Measuring Horizon Angle from Video on a Small Unmanned Air Vehicle

Abstract

This article details the work of the authors towards the goal of using video processing for autonomous flight control of small unmanned aircraft (UAVs). The work reports on procedures that were designed by the authors to determine the roll of an aircraft from video imagery of the horizon, using video and computing equipment small and light enough to be carried by the aircraft. Theory and results of tests using simulated horizon views are given and discussed. Preliminary results from real flights are also given and discussed.