Identifying camera postion of a uav in flight utilizing real time kinematic satellite navigation

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for determining a position of a camera affixed to a UAV in flight when the camera captures a digital aerial image. In particular, in one or more embodiments, the disclosed systems and methods utilize real time kinematic satellite navigation techniques to identify a position of a UAV. Moreover, the disclosed systems and methods precisely determine the time that a camera captures a digital aerial image together with an attitude of the UAV at the time of capture to calculate a location of a camera at the time of capture. In one or more embodiments, the disclosed systems and methods can utilize the determined position of the camera together with the captured digital aerial image to generate a three-dimensional representation of a site.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 determining, by at least one processor, a position of a UAV at a first time and a position of the UAV at a second time based on a signal transmitted from a satellite to the UAV at the first time, a signal transmitted from the satellite to the UAV at the second time, RTK correction data for the first time, and RTK correction data for the second time;   identifying, by the at least one processor, a capture time of a camera device affixed to the UAV;   detecting an attitude of the UAV at the capture time; and   determining, by the at least one processor, a position of the camera device based on the capture time, the attitude of the UAV at the capture time, the position of the UAV at the first time, and the position of the UAV at the second time.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the position of the UAV comprises a position of a GPS receiver affixed to the UAV and determining the position of the camera device comprises generating a vector between the position of the GPS receiver and the camera device. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein determining the position of the camera device comprises:
 generating the vector from the position of the GPS receiver and the camera device based on the detected attitude of the UAV at the capture time; and   applying the vector to the position of the GPS receiver at the capture time.   
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining the position of the UAV at the capture time by interpolating between the position of the UAV at the first time and the position of the UAV at the second time. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating a three-dimensional representation based in part on a digital aerial image captured at the capture time and the position of the camera device at the capture time. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a feed of RTK correction data generated by at least one of an RTK network or a reference station, the feed of RTK correction data comprising the RTK correction data for the first time and the RTK correction data for the second time;   applying the RTK correction data for the first time to the signal transmitted from the satellite to the UAV at the first time to determine the position of the UAV at the first time; and   applying the RTK correction data for the second time to the signal transmitted from the satellite to the UAV at the second time to determine the position of the UAV at the second time.   
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying the capture time comprises detecting a signal generated by the camera device, wherein the signal corresponds to opening a shutter of the camera device. 
     
     
         8 . A system comprising:
 a UAV with at least one camera device affixed to the UAV;   at least one processor; and   at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:   determine a position of the UAV at a first time and a position of the UAV at a second time based on a signal transmitted from a satellite to the UAV at the first time, a signal transmitted from the satellite to the UAV at the second time, RTK correction data for the first time, and RTK correction data for the second time;   identify a capture time of the at least one camera device affixed to the UAV;   detect an attitude of the UAV at the capture time; and   determine a position of the at least one camera device based on the capture time, the attitude of the UAV at the capture time, the position of the UAV at the first time, and the position of the UAV at the second time.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the position of the UAV comprises a position of a GPS receiver affixed to the UAV and further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to determine the position of the at least one camera device by generating a vector between the position of the GPS receiver and the at least one camera device. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to determine the position of the at least one camera device by:
 generating the vector from the position of the GPS receiver and the at least one camera device based on the detected attitude of the UAV at the capture time; and   applying the vector to the position of the GPS receiver at the capture time.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to determine the position of the UAV at the capture time by interpolating between the position of the UAV at the first time and the position of the UAV at the second time. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to generate a three-dimensional representation based on a digital aerial image captured at the capture time and the position of the at least one camera device at the capture time. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:
 receive a feed of RTK correction data generated by at least one of an RTK network or a reference station, the feed of RTK correction data comprising the RTK correction data for the first time and the RTK correction data for the second time;   apply the RTK correction data for the first time to the signal transmitted from the satellite to the UAV at the first time to determine the position of the UAV at the first time; and   apply the RTK correction data for the second time to the signal transmitted from the satellite to the UAV at the second time to determine the position of the UAV at the second time.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to identify the capture time by detecting, via a light sensor, a flash generated by the at least one camera device when a shutter of the at least one camera device is open. 
     
     
         15 . A system comprising:
 a UAV with at least one capture device affixed to the UAV;   at least one processor; and   at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:   determine a position of a UAV at a first time and a position of the UAV at a second time based on a signal transmitted from a satellite to the UAV at the first time, a signal transmitted from the a satellite to the UAV at the second time, RTK correction data for the first time, and RTK correction data for the second time;   identify a capture time for the at least one capture device affixed to the UAV;   detect an attitude of the UAV at the capture time; and   determine a position of the at least one capture device based on the capture time, the attitude of the UAV at the capture time, the position of the UAV at the first time, and the position of the UAV at the second time.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the position of the UAV comprises a position of a GPS receiver affixed to the UAV and further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to determine the position of the at least one capture device by generating a vector between the position of the GPS receiver and the at least one capture device. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to determine the position of the at least one capture device by:
 generating the vector from the position of the GPS receiver and the at least one capture device based on the detected attitude of the UAV at the capture time; and   applying the vector to the position of the GPS receiver at the capture time.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to determine the position of the UAV at the capture time by interpolating between the position of the UAV at the first time and the position of the UAV at the second time. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to generate a three-dimensional representation based in part on a digital aerial image captured at the capture time and the position of the at least one capture device at the capture time. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:
 receive a feed of RTK correction data generated by at least one of an RTK network or a reference station, the feed of RTK correction data comprising the RTK correction data for the first time and the RTK correction data for the second time;   apply the RTK correction data for the first time to the signal transmitted from the satellite to the UAV at the first time to determine the position of the UAV at the first time; and   apply the RTK correction data for the second time to the signal transmitted from the satellite to the UAV at the second time to determine the position of the UAV at the second time.