JP2019036269A - Flight control method of pilotless small flying object, and inspection method of condition of internal space and condition of wall surface thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

To fly a pilotless small flying object by a remote control while locating the pilotless small flying object in an internal space such as a chimney or a tunnel by a method not using GPS, and to reduce a cost of an inspection work and shorten an inspection period by inspecting a condition of the internal space and a condition of a wall surface thereof during a flight of the pilotless small flying object.SOLUTION: In an internal space 110 such as a chimney or a tunnel, a front view is photographed by a camera 6 during a flight of a pilotless small flying object 1A, and measurement of a flight height and measurement of a distance between the pilotless small flying object 1A and a wall surface 120 of the internal space 110 in multiple lateral directions are performed during the flight. An image taken by the camera and each measurement data are transmitted to a wireless control terminal 10 in a wireless manner, and an operator can operate the wireless control terminal 10 while looking at a display 21 at hand to fly the pilotless small flying object 1A.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

The present invention relates to a flight control method for an unmanned small vehicle that wirelessly flies an unmanned small vehicle in an internal space where GPS radio waves such as chimneys and tunnels are not captured,
The present invention relates to an internal space state and a wall surface state inspection method for checking the state of the internal space and its wall surface state while flying an unmanned small flying object by this flight control method.

One type of unmanned small aircraft is a multicopter. In multi-copter wireless remote control, position confirmation using GPS is performed.
However, because GPS radio waves do not reach in internal spaces such as chimneys, incinerators, large diameter pipes, tunnels, tunnels, underground passages, subway stations, underground malls, underground facilities, large dome facilities, and some buildings, I cannot fly while locating the multicopter.

  By the way, large furnaces and chimneys in factories and garbage incineration facilities, etc. have become thinner over the years, there are places where the thickness of the inner wall has become thinner, some refractory materials have fallen off, cracks, etc., and deposits are stuck to the inner wall In some cases, there are holes in the chimney. For this reason, it is necessary to periodically inspect the inner wall and repair any troubled parts, and it is also necessary to remove deposits such as smoke substances. It is also necessary to regularly inspect the inner walls of large-diameter pipes, tunnels, underground passages, etc., exemplified by large sewers.

Conventionally, inspection of inner walls of high chimneys, incinerators, etc. has been carried out on gondola suspended in the chimneys or incinerators. Inspecting the inner walls of large-diameter pipes, tunnels, underpasses, etc., the inspector moved to the inspection position using an aerial work vehicle. And if there was a faulty part, the part was photographed with a camera, marked with spray paint, and filled in the inspection document.
However, such inspection requires labor, time, and manpower for work. For this reason, inspection work cost became high, and the inspection work required days.

Recently, for example, a self-propelled flaw detector as exemplified in Patent Document 1 has been proposed.
However, this device requires time and manpower to transport to the inspection site, and cannot be used for inspection of large diameter pipes, tunnels, underground passages, and inner walls of some buildings.

The inventors of the present application have studied a method for inspecting the state of the internal space and the wall surface state by flying an unmanned small vehicle equipped with a camera in the internal space, but the environment of the internal space where GPS radio waves are not captured. Below, it is dangerous because the flight position of the unmanned small vehicle cannot be confirmed.
It was also found that it was difficult to specify the location of the image even when the internal space and its wall camera were photographed.

JP 2013-210296 A JP, 2006-107843, A

  Therefore, as a result of further intensive studies, the inventors of the present application have determined that the flying height of the unmanned small flying vehicle and the unmanned small flying vehicle and the wall surface of the internal space can be obtained even in an environment where the GPS radio wave is not captured. If the distance can be measured, it was concluded that the flight could be done by wireless remote control. And it was confirmed that it was possible to fly safely by repeated test flights, and in particular, the time for checking the condition of the internal space and the wall surface condition thereof was remarkably fast.

Problems to be solved by the present invention include chimneys, incinerators, large-diameter pipes, tunnels, tunnels, underpasses, subway stations, underground malls, underground facilities, large-scale dome facilities, some buildings, etc. It is an object of the present invention to provide a flight control method for an unmanned small vehicle that allows the unmanned small vehicle to be remotely controlled while confirming the position of the unmanned small vehicle without using the method.
In addition, during the flight of this unmanned small aircraft, the state of the internal space and its wall surface are inspected to reduce the cost of inspection work and shorten the inspection period. The purpose is to provide an inspection method.

  The present invention includes a flight control method for an unmanned small air vehicle and a method for inspecting wall surfaces in an internal space such as a chimney or a tunnel. Both methods are common in the point that the unmanned small flying object is remotely controlled by radio to fly in the inner space, the point of photographing by the camera, and the point of confirming the flight position by the same technique other than GPS.

In the flight control method for an unmanned small aircraft according to claim 1, the following steps are executed.
(1) Cameras in internal spaces where GPS radio waves are not captured, such as chimneys, incinerators, large-diameter pipes, tunnels, tunnels, underground passages, subway stations, underground malls, underground facilities, large dome facilities, and some buildings The unmanned small flying vehicle equipped with is remotely controlled by a radio signal from a radio control terminal operated by a pilot on the ground of the internal space.
(2) The front of the unmanned small flying vehicle is under illumination mounted on the unmanned small flying vehicle.
(3) During this flight, a front view of the unmanned small flying object is photographed by the camera.
(4) Further, during the flight, the flight height measurement means measures the flight height of the unmanned small vehicle, and the unmanned small vehicle includes a plurality of distance measurement sensors mounted on the unmanned small vehicle. The distance between the inner space and the wall surface in a plurality of horizontal directions is measured.
(5) Image data taken by the camera and measurement data obtained by each measurement are wirelessly transmitted to the radio control terminal and connected to the display of the radio control terminal and / or the radio control terminal. Appears on the display.
(6) The remote operator of the unmanned small flying vehicle looks at either of the two displays and / or the unmanned small flying vehicle on which the imaging and the measurement data are displayed, and The unmanned small flying vehicle is safely controlled to fly to a desired position in the internal space while confirming the position and confirming the lateral position without contacting the wall surface.

A flight control method for an unmanned small vehicle according to the present invention (hereinafter, abbreviated as a flight control method of the present invention) remotely controls the unmanned small vehicle wirelessly from above the ground in an internal space where GPS radio waves are not captured. This is a method of safely flying to a desired position.
The flight control method of the present invention allows the unmanned small air vehicle to go on behalf of a person in these internal spaces that are not easily accessible by the person. Also, even if people can go, let them go faster than people.

The unmanned small flying vehicle is also called a drone or UAV, and the unmanned small flying vehicle most suitable for the flight control method of the present invention is a small multicopter having a plurality of sets of propellers.
Commercially available small multicopters can perform low-speed flight, ascending, stopping in the air, horizontal rotation, turning, etc., so they are the most suitable models for flying in the internal space, and are equipped with a camera-equipped function as standard.

In claim 2, the unmanned small vehicle is limited to the multicopter.
The multicopter includes a guard frame member that prevents the propellers from coming into contact with the wall surface of the internal space.
This guard frame member is a circular ring frame shown in FIG. 1 that surrounds a plurality of propellers as a whole, or a connected circular ring frame that surrounds each propeller shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 of JP-A-2006-522113. Further, an arch-shaped frame material or a dome-lattice-shaped frame material that prevents the multicopter from directly contacting the ceiling may be provided above the unmanned small aircraft.

The camera according to claim 1 is for photographing the front of the multicopter.
This camera is attached to the lower side of the center frame of the multicopter in the horizontal direction, and can be adjusted for movement in the vertical rotation direction and movement adjustment in the horizontal rotation direction.
These movement adjustment functions are known techniques included in many types of commercially available multicopters.

The image taken by this camera is displayed on the display of the radio control terminal above the ground and / or the display connected to the radio control terminal.
The display connected to the wireless control terminal is, for example, a goggle type display or a liquid crystal display.
The wireless control terminal includes a smart phone as well as a wireless remote control controller for an unmanned small aircraft.

  The flight control method of the present invention is a method that does not use GPS, measures the flight height of the unmanned small vehicle using height measurement means (hereinafter abbreviated as flight height measurement), unmanned small vehicle, The distance measurement of the space | interval with the wall surface of the said inner space (henceforth abbreviated as space | interval measurement) is performed. These measurements may be continued during the flight of the unmanned small aircraft or may be performed intermittently.

  The flight height is measured and confirmed in order to safely fly the unmanned small vehicle to the desired location. In addition, it is performed in order to know which height of the internal space and its wall surface the camera will shoot.

  Specifically, the flight height is measured by one of the following methods.

(A) A method in which a scale of a tape measure suspended in a chimney, an incinerator, or the like is photographed with the camera (a camera mounted as a standard or a 360 ° panoramic view camera), and this is confirmed on the display.
Since the camera mounted as standard has a viewing angle of about 90 °, the tape measure may not be photographed. In this case, the direction of the unmanned small vehicle is changed by rotating the camera sideways. So that the tape measure is shot.

(B) A reel around which a thin wire is wound is fixed on the ground, the tip of this thin wire is connected to an unmanned small flying vehicle, and the length of this thin wire is measured. How to do.
The length is measured by, for example, detecting the number of rotations of the pulley brought into contact with the thin wire with a rotation number detection sensor.
The wire may be colored to be graduated.
The small-diameter wire is also used to prevent an unmanned small flying vehicle (multi-copter) that has been raised from inadvertently jumping out from above the chimney or the incinerator.

(C) A method in which a barometric pressure sensor is mounted on the unmanned small flying vehicle, and the altitude of the unmanned small flying vehicle is measured based on the amount of change in atmospheric pressure from the point of takeoff.

(D) A method of measuring a distance by installing a laser distance sensor upward on the ground and emitting a weak laser beam from the laser distance sensor toward the unmanned small flying vehicle.
Specifically, using a high-precision laser displacement sensor, a semiconductor laser beam is projected from the high-precision laser displacement sensor toward an unmanned small flying vehicle, and distance measurement is performed by a triangulation distance measuring method.
A high-precision laser displacement sensor can also measure a certain distance such as a chimney or an incinerator.
Commercially available products can be used for the high-precision laser displacement sensor.

(E) A method of measuring a distance to the ground by mounting a laser distance sensor on the unmanned small aircraft in a downward posture. This laser distance sensor can also be handled by a high-precision laser displacement sensor.

The distance measurement and confirmation of the distance from the wall surface of the internal space are performed so that the unmanned small air vehicle (particularly, the propeller of the multicopter) can always perform the distance from the wall surface at the same distance.
In addition, it is performed so that photographing by the camera (the above-mentioned standard camera, 360 ° panoramic view camera) can always be performed at the same interval.
The wall surface is a peripheral side wall, both side walls, a front wall, a ceiling wall, or the like. For example, when the internal space is in a chimney and an incinerator, the inner wall surface can be photographed in the process of raising and lowering the unmanned small aircraft along the centers of the chimney and the incinerator.

The distance between the inner space and the wall surface is measured using a plurality of distance measuring sensors.
Specifically, each distance measurement sensor is mounted in an outward direction at three locations every 120 ° in the center frame or four locations every 90 ° in the center frame of the unmanned small vehicle. If the unmanned small vehicle (multicopter) is limited to being raised along the center in the chimney and incinerator, it is sufficient to mount the distance measuring sensors at three locations every 120 ° laterally. Including the case of flying an unmanned small aircraft (multicopter) in an internal space other than the chimney and the incinerator, the sensors are mounted at four positions every 90 ° laterally. If it does in this way, the flight position of an unmanned small aircraft will not be biased. For each measurement sensor, for example, the use of an ultrasonic sensor in which any one of an ultrasonic sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, and an optical sensor is used will be described in detail in the embodiments.

  The flight control method according to claims 1 and 2 is used for the following purposes, for example.

(A) Camera photography of the interior space.

(B) Measurement of concentrations of CO, CO2, other gases, radioactivity, etc. in the internal space.
There are a method for sequentially storing the concentration measurement data from the concentration measurement sensor mounted on the unmanned small flying vehicle in the memory and a method for wirelessly transmitting the concentration measurement data to the terminal device on the ground. Done.
As the concentration measurement sensor, one or a plurality of sensors suitable for the measurement purpose are selected, such as a CO concentration measurement sensor, a CO2 concentration measurement sensor, and a radioactive concentration measurement sensor. The density measurement data is displayed on the display together with the image taken by the camera or separately. This display can be converted into a display based on a list for each measurement location, a graph display, a chart display, a mapping display, etc. in addition to a numerical display.

(C) Transporting goods toward the internal space and taking out objects placed in the internal space.
For example, if this internal space is a tunnel or underpass, and there are abnormal situations such as a fallen floor, ceiling or wall collapse, a traffic accident, etc. It is assumed that it may be dangerous for people etc. to enter this tunnel, underpass.
When an abnormal situation occurs in a tunnel or an underground passage, an unmanned small air vehicle can transport and inspect the relief supplies in the tunnel or the underground passage on behalf of a rescuer and an inspector team. Relief supplies include small lighting fixtures, small radios, lifesaving supplies, guide ropes, food, drinking water, fire extinguishing supplies, and the like. The lifesaving supplies are, for example, oxygen masks and medical instruments, medicines, medical supplies, and the like. In addition to guiding people in tunnels and underpasses, guide ropes are used for exhausting ducts and necessary materials for people in tunnels and underpasses.

  When the usage methods described in the above (a), (b) and (c) are used in combination, a more effective usage method is obtained.

In the method for inspecting the state of the internal space and the wall surface state according to claim 3, the following steps are executed.
(1) The unmanned small aircraft is caused to fly into the internal space by the flight control method for the unmanned small vehicle according to claim 1 or 2.
(2) During this flight, the situation of the internal space and the wall surface situation photographed by the camera are sequentially mapped to 2D or 3D.
(3) Position identification information is automatically given to each imaging virtually divided by this mapping and stored in a RAM medium included in the camera or a RAM medium connected to the unmanned small aircraft side, or via wireless Sent to the radio control terminal.
(4) The remote pilot of the unmanned small air vehicle looks at the state of the internal space and the wall surface state displayed on the display of the wireless control terminal or the display of the personal computer, and the state of the internal space and the wall surface state thereof Check.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an inspection method in which an unmanned small flying object is made to fly in the internal space, and the state of the internal space and the wall surface state are photographed with a camera during the flight, There are a method of checking by checking and a method of checking by checking any one of the displays after photographing with the camera, and at least the latter checking method is performed.

  The mapping and the position identification information are added in order to specify the location photographed by the camera.

The inspection method for the state of the internal space and the wall surface state according to claim 4 further includes the following steps in the inspection method according to claim 3.
(1) In photographing a wall surface of the internal space such as a chimney or an incinerator using a small multicopter, the wall surface state is in the process of descending flight after the multicopter is lifted to near the upper end of the internal space. Shoot.
(2) When the multicopter reaches near the ground, it is raised again.
(3) Then, the wall surface situation is photographed in the process of descending flight performed again in a state where the direction of the horizontal direction is changed.
(4) This is repeated and the wall surface is imaged in a horizontal range of 360 °.

The inspection method according to claim 4 performs camera photographing in the column direction.
The camera shooting in the vertical direction may be performed continuously by moving image shooting, or may be performed intermittently for each camera viewing angle.

When the horizontal 360 ° range is photographed in this way, a plurality of vertically long wall surfaces are captured, and the plurality of wall surface images are captured with a part of adjacent portions overlapping each other.
In the joining operation of the wall surface imaging performed in the image processing after the entire photographing, the overlapping portion is present, so that the accurate joining can be performed. When the joining is completed, the overlapped portion is deleted.

The method for inspecting the state of the internal space and the wall surface state thereof according to claim 5 is the inspection method according to claim 3, wherein the following steps are further executed.
(1) As the camera, a panoramic view camera having a horizontal viewing angle of 360 ° is used.
(2) When photographing the wall surface situation of the internal space such as a chimney or incinerator using a small multicopter, the wall surface state is leveled in the process of descending flight after raising the multicopter to near the upper end of the internal space. Shoot sequentially in the range of 360 °.

  A commercial product (for example, Key Mission 360 manufactured by Nikon Corporation) is used for the 360 ° panoramic view camera. An image taken with a 360 ° panoramic camera is also mapped.

The inspection method for the state of the internal space and the wall surface state thereof according to claim 6 is the inspection method according to claim 3, and further includes the following steps.
(1) The camera includes a flight camera provided as a standard on the unmanned small aircraft, and the situation of the internal space and its wall surface mounted on the unmanned small aircraft for photographing and checking the wall surface situation. It consists of an inspection camera for taking pictures of the situation.
(2) Two-dimensional mapping or three-dimensional mapping is performed on the image captured by the inspection camera.
(3) The remote pilot of the unmanned small air vehicle checks the state of the wall surface by looking at the imaging of the internal space state and the wall surface state mapped on the display of the wireless control terminal or the display of the personal computer. To do.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the inspection method of the sixth aspect, a panoramic view camera having a horizontal viewing angle of 360 ° is used as the inspection camera.

  The same 360 ° panoramic view camera as that described above is used. An image captured by this panoramic camera is also mapped.

  According to the flight control method for an unmanned small vehicle according to claim 1, a chimney, an incinerator, a large-diameter pipe, a tunnel, a tunnel, an underpass, a subway station, an underground mall, an underground facility, and a large dome, in which GPS radio waves are not captured. In an internal space such as a facility or a part of a building, it is possible to remotely control and fly safely while checking the position of an unmanned small flying vehicle.

  According to the flight control method of the unmanned small vehicle according to claim 2, as a result of providing the guard frame material at a position surrounding each propeller from the lateral direction, there is no risk of bringing each propeller into contact with the wall surface. An unmanned small vehicle can fly.

  According to the internal space situation and the wall surface inspection method according to claim 3, the state of the internal space where GPS radio waves are not captured and the state of the wall surface are checked by flying a small unmanned air vehicle equipped with a camera. This can greatly reduce the cost of inspection work. In addition, the inspection period can be shortened.

According to the method for inspecting the state of the internal space and the wall surface according to the fourth aspect, it is possible to perform imaging in a horizontal range of 360 ° for each column using a camera that is standard equipment on an unmanned small aircraft.

According to the inspection method of the situation of the internal space and the wall surface condition according to claim 5, since the photographing of the wall surface of the internal space such as the chimney and the incinerator can be performed with a 360 ° panoramic view camera, Since it can be done only by ascending and descending flights, the wall surface status can be checked even faster.

According to the inspection method of the internal space situation and its wall surface condition according to claim 6, since it is carried out using a flight camera mounted as standard, and a camera for photographing and checking the internal space situation and its wall surface condition, You can fly and shoot according to the interior space.

According to the internal space situation and the wall surface inspection method according to claim 7, since a 360 ° panoramic view camera is used for photographing and inspection of the wall situation, It is possible to shoot and check the wall surface more quickly by just descending.

(A) is the perspective view which showed the multicopter of 1st Embodiment carrying the camera used by this invention inspection method, (b) is a front view of the radio control terminal of a multicopter, (c) is a rear view. Front sectional drawing which showed the method of making the multicopter of 1st Embodiment fly in a chimney, and checking a wall surface condition. (A) is a plane sectional view showing a method for inspecting a wall surface condition by flying the multicopter of the first embodiment into a chimney, and (b) is an arrangement example of a distance sensor for measuring a distance between the multicopter and the wall surface. The figure which showed (c), the figure which expanded and showed the flight path | route of the multicopter. The block diagram which shows the structure of the flight control and camera imaging process of the unmanned small air vehicle which concerns on 1st Embodiment. The perspective view which showed the multicopter of 2nd Embodiment carrying a 360 degree panoramic view camera. Front sectional drawing which showed the method of making the multicopter of 2nd Embodiment fly in a chimney, and checking a wall surface condition. The block diagram which shows the structure of the flight control and camera imaging process of the unmanned small air vehicle which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. (A) is front sectional drawing which showed the method which makes the multicopter of 2nd Embodiment fly in a tunnel, and inspects a wall surface condition, (b) is side sectional drawing which shows the inspection in a tunnel.

[Multicopter 1A of First Embodiment]
Fig.1 (a) has shown 1st Embodiment multicopter 1A.
A multicopter 1A, which is one form of an unmanned small vehicle, has a center frame 2 having a hexagonal shape in plan view. Leg portions 3, 3 are provided below the center frame 2, and six frame arms 4, 4.. Six sets of propellers 5, 5,... Rotated by motors M, M,. Below the center frame 2, the camera 6 is mounted in a laterally outward posture via a camera holder (not shown) with a gimbal. On the outside of the rotation area of the propellers 5, 5..., A large-diameter ring-shaped guard frame member 9 that prevents the propellers 5, 5. positioned.

[Radio control terminal 10]
The remote control of the multicopter 1A is performed by operating the radio control terminal (controller) 10 shown in FIG. Two joysticks 12 </ b> L and 12 </ b> R for performing flight control are provided on the main body case 11 of the wireless control terminal 10. A smartphone 20 is supported on the wireless control terminal 10 according to this embodiment. The radio control terminal 10 and the smartphone 20 are signal-connected by a signal line (not shown), and imaging by the camera 6 is displayed on the display 21 of the smartphone 20. The image taken by the camera 6 can be temporarily stored in a RAM medium inside the smartphone 20 so as to be readable.

  As shown in FIG. 1C, on the back side of the radio control terminal (controller) 10, a flight mode switch 13, a video recording button 14, a gimbal button 15, a shutter button 16, a playback button 17, and a camera setting dial 18 are provided. USB ports 19, 19 are provided. The USB ports 19 and 19 are connected to an HDD or the like for temporarily storing captured images taken by the camera.

[Fly Control and Camera Shooting of Multicopter 1A in Chimney 100]
FIGS. 2 and 3A show a state in the middle of lowering while positioning the multicopter 1 </ b> A in the internal space 110 of the chimney 100. Camera shooting from the multicopter 1A side is performed while the multicopter 1A is descending, and the state of the wall surface 120 is shot.

  Prior to camera photography, the multicopter 1A is placed on the ground G, which is the center of the internal space 110 of the chimney 100, and the laser distance sensor 40 is placed on the ground G, which is below the center of the multicopter 1A. Thereafter, the radio control terminal 10 is operated to raise the multicopter 1A to the upper part of the internal space 110 of the chimney 100, and then the multicopter 1A is lowered.

  The ascent and descent of the multicopter 1A is performed while measuring the flight height of the multicopter 1A and measuring the distance in the lateral direction (distance measurement) that prevents the multicopter 1A from contacting the wall surface 120 of the internal space 110.

The laser distance sensor 40 is used for the height measurement of the multicopter 1A in the example shown in FIG.
The laser light projected from the laser distance sensor 40 toward the lower surface of the center frame 2 of the multicopter 1A is reflected and received by the laser distance sensor 40, whereby the flight height of the multicopter 1A is measured by the triangulation method. It is measured. When the flight height of the multicopter 1A is measured, the height position of the wall surface 120 photographed by the camera can be specified. The flight height measurement data is transmitted to the radio control terminal 10 by a signal line, radio or infrared.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 (a), three distance sensors S1, S1 are used to measure the distance between the wall surface 120 of the large-diameter vertical cylindrical body such as the chimney 100 and the incinerator and the unmanned small air vehicle 1A. S2 and S3 are used.
According to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b), the three distance sensors S1, S2, and S3 are respectively provided at three positions every 120 ° on the lower surface of the center frame 2 of the unmanned small aircraft. It is mounted facing outward. The mounting locations of the three distance sensors S1, S2, S3 are not limited to the lower surface of the center frame 2, and may be mounted on the side surface of the center frame 2 and the upper surface of the center frame 2. When the three distance sensors S1, S2 and S3 are oriented in this direction, the distance between the unmanned small aircraft 1A and the wall surface 120 can be accurately measured regardless of the direction in which the unmanned small aircraft 1A changes in the horizontal rotation direction. Yes.

The flight in the chimney 100 of the unmanned small air vehicle 1A equipped with one camera and the three distance sensors S1, S2, S3 is as shown in the flight path development view of FIG. After raising to near the upper end, it is lowered as it is, and after finishing the next and subsequent rises, it becomes a flight path for changing the lateral direction of the unmanned small air vehicle 1A.
If this flight path is taken, all the wall surfaces of the chimney internal space can be photographed with a camera. The lateral direction of the unmanned small aircraft 1A may be performed after the next ascent or after the descent of the unmanned small aircraft 1A is completed.
The camera photographing may be performed in the process of ascending the unmanned small aircraft 1A. Moreover, you may make it carry out in the process of ascending and descending.

According to the block diagram shown in FIG. 4, the flight control signal transmitted from the radio control terminal 10 by radio is transmitted from the data transmitting / receiving unit 39 to the modem 37, and further controls various switches and sensors, the camera 6 and the like. Each part 36 of the multicopter main body is driven from the switch mechanism 34 via the servo controller 35. Each part of the main body here includes a motor for rotating the propeller and illumination.

The distance sensors S1, S2, and S3 are connected to the signal processing unit 30. The measurement data measured by the distance sensors S1, S2, and S3 reaches the data transmitting / receiving unit 39. And it is sent to the radio control terminal 10 by a radio signal. When photographing a wall surface situation of the internal space such as a chimney or an incinerator using a small multicopter, the wall surface state is photographed in the process of descending flight after raising the multicopter to near the upper end of the internal space. ,
When the multicopter reaches near the ground, it rises again,
Shoot the wall surface in the process of descending flight that is performed again with the direction of the horizontal direction changed,
The internal space state and the wall surface inspection method according to claim 3, wherein the image of the wall surface is imaged in a range of 360 ° horizontally by repeating this. The image is mapped to a dimension and transmitted from the imaging transmission unit 33 to the wireless control terminal 10 as a wireless signal.

  The flight height measurement data measured by the laser distance sensor 40 is sent to the radio control terminal 10 through the amplifier 41.

  Then, the image picked up by the camera and each measurement data are displayed on the display.

[Multicopter 1B of Second Embodiment]
FIG. 5 shows a multicopter 1B of the second embodiment. In the multicopter 1B of the second embodiment, a panoramic view camera 7 having a viewing angle of 360 ° is mounted at the center of the upper surface of the center frame 2. Since forms other than this are the same as the unmanned small air vehicle 1A of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1A, the same reference numerals are used.

[Fly Control and Camera Shooting of Multicopter 1A in Chimney 100]
As shown in FIG. 6, the unmanned small air vehicle 1B of the second embodiment is equipped with a dome-shaped 360 ° panoramic view camera 7, so that all the wall surfaces 110 are cameras in one descent after ascending. There is an advantage that can be taken.

  In the block diagram shown in FIG. 7, both the flight camera 6 and the 360 ° panoramic view camera 7 are signal-connected to the image processing unit 32 for mapping. The flight camera 6 and the 360 ° panoramic view camera 7 are wirelessly transmitted / received in different paths, and the 360 ° panoramic view camera 7 is signal-connected from the mapping image processing unit 32 to the wireless transmission unit 33. The image is sent to the personal computer. Although not shown, another image processing unit for mapping may be signal-connected to the camera 6.

  As shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, the unmanned small air vehicle 1B equipped with the 360 ° panoramic view camera 7 has a viewing angle extending upward, so the situation in the internal space 210 of the tunnel 200, There are usefulness and effect of each stage for wall inspection.

  Although not shown in the drawings, in each of the above-described embodiments, when the flight height of the unmanned small vehicle exceeds a predetermined height, or when the distance between the unmanned small vehicle and the wall exceeds a predetermined distance, You may make it emit a signal sound from a terminal device, the smart phone mentioned above, or a personal computer.

  Further, instead of the display on the radio control terminal side or in combination with this display, it may be possible to perform imaging display and position information display by a goggle type display worn by the radio operator.

  The flight control method for an unmanned small vehicle according to the present invention, the state of the internal space, and the inspection method of the wall surface state thereof are used in the field of various inspections of building structures and the like.

1A (first embodiment) multicopter (unmanned small flying vehicle)
1B Multicopter (Unmanned Small Aircraft)
5 Propeller 6 Camera 7 360 ° panoramic view camera 8 Support arm 9 Guard frame material 10 Wireless control terminal (controller)
20 Smartphone 21 Display 40 Laser distance sensor 100 Chimney 110 Internal space 120 Wall surface S1, S2, S3 Distance sensor

Claims (7)

Cameras are installed in internal spaces where GPS signals are not captured, such as chimneys, incinerators, large-diameter pipes, tunnels, tunnels, underground passages, subway stations, underground malls, underground facilities, large dome facilities, and some buildings. Remotely maneuvering an unmanned small vehicle by a radio signal by a radio control terminal operated by a pilot who is on the ground of the internal space;
The front of the unmanned small vehicle is under illumination mounted on the unmanned small vehicle,
During this flight, a front view of the unmanned small aircraft is photographed by the camera,
Further, during the flight, the flight height of the unmanned small vehicle is measured by a flight height measurement means, and the unmanned small vehicle and the inner space are measured by a plurality of distance measurement sensors mounted on the unmanned small vehicle. The measurement of the distance from the wall surface in multiple horizontal directions is,
The image taken by the camera and the measurement data obtained by each measurement are wirelessly transmitted to the radio control terminal and displayed on the display of the radio control terminal and / or the display connected to the radio control terminal. Displayed,
The remote pilot of the unmanned small flying vehicle confirms the flight height of the unmanned small flying vehicle by looking at one of the two displays and / or the unmanned small flying vehicle on which the imaging and the measurement data are displayed. And a flight control method for the unmanned small vehicle, wherein the unmanned small vehicle is controlled to safely fly to a desired position in the internal space while confirming a lateral position that does not contact the wall surface. The unmanned small aircraft is a small multicopter equipped with a plurality of propellers,
2. The unmanned small-sized flight according to claim 1, wherein the propeller is prevented from coming into contact with the wall surface by a ring-shaped guard frame member provided at a position surrounding the propellers from a lateral direction in the flight of the multicopter. Body flight control method. The unmanned small flying object is caused to fly into the internal space by the flight control method of the unmanned small flying object according to claim 1 or 2,
During this flight, the image of the situation of the internal space and the wall condition taken by the camera are sequentially mapped to 2D or 3D,
By this mapping, position identification information is automatically given to each virtually divided imaging and stored in a RAM medium provided in the camera or a RAM medium connected to the unmanned small air vehicle side, or the wireless control is performed wirelessly. Sent to the terminal,
The remote pilot of the unmanned small vehicle looks at the state of the internal space and the wall surface state displayed on the display of the wireless control terminal or the display of the personal computer, and checks the state of the internal space and the wall surface state. , Inspection method of internal space and its wall surface. When photographing a wall surface situation of the internal space such as a chimney or an incinerator using a small multicopter, the wall surface state is photographed in the process of descending flight after raising the multicopter to near the upper end of the internal space. ,
When the multicopter reaches near the ground, it rises again,
Shoot the wall surface in the process of descending flight that is performed again with the direction of the horizontal direction changed,
4. The method of inspecting the state of the internal space and the wall surface state according to claim 3, wherein the wall surface is imaged in a range of 360 ° horizontally by repeating this. The camera is a panoramic view camera with a horizontal viewing angle of 360 °,
When photographing the wall surface situation of the internal space such as a chimney or an incinerator using a small multicopter, the wall surface state is horizontally 360 ° in the process of descending flight after raising the multicopter to near the upper end of the internal space. The method for inspecting the state of the internal space and the wall surface state thereof according to claim 3, wherein images are sequentially photographed within a range. The camera is a flight camera provided as a standard on the unmanned small vehicle, and the internal space and its wall surface are mounted on the unmanned small vehicle for photographing and checking the wall surface. And consists of an inspection camera for
The image captured by the inspection camera is two-dimensionally mapped or three-dimensionally mapped,
The remote pilot of the unmanned small air vehicle checks the state of the wall surface by looking at the image of the state of the internal space and the wall surface state mapped on the display of the wireless control terminal or the display of the personal computer. The inspection method of the condition of the interior space of Claim 3, and its wall surface condition.   The method for inspecting the state of the internal space and its wall surface state according to claim 6, wherein the inspection camera is a panoramic view camera having a horizontal viewing angle of 360 °.

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