A method for optimizing image capture of a scene by a swarm of drones including a root drone and first and second level-1 drones involves the root drone following a predetermined trajectory over the scene, capturing one or more root keyframe images, at a corresponding one or more root drone orientations and root drone-to-scene distances. For each root keyframe image: the root drone generates a ground mask image for that root keyframe image, and applies that ground mask image to the root keyframe image to generate a target image. The root drone then analyzes the target image to generate first and second scanning tasks for the first and second level-1 drones to capture a plurality of images of the scene at a level-1 drone-to-scene distance smaller than the root drone-to-scene distance; and the first and second level-1 drones carry out the first and second scanning tasks respectively.

A portable sensor system is provided for detecting objects in the environment of the portable sensor system and for being temporarily attached to a mobile object. The portable sensor system includes an environment detection sensor for detecting objects, an attaching device connected to the environment detection sensor for temporarily attaching the portable sensor system to an external surface of the mobile object, and a position determining apparatus for determining a sensor position of the environment detection sensor when the environment detection sensor is attached to the external surface. The position determining apparatus is configured to determine the sensor position relative to the mobile object on the basis of a predetermined geometrical model of the external surface and a region of the external surface detected by the environment detection sensor.

A portable sensor system is provided for detecting objects in the environment of the portable sensor system and for being temporarily attached to a mobile object. The portable sensor system includes an environment detection sensor for detecting objects, an attaching device connected to the environment detection sensor for temporarily attaching the portable sensor system to an external surface of the mobile object, and a position determining apparatus for determining a sensor position of the environment detection sensor when the environment detection sensor is attached to the external surface. The position determining apparatus is configured to determine the sensor position relative to the mobile object on the basis of a predetermined geometrical model of the external surface and a region of the external surface detected by the environment detection sensor.

Aspects and implementations of the present disclosure address challenges of the existing technology by enabling lidar-assisted identification and characterization of visibility-reducing media (VRM) such as fog, rain, snow, dust in autonomous vehicle applications, using lidar sensing. VRM can be identified and characterized using a variety of techniques, including analyzing a spatial distribution of low-intensity lidar returns, detecting pulse elongation of VRM-returns associated with reflection from VRM, determining intensity of VRM-returns, determining reduction of intensity of returns from various reference objects, and other techniques.

A method and a system for detecting wire or wire-like obstacles, which method and system are designed for an aircraft. The system for detecting wire or wire-like obstacles comprises a detection device, such as a video camera or a LIDAR device, a computer and a display device. The method includes a step of detecting at least one pylon in the surrounding environment of the aircraft via a detection device, a step of identifying a family of pylons to which each detected pylon corresponds, a step of characterizing at least one cable supported by the at least one detected pylon, and a step of determining a prohibited zone that can potentially contain each pylon and each cable and a safe zone not containing either a pylon or a cable. The prohibited zone and the safe zone may be displayed on the display device.

A system and method for detecting a rotary wing aircraft. A return electromagnetic signal, reflected by a rotary wing aircraft, is received through an electromagnetic signal detection apparatus. The aircraft includes a plurality of propeller blades attached to at least one motor. At least one propeller blade has at least one portion with a reflectivity different from other portions. A first time series data of the return electromagnetic signal is received. A second time series data is determined based on the first time series data and a predefined threshold. A characteristic of the second time series data is used to determine whether it corresponds to the known aircraft.

An example computing system is configured to: (i) receive, from one or more sensors of a vehicle in motion over a body of water, a set of sensor data, (ii) based on the set of sensor data, determine (a) an instantaneous distance between the vehicle and a surface of the body of water and (b) an instantaneous slope of the surface of the body of water, (iii) based on at least one of the instantaneous distance or the instantaneous slope, determine a statistical representation of the surface of the body of water, and (iv) based on the determined statistical representation of the surface of the body of water, adjust one or more control surfaces of the vehicle to change one or more of a speed, altitude, heading, or attitude of the vehicle.

An example computing system is configured to: (i) receive, from one or more sensors of a vehicle in motion over a body of water, a set of sensor data, (ii) based on the set of sensor data, determine (a) an instantaneous distance between the vehicle and a surface of the body of water and (b) an instantaneous slope of the surface of the body of water, (iii) based on at least one of the instantaneous distance or the instantaneous slope, determine a statistical representation of the surface of the body of water, and (iv) based on the determined statistical representation of the surface of the body of water, adjust one or more control surfaces of the vehicle to change one or more of a speed, altitude, heading, or attitude of the vehicle.

Method and device for assisting with landing an aircraft under poor visibility conditions are provided. The method allows sensor data to be received during a phase of approach toward a runway when the runway and/or an approach lighting system are not visible to the pilot from the cockpit; then, in the received sensor data, data of interest characteristic of the runway and/or the approach lighting system to be determined; then, on the basis of the data of interest, the coordinates of a target area to be computed; and, on a head-up display, a guiding symbol representative of the target area to be displayed, the guiding symbol being displayed before the aircraft reaches the decision height, in order to provide the pilot with a visual cue in which to search for the runway and/or approach lighting system.

Method and device for assisting with landing an aircraft under poor visibility conditions are provided. The method allows sensor data to be received during a phase of approach toward a runway when the runway and/or an approach lighting system are not visible to the pilot from the cockpit; then, in the received sensor data, data of interest characteristic of the runway and/or the approach lighting system to be determined; then, on the basis of the data of interest, the coordinates of a target area to be computed; and, on a head-up display, a guiding symbol representative of the target area to be displayed, the guiding symbol being displayed before the aircraft reaches the decision height, in order to provide the pilot with a visual cue in which to search for the runway and/or approach lighting system.