JP5775632B2 - Aircraft flight control system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a flight control system for an aircraft that appropriately controls the flight altitude of the aircraft during unmanned flight.

  Taking photos from the sky or surveying from the sky provides information that cannot be obtained by taking photos from the ground or surveying on the ground, or taking photos in places where people cannot enter, or places where surveying is difficult Can be obtained. In recent years, an imaging device has been installed in a small aircraft by improving the performance of small aircraft such as remotely operated small airplanes and small helicopters, improving remote control technology, improving the performance of imaging devices, and promoting miniaturization. However, it is possible to take photos from the sky unattended by remote control. Furthermore, autonomous flight is also possible according to a preset flight schedule.

  When flying a small flying object by remote control or autonomously flying, accurate position information of the small flying object itself in flight is required.

  In recent years, GPS position measuring devices have become widespread as means for acquiring position information, and geocentric coordinates (planar position information) can be easily measured. Furthermore, the GPS position measuring device has been reduced in size and weight, and can be easily installed on a flying object or the like.

  The GPS position measurement apparatus can measure the geocentric coordinates with high accuracy, but the measurement accuracy is low with respect to the height from the ground surface. The area where a small vehicle flies is not necessarily flat. If there are undulations on the surface, or if there are structures or buildings, the undulations on the surface or the altitude of the small aircraft will be adjusted to match the structure or structure. Need to control.

  For this reason, in order to increase the accuracy of the height measurement, it is necessary to prepare a measuring device for measuring the height to the ground. However, due to the flight capability of the small aircraft, the installation capability of the small aircraft is extremely limited to several hundred grams, and it is difficult to mount various measuring instruments.

JP 2006-10376 A JP 2007-171048 A Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-245741

  In view of such circumstances, the present invention provides a flight control system that can easily and accurately measure the height position of a flying object and appropriately control the flying height of the flying object during unmanned flight. Is.

The present invention includes a flying object, navigation means provided on the flying object, a position measurement unit, a flight control unit that controls the navigation means, and a main calculation that controls the position measurement unit and the flight control unit. The position measuring unit includes a GPS device that measures the ground coordinates of the flying object, a vertical camera that captures a digital image below the flying object , and a tilting mechanism that tilts the vertical camera. Measuring the height distance from the ground surface of the flying object based on the image of the two points imaged by the vertical camera, the ground coordinates of the two points measured by the GPS device, and the focal length of the vertical camera, The arithmetic control unit calculates the inclination angle of the ground surface based on the measured height distance of at least three points, and when the flying object flies over the inclined surface, the tilting mechanism unit causes the optical axis of the vertical camera to be inclined. To be perpendicular to Those of the flight control system of the aircraft to tilt the straight camera.

  In the present invention, the position measurement unit continuously acquires images from the first point to the second point, extracts feature points from the image acquired at the first point, and reaches from the first point to the second point. The feature point in the image of the first point is identified in the image at the second point by image tracking in the image, and the ground surface corresponding to the feature point is measured based on the image of the first point and the image of the second point. The present invention relates to a flight control system for an aircraft that performs three-dimensional measurement of points.

According to the present invention, flight plan data is set in the main calculation control unit, and the main calculation control unit controls the flight course of the flight vehicle and the flight height from the ground surface based on the flight plan data. This relates to the flight control system .

Further, according to the present invention, the flying object includes a front-view camera that acquires a front image, and the main calculation control unit determines a front obstacle from the image acquired by the front-view camera and avoids the obstacle. The present invention relates to a flight control system for a flying object.

  According to the present invention, the flying object includes an attitude detector that detects an inclination of the flying object, the attitude detector detects an inclination of the flying object at the time of imaging by the vertical camera, and the position measurement unit includes: The present invention relates to a flight control system for an aircraft that absolutely positions an image of a first point and an image of a second point based on the inclination of the aircraft.

According to the present invention, the flying object, the navigation means provided on the flying object, the position measuring part, the flight control part for controlling the navigation means, the position measuring part and the flight control part are controlled. A main arithmetic control unit, and the position measuring unit includes a GPS device that measures the ground coordinates of the flying object, a vertical camera that captures a digital image below the flying object , and a tilt mechanism that tilts the vertical camera. Measuring the height distance from the ground surface of the flying object based on the image of the two points imaged by the vertical camera, the ground coordinates of the two points measured by the GPS device, and the focal length of the vertical camera, The main calculation control unit calculates the inclination angle of the ground surface based on the measured height distance of at least three points, and when the flying object flies over the inclined surface, the tilting mechanism unit determines that the optical axis of the vertical camera is To be perpendicular to the inclined surface Since tilting the vertical camera, it is possible to properly autonomous flight even in places where there is a change in the terrain.

According to the invention, the position measuring unit continuously acquires images from the first point to the second point, extracts feature points from the image acquired at the first point, and then extracts the feature points from the first point to the second point. The feature point in the image of the first point is identified in the image at the second point by image tracking in the image leading to, and the ground surface corresponding to the feature point based on the image of the first point and the image of the second point Since the three-dimensional measurement of the measurement point is performed, an image of the ground surface can be taken in an appropriate state, and the three-dimensional data of the ground surface can be acquired together .

Further, according to the present invention, the aircraft is equipped with a pre-vision cameras for acquiring the front image, the main arithmetic control unit determines the front obstacle from the image the foresight camera is acquired, the obstacle Because avoidance is performed, autonomous flight is possible even in places with obstacles.

  According to the invention, the flying object includes an attitude detector that detects an inclination of the flying object, the attitude detector detects an inclination of the flying object at the time of imaging by the vertical camera, and the position measurement is performed. The unit absolutely positions the image of the first point and the image of the second point based on the inclination of the flying object. Therefore, even when the flying object is inclined at the time of photographing, the altitude measurement with high accuracy and the three-dimensional surface Exhibits excellent effects such as enabling measurement.

It is the schematic of the flight altitude control system of the flying body which concerns on this invention. It is a block diagram of a control device mounted on an aircraft according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the relationship between the vertical camera mounted in this flight body, and the ground surface. It is explanatory drawing in the case of measuring the height of a flying body, and the coordinate of a measurement point from the image which the flying body image | photographed at 2 places. It is explanatory drawing which shows the relationship between the image tracking of the feature point extracted in the acquired image, and the unmeasured point of the ground surface corresponding to each feature point. (A) is an explanatory view when the flying object flies while maintaining a predetermined altitude along the ground surface, (B) is an explanatory view showing the state of the camera in the horizontal posture, (C) is inclined It is explanatory drawing which shows the state of the camera with respect to a surface. It is explanatory drawing about absolute orientation in case a camera inclines.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  First, referring to FIG. 1, an outline of a flying altitude control system for an aircraft according to the present invention will be described.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an autonomous flying object, 2 denotes a base control device installed on the ground, and the base control device 2 is capable of data communication with the flying object 1. Controls, sets and changes flight plans, and stores and manages information collected by the aircraft 1.

  The flying object 1 is a helicopter as a small flying object that autonomously flies, for example. The helicopter 1 is operated by remote control from the base control device 2, or a flight plan is set from the base control device 2 to the control device (described later) of the helicopter 1, and autonomous flight is performed according to the flight plan.

  The helicopter 1 has a fuselage 3, and a required number of propellers provided in the fuselage 3, for example, front, rear, left and right, a total of four propellers 4, 5, 6, 7; The first motor 8, the second motor 9, the third motor 10, and the fourth motor 11 (described later) are individually connected to the first motor 8, the second motor 9, the third motor 10, and the like. The drive of the fourth motor 11 is controlled independently. The propellers 4, 5, 6, 7 and the first motor 8, the second motor 9, the third motor 10, the fourth motor 11 and the like constitute a flying means of the flying object.

  The airframe 3 of the helicopter 1 is provided with an imaging device and a control device. The imaging device includes a vertical camera 13 and a front-view camera 14 that acquire a digital image. The vertical camera 13 and the front-view camera 14 may be cameras that capture still images at predetermined time intervals, or may be video cameras that continuously capture images. The vertical camera 13 is provided on the lower surface of the body 3. In addition, the imaging apparatus includes a CCD and a CMOS sensor, which are a collection of pixels (pixels), as the imaging device, and each pixel can specify a position (coordinates) on the imaging device, and an angle of view of each pixel. It has come to understand.

  The vertical camera 13 has an optical axis 15 that passes through a reference position (for example, the machine center) of the airframe 3, and the optical axis 15 matches the vertical line when the helicopter 1 is in a horizontal posture. The vertical camera 13 has a viewing angle of an angle θ and can acquire an image for aerial photography. The image captured by the vertical camera 13 is also used as position measurement image data, as will be described later.

  The vertical camera 13 is preferably supported so that the optical axis 15 tilts in the advancing / retreating direction (hereinafter referred to as the front-rear direction) about the reference position, and tilting the tilting the vertical camera 13 in the front-rear direction. A mechanism unit 30 (described later) is provided. The tilting mechanism 30 adjusts the tilt of the vertical camera 13 so that the optical axis 15 is always perpendicular to the ground surface.

  The foresight camera 14 is provided in front of the airframe 3 and acquires a front image. The optical axis of the foresight camera 14 is horizontal or a required angle from the horizontal to the lower side. Inclined. Therefore, the front-view camera 14 captures a scene in front of the helicopter 1 flying, and the captured image is used for determination of a change in frontal terrain or recognition of an obstacle.

  The images captured by the vertical camera 13 and the front-view camera 14 are the time of imaging, the geocentric coordinates measured by the GPS device 23 (described later), and the attitude state of the helicopter 1 detected by the gyro unit 29 (described later) ( In association with the inclination of the flying object, it is stored in the first storage unit 25 described later.

  FIG. 2 shows a control device 16 provided in the machine body 3. The control device 16 mainly includes a position measurement unit 17, a flight control unit 18, a main calculation control unit 19, a communication unit 20, and a power supply unit 21.

  The position measurement unit 17 includes a GPS device 23 as a planar position measurement device, a position calculation CPU 24, a first storage unit 25, the vertical camera 13, the front-view camera 14, and the like.

  The GPS device 23 is configured to measure a reference position of the helicopter 1, for example, a machine center, and the measured value of the GPS device 23 represents a ground coordinate system obtained from a geocentric coordinate (absolute coordinate) system. Therefore, the GPS device 23 measures the coordinates in the ground coordinate system of the reference position.

  When the helicopter 1 is in a horizontal posture and the vertical camera 13 is in a reference posture, the optical axis 15 passes through the reference position and is vertical. Therefore, the vertical camera 13 can acquire an image in a range of a required angle of view θ immediately below the helicopter 1, and the center of the image is set to coincide with the reference position.

  The first storage unit 25 stores an image acquired by the vertical camera 13 and a position and time at which the image is acquired in association with the image, and further, is synchronized with the time at which the image is acquired. Thus, the ground coordinates of the helicopter 1 are measured by the GPS device 23, and the measured ground coordinates are stored in the first storage unit 25 in association with the time when the image is acquired.

  The first storage unit 25 stores programs such as an image processing program, a three-dimensional position measurement program, and an imaging control program. Further, in the first storage unit 25, images captured by the vertical camera 13 and the foresight camera 14 are associated with the time at the time of imaging, the ground coordinates, and the attitude state of the helicopter 1 (aircraft tilt). Stored.

  The image processing program performs image processing such as extracting feature points from the image acquired by the vertical camera 13, determines frontal terrain from the image acquired by the foresight camera 14, or Recognize obstacles. The three-dimensional position measurement program calculates the height distance of the helicopter 1 by a measurement method such as a forward intersection method or a backward intersection method based on the feature points extracted from the image of the vertical camera 13. Further, ground coordinates are obtained from the measurement result of the GPS device 23, and the three-dimensional position of the airframe 3 is calculated from the obtained height distance and ground coordinates. The imaging control program controls the imaging state of the vertical camera 13 and the front-view camera 14.

  The flight control unit 18 includes the first motor 8, the second motor 9, the third motor 10, the fourth motor 11, a motor controller 26 that individually drives and controls these motors, and a flight control that controls the motor controller 26. The CPU 27, the second storage unit 28, and an attitude detector such as a gyro unit 29 that detects the attitude state (tilt) of the helicopter 1 with respect to the horizontal and generates an attitude state signal.

  The second storage unit 28 includes a flight control program for calculating a flight state such as a flight speed, an ascending speed, a descending speed, a flight direction, and a flight altitude based on the flight guidance data from the position measuring unit 17, and the gyro unit. A posture control program for calculating posture control information based on the posture state signal from 29 is stored. The flight control CPU 27 sends a flight control command to the motor controller 26 based on the flight control program, and the first motor 8, second motor 9, third motor 10, and fourth through the motor controller 26. The motor 11 is controlled, a predetermined flight is executed, and an attitude control command is sent to the motor controller 26 based on the attitude control program, and the first motor 8 and the second motor 9 are transmitted via the motor controller 26. By controlling the third motor 10 and the fourth motor 11, respectively, the posture of the helicopter 1 is controlled to a desired state (for example, a horizontal state).

  The main arithmetic control unit 19 includes a main CPU 32, a third storage unit 33, and an input / output control unit 34. The third storage unit 33 includes an integrated program, a flight control program, a survey image processing program, and a communication control program. In addition, a program such as an imaging unit attitude control program and flight plan data are stored. Examples of data stored in the flight plan data include a flight course, a flight altitude, a shooting location, a range, and the like.

  The integrated program controls the position measurement unit 17 and the flight control unit 18 in an integrated manner. The flight control program issues a flight control signal to the flight control unit 18 so as to autonomously fly based on flight plan data, and sets a predetermined altitude with respect to the ground surface based on the altitude measurement result from the position measurement unit 17. A flight control signal is issued to the flight control unit 18 so as to be maintained. Further, the flight control program determines a change in the frontal terrain or recognizes an obstacle based on the image from the front-view camera 14, and determines danger avoidance and a flight course change.

  The image capturing unit attitude control program controls the tilt mechanism unit 30 based on the determination of the change in the terrain so that the optical axis 15 of the vertical camera 13 is perpendicular to the ground surface. To control.

  The communication unit 20 includes a wireless communication unit 35, an information communication unit 36, and the like. The wireless communication unit 35 receives a remote flight control command from the ground base and communicates the flight state of the helicopter 1 to the ground base. . The information communication unit 36 exchanges information between the ground base and the helicopter 1 using communication means such as a wireless LAN or Bluetooth (registered trademark). For example, the helicopter 1 is connected to the base. In the state of landing, the flight plan data is transmitted from the base to the helicopter 1, or images, positions, and time information captured during the flight are transmitted from the helicopter 1 to the base.

  The power supply unit 21 is, for example, a rechargeable battery, and is charged while landing at a base. During the flight, the position measuring unit 17, the flight control unit 18, the main arithmetic control unit 19, the communication unit 20, Necessary electric power is supplied to the tilting mechanism unit 30.

  The image acquired by the vertical camera 13 and the position information measured by the position measurement unit 17 are communicated to the base control device 2 via the communication unit 20, and the base control device 2 converts a stereo image from the image. Create or perform photogrammetry based on stereo images.

  Next, the measurement accuracy of photogrammetry will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 3 shows that an image used for photogrammetry is imaged at an imaging distance (height) H, an imaging baseline length B, a camera focal length f, and a camera pixel size Δp, and the plane accuracy Δxy and height under these conditions The accuracy Δz is shown.

  Planar accuracy: Δxy = H × Δp / f

  Height accuracy: Δz = H × H × Δp / (B × f).

Therefore, since the height accuracy Δz is proportional to H ² , it is necessary to accurately maintain the photographing distance H, that is, to accurately maintain the altitude of the airframe 3 at a predetermined value. It becomes. Here, the shooting distance H is a height distance calculated for a feature point in the image, and is a weighted average value of the height distance of the feature point, or may be an average of all the three-dimensional coordinates obtained for the image.

  In order to maintain the altitude of the airframe 3 at a predetermined value, a laser surveying instrument is mounted as a measuring method for measuring the altitude of the airframe 3 and the flight of the airframe 3 based on the altitude measured by the laser surveying instrument. Although it is conceivable to control the altitude, the laser surveying instrument is expensive and the equipment configuration of the airframe 3 is complicated. Above all, there is a limitation due to the mounting ability of the airframe 3. In the present embodiment, the altitude of the airframe 3 is measured in real time using the already mounted vertical camera 13, and the measurement result is reflected in the flight of the airframe 3 so as to keep the altitude from the ground surface constant. It is.

  First, the outline of distance measurement by photogrammetry will be described with reference to FIG.

  In FIG. 4, an image including the measurement point P at the known point O1 and the known point O2 is acquired by the vertical camera 13, and the O1 point and the O2 point are separated from each other by the photographing baseline length B. For simplicity of explanation, it is assumed that the optical axis of the vertical camera 13 is parallel when images are taken at the O1 and O2 points. The vertical camera 13 has an image sensor 41. In the figure, reference numerals 41-1 and 41-2 denote image sensors in a state where images are taken at points O1 and O2, respectively.

  The position of the measurement point P imaged at the point O1 (ie, on the image sensor) is p1 (x1, y1), and the position of the measurement point P imaged at the point O2 (ie, image sensor) is p2. (X2, y2). When the distance from the center 0-1 (origin) of the image sensor 41-1 to p1 is l1, and the distance from the center 0-2 (origin) of the image sensor 41-2 to p2 is l2, from the photographing base line length B, The distance Z to P is Z = Bf / (l1 + l2) because of the similarity between the triangles O1, O2, P and the triangles O1, 0-1, p1 and the triangles O2, 0-2, p2.

  Here, the ground coordinates of the O1 point and the O2 point can be measured by the GPS device 23, and the imaging baseline length B is a distance between the two points of the O1 point and the O2 point. Based on this, the imaging baseline length B can be obtained. Similarly, the geocentric position (plane coordinate) of the measurement point P is also obtained from p1 (x1, y1) and p2 (x2, y2) and the geocentric positions of the O1 and O2 points measured by the GPS device 23. Can do.

  Therefore, the altitude of the helicopter 1 can be measured in real time (height distance measurement) from the two images sequentially captured in the process of moving the helicopter 1.

  FIG. 5 schematically shows a state in which altitude measurement is sequentially performed from an image captured by the helicopter 1 in flight. Further, although the altitude measurement of the helicopter 1 has been described with reference to FIG. 4, with respect to the entire image captured by the vertical camera 13, the height measurement for an arbitrary part of the image, that is, the part of the ground surface 42 corresponding to the part of the image Can be measured.

  The ground surface image captured by the vertical camera 13 is subjected to image processing, and feature points a to n are extracted from the image. The feature points are extracted by appropriate image processing such as edge processing and contrast processing.

  Further, it is necessary to specify the feature point extracted from the image at the O1 point in the image picked up at the O2 point, but there is image tracking as a specifying method. In image tracking, images are acquired continuously from the O1 point to the O2 point, and feature points are identified one after another in time (image tracking), and the feature point of the image at the O1 point is included in the image at the O2 point. To be specific.

  The image tracking is shown in Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-370867 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-171048) filed earlier by the present applicant.

  The above-described measurement method is executed for each feature point with respect to the extracted feature points and based on the image at the O1 point and the image at the O2 point, and the height distance and the plane coordinates of each feature point are obtained in the same manner. Since the feature points cover the entire image, the state of the ground surface 42, such as unevenness and inclination, can be measured, and an aerial photograph having three-dimensional coordinates can be obtained by associating the measurement result with the acquired image.

  FIG. 6 shows a case where the helicopter 1 flies over a place where the ground surface 42 is raised.

  The helicopter 1 measures the altitude in real time from the image acquired by the vertical camera 13, and the measured altitude is fed back to the main arithmetic control unit 19. The main arithmetic control unit 19 outputs an altitude correction command to the flight control unit 18 so that the distance from the input altitude to the helicopter 1 is kept constant, and the flight control unit 18 The driving of the first motor 8 to the fourth motor 11 is controlled via the motor controller 26 so as to be constant.

  When the helicopter 1 flying in the low plane 42a reaches the inclined surface 42b (position 1-3 in FIG. 6A), the front side in the image captured by the vertical camera 13 is displayed. The height distance of the feature point existing in the part (the right part in FIG. 6A) is smaller than the height distance of the feature point of the other part. Therefore, it can be determined that the inclined surface 42b has been reached by partially reducing the height distance of the feature points in the image. When three or more measurement points on the inclined surface 42b are obtained, information on the state of the inclined surface, for example, an inclination angle can be calculated.

  The main arithmetic control unit 19 drives and controls the tilting mechanism unit 30 based on the calculated tilt angle, and tilts the vertical camera 13 so that the optical axis 15 is perpendicular to the tilted surface 42b. Thus, the flight control unit 18 is controlled such that the height distance with respect to the inclined surface 42b becomes a predetermined value.

  Next, when the helicopter 1 reaches the vicinity of the highest point of the inclined surface 42b (position 1n in FIG. 6A), the height of the feature point present in the right part of the image captured by the vertical camera 13 The distance becomes larger than the height distance of other parts. It can be determined that a transition from the inclined surface 42b to the height plane 42c is caused by a partial change in the height distance in the image.

  Note that the front of the helicopter 1 is captured by the front-view camera 14, and it can be determined from the image from the front-view camera 14 that an inclined surface exists in front. When the inclination angle of the inclined surface is not large, the inclination can also be determined from the image of the vertical camera 13 as described above, and therefore it is not necessary to reflect the image acquired by the foresight camera 14 in the flight. When the inclination angle of 42b is large and the highest point of the inclined surface 42b exceeds the flight altitude, or when the building is standing vertically, there is a risk that the helicopter 1 will collide with the inclined surface 42b or the building. Occurs. The main arithmetic control unit 19 determines a front obstacle from the image acquired by the front-view camera 14, issues a command such as a flight course change to the flight control unit 18, and the obstacle and the helicopter 1 To avoid the possibility of interference or collision.

  As described above, the helicopter 1 is horizontally controlled by the flight control unit 18, but when the helicopter 1 is rising or falling along the inclined surface, the optical axis is perpendicular to the inclined surface. When the vertical camera 13 is tilted by the tilting mechanism unit 30 or the like, the posture of the vertical camera 13 imaged at the O1 point may be different from the posture of the vertical camera 13 at the O2 point. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a state of inclination of an image captured at the point O1 and an image captured at the point O2. When the vertical (Z axis) of the optical axis 15 is used as a reference, the image inclination is a rotation angle κ around the Z axis, a rotation angle ω around the horizontal first axis (X axis), and a horizontal second axis ( A state indicated by a broken line in the figure by representing the rotation angle φ centered on the Y axis) and absolutely locating the image taken at the O1 point and the image taken at the O2 point using κ, ω, and φ as variables ( (The state of FIG. 4). Also, by performing absolute orientation, the three-dimensional coordinates of the measurement point P can be calculated, and the altitude of the helicopter 1 at the O1 point and the O2 point can be measured.

  Here, the rotation angles of the three axes at the O1 point and the O2 point can be measured by the gyro unit 29, and the coordinates (x1, y1) of p1 in the image at the O1 point and p2 in the image at the O2 point. The coordinates (x2, y2) can be measured from the pixel position of the image sensor. Therefore, the coordinates of p1 in the converted coordinate system after absolute orientation are (X1, Y1, Z1), the coordinates of p2 in the converted coordinate system after absolute orientation are (X2, Y2, Z2), and the focus of the vertical camera 13 If the distance is f,

  The coordinates of p1 and p2 in the conversion coordinate system are expressed below.

X1 = x ₁ cosφ ₁ · cosκ ₁ −y ₁ cosφ ₁ · sinκ ₁ −fsinφ ₁
Y1 = x ₁ sinκ ₁ −y ₁ cosκ _{1
Z1 = -x 1 sinφ 1 · cosκ} 1 -y 1 sinφ 1 · sinκ 1 -fcosφ 1
X2 = x ₂ cosφ ₂ · cosκ ₂ −y ₂ cosφ ₂ · sinκ ₂ −fsinφ ₂ +1
_{Y2 = x 2 (cosω 2 sinκ} 2 + sinω 2 · sinφ 2 cosκ 2) +
_{y 2 (cosω 2 cosκ 2 -sinω} 2 · sinφ 2 · sinκ 2) +
fsinω ₂・ cosφ _{2
Z2 = x 2 (sinω 2 ·} sinκ 2 -cosω 2 · sinφ 2 · cosκ 2) +
_{y 2 (sinω 2 · cosκ 2} + cosω 2 · sinφ 2 · sinκ 2) -
fcosω ₂・ cosφ ₂

  Therefore, based on the obtained coordinates (X1, Y1, Z1) of p1 and coordinates (X2, Y2, Z2) of p2, the three-dimensional coordinates of the measurement point P can be calculated in the same manner as shown in FIG.

  In the above-described embodiment, the position measurement unit 17 includes the position calculation CPU 24 and the first storage unit 25, and the position calculation CPU 24 and the first storage unit 25 perform image processing and three-dimensional measurement of the ground surface 42. However, the main CPU 32 and the third storage unit 33 may share the functions of the position calculation CPU 24 and the first storage unit 25. When the position calculation CPU 24 and the first storage unit 25 are omitted, the main CPU 32, the third storage unit 33, the GPS device 23, the vertical camera 13, and the like constitute the position measurement unit 17. To do.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to measure the altitude of the helicopter 1 from the ground surface 42 only with the mounted camera and to perform three-dimensional measurement of the ground surface 42 such as the unevenness of the ground surface 42. Therefore, it is possible to photograph the ground surface 42 at an appropriate altitude and an appropriate position, and obtain an image with three-dimensional position information by associating the captured image with the result of the three-dimensional measurement of the ground surface 42. can do.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Helicopter 2 Base control apparatus 3 Airframe 13 Vertical camera 14 Foresight camera 16 Control apparatus 17 Position measurement part 18 Flight control part 19 Main calculation control part 20 Communication part 21 Power supply part 23 GPS apparatus 24 CPU for position calculation
25 First Storage Unit 26 Motor Controller 27 Flight Control CPU
28 Second storage unit 29 Gyro unit 30 Tilt mechanism unit 32 Main CPU
33 Third storage unit 34 Input / output control unit 35 Wireless communication unit 36 Information communication unit 41 Image sensor 42 Ground surface

Claims (5)

An aircraft, navigation means provided on the aircraft, a position measurement unit, a flight control unit that controls the navigation unit, and a main arithmetic control unit that controls the position measurement unit and the flight control unit. The position measuring unit includes a GPS device that measures the ground coordinates of the flying object, a vertical camera that captures a digital image below the flying object , and a tilting mechanism that tilts the vertical camera. Measure the height distance from the ground surface of the flying object based on the image of the two points imaged by the above, the ground coordinates of the two points measured by the GPS device, and the focal length of the vertical camera, Based on the measured height distances of at least three points, the inclination angle of the ground surface is calculated, and when the flying object flies over the inclined surface, the tilting mechanism unit causes the optical axis of the vertical camera to be perpendicular to the inclined surface. So that the vertical camera Aircraft flight control system, characterized in that tilting.   The position measurement unit continuously acquires images from the first point to the second point, extracts feature points from the image acquired at the first point, and performs image tracking in the image from the first point to the second point. To identify the feature point in the image of the first point in the image at the second point, and based on the image of the first point and the image of the second point, three-dimensional measurement of the measurement point on the ground surface corresponding to the feature point The flight control system for an aircraft according to claim 1. The flight calculation data is set in the main calculation control unit, and the main calculation control unit controls the flight course of the flying object and the flight height from the ground surface based on the flight plan data. Aircraft flight control system . Before SL aircraft comprises a foresight camera for acquiring image ahead of, the main arithmetic control unit determines the front obstacle from the image the foresight camera is acquired, claim performing obstacle avoidance 1 aircraft flight control systems. The flying object includes an attitude detector that detects an inclination of the flying object, the attitude detector detects an inclination of the flying object at the time of imaging by the vertical camera, and the position measurement unit 2. The flight control system for an aircraft according to claim 1, wherein an image of the first point and an image of the second point are absolute-positioned based on the inclination.

Images