JP2003104295A - Position measurement method of helicopter and flight stabilizing device thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a flight stabilizing device 1 for a helicopter capable of stably flying a small helicopter 2 flying by wireless remote control regardless of influence such as the wind in the sky. SOLUTION: When flying the helicopter 2 by remote control, the helicopter is raised to a predetermined altitude, a scanning plane 3 in a horizontal area for surrounding it is set, and a scanning line 5 is formed on the scanning plane 3 by a laser beam projected from a laser beam projector 4 installed on the ground.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is a technology applicable to a radio remote-controlled flight such as a balloon, an airship, an airplane or an artificial satellite. The present invention relates to a helicopter position measuring method for stably flying regardless of the influence of air currents and the like, and a flight stabilizer thereof.

[0002]

Conventionally, an unmanned small helicopter flying by radio remote control is equipped with a photographing device such as a digital camera to take an aerial photograph of the ground, and the image data obtained by this is analyzed. Then, the topography etc. were measured.

In the above helicopter, when an operator on the ground operates a stick (control stick) of a wireless remote controller,
The aircraft will move up and down, left and right, forward and backward at the speed corresponding to the size of the operation angle, or turn, or if the stick is returned to neutral when the aircraft is in the air, the aircraft will hover (stop in the air). Is configured. This technology is commonly known as a radio-controlled helicopter or the like.

However, in order to perform the above-mentioned photographing, it is necessary to raise the helicopter to an altitude of 20 to 100 meters. However, it is not possible that the body of the helicopter is inadvertently washed away by wind or the like in the sky. It was difficult to predict, and if the output of the helicopter prime mover increased or decreased irregularly due to sudden changes in atmospheric pressure or temperature, the aircraft of the helicopter could make small movements outside the operator's command.

For this reason, in order for the operator to stably fly the helicopter while looking up far above, he must rely only on his skill and intuition, and expensive photographing equipment may crash and be damaged together with the helicopter, or There has been a problem that the operator who operates to avoid such an accident is accompanied by great mental tension and pain.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a helicopter position measuring method and a flight stabilizing device for stably flying the helicopter without depending on the skill and intuition of the operator.

[0007]

According to the helicopter position measuring method of the present invention, a scanning plane of a horizontal area surrounding a helicopter raised to an arbitrary altitude is set, and a laser projector on the ground projects on the scanning plane. The scanning line is formed by the laser beam that is generated, and the helicopter is provided with the light receiving sensor that detects the scanning line. Based on the time required from the time when the scanning line is at the origin to when the light receiving sensor detects the scanning line, The position on the scanning line is specified.

The helicopter flight stabilizer of the present invention comprises:
A scanning plane is set in a horizontal area surrounding a helicopter that has risen to an arbitrary altitude, and a scanning line is formed on the scanning plane by a laser beam projected from a laser projector on the ground. , An origin signal transmitting means for detecting the origin position of the scanning line and wirelessly transmitting an origin signal, and a light receiving sensor for detecting the scanning line on the helicopter,
Origin signal receiving means for receiving the origin signal and measuring means for measuring the position on the scanning line of the helicopter based on the time required from the time the origin signal receiving means receives the origin signal until the light receiving sensor detects the scanning line And a flight control means for controlling the flight direction of the helicopter.

In addition, the helicopter flight stabilizer of the present invention provides an initial position on a helicopter scan plane in one scan cycle of a scan line, and a helicopter scan plane in another scan cycle following one scan cycle. By comparing the positions, the moving distance from the initial position of the helicopter and its direction are calculated, and the flight control means returns the helicopter to the initial position based on the calculated values.

Further, the flight stabilizer for a helicopter according to the present invention is provided with the light-receiving sensors at two locations on the helicopter with a predetermined interval.

Further, in the flight stabilizing device for a helicopter according to the present invention, the flight control means is based on the calculated value of the moving distance from the initial position of the helicopter and its direction, and / or the wireless remote control for remotely controlling the helicopter. It operates based on a manual command signal wirelessly transmitted from the machine.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a helicopter flight stabilizer 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
In order to fly the helicopter 2 by remote control using, the helicopter 2 is elevated to an arbitrary altitude, a scanning plane 3 of a horizontal area surrounding the helicopter 2 is set, and the scanning plane 3 is mounted on a tripod 41. Laser projector 4 installed on the ground
The scanning line 5 is formed by the laser beam projected from the.

More specifically, FIG. 1 is an elevational view showing a usage state of a flight stabilizer 1 for a helicopter, and FIG. 2 is a plan view of the helicopter 2 and a trajectory of a scanning line 5 on a scanning plane 3. In the case of taking an aerial photograph, for example, using the helicopter 2 in this figure, the helicopter 2 is raised to an arbitrary altitude (for example, 50 meters) and hovering as it is to prepare for photography. In this state, the laser projector 4 on the ground located directly below the helicopter 2
A laser beam is projected from above toward the sky as follows.

That is, as the laser projector 4, a commercially available one called a laser projector is applied. In the present embodiment, the irradiation range of the laser beam is a quadrangular pyramid having the laser projector 4 as its apex, and the horizontal cross section of the quadrangular pyramid at an arbitrary altitude (here, a height of 50 meters) is the scanning plane 3. The scanning line 5 may have any shape as long as its locus can cover substantially the entire area of the scanning plane 3 without crossing, but in the present embodiment, it has the meandering shape shown in FIG. The scanning plane 3 is not limited to a quadrangle, but may be a circle.

The formation of the scanning line 5 as described above is performed by high-speed scanning of a prism or a mirror. Specifically, a top reflector (not shown) that vibrates at high speed in the direction of arrow X0 inside the laser projector 4 shown in FIG.
Then, by reflecting the laser beam and projecting it to the sky, a main scanning line 51 running along the arrow X shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 2 can be obtained. 2, the main scanning line 51 is shifted in the arrow Y direction at predetermined time intervals and a continuous scanning line 52 is formed between the end portions of the main scanning line 51 by inclining in the Y direction in FIG. . In addition, the main scanning line 51 may be obtained by reflecting the laser beam on a polygonal mirror rotating in the direction of arrow X0 instead of the top reflecting mirror.

The scanning line 5 has an origin O defined in advance. This origin position can be arbitrarily set on the scanning plane 3, but in this embodiment, it is set at the upper left corner of the scanning plane 3 in FIG. The scanning line 5 starting from the origin O immediately returns to the origin O when it reaches a corner portion on the scanning plane 3 which is the end point E and draws the locus shown in FIG. Although the laser beam may be blocked in the process of returning from the end point E to the origin O, the scanning line 5 is provided between the end point E and the origin O.
May reciprocate following the same trajectory. The circulation of the scanning line 5 is one scanning cycle, and 1 to 3 per second.
About 0 times is desirable, and main scanning line 5 per scanning cycle
The number of 1 is preferably about 400 to 1000. These are values determined by the specifications of the laser projector 4.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the laser projector 4 detects the presence of the scanning line 5 at the origin O and sends origin signal wirelessly, and origin of the laser beam. Zoom means 7 is provided for increasing or decreasing the area of the scanning plane 3 regardless of the altitude of the helicopter 2 by enlarging or reducing the range. The origin signal may be transmitted from the laser projector 4 directly to the helicopter 2, or may be piggybacked on the radio wave transmitted from the wireless remote controller 8 that remotely operates the helicopter 2.

As shown in FIG. 4, the helicopter 2 includes a first light receiving sensor 9 for detecting a scanning line 5 and a laser projector 4.
Origin signal receiving means 10 for receiving the origin signal transmitted from the origin signal transmitting means 6, and this origin signal receiving means 10
Measuring means 11 for measuring the position of the helicopter 2 on the scanning line 5 based on the time required for the first light receiving sensor 9 to detect the scanning line 5 from the time when the origin signal is received by the measuring means 11. It is equipped with a storage means 12 for storing the position of the helicopter 2 and a flight control means 13 for controlling the flight direction and attitude of the helicopter 2.

The flight control means 13 is a trivial technology commonly referred to as a radio-controlled helicopter, etc., and since its constituent elements are substantially the same as those of a practical helicopter, only an outline of the control will be described below. That is, the flight control means 13
Is composed of servo groups 14, 15 and 16 of at least 3 channels which can be controlled individually.
Each of the 16 includes a swing arm (actuating arm) that is rotated by a torque of an electric motor when an operator on the ground operates the wireless remote controller 8.

The first servo 14 among them appropriately changes the posture of a swash plate (not shown) for bearing the main rotor 17 and distributes the lift force of the main rotor 17 as thrust force to the front, rear, left and right. Is. If the prime mover of the helicopter 2 is a reciprocating engine, the second servo 15 opens and closes its throttle to open the main rotor 17
Alternatively, the rotational output of the tail rotor 18 is increased / decreased to mainly raise / lower and hover the helicopter 2, or the thrust of the helicopter 2 in the front / rear / left / right directions is increased / decreased. The third servo 16 changes the propeller pitch of the tail rotor 18 or the like to keep the airframe of the helicopter 2 stationary or the main rotor 1 against the reaction force of the main rotor 17.
7 or the rotation reaction force of the main rotor 17 is assisted to rotate the body of the helicopter 2 in the direction opposite to the rotation of the main rotor 17.

The automatic control of the helicopter 2 using the flight stabilizer 1 for a helicopter constructed as described above will be described below. That is, the initial position on the scan plane 3 of the helicopter 2 in one scan cycle of the scan line 5 (see, for example, FIG.
The state shown in (1) is measured by the measuring means 11 and stored in the storage means 12 as two-dimensional coordinates in the X and Y directions of the scanning plane 3. The measurement by this measuring means 11 is
The time required for the laser beam starting from the origin position on the scanning line 5 to enter and be detected by the first light receiving sensor 9 and the first light receiving sensor 9 on the scanning line 5 at the time when the required time elapses. Since the positions always match, it is based on the fact that the position of the helicopter 2 on the scanning plane 3 can be specified only by knowing the required time.

Subsequently, the position of the helicopter 2 on the scanning plane 3 in another scanning cycle following a predetermined time, for example, 0.5 seconds with respect to one scanning cycle, is again measured by the measuring means 11. The position of the helicopter 2 obtained by measurement is compared with the coordinates of the initial position stored in the storage unit 12.

As a result, the initial position and its (0.5
If there is almost no difference in the position after (seconds), it is determined that the helicopter 2 is stationary at the initial position, and the above process is repeated as a loop. If there is a difference between the initial position and the subsequent position, the helicopter 2 determines that the helicopter 2 was swept away from the initial position by the influence of wind, etc., and based on the coordinate value obtained by subtracting the coordinate value of the subsequent position from the initial position The measuring means 11 can calculate the moving distance and the direction from the initial position of the helicopter 2 to the subsequent position.

The calculated moving distance and direction are measured by the measuring means 1.
When it is transferred from 1 to the flight control means 13 as a coordinate value signal, the flight control means 13 causes the first, second or third servo 14,
By comprehensively controlling 15 and 16, the helicopter 2 is caused to fly toward the initial position and then returned to the initial position.

The automatic operation described above is performed by the laser projector 4
Is assumed to be installed so that its optical axis is directed vertically, but when the laser projector 4 is tilted or rotated around its optical axis while the helicopter 2 is hovering,
The scanning line 5 slides horizontally with respect to the helicopter 2 in proportion to the inclination angle, or turns according to the angle rotated around the optical axis. Therefore, when the helicopter 2 that is hovering is desired to be moved to a desired position, even if the wireless remote controller 8 is not operated,
This can be done simply by changing the attitude of the laser projector 4.

Further, when the second light receiving sensor 91 is attached to the helicopter 2 in addition to the first light receiving sensor 9, by arranging the first light receiving sensor 9 and the second light receiving sensor 91 at a predetermined interval, In addition to the positions in the X and Y directions, the position of the helicopter 2 in the vertical direction can be measured.

More specifically, since the projection range of the laser beam by the laser projector 4 is a quadrangular pyramid as described above, the scanning line 5
The total length of is longer when the altitude of the helicopter 2 is higher (the scanning plane 3 is wider) and is shorter when the altitude is lower (the scanning plane 3 is narrower). On the other hand, since the scanning cycle is constant irrespective of the altitude of the helicopter 2, the speed at which the scanning line 5 runs is faster when the altitude of the helicopter 2 is higher and slower when the altitude of the helicopter 2 is lower. That is, the first light receiving sensor 9
Alternatively, the time difference between one of the second light receiving sensors 91 detecting the scanning line 5 and the other detecting the scanning line 5 becomes shorter as the altitude of the helicopter 2 becomes higher, and becomes longer as the altitude of the helicopter 2 becomes lower.

Therefore, the time difference between the first light receiving sensor 9 and the second light receiving sensor 91 in one scanning cycle of the scanning line 5 for sensing the scanning line 5 is stored in the storage means 12 as the initial time difference, and this is stored in the storage means 12. By comparing the time differences in the other scan cycles following one scan cycle, the distance that the helicopter 2 descends or rises from the origin position is calculated, and the helicopter 2 is controlled by the flight control means 13 as described above. It can be returned to the initial position. It is desirable that the interval between the first light receiving sensor 9 and the second light receiving sensor 91 be adjustable so that the sensitivity for picking up the time difference can be freely increased or decreased.

As shown in FIG. 5, the laser projector 4
When the area of the scanning plane 3 is increased / decreased by operating the zooming means 7 of the above, even if the altitude of the helicopter 2 is constant, the time difference between the first light receiving sensor 9 and the second light receiving sensor 91 sensing the scanning line 5 respectively. Fluctuates, the measuring means 11 judges that the helicopter 2 has descended or climbed from the origin position at a distance corresponding to this fluctuation. For this reason,
When it is desired to raise or lower the hovering helicopter 2 to a desired altitude, it is possible to appropriately operate the zoom means 7 of the laser projector 4 without operating the wireless remote controller 8.

In the above description, the flight control means 13 operates based on the calculated value of the moving distance from the initial position of the helicopter 2 and its direction, but the helicopter 2 is switched by the wireless remote controller 8. By adding a possible switching means 19 and appropriately switching the operation means from the ground, the coordinate value signal sent from the measuring means 11 and the wireless remote controller 8 for remotely controlling the helicopter 2 are provided.
The flight control means 13 may be activated based on at least one of a manual command signal wirelessly transmitted from the flight control means 13. Further, the scanning line 5 is connected to the first and second light receiving sensors 9,
Due to the difficulty of detecting 91, the flight control means 13
Alarm buzzer 2 to inform you of abnormalities in case of malfunction
0 may be provided in the helicopter 2.

The method and apparatus according to the present invention should not be understood as a technique applied only to the flight of the above single rotor helicopter, and can also be applied to a front and rear rotor or parallel rotor helicopter. Of course, it goes without saying that it can easily be diverted to the measurement of the positions of balloons, airships, airplanes, artificial satellites, or ships or vehicles that navigate the water surface or the ground.

[0032]

According to the helicopter position measuring method of the present invention, the position of the helicopter in the sky can be accurately grasped without relying only on the visual observation of the operator on the ground. Therefore, even if the helicopter body is carelessly swept by the wind in the sky or the helicopter moves out of the command of the operator etc., the operator etc. can quickly and easily return the helicopter to the desired position. You can

According to the flight stabilizer for a helicopter of the present invention, even if the body of the helicopter is inadvertently washed away by the wind or the like, or the helicopter moves out of command from an operator, The helicopter can be returned to its original position. Therefore, for example, when taking an aerial photograph for surveying, it is not necessary to perform an unstable flight in which a helicopter equipped with an expensive photographing device is relied solely on the skill and intuition of an operator or the like. Further, it is possible to relieve the operator or the like who steers from the mental strain and pain associated with difficult steering.

Further, according to the flight stabilizing device for a helicopter of the present invention, the helicopter can be automatically returned to a predetermined position as described above, but it is wirelessly transmitted from a wireless remote controller on the ground. It is also possible to control a helicopter based on a manual command signal. This is a function that allows the helicopter to be manually operated when the helicopter is flying at low altitude or when the laser projector cannot be installed on the ground.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an elevational view showing an outline of a usage state of a flight stabilizer for a helicopter according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an outline of a usage state of a flight stabilizer for a helicopter according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a laser projector applied to a flight stabilizer for a helicopter according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a helicopter applied to a flight stabilizer for a helicopter according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view showing an outline of a usage state of a laser projector applied to a helicopter flight stabilizer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: Helicopter flight stabilizer 2: Helicopter 3: scanning plane 4: Laser projector 5: Scan line 6: Origin signal transmission means 7: Zoom means 8: Wireless remote control 9: First light receiving sensor 10: Origin signal receiving means 11: Measuring means 12: storage means 13: Flight control means 14: Origin signal transmission means 17: Switching means 91: Second light receiving sensor

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A scanning plane of a horizontal area surrounding a helicopter elevated to an arbitrary altitude is set, and in the scanning plane,
A scanning line is formed by a laser beam projected from a laser projector on the ground, the helicopter is provided with a light receiving sensor for detecting the scanning line, and the light receiving sensor detects the scanning line from the time when the scanning line is at its origin. A method for measuring the position of a helicopter, characterized in that the position of the helicopter on the scanning line is specified based on the time required to detect the. 2. A scan plane of a horizontal area surrounding a helicopter elevated to an arbitrary altitude is set, and in the scan plane,
A flight stabilizer for a helicopter that forms a scanning line by a laser beam projected from a laser projector on the ground,
The laser projector is provided with origin signal transmitting means for wirelessly transmitting an origin signal by detecting the origin position of the scanning line, and the helicopter, a light receiving sensor for sensing the scanning line,
Origin signal receiving means for receiving the origin signal, and on the scanning line of the helicopter based on the time required from the time the origin signal receiving means receives the origin signal until the light receiving sensor senses the scanning line A flight stabilization device for a helicopter, comprising: a measurement unit for measuring a position and a flight control unit for controlling a flight direction of the helicopter. 3. An initial position on the scan plane of the helicopter in one scan cycle of the scan line is compared to a position on the scan plane of the helicopter in another scan cycle following the one scan cycle. The flight stabilizer for a helicopter according to claim 2, wherein the flight distance of the helicopter from the initial position and the direction thereof are calculated, and the flight control means returns the helicopter to the initial position based on the calculated value. . 4. The flight stabilization device for a helicopter according to claim 2, wherein the light receiving sensor is provided at two locations on the helicopter with a predetermined space provided therebetween. 5. The flight control means is wirelessly transmitted based on a calculated value of a moving distance of the helicopter from the initial position and a direction thereof and / or from a wireless remote controller remotely controlling the helicopter. The helicopter flight stabilizer according to claim 2, 3 or 4, which operates based on a manual command signal.