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WO2024171294A1 - Aéronef sans pilote - Google Patents

Aéronef sans pilote Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2024171294A1
WO2024171294A1 PCT/JP2023/004974 JP2023004974W WO2024171294A1 WO 2024171294 A1 WO2024171294 A1 WO 2024171294A1 JP 2023004974 W JP2023004974 W JP 2023004974W WO 2024171294 A1 WO2024171294 A1 WO 2024171294A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
crop
unmanned aerial
aerial vehicle
control device
sensor
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/JP2023/004974
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English (en)
Japanese (ja)
Inventor
直裕 石川
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Kubota Corp
Original Assignee
Kubota Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Kubota Corp filed Critical Kubota Corp
Priority to PCT/JP2023/004974 priority Critical patent/WO2024171294A1/fr
Priority to JP2025500461A priority patent/JPWO2024171294A1/ja
Publication of WO2024171294A1 publication Critical patent/WO2024171294A1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01B—SOIL WORKING IN AGRICULTURE OR FORESTRY; PARTS, DETAILS, OR ACCESSORIES OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINES OR IMPLEMENTS, IN GENERAL
    • A01B69/00—Steering of agricultural machines or implements; Guiding agricultural machines or implements on a desired track
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01M—CATCHING, TRAPPING OR SCARING OF ANIMALS; APPARATUS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF NOXIOUS ANIMALS OR NOXIOUS PLANTS
    • A01M7/00—Special adaptations or arrangements of liquid-spraying apparatus for purposes covered by this subclass

Definitions

  • This disclosure relates to unmanned aerial vehicles.
  • Unmanned aerial vehicles are aircraft that cannot accommodate people due to their structure, but can fly remotely or automatically.
  • Rotary-wing unmanned aerial vehicles are unmanned aerial vehicles that obtain lift using propellers that rotate around an axis, i.e. rotors.
  • Small unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with multiple rotors are also called “drones,” “multirotors,” or “multicopters,” and are widely used for aerial photography, surveying, logistics, and pesticide spraying.
  • Patent document 1 describes using the downwash of a rotor to knock down crops and photograph the base of the crops.
  • An embodiment of the present disclosure provides an unmanned aerial vehicle that enables appropriate agricultural work by adjusting the degree of crop lodging caused by downwash.
  • the unmanned aerial vehicle of the present disclosure is an unmanned aerial vehicle with multiple rotors, and includes a work machine that performs ground work, a sensor that senses the condition of the crop on the ground and outputs sensor data, an altitude sensor, and a control device that controls the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the operation of the work machine.
  • the control device detects the effect of the downwash of the multiple rotors on the condition of the crop based on the sensor data, and changes the flight altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle depending on the degree of the effect.
  • the degree of crop lodging caused by downwash can be adjusted, allowing for appropriate agricultural work.
  • FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating schematic examples of rotary drive devices that rotate rotors in an unmanned aerial vehicle having multiple rotors.
  • 1 is a plan view showing a schematic diagram of one basic configuration example of an unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with multiple rotors.
  • 1 is a side view showing a schematic diagram of one basic configuration example of an unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with multiple rotors.
  • FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a schematic diagram of another basic configuration example of an unmanned aerial vehicle having multiple rotors.
  • FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a basic configuration of a battery-powered multicopter.
  • FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the basic configuration of a series hybrid drive type multicopter.
  • FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a basic configuration of a parallel hybrid drive type multicopter.
  • FIG. 2 is a side view showing a schematic diagram of the effect of downwash on crops on the ground when the altitude of the multicopter is h1.
  • FIG. 13 is a side view showing a schematic diagram of the effect of downwash on crops on the ground when the altitude of the multicopter is h2.
  • FIG. 13 is a side view showing a schematic diagram of the effect of downwash on crops on the ground when the altitude of the multicopter is h3.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the tilt direction of crop stems caused by downwash and the angle (tilt angle) formed between the vertical direction and the tilt direction.
  • FIG. 1 is a diagram showing six stages of crop lodging.
  • FIG. 1 is a side view showing a schematic diagram of the crop state (lost state) in an area DA affected by downwash and the crop state (reference state) in an area NA not affected by downwash.
  • FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a schematic view of an area DA in a laid-down state and an area NA in a reference state.
  • 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation performed by a control device of a multicopter in an embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration example of a multicopter that performs ground operations by utilizing downwash.
  • FIG. 4 is a side view for explaining the operation of the work machine.
  • FIG. 11 is a side view for explaining the operation of the other working machine.
  • FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a control device.
  • Unmanned aerial vehicles with multiple rotors are equipped with a rotary drive device that rotates the rotors (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “propellers”).
  • pumps a rotary drive device that rotates the rotors
  • multicopters such unmanned aerial vehicles will be referred to as “multicopters.”
  • Figure 1A is a block diagram showing four examples of the rotary drive device 3 in this disclosure.
  • the first rotary drive device 3A shown in FIG. 1A has a plurality of electric motors (hereinafter referred to as "motors") 14 that rotate a plurality of rotors 2, and a battery 52 that stores power to be supplied to each motor 14.
  • the battery 52 is, for example, a secondary battery such as a polymer-type lithium-ion battery.
  • Each rotor 2 is connected to the output shaft of the corresponding motor 14 and rotated by the motor 14.
  • the storage capacity of the battery 52 can be increased by making the battery 52 larger, but making the battery 52 larger results in an increase in weight.
  • the second rotation drive device 3B shown in FIG. 1A has a power transmission system 23 that is mechanically connected to the rotor 2, and an internal combustion engine 7a that provides a driving force (torque) to the power transmission system 23.
  • the power transmission system 23 includes mechanical components such as gears or belts, and transmits the torque of the output shaft of the internal combustion engine 7a to the rotor 2.
  • the internal combustion engine 7a can efficiently generate mechanical energy by burning fuel. Examples of the internal combustion engine 7a can include a gasoline engine, a diesel engine, and a hydrogen engine.
  • the third rotary drive device 3C shown in FIG. 1A has multiple motors 14, a power buffer 9 that stores power to be supplied to each motor 14, a power generator 8 such as an alternator that generates power, and an internal combustion engine 7a that provides mechanical energy for power generation to the power generator 8.
  • a typical example of the power buffer 9 is a battery such as a secondary battery, but it may also be a capacitor.
  • the power generator 8 generates power using the driving force (mechanical energy) of the internal combustion engine 7a, making it possible to increase the payload and/or flight time.
  • This type of drive is called “series hybrid drive”.
  • the power generator 8 and internal combustion engine 7a in series hybrid drive are called “range extenders" because they extend the flight distance of the multicopter.
  • the fourth rotary drive device 3D shown in FIG. 1A has multiple motors 14, a power buffer 9 that stores the power to be supplied to each motor 14, a power generation device 8 such as an alternator that generates power, an internal combustion engine 7a that provides the driving force for generating power to the power generation device 8, and a power transmission system 23 that transmits the driving force generated by the internal combustion engine 7a to the rotor 2 to rotate the rotor 2. At least one of the multiple rotors 2 is rotated by the internal combustion engine 7a, and the other rotors 2 are rotated by the motor 14.
  • the mechanical energy generated by the internal combustion engine 7a can also be used to rotate the rotor 2 without being converted into electric power, making it possible to increase the efficiency of energy utilization.
  • This type of drive is called a "parallel hybrid drive.”
  • FIG. 1B is a plan view that shows a schematic example of one basic configuration of multicopter 10.
  • the configuration example of FIG. 1B includes a first rotation drive device 3A shown in FIG. 1A as the rotation drive device 3. That is, the rotation drive device 3 (3A) in this example includes a motor 14 and a battery 52.
  • FIG. 1C is a side view that shows a schematic example of multicopter 10.
  • the multicopter 10 shown in Figures 1B and 1C comprises multiple rotors 2, an aircraft body 4, and an aircraft frame 5 that supports the rotors 2 and the aircraft body 4.
  • the aircraft frame 5 supports the aircraft body 4 at its center, and rotatably supports the multiple rotors 2 with multiple arms 5A extending outward from the center.
  • a motor 14 that rotates the rotors 2 is provided near the tip of each arm 5A.
  • the aircraft body 4 and the aircraft frame 5 are sometimes collectively referred to as the "aircraft 11.”
  • the multicopter 10 is a quad-type multicopter (quadcopter) equipped with four rotors 2.
  • the rotors 2 located on one diagonal line rotate in the same direction (clockwise or counterclockwise), but the rotors 2 located on different diagonals rotate in the opposite direction.
  • the aircraft body 4 includes a control device 4a that controls the operation of the devices and components mounted on the multicopter 10, a group of sensors 4b connected to the control device 4a, a communication device 4c connected to the control device 4a, and a battery 52.
  • the control device 4a may include, for example, a flight control device such as a flight controller, and a higher-level computer (companion computer).
  • the companion computer can perform advanced computational processing such as image processing, obstacle detection, and obstacle avoidance based on the sensor data acquired by the sensor group 4b.
  • the sensor group 4b may include an acceleration sensor, an angular velocity sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, an air pressure sensor, an altitude sensor, a temperature sensor, a flow rate sensor, an imaging device, a laser sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, an obstacle contact sensor, and a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver.
  • the acceleration sensor and the angular velocity sensor may be mounted on the aircraft body 4 as components of an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), for example.
  • IMU Inertial Measurement Unit
  • laser sensors may include a laser range finder used to measure the distance to the ground, and a two-dimensional or three-dimensional LiDAR (light detection and ranging).
  • the communication device 4c may include a wireless communication module for transmitting and receiving signals via an antenna between a transmitter on the ground or a ground station (Ground Control Station: GCS), a mobile communication module using a cellular communication network, etc.
  • the communication device 4c may receive signals such as control commands transmitted from the ground, and transmit sensor data such as image data acquired by the sensor group 4b as telemetry information.
  • the communication device 4c may have a function for communicating between multicopters, and a function for satellite communication.
  • the control device 4a can be connected to a computer on the cloud via the communication device 4c. Some or all of the functions of the companion computer may be executed by a computer on the cloud.
  • the battery 52 is a secondary battery that can store power by charging and supply power to the motor 14 by discharging.
  • the battery 52 and the multiple motors 14 rotate the multiple rotors 2, making it possible to generate the desired thrust.
  • Each of the multiple rotors 2 generally has multiple blades with a fixed pitch angle, and generates thrust by rotation.
  • the pitch angle may be variable. It is not necessary for all of the multiple rotors 2 to have the same diameter (propeller diameter), and one or more rotors 2 may have a larger diameter than the other rotors 2.
  • the thrust (static thrust) generated by the rotating rotor 2 is generally proportional to the cube of the diameter of the rotor 2.
  • the rotor 2 with a relatively large diameter may be referred to as the "main rotor” and the rotor 2 with a relatively small diameter may be referred to as the "sub rotor”.
  • the configuration of the rotation drive device 3 may include a rotor 2 that can generate a relatively large thrust and a rotor 2 with a relatively small thrust.
  • the rotor 2 capable of generating a relatively large thrust may be referred to as the "main rotor”
  • the rotor 2 capable of generating a relatively small thrust may be referred to as the "sub-rotor.”
  • the rotary drive device 3 has multiple motors 14.
  • the rotary drive device 3 may include an internal combustion engine 7a.
  • FIG. 1D is a plan view showing a basic configuration example of a multicopter 10 including a second rotary drive device 3B as the rotary drive device 3.
  • an internal combustion engine 7a is supported by the aircraft body 4.
  • the driving force generated by the internal combustion engine 7a is transmitted to the multiple rotors 2 by multiple power transmission systems 23, causing each rotor 2 to rotate.
  • the control device 4a can change the rotation speed of each rotor 2 by controlling each power transmission system 23.
  • the rotary drive device 3B may include a mechanism for changing the pitch angle of each blade of the multiple rotors 2.
  • the control device 4a may adjust the lift generated by each rotor 2 by controlling the mechanism to change the pitch angle of the blades.
  • the diameter of one or more rotors 2 rotated by the internal combustion engine 7a may be made larger than the diameter of the other rotors 2 rotated by the motor 14.
  • the internal combustion engine 7a may be used to rotate the main rotor, and the motor 14 may be used to rotate the sub-rotor.
  • the main rotor is primarily used to generate thrust, and the sub-rotor is used to generate thrust and control attitude.
  • the main rotor may be called the "booster rotor" and the sub-rotor may be called the "attitude control rotor.”
  • the internal combustion engine is used to both generate thrust and generate electricity.
  • the driving force (torque) generated by the internal combustion engine to either the rotor or the generator, or both, it is possible to achieve a good balance between generating thrust and generating electricity.
  • Equipping a multicopter with an internal combustion engine and using the engine to generate thrust and/or electricity contributes to an increase in payload and flight time. It is desirable to control the attitude of a multicopter by rotating the propellers with a motor, which has better response characteristics than an internal combustion engine. For this reason, in applications where the attitude of the multicopter needs to be precisely controlled, it is desirable to employ a parallel hybrid drive or series hybrid drive in order to increase the payload and flight time. Note that if the rotary drive device 3 is equipped with a mechanism for changing the pitch angle of each of the blades of the multiple rotors 2, the attitude can also be adjusted by changing the pitch angle of each blade.
  • multicopters are currently being used for spraying pesticides or monitoring crop growth, but by connecting a variety of implements to a multicopter, it will be possible to perform a variety of agricultural tasks from the air.
  • Implements used in agriculture are sometimes called "implements.” Examples of implements may include sprayers that spray pesticides on crops, mowers, seeders, spreaders, rakes, balers, harvesters, plows, harrows, or rotary blades.
  • the multicopter 10 is connected to a working machine 200 that can, for example, spray pesticides or fertilizers on a field or crops in the field.
  • a working machine 200 that can, for example, spray pesticides or fertilizers on a field or crops in the field.
  • ground tasks agricultural tasks
  • the working machine 200 may be equipped with a mechanism such as a robot hand. In that case, one working machine 200 can perform a variety of ground tasks. If the working machine 200 has a space large enough to accommodate materials, such a working machine 200 can also transport agricultural materials or harvested products over a wide area.
  • the multicopter 10 is equipped with a power supply device 76.
  • the power supply device 76 is a device that supplies power to the work machine 200 from a driving energy source such as the battery 52 or the power generation device 8 equipped in the multicopter 10. Various functions of the work machine 200 can be performed by this power.
  • the work machine 200 is equipped with actuators such as motors that operate with power obtained from the power supply device 76 of the multicopter 10. It is preferable that the work machine 200 is equipped with a battery that stores power.
  • FIG. 2A is a block diagram showing an example of the basic configuration of a battery-powered multicopter 10.
  • the battery-powered multicopter 10 includes a plurality of rotors 12, a plurality of motors 14 for rotating the rotors 12, a plurality of ESCs (Electric Speed Controllers) 16 each having a motor drive circuit for driving the motors 14, a battery 52 for supplying power to the corresponding motors 14 via each ESC 16, a control device 4a for controlling the plurality of ESCs 16 to fly while controlling the attitude, a sensor group 4b, a communication device 4c, and a power supply device 76 electrically connected to the battery 52.
  • the rotors 12, motors 14, and ESCs 16 are each shown as one block in FIG. 2A, but the number of the rotors 12, motors 14, and ESCs 16 is multiple. This is also true for FIG. 2B and FIG. 2C.
  • the control device 4a can receive control commands wirelessly from, for example, a ground station 6 on the ground via the communication device 4c.
  • the number of ground stations 6 is not limited to one, and may be distributed in multiple locations.
  • the communication device 4c can also receive control commands wirelessly from a pilot's control device on the ground.
  • the control device 4a may have a function to automatically or autonomously perform each of the operations of takeoff, flight, obstacle avoidance, and landing based on sensor data obtained from the sensor group 4b.
  • the control device 4a may be configured to communicate with the work machine 200 connected to the power supply device 76 and obtain a signal indicating the state of the work machine 200 from the work machine 200.
  • the control device 4a may also provide the work machine 200 with a signal that controls the operation of the work machine 200.
  • the work machine 200 may generate a signal instructing the operation of the multicopter 10 and transmit it to the control device 4a.
  • Such communication between the control device 4a and the work machine 200 may be performed by wire or wirelessly.
  • the series hybrid drive type multicopter 10 like the battery drive type multicopter 10, includes multiple rotors 12, multiple motors 14, multiple ESCs 16, a control device 4a, a sensor group 4b, and a communication device 4c.
  • the illustrated series hybrid drive type multicopter 10 further includes an internal combustion engine 7a, a fuel tank 7b that stores fuel for the internal combustion engine 7a, a power generation device 8 that is driven by the internal combustion engine 7a to generate electric power, a power buffer 9 that temporarily stores the electric power generated by the power generation device 8, and a power supply device 76 that is electrically connected to the power buffer 9.
  • the power buffer 9 is, for example, a battery such as a secondary battery.
  • the electric power generated by the power generation device 8 is supplied to the motor 14 via the power buffer 9 and the ESC 16.
  • the electric power generated by the power generation device 8 can also be supplied to the work machine 200 via the power supply device 76.
  • FIG. 2C is a block diagram showing an example of the basic configuration of a parallel hybrid drive type multicopter 10.
  • the parallel hybrid drive type multicopter 10 like the series hybrid drive type multicopter 10, includes a plurality of rotors 12, a plurality of motors 14 for driving the rotors 12, a plurality of ESCs 16, a control device 4a, a group of sensors 4b, a communication device 4c, an internal combustion engine 7a, a fuel tank 7b, a power generation device 8, a power buffer 9, and a power supply device 76.
  • the parallel hybrid drive type multicopter 10 further includes a drive train 27 for transmitting the driving force of the internal combustion engine 7a, and a rotor 22 that rotates by receiving the driving force of the internal combustion engine 7a from the drive train 27.
  • a drive train 27 for transmitting the driving force of the internal combustion engine 7a
  • a rotor 22 that rotates by receiving the driving force of the internal combustion engine 7a from the drive train 27.
  • One of the rotor 12 and the rotor 22 may be called the “first rotor” and the other may be called the “second rotor” to distinguish them from each other.
  • the number of rotors 22 connected to the drive train 27 and rotating may be one or more.
  • the internal combustion engine 7a In a parallel hybrid drive type multicopter 10, the internal combustion engine 7a not only drives the power generation device 8 to generate electricity, but also mechanically transmits energy to the rotor 22 to rotate the rotor 22. On the other hand, in a series hybrid drive type multicopter 10, all of the rotors 12 rotate using the electricity generated by the power generation device 8. For this reason, in a series hybrid drive type multicopter 10, if the power generation device 8 is, for example, a fuel cell, the internal combustion engine 7a is not an essential component.
  • the configuration of the multicopter 10 is diverse, but in any configuration, the multicopter 10 generates thrust by rotating the multiple rotors 12 (22). This thrust creates lift that resists gravity acting on the multicopter 10 and the work machine 200 during flight.
  • “Flying” here is not limited to a state of moving horizontally, but broadly includes states of ascent, descent, and hovering.
  • the rotor 12 (22) of the multicopter 10 which generates lift, generates a strong downward air current from the rotor 12 (22) rotating at high speed. This downward air current is called downwash.
  • the downwash becomes stronger as the lift increases.
  • the altitude of the multicopter 10 is relatively close to the ground (for example, the flight altitude is 5 meters or less), so the downwash can have a significant effect on the condition of the crops on the ground. If the downwash is too strong, it may cause crops such as rice to fall over and reduce the harvest. For this reason, it has been thought that the impact of the downwash on the crops on the ground should be minimized.
  • the multicopter 10 is controlled to fly at an altitude that does not affect the crops on the ground.
  • the unmanned aerial vehicle of the present disclosure is configured to perform ground work by actively utilizing downwash.
  • the unmanned aerial vehicle of the present disclosure includes a work machine that performs ground work, a sensor that senses the condition of the crop on the ground and outputs sensor data, an altitude sensor, and a control device that controls the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the operation of the work machine.
  • the control device detects the effect of the downwash of the multiple rotors on the condition of the crop based on the sensor data, and changes the flight altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle according to the degree of the effect.
  • the degree of the "effect” is, for example, the degree of crop lodging.
  • the degree of crop lodging will be described later.
  • ground work can include a variety of tasks, and examples of ground work include at least one of liquid pesticide application, granular pesticide application, fertilization, crop thinning, pest control, and weeding.
  • Figures 3A, 3B, and 3C are side views that show the effect of the downwash DW on crops 94 on the ground 90 when the altitudes of the multicopter 10 are h1, h2, and h3, respectively.
  • the downwash DW is shown as a collection of triangular dots. Because it is a descending air current, it forms complex turbulence, and the air current weakens depending on the distance from the rotor 12.
  • the relationship h1>h2>h3>0 holds.
  • the downwash DW of the multicopter 10 has almost no effect on the crops 94.
  • h1 is, for example, a height of 10 meters or more.
  • the strength of the downwash DW is proportional to the lift force, as described above. For this reason, if the weight of the multicopter 10 and the work machine 200 is large, the downwash DW may have an effect on the condition of the crops 94 unless the altitude is higher than 10 meters.
  • the downwash DW hits the crops 94 and tilts the stems of some of the crops 94.
  • h2 is, for example, 3 to 8 meters.
  • h3 is, for example, 3 meters or less.
  • FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the inclination direction 94A of the stem of the crop 94 caused by the downwash DW and the angle (tilt angle) ⁇ formed between the vertical direction G and the inclination direction 94A.
  • the inclination direction 94A in this embodiment is, for example, a statistical average of straight lines (line segments) connecting the lower end to the upper end of each of the multiple stems.
  • the crop lodging degree can be divided into multiple stages according to the inclination angle ⁇ . In the example of FIG.
  • the crop lodging degree is divided into stages L0, L1, L2, L3, L4, and L5.
  • stage L0 substantially no lodging has occurred.
  • stage L5 the degree of lodging is at its maximum, and the crop may not return to its original state.
  • the range of the crop lodging degree during the operation of the multicopter 10 may be limited to, for example, a range from stage L0 to stage L3. Depending on the flexibility or stiffness of the crop stems, a preferred range of crop lodging during operation can be set.
  • the preferred degree of lodging may vary depending on the type and form of chemical, the crop growth process, and field conditions.
  • granular chemicals may be sprayed on the roots of the crop in the early stages of growth, but liquid chemicals may be sprayed on the upper parts of the crop, such as the leaves, in the later stages of growth.
  • the degree of crop lodging may be set relatively low.
  • herbicides it is preferable to spray them over a wide area so that the emergence of weeds can be suppressed over a wide area, and the effect of downwash DW on the crop 94 may be weakened.
  • the degree of crop lodging may be set relatively low.
  • the multicopter 10 in this embodiment can adjust the degree of influence of the downwash DW while measuring the degree of crop lodging according to the type of agricultural work, making it possible to increase the effectiveness of agricultural work.
  • the control device 4a of the multicopter 10 is configured to observe the state of the crop using one or more sensors included in the sensor group 4b of the multicopter 10 and recognize the state of the crop.
  • the state of the crop can be defined by at least one parameter of the height of the crop, spatial density, saturation, brightness, reflectance, or the direction and angle of the inclination of the crop.
  • the control device 4a can generate three-dimensional point cloud data of the crop 94 and the ground 90 based on sensor data obtained from a distance measurement sensor such as a LiDAR sensor. By using such three-dimensional point cloud data, it is possible to measure the distribution of the height of the crop 94, the distribution of spatial density, the direction and angle of the inclination of the stem, etc.
  • an image sensor provided in an imaging device such as a camera, it is possible to obtain still images or videos of the crop 94. By processing such images, it is possible to measure the saturation, brightness, reflectance, or the direction and angle of the inclination of the stem of the crop 94.
  • the control device 4a can recognize the state of the crop based on various sensor data acquired by the sensor group 4b, which includes the various sensors described above, and can monitor the effects of the downwash DW (e.g., the degree of crop lodging).
  • the sensor observing the state of the crop 94 may be configured to sense a plurality of crop states that are affected to different degrees depending on the strength of the downwash DW.
  • FIG. 6A is a side view that shows a schematic representation of the crop state (lost state) in an area DA that is affected by the downwash DW, and the crop state (reference state) in an area NA that is not affected by the downwash DW.
  • FIG. 6B is a plan view that shows a schematic representation of the area DA in a lodged state and the area NA in a reference state. In FIG. 6B, the area DA is surrounded by a dashed ellipse. The lodged state of the crop is complex, so it is difficult to define the area DA by such a simple curve.
  • the "lost state” does not mean that the stem of the crop 94 is in a state of inclination or bending to an irreversible degree, and the range of the area DA in a lodged state also moves as the multicopter 10 moves. Also, if the multicopter 10 rises, the range of the area DA in a lodged state becomes smaller and may eventually disappear.
  • the control device 4a of the multicopter 10 evaluates the degree of crop lodging of the crop 94 based on the sensor data obtained from the sensor group 4b.
  • the control device 4a is configured to distinguish between two areas DA and NA based on the difference in the degree of crop lodging depending on the location. In other words, the control device 4a can classify (segment) the crop 94 into areas DA and NA in a top view. However, areas that cannot be distinguished may be classified as an intermediate area.
  • the difference in the degree of crop lodging depending on the location of the crop 94 can be detected as a difference in the average height of the crop 94 or a difference in spatial density, for example, by using a distance sensor. Also, the difference in the degree of crop lodging depending on the location of the crop 94 can be detected based on an image of the crop 94 by using an image sensor.
  • the control device 4a can determine the crop state (lodging state) at a certain time as shown in FIG. 3B or FIG. 3C by setting the crop state at an altitude where the crop is not affected by the downwash DW as shown in FIG. 3A as a reference state. If the crops are lodged due to the influence of winds (disturbances) other than the downwash DW, the crop state (lodging state) at a subsequent time can be determined by setting the crop state taking into account that influence as the reference state.
  • the strength of the downwash DW varies depending on the weight of the multicopter 10 even if the altitude of the multicopter 10 is the same. That is, when the weight of the multicopter 10 increases, the lift also increases accordingly, and the downwash DW becomes stronger. Conversely, when the weight of the multicopter 10 decreases, the lift also decreases accordingly, and the downwash DW becomes weaker.
  • the multicopter 10 is performing agricultural work such as spraying pesticides or fertilizers from the work machine 200, the weight of the multicopter 10 gradually decreases. In addition, when materials such as pesticides or fertilizers are supplied to the multicopter 10, the weight of the multicopter 10 increases.
  • the control device 4a estimates the amount of change in the weight of the multicopter 10, and when the weight decreases, the flight altitude can be reduced according to the amount of change in weight. In addition, when the weight of the multicopter 10 increases, the control device 4a can increase the flight altitude according to the amount of change in weight. By adjusting the flight altitude in this manner, it becomes possible to maintain the degree of influence of the downwash DW within a desired range (target range) regardless of changes in the weight of the multicopter 10.
  • the degree of the influence of the downwash DW can be changed by lowering the flight altitude of the multicopter 10. This is because it is preferable to adjust the degree of the influence of the downwash DW depending on the type of agricultural work.
  • the control device 4a may obtain a growth map of the crop 94 and determine the range of the crop 94 that is the direct target of ground work based on the growth map. For example, for crops 94 that are experiencing growth delays, it is preferable to lower the flight altitude and increase the effect of the downwash DW.
  • the lodging degree adjustment mode is a mode in which the degree of crop lodging is monitored and the flight altitude is adjusted.
  • the multicopter 10 of this embodiment can also fly and perform agricultural work in modes other than the lodging degree adjustment mode.
  • step S101 the control device 4a acquires the target range of the crop lodging degree.
  • the target range of the crop lodging degree can be specified by, for example, one or more consecutive stages from stages L0 to L5 shown in FIG. 5.
  • the target range is set in advance according to the type of crop and the content of the agricultural work, and can be stored in the storage device in the form of a table, for example.
  • the user may appropriately provide the control device 4a with the target range of the crop lodging degree according to the content of the agricultural work.
  • the control device 4a may also determine the target range based on the type of crop and the work schedule.
  • step S102 the control device 4a acquires the measurement values of the flight altitude and the degree of crop lodging. Specifically, the control device 4a acquires the measurement value of the flight altitude based on sensor data from the altitude sensor. The control device 4a also determines (acquires) the degree of crop lodging based on center data from the sensor group.
  • step S103 it is determined whether the degree of crop lodging exceeds the target range. If the degree of crop lodging exceeds the target range (Yes), the process proceeds to step S104, where the control device 4a increases the flight altitude, and the process proceeds further to step 102. If the degree of crop lodging does not exceed the target range (No), the process proceeds to step S105, where it is determined whether the degree of crop lodging is lower than the target range. If the degree of crop lodging is lower than the target range (Yes), the process proceeds to step S106, where the control device 4a decreases the flight altitude, and the process proceeds further to step 102. If the degree of crop lodging is not lower than the target range (No), the process proceeds to step 107.
  • step S107 it is determined whether the tilting degree adjustment has been completed. If not (No), the process returns to step 101 and the target range of the tilting degree is acquired again. For example, if the content of the ground work has changed, the target range of the tilting degree is changed according to the content. In that case, the above flow is repeated based on the new target range acquired in step S101. If the target range has not changed, the same target range as the previous time is acquired in step S101, and the above flow is repeated. If the target range of the tilting degree does not change, the measured value of the tilting degree may change for some reason and fall outside the target range. In such a case, the degree of the effect of downwash is controlled by adjusting the flight altitude as necessary. If the tilting degree adjustment mode has ended (Yes), the above flow ends.
  • FIG. 8 is a block diagram that shows a schematic example of the configuration of the multicopter 10 in this embodiment.
  • the multicopter 10 shown in FIG. 8 has the same components as the multicopter 10 shown in FIG. 2A.
  • FIG. 8 shows an image sensor 42, a distance measurement sensor 44, and an altitude sensor 46 as examples of the sensor group 4b.
  • the operation of the multicopter 10 can be controlled by a control system that includes the control device 4a.
  • the multicopter 10 may include an internal combustion engine 7a, a fuel tank 7b, and a power generation device 8, as shown in FIG. 2B or FIG. 2C.
  • the multicopter 10 may include at least one rotor 22 driven by the internal combustion engine 7a. In that case, either a "series hybrid” or a "parallel hybrid” drive system may be adopted.
  • the multicopter 10 is equipped with an image sensor 42.
  • the image sensor 42 is attached to the multicopter 10 so that the crops below can be photographed from the multicopter 10 during flight.
  • the image sensor 42 is fixed to the multicopter 10 so that the imaging area faces downward so that the state of the crops 94 located directly below the multicopter 10 can be imaged.
  • the image sensor 42 may be equipped with a movable mechanism that changes the imaging area according to an instruction from the control device 4a.
  • the ranging sensor 44 is, for example, a LiDAR, and can measure the distance from the ranging sensor 44 to the crop or the ground. If the ranging sensor 44 is a three-dimensional LiDAR, three-dimensional point cloud data can be generated based on the sensor data. The control device 4a can determine the state of the crop based on the three-dimensional point cloud data and calculate the degree of crop lodging. The ranging sensor 44 can be used not only to observe the state of the crop and determine the degree of crop lodging, but also, for example, to detect obstacles. When observing the state of the crop using one ranging sensor 44 or detecting obstacles during flight, the multicopter 10 may be provided with a movable mechanism for dynamically changing the direction or measurement area of the ranging sensor 44.
  • the measurement target of the ranging sensor 44 can be easily aligned with the crop on the ground.
  • the altitude sensor 46 measures the altitude of the multicopter 10 aircraft and outputs a signal indicating that altitude.
  • Altitude refers to the vertical distance between a reference plane (e.g., the ground surface) and the aircraft.
  • the altitude sensor 46 can be realized, for example, by a barometer, a GNSS receiver, or a distance sensor that measures the distance from the multicopter 10 to the ground, or a combination of these.
  • the working machine 200 can receive power from the battery 52 via the power supply device 76.
  • the working machine 200 in this example has a retractable supply device 202.
  • the supply device 202 has a working tip 204 that drops or sprays pesticides or fertilizers downward, and an actuator 206 such as an electric motor that raises and lowers the working tip 204.
  • the control device 4a can adjust the altitude of the working tip 204 by the actuator 206 during flight. For example, as shown by the white arrow in FIG. 9, when increasing the flight altitude of the multicopter 10 to weaken the effect of downwash, the control device 4a can change the altitude ha of the working tip 204 to altitude hb.
  • the altitude of the working tip 204 can be adjusted independently of the flight altitude of the multicopter 10.
  • the flight altitude is increased to reduce the effect of downwash, it is possible to move the working tip 204 closer to the ground (surface) 90 and concentrate fertilizer or pesticides in a limited area.
  • the movable mechanism that moves the working tip 204 up and down is not limited to the example shown in the figure, and may be, for example, a robot hand.
  • the work machine 200 may have an actuator 206X that moves the working tip 204, for example, in a horizontal direction. Since the working range is determined by the position of the working tip 204, the control device 4a can adjust the working range by changing the position of the working tip 204 with the actuator 206X during flight. Since it is generally difficult to fine-tune the position of the multicopter 10 during flight or hovering, adjusting the position (particularly the horizontal position) of the working tip 204 with the actuator 206X makes it easier to fine-tune the working range.
  • examples of the working machine 200 include the agricultural material supplying device 202, but may include other devices, such as mechanical devices for removing weeds or insects.
  • the working machine 200 is equipped with such mechanical devices, the downwash DW exposes the roots of the crop, making it possible for the working machine 200 to efficiently perform various tasks on the roots or their surroundings.
  • the working machine 200 is a mechanical weeder, it is also possible to pull out surrounding weeds and suck up hidden pests.
  • the working machine 200 may also be equipped with a mechanism for thinning out the crops.
  • the mechanical device of the working machine 200 may be used to make the degree of lodging of the crop uniform.
  • the working machine 200 that realizes such a function may be equipped with a mechanism that applies a physical pressure near the root of the crop to fine-tune (correct) the degree of lodging of the crop.
  • the multicopter 10 of this embodiment can create a map of the degree of crop lodging based on the state of the crop observed by one or more sensors included in the sensor group 4b.
  • a crop lodging degree map By referring to such a crop lodging degree map, the field can be classified into areas with a relatively high degree of crop lodging and areas with a relatively low degree of crop lodging. In general, areas with a relatively high degree of crop lodging have crops with a relatively high degree of maturity, making them more susceptible to pest infestation.
  • the degree of crop lodging in each divided area is not limited to two stages, and may be three or more stages.
  • the working machine 200 in the embodiment of the present disclosure can be equipped with a device (crop working device) at the tip for performing various tasks on crops.
  • a device crop working device
  • Examples of crop working devices can include an agricultural material supply unit, a mechanical weeding device, a pest control device, a crop thinning device, and a crop posture changing device.
  • control device 4a in the embodiment of the present disclosure can be realized by a digital computer system programmed to execute the above-mentioned processing.
  • FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the control device 4a.
  • the control device 4a includes a processor 34, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 35, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 36, a storage device 37, and a communication I/F 38. These components are connected to each other via a bus 39.
  • Processor 34 is one or more semiconductor integrated circuits, and is also called a central processing unit (CPU) or microprocessor. Processor 34 sequentially executes computer programs stored in ROM 35 to realize the above-mentioned processing. Processor 34 is broadly interpreted as a term including a CPU-equipped FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), GPU (Graphic Processor Unit), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), or ASSP (Application Specific Standard Product).
  • CPU central processing unit
  • ROM 35 read-only memory
  • Processor 34 is broadly interpreted as a term including a CPU-equipped FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), GPU (Graphic Processor Unit), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), or ASSP (Application Specific Standard Product).
  • ROM 35 is, for example, a writable memory (e.g., a PROM), a rewritable memory (e.g., a flash memory), or a read-only memory.
  • ROM 35 stores a program that controls the operation of the processor.
  • ROM 35 does not have to be a single recording medium, but can be a collection of multiple recording media. Part of the collection of multiple recording media may be removable memory.
  • RAM 36 provides a working area for loading the programs stored in ROM 35 at boot time.
  • RAM 36 does not have to be a single recording medium, but can be a collection of multiple recording media.
  • the communication I/F 38 is an interface for communicating between the control device 4a and other electronic components or electronic control units (ECUs).
  • the communication I/F 38 can perform wired communication conforming to various protocols.
  • the communication I/F 38 may also perform wireless communication conforming to the Bluetooth (registered trademark) standard and/or the Wi-Fi (registered trademark) standard. Both standards include wireless communication standards that utilize frequencies in the 2.4 GHz band.
  • the storage device 37 may be, for example, a semiconductor memory, a magnetic storage device, or an optical storage device, or a combination thereof.
  • the storage device 37 may store, for example, map data useful for the autonomous flight of the multicopter 10, and various sensor data acquired by the multicopter 10 during flight.
  • control device 4a may include, for example, a flight control device such as a flight controller, and a higher-level computer (companion computer).
  • the companion computer may execute each process as shown in FIG. 7, and give flight-related commands based on the results of the processes to the flight controller.
  • [Item 1] An unmanned aerial vehicle having multiple rotors, A work machine for performing ground work; A sensor that senses the state of crops on the ground and outputs sensor data; An altitude sensor; A control device for controlling the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the operation of the work machine; Equipped with The control device detects the impact of the downwash of the multiple rotors on the condition of the crop based on the sensor data, and changes the flight altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle depending on the degree of the impact.
  • [Item 2] 2. The unmanned aerial vehicle described in item 1, wherein the degree of the impact is the degree of crop lodging.
  • the ground operation includes at least one of liquid pesticide application, granular pesticide application, fertilization, crop thinning, pest control, and weeding.
  • the control device adjusts the strength of the downwash by changing the flight altitude during the ground operation and controls the range of the crop covered by the ground operation to a predetermined size.
  • the working machine has a working tip portion and an actuator that moves the working tip portion up and down, The unmanned aerial vehicle described in any one of items 1 to 8, wherein the control device adjusts the altitude of the working tip by the actuator during flight.
  • the working machine has a working tip and an actuator that moves the working tip in a horizontal direction, The unmanned aerial vehicle described in any one of items 1 to 8, wherein the control device adjusts a working range defined by the position of the working tip by the actuator during flight.
  • the work machine includes at least one of an agricultural material supply unit, a mechanical weeding device, a pest control device, a crop thinning device, and a crop attitude changing device.
  • the unmanned aerial vehicle according to any one of items 1 to 5, wherein the state of the crop is defined by at least one parameter of the height, spatial density, saturation, brightness, reflectance, or the inclination direction and inclination angle of the crop.
  • the sensor senses a plurality of crop conditions having different degrees of influence depending on the strength of the downwash, 13.
  • the sensor that outputs the sensor data includes a LiDAR sensor, The unmanned aerial vehicle described in any one of items 1 to 13, wherein the control device generates three-dimensional point cloud data of the crop based on the sensor data and recognizes the state of the crop based on the three-dimensional point cloud data.
  • the sensor that outputs the sensor data includes an image sensor; The unmanned aerial vehicle described in any one of items 1 to 14, wherein the control device performs image processing of the crop based on the sensor data and recognizes the state of the crop based on the results of the image processing.
  • the unmanned aerial vehicle disclosed herein can be widely used not only for aerial photography, surveying, logistics, and pesticide spraying, but also for ground work related to agricultural work, transporting harvested products and agricultural materials, etc.

Landscapes

  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Environmental Sciences (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Soil Sciences (AREA)
  • Insects & Arthropods (AREA)
  • Pest Control & Pesticides (AREA)
  • Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Zoology (AREA)
  • Catching Or Destruction (AREA)

Abstract

Cet aéronef sans pilote équipé d'une pluralité de rotors comprend une machine de travail qui effectue un travail sur le sol, un capteur qui détecte un état d'une culture sur le sol et délivre des données de capteur, et un dispositif de commande qui commande le vol de l'aéronef sans pilote et le fonctionnement de la machine de travail. Sur la base des données de capteur, le dispositif de commande détecte l'effet de déflexion vers le bas par la pluralité de rotors sur l'état de la culture, et modifie l'altitude de vol de l'aéronef sans pilote en fonction du degré de l'effet.
PCT/JP2023/004974 2023-02-14 2023-02-14 Aéronef sans pilote Ceased WO2024171294A1 (fr)

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Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2009269493A (ja) * 2008-05-08 2009-11-19 Yamaha Motor Co Ltd 無人ヘリコプタ
WO2019168042A1 (fr) * 2018-02-28 2019-09-06 株式会社ナイルワークス Drone, son procédé de commande, et programme
WO2020040063A1 (fr) * 2018-08-20 2020-02-27 株式会社ナイルワークス Procédé de photographie de grandes cultures et drone photographique
WO2020090589A1 (fr) * 2018-10-30 2020-05-07 株式会社ナイルワークス Système de production d'itinéraire de déplacement, procédé de production d'itinéraire de déplacement, programme de production d'itinéraire de déplacement, et drone
WO2020189506A1 (fr) * 2019-03-18 2020-09-24 株式会社ナイルワークス Drone, procédé de commande de drone et programme de commande de drone

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2009269493A (ja) * 2008-05-08 2009-11-19 Yamaha Motor Co Ltd 無人ヘリコプタ
WO2019168042A1 (fr) * 2018-02-28 2019-09-06 株式会社ナイルワークス Drone, son procédé de commande, et programme
WO2020040063A1 (fr) * 2018-08-20 2020-02-27 株式会社ナイルワークス Procédé de photographie de grandes cultures et drone photographique
WO2020090589A1 (fr) * 2018-10-30 2020-05-07 株式会社ナイルワークス Système de production d'itinéraire de déplacement, procédé de production d'itinéraire de déplacement, programme de production d'itinéraire de déplacement, et drone
WO2020189506A1 (fr) * 2019-03-18 2020-09-24 株式会社ナイルワークス Drone, procédé de commande de drone et programme de commande de drone

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