| 摘要 |
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for determining a route 58 to be followed by an unmanned air vehicle (UAV) 2. The method comprises acquiring, by one or more processors: a position of a target on the ground 8; parameter values relating to manoeuvrability of the aircraft; a specification of a direction relative to the aircraft in which an exhaust of the aircraft points. A route for the aircraft is then determined using the acquired information. The determination of the route comprises minimising a duration for which the exhaust of the aircraft is directed towards the target. Thus, the engine noise and infrared signature of the aircraft with respect to the target tends to be reduced. Furthermore, the method includes capturing, by a sensor, a set of images, wherein the aircraft moves with respect to the target and the sensor moves with respect to the aircraft such that the target is wholly contained within a footprint of the sensor on the ground, and the images are captured such that the whole of the target is present within each image in the set. The route could be a continuous loop. |
