video effect of the target image advancing and rotating can be completed when the aircraft 100 flies to the target location. There is no need to set up additional hardware on the aircraft 100 to realize the rotation and camera movement of the target image. This effectively controls costs while obtaining rich video capture effects and improving the user experience.
[0060] Please refer to Figure 5, which is a flowchart of an aircraft video shooting method according to another embodiment of this application. Exemplarily, the aircraft video shooting method shown in Figure 5 can be executed by the aircraft 100 shown in Figure 1, and includes the following steps.
[0061] Step S501: Obtain the target position of the aircraft.
[0062] For a detailed explanation of step S501, please refer to step S201 in Figure 2 and the relevant description in Figure 1, which will not be repeated here.
[0063] Step S502: Control the aircraft to fly toward the target location and capture the original footage using a camera.
[0064] For a detailed explanation of step S502, please refer to step S202 in Figure 2 and the relevant description in Figure 1, which will not be repeated here.
[0065] Step S503: Crop the target image from the original image.
[0066] For a detailed explanation of step S503, please refer to step S203 in Figure 2 and the relevant description in Figure 1, which will not be repeated here.
[0067] Step S504: Control the rotation of the target screen and obtain the current frame of the target screen.
[0068] For a detailed explanation of step S504, please refer to step S204 in Figure 2 and the relevant description in Figure 1, which will not be repeated here.
[0069] In some embodiments, the current frame of the target image 14 corresponding to each flight time or flight moment during the flight of the aircraft 100 is obtained by the method in step S204, so as to form a material library of video frames.
[0070] Step S505: Edit the current frame of the target image.
[0071] In some embodiments, the current frame of the target image can be edited by the video processor 140, such as encoding, speeding up, beautifying, applying filters, and other video effects. In other embodiments, other types of editing, such as frame skipping and interleaving, can also be performed on the current frame of the target image.
[0072] Optionally, step S505 can also be omitted, that is, the user or operator does not edit the current frame of the target screen, and the method directly continues from step S504 to step S506.
[0073] Step S506: Obtain the superimposed effect of the target image advancing, retreating, and rotating as the aircraft flies to the target position.
[0074] For a detailed explanation of step S506, please refer to step S205 in Figure 2 and the relevant description in Figure 1, which will not be repeated here.
[0075] Please refer to Figure 6. In some embodiments, the rotation direction of the target image cropping frame, i.e., the rectangle abcd shown in Figure 4, is opposite to the rotation direction of the content of the target image 14, so as to achieve the effect of video frame rotation. For example, when the target image cropping frame (i.e., the rectangle abcd) rotates in the first direction (which can be counterclockwise), the content of the target image 14 can rotate in the second direction (which can be clockwise), thereby producing the effect of video frame rotation.
[0076] Step S507: End video recording by the aircraft and control the aircraft to hover.
[0077] In some embodiments, after the aircraft 100 flies to the target position P, the aircraft 100 is controlled to hover at the target position P in preparation for further operation by the user or operator.
[0078] In some embodiments, during the flight of the aircraft 100 toward the target position P, the main control unit 120 may also be equipped with a progress detection mechanism, which can detect the progress of the flight to the target position P through the flight controller 130 and the progress of the rotation number n of the target image through the video processor 140. When the aircraft 100 flies to the target position P, the rotation number n of the target image is completed at the same time.
[0079] In some embodiments, the aircraft 100 may store a video recording safety mechanism. When the aircraft 100 is performing video recording and any condition in the safety mechanism is triggered, the aircraft 100 can immediately terminate the video recording to ensure the safety of the aircraft 100. In some embodiments, the video recording safety mechanism may include the following conditions: loss of positioning signal (GNSS signal), triggering of a higher priority function, triggering of cancellation of video recording, and / or the aircraft 100 touching a no-fly zone, restricted flight zone, or electronic fence. The higher priority function may include, but is not limited to, the low battery return-to-home function, one-key return-to-home function, and / or loss-of-connection return-to-home function set by the aircraft 100. The triggering of cancellation of video recording can be initiated by a user or operator through the control component 210 of the remote controller 200 or the display interface controls of the display component 220.
[0080] In the aircraft video shooting method of this application embodiment, the aircraft 100 captures the original image through the camera 110 while flying towards the target position, and crops the target image from the original image. By controlling the rotation of the target image, the aircraft 100 obtains a superimposed video effect of the target image advancing and rotating during its flight to the target position. When the aircraft 100 flies to the target position, the video shooting and the superimposed video effect of the target image advancing and rotating can be completed. Furthermore, the current frame of each target image can be further edited, which further enriches the video effect and further improves the user experience.
[0081] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application and are not intended to limit it. In actual application, all the contents of the technical solutions described in any embodiment of this application can be implemented, or some contents can be added, deleted, or modified / replaced. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of this application.
Claims
1. A method for capturing video from an aircraft, the aircraft comprising a camera for capturing video, characterized in that, The method includes: Obtain the target position of the aircraft; The aircraft is controlled to fly toward the target location, and the original footage is captured by the camera. Crop the target image from the original image; Control the rotation of the target screen; and The superimposed effect of the forward and backward movement and rotation of the target image is obtained as the aircraft flies to the target position.
2. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: Set the number of rotations of the target image; and When the aircraft flies to the target position, the target screen is controlled to complete the number of rotations and then rotate back to the origin position.
3. The method as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The process of obtaining the target position of the aircraft includes: Set the flight distance and flight speed of the aircraft; and Control the aircraft to fly forward or backward toward the center of the camera's current view, and obtain the target position.
4. The method as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The original image and the target image have the same preset aspect ratio, wherein the preset aspect ratio is the ratio of the width to the height of the original image.
5. The method as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The vertex of the target image is located on the inscribed circle of the original image, and the radius of the inscribed circle is half the height of the original image.
6. The method as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The process of cropping the target image from the original image includes: Based on the height of the original image and the preset aspect ratio, the width and height of the target image are obtained respectively.
7. The method as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The step of cropping the target image from the original image and controlling the rotation of the target image further includes: The flight time of the aircraft is obtained by using the flight distance and the flight speed; The rotation angle of the target image is obtained based on the number of rotations, the flight speed, the flight distance, and the current flight time of the aircraft, wherein the rotation angle of the target image is the angle of rotation of the target image relative to the origin position; Based on the width and height of the original image, the preset aspect ratio, and the rotation angle of the target image, the coordinates of the vertices of the target image are obtained respectively; and The target image is obtained by cropping from the original image based on the coordinates of the vertices of the target image.
8. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The rotation direction of the cropping frame for cropping the target image is opposite to the rotation direction of the content of the target image.
9. The method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: The camera stops recording when the aircraft reaches the target position; and Control the aircraft to hover.
10. An aircraft comprising a camera for capturing video, characterized in that, The aircraft is used to perform the aircraft video shooting method as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.