Patent attributes
A method for controlling a UAV in an environment includes receiving first and second sensing signals from a vision sensor and a proximity sensor, respectively, coupled to the UAV. The first and second sensing signals include first and second depth information of the environment, respectively. The method further includes selecting the first and second sensing signals for generating first and second portions of an environmental map, respectively, based on a suitable criterion associated with distinct characteristics of various portions of the environment or distinct capabilities of the vision sensor and the proximity sensor, generating first and second sets of depth images for the first and second portions of the environmental map, respectively, based on the first and second sensing signals, respectively, combining the first and second sets of depth images to generate the environmental map; and effecting the UAV to navigate in the environment using the environmental map.