Autonomous Drone Camera Positioning for Incident Surveillance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Public safety personnel face challenges in monitoring incident areas remotely due to the limitations of existing communication systems in providing real-time, efficient surveillance and data transmission during incidents such as vehicle breakdowns, accidents, or attacks.
Innovation Solution
A communication system utilizing an autonomous drone equipped with a camera and electronic processor that determines regions of interest based on priority and viewing distance, adjusting its position to capture images or videos efficiently while avoiding obstacles, and communicating data in real-time over a network to a command center.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a drone is used to capture images or video of an incident area, then real-time surveillance capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The drone autonomously determines its own positioning relative to regions of interest using onboard sensors and processors. It automatically adjusts its position and orientation to capture optimal views of high-priority regions without requiring continuous manual control, thereby improving surveillance capability while reducing operational complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the drone's position and the camera's field of view based on real-time identification of regions of interest and their priority levels. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to optimize surveillance coverage automatically, improving reliability without proportionally increasing complexity
2Area of stationary object
If the camera field of view is adjusted to cover more area, then surveillance coverage is improved, but measurement precision of specific regions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system identifies specific regions of interest within the broader incident area and prioritizes them based on importance. The camera then focuses its field of view on these high-priority regions, providing detailed views of critical areas while maintaining awareness of the overall scene. This selective focus approach ensures both broad coverage and precise monitoring of key regions
Solution Approach 2:
The incident area is segmented into multiple regions of interest with different priority levels. The system processes and analyzes each region separately, allowing detailed examination of high-priority areas while maintaining a broader context view. This segmentation enables the system to balance overall coverage with detailed inspection of critical regions
3Measurement precision
If the drone moves to reposition for better viewing angles, then viewing quality is improved, but response time deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The drone performs partial repositioning movements rather than complete repositioning to achieve sufficient viewing angles. When a region of interest is identified, the drone adjusts its position just enough to obtain an adequate view, rather than moving to a theoretically optimal position. This reduces repositioning time while maintaining acceptable viewing quality for timely response
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses onboard sensors and processors to pre-identify regions of interest and plan repositioning movements before actual movement occurs. By anticipating needed position adjustments and preparing movement paths in advance, the system minimizes actual repositioning time while ensuring viewing quality is achieved
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems of positioning a drone including a camera. One method includes generating, from a first image capture position of the drone, a first image or video having a first field of view. The method further includes determining a plurality of regions of interest, each of the plurality of regions of interest located within a predetermined area and having an associated priority. The method further includes determining a second image capture position different from the first image capture position for the drone as a function of the associated priority and a viewing distance of the camera. The method further includes generating a command for the drone to move to the second image capture position. The method further includes moving the drone based on the command. The method further includes generating, from the second image capture position, a second image or video having a second field of view.