Autonomous Drone Camera Control for Dynamic Subject Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current drone control systems require extensive user practice to operate effectively and limit image or video quality, and auto-follow features are restrictive, capturing only single views of a subject without intuitive interaction or flexibility for capturing groups or dynamic scenes.
Innovation Solution
An aerial system with a processing system that establishes a desired flight trajectory, detects targets, and controls the drone and camera to capture images or videos, allowing for autonomous operation and dynamic camera movements without physical user interaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual remote control is used to operate the drone and camera, then the user has full control over flight and photography, but the user requires extensive practice to become proficient and the image quality is limited by the controller's skills
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables autonomous operation where the drone and camera control themselves without requiring user intervention. The processing system automatically controls flight trajectory, camera positioning, and capture timing based on detected targets, eliminating the need for user practice while maintaining high image quality through automated decision-making algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical control system with an automated processing system that uses sensors, algorithms, and actuators. The processing system substitutes human operators by automatically processing target detection data and controlling flight and camera operations, thereby eliminating the skill dependency while preserving control precision.
2Ease of operation
If auto-follow feature is used to automatically capture pictures and video, then the operation is simplified, but the resulting pictures and video are limited to single views and fixed distances
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts flight trajectory and camera parameters based on real-time target detection and scene analysis. Unlike fixed auto-follow modes, the processing system continuously modifies capture angles, distances, and trajectories to capture diverse views including front, back, side, aerial, and ground-level perspectives, thereby providing versatility while maintaining automated operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The autonomous system performs multiple photography and videography functions within a single automated framework. It can capture individual portraits, group photos, aerial shots, and dynamic action sequences by adapting its flight and camera control algorithms to different scene types and target configurations, making it universally applicable to various photography scenarios.
3Reliability
If traditional auto-follow is locked onto one person, then the tracking is stable, but it does not work well for capturing groups or dynamic scenes
Solution Approach 1:
The processing system continuously receives feedback from target detection sensors and scene analysis algorithms to dynamically adjust tracking behavior. When multiple targets are detected or scene complexity increases, the system processes this information to determine appropriate tracking strategies, such as switching between targets or adjusting capture patterns, thereby maintaining reliability while adapting to groups and dynamic scenes.
Data Source
AI summary
An aerial system, including a processing system, an optical system, an actuation system and a lift mechanism, includes an autonomous photography and/or videography system 70, implemented, at least in part, by the processing system 22, the optical system 26, the actuation system 28 and the lift mechanism 32. The autonomous photograph and/or videography system performs the steps of establishing a desired flight trajectory, detecting a target, controlling the flight of the aerial system as a function of the desired flight trajectory relative to the target using the lift mechanism and controlling the camera to capture pictures and/or video.