Aerial device having a three-dimensional measurement device

Abstract

A three-dimensional (3D) coordinate measuring system is provided. The system includes an aerial measuring device that has an aerial drone and a 3D measurement device. The 3D measurement device being rotatably attached to the aerial drone, the aerial drone is movable from a first position to a stationary second position. The 3D measurement device being configured to optically measure points on the surface of an object. The system further includes one or more processors configured to execute nontransitory computer readable instructions. The computer readable instructions comprise: moving the aerial measuring device from the first position; landing the aerial measuring device at the second position; rotating the 3D measurement device to optically measure a first object point; and determining a first 3D coordinates of the first object point with the 3D measuring device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A three-dimensional (3D) coordinate measuring system, comprising
 an aerial measuring device that includes an aerial drone and a 3D measurement device, the aerial drone being configured to move from a first position to a stationary second position, and wherein the 3D measurement device is configured to optically measure points on the surface of an object;   one or more processors configured to execute nontransitory computer readable instructions, the computer readable instructions comprising:
 moving the aerial measuring device from the first position; 
 landing the aerial measuring device at the second position; 
 optically measuring a first object point with the 3D measurement device; and 
 determining a first 3D coordinates of the first object point. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an external projector operable to project a projected pattern of light onto an object; and   wherein the 3D measurement device includes a camera configured to acquire an image of the pattern of light.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the external projector is mounted on a stand, the stand having a tripod and motorized wheels. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising a controller operably coupled to the motorized wheels, the motorized wheels being configured to move the stand. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the external projector is coupled to a second aerial drone. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the 3D measurement device is a 3D imager having a first camera, a second camera, and a projector. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the first camera, the second camera and the projector are arranged relative to each other in a triangle. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the 3D imager further includes a color camera. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the measuring of the first point is through a combination of triangulation and videogrammetry. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the computer readable instructions further comprise:
 measuring the object over a first field of view (FOV) with the 3D measurement device;   moving the aerial drone to a third location, the third location being closer to the object than the second location;   moving the projector in response to the movement of the aerial drone;   measuring the object over a second FOV with the aerial drone at the third position, the second FOV being smaller than the first FOV.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the movement of the projector is to a projector position that places a pattern of light emitted by the projector into the second FOV. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the movement of the projector is selected to keep the number of dots in the pattern of light that are imaged by the color camera above a predetermined first number of dots and below a predetermined second number of dots. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the computer readable instructions further include increasing a density of dots as the projector moves closer to the object. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the computer readable instructions further include changing an optical power of the projector in response to an amount of light received by the color camera. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the projector is rotatable about a first axis and a second axis, the first axis and second axis being perpendicular to each other. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the 3D imager includes a laser line scanner configured to project a line of light. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the color camera includes an optical filter configured to block the wavelength of light of the line of light. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the computer readable instructions further include landing the aerial drone between emitting the line of light. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the 3D measuring device is selected from a group comprising: a laser tracker, a total station, an area scanner, and a time of flight scanner.