TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to drone-based surveillance.

BACKGROUND

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), or a drone device, refers to an electronic device that is capable of navigating, either under remote control by a human operator, or fully or intermittently autonomously, by onboard computers. Drone devices can be associated with a monitoring system of a property to perform various types of monitoring operations of the property. For example, a camera of a drone device can capture video footage of a property premises while performing a surveillance operation.

SUMMARY

Techniques, devices, and systems are described for determining and adjusting a perspective angle of a drone sensor such as a camera. A described technique includes receiving, by a controller, an event associated with one or more spatial coordinates or zones; determining, by the controller while an aerial drone is docked with a ground station, a current perspective angle of a camera mounted on an aerial drone; determining, by the controller, a target perspective angle of the camera based on the event such that the target perspective angle will cause the camera to capture imagery from the one or more spatial coordinates or zones; and adjusting, by an actuator communicatively coupled with the controller, the camera from the current perspective angle to the target perspective angle.

This and other implementations can include one or more of the following features. In some implementations, the ground station includes the actuator. In some implementations, adjusting the camera includes sending one or more control commands to the ground station to engage the actuator to adjust a field of view of the camera. In some implementations, the ground station includes the controller. In some implementations, the aerial drone includes the actuator. In some implementations, the actuator includes a propulsion system of the aerial drone. In some implementations, the ground station includes a guide or lock. Implementations can include operating the propulsion system to generate thrust to move an orientation of the camera using the guide or lock. In some implementations, the event is triggered by one or more sensors located at a property, an alarm system associated with the property, or both.

In some implementations, the ground station includes a marker. Determining the current perspective angle can include obtaining data from a sensor configured to detect an orientation of the camera; and determining the current perspective angle of the camera based on the data from the sensor with respect to the marker. Implementations can include causing the aerial device to deploy in response to the event. Implementations can include causing the camera to capture imagery at the target perspective angle while the aerial drone is docked with the ground station.

A described drone system can include an aerial drone comprising a camera; a ground station configured to dock with the aerial drone; an actuator to adjust a field of view of the camera; and a controller. The controller can be configured to receive an event associated with one or more spatial coordinates or zones. The controller can be configured to determine a current perspective angle of the camera while the aerial drone is docked with the ground station. The controller can be configured to determine a target perspective angle of the camera based on the event such that the target perspective angle will cause the camera to capture imagery from the one or more spatial coordinates or zones. The controller can be configured to cause the actuator to adjust the camera from the current perspective angle to the target perspective angle while the aerial drone is docked with the ground station.

This and other implementations can include one or more of the following features. In some implementations, the ground station includes the actuator. In some implementations, the controller is configured to send one or more control commands to the ground station to engage the actuator to adjust the field of view. In some implementations, the ground station includes the controller. In some implementations, the aerial drone includes the actuator. In some implementations, the actuator includes a propulsion system of the aerial drone. In some implementations, the ground station includes a guide or lock. The aerial drone can be configured to use the propulsion system to generate thrust to move an orientation of the camera using the guide or lock. In some implementations, the aerial drone includes the controller. In some implementations, the event is triggered by one or more sensors located at a property, an alarm system associated with the property, or both. In some implementations, the controller is configured to cause the actuator to change the field of view of the camera based on a user input. Implementations can include a sensor to detect an orientation of the camera. In some implementations, the ground station includes a marker. The controller can be configured to determine the current perspective angle of the camera based on data from the sensor with respect to the marker. In some implementations, the controller is configured to cause the aerial drone to deploy in response to the event. In some implementations, the controller is configured to cause the camera to capture imagery at the target perspective angle while the aerial drone is docked with the ground station.

In some implementations, the controller can be configured to determine a target perspective angle of the camera based on the event such that the target perspective angle will cause the camera to capture imagery from the one or more spatial coordinates or zones when the aerial drone is deployed in response to the event. The controller can be configured to cause the actuator to adjust the camera from the current perspective angle to the target perspective angle while the aerial drone is docked with the ground station. The controller can be configured to cause the aerial drone to deploy in response to the event.

Particular configurations of the technology described in this disclosure can be implemented so as to realize one or more of the following potential advantages. Adjusting the field of view of a drone's sensor can help the drone better collect sensor data in response to an event. A ground station based mechanism to adjust the drone sensor's field of view can provide a cost efficient solution for dynamically adjusting the sensor's field of view.

The details of one or more implementations are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features will be apparent from the description and drawings.

