System and method for movable object control

Abstract

A method of operating a UAV using a user terminal includes configuring, through an interface, a plurality of tasks on the user terminal for execution by the UAV. The plurality of tasks include a flight control task, a gimbal task, and a camera task; and at least two of the flight control task, the gimbal task, and the camera task are configured for parallel execution. The method also includes transmitting data packets containing the flight control task, the gimbal task, and the camera task from the user terminal to the UAV respectively. Each data packet includes a header including source and destination network addresses and an application header including sender information and receiver information, the sender information identifying an application installed on the user terminal and the receiver information identifying a receiver among a flight controller, a gimbal, and a camera of the UAV.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of operating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) using a user terminal, comprising:
 configuring, through an interface, a plurality of tasks on the user terminal for execution by the UAV, wherein the plurality of tasks include a flight control task, a gimbal task, and a camera task; and at least two of the flight control task, the gimbal task, and the camera task are configured for parallel execution; and   transmitting data packets containing the flight control task, the gimbal task, and the camera task from the user terminal to the UAV respectively, wherein each data packet includes a header including source and destination network addresses and an application header including sender information and receiver information, the receiver information identifying a receiver among a flight controller, a gimbal, and a camera of the UAV.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the configuring comprises configuring a parallel custom mission on the user terminal for execution by the UAV. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the configuring comprises configuring at least one of the tasks for parallel execution by the UAV at least one of:
 at a predetermined time,   at a predetermined location of the UAV,   based on completion of one or more other tasks by the UAV, or   based on recognition by the UAV of an object of interest within an environment of the UAV.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the configuring comprises configuring the UAV to follow an object of interest. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the configuring comprises configuring a camera of the UAV to visually follow the object of interest. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the configuring comprises configuring the plurality of tasks using a movable object manager to distribute the tasks among components of the UAV. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the configuring comprises configuring the plurality of tasks using the movable object manager that is installed on the user terminal or on the UAV. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting the plurality of tasks from the user terminal to the UAV using wireless communication. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the parallel execution of a gimbal task and a camera task comprises:
 at a first time point, controlling the gimbal to direct the camera configured on the gimbal to put a first spatial point in view of the camera, and controlling the camera to start a video capturing process.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the parallel execution of a flight task, a gimbal task, and a camera task comprises: after the UAV arrives at a first spatial point,
 controlling a flight path of the UAV to follow a moving target object;   controlling the gimbal to direct the camera to the moving target object; and   controlling the camera to focus on the target object in a video capture process.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the parallel execution of a flight task, a gimbal task, and a camera task comprises: after the UAV arrives at a second spatial point,
 controlling the UAV to end following the moving target object;   controlling the gimbal to stop directing the camera to follow the moving target object; and   controlling the camera to stop the video capture process.   
     
     
         12 . A system for operating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:
 an interface for using on a user terminal to configure a plurality of tasks for execution by the UAV, wherein the plurality of tasks include a flight control task, a gimbal task, and a camera task; and at least two of the flight control task, the gimbal task, and the camera task are configured for parallel execution; and   one or more processors configured to operate the user interface and control transmission of the tasks to the UAV, including: transmitting data packets containing the flight control task, the gimbal task, and the camera task to the UAV respectively, wherein each data packet includes a header including source and destination network addresses and an application header including sender information and receiver information, the receiver information identifying a receiver among a flight controller, a gimbal, and a camera of the UAV.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the interface is for configuring a parallel custom mission on the user terminal for execution by the UAV. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the interface is for configuring at least one of the tasks for parallel execution by the UAV at least one of:
 at a predetermined time,   at a predetermined location of the UAV,   based on completion of one or more other tasks by the UAV, or   based on recognition by the UAV of an object of interest within an environment of the UAV.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the interface is for configuring the UAV to follow an object of interest. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the interface is for configuring a camera of the movable object to visually follow the object of interest. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the parallel execution of a gimbal task and a camera task comprises:
 at a first time point, controlling the gimbal to direct the camera configured on the gimbal to put a first spatial point in view of the camera, and controlling the camera to start a video capturing process.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the parallel execution of a flight task, a gimbal task, and a camera task comprises: after the UAV arrives at a first spatial point,
 controlling a flight path of the UAV to follow a moving target object;   controlling the gimbal to direct the camera to the moving target object; and   controlling the camera to focus on the target object in a video capture process.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the parallel execution of a flight task, a gimbal task, and a camera task comprises: after the UAV arrives at a second spatial point,
 controlling the UAV to end following the moving target object;   controlling the gimbal to stop directing the camera to follow the moving target object; and   controlling the camera to stop the video capture process.   
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium with instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, perform a method comprising:
 configuring, through an interface, a plurality of tasks on the user terminal for execution by a UAV, wherein the plurality of tasks include a flight control task, a gimbal task, and a camera task; and at least two of the flight control task, the gimbal task, and the camera task are configured for parallel execution; and   transmitting data packets containing the flight control task, the gimbal task, and the camera task from the user terminal to the UAV respectively, wherein each data packet includes a header including source and destination network addresses and an application header including sender information and receiver information, the receiver information identifying a receiver among a flight controller, a gimbal, and a camera of the UAV.