Drone Position Reliability Assessment for Low-GPS Flight Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drone flight technologies struggle with accurate self-position estimation in varying environments, particularly in conditions where GPS reception is limited or ambient light is low, leading to increased collision risks and operational challenges.
Innovation Solution
An information processing apparatus and method that calculates the reliability of self-position estimation using sensor data from cameras, LiDAR, and GPS, analyzing factors like ambient brightness, feature point scores, static object detection, and GPS satellite availability to adjust flight paths and provide warning displays.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If autonomous flight-type drones are used to increase productivity, then the number of drones operated increases, but the risk of collision and crash increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the drone continuously monitors its own position estimation reliability and communicates this information to the control center. The control center uses this feedback to determine whether to allow flight continuation or require landing, creating a closed-loop safety system that enables higher drone operation density while maintaining collision risk through real-time reliability assessment
Solution Approach 2:
The control center acts as an intermediary between multiple autonomous drones and the ground control system. It receives position estimation reliability information from drones, processes this data, and makes centralized decisions about flight safety, allowing coordinated operation of multiple drones while reducing individual collision risks through centralized oversight
2Extent of automation
If self-position estimation is performed using sensors in varying environments, then the drone can operate autonomously, but the reliability of position estimation deteriorates in conditions like limited GPS reception or low ambient light
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter being monitored from raw position estimation data to position estimation reliability metrics. By calculating and transmitting reliability information based on environmental conditions (GPS satellite availability, ambient brightness, sensor data quality), the system adapts to varying environments while maintaining autonomous operation capability
Solution Approach 2:
The drone performs preliminary assessment of position estimation reliability before executing flight maneuvers. By evaluating environmental conditions and calculating reliability metrics in advance, the system can determine whether current sensing conditions are sufficient for safe autonomous operation, preventing flight in conditions where position estimation would be unreliable
Data Source
AI summary
Achieved is a configuration in which a reliability of self-position estimation of a mobile device, such as a drone, is calculated to perform warning display and flight control. A sensor data acquisition unit that acquires detection information of a sensor provided in a mobile body, a self-position estimation unit that receives an input of the detection information of the sensor from the sensor data acquisition unit and executes self-position estimation of the mobile body, an environment information analysis unit that analyzes environment information such as ambient brightness when a self-position estimation process has been executed in the self-position estimation unit and a score of a feature point of a camera-captured image, and an estimated self-position reliability calculation unit that calculates a reliability of a self-position estimated by the self-position estimation unit on the basis of the environment information analyzed by the environment information analysis unit are provided to perform warning display and flight control on the basis of the calculated reliability.