UAV Circumnavigation Shooting for Faster 3D Reconstruction

Solution Overview

Problem

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) take a long time to capture images for three-dimensional modeling due to the need for extensive overlap between images to ensure model accuracy, resulting in low operating efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A shooting method involving planning a first and second circumnavigation route for a UAV, where the second route has shorter distances and reduced overlap, allowing for more detailed image capture while maintaining model accuracy by matching homologous image points between routes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If UAV captures images with extensive overlap to ensure model accuracy, then three-dimensional model accuracy is improved, but shooting time increases and operating efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethree-dimensional model accuracyVSAvoidoperating efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by first capturing images along a first circumnavigation route to establish an initial three-dimensional model. Based on this initial model, it then plans a second circumnavigation route that is optimized to capture only the necessary additional images for improving model accuracy, rather than capturing all possible overlapping images from the outset. This preliminary modeling step enables subsequent targeted image capture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The image capture process is segmented into two distinct phases: first circumnavigation route capture and second circumnavigation route capture. Each phase serves a specific purpose - the first establishes baseline coverage and initial model, while the second focuses on capturing additional detail where needed. This segmentation allows the system to avoid redundant overlapping captures while ensuring sufficient coverage for accurate three-dimensional reconstruction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If UAV captures more images with higher overlap, then model accuracy is improved, but the number of images to be captured increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemodel accuracyVSAvoidnumber of images

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by first capturing images along a first circumnavigation route to establish an initial three-dimensional model. Based on this initial model, it then plans a second circumnavigation route that is optimized to capture only the necessary additional images for improving model accuracy, rather than capturing all possible overlapping images from the outset. This preliminary modeling step enables subsequent targeted image capture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of capturing excessive overlapping images from multiple complete circumnavigation routes, the system captures only the partial additional images needed along the second route that are sufficient to improve model accuracy. The second route is planned to complement the first route's coverage, capturing only the necessary supplementary views rather than redundant complete coverage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Manufacturing precision

If UAV follows a longer circumnavigation route to ensure complete coverage, then image coverage is improved, but shooting distance increases and efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage coverageVSAvoidshooting time

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The image capture process is segmented into two distinct phases: first circumnavigation route capture and second circumnavigation route capture. Each phase serves a specific purpose - the first establishes baseline coverage and initial model, while the second focuses on capturing additional detail where needed. This segmentation allows the system to avoid redundant overlapping captures while ensuring sufficient coverage for accurate three-dimensional reconstruction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of capturing excessive overlapping images from multiple complete circumnavigation routes, the system captures only the partial additional images needed along the second route that are sufficient to improve model accuracy. The second route is planned to complement the first route's coverage, capturing only the necessary supplementary views rather than redundant complete coverage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS20240025571A1Shooting method, device, computer-readable storage medium, and terminal device

Publication Date: 2024.01.25 SZ DJI TECH CO LTD

AI summary

A shooting method is provided, including: obtaining position information of a shooting object; planning a first circumnavigation route and a second circumnavigation route for surrounding shooting of the shooting object based on the position information; controlling a UAV to move along the first circumnavigation route and the second circumnavigation route respectively; and controlling the UAV to shoot the shooting object by a camera mounted on the UAV during movement to obtain multiple images of the shooting object. Images collected on the first circumnavigation route and images collected on the second circumnavigation route share homologous image points of the shooting object. The images are used to establish a three-dimensional model of the shooting object. Thus, the shooting efficiency of the UAVs is improved for shooting images for three-dimensional reconstruction.