UAV Sound Pickup Alignment for Higher Signal-to-Noise Recording
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technologies fail to effectively isolate target sounds due to background noise, particularly when the background noise is louder than the target sounds, leading to reduced sound quality.
Innovation Solution
The UAV is equipped with a processor that determines the quality of target sounds using sound data from microphones, identifies the sound source direction, and adjusts its state to align the sound pickup area with the sound source, minimizing changes to reduce noise and enhance sound quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the UAV uses background noise removal processing on sound data, then the desired sound signal can be isolated, but the quality of the target sound is reduced when background noise is louder than the target sounds
Solution Approach 1:
The UAV performs preliminary actions by proactively moving closer to the sound source or reorienting its sound pickup area before recording begins. This ensures the target sound is captured with sufficient intensity from the start, preventing the need for aggressive noise removal that would degrade sound quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes operational parameters by adjusting the UAV's position, orientation, or sound pickup characteristics based on the detected sound source direction and quality metrics. This allows optimization of the signal-to-noise ratio during recording without relying solely on post-processing noise removal.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the UAV remains stationary to maintain current position, then stability is maintained, but the sound pickup area may not be aligned with the sound source direction resulting in lower sound quality
Solution Approach 1:
The UAV transitions from a static to a dynamic system by continuously adjusting its position and/or orientation based on real-time sound source detection. The processor monitors sound quality metrics and triggers state changes when alignment with the sound source deteriorates, optimizing sound pickup while maintaining operational stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback control by continuously monitoring the direction of the sound source relative to the sound pickup area. When misalignment is detected, the processor triggers appropriate state changes to realign the UAV, ensuring optimal sound quality while maintaining overall system stability.
3Measurement precision
If the UAV changes state frequently to align with sound source, then sound pickup quality improves, but noise generated during state changes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The processor continuously monitors sound quality metrics and sound source direction to determine when state changes are truly necessary. By using feedback control with appropriate thresholds, the system avoids unnecessary state changes that would generate noise, while still responding promptly when alignment quality deteriorates below acceptable levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies partial action by making only the minimum necessary adjustments to align the sound pickup area with the sound source, rather than excessive repositioning. This reduces the magnitude and frequency of state changes, thereby minimizing noise generation while achieving sufficient alignment quality.
Data Source
AI summary
An unmanned aircraft includes: a sensor that includes at least a microphone that generates sound data; and a processor. The processor determines the quality of a target sound by use of the sound data generated by the microphone, identifies a sound source direction from the unmanned aircraft to the sound source of the target sound by use of data generated by the sensor, and controls an unmanned aircraft state that is a state of the unmanned aircraft such that a direction of a sound pickup area is aligned with the sound source direction, in accordance with the determined quality. The sound pickup area is a range in which sound pickup quality of the microphone is higher than that of another area.