System and method for providing easy-to-use release and auto-positioning for drone applications

1. An aerial system, comprising:

a body;

a lift mechanism coupled to the body;

an optical system including an optical sensor mounted to the body;

a user interface including a display screen mounted on an outer surface of the body; and

a processing system including a memory device and a processor coupled the memory device, the memory device including a plurality of predefined flight control operations stored thereon, each predefined flight control operation including a corresponding flight trajectory performed by the lift mechanism and a corresponding image capture operation performed by the optical system, the processor programmed to:

display the plurality of predefined flight control operations on the display screen;

receive a selection of a predefined flight control operation from a user via the user interface; and

execute the user selected predefined flight control operation by:

operating the lift mechanism in a flight mode;

operating the optical system to detect a target;

establishing a current flight trajectory relative to the target based on the corresponding flight trajectory associated with the selected predefined flight control operation;

controlling the lift mechanism to move the aerial system based on the established current flight trajectory; and

operate the optical system to perform the corresponding image capture operation associated with the selected predefined flight control operation; and

operate the aerial system in a standby mode upon completing the selected predefined flight control operation.

2. The aerial system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is programmed to:

detect a release event in which the aerial system is released from being physically held by the user and responsively operate the lift mechanism to hover the aerial system;

detect a flight event indicating that the aerial system has been supported substantially horizontally for greater than a threshold period of time; and

control the lift mechanism to move the aerial system based on the established current flight trajectory upon detecting the flight event.

3. The aerial system of claim 2 , wherein the processor is programmed to:

determine a current location of the aerial system upon receiving the selection of the predefined flight control operation by the user via the user interface;

associate the current location of the aerial system with an initial target location associated with the target;

detect the release event and responsively operate the lift mechanism to hover the aerial system; and

control the lift mechanism to orientate the optical sensor towards the initial target location.

4. The aerial system of claim 3 , wherein the processor is programmed to detect an initial release speed upon detecting the release event and responsively establish a distance travel command as a function of the detected initial release speed.

5. The aerial system of claim 4 , wherein the processor is programmed to:

detect an initial trajectory upon detecting the release event; and

establish a direction to travel based on the established current flight trajectory and the detected initial trajectory.

6. The aerial system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is programmed to:

operate the aerial system in a retrieving mode when the selected predefined flight control operation has completed;

detect a standby event; and

operate the aerial system in the standby mode in response to detecting the standby event.

7. The aerial system of claim 1 , wherein the user interface is implemented using one or more of the following: a menu displayed on the display screen, a touchscreen device, and/or one or more buttons.

8. The aerial system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is programmed to operate the optical system to perform the corresponding image capture operation including automatically begin obtaining pictures and/or video of the target.

9. The aerial system of claim 8 , wherein the processor is programmed to track the target during flight mode and automatically adjust an orientation of the optical sensor to maintain the target within pictures and/or video captured by the optical sensor.

10. The aerial system of claim 1 , wherein the corresponding image capture operation includes the optical system performing one of more of: (1) taking a snapshot, (2) taking a series of snapshots, (3) taking a video with or without snapshot(s), and (4) taking one or more videos with or without snapshot(s).

11. A method for controlling an aerial system including a body, a lift mechanism coupled to the body, an optical system including an optical sensor mounted to the body, a user interface including a display screen mounted on an outer surface of the body, and a processing system including a memory device and a processor coupled the memory device, wherein the memory device includes a plurality of predefined flight control operations stored thereon, each predefined flight control operation including a corresponding flight trajectory performed by the lift mechanism and a corresponding image capture operation performed by the optical system, the method includes the processor performing the steps of:

displaying the plurality of predefined flight control operations on the display screen;

receiving a selection of a predefined flight control operation from a user via the user interface; and

executing the user selected predefined flight control operation by:

operating the lift mechanism in a flight mode;

operating the optical system to detect a target;

establishing a current flight trajectory relative to the target based on the corresponding flight trajectory associated with the selected predefined flight control operation;

controlling the lift mechanism to move the aerial system based on the established current flight trajectory; and

operate the optical system to perform the corresponding image capture operation associated with the selected predefined flight control operation; and

operate the aerial system in a standby mode upon completing the selected predefined flight control operation.

12. The method of claim 11 , including the processor performing the steps of:

detecting a release event in which the aerial system is released from being physically held by the user and responsively operating the lift mechanism to hover the aerial system;

detecting a flight event indicating that the aerial system has been supported substantially horizontally for greater than a threshold period of time; and

controlling the lift mechanism to move the aerial system based on the established current flight trajectory upon detecting the flight event.

13. The method of claim 12 , including the processor performing the steps of:

determining a current location of the aerial system upon receiving the selection of the predefined flight control operation by the user via the user interface;

associating the current location of the aerial system with an initial target location associated with the target;

detecting the release event and responsively operate the lift mechanism to hover the aerial system; and

controlling the lift mechanism to orientate the optical sensor towards the initial target location.

14. The method of claim 13 , including the processor performing the steps of detecting an initial release speed upon detecting the release event and responsively establishing a distance travel command as a function of the detected initial release speed.

15. The method of claim 14 , including the processor performing the steps of:

detecting an initial trajectory upon detecting the release event; and

establishing a direction to travel based on the established current flight trajectory and the detected initial trajectory.

16. The method of claim 11 , including the processor performing the steps of:

operating the aerial system in a retrieving mode when the selected predefined flight control operation has completed;

detecting a standby event; and

operating the aerial system in the standby mode in response to detecting the standby event.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the user interface is implemented using one or more of the following: a menu displayed on the display screen, a touchscreen device, and/or one or more buttons.

18. The method of claim 11 , including the processor performing the steps of operating the optical system to perform the corresponding image capture operation including automatically begin obtaining pictures and/or video of the target.

19. The method of claim 18 , including the processor performing the steps of tracking the target during flight mode and automatically adjusting an orientation of the optical sensor to maintain the target within pictures and/or video captured by the optical sensor.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the corresponding image capture operation includes the optical system performing one of more of: (1) taking a snapshot, (2) taking a series of snapshots, (3) taking a video with or without snapshot(s), and (4) taking one or more videos with or without snapshot(s).