Drone Illumination Control for Precise Structural Imaging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing flight vehicles equipped with cameras face challenges in obtaining highly precise images due to difficulties in stabilizing against wind and vibrations, which affect the accuracy of detecting structural defects such as cracks in infrastructure.

Innovation Solution

A control device and method that adjusts the light amount of an illuminating device based on the inclination of the fuselage of the flight vehicle to ensure uniform illuminance and improve image precision.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If a flight vehicle with a camera is used to photograph targets, then the photographable range is extended and access to difficult-to-reach places is enabled, but image precision is reduced due to fuselage vibration and inability to stand still completely

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvephotographable rangeVSAvoidimage precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

An illuminating device is introduced as an intermediary component between the flight vehicle and the photographing target. This device provides active illumination to compensate for the instability of the flight vehicle, enabling precise imaging despite vibration and movement by ensuring sufficient and controlled lighting conditions in the photographable area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If a camera is fixed to a tripod using a high-magnification zoom lens to photograph high-precision images, then image precision is improved, but the photographable range is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage precisionVSAvoidphotographable range

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The solution transitions from a ground-based fixed tripod system to an aerial flight vehicle platform, adding the vertical dimension to the photographing approach. This enables both extended photographable range and maintained image precision through the combination of aerial positioning and active illumination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Ease of manufacture

If flight vehicles are used to inspect structures, then costs are reduced and worker safety is improved, but image precision sufficient for detecting defects is difficult to obtain

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinspection costVSAvoiddefect detection precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The illuminating device performs preliminary action by pre-illuminating the inspection target before the camera captures the image. This ensures that sufficient light is available to compensate for vibration and movement, enabling precise defect detection without requiring expensive stabilization equipment or ground-based infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12479596B2Control device, control method, and flight vehicle device

Publication Date: 2025.11.25 SONY GROUP CORP

AI summary

[Object] To provide a control device which enables a flight vehicle device to obtain a highly precise image.[Solution] Provided is the control device including an illuminating control unit configured to adjust a light amount of an illuminating device according to an inclination of a fuselage of a flight vehicle device that has an imaging device configured to photograph a photographing target and the illuminating device configured to illuminate the photographing target.