JPH08285590A - Method and apparatus for specifying position - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To accurately specify the position of an object on the ground surface from the air. CONSTITUTION: A photographing unit 2 is provided in a helicopter 1 in the air. When the object 3 on the ground surface 4 is photographed by the unit 2, the position of the object 3 is obtained as the intersection between the straight line extended from the present position of the helicopter 1 toward the direction of the unit 2 and the surface 4 based on three-dimensional geographic data previously recorded. Since the three-dimensional measurements including the altitude H of the object 3 are conducted, the error E when the ground surface is handled as the two-dimensional plane 5 can be avoided.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a position specifying method and apparatus capable of photographing a target object in which a disaster occurs from the air and accurately specifying the position.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when a large-scale disaster such as a flood or an earthquake occurs, a helicopter or the like photographs an image from the air to confirm the extent of the disaster and the presence or absence of an urgent countermeasure. For example, if a fire occurs and immediate fire fighting is required, a fire engine or the like must be rushed to the location confirmed by the image. The location of such locations is generally identified as around the current location of the aircraft, such as a helicopter.

The current position of the aircraft is determined by GPS (Global Pos
itioning System) Radio waves from satellites are received and measured,
The prior art for predicting the presence of an obstacle in the middle of the navigation direction is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 64-36400. In this prior art, the current position of the aircraft is three-dimensionally measured including altitude, and is compared with the three-dimensional data that records the position and height of obstacles such as mountains and steel towers,
Determine whether there is a dangerous material in the forward direction.

[0004]

Although it is relatively easy to measure the current position of an aircraft using GPS or the like, it is possible to accurately specify the position of a target object photographed from the aircraft on the ground surface. Is not always easy. An aircraft flying at a high speed has a momentary time that it can be directly above the target, and usually navigates to an off-set position.
Even with an aircraft that can be stopped in the air, such as a helicopter, it is often preferable to shoot from a distant position because it is not possible to secure a sufficient field of view immediately above the fire site due to smoke and the like. .

If the characteristic buildings and terrain are identified from the captured images and their positions are known in advance,
The position of the target object can be easily specified. However, in a large-scale disaster, such as a flood or an earthquake, the characteristic buildings and terrain may be hidden or changed. Further, on the sea or in a mountainous area, almost no clues for determining the position can be obtained, and only a rough direction and distance centering on the current position of the aircraft can be obtained.

An object of the present invention is to provide a position specifying method and device capable of accurately specifying the position of a target object on the ground surface from the air.

[0007]

The present invention is a method for photographing a target on the ground surface from the air and specifying the position of the target. The photographing position in the air is specified three-dimensionally and the photographing position is determined. The direction of the target is measured, and the ground surface on which the target exists is obtained from the geographic data that has altitude information created in advance. As the intersection point of the ground surface and the straight line extending from the shooting position to the direction of the target The position specifying method is characterized by specifying the position of the target object. The present invention also provides
The feature is that it is displayed two-dimensionally together with the specified target position and the geographical data of the ground surface. Further, the present invention is characterized in that the visual field at the time of photographing the target object is two-dimensionally displayed together with the geographical data of the ground surface. Further, the feature of the present invention is that the image capturing from the air can be performed at night using an infrared camera, and the captured image can be received on the ground. Further, the present invention is characterized in that the target is photographed by a camera mounted on the flying body, and the flight management of the flying body is performed by utilizing the function of three-dimensionally specifying the photographing position in the air. Further, the present invention provides an aircraft that can move in the air, an aircraft position identifying means that identifies the location of the aircraft, an imaging means that is mounted on the aircraft and that captures an image of a target on the ground surface, and an imaging means for the aircraft. Direction detecting means for detecting the direction in which the vehicle is facing, ground surface recording means for recording data representing the three-dimensional position of the ground surface, airframe position specifying means, photographing means, direction detecting means and ground surface recording In response to the output from the means, a straight line extending from the position of the aircraft in the direction in which the photographing means is facing, and an arithmetic processing means for calculating an intersection point with the ground surface and specifying it as the position of the target are included. It is a position specifying device. Further, the photographing means of the present invention is 2
It is characterized by being supported by a gimbal mechanism that incorporates a three-axis or three-axis stabilizing gyro.

[0008]

According to the present invention, the position of the target object photographed from the air exists on the straight line extending from the photographing position in the direction of the target object and the target object obtained from the geographical data having the altitude information created in advance. It is specified as the intersection with the ground surface.
Since the altitude information is reflected on the ground surface, the position of the target object can be accurately specified three-dimensionally.

Further, according to the present invention, the position of the specified target is two-dimensionally displayed together with the geographical data of the ground surface, so that the two-dimensional positional relationship can be displayed easily.

Further, according to the present invention, the field of view at the time of photographing the target object is two-dimensionally displayed together with the geographical data of the ground surface, so that the correspondence between the photographed image and the geographical data can be easily grasped. It also makes it easy to understand the scale of disasters.

Further, according to the present invention, since it is possible to take an image from the air at night using an infrared camera and the taken image can be received even on the ground, a more effective target object can be obtained in cooperation with the ground. You can select and collect information that will be useful for rescue of disasters.

Further, according to the present invention, the position of the flying body equipped with the camera for photographing the target is three-dimensionally specified and the flight control of the flying body is carried out. Therefore, it is possible to effectively use the function of three-dimensionally specifying the position.

Further, according to the present invention, the photographing means is mounted on the body movable in the air to photograph the target object. The position of the machine body is specified by the machine body position specifying means, and the direction in which the photographing means is facing is detected with respect to the machine body by the direction detecting means. Data representing the three-dimensional position of the ground surface on which the target object exists is recorded in the ground surface recording means. The arithmetic processing means calculates the intersection of the straight line extending from the position of the machine body in the direction facing the photographing means and the ground surface, and specifies the position of the target object. Since the ground surface is represented three-dimensionally by including altitude information, the position of the target object that is obtained as the intersection accurately reflects the altitude, and by simply moving the aircraft around the disaster site, the position of the site Can be specified relatively easily and accurately.

Further, according to the invention, since the photographing means is supported by the gimbal mechanism having the built-in biaxial or triaxial stabilizing gyro, the image does not become unstable due to the movement or vibration of the machine body. , Stable shooting can be performed.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows the principle structure of an embodiment of the present invention. An image pickup device 2 such as a television camera is mounted on a body such as a helicopter 1 flying in the air, and images a target object 3. The target 3 exists on the ground surface 4 having a three-dimensional undulation, and does not exist on the two-dimensional plane 5 that projects the ground surface 4 on a horizontal plane. In the present embodiment, the current position of the helicopter 1 is measured, and the position of the target 3 is specified as the intersection of the straight line L extending in the direction of the target position and the ground surface 4. Since the ground surface 4 exists at a height different from the two-dimensional plane 5 by the height H, the position of the intersection point where the straight line to the target object 3 is extended to the two-dimensional plane 5 projects the target object 3 on the two-dimensional plane 5. The position is determined to be different from the position by E. According to this embodiment, the position of the target object 3 on the ground surface 4 can be accurately specified.

FIG. 2 shows a system configuration in which an aerial image is taken at the time of occurrence of a disaster by using the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 and the position of the site where the fire is occurring is specified. The image capturing device 2 mounted on the helicopter 1 captures an aerial image 6 including the target object 3. The aerial image 6 and the position of the target 3 specified based on the aerial image 6 are transmitted by radio waves and received by the local headquarters command vehicle 7 and the disaster countermeasures headquarters 10. The local headquarters command vehicle 7 is dispatched to the vicinity of the site when a disaster occurs. The disaster response headquarters 10 is installed in advance such as a fire station. The disaster countermeasure headquarters 10 is provided with an automatic tracking antenna device 11 on a rooftop or the like, and can reliably communicate with the helicopter 1 by radio waves. A control device 12, a large-sized projector 13, an operation console 14 and the like are provided in the building of the disaster countermeasure headquarters 10. In the local headquarters command vehicle 7, various devices having the same functions as those in the disaster countermeasures headquarters 10 are also provided.

FIG. 3 shows a process of finding a disaster occurrence point from the aerial image 6 shown in FIG. If the screen corresponding to the disaster occurrence point 20 shown in FIG. 3A is enlarged and displayed as shown in FIG. 3B, the damage situation can be known in detail. Based on three-dimensional position information including azimuth PAN, vertical angle TILT, and altitude information of the helicopter 1 of the onboard camera that is shooting the aerial image 6, the disaster occurrence point 20
Is specified.

FIG. 4 shows the identified disaster occurrence point 20,
The state where the image is displayed according to the two-dimensional map is shown. Around the disaster occurrence point 20, an area corresponding to the field of view 21 of the camera displaying an image is displayed, and the direction 22 of the camera is also displayed by an arrow. The disaster point 20 is
Although some errors are caused by various factors, the aerial image 6 is taken into consideration in consideration of the camera view 21 and the camera direction 22.
If the user sees, the disaster occurrence point 20 can be specified more accurately.

FIG. 5 shows a schematic structure of a device related to position identification mounted on the helicopter 1 of FIG. The photographing device 2 includes a camera 30 and a gimbal unit 3.
Including 1. The camera 30 has a TV camera 30a and an infrared camera 30b, and it is possible to obtain an aerial image regardless of day or night. The camera 30 is attached to a gimbal unit 31 incorporating a two-axis or three-axis stabilizing gyro, and photographs the outside of the helicopter 1 of FIG. Such an imaging device 2 may be projected outside the body of the helicopter 1 as shown in FIG. 1, or may be attached to the body of the helicopter 1. As shown in FIG. 1, if the helicopter 1 can be photographed over a wide range by projecting it outside the airframe, a mechanism for accommodating the helicopter 1 inside the airframe is required when the helicopter 1 is taking off and landing. If the helicopter 1 is directly attached to the body of the helicopter, the mechanism for storing is unnecessary, but the range of photographing is limited.

The video signal photographed by the photographing device 2 and the orientation of the gimbal unit 31 are processed or controlled by the video processing and gimbal control unit 32 which also performs data conversion and system power distribution. The processed video image and audio information are recorded on a magnetic tape by the VTR 33 and displayed as an image on the monitor 34. Focus adjustment of camera 30 and gimbal unit 31
The direction control of is operated from the photographing control unit 35.

The current position of the helicopter 1 in FIG. 1 is GPS
G received by the GPS receiver 37 via the antenna 36
It is measured based on the radio waves from the PS satellite. 4 GP
If the radio wave from the S satellite is received, the current position of the helicopter 1 can be obtained three-dimensionally. Terrain data including altitude information about the ground surface is stored in the three-dimensional geographic data storage device 38. One example of such data is three-dimensional terrain data issued by the Geographical Survey Institute. The position detecting device 39 reads the stored contents of the three-dimensional geographical data storage device 38 and generates a map image. Also, GP
Based on the output from the S receiver 37, the own position is output. Further, the helicopter 1 outputs the direction in which the nose of the helicopter faces, outputs the date and time of shooting, displays the target, and corrects it.

The data processing unit 40 responds to the output from the position detecting device 39 to calculate the position of the target,
Image data processing for performing two-dimensional display as shown in FIG. 4 is performed. Communication between the operator of the camera 30 and the pilot of the helicopter 1 is performed via the in-flight communication system 41. The image data processed by the data processing unit 40 is sent to the transmission unit 43 via the distribution unit 42.
And transmitted as a radio wave from the transmitting antenna 44. The transmitting antenna 44 is controlled by the automatic tracking unit 45, and is directed toward the local headquarters command vehicle 7 or the disaster countermeasure headquarters 10 shown in FIG. Automatic tracking unit 4
5 is not always necessary, but if the automatic tracking unit 45 is attached, even if the power transmitted from the transmission antenna 44 is small, it is possible to efficiently transmit to a distant place. The distribution unit 42 selects transmission items, controls transmission, and distributes signals. Transmission unit 43
Then, the image, voice, and data of each item selected by the distribution unit 42 are transmitted. The image to be transmitted can be viewed on the monitor 34.

FIG. 6 shows a configuration in which the disaster countermeasures headquarters 10 receives a radio signal such as an image transmitted from the device of the helicopter 1 shown in FIG. The operation console 14 includes a data processing unit 50, a map image generation unit 51 and the like. The data processing unit 50 processes the received image data and performs data conversion. The map image generation unit 51 generates a two-dimensional map image, a three-dimensional map image, and outputs the date and time.

The automatic tracking antenna device 11 includes an automatic tracking antenna 55, an antenna control unit 56 and a receiving unit 57. As the automatic tracking antenna 55, an antenna having a high gain and a large directivity is used, and the antenna control unit 56 controls the directivity to be the direction of the helicopter 1. The radio wave received by the automatic tracking antenna 55 is received by the receiving unit 57, and the received data of each item including image data is
It is input to the data processing unit 50.

The data processing unit 50 includes the helicopter 1
The processing result such as the image data received from the device is displayed as an image on the disaster prevention monitor 60 provided in the large-sized projector 13 and recorded in the VTR 61. As shown in FIG.
The two-dimensional map image as shown in (1) is displayed, and the two-dimensional map image is recorded in the VTR 61. The two-dimensional map image as shown in FIG. 4 is displayed for disaster prevention when a disaster occurs, and the three-dimensional map image is displayed by the monitor 62 for operation management during normal times. The three-dimensional map image displays obstacles such as mountains around the helicopter three-dimensionally,
Call attention to the flight. The three-dimensional map image is generated by the map image generating unit 51 based on the output of the own position from the position detecting device 39 of FIG. 5, and is also recorded by the VTR 63.
The image data taken by the camera 30 of FIG.
It is displayed on the monitor 65 provided in No. 2 and recorded in the VTR 66. Since the camera 30 shown in FIG. 5 includes a TV camera 30a for visible light and an infrared camera 30b for infrared light, it is possible to obtain an image regardless of day or night by appropriately switching these. Generally, the TV camera 30a is used in the daytime and the infrared camera 30b is used in the nighttime. When there is a fire, the TV camera 30a can be used even at night. Further, even in the daytime, when the TV camera 30a cannot obtain a good image due to fog or smoke, the infrared camera 30b is used.

In the above embodiment, the case where the disaster occurrence point 20 such as a fire is specified has been described.
It is also easy to identify victims on the sea or in mountainous areas and identify their positions to rescue them. On the sea, it is not necessary to consider the difference in altitude, but it is necessary to move quickly over a wide area to take a picture, and it is necessary to specify the position of a victim, etc., in an instantaneous picture. is there. In a mountainous area, it is important to identify the three-dimensional position.

In the above embodiment, the position of the helicopter 1 is three-dimensionally identified using GPS radio waves, but in GPS, the error in the altitude data is slightly larger than that in the latitude and longitude data. Therefore, it is preferable to separately measure altitude data with an altimeter or the like. If there are few irregularities on the surface of the earth, accurate altitude can be obtained by a radio altimeter. Moreover, if the atmospheric pressure on the ground surface at that time is measured, an accurate altitude can be measured by a barometric altimeter. Further, the current position of the helicopter 1 is set as the INS relative movement position from the reference point.
It can also be obtained by dead reckoning.

Further, although the photographing device 2 is mounted on the body of the helicopter 1, it may be mounted on other types of aircraft. When the flight speed of the aircraft is high, the accuracy of the position of the specified target is deteriorated. Therefore, it is preferable for the aircraft to be able to take images at a relatively low speed, like the helicopter 1. Although such an aircraft may be an airship or a balloon, for example, the helicopter 1 may
As described above, it is preferable to be able to navigate at a high speed to some extent.

[0029]

As described above, according to the present invention, the position of a target on the ground surface photographed from the air can be three-dimensionally specified by using geographical data having altitude information created in advance. Therefore, disaster countermeasures can be executed quickly and relatively accurately.

Further, according to the present invention, since the specified position of the target object is displayed two-dimensionally, it is possible to easily grasp the position including the situation around the target object.

Further, according to the present invention, the field of view at the time of photographing the target object is displayed two-dimensionally, so that it is possible to easily grasp the degree of a disaster or the like that has occurred.

Further, according to the present invention, since the infrared camera can be used for nighttime photographing and the photographed video can be received on the ground, it is effective to closely cooperate with the ground for disasters occurring at night. Can take measures.

Further, according to the present invention, since the flight vehicle for shooting the target object controls the flight operation of the flight vehicle by utilizing the function of three-dimensionally specifying the shooting position in the air, a disaster occurs. You can use the equipment effectively even in normal times.

Further, according to the present invention, when the photographing means mounted on the machine body photographs the target object, the machine body position specifying means specifies the position of the machine body and is recorded in the ground surface recording means based on the specified position. The arithmetic processing means identifies the position of the target object based on the three-dimensional position of the ground surface and the direction in which the image capturing means is detected by the direction detecting means. Since the position of the target object on the ground surface can be specified three-dimensionally from the machine body only by directing the photographing means in the direction of the target object, it is possible to quickly respond to a disaster or the like.

Further, according to the present invention, since the photographing means is supported by the gimbal mechanism having the built-in biaxial or triaxial stabilizing gyro, stable photographing can be performed without being affected by the shaking or vibration of the machine. The position of the target object can be accurately specified.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a simplified side view showing a basic configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a simplified perspective view showing a configuration of a disaster photography system using the embodiment of FIG.

3A and 3B are the aerial image and the partially enlarged screen of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a two-dimensional display screen after the disaster occurrence point.

5 is a block diagram showing a schematic electrical configuration of a device mounted on the helicopter 1 in the embodiment of FIG.

6 is a block diagram showing a schematic electrical configuration of devices in the disaster countermeasures headquarters 10 with the configuration of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Helicopter 2 Imager 3 Target 4 Ground plane 5 Two-dimensional plane 6 Aerial image 7 Local headquarters command vehicle 10 Disaster countermeasures headquarters 11 Automatic tracking aerial ray device 12 Control device 13 Large projector 14 Operator console 20 Disaster occurrence point 21 Camera view 22 camera direction 30 camera 30a TV camera 30b infrared camera 31 gimbal unit 34, 60, 62, 65 monitor 35 photographing control unit 37 GPS receiver 38 three-dimensional geographic data storage device 39 position detection device 40, 50 data processing unit 51 Map image generation unit

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A method of photographing a target on the ground surface from the air and specifying the position of the target, wherein the photographing position in the air is three-dimensionally specified, and the direction of the target with respect to the photographing position is measured. , Obtain the ground surface where the target exists from the geographic data that has been created in advance, and specify the position of the target as the intersection point of the ground surface and the straight line extending in the direction of the target from the shooting position. A position specifying method characterized by the above. 2. The position specifying method according to claim 1, wherein the specified position and the geographical data of the ground surface are displayed two-dimensionally. 3. The position specifying method according to claim 1, wherein the field of view when the target is photographed is two-dimensionally displayed together with the geographical data of the ground surface. 4. The position specifying method according to claim 1, wherein photographing from the air is possible even at night by using an infrared camera, and the photographed image can be received even on the ground. Method. 5. The flight management of the flight object is performed by using a function of shooting the target object from a camera mounted on the flight object and specifying a shooting position in the air in three dimensions. The position specifying method according to any one of 1 to 4. 6. An airframe movable in the air, an airframe position specifying means for specifying a position of the airframe, an image pickup means mounted on the airframe for photographing an object on the ground surface, and an image pickup means for the airframe. Direction detecting means for detecting the direction in which the aircraft is facing, ground surface recording means for recording data representing the three-dimensional position of the ground surface, airframe position specifying means, photographing means, direction detecting means and ground surface recording In response to the output from the means, an arithmetic processing means for calculating the intersection of the straight line extending from the position of the aircraft in the direction in which the photographing means is facing and the ground surface, and specifying it as the position of the target object. Localization device. 7. The position specifying device according to claim 6, wherein the photographing means is supported by a gimbal mechanism containing a biaxial or triaxial stabilizing gyro.