Indoor Drone Altitude Mapping With Ceiling and Floor Ranging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aerial vehicles operating indoors face challenges in accurately determining their altitude due to the limitations of GPS and altimeter systems, which struggle with the precision required in indoor environments with minimal pressure differences.
Innovation Solution
The system equips aerial vehicles with range sensors oriented in opposing directions, capturing data on distances to surfaces above and below the vehicle. These data are processed into input grids and compared to global maps, allowing for the calculation of an offset to accurately determine the vehicle's altitude.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GPS receivers and altimeters are used to determine altitude, then outdoor position determination is reliable, but indoor altitude determination precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces range sensors as intermediary devices that directly measure distances to overhead and floor surfaces. These sensors act as mediators between the aerial vehicle and the indoor environment, providing reliable altitude data without relying on GPS satellites or pressure-based altimeters that fail indoors. The range sensors capture time-of-flight data from emitted light signals reflected off surfaces, converting this into precise distance measurements for altitude determination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/physical systems of GPS receivers (radio wave-based) and altimeters (pressure-based) with an optical measurement system using range sensors. This substitution enables altitude determination in indoor environments where electromagnetic waves from GPS cannot penetrate and pressure differences are insufficient for reliable measurement. The optical time-of-flight measurement method provides the necessary precision for indoor navigation.
2Measurement precision
If range sensors capture data from overhead and floor surfaces, then altitude determination accuracy improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of multiple range sensors (overhead sensor, floor sensor, and potentially side sensors) into a unified altitude determination system. By combining data from sensors oriented in different directions, the system achieves comprehensive distance measurement to all relevant surfaces. This merging allows the aerial vehicle to calculate its altitude relative to the floor by comparing overhead distance measurements with floor distance measurements, improving accuracy while managing system complexity through integrated processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The range sensors serve multiple functions: they measure distances to overhead surfaces, distances to floor surfaces, and can detect the presence and position of obstacles. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized sensors for each measurement task, thereby managing device complexity while achieving high altitude determination accuracy. The same optical measurement principle is applied across different sensor orientations to fulfill various measurement needs.
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
This approach enables accurate determination of altitude within indoor spaces, overcoming the limitations of traditional outdoor navigation systems, and allows for precise positioning and mapping of indoor environments.
Implementation Method 1
range sensors...configured to capture time-of-flight data corresponding to distances between the range sensors and one or more surfaces
Data Source
AI summary
An aerial vehicle equipped with a first range sensor oriented to capture range data above the aerial vehicle and a second range sensor oriented to capture range data below the aerial vehicle is programmed with global map of an indoor space, including an upper global map representing distance data for upper surfaces of the indoor space and a lower global map representing distance data for lower surfaces of the indoor space. An offset to an altitude is calculated based on a comparison between range data captured by the first range sensor and the upper global map, and range data captured by the second range sensor and the lower global map. Additionally, global maps may be updated based on returns captured by the range sensors, where such data indicates the presence of a previously undetected object.