Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 May 2000
Machine vision-based sensing enables automatic hover stabilization of helicopters. The evaluation of image data, which is produced by a camera looking straight to the ground, results in a drift free autonomous on-board position measurement system. No additional information about the appearance of the scenery seen by the camera (e.g. landmarks) is needed. The technique being applied is a combination of the 4D-approach with two dimensional template tracking of a priori unknown features.