Drone Gimbal Mirror Assembly for Stabilized Aerial Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional aerial cinematography using manned aircraft is costly, complex, and difficult to coordinate, with high-quality cameras being impractical for drone-borne systems due to weight and size constraints, limiting capabilities such as zoom and focus control.
Innovation Solution
A lightweight, low-power gimbal system with a mirror assembly that allows for 360-degree azimuth motion and ±90 degrees elevation motion, enabling high-quality camera/lens systems to be stabilized and pointed on drones, with rapid orienting capabilities and independent control of camera and mirror axes for precise image capture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If high-quality camera systems are mounted on drones, then image quality improves, but weight and size constraints are violated
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the camera assembly from the drone platform, mounting the camera on a stabilized platform that can be independently positioned. This allows the use of high-quality cameras without adding their full weight to the moving drone mass, as the camera remains stationary relative to the platform while the platform itself is supported by the drone.
Solution Approach 2:
A mirror assembly acts as an intermediary between the camera and the external scene. The mirror reflects light from the scene to the camera, allowing the camera to capture images without being directly exposed to environmental elements or requiring direct line-of-sight positioning. This intermediary enables image capture while isolating the camera from certain weight and positioning constraints.
2Adaptability or versatility
If camera orientation is controlled manually, then operational flexibility improves, but coordination difficulty and operational cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates sensors that detect the orientation and position of the stabilized platform and camera assembly. This feedback information is used by control systems to automatically adjust mirror and camera orientations, maintaining proper framing and stabilization without requiring constant manual intervention. The feedback loop enables automated coordination while preserving operational flexibility through programmable control.
Solution Approach 2:
The stabilized platform and mirror assembly are designed to self-adjust and self-stabilize using integrated sensors and actuators. The system automatically compensates for platform motion, maintains horizontal/vertical alignment, and keeps the camera pointed at desired targets without requiring external operators for continuous adjustment. This self-service capability reduces coordination complexity while maintaining adaptability.
3Measurement precision
If camera and mirror axes are controlled independently, then pointing precision improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is divided into separate independent control loops for the camera assembly and mirror assembly. Each assembly has its own actuators, sensors, and control algorithms, allowing them to be adjusted and optimized independently. This segmentation enables precise control of each component's orientation while keeping the overall system manageable through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
While the camera and mirror controls are independent, their control functions are merged into a unified control system that coordinates both assemblies simultaneously. The unified system processes target acquisition data and generates coordinated commands for both camera pan/tilt and mirror rotation, achieving precise pointing through combined action while maintaining independent adjustability of each subsystem.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables cost-effective, versatile, and high-quality aerial cinematography by stabilizing and pointing high-quality camera/lens systems on drones, simplifying coordination and reducing operational costs compared to manned aircraft systems.
Implementation Method 1
A camera assembly can include a camera and a mirror attached to the camera
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging device can be mounted on a vehicle and used to capture images. The imaging device can include a camera assembly rotatable relative to a platform of the vehicle and about two or three camera axes. The camera assembly can include a camera and a mirror attached to the camera. The mirror can be rotatable relative to the camera and about one or two mirror axes, different from the camera axes. Users can provide input to controllers that operate the vehicle, the camera, and the mirror to control both flight and the line-of-sight of the camera. The controllers combine separate inputs as well as measured conditions, such as inertial angles, to coordinate control of vehicle, camera, and mirror parameters, such as yaw adjustments to both the camera and the mirror to achieve a desired line-of-sight.