Image-matching navigation method and apparatus for aerial vehicles
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Authors
Yakimenko, Oleg A.
Decker, Ryan J.
Subjects
Advisors
Date of Issue
2019-12-24
Date
Publisher
The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy, Washington, DC (US)
Language
en_US
Abstract
A method and apparatus for estimating the position and attitude of an aerial vehicle transiting over terrain through a combination of steps combining image registration and the inherent image coordinate system of the camera. The aerial vehicle captures an image of the terrain and extracts features from the camera image and pre-existing aerial imagery, and determines a perspective transform between the images. Image reference points are projected with the 2D perspective transform and an elevation map provides estimated 3D coordinates of the image reference points. Subsequently a camera position and orientation necessary for the camera to obtain the initial camera image is determined by projecting reference points with locations defined by the image coordinate system of the camera to define terrain points, and conducting an optimization to minimize displacements between the estimated coordinates and the terrain coordinates. The estimated camera position provides a location and attitude for the aerial vehicle.
Type
Patent
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Organization
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Identifiers
US 10,515,458 B1
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funder
Format
19 p.
Citation
Distribution Statement
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.