UAV Survey Mapping with Reduced-Overlap Photo Stitching

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional UAV-based aerial survey methods are inefficient and costly, particularly for large-area land surveys, due to the need for high overlap between photos, which prolongs the stitching process and requires significant hardware resources, and are less suitable for small plots where operations are complex and costly.

Innovation Solution

A surveying and mapping system comprising a control terminal, an unmanned aerial vehicle, and a ground terminal that determines surveying and mapping parameters, including sample points, to optimize flight photography and photo stitching, reducing the need for high overlap and improving efficiency by using a combined photographing point set to cover areas effectively.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional UAV-based aerial survey methods are used with high overlap between photos, then stitching reliability is improved, but surveying and mapping efficiency deteriorates due to prolonged stitching time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestitching reliabilityVSAvoidsurveying and mapping efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the overlap parameter from traditional high overlap (greater than 50%) to reduced overlap (greater than 30%), and modifies the flight path from parallel lines to combined photographing point sets, achieving both reliable stitching and improved efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Area of stationary object

If traditional UAV-based aerial survey methods are used for large-area land, then coverage area is improved, but hardware cost and processing time deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoverage areaVSAvoidhardware cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the surveying and mapping process into multiple independent combined photographing point sets that can be processed separately, reducing the need for high-performance hardware and lowering overall system complexity while maintaining large-area coverage capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Measurement precision

If traditional UAV-based aerial survey methods are used for small plots, then measurement precision is maintained, but operation complexity and processing time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasurement precisionVSAvoidoperation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary determination of combined photographing point sets and flight paths before actual surveying, allowing for simplified on-site operations while maintaining measurement precision through pre-planned optimal photographing locations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3885871B1Surveying and mapping system, surveying and mapping method and apparatus, device and medium
Publication Date: 2023.03.15 GUANGZHOU XAIRCRAFT TECH CO LTD
  • EP3885871B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3885871B1 patent drawingFigure 3a
  • EP3885871B1 patent drawingFigure 3b~4a

AI summary

The present disclosure provides a surveying and mapping system, the surveying and mapping system includes a control terminal, an unmanned aerial vehicle for surveying and mapping, and a ground terminal. The control terminal is configured to determine surveying and mapping parameters matching an area to be surveyed and mapped and send the surveying and mapping parameters to the unmanned aerial vehicle for surveying and mapping. The unmanned aerial vehicle for surveying and mapping is configured to perform a flight photographing in the area to be surveyed and mapped according to the surveying and mapping parameters to obtain a surveying and mapping photo collection. The ground terminal is configured to obtain the surveying and mapping photo collection and perform at least one of photo combination and photo stitching on a plurality of photos of the surveying and mapping photo collection to obtain a surveying and mapping map.