Drone Imaging with Millimeter-Wave Radar for Tall Structure Inspection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flight imaging systems either lack the use of millimeter-wave radar for acquiring structural information or are handheld devices that cannot effectively image vertically long structures.
Innovation Solution
A flight imaging system equipped with a visible camera and a millimeter-wave radar mounted on an unmanned flying object, which captures visible images and uses millimeter-wave radar to acquire structural information, while also incorporating an altitude meter for precise flight control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a handheld electromagnetic wave imaging device is used, then the device can avoid the influence of uneven surface structures, but the device cannot effectively image vertically long structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the handheld mechanical operation system with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platform that carries the millimeter-wave radar. This substitution allows the imaging device to be positioned at various heights and distances from the structure, enabling effective imaging of vertically long structures while maintaining the advantage of millimeter-wave penetration through uneven surface layers.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a visible camera mounted on a flight device is used, then the structure can be imaged from various angles, but millimeter-wave structural information cannot be acquired
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges a visible camera and a millimeter-wave radar into a single integrated imaging system mounted on the UAV. This combination allows the system to simultaneously acquire both visible images for surface documentation and millimeter-wave images for subsurface structural information, eliminating the loss of structural data while maintaining imaging flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The UAV-mounted imaging system performs multiple functions: it captures visible light images for surface features and millimeter-wave images for subsurface structural analysis. This multi-functionality allows a single platform to provide comprehensive structural information that neither device could achieve alone.
3Loss of information
If millimeter-wave radar is added to the unmanned flying object, then structural information can be acquired, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The UAV platform serves as a universal carrier that supports both visible camera and millimeter-wave radar systems. By utilizing the existing UAV infrastructure for positioning, power, and data processing, the addition of millimeter-wave radar functionality does not proportionally increase overall system complexity.
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 the acquisition of both visible and millimeter-wave images of structures, along with precise altitude measurement, allowing for effective imaging and flight control of unmanned flying objects.
Implementation Method 1
control of the first millimeter-wave radar to transmit a millimeter wave toward the structure from the first millimeter-wave radar and receive a reflected wave of the millimeter wave from the structure
Implementation Method 2
receive a reflected wave of the millimeter wave from the structure
Implementation Method 3
control of the visible camera to capture a visible image of a surface layer of the structure by the visible camera
Implementation Method 4
processing of measuring an altitude of the unmanned flying object from a reference surface by an altitude meter mounted on the unmanned flying object
Data Source
AI summary
A flight imaging system and a method suitable where an unmanned flying object equipped with a visible camera and millimeter-wave radar is used, and a structure imaged by the visible camera and millimeter-wave radar mounted on the unmanned flying object are provided. A drone constituting the flight imaging system is equipped with a visible camera and a millimeter-wave radar. A processor of the drone performs control of the visible camera to capture a visible image of a surface layer of the structure, and control the millimeter-wave radar to transmit a millimeter wave toward the structure and receive a reflected wave of the millimeter wave from the structure, in a case of imaging the structure. During flight of the drone, the altitude of the drone is measured by an altitude meter mounted on the drone, altitude information indicating the measured altitude is acquired, and is used, in flying the drone.