UAV Gimbal and Flight Control for Precise Target Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) trajectory tracking methods rely solely on position-based path planning, leading to low tracking precision and degraded performance.
Innovation Solution
A method involving visual image processing to generate gimbal and path instructions, adjusting the gimbal angle based on gimbal state parameters, and controlling flight motor speed based on flight state parameters to track targets accurately.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If path planning is performed only according to the position of the moving target, then the system complexity is reduced, but the tracking precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the control system into two independent parts: gimbal control (for tracking precision) and flight motor control (for path planning). The gimbal control module handles precise target tracking by adjusting the camera angle based on target position, while the flight motor control module handles coarse path planning based on trajectory instructions. This segmentation allows each module to optimize for its specific function without interfering with the other, thereby maintaining tracking precision while managing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the gimbal acts as a mediator between the visual sensor and the flight motor. The gimbal can independently adjust the camera's line of sight to track the target without requiring the entire UAV to reposition immediately. This intermediary capability decouples the precise tracking requirement from the coarse path planning, allowing the flight motor to operate with simpler trajectory-based control while the gimbal handles the precision tracking task.
2Reliability
If path planning is performed frequently to maintain tracking, then the tracking performance is improved, but the processor load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-calculating trajectory planning instructions based on the current target position and flight state. Instead of continuously performing complex path planning, the system generates trajectory instructions in advance and feeds them to the flight motor control module. This preliminary calculation reduces the need for frequent real-time path planning computations, thereby lowering processor load while maintaining reliable tracking performance through the gimbal's independent adjustment capability.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention are a trajectory tracking method and an unmanned aerial vehicle. The method is including an unmanned aerial vehicle body and a gimbal, and the unmanned aerial vehicle body being equipped with at least one visual sensor, and the method includes: obtaining a flight image acquired by the at least one visual sensor, the flight image including a to-be-tracked target; performing visual image processing on the flight image, to generate a gimbal rotation instruction and a path instruction; adjusting an angle of the gimbal according to the gimbal rotation instruction and a gimbal state parameter of the gimbal, to lock the to-be-tracked target; and controlling a motor speed of a flight motor of the unmanned aerial vehicle according to the path instruction and a flight state parameter of the unmanned aerial vehicle, to cause the unmanned aerial vehicle to track the to-be-tracked target according to the path instruction.