Patent Publication Number: US-10308359-B2

Title: Moving device, method of controlling moving device and storage medium

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority under 35 USC 119 of Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2016-124929 filed on Jun. 23, 2016, and 2017-032100 filed on Feb. 23, 2017, the entire disclosure of which, including the description, claims, drawings, and abstract, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a moving device which flies without a pilot and performs imaging from the air if it is released from a user&#39;s hand or the like. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Moving devices configured by attaching digital cameras to small pilotless moving devices referred to collectively as so-called drones have started to spread (see JP-A-2004-118087, JP-A-2005-269413, JP-A-2012-156683, and JP-A-2008-120294 for instance). The small pilotless moving devices each have, for example, four propelling devices using rotor blades configured to be driven by motors, and the moving devices and the digital cameras are operated by timers or are remotely operated in various manners such as a wireless manner, thereby performing imaging from high positions beyond people&#39;s reach. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to an example of the disclosure, a moving device includes an imaging unit, an acquiring unit, a determining unit and an imaging control unit. The acquiring unit is configured to acquire a state at a time when the moving device is released from a user. The determining unit is configured to determine an imaging manner to control the imaging unit after the time of being released, based on the state acquired by the acquiring unit. The imaging control unit is configured to control the imaging unit in the imaging manner determined by the determining unit. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a view illustrating an example of the structure of motor frames of a moving device according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a view illustrating an example of the system configuration of the moving device according to the embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is an explanatory view of throwing directions. 
         FIG. 4  is a flow chart illustrating an example of an imaging-mode control process of the moving device according to the embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a flow chart illustrating an example of a process of setting thresholds for imaging manners according to the embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a flow chart illustrating an example of an imaging-condition control process of the flight device according to the embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a flow chart illustrating a process of generating an initial-velocity shutter-speed correspondence table according to a different embodiment of the imaging-condition control process of the flight device. 
         FIG. 8  is a view illustrating an example of a table representing the relation of exposure, shutter speed, and aperture. 
         FIG. 9  is a view illustrating an example of an initial-velocity shutter-speed correspondence table which is generated in the different embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawing. The present embodiment is for acquiring a state when a moving device is released from a holder (a user), for example, when the moving device is thrown by a thrower, and determining an imaging manner to control an imaging unit after the time of having been released, and controlling the imaging unit in the determined imaging manner. Specifically, the present embodiment is for making it possible to drive propelling units of the moving device after the moving device has been thrown, such that the moving device flies, and control the imaging manner of the imaging unit of the moving device. More specifically, the present embodiment is for recognizing that a moving device has been thrown by a user, and acquiring a state at the time of having been thrown, based on sensor data, by calculation, and comparing individual parameters with thresholds, thereby estimating the throwing manner of the user, and performing a transition to an imaging manner based on the throwing manner, and performing imaging according to the corresponding imaging manner. 
       FIG. 1  is a view illustrating an example of the external appearance of a moving device  100  according to the present embodiment. 
     Four circular motor frames (supporting units)  102  are attached to a main frame  101 . The motor frames  102  are configured to be able to support motors  104 , and rotor blades  103  are fixed on the motor shafts of the motors  104 . The four pairs of motors  104  and rotor blades  103  constitute propelling units. 
     The main frame  101  contains a circuit box  105 , which contains motor drivers for driving the motors  104 , a controller, various sensors, and so on. On the lower portion of the main frame  101 , a camera  106  is attached as an imaging unit. 
       FIG. 2  is a view illustrating an example of the system configuration of the moving device  100  of the embodiment having the structure shown in  FIG. 1 . A controller  201  is connected to a camera system  202  including the camera  106  (see  FIG. 1 ), a flight sensor  203  composed of various components such as acceleration sensors, a gyro sensor, and a GPS (global position system) sensor, a touch sensor  204  (a touch detection sensor unit), first to fourth motor drivers  205  for driving the first to fourth motors  104  (see  FIG. 1 ), respectively, and a power sensor  206  for supplying electric power to the individual motor drivers  205  while monitoring the voltage of a battery  207 . Here, the touch sensor  204  may be a push button or the like as long as it can detect touches. Also, although not particularly shown in the drawings, electric power of the battery  207  is also supplied to various control units for the controller  201 , the camera system  202 , the flight sensor  203 , the touch sensor  204 , the motor drivers  205 , and the power sensor  206 . The controller  201  acquires information on the posture of the airframe of the moving device  100  from the flight sensor  203  in real time. Also, the controller  201  uses the power sensor  206  to transmit power instruction signals to the first to fourth motor drivers  205  while monitoring the voltage of the battery  207 . The power instruction signals depend on duty ratios based on pulse width modulation of the first to fourth motor drivers, respectively. As a result, the first to fourth motor drivers  205  control the rotation speeds of the first to fourth motors  104 , respectively. Also, the controller  201  controls the camera system  202 , thereby controlling an imaging operation of the camera  106  ( FIG. 1 ). In the present embodiment, the controller  201  serves as an acquiring unit for acquiring a state when the moving device has been released from a holder, that is, when the moving device has been thrown by the holder, a determining unit for determining an imaging manner to control the camera system  202  and the camera  106  constituting the imaging unit after the moving device  100  has been released from the holder (the moving device has been thrown by the holder), based on the sate acquired by the acquiring unit, and an imaging control unit for controlling the camera  106  in the imaging manner determined by the determining unit, by the camera system  202 . 
     The controller  201 , the camera system  202 , the flight sensor  203 , the motor drivers  205 , the power sensor  206 , and the battery  207  shown in  FIG. 2  are stored in the circuit box  105  contained in the main frame  101  of  FIG. 1 . Also, although not shown in  FIG. 1 , the touch sensor  204  is stuck on the main frame  101  and/or the motor frames  102  shown in  FIG. 1 , and detect the difference in the electrical physical quantity between when the main frame  101  or the motor frames  102  are being touched by thrower&#39;s fingers or the like and when the main frame and the motor frames are not being touched. 
     Hereinafter, operations of the moving device  100  having the above-described configuration will be described. First, examples of imaging modes of imaging manners of the present embodiment and examples of throwing manners corresponding to the imaging modes will be enumerated below. The imaging modes indicate a turning imaging mode, a spinning imaging mode, a self-timer imaging mode, an automatic follow-up imaging mode, and a normal imaging mode. Also, as another imaging mode, an imaging prohibition mode may be included. 
     &lt;Example in which Turning Imaging Mode is Determined&gt; 
     This mode is a mode for performing imaging while turning around the user having thrown. On the assumption that an x axis and a y axis are axes defined in a plane parallel to the ground, and a z axis is an axis perpendicular to the ground and directed to the sky, and the x axis, the y axis, and the z axis define a three-dimensional space as shown in  FIG. 3 , a throwing manner corresponding to the turning imaging mode is a manner of throwing the moving device while rotating the moving device around the x axis, or the y axis, or both of the x axis and the y axis, as shown by a reference symbol “ 301 ” in  FIG. 3 . 
     &lt;Example in which Spinning Imaging Mode is Determined&gt; 
     This mode is a mode in which the moving device  100  performs imaging while spinning on the z axis. A throwing manner corresponding to the spinning imaging mode is a manner of throwing the moving device while rotating the moving device on the z axis as shown by a reference symbol “ 302 ” in  FIG. 3 . 
     &lt;Example in which Self-Timer Imaging Mode is Determined&gt; 
     This mode is a mode of performing imaging by a self-timer after start of flight. A throwing manner corresponding to the self-timer imaging mode is a manner of taking a hand off the moving device without throwing, or lightly throwing up the moving device. The moving device is not rotated at an angular velocity exceeding a threshold. Since this mode is basically for performing imaging on the thrower, the moving device performs face detection, automatic focus adjustment, and the like. Also, in this mode, the moving device starts to fall down due to the force of gravity, and hovers against the force of gravity, thereby maintaining a fixed position. 
     &lt;Example in which Automatic Follow-Up Imaging Mode is Determined&gt; 
     This mode is a mode of performing imaging while automatically following the user having thrown. A throwing manner corresponding to the automatic follow-up imaging mode is a manner of turning the moving device upside down and then taking a hand off the moving device, or strongly throwing up the moving device in parallel to the z axis as shown by a reference symbol “ 304 ” in  FIG. 3 . The moving device is not rotated at an angular velocity exceeding a threshold. 
     &lt;Example in which Normal Imaging Mode is Determined&gt; 
     This mode is a mode of performing imaging while staying at a position to which the moving device has been thrown. A throwing manner of corresponding to r the normal imaging mode is a manner other than the above-described throwing manners for the other imaging modes. An example of such a throwing manner is a manner of throwing the moving device in a horizontal direction without rotating the moving device, although not shown in the drawings. Also, an interval at which continuous shooting is performed may depend on a velocity at which the moving device has been thrown. 
     Various imaging conditions such as a shutter speed, an aperture, an imaging interval, and an imaging timing of a still image or a video may be appropriately set for each mode, or may be fully automatically set. Also, imaging conditions may be set as one of the imaging modes, and be determined based on a state when the moving device has been thrown by (released from) the holder. 
       FIG. 4  is a flow chart illustrating an example of an imaging-mode control process which is performed by the moving device  100  according to the present embodiment and is for making it possible to instruct any one of the above-described five imaging modes based on a throwing manner. This process can be implemented as a process in which a central processing unit (CPU) built in the controller  201  of  FIG. 2  executes a control program stored in a memory (not particularly shown in the drawings) built in the controller in the controller. 
     First, the controller  201  monitors whether the moving device  100  has been released from (thrown by) by a hand of the user, for example, by monitoring a variation in the voltage of the touch sensor  204  (if the determination result of STEP S 401  is “NO”, the controller repeats STEP S 401 ). 
     If the determination result of STEP S 401  becomes “YES”, in STEP S 402 , the controller  201  acquires the state at the time of having been thrown, based on outputs of the flight sensor  203 , by calculation. Specifically, the controller  201  first acquires the angular velocities ωx, ωy, and ωz (rad/s (radian/second)) around the x axis, the y axis, and the z axis in the absolute coordinate system defined by the x axis, the y axis, and the z axis at the time of having been thrown, as output values related to the directions of the individual axes and output from the gyro sensor constituting the flight sensor  203 . Subsequently, the controller  201  calculates an angular velocity ωini-hor around the x axis, the y axis, or both of the x axis and the y axis, that is, in the direction shown by a reference symbol “ 301 ” in  FIG. 3 , and an angular velocity ωini-vert around the z axis, that is, in the direction shown by a reference symbol “ 302 ” of  FIG. 3 , based on calculation processes equivalent to the following Expressions 1 and 2, respectively.
 
ω ini =√{square root over (ω x   2 +ω y   2 +ω z   2 )}  [Expression 1]
 
ω ini   _   vert =ω z   [Expression 2]
 
     Subsequently, the controller  201  calculates velocities Vx, Vy, and Vz (m/s (meter/second)) in the directions of the x axis, the y axis, and the z axis in the absolute coordinate system defined by the x axis, the y axis, and the z axis at the time of having been thrown. At this time, the controller  201  calculates the above-described velocities Vx, Vy, and Vz, based on acceleration values sensed in the directions of the individual axes at the time of having been thrown and output from the acceleration sensors constituting the flight sensor  203  of  FIG. 2 . If it is assumed that the accelerations sensed in the directions of the x axis, the y axis, and the z axis in the absolute coordinate system defined by the x axis, the y axis, and the z axis and output from the acceleration sensors are ax, ay, and az (m/s2), respectively, the controller  201  performs integration processes equivalent to the following Expressions 3, 4, and 5 on the accelerations ax, ay, and az from the time point is of start of the throwing when any one of the values of those accelerations exceeded a predetermined threshold, to the release time point tr when release of the moving device  100  from the body of the thrower was sensed based on the output of the touch sensor  204  of  FIG. 2 , thereby calculating the velocities Vx, Vy, and Vz in the directions of the individual axes at the time of having been thrown.
 
 V   x =∫ t     s     t     r     a   x   Δt   [Expression 3]
 
 V   y =∫ t     s     t     r     a   y   Δt   [Expression 4]
 
 V   z =∫ t     s     t     r     a   z   Δt   [Expression 5]
 
     Subsequently, the controller  201  calculates an initial velocity Vini_hor around the x axis and the y axis, that is, in the horizontal direction shown by the reference symbol “ 303 ” in  FIG. 3 , and an initial velocity Vini_vert in the vertical direction shown by the reference symbol “ 304 ” in  FIG. 3 , based on calculation processes equivalent to the following Expressions 6 and 7, respectively.
 
 V   ini   _   hor =√{square root over ( V   x   2   +V   y   2 )}  [Expression 6]
 
 V   ini   _   vert   =V   z   [Expression 7]
 
     After the process of STEP S 402  described above, in STEP S 403 , the controller  201  determines whether the angular velocity ωini-hor calculated with respect to the direction shown by the reference symbol “ 301 ” of  FIG. 3  in STEP S 402  is larger than a threshold ωTHini-hor set in advance by a threshold setting process shown by a flow chart of  FIG. 5  to be described below. 
     If the determination result of STEP S 403  becomes “YES”, the controller  201  sets the above-described turning imaging mode as an imaging mode in STEP S 404 , and then proceeds to an imaging process of STEP S 412 . 
     If the determination result of STEP S 403  becomes “NO”, subsequently, in STEP S 405 , the controller  201  determines whether the angular velocity ωini-vert calculated with respect to the direction shown by the reference symbol “ 302 ” of  FIG. 3  in STEP S 402  is larger than a threshold ωTHini-vert set in advance by the threshold setting process of the flow chart of  FIG. 5  to be described below. 
     If the determination result of STEP S 405  becomes “YES”, the controller  201  sets the above-described spinning imaging mode as an imaging mode in STEP S 406 , and then proceeds to the imaging process of STEP S 412 . 
     If the determination result of STEP S 405  becomes “NO”, subsequently, in STEP S 407 , the controller  201  determines whether the initial velocity Vini_hor calculated with respect to the horizontal direction shown by the reference symbol “ 303 ” of  FIG. 3  in STEP S 402  is larger than a threshold VTHini_hor set in advance by the threshold setting process of the flow chart of  FIG. 5  to be described below. 
     If the determination result of STEP S 407  becomes “YES”, the controller  201  sets the above-described normal imaging mode as an imaging mode in STEP S 408 , and then proceeds to the imaging process of STEP S 412 . In the normal imaging mode, the moving device shoots still images, series of images, or videos. 
     If the determination result of STEP S 407  becomes “NO”, subsequently, in STEP S 409 , the controller  201  determines whether the initial velocity Vini_vert calculated with respect to the vertical direction shown by the reference symbol “ 304 ” of  FIG. 3  in STEP S 402  is larger than 0 (or a threshold slightly larger than 0). 
     If the determination result of STEP S 409  becomes “YES”, the controller  201  sets the above-described self-timer imaging mode as an imaging mode in STEP S 410 , and then proceeds to the imaging process of STEP S 412 . 
     If the determination result of STEP S 409  becomes “NO”, the controller  201  sets the automatic follow-up imaging mode as an imaging mode in STEP S 411 , and then proceeds to the imaging process of STEP S 412 . 
     In the imaging process of STEP S 412 , the controller  201  controls the first to fourth motor drivers  204  such that they perform a flight operation in the set imaging mode, and then controls the camera system  202 , thereby performing imaging. 
     Thereafter, although not particularly shown in the drawings, if imaging is performed for a predetermined time, or a predetermined number of times, or imagining finishes in response to an instruction from the user, the controller  201  searches for the position of the user (the owner) having thrown. As the searching method, an existing technology can be used. If the position of the owner is found, the controller  201  controls the first to fourth motor drivers  205  such that the moving device flies toward the owner until the controller determines whether the distance from the owner is equal to or less than a predetermined distance, based on GPS data and the like. Then, the controller  201  controls the first to fourth motor drivers  205  such that the motor drivers perform a hovering operation or an operation of landing on the hands of the thrower within the predetermined distance from the owner. In a case where a landing operation is performed, the controller stops the first to fourth motors, and finishes the control operation. 
       FIG. 5  is a flow chart illustrating an example of the process of setting thresholds for the imaging modes according to the present embodiment. First, if the controller  201  receives a predetermined switch operation or the like from the user in STEP S 501 , in STEP S 502 , the controller performs a transition to a threshold setting mode. 
     Subsequently, in STEP S 503 , the controller  201  sets a mode which is one of the above-described imaging modes and for which a threshold has not been set. 
     Subsequently, in STEP S 504 , the controller  201  urges the user to throw the moving device in a throwing manner corresponding to the imaging mode set in STEP S 503 . 
     Subsequently, in STEP S 505 , the controller  201  calculates the angular velocity ωini-hor in the direction shown by the reference symbol “ 301 ” of  FIG. 3 , the angular velocity ωini-vert in the direction shown by the reference symbol “ 302 ” of  FIG. 3 , the initial velocity Vini_hor in the horizontal direction shown by the reference symbol “ 303 ” of  FIG. 3 , and the initial velocity Vini_vert in the vertical direction shown by the reference symbol “ 304 ” of  FIG. 3 , as the results of the throwing of STEP S 504 , based on processes similar to those in STEP S 402  of  FIG. 4  described above (calculation processes equivalent to Expressions 1 to 7). Then, the controller  201  automatically sets values obtained by changing the calculated values by predetermined amounts, as thresholds ωTHini-hor, ωTHini-vert, VTHini_hor, and VTHini_vert, respectively. 
     Thereafter, in STEP S 506 , the controller  201  determines whether the series of the processes of STEPS S 503  to S 505  has finished with respect to every imaging mode. 
     If the determination result of STEP S 506  becomes “NO”, the controller  201  returns to the process of STEP S 503 , thereby proceeding to the process for the next unprocessed imaging mode. 
     If the determination result of STEP S 506  becomes “YES”, the controller  201  finishes the process of setting thresholds for the imaging modes shown by the flow chart of  FIG. 5 . 
     According to the above-described embodiment, it becomes possible to easily determine an imaging manner as intended by the thrower at the timing of throwing. 
     Now, an embodiment representing examples of imaging conditions for the imaging manners and examples of throwing manners corresponding to the imaging conditions will be described. Here, the imaging conditions include a shutter speed, an aperture, an imaging interval, and an imaging timing of a still image or a video. In the above-described embodiment, the description has been made on the assumption that all of the imaging conditions are automatically determined. However, in the present embodiment, the state of the flight device  100  at the moment when the flight device has been released from the holder is acquired from various sensors included in the flight sensor  203  of  FIG. 2 , and on the basis of the acquired state, imaging conditions for the time after the flight device  100  has been released from a hand of the holder or after the thrower has thrown the flight device  100  are determined. 
     In the present embodiment, similarly in the above-described embodiment, on the assumption that an x axis and a y axis are axes defined in a plane parallel to the ground, and a z axis is an axis perpendicular to the ground and directed to the sky, and the x axis, the y axis, and the z axis define a three-dimensional space as shown in  FIG. 3 , the controller  201  calculates the velocities Vx, Vy, and Vz (m/s (meter/second)) in the directions of the x axis, they axis, and the z axis in the absolute coordinate system defined by the x axis, the y axis, and the z axis at the time of having been thrown. If acceleration values ax, ay, and az in the directions of the individual axes are output from acceleration sensors constituting the flight sensor  203  of  FIG. 2 , the controller  201  performs integration processes equivalent to the above-described Expressions 3, 4, and 5 on the accelerations ax, ay, and az from the time point ts of start of the throwing when any one of the values of those accelerations exceeded a predetermined threshold, to the release time point tr when release of the flight device  100  from the body of the thrower was sensed on the basis of the output of the touch sensor  204  of  FIG. 2 , thereby calculating the velocities Vx, Vy, and Vz. In the present embodiment, on the basis of those velocities, imaging conditions are determined as follow. 
     &lt;Example in which Imaging Condition on Shutter Speed is Determined&gt; 
     For example, in a case where it is desired to acquire as tack-sharp an image as possible after throwing, it is desired to set a high shutter speed. In contrast, in a case where it is desired to acquire an image with motion blur, it is desired to set a low shutter speed. According to a throwing manner for controlling the shutter speed, as the sum of the velocities Vx, Vy, and Vz in the individual directions increases, a higher shutter speed is set. In other words, regardless of the direction in which the flight device is thrown, as the speed at which (the force with which) the flight device is thrown increases, the shutter speed increases. This control on the shutter speed may be linked with the aperture to be described below. 
     &lt;Example in which Imaging Condition on Aperture is Determined&gt; 
     For example, in a case where it is desired to acquire as sharp an image as possible after throwing, it is desired to narrow the aperture. In contrast, in a case where it is desired to acquire a soft image, it is desired to widen the aperture. According to a throwing manner for controlling the aperture, the average of the velocities Vx, Vy, and Vz in the individual directions increases, the aperture is narrowed. In other words, regardless of the direction in which the flight device is thrown, as the speed at which (the force with which) the flight device is thrown increases, the aperture is narrowed. This control on the aperture may be linked with the above-described shutter speed. 
     &lt;Example in which Imaging Condition on Imaging Interval is Determined&gt; 
     In a case where it is desired to perform imaging at intervals of a time or at intervals of a distance, it is desired to determine the imaging interval. According to a throwing manner for controlling the imaging interval, as the product of the velocities Vx and Vy in the individual directions when the flight device is thrown while the flight device is rotated on the z axis as shown by the reference symbol “ 302 ” in  FIG. 3 , similarly in the spinning imaging mode, increases, the imaging interval is set to be long. In short, if the flight device is thrown slowly, a large number of images are acquired; whereas if the flight device is thrown fast, a small number of images are acquired. The velocity in the direction of the z axis is not considered. Needless to say, the velocity and the imaging interval may have the inverse relation of the above-described relation. 
     &lt;Example in which Imaging Condition on Imaging Timing is Determined&gt; 
     In a case where it is desired to perform imaging at the highest point, the user slowly throws the flight device in the direction of the z axis, that is, straight up into the air. 
     In a case where it is desired to perform imaging when the user is in the angle of view, similarly in the above-described turning imaging mode, the user throws the flight device while rotating the flight device around the x axis, or the y axis, or both of the x axis and the y axis, as shown by the reference symbol “ 301 ” in  FIG. 3 . 
     In a case where it is desired to perform imaging when a desired object is in the angle of view, the user throws the flight device toward the desired object such that the flight device forms a parabola. In this case, which of the directions of the x axis, the y axis, and the z axis the flight device proceeds in is unclear, however, if it is detected that the flight trajectory is at least a parabola, the controller  201  determines a main object in the angle of view in the direction of the trajectory of the parabola, and focuses on that main object, and acquires one or more images. 
     The controller  201  performs, for example, calculations equivalent to the following Expressions, thereby calculating the trajectory of the parabola, thereby determining a main object in the angle of view in the direction of the calculated parabola trajectory. 
     First, it is assumed that an initial velocity and the gravity acceleration are V 0  (m/s) and g (m/s 2 ), and it is assumed that the elevation angle of the initial velocity during oblique projection is θ (rad), and a time elapsed from the throwing start time point is t. In this case, the velocity Vxy and displacement xy in the horizontal plane defined by the x axis and the y axis are calculated by the following Expressions 8 and 9.
 
 V   xy   =V   0  cos θ  [Expression 8]
 
 xy=V   0  cos θ· t   [Expression 9]
 
     Also, the velocity and displacement in the vertical direction are calculated by the following Expressions 10 and 11.
 
 V   z   =V   0  sin θ− gt   [Expression 10]
 
 V   z   =V   0  sin θ· t− ½ gt   2   [Expression 11]
 
     In the present embodiment, if determining that the elevation angle θ during throwing at the initial velocity V 0  falls in a predetermined range, the controller  201  determines that the flight device has been thrown such that it forms a parabola, and calculates the trajectory of the parabola by Expressions 8 to 11 described above, thereby determining a main object in the angle of view in the direction of the calculated parabola trajectory. 
       FIG. 6  is a flow chart illustrating an example of an imaging-condition control process of the flight device  100  of the present embodiment for making it possible to designate any one of the above-described four imaging conditions by a throwing manner. This process can be implemented as a process in which the CPU built in the controller  201  of  FIG. 2  executes a control program stored in a memory (not particularly shown in the drawings) built in the controller, in the controller. 
     First, the controller  201  monitors whether the flight device  100  has been released from (thrown by) by a hand of the user, for example, by monitoring a variation in the voltage of the touch sensor  204  (if the determination result of STEP S 601  is “NO”, the controller repeats STEP S 601 ). 
     If the determination result of STEP S 601  becomes “YES”, in STEP S 602 , the controller  201  acquires the state at the time of having been thrown, on the basis of outputs of the flight sensor  203 , by calculation. Specifically, the controller  201  first acquires the angular velocities ωx, ωy, and ωz (rad/s (radians/second)) around the x axis, the y axis, and the z axis in the absolute coordinate system defined by the x axis, the y axis, and the z axis, as output values related to the directions of the individual axes and output from the gym sensor constituting the flight sensor  203 . Subsequently, the controller  201  calculates an angular velocity ωini-hor around the x axis, the y axis, or both of the x axis and the y axis, that is, in the direction shown by the reference symbol “ 301 ” in  FIG. 3 , and an angular velocity ωini-vert around the z axis, that is, in the direction shown by the reference symbol “ 302 ” of  FIG. 3 , on the basis of calculation processes equivalent to the above-described Expressions 1 and 2, respectively. 
     Subsequently, the controller  201  calculates velocities Vx, Vy, and Vz (m/s (meta(s)/second)) in the directions of the x axis, the y axis, and the z axis in the absolute coordinate system defined by the x axis, the y axis, and the z axis at the time of having been thrown by performing integration processes equivalent to the above-described Expressions 3, 4, and 5 as described above, and then calculates the sum of the velocities Vx, Vy, and Vz. 
     Subsequently, the controller  201  calculates the initial velocity Vini_vert around the z axis, that is, in the vertical direction shown by the reference symbol “ 304 ” in  FIG. 3 , on the basis of a calculation process equivalent to the above-described Expression 7. 
     After the process of STEP S 602  described above, the controller  201  sets both or a predetermined one of the shutter speed and the aperture according to the sum of the velocities Vx, Vy, and Vz calculated in STEP S 602 . 
     Subsequently, in STEP S 604 , the controller determines whether the angular velocity ωini-vert calculated with respect to the direction shown by the reference symbol “ 302 ” of  FIG. 3  in STEP S 602  is larger than the threshold ωTHini-vert set in advance by the threshold setting process of the flow chart of  FIG. 5  described above. 
     If the determination result of STEP S 604  is “YES”, in STEP S 605 , the controller  201  sets the imaging interval to a length according to the product of the velocities Vx and Vy calculated in STEP S 602 . If the determination result of STEP S 604  is “NO”, the controller  201  skips the process of STEP S 605 . 
     Thereafter in STEP S 606 , the controller  201  determines whether the angular velocity aωini-hor calculated with respect to the direction shown by the reference symbol “ 301 ” of  FIG. 3  in STEP S 602  is larger than the threshold ωTHini-hor set in advance by the threshold setting process shown by the flow chart of  FIG. 5  described above. 
     If the determination result of STEP S 606  is “YES”, in STEP S 607 , the controller  201  sets an imaging timing to perform imaging when the user is in the angle of view. The controller determines whether the user is in the angle of view, for example, on the basis of a recognition result of a face recognizing process using image information obtained from the camera system  202  of  FIG. 2 . Alternatively, the user may have a remote controller having a beacon signal transmitting function. In this case, if the beacon signal is caught, the controller determines that the user is in the angle of view. Thereafter, the controller  201  finishes the imaging-condition control process shown by the flow chart of  FIG. 6 . 
     If the determination result of STEP S 606  is “NO”, in STEP S 608 , the controller  201  determines whether the elevation angle θ during throwing at the initial velocity V 0  falls in the predetermined range, thereby determining whether the flight trajectory is a parabola. 
     If the determination result of STEP S 608  is “YES”, in STEP S 609 , the controller  201  sets an imaging timing to perform imaging when a desired object is in the angle of view. In this case, the controller  201  calculates the trajectory of the parabola, for example, by Expressions 8 to 11 described above, thereby determining a main object in the angle of view in the direction of the calculated parabola trajectory. The controller determines a main object, for example, by an image recognizing process in the above-described angle of view included in image information obtained from the camera system  202  of  FIG. 2 . Thereafter, the controller  201  finishes the imaging-condition control process shown by the flow chart of  FIG. 6 . 
     If the determination result of STEP S 608  is “NO”, in STEP S 610 , the controller  201  determines whether the initial velocity Vini_vert calculated in STEP S 602  with respect to the vertical direction shown by the reference symbol “ 304 ” in  FIG. 3  is larger than 0 (or a threshold slightly larger than 0). 
     If the determination result of STEP S 610  is “YES”, the controller  201  sets an imaging timing to perform imaging at the highest point. Thereafter the controller  201  finishes the imaging-condition control process shown by the flow chart of  FIG. 6 . 
     If the determination result of STEP S 610  is “NO”, the controller  201  finishes the imaging-condition control process shown by the flow chart of  FIG. 6 . 
     After finishing the imaging-condition control process shown by the flow chart of  FIG. 6 , the controller  201  can perform the imaging-mode control process shown by the flow chart of  FIG. 4  described above, and perform an imaging process in STEP S 412  of  FIG. 4 . 
     Hereinafter, a different embodiment of the imaging-condition control process will be described. In the different embodiment, the user practically throws the flight device at various initial velocities (with various forces) in advance such that the flight device form a parabola, and stores the relation of each of the initial velocities (forces), a shutter speed, and an aperture which is automatically set on the basis of the shutter speed such that proper exposure is performed, as an initial-velocity shutter-speed correspondence table. Thereafter, the user can throw the flight device at a desired initial velocity such that the flight device forms a parabola and performs imaging with a desired shutter speed and an aperture automatically set on the basis of the shutter speed. 
       FIG. 7  is a flow chart illustrating a process of generating an initial-velocity shutter-speed correspondence table according to the different embodiment of the imaging-condition control process of the flight device  100 . Similarly to the case of  FIG. 6 , this process can be implemented as a process in which the CPU built in the controller  201  of  FIG. 2  executes a control program stored in a memory (not particularly shown in the drawings) built in the controller, in the controller. 
     First, if the controller  201  receives a user&#39;s operation in STEP S 701 , in STEP S 702 , the controller performs a transition to the threshold setting mode. 
     Subsequently, in STEP S 703 , the controller  201  urges the user to throw the flight device such that the flight device forms a parabola. 
     Then, in STEP S 704 , the controller  201  acquires the initial velocity V 0  at the time of throwing. 
     In STEP S 705 , when the thrown flight device  100  flies, the controller  201  controls the camera system  202  such that the camera system performs imaging with each of every switchable shutter speed while adjusting the aperture such that the exposure value (EV) becomes constant, and records the results in the memory included in the controller  201 .  FIG. 8  is a view illustrating an example of a table representing the relation of EV, shutter speed, and aperture stored in advance in a read only memory (ROM) included in the controller  201 . For example, if the EV is 13, as the shutter speed changes ⅛ s to 1/2000 s, the aperture changes from 32 to 2.0. In STEP S 705 , for example, after the EV is automatically set to 13, while gradually changing the shutter speed from ⅛ s to 1/2000 s, the controller  201  determines an aperture corresponding to the changed shutter speed with reference to the above-described relation table stored in the ROM, and controls the camera system  202  such that the camera system performs imaging with the combination of the shutter speed and the aperture determined, and records the obtained image data in a random access memory (RAM) included in the controller  201 . 
     Thereafter, in STEP S 706 , the controller  201  determines whether a predetermined number of times of throwing has finished. 
     If the determination result of STEP S 706  is “NO”, in STEP S 707 , the controller urges the user to throw the flight device at an initial velocity (with a force) different from that of the previous throwing such that the flight device forms a parabola. Thereafter, the controller  201  re-performs the processes of STEPS S 704  and S 705 . 
     After the above-described operation is repeated, if the determination result of STEP S 706  becomes “YES”, in STEP S 708 , the controller  201  performs a transition to a user selection state. 
     Subsequently, in STEP S 709 , the controller  201  transmits all photographs recorded in the RAM included in the controller  201  in STEP S 705 , to a smart phone or a display of a mode controller (not particularly shown in the drawings), such that the photographs are displayed. 
     Whenever the flight device is thrown, in STEP S 710 , the controller  201  urges the user to select a desired photograph. 
     Whenever the flight device is thrown, in STEP S 711 , the controller  201  stores the relation between the initial velocity V 0  and the shutter speed of a photograph selected by the user, in the internal RAM. The controller generates an initial-velocity shutter-speed correspondence table, for example, as shown in  FIG. 9 , on the basis of the stored relation, and stores the generated table in the RAM. Thereafter, the controller  201  finishes the threshold setting process shown by the flow chart of  FIG. 7 . 
     After the above-described threshold setting process finishes, the user can throw the flight device at a desired initial velocity such that the flight device forms a parabola and performs imaging with a desired shutter speed and an aperture automatically set on the basis of the shutter speed. 
     In the above-described embodiment, an imaging mode is determined based on the angular velocities and the velocities. However, an imaging mode may be determined based on the accelerations. 
     In the above-described embodiment, the number of still images which the moving device  100  takes is arbitrary. Also, moving device  100  can acquire not only still images but also videos by imaging. In this case, the shooting times of videos are arbitrary. 
     The moving device  100  may transmit an acquired video, for example, to a terminal held by the thrower, by communication, such that the thrower can shoot while seeing the video. 
     The imaging timings and the like of the moving device  100  may be wirelessly controlled, for example, by operations on a thrower&#39;s terminal. 
     In a case of using a mechanism for folding the motor frames  102  to make the moving device  100  portable, a process of transforming the motor frames  102  into a flyable state may be performed immediately after throwing. 
     In the above description of the embodiment, the example in which the propelling units include the motors  104  and the rotor blades  103  has been described. However, the propelling units may be implemented by a mechanism which is propelled by air pressure or engine power. Also, the moving device may free-fall without having any propelling unit. In some states, the moving device may not perform imaging. Further the moving device may be just released from a hand, without being thrown. 
     In the above description of the embodiment, the moving device (a flight device) which is released by a user and flies by driving rotor blades has been described as one example. However, the moving device may include a moving device which moves above ground, on water or under water such as a ball of bowling, an automobile, a boat, a submarine, an underwater camera and so on.