Method and device for movable object distance detection, and aerial vehicle

Abstract

A method for distance detection includes detecting a first distance value between a movable object and a target object in a target direction of the movable object, obtaining an inclination angle of the movable object at the target direction, and calculating a second distance value from the movable object to the target object based upon the inclination angle and the first distance value.

what is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for detecting distance between an aerial vehicle and a target object, comprising:
 acquiring, using one or more first sensors configured on the aerial vehicle, a first distance value corresponding to a distance between the aerial vehicle and the target object in a target direction of the aerial vehicle, the one or more first sensors including one or more of a distance sensor and a visual sensor;   acquiring, using a second sensor configured on the aerial vehicle, an inclination angle of the aerial vehicle, the inclination angle being an intersection angle between a moving direction of the aerial vehicle and a horizontal plane, and the second sensor being an inclination sensor;   calculating, by a processor, a second distance value from the aerial vehicle to the target object based upon the inclination angle and the first distance value; and   controlling, by a flight controller configured on the aerial vehicle, a movement of the aerial vehicle based upon the second distance value.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first sensors include two visual sensors; and   acquiring the first distance value between the aerial vehicle and the target object includes acquiring the first distance value using the two visual sensors.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein acquiring the first distance value between the aerial vehicle and the target object comprises:
 controlling the two visual sensors to acquire at least two images in the target direction;   determining, by the processor, feature points in each of the at least two images;   performing, by the processor, feature point comparison and determining correlated feature points between the at least two images; and   calculating, by the processor, the first distance value between the aerial vehicle and the target object based upon the correlated feature points.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein determining the feature points in each of the at least two images comprises:
 determining, by the processor, an effective area in each of the at least two images based upon the inclination angle; and   determining, by the processor, the feature points in the effective area of each of the at least two images.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the correlated feature points include a group of sparse feature points, and   calculating the first distance value between the aerial vehicle and the target object based upon the correlated feature points includes calculating the first distance value between the aerial vehicle and the target object based upon the sparse feature points.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the correlated feature points include a group of dense feature points, and   calculating the first distance value between the aerial vehicle and the target object based upon the correlated feature points comprises calculating the first distance value between the aerial vehicle and the target object based upon the dense feature points.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting the first distance value between the aerial vehicle and a target object comprises:
 acquiring distance sensing data sensed from the distance sensor, and calculating a distance value from the distance sensing data;   if the calculated distance value is less than a preset distance threshold, determining the calculated distance value as the first distance value; and   if the calculated distance value is larger than the preset distance threshold, determining a distance value between the aerial vehicle and the target object sensed by a visual sensing process as the first distance value.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein controlling the movement of the aerial vehicle based upon the second distance comprises performing an obstacle avoidance based upon the second distance, the obstacle avoidance comprising limiting a moving speed of the aerial vehicle or avoiding the target object. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein controlling the movement of the aerial vehicle based upon the second distance comprises performing a target tracking based upon the second distance, the target tracking comprising controlling the movement of the aerial vehicle such that a distance between the aerial vehicle and the target object is within a predetermined tracking distance threshold. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein controlling the movement of the aerial vehicle based upon the second distance comprises:
 in response to the second distance value being below a distance threshold, controlling the aerial vehicle to enter an emergent braking state, the distance threshold being a sum of the stopping distance and a safe distance.   
     
     
         11 . A device for distance detection comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 control one or more of first sensors configured on an aerial vehicle to acquire a first distance value corresponding to a distance between the aerial vehicle and a target object in a target direction of the aerial vehicle, the one or more first sensors including one or more of a distance sensor and a visual sensor; 
 control a second sensor configured on the aerial vehicle to acquire an inclination angle of the aerial vehicle at the target direction, the inclination angle being an intersection angle between a moving direction of the aerial vehicle and a horizontal plane, and the second sensor being an inclination sensor; 
 calculate a second distance value from the aerial vehicle to the target object based upon the inclination angle and the first distance value; and 
   control a movement of the aerial vehicle based upon the second distance value.   
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the first sensors include two visual sensors; and   the instructions further cause the processor to acquire the first distance value using the two visual sensors.   
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
 control the two visual sensors to acquire at least two images in the target direction;   determine feature points in each of the at least two images;   perform feature point comparison and determine correlated feature points between the at least two images; and   calculate the first distance value between the aerial vehicle and the target object based upon the correlated feature points.   
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
 determine an effective area in each of the at least two images based upon the inclination angle; and   determine the feature points in the effective area of each of the at least two images.   
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the determined feature points include a group of sparse feature points, and   the instructions further cause the processor to calculate the first distance value between the aerial vehicle and the target object based upon the sparse feature points.   
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the determined feature points include a group of dense feature points, and   the instructions further cause the processor to calculate the first distance value between the aerial vehicle and the target object based upon the dense feature points.   
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
 acquire distance sensing data sensed by the distance sensor, and calculate a distance value from the distance sensing data;   if the calculated distance value is less than a preset distance threshold, determine the calculated distance value as the first distance value; and   if the calculated distance value is larger than the preset distance threshold, determine a distance value between the aerial vehicle and the target object sensed by a visual sensing process as the first distance value.   
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
 control a movement of the aerial vehicle based upon the second distance value.   
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to perform an obstacle avoidance based upon the second distance, the obstacle avoidance comprising limiting a moving speed of the aerial vehicle or avoiding the target object. 
     
     
         20 . An aerial vehicle comprising:
 a propulsion device;   one or more first sensors configured to acquire a first distance value corresponding to a distance between the aerial vehicle and the target object in a target direction of the aerial vehicle, the one or more first sensors including one or more of a distance sensor and a visual sensor;   a second sensor configured to acquire an inclination angle of the aerial vehicle, the inclination angle being an intersection angle between a moving direction of the aerial vehicle and a horizontal plane, and the second sensor being an inclination sensor;   a processor configured to calculate a second distance value from the aerial vehicle to the target object based upon the inclination angle and the first distance value; and   a flight controller configured to control a movement of the aerial vehicle based upon the second distance value.