UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE INCLUDING AN OMNIDIRECTIONAL DEPTH SENSING AND OBSTACLE AVOIDANCE AERIAL SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATING SAME

摘要

An unmanned aerial vehicle (12) includes a fuselage body (20), a lift mechanism (30) coupled to the fuselage body, and a depth sensing and obstacle avoidance system (32) coupled to the fuselage body. The depth sensing and obstacle avoidance system includes a platform assembly (58), a pair of stereovision cameras (80) coupled to the platform assembly, and a motor assembly (62) coupled to the fuselage body and to the platform assembly. The platform assembly includes a support member (68) extending between a first end (70) and an opposite second end (72) along a longitudinal axis (74). The pair of stereovision cameras includes each stereovision camera (82, 84) positioned at an opposite end of the support member. The motor assembly is configured to rotate the platform assembly with respect to the fuselage body about a rotational axis (66) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the platform assembly. The depth sensing and obstacle avoidance system and a method of operating an aerial vehicle are also disclosed.