Position estimation device and position estimation method

1. A flight vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of rotors;

a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver configured to receive a GPS signal from a GPS satellite;

a lower side camera on a lower side of the flight vehicle, wherein the lower side camera is configured to capture an image in a downward direction with respect to the flight vehicle;

a lower side sensor, different from the lower side camera, configured to receive an invisible signal for estimation of an altitude of the flight vehicle; and

circuitry configured to:

control a flight of the flight vehicle based on the plurality of rotors, wherein

the flight corresponds to at least one of a hovering operation of the flight vehicle, a movement of the flight vehicle, or a turning operation of the flight vehicle, and

the flight is based on flight route information; and

control, during the flight of the flight vehicle, a flight position of the flight vehicle based on the received GPS signal, the captured image, and the received invisible signal.

2. The flight vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein

the lower side sensor includes an ultrasonic sensor,

the invisible signal is an ultrasonic wave, and

the ultrasonic sensor is configured to:

emit the ultrasonic wave in the downward direction with respect to the flight vehicle; and

receive, as the invisible signal, a reflected wave of the ultrasonic wave.

3. The flight vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the lower side camera includes at least two lower side cameras.

4. The flight vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein

the at least two lower side cameras are for stereo Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM), and

the stereo SLAM is for position estimation of the flight vehicle.

5. The flight vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising an inertial sensor, wherein the circuitry is further configured to estimate, during the flight of the flight vehicle, the flight position and a posture of the flight vehicle based on the inertial sensor.

6. The flight vehicle according to claim 5 , wherein

the circuitry is further configured to determine a weight of a position estimation system, and

the position estimation system includes at least two of the GPS receiver, the lower side camera, the lower side sensor, or the inertial sensor.

7. The flight vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein the weight of the position estimation system is determined based on a status of the GPS receiver.

8. The flight vehicle according to claim 5 , wherein the inertial sensor includes a gyro sensor and an acceleration sensor.

9. The flight vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising a gimbal for the lower side camera.

10. The flight vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein

a flight area of the flight vehicle includes a first area and a second area,

the first area is an area in which a sufficient GPS signal reaches from the GPS satellite, and

the second area is an area in which an insufficient GPS signal reaches from the GPS satellite.

11. The flight vehicle according to claim 10 , wherein a strength of the sufficient GPS signal is greater than a strength of the insufficient GPS signal.

12. The flight vehicle according to claim 10 , wherein

the first area is in outdoor environment and the second area is in indoor environment, and

the flight vehicle is configured to reciprocate between the outdoor environment and the indoor environment.

13. A method, comprising:

in a flight vehicle that includes a plurality of rotors, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, a lower side camera on a lower side of the flight vehicle, a lower side sensor different from the lower side camera, and circuitry:

receiving, by the GPS receiver, a GPS signal from a GPS satellite;

capturing, by the lower side camera, an image in a downward direction with respect to the flight vehicle;

receiving, by the lower side sensor, an invisible signal for estimation of an altitude of the flight vehicle;

controlling, by the circuitry, a flight of the flight vehicle based on the plurality of rotors, wherein

the flight corresponds to at least one of a hovering operation of the flight vehicle, a movement of the flight vehicle, or a turning operation of the flight vehicle, and

the flight is based on flight route information; and

controlling, by the circuitry, during the flight of the flight vehicle, a flight position of the flight vehicle based on the received GPS signal, the captured image, and the received invisible signal.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions, which when executed by a processor of a flight vehicle, cause the processor to execute operations, the operations comprising:

controlling a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver of the flight vehicle to receive a GPS signal from a GPS satellite;

controlling a lower side camera, on a lower side of the flight vehicle, to capture an image in a downward direction with respect to the flight vehicle;

controlling a lower side sensor of the flight vehicle to receive an invisible signal for estimation of an altitude of the flight vehicle, wherein the lower side sensor is different from the lower side camera;

controlling a flight of the flight vehicle based on a plurality of rotors of the flight vehicle, wherein

the flight corresponds to at least one of a hovering operation of the flight vehicle, a movement of the flight vehicle, or a turning operation of the flight vehicle, and

the flight is based on flight route information; and

controlling, during the flight of the flight vehicle, a flight position of the flight vehicle based on the received GPS signal, the captured image, and the received invisible signal.