Drone Position Measurement Using Relative Global Coordinate Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Drones often fail to acquire global positional coordinates when they cannot receive GPS signals, limiting their operation in locations such as indoors or underground.
Innovation Solution
A position measurement system that includes a smartphone or other apparatus calculating its own global positional coordinates using GPS signals, observing a drone to determine its relative position, and then calculating the drone's global positional coordinates based on its own coordinates and the relative position, allowing the drone to acquire coordinates even without direct GPS reception.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a drone uses GPS signals to obtain global positional coordinates, then positioning accuracy is improved, but the drone cannot operate in locations where GPS signals are not received (indoors, underground)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines GPS positioning with SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) technology to create a hybrid positioning system. The drone uses GPS when available and transitions to SLAM when GPS signals are lost, merging the advantages of both systems to achieve continuous positioning capability across diverse environments including outdoor GPS-covered areas and indoor GPS-denied areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning system is designed to perform multiple functions: GPS-based global positioning when satellite signals are available, and SLAM-based relative positioning when GPS is unavailable. This multi-functional approach allows the drone to operate universally across different environments without requiring separate systems for each scenario.
2Reliability
If a drone is restricted to locations with GPS signal reception, then positioning reliability is improved, but operational flexibility and application scope are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning system dynamically switches between GPS and SLAM modes based on signal availability. When GPS signals are strong and reliable, the system uses GPS for accurate global positioning. When GPS signals are lost or weak, the system automatically transitions to SLAM mode to maintain positioning capability, ensuring continuous operational reliability across varying environmental conditions.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a drone relies solely on SLAM for positioning without GPS, then operational environment range is improved, but cumulative positioning error increases over time
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses GPS feedback to correct cumulative SLAM errors. When GPS signals are available, the known accurate GPS position serves as a reference to reset and correct the SLAM odometry drift. This feedback mechanism prevents error accumulation by periodically recalibrating the SLAM position estimate against the more accurate GPS position, maintaining long-term positioning accuracy during extended operations.
Data Source
AI summary
[Object] To provide a technology that also enables a target to acquire global positional coordinates of the target when the target fails to obtain the global positional coordinates by itself. [Solving Means] An information processing method according to the present technology includes calculating, by a position measurement apparatus, global positional coordinates of the position measurement apparatus; observing, by the position measurement apparatus, a target to calculate a relative position of the position measurement apparatus relative to the target; and calculating, by the position measurement apparatus, first global positional coordinates of the target on the basis of the global positional coordinates of the position measurement apparatus and the relative position.