基于视频图像的微型飞行器飞行高度提取方法

Vision-based flight height extraction for micro aerial vehicles

微型飞行器飞行高度是其自主飞行的重要参数之一。为了准确快速地获取微型飞行器的飞行高度参数,提出了一种利用视频图像获取微型飞行器飞行高度的鲁棒性算法。算法利用图像处理、图像分析的方法,结合光学理论和几何学理论推导出了飞行高度的计算公式。这种基于视频图像提取微型飞行器飞行高度的方法具有很好的实时性和对恶劣环境的适应能力。在主频为750Hz的地面站上,其工作频率可以达到12Hz。飞行实验表明,这种基于视频图像的飞行高度提取算法最大误差不超过10m,这一精度满足飞行器平稳飞行的需要。

Flight height is a very important parameter for micro aerial vehicle (MAV) flight autonomy. The MAV flight height was accurately and quickly determined using a new robust vision-based flight height extraction algorithm. In the algorithm, the height is deduced from image processing and analysis combined with optical theory. The vision-based MAV flight height extraction method is real-time and adaptive to bad conditions. The algorithm was demonstrated for a 12-Hz measurement rate on a Pentium III 750 PC. The flight experiment shows that the error of the vision-based flight height extraction algorithm can be confined to 10 m, which meets the stable flight control requirements for the MAVs. 