Methods and associated systems and apparatus for controlling a moveable device are disclosed herein. The moveable device includes an image-collection component and a distance-measurement component. A representative method includes generating an image corresponding to the operator and generating a first set of distance information corresponding to the operator. The method identifies a portion of the image in the generated image and then retrieves a second set of distance information from the first set of distance information based on the identified image portion corresponding to the operator. The method then identifies a gesture associated with the operator based on the second set of distance information. The method then further generates an instruction for controlling the moveable device based on the gesture.