JP6777923B2 - Drone system, drone system control method, and drone system control program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a drone system, an air vehicle (drone), particularly a drone with enhanced safety, a method for controlling the drone system, and a drone system control program.

The application of small unmanned helicopters (multicopters), which are generally called drones, is advancing. One of the important application fields is spraying chemicals such as pesticides and liquid fertilizers on farmland (fields) (for example, Patent Document 1). In Japan, where farmland is small compared to Europe and the United States, it is often appropriate to use drones instead of manned airplanes and helicopters.

Technologies such as the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System and RTK-GPS (Real Time Kinematic-Global Positioning System) have made it possible for drones to accurately know the absolute position of their aircraft in centimeters during flight. Even in the typical narrow and complicated terrain of farmland, it is possible to fly autonomously with minimal manual maneuvering and to spray chemicals efficiently and accurately.

On the other hand, there were cases where it was difficult to say that safety was taken into consideration for autonomous flying drones for agricultural chemical spraying. Drones loaded with drugs weigh tens of kilograms, which can have serious consequences in the event of an accident such as falling onto a person. In addition, since the operator of the drone is usually not an expert, a foolproof mechanism is necessary, but consideration for this is insufficient. Until now, there have been drone safety technologies that are premised on human maneuvering (for example, Patent Document 2), but in particular, they address safety issues specific to autonomous flying drones for agricultural chemical spraying. There was no technology to do this.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-120151 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-163265

It is possible to provide a drone that can maintain high safety even during autonomous flight, that is, an unmanned aerial vehicle.

In order to achieve the above object, the drone system according to one aspect of the present invention is a drone system in which a pilot and a drone are connected to each other through a network and operate in cooperation with each other. It has a plurality of states different from each other, and by satisfying the conditions determined for each of the states, it transitions to another state corresponding to the conditions, and the plurality of states are a plurality of states based on an operation command from the user. The drone includes a standby state capable of transitioning to a state, and the drone includes a battery for driving the drone and a low battery detection unit for detecting that the amount of electricity stored in the battery is equal to or less than a predetermined value. The drone system transitions to the standby state based on the detection by the low battery detection unit.

The plurality of states further include a shutdown state to which the drone system belongs while shutting down the configuration of the drone system, and when an operation command for shutting down the drone is input in the standby state, the drone system causes the drone system. It may be configured to transition to the shutdown state.

In the drone system, the pilot and the drone are connected to each other through a network with at least a third configuration and operate in coordination with each other, and the plurality of states are in each of the above after activation of each configuration of the drone system. The shut-down state further includes an initial check state to confirm that the configuration is operating normally and coordinating with each other, and a shutdown state to which the drone system belongs while shutting down the drone system configuration. A drone shutdown state in which the drone is shut down, and a partially coordinated state in which the drone is transitioned from the drone shutdown state after the drone is shut down and the pilot and the third configuration are maintained in coordination. The drone system may be configured to be capable of transitioning to the initial check state based on the replacement of the battery of the drone in the partially coordinated state.

Based on the detection by the low battery detector, the drone system records information about the status of the drone system, which is the state to which the drone system currently belongs, the history of transitions so far, in the field. It may be configured to include at least one of information on areas where the drug has already been sprayed and information on areas where future spraying is required.

The information is based on the fact that the drone is out of coordination with the drone system when the battery is being replaced, and the drone is connected to other configurations of the drone system to establish the coordination. May be configured to call.

The pilot includes a pilot battery for driving the pilot and a second low battery detection unit that detects that the amount of electricity stored in the pilot battery is equal to or less than a predetermined value, and the drone. The system may be configured to transition to the standby state based on the detection by the second low battery detection unit.

The predetermined value detected by the low battery detection unit may be configured to be equal to or greater than the amount of electricity stored for the drone to return to the departure / arrival point.

The plurality of states further include a maintenance state for performing maintenance of the drone, and the drone system is configured to transition to the maintenance state when an operation command requesting maintenance of the drone is input in the standby state. You may be.

The plurality of states further include a flight start standby state capable of receiving a flight start command permitting the drone to start flying, and in the standby state, an operation command requesting a change of a designated field on which the drone sprays a drug. When is input, it may be configured to transition to the flight start standby state.

The low battery detection unit estimates the stored amount of the battery based on one or a plurality of values of the battery voltage, the battery temperature, and the current, and detects that the stored amount of the battery is equal to or less than a predetermined value. It may be configured as follows.

The low battery detection unit may be configured to correct the estimated stored amount of the battery based on one or more values of the actual usage time of the battery, the ambient temperature, and the like.

A method of controlling a drone system according to another aspect of the present invention is a method of controlling a drone system in which a pilot and a drone are connected to each other through a network and operate in cooperation with each other. It has a plurality of different states, and by satisfying the conditions determined for each of the states, it transitions to another state corresponding to the condition, and the plurality of states are a plurality of states based on an operation command from the user. The drone includes a standby state capable of transitioning to, and the drone includes a battery for driving the drone and a low battery detection unit for detecting that the amount of electricity stored in the battery is equal to or less than a predetermined value. The drone system includes a step of transitioning to the standby state based on the detection by the low battery detection unit.

The control program of the drone system according to still another aspect of the present invention is a control program of a drone system in which a pilot and a drone are connected to each other through a network and operate in cooperation with each other. It has a plurality of states different from each other, and by satisfying the conditions determined for each of the states, it transitions to another state corresponding to the conditions, and the plurality of states are a plurality of states based on an operation command from the user. The drone includes a standby state capable of transitioning to a state, and the drone includes a battery for driving the drone and a low battery detection unit for detecting that the amount of electricity stored in the battery is equal to or less than a predetermined value. The computer is made to execute an instruction to shift the drone system to the standby state based on the detection by the low battery detection unit.
The computer program can be provided by downloading via a network such as the Internet, or can be recorded and provided on various computer-readable recording media such as a CD-ROM.

We will provide a drone (unmanned aerial vehicle) that can maintain high safety even during autonomous flight.

It is a top view which shows the embodiment of the drone which constitutes the drone system which concerns on this invention. It is a front view of the said drone. It is a right side view of the above drone. It is a rear view of the said drone. It is a perspective view of the said drone. It is an overall conceptual diagram of the said drone system. It is a schematic diagram which showed the control function of the said drone. It is a schematic diagram which showed the structure of the drug spraying system which the said drone has. It is a functional block diagram which shows the functional part about the state transition which each of the drone, a pilot, a base station, and a farming support cloud which is a component of the drone system has. It is a detailed functional block diagram of the said drone. It is a schematic state transition diagram which shows a plurality of states which the said drone system transitions. It is a schematic state transition diagram regarding drug replenishment to which the above drone system transitions. It is a schematic state transition diagram regarding takeoff diagnosis to which the above drone system transitions. It is a schematic state transition diagram regarding the shutdown of the drone system to which the drone system transitions. It is a flowchart that the drone system determines the amount of charge of the battery which the drone has.

Hereinafter, modes for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. All figures are illustrations. In the following detailed description, certain details are given for illustration purposes and to facilitate a complete understanding of the disclosed embodiments. However, embodiments are not limited to these particular details. Also, for simplification of the drawings, well-known structures and devices are outlined.

FIG. 6 shows an overall conceptual diagram of a system using an embodiment of the drone 100 for chemical spraying according to the present invention. This figure is a schematic view, and the scale is not accurate. As shown in the figure and FIG. 9, the drone system 500 is a system in which a drone 100, a pilot 401, a base station 404, and a farming support cloud 405 are connected to each other through a network NW and operate in cooperation with each other. The base station 404 and the farming support cloud 405 are examples of the third configuration. In the drone system 500, all the components may be directly connected to each other, or each component is directly connected to at least one component and is separated via the directly connected component. It may be a configuration that is indirectly connected to the components of. The drone system 500 is an example of an agricultural mechanical system. At least one of the drone 100 and the pilot 401 constituting the drone system 500 determines whether or not the drug replenishment control system satisfies the condition for state transition.

The controller 401 is a means for transmitting a command to the drone 100 by the operation of the user 402 and displaying information received from the drone 100 (for example, position, amount of medicine, remaining battery level, camera image, etc.). Yes, it may be realized by a portable information device such as a general tablet terminal that runs a computer program. The drone 100 according to the present invention is controlled to perform autonomous flight, and can be manually operated during basic operations such as takeoff and return, and in an emergency. In addition to the portable information device, an emergency pilot having a function dedicated to an emergency stop may be used. The emergency control device is a dedicated device equipped with a large emergency stop button and the like so that an emergency response can be taken quickly. The pilot 401 and the drone 100 perform wireless communication by Wi-Fi or the like.

The field 403 is a rice field, a field, or the like that is the target of chemical spraying by the drone 100. In reality, the terrain of the field 403 is complicated, and the topographic map may not be available in advance, or the topographic map and the situation at the site may be inconsistent. Normally, field 403 is adjacent to houses, hospitals, schools, other crop fields, roads, railroads, and the like. In addition, obstacles such as buildings and electric wires may exist in the field 403.

The base station 404 is a device that provides a master unit function for Wi-Fi communication, and also functions as an RTK-GPS base station, and can provide an accurate position of the drone 100 (with the master unit function for Wi-Fi communication). RTK-GPS base station may be an independent device). The farming support cloud 405 is typically a group of computers operated on a cloud service and related software, and is wirelessly connected to the controller 401 by a mobile phone line or the like. The farming support cloud 405 may analyze the image of the field 403 taken by the drone 100, grasp the growing condition of the crop, and perform a process for determining the flight route. In addition, the topographical information of the stored field 403 may be provided to the drone 100. In addition, the history of the flight and captured images of the drone 100 may be accumulated and various analysis processes may be performed.

Normally, the drone 100 takes off from the departure / arrival point 406 outside the field 403 and returns to the departure / arrival point 406 after spraying the chemicals on the field 403 or when the chemicals need to be replenished or charged. The flight route (invasion route) from the departure / arrival point 406 to the target field 403 may be stored in advance in the farming support cloud 405 or the like, or may be input by the user 402 before the start of takeoff.

1 is a plan view of an embodiment of the drone 100, FIG. 2 is a front view thereof (viewed from the traveling direction side), FIG. 3 is a right side view thereof, FIG. 4 is a rear view, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view. The figure is shown. In the specification of the present application, the drone may be a power means (electric power, motor, etc.) and a control method (wireless or wired, autonomous flight type, manual control type, etc.). Instead, it refers to all vehicles that have multiple rotors or means of flight.

Rotors 101-1a, 101-1b, 101-2a, 101-2b, 101-3a, 101-3b, 101-4a, 101-4b (also known as rotors) are the means by which the drone 100 is flown. Eight aircraft (four sets of two-stage rotors) are provided in consideration of the balance between flight stability, aircraft size, and battery consumption.

Motors 102-1a, 102-1b, 102-2a, 102-2b, 102-3a, 102-3b, 102-4a, 102-4b are rotary blades 101-1a, 101-1b, 101-2a, 101- It is a means to rotate 2b, 101-3a, 101-3b, 101-4a, 101-4b (typically an electric motor, but it may also be a motor, etc.), and one machine is provided for each rotary blade. Has been done. The upper and lower rotors (eg, 101-1a and 101-1b) in one set and their corresponding motors (eg, 102-1a and 102-1b) are used for drone flight stability, etc. The axes are on the same straight line and rotate in opposite directions. Although some rotors 101-3b and motor 102-3b are not shown, their positions are self-explanatory and are in the positions shown if there is a left side view. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the radial member for supporting the propeller guard provided so that the rotor does not interfere with foreign matter has a rather wobbling structure rather than a horizontal structure. This is to encourage the member to buckle outside the rotor in the event of a collision and prevent it from interfering with the rotor.

The drug nozzles 103-1, 103-2, 103-3, and 103-4 are means for spraying the drug downward and are provided with four machines. In the specification of the present application, a drug generally refers to a liquid or powder sprayed in a field such as a pesticide, a herbicide, a liquid fertilizer, an insecticide, a seed, and water.

The drug tank 104 is a tank for storing the sprayed drug, and is provided at a position close to the center of gravity of the drone 100 and at a position lower than the center of gravity from the viewpoint of weight balance. The drug hoses 105-1, 105-2, 1053, 105-4 are means for connecting the drug tank 104 and the drug nozzles 103-1, 103-2, 103-3, 103-4, and are rigid. It may be made of the above material and also serve to support the drug nozzle. The pump 106 is a means for discharging the drug from the nozzle.

The drone 100 sprays the drug stored in the drug tank 104 from the air toward the field downward. According to the drone 100 that performs aerial spraying, it is possible to spray the chemicals more precisely to the field than when spraying from the ground by a ground sprayer or the user himself. Therefore, unlike the case where it is sprayed from the ground, it can be sprayed uniformly without being duplicated in the area in the field. Therefore, the drug stored in the drug tank 104 has a higher concentration, for example, about 10 times that of the drug sprayed from the ground.

FIG. 7 shows a schematic diagram showing a control function of an embodiment of the drug spraying drone according to the present invention. The flight controller 501 is a component that controls the entire drone, and may be an embedded computer including a CPU, memory, related software, and the like. The flight controller 501 uses motors 102-1a and 102-1b via control means such as ESC (Electronic Speed Control) based on the input information received from the controller 401 and the input information obtained from various sensors described later. , 102-2a, 102-2b, 102-3a, 102-3b, 104-a, 104-b to control the flight of the drone 100. The actual rotation speeds of the motors 102-1a, 102-1b, 102-2a, 102-2b, 102-3a, 102-3b, 104-a, 104-b are fed back to the flight controller 501, and normal rotation is performed. It is configured so that it can be monitored. Alternatively, the rotary blade 101 may be provided with an optical sensor or the like so that the rotation of the rotary blade 101 is fed back to the flight controller 501.

The software used by the flight controller 501 can be rewritten through a storage medium or the like for function expansion / change, problem correction, etc., or through communication means such as Wi-Fi communication or USB. In this case, protection by encryption, checksum, electronic signature, virus check software, or the like may be performed so as not to be rewritten by malicious software. In addition, a part of the calculation process used by the flight controller 501 for control may be executed by another computer located on the pilot 401, the farming support cloud 405, or somewhere else. Due to the high importance of the flight controller 501, some or all of its components may be duplicated.

The battery 502 is a means of supplying power to the flight controller 501 and other components of the drone, eg, rechargeable. The battery 502 is connected to the flight controller 501 via a fuse or a power supply unit including a circuit breaker or the like. The battery 502 may be a smart battery having a function of transmitting the internal state (charge amount, total usage time, etc.) to the flight controller 501 in addition to the power supply function. The battery 502 may be multiplexed, and in this embodiment, it has a first battery 502a and a second battery 502b. The first battery 502a and the second battery 502b may be equivalent to each other, may have different battery capacities from each other, or may have different functions.

The flight controller 501 communicates with the pilot 401 via the Wi-Fi slave unit function 503 and further via the base station 404, receives the necessary commands from the pilot 401, and receives the necessary information from the pilot. Can be sent to 401. In this case, the communication is encrypted to prevent fraudulent acts such as interception, spoofing, and device hijacking. The base station 404 may also have an RTK-GPS base station function in addition to the Wi-Fi communication function. By combining the signal from the RTK base station and the signal from the GPS positioning satellite, the GPS module 504 makes it possible to measure the absolute position of the drone 100 with an accuracy of about several centimeters. The GPS module 504 is so important that it is duplicated and multiplexed, and each redundant GPS module 504 is controlled to use a different satellite in order to respond to the failure of a specific GPS satellite. There is.

The 6-axis gyro sensor 505 is a means for measuring the acceleration of the drone body in three directions orthogonal to each other (further, a means for calculating the velocity by integrating the acceleration). Further, the 6-axis gyro sensor 505 is a means for measuring the change in the attitude angle of the drone body in the above-mentioned three directions, that is, the angular velocity. The geomagnetic sensor 506 is a means for measuring the direction of the drone body by measuring the geomagnetism. The barometric pressure sensor 507 is a means for measuring barometric pressure, and can also indirectly measure the altitude of the drone. The laser sensor 508 is a means for measuring the distance between the drone aircraft and the ground surface by utilizing the reflection of the laser beam, and uses, for example, an IR (infrared) laser. The sonar 509 is a means for measuring the distance between the drone aircraft and the ground surface by utilizing the reflection of sound waves such as ultrasonic waves. These sensors may be selected according to the cost target and performance requirements of the drone. In addition, a gyro sensor (angular velocity sensor) for measuring the inclination of the airframe, a wind sensor for measuring the wind force, and the like may be added. Moreover, these sensors are duplicated or multiplexed. If there are multiple sensors for the same purpose, the flight controller 501 may use only one of them, and if it fails, it may switch to an alternative sensor for use. Alternatively, a plurality of sensors may be used at the same time, and if the measurement results do not match, it may be considered that a failure has occurred.

The flow rate sensor 510 is a means for measuring the flow rate of the drug, and is provided at a plurality of locations on the path from the drug tank 104 to the drug nozzle 103. The liquid drain sensor 511 is a sensor that detects that the amount of the drug has fallen below a predetermined amount. The multispectral camera 512 is a means of photographing the field 403 and acquiring data for image analysis. The obstacle detection camera 513 is a camera for detecting a drone obstacle, and since the image characteristics and the lens orientation are different from those of the multispectral camera 512, it is desirable that the device is different from the multispectral camera 512. The switch 514 is a means for the user 402 of the drone 100 to make various settings. The obstacle contact sensor 515 is a sensor for detecting that the drone 100, in particular, its rotor or propeller guard part, has come into contact with an obstacle such as an electric wire, a building, a human body, a standing tree, a bird, or another drone. .. The cover sensor 516 is a sensor that detects that the operation panel of the drone 100 and the cover for internal maintenance are in the open state. The drug inlet sensor 517 is a sensor that detects that the inlet of the drug tank 104 is in an open state. These sensors may be selected according to the cost target and performance requirements of the drone, and may be duplicated or multiplexed. Further, a sensor may be provided at a base station 404 outside the drone 100, a controller 401, or some other place, and the read information may be transmitted to the drone. For example, a wind power sensor may be provided in the base station 404 to transmit information on the wind power and the wind direction to the drone 100 via Wi-Fi communication.

The flight controller 501 transmits a control signal to the pump 106 to adjust the drug discharge amount and stop the drug discharge. The current status of the pump 106 (for example, the number of revolutions, etc.) is fed back to the flight controller 501.

The LED 107 is a display means for informing the drone operator of the state of the drone. Display means such as a liquid crystal display may be used in place of or in addition to the LED. The buzzer 518 is an output means for notifying the state of the drone (particularly the error state) by a voice signal. The Wi-Fi slave unit function 519 is an optional component for communicating with an external computer or the like for transferring software, for example, in addition to the control unit 401. Instead of or in addition to the Wi-Fi slave function, other wireless communication means such as infrared communication, Bluetooth (registered trademark), ZigBee (registered trademark), NFC, or wired communication means such as USB connection You may use it. The speaker 520 is an output means for notifying the state of the drone (particularly the error state) by means of recorded human voice, synthetic voice, or the like. Depending on the weather conditions, it may be difficult to see the visual display of the drone 100 in flight. In such cases, voice communication is effective. The warning light 521 is a display means such as a strobe light for notifying the state of the drone (particularly the error state). These input / output means may be selected according to the cost target and performance requirements of the drone, and may be duplicated or multiplexed.

As shown in FIG. 8, the drug replenishment control system included in the drone 100 is provided in an agricultural machine for spraying a drug, particularly in this example, a drug spraying drone 100, which accurately controls the discharge of the drug and the drug. Detects discharge abnormality.

In the present embodiment, when the drug is "discharged abnormally", the drug is actually discharged, and the drug exceeding the specified value is discharged, or the drug is discharged abnormally. This includes a state of preparation that may occur, and a state of abnormal setting in which a drug different from the one scheduled to be applied is actually sprayed or may be sprayed.

As described above, the drug tank 104 is a tank for storing the sprayed drug.
The drug tank 104 is provided with an openable and closable lid for filling the drug and discharging the stored drug. An open / close sensor 104a capable of detecting an open / closed state is attached to the openable / closable lid. The open / close sensor 104a can be composed of, for example, a magnet attached to a lid and a sensor attached to a main body to detect the magnetic force or contact of the magnet. As a result, the open / closed state of the lid can be determined so that the user can recognize the opened / closed state of the lid, and it is possible to prevent a situation in which the drug is sprayed with the lid open.

Further, the drug tank 104 is provided with a drug type discrimination sensor 104b. The drug type discrimination sensor 104b can discriminate the type of drug stored in the drug tank 104.

The drug type discrimination sensor 104b is composed of, for example, a device capable of measuring the viscosity, conductivity, or pH of the drug in the drug tank 104, and the measured values of each item and the reference value for each drug. And can be compared to determine the type of drug.

Not limited to this, for example, if a cartridge-type drug tank is used as the drug tank 104, an IC or the like that records data on the drug type is attached to the cartridge-type drug tank, and the drug type is classified from the IC or the like. By providing a means for acquiring data, it is possible to determine the type of drug.

Here, since a plurality of types of drugs may be used, it is useful to determine whether or not the drug to be sprayed is stored in the drug tank 104. In particular, the particle size of the drug differs depending on the type, and if a drug with a smaller particle size than the drug planned to be sprayed is accidentally sprayed, drift (scattering of the drug to other than the target object) , Adhesion) is likely to occur and cannot be overlooked.

Further, the medicine tank 104 is equipped with a liquid shortage sensor 511 for detecting the liquid out of the medicine. In addition, the case where the drug runs out includes the case where the amount of the drug falls below a predetermined amount, and the case where the drug runs out is detected according to an arbitrarily set amount. Can be done.

It is preferable that the drug tank 104 is provided with a function for detecting the evaporation of the drug in the drug tank 104, a function for measuring temperature and humidity, and the like so that the drug is managed in an appropriate state.

The pump 106 discharges the drug stored in the drug tank 104 downstream, and the drug nozzles 103-1, 103-2, respectively, via the drug hoses 105-1, 105-2, 1053, 105-4, Send to 103-3 and 103-4.

The drug is delivered from the drug tank 104 to the drug nozzles 103-1, 103-2, 103-3, 103-4. In the description of the present embodiment, the drug is delivered along this delivery path. Is referred to as a downstream direction, and the opposite direction may be referred to as an upstream direction. A part of the medicine is sent from the medicine tank 104 to the medicine tank 104 again via the three-way valve 122. Regarding this route, the three-way valve 122 side is referred to as the downstream direction and the medicine tank 104 side is referred to as the upstream direction. There is.

The expansion tank 131 is a tank for temporarily storing the medicine delivered from the three-way valve 122 and returning it to the medicine tank 104.

The route from the three-way valve 122 to the drug tank 104 via the expansion tank 131 is a route for removing (defoaming) air bubbles in the water or the drug injected into the drug tank 104. Water or chemicals can be defoamed by circulating this route and temporarily storing it in the expansion tank 131.

Check valves 121-1, 121-2, 121-3, 121-4, 121-5, 121-6, 121-7 deliver the drug only in one direction and in the direction opposite to that direction. It is a valve to prevent the inflow, that is, the backflow. The check valves 121-1, 121-2, 121-3, 121-4, 121-5, 121-6, 121-7 are from the drug tank 104 to the drug nozzles 103-1, 103-2, 103-3. , 103-4 plays the role of a blocking mechanism that shuts off the discharge of the drug, and if it can play the role of blocking the discharge of the drug, use another mechanism such as a solenoid valve as the blocking mechanism. You can also do it.

In this example, the check valve 121-1 is between the drug tank 104 and the pump 106 and is provided near the drug discharge port provided in the drug tank 104, and the check valve 121-2 is the three-way valve 122 and the drug. Check valves 121-4, 121-5, 121-6, 121-7 are provided between nozzles 103-1, 103-2, 103-3, 103-4 and discharge ports 103a- to the outside of the drug. It is provided in 1, 103a-2, 103a-3, 103a-4, and a check valve 121-3 is provided between the three-way valve 122 and the expansion tank 131. The check valve 121-1 sends the medicine delivered from the medicine tank 104 in the downstream direction and controls the medicine so that it cannot flow back to the medicine tank 104. Further, the check valve 121-2 sends the medicine delivered from the pump 106 in the downstream direction and controls the pump 106 so that it cannot flow back. Further, the check valve 121-3 sends the medicine sent from the three-way valve 122 in the upstream direction where the expansion tank 131 is located, and controls the check valve 122 so that it cannot flow back. Furthermore, the check valves 121-4, 121-5, 121-6, 121-7 can block the discharge of the drug from the discharge ports 103a-1, 103a-2, 103a-3, 103a-4 to the outside. I have to.

For the check valves 121-1, 121-2, 121-3, 121-4, 121-5, 121-6, 121-7, various types such as swing type, lift type, and wafer type are used. It can be, and is not limited to a specific one. Further, regardless of this example, more check valves than in this example may be provided at appropriate locations.

The three-way valve 122 is provided between the pump 106 and the drug nozzles 103-1, 103-2, 103-3, 103-4, and the pump 106 to the drug nozzles 103-1, 103-2, 103-3, It constitutes a branch point of the route leading to 103-4 and the route connecting the pump 106 to the drug tank 104 via the expansion tank 131, and the drug is sent to each path according to the switching operation. The three-way valve 122 is an example of a valve, for example, a three-way solenoid valve.
Here, the route from the pump 106 to the drug nozzles 103-1, 103-2, 103-3, 103-4 causes the drug to be discharged from the drug nozzles 103-1, 103-2, 103-3, 103-4. , A route for spraying the drug.
Further, as described above, the path from the pump 106 to the drug tank 104 via the expansion tank 131 is a path for removing (defoaming) air bubbles in the drug.

The flow rate sensor 510 is provided between the pump 106 and the drug nozzles 103-1, 103-2, 103-3, 103-4 and sends out to the drug nozzles 103-1, 103-2, 103-3, 103-4. Measure the flow rate of the drug being used. Based on the flow rate of the drug measured by the flow rate sensor 510, the amount of the drug sprayed on the field 403 can be grasped.

The pressure sensors 111-1 and 111-2 measure the discharge pressure of the drug at the mounting position.
The pressure sensor 111-1 is attached to the downstream side of the pump 106 and is attached to the upstream side of the check valve 121-2 and the three-way valve 122, and measures the discharge pressure of the drug discharged downstream.
The pressure sensor 111-2 is on the downstream side of the check valve 121-2, and is attached to the upstream side of the drug nozzles 103-1, 103-2, 103-3, 103-4, and discharges the drug downstream. Measure the discharge pressure.

Since the discharge pressure of the drug can be measured by these pressure sensors 111-1 and 111-2, the check valves 121-1, 121-2, 121-3, 121-4, 121-5, 121-6 , 121-7 is closed, and the change over time of the drug discharge pressure measured by 111-1 and 111-2 of each pressure sensor is acquired, and this is obtained over time of the normal drug discharge pressure. By comparing with the change, it is possible to detect an abnormality in drug leakage. For example, if the discharge pressure of the drug acquired by the pressure sensors 111-1 and 111-2 draws a downward line over time, and this downward line exceeds the error range and differs from the normal time, it is in the path. It can be inferred that drug leakage may have occurred.

In addition, by making a judgment for each of the pressure sensors 111-1 and 111-2, it is possible to roughly identify the route in which the drug leak occurs. That is, in this example, when the measured value of the pressure sensor 111-1 is normal, but the measured value of the pressure sensor 111-2 is determined to be abnormal, it is downstream from the pressure sensor 111-1. It can be inferred that drug leakage has occurred in.

The pump sensor 106a measures the rotation speed of the rotor that sucks the drug from the drug tank 104 and discharges it downstream in the pump 106.
The rotation speed of the rotor of the pump 106 is measured by this pump sensor 106a, and then compared with the discharge pressure of the drug measured by the pressure sensors 111-1 and 111-2, and whether or not it matches the normal ratio. By discriminating, it is possible to detect an abnormality in drug leakage. That is, when the discharge pressure of the drug corresponding to the rotation speed of the pump 106 is not obtained as compared with the normal state, it is presumed that the drug leaks and the discharge pressure is reduced.

The nozzle type discrimination sensors 114-1, 114-2, 114-3, 114-4 discriminate the types of the drug nozzles 103-1, 103-2, 103-3, 103-4 attached to the drug discharge port. be able to.
Due to the difference in particle size of each drug to be sprayed, the drug nozzles 103-1, 103-2, 103-3, 103-4 are usually used differently depending on the drug. Therefore, by determining whether or not the types of the drug nozzles 103-1, 103-2, 103-3, and 103-4 are appropriate, it is possible to prevent erroneous spraying of the drug.

Specifically, for example, the discharge port is provided with a mechanism for fitting or engaging with the drug nozzles 103-1, 103-2, 103-3, 103-4, and the drug nozzles 103-1, 103-2, 103. -3 and 103-4 are mechanisms for fitting or engaging with the fitting or engaging mechanism on the spout side, and are a plurality of drug nozzles 103-1, 103-2, 103-3, 103-4. A mechanism with a different shape is provided for each. Then, when the drug nozzles 103-1, 103-2, 103-3, 103-4 are attached to the discharge port, different shapes are identified for each drug nozzle 103-1, 103-2, 103-3, 103-4. By doing so, the types of drug nozzles 103-1, 103-2, 103-3, and 103-4 can be identified.

In the middle of the route from the medicine tank 104 to the medicine nozzles 103-1, 103-2, 103-3, 103-4, there is a discharge port with a cock for discharging the medicine stored in the route to the outside. (Indicated as "DRAIN" in FIG. 6) is provided. When discharging the drug accumulated in the route from the drug tank 104 to the drug nozzles 103-1, 103-2, 103-3, 103-4, etc. after the spraying of the drug to the field 403 is completed, The drug can be discharged from this discharge port.

In the process of replenishing the drug tank 104, particularly in the liquid standby state (S31) and the air bleeding standby state (S32), which will be described later, water is injected into the drug tank 104. Each drug-related sensor of the drug discharge system, namely the drainage sensor 511, the pressure sensor 511-1, 511-2, and the flow rate sensor 510, operates similarly when the drug tank 104 is filled with water. .. In addition, the drug type discrimination sensor 104b can discriminate that water is contained in the drug tank 104.

Gases such as air are mainly present in the path from the drug tank 104 to the drug nozzles 103-1, 103-2, 103-3, 103-4. When replenishing the drug to the drug tank 104, the gas in the pathway may be mixed into the drug and the specified amount of drug may not be replenished. In addition, if an agricultural machine tries to discharge a drug while gas is mixed in, an unintended gas may be discharged instead of the drug, and it is difficult to accurately spray the drug in the field. is there. Further, when the gas and the drug are discharged irregularly, the pressure is not constantly applied to the drug nozzle 103 and the water pressure pulsates, so that it is difficult to accurately control the discharge amount of the drug. Specifically, the gas is crushed by the pressure and the water pressure is lowered, the flow rate is lowered, or the flow rate is suddenly increased after the gas is released. This is especially noticeable when the viscosity of the drug is high relative to the diameter of the pathway. As a result, if the flow rate is reduced and the particle size of the discharged drug becomes smaller than the planned particle size, the drug may be scattered by the wind and the drug may be sprayed to an unintended place. On the contrary, as a result of the increased flow rate, there is a risk that more drug than planned will be dropped. Therefore, when replenishing the drug tank 104 with the drug, it is desirable that the gas in the path is efficiently discharged to the outside and the path is filled with the drug. Specifically, it is desirable to monitor whether the drug replenishment is properly performed step by step and notify the user of the drug replenishment procedure at an appropriate timing.

The drone system 500 shown in FIG. 9 has a plurality of states different from each other. The drone system 500 transitions to another state corresponding to the condition by satisfying the condition determined for each state. The "state of the drone system 500" is a concept that indicates a state corresponding to the condition by satisfying a condition for transitioning to another state, and each state is configured independently of each other in the system configuration of the software. It may be, or a plurality of states may be configured in the same system configuration. When the drone system 500 belongs to a certain state, the drone system 500 performs an operation determined for each state. If the conditions set for each state are not met, the drone system 500 will remain in that state. In addition, there may be a plurality of defined conditions, and there may be a state in which a plurality of states can be transitioned.

If any of the drone 100, pilot 401, base station 404, or farming support cloud 405 fails, it could jeopardize the safety of the entire drone system 500. By correctly determining the state of the drone system 500 and stipulating the operation according to the determination, the drone 100 will not be flown or the drug will not be sprayed if the conditions are not satisfied. That is, the drone system 500 can be operated safely. In particular, the Drone 100 can be safely flown and sprayed with chemicals.

● Configuration for performing state transition of the drone system As shown in FIG. 9, the drone 100 includes a first state transmission unit 111, a first state reception unit 112, a first state transition determination unit 113, and a first main unit. It has a terminal determination unit 114 and a first state storage unit 115. In addition, the pilot 401, the base station 404, and the farming support cloud 405 include the first state transmission unit 111, the first state reception unit 112, the first state transition determination unit 113, the first main terminal determination unit 114, and the first. Each has a configuration corresponding to the state storage unit 115. That is, the controller 401 has a second state transmission unit 411, a second state reception unit 412, a second state transition determination unit 413, a second main terminal determination unit 414, and a second state storage unit 415. The base station 404 has a third state transmission unit 441, a third state reception unit 442, a third state reception unit 443, a third main terminal determination unit 444, and a third state storage unit 445. The farming support cloud 405 has a fourth state transmission unit 451, a fourth state reception unit 452, a fourth state transition determination unit 453, a fourth main terminal determination unit 454, and a fourth state storage unit 455.

The first to fourth state transmitters 111,411,441,451 are connected to other state information to which the drone system 500 currently belongs and terminal information indicating the status of the terminals of the drone 100, the pilot 401, and the base station 404. It is a functional part that sends to the components. Other components here are the drone 100, the pilot 401, the base station 404, or the farming support cloud 405. The terminal information is, for example, a numerical value indicating on / off information of the power supply of each of the drone 100, the pilot 401, and the base station 404, and the power supply capacity of each. In addition, the terminal information includes connection status between each component, operation history and maintenance history of each component, failure information of each component, information on whether or not emergency stop is being executed, and emergency stop. It may include the history, the type of water or drug injected into the drug tank 104, the amount thereof, the injection history, and the like.

The first to fourth state transmission units 111,411,441,451 may transmit cloud information indicating the status of the farming support cloud 405 to further other components. The cloud information may include, for example, the history of updating the information stored in the farming support cloud 405, that is, the last update date and time, the information of the terminal that updated the information, and the like.

The first to fourth state receivers 112,412,442,452 are connected to other components to which the state information to which the drone system 500 currently belongs and the terminal information indicating the status of the drone 100, the pilot 401, and the base station 404 are connected. It is a functional unit that receives from the first to fourth state transmission units 111,411,441,451. Further, the first to fourth state receiving units 112,412,442,452 may receive cloud information from further other components.

That is, the base station 404 transmits the state to which the drone system 500 currently belongs to at least one of the drone 100 and the pilot 401. The base station 404 also receives the state to which the drone system 500 currently belongs from at least one of the drone 100 and the pilot 401. The base station 404 sets the connection state of the pilot 401 and the base station 404, the connection state of the drone 100 and the base station 404, and the connection state of the pilot 401 and the drone 100 to at least one of the connection states of the drone 100 and the drone 100. Receive from at least one of the pilots 401.

Further, the base station 404 may transmit and receive the connection state between each component and the farming support cloud 405 with and from at least one other component.

According to the first to fourth state transmitters 111,411,441,451 and the first to fourth state receivers 112,412,442,452, each component grasps each other's terminal information and cloud information of other components connected in the drone system 500. be able to. That is, each component can maintain the state of the drone system 500 and smoothly continue the operation as the drone system 500 even if any of the components is out of cooperation.

Further, according to the configuration in which the controller 401 constantly grasps the terminal information and the cloud information, the user 402 can always grasp the state of the drone system 500.

The first to fourth state transition determination units 113,413,443,453 are functional units that recognize the state to which the drone system 500 currently belongs and determine whether or not the conditions for transitioning from the currently belonging state to another state are satisfied. is there. The first to fourth state transition determination units 113,413,443,453 can make a determination regarding the same conditions, and each state transition determination unit can operate as a substitute for another state transition determination unit.

The first to fourth state transition determination units 113,413,443,453 selectively determine whether or not the conditions for transitioning to another state are satisfied. That is, when one state transition determination unit makes a determination, the other state transition determination units do not make the determination. In the following description, the component having the state transition determination unit that determines the state transition is also referred to as a “main terminal”. According to this configuration, even if one of the components is turned off or the connection between the components is disconnected and the main terminal cannot operate, the other component can be used. The state transition can be determined as the main terminal, and the state of the drone system 500 can be changed.

The first to fourth main terminal determination units 114,414,444,454 are functional units that determine which component is the main terminal based on the information received by the first to fourth state reception units 112,412,442,452. Which component serves as the main terminal, that is, which of the first to fourth state transition determination units 113,413,443,453 determines the state transition, has a predetermined priority. Specifically, when the power of each component is turned on and all the components are coordinated, the drone 100 becomes the main terminal. When the power of the drone 100 is turned off or the connection with each component of the drone 100 is disconnected and the operation as the main terminal is impossible, the control unit 401 is determined by the determination of the first to fourth main terminal determination units 114,414,444,454. Becomes the main terminal. The priority is an example, and when the drone 100 cannot operate as the main terminal, the base station 404 or the farming support cloud 405 may be the main terminal. Further, the priority may be fixed or variable. For example, the priority may vary depending on the state to which the drone system 500 currently belongs.

In the present embodiment, the main terminal determination unit is provided for each component. According to this configuration, the main terminal can be determined even when the connection of any component is disconnected and the coordination is lost. When all the components are operating in cooperation, it is sufficient for any one of the main terminal determination units to determine the main terminal. For example, the first main terminal determination unit provided in the drone 100 is provided. 114 may decide that the drone 100 will be the main terminal. If the drone 100 is out of coordination, the second main terminal determination unit 114 determines that the pilot 401 will be the main terminal based on the information to that effect.

The first to fourth state storage units 115,415,445,455 are functional units that store terminal information indicating the state to which the drone system 500 currently belongs and the status of the drone 100, the controller 401, and the base station 404. The first state storage unit 115 may further store cloud information indicating the status of the farming support cloud 405.

At least a part of the first to fourth state storage units 115,415,445,455 is composed of a non-volatile storage area, for example, a non-volatile memory. According to this configuration, information can be stored even when the power of each component is turned off. Since failure information and maintenance history are inherited even when the power is turned on again, repairs and maintenance can be reliably performed even for failures and abnormalities that occurred before the power was turned off, and the drone system 500 can be used. It can be used safely.

● Configuration for controlling drug injection As shown in FIG. 10, the drone 100 has a liquid detection unit 31, an air bleeding detection unit 32, and an air bleeding detection unit 32 as a configuration for managing the injection of the drug into the drug tank 104. It includes a leak abnormality detection unit 33 and a replenishment detection unit 34. When injecting a drug into the drug tank 104, first, a liquid is injected into the drug tank 104, and this liquid is circulated by a pump 106 to be circulated through the drug tank 104 and each path from the drug tank 104 to the drug nozzles 103-1 to 4. After bleeding the air that discharges gas, mainly air, to the outside, the chemicals to be sprayed to the field are injected into the chemical tank 104.

The liquid detection unit 31 is a functional unit that detects that the medicine tank 104 has been replenished with liquid. The liquid detection unit 31 can be realized by, for example, a determination device that detects that a predetermined amount of liquid is contained in the medicine tank 104 by the liquid level height, weight, or the like. The liquid detection unit 31 is a functional unit that softly determines that the amount of the drug is a predetermined amount by using a liquid level gauge, a weight scale, a water pressure sensor, or the like that measures the amount of liquid in the drug tank 104. You may.

The liquid detection unit 31 detects that the liquid is injected into the medicine tank 104 in such an amount that the liquid remains in the medicine tank even when the liquid invades each path by the air bleeding operation described later. .. This is to prevent the water level in the chemical tank 104 from dropping due to the air bleeding operation and emptying the liquid in the chemical tank 104. The amount of liquid detected by the liquid detection unit 31 is larger than the total volume of each path from the drug tank 104 to the drug nozzle 103. The liquid detection unit 31 may detect, for example, that 10% or more of the upper limit of the drug tank 104 is filled with liquid.

The liquid detected by the liquid detection unit 31 is, for example, water, but it may be a chemical sprayed on the field, or it may be another appropriate liquid.

The air bleeding detection unit 32 completes the air bleeding operation of causing the air inside each path from the medicine tank 104 and the medicine tank 104 to the medicine nozzles 103-1 to 4 shown in FIG. 8 to flow out to the outside of the medicine tank 104. It is a functional part that detects the presence. When the three-way valve 122 opens the path on the expansion tank 131 side, the air bleeding detection unit 32 provides air in the path from the drug tank 104 to the three-way valve 122 in FIG. 6 (hereinafter, also referred to as “upstream path”). Detects that the extraction is completed. When the three-way valve 122 opens the path on the drug nozzle 103-1 to 4 side, the air bleeding detection unit 32 has a path from the three-way valve 122 to the drug nozzle 103-1 to 4 in FIG. 6 (hereinafter, "downstream"). It is detected that the air bleeding is completed in the "path").

The air bleeding detection unit 32 detects air bleeding in the upstream path based on the rotation speed of the pump 106 detected by the pump sensor 106a and the measurement results of at least one of the pressure sensor 111-1 and the flow rate sensor 510. Detects that the air bleeding operation is completed. In the downstream path, specifically, the air bleeding detection unit 32 sets the value of the pressure sensor 111-1 and the value of the flow rate sensor 510 according to the rotation speed of the pump 106 when the air bleeding operation is completed. At least one value is stored as a reference value. The air bleeding detection unit 32 compares the reference value according to the rotation speed of the pump 106 with the actually measured value of at least one of the pressure and the flow rate. When the difference is within a predetermined range, the air bleeding detection unit 32 detects that the air bleeding operation is completed.

The air bleeding detection unit 32 detects air bleeding in the downstream path based on the rotation speed of the pump 106 detected by the pump sensor 106a and the measurement results of at least one of the pressure sensor 111-2 and the flow rate sensor 510. , Detects that the air bleeding operation is completed. The air bleeding detection unit 32 stores the value of the pressure sensor 111-2 according to the rotation speed of the pump 106 and the value of at least one of the values of the flow rate sensor 510 as a reference value when the air bleeding operation is completed. Then, the completion of the air bleeding operation is detected by comparing with the measured value. Further, the value of the pressure sensor 111-1 may also be used for detecting air bleeding in the downstream path.

The values of the pressure sensors 111-1 and 111-2 and the values of the flow rate sensor 510 according to the rotation speed of the pump 106 differ depending on the path through which the three-way valve 122 is open. The air bleeding detection unit 32 determines a reference value to be compared with the measured value based on the information of which path the three-way valve 122 is open.

The leak abnormality detection unit 33 is a functional unit that detects whether or not there is an abnormality in each configuration of the drone 100 related to drug spraying. Specifically, the leak abnormality detection unit 33 diagnoses whether or not there is an abnormality in the path from the drug tank 104 to the drug nozzle 103. Path anomalies are the piping path itself, or the shutoff mechanism located in the piping path, specifically check valves 121-1, 121-2, 121-3, 121-4, 121-5, 121. Includes abnormalities in members such as -6 and 121-7. The leak abnormality detection unit 33 is 111- of each pressure sensor with the check valves 121-1, 121-2, 121-3, 121-4, 121-5, 121-6, 121-7 closed. By acquiring the time-dependent change in the liquid discharge pressure measured by 1 and 111-2 and comparing this with the time-dependent change in the normal discharge pressure, a liquid leakage abnormality is detected. In addition, the leak abnormality detection unit 33 measures the rotation speed of the rotor of the pump 106 by the pump sensor 106a, and compares it with the liquid discharge pressure measured by the pressure sensors 111-1 and 111-2, and is in a normal state. By determining whether or not it matches the ratio of, the liquid leakage abnormality is detected.

The replenishment detection unit 34 is a functional unit that detects that the replenishment of the drug has been completed in the drug tank 104. The replenishment detection unit 34 can be realized by, for example, a determination device that detects that a predetermined amount of the drug is contained in the drug tank 104 by the liquid level height, the weight, or the like. Further, the replenishment detection unit 34 is a functional unit that softly determines that the amount of the drug is a predetermined amount by using a liquid level gauge, a weight scale, a water pressure sensor, or the like for measuring the amount of the drug in the drug tank 104. It may be.

The replenishment detection unit 34 can detect a predetermined amount of the drug, not only when the drug is injected up to the upper limit of the drug tank 104. For example, the replenishment detection unit 34 may detect that 10% or more of the upper limit of the drug tank 104 is injected.

Flight start command receiving unit 51, flight plan confirmation unit 52, drone judgment unit 53, external environment judgment unit 54, base station position confirmation unit 55, aircraft position confirmation unit 56, nose confirmation unit 57, A peripheral confirmation unit 58 and a visual confirmation unit 59 of the aircraft are provided.

The flight start command receiving unit 51 is a functional unit that receives the flight start command input from the user 402. The flight start command is a command transmitted from the pilot 401 to the drone 100. Since the flight start command is a command for transmitting the intention of the user 402 to the drone 100, it is transmitted to the drone 100 starting from the operation of the user 402.

The base station position confirmation unit 55 is a functional unit that confirms whether or not the position of the base station 404 connected to the drone 100 is within a predetermined range.

The aircraft position confirmation unit 56 is a functional unit that confirms whether or not the drone 100 is installed at the departure / arrival point 406.

The nose confirmation unit 57 is a functional unit that confirms whether or not the nose of the drone 100 is oriented in the normal direction. "The direction of the nose is normal" means that, for example, the nose is facing in the direction of the field where the chemical solution is sprayed.

The peripheral confirmation unit 58 is a functional unit that confirms whether or not there are obstacles such as people and objects within a predetermined range around the drone 100 around the drone 100. The peripheral confirmation unit 58 may be a functional unit that prompts the user 402 to confirm the presence or absence of obstacles around the drone 100, for example, by notification and display by the drone 100 or the pilot 401. After checking the area around the drone 100, the user 402 inputs that fact if there are no obstacles. In addition, when the user 402 finds an obstacle, it removes it as appropriate. The input of the confirmation result of the surroundings by the user 402 may be input to the drone 100 or may be input via the controller 401.

In addition, the peripheral confirmation unit 58 is a functional unit that detects obstacles in the vicinity of the drone 100 by using an appropriate camera or sensor mounted on the drone 100 and automatically determines that there is no object within a predetermined range. It may be. The camera may be, for example, a 360-degree camera capable of photographing the periphery of the drone 100 at 360 degrees, or may be composed of a plurality of cameras capable of photographing different directions from each other. The sensor is, for example, an infrared sensor.

The aircraft visual confirmation unit 59 is a functional unit that prompts the user 402 to visually confirm the drone 100 and allows the user 402 to input the confirmation result. The aircraft visual confirmation unit 59 prompts the user 402 to confirm the presence or absence of obstacles around the drone 100 by notifying and displaying the drone 100 or the pilot 401 or the like. After visually checking the drone 100, the user 402 inputs that fact if he / she does not find any abnormality. In addition, when the user 402 finds an abnormality, he / she repairs it as appropriate. The input of the confirmation result of the surroundings by the user 402 may be input to the drone 100 or may be input via the controller 401.

The aircraft visual confirmation unit 59 may notify the user 402 of the points of visual confirmation and the like through the controller 401. By specifically instructing the points for visual confirmation, the user 402 can efficiently inspect the drone 100.

The flight plan confirmation unit 52 is a functional unit that confirms whether or not the drone 100 normally holds information on the flight plan of the drone 100. The flight plan includes, for example, the location of the field where the chemical is sprayed during the flight and the flight route within the field. The flight plan is information registered in the drone 100 in advance and can be rewritten as appropriate. In addition, the flight route included in the flight plan is automatically calculated based on the position of the designated field. The flight route may be uniquely calculated based on the position of the field, or may be a different flight route calculated each time a flight plan is formulated in consideration of other conditions. May be good.

The drone determination unit 53 is a functional unit that determines that each configuration of the drone 100 itself is operating within a normal range. Each configuration of the drone 100 itself is, for example, a battery 502, a motor 102, various sensors, and the like.

The external environment determination unit 54 is a functional unit that mainly determines whether the external environment of the drone 100 is an environment suitable for the flight of the drone 100. The external environment includes, for example, the presence or absence of disturbances that interfere with the radio waves connecting each component, GPS reception sensitivity, temperature, wind speed around the drone 100, weather, and geomagnetic conditions. This is because when the wind speed around the drone 100 is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, the drone 100 is blown by the wind and the sprayed chemicals are scattered, which makes it difficult to fly properly. In addition, if there is precipitation such as rain or snow, or if it is predicted that the precipitation phenomenon is likely to occur within a predetermined time, the chemicals will flow due to the precipitation and it will be difficult to settle in the field, so spraying. It is preferable not to do. That is, takeoff may be prohibited even when there is precipitation or there is a high possibility of precipitation within a predetermined time. Further, even when the geomagnetism is disturbed, takeoff may be prohibited because it interferes with the radio waves connecting each component. Furthermore, the number of satellites for which GPS communication can be established may be measured, and takeoff may be prohibited if the number is less than a predetermined number. The predetermined number may be, for example, five. This is because if the number of satellites for which GPS communication can be established is small and the number of satellites that can communicate during flight decreases further, GPS measurement may become impossible. The external environment determination unit 54 notifies the user 402 for which reason the user is waiting without taking off.

● Configuration for diagnosis performed during hovering The drone 100 further has a flight preparation unit 60 that determines whether or not the drone 100 is in a suitable situation for flight when the drone 100 is hovering. The flight preparation unit 60 makes a diagnosis especially during the hovering performed immediately after the drone 100 takes off, but the diagnosis may be performed during the hovering appropriately performed after the drone 100 takes off and starts the flight.

The flight preparation unit 60 includes a strong wind diagnosis unit 61, a thrust diagnosis unit 62, a calibration unit 63, a weight estimation unit 64, and a hovering determination unit 65.

The hovering determination unit 65 is a functional unit that determines whether or not the drone 100 is hovering, that is, a hovering determination. Hovering means that the XYZ coordinates of the drone 100 do not change or sway within a narrow predetermined range when the X and Y coordinates that are orthogonal to each other on the horizontal plane and the vertical Z coordinates that are orthogonal to the XY plane are defined. Refers to the state of movement. Further, hovering is a state in which there is no moving speed in any of the XYZ directions.

The hovering determination unit 65 detects, for example, that the positioning position of RTK-GPS does not change in all directions in the XYZ directions. Further, the hovering determination unit 65 calculates the position by second-order integrating the measured values of the 6-axis gyro sensor 505 in the XYZ directions, and detects that the position in the XYZ directions does not change for a predetermined time. Further, the hovering determination unit 65 integrates the measured values of the 6-axis gyro sensor 505 in the XYZ directions to calculate the speed, and detects that the drone 100 does not have the speed in the XYZ directions. The hovering determination unit 65 determines that the drone 100 is hovering by combining any of the above acquired values or a plurality of acquired values.

The strong wind diagnosis unit 61 is a functional unit that measures the wind blowing on the drone 100 and diagnoses whether or not the drone 100 can fly. The wind measurement by the strong wind diagnosis unit 61 may be calculated by, for example, measuring the stress generated by the wind with a contact detector, or may be calculated by an anemometer such as a wind cup type or a wind turbine type. ..

The strong wind diagnosis unit 61 calculates the attitude angle of the drone 100 by the 6-axis gyro sensor 505 while the drone 100 is hovering. When the wind is blowing on the drone 100, the posture angle is tilted forward according to the strength of the wind. Therefore, when the posture angle of the drone 100 is equal to or greater than a predetermined angle, the strong wind diagnosis unit 61 determines that the drone 100 is blown by a wind having a predetermined intensity or more.

In addition, the strong wind diagnosis unit 61 is a motor 102-1a, 102-1b, 102-2a, 102-2b, 102-3a, 102-3b, 102-4a, 102-4b or a rotary blade 101-1a, 101-1b. , 101-2a, 101-2b, 101-3a, 101-3b, 101-4a, 101-4b, respectively, may be calculated. When the wind is blowing on the drone 100, the force that tends to tilt to the leeward side acts on the drone 100, so the thrust of the rotors arranged at two locations on the leeward side of the eight rotors 101 increases. That is, the rotation speed increases, and the thrust of the rotor blades arranged at the two locations on the windward side decreases, that is, the rotation speed decreases. Therefore, when the difference due to the arrangement position of the rotation speeds of the motor 102 or the rotary blade 101 is equal to or more than a predetermined value, the strong wind diagnosis unit 61 determines that the drone 100 is blown by a wind having a predetermined strength or more. The strong wind diagnosis unit 61 detects a strong wind by combining the determination results of either or both of the above-mentioned determination based on the posture angle and the determination based on the difference in the number of rotations.

The strong wind diagnosis unit 61 may receive information on the wind from the base station 404 and the drone 100 flying in the vicinity by communication, and determine whether or not the drone 100 can fly.

When the wind blowing on the drone 100 is stronger than a predetermined value, the strong wind diagnosis unit 61 notifies the drone system 500 to that effect. The state transition determination unit of the main terminal makes the state of the drone system 500 stand by in the hovering state. Further, the state transition determination unit of the main terminal may shift the state of the drone system 500 to the flight start standby state (S4) described later, and may land the drone 100.

The thrust diagnosis unit 62 is a functional unit that measures the thrust for flying the drone 100 in flight and diagnoses whether or not the thrust of the drone 100 is normally exerted. Thrust is obtained by the rotor 101 in this embodiment. The thrust diagnosis unit 62 refers to a rotation measurement function arranged inside the motor itself that controls the rotation of the rotary blade 101, for example. That is, the thrust measuring unit 244 acquires the rotation speed of the rotary blade 101 controlled by the motor by measuring the rotation speed of the motor.

Further, the thrust diagnosis unit 62 may measure the rotation speed of the rotor 101 itself. For example, the thrust diagnostic unit 62 may be a non-contact tachometer. In this case, the thrust diagnosis unit 62 irradiates at least one place of the rotor 101 with a laser and measures the reflected light from the rotor 101 of the laser to count the rotation speed of the rotor 101. The laser is, for example, an infrared laser.

Further, the thrust diagnostic unit 62 may measure the current supplied to the motor.

The thrust diagnosis unit 62 may be a functional unit that measures the operating state of the propulsion unit when the thrust of the drone is realized by a configuration other than the rotor blades. For example, when the drone is propelled by jet injection, the thrust diagnostic unit 62 may be a functional unit that measures the pressure of jet injection.

The thrust diagnosis unit 62 compares the measured thrust with the command value by the flight controller 501, and if the difference after a certain period of time from the command from the flight controller 501 is within a predetermined threshold value, the thrust is Judge that it is being exerted properly. If the difference exceeds the threshold, the thrust diagnostic unit 62 notifies the drone system 500 to that effect. The state transition determination unit of the main terminal shifts the state of the drone system 500 to the flight start standby state (S4) described later, and lands the drone 100.

The calibration unit 63 calibrates at least one of the sensors for measuring the altitude of the drone 100 and the sensor for measuring the speed of the drone 100. The calibration of the sensor includes the offset of the zero point of the sensor and the calibration for correcting the deviation of the gain when the numerical value of the measurement result is high. Calibration by the calibration unit 63 is performed especially when the drone 100 is hovering.

Sensors for measuring the altitude of the drone 100 include, for example, a laser sensor 508, a sonar 509, a 6-axis gyro sensor 505, or a GPS module RTK504-1,504-2. That is, the calibration unit 63 can calibrate the laser sensor 508, sonar 509, 6-axis gyro sensor 505, or GPS module RTK504-1,504-2 with respect to advanced calibration.

When the sensors to be calibrated are the laser sensor 508 and the sonar 509, it is determined that the calibration unit 63 is hovering with the positioning coordinates in the height direction of the RTK-GPS when it is in contact with the ground, that is, the Z coordinates. The laser sensor 508 and the sonar 509 are calibrated with the difference between the Z coordinate in the height direction of RTK-GPS at that time as the true value of the ground altitude.

When the sensor to be calibrated is the 6-axis gyro sensor 505, the calibration unit 63 uses the 6-axis gyro sensor as the true value of the altitude obtained by the laser sensor 508 and sonar 509 when it is determined that the calibration unit is hovering. Calibrate the 505.

When the sensor to be calibrated is the GPS module RTK504-1,504-2, the calibration unit 63 determines that the altitude obtained by the laser sensor 508 and sonar 509 when it is determined to be hovering is the GPS module as the true value of the ground altitude. Calibrate the Z-direction positioning coordinates of RTK-GPS by RTK504-1,504-2.

Sensors for measuring the speed of the drone include, for example, the GPS module Doppler 504-3 or the 6-axis gyro sensor 505. The calibration unit 63 measures the moving speed of the drone 100 using the GPS module Doppler 504-3. Since the drone 100 is not moving in the hovering state after takeoff and the moving speed is 0 in the XYZ direction, the calibration unit 63 has a moving speed in the XYZ direction when it is determined that the drone 100 is hovering. Calibrate the measurement result of GPS module Doppler 504-3 so that it becomes 0. Further, the calibration unit 63 measures the moving speed of the drone 100 by using the first-order integral value of the value measured by the acceleration sensor. In this case, the calibration unit 63 calibrates the measured value in the XY direction of the acceleration sensor so that the moving speed in the XYZ direction when it is determined that the hovering is hovering becomes 0.

The weight estimation unit 64 is a functional unit that estimates the weight of the drone 100. The weight estimation unit 64 can estimate the weight of the drone 100 based on the value of the thrust measured by the thrust diagnosis unit 62 during hovering.

● Configuration related to battery storage amount detection The drone 100 further has a low battery detection unit 70 that detects that the storage amount of the battery 502 of the drone 100 is less than or equal to a predetermined value. The low battery detection unit 70 is a generally known battery storage amount measuring device, and may be, for example, a voltmeter. Further, the low battery detection unit estimates the amount of electricity stored in the battery 502 based on one or more of the battery voltage, battery temperature, and current, and detects that the amount of electricity stored in the battery 502 is equal to or less than a predetermined value. You may. Specifically, the remaining amount calculation value called SOC (State of Charge) may be calculated by measuring the battery voltage, the current, and the battery temperature, and the amount of electricity stored may be estimated. Further, the low battery detection unit 70 may correct the stored amount of the battery 502 estimated by the above method based on one or more values of the actual usage time of the battery 502, the ambient temperature, and the like. The low battery detection unit 70 can detect the remaining amount of the plurality of batteries 502a and 502b of the drone 100, respectively. When the low battery detection unit 70 detects that the capacity of the battery 502 is equal to or less than a predetermined value, it transmits to that effect to the first to fourth state transition determination units 113,413,443,453. Further, the low battery detection unit 70 notifies the user 402 to that effect through the drone 100, the controller 401, or the like.

● Configuration for detecting the amount of electricity stored in the controller As shown in FIG. 9, the controller 401 has a second low battery detection unit 416 that detects that the amount of electricity stored in the battery of the controller 401 is equal to or less than a predetermined value. The configuration of the second low battery detection unit 416 is the same as that of the low battery detection unit 70.

● State transition of the drone system As shown in FIG. 11, the drone system 500 in the present embodiment has a stopped state (S0), an initial check state (S1), a drug preparation standby state (S2), and a drug preparation state (S2). S3), flight start standby state (S4), takeoff diagnosis state (S5), flight spraying state (S6), post-landing standby state (S7), maintenance state (S8), and shutdown state (S9). And can be taken. The post-landing standby state (S7) is an example of the "standby state" of the present invention.

The stopped state (S0) is a state in which the drone 100, the pilot 401, and the base station 404 are turned off. When the power of each component is turned on in the stopped state (S0), the drone system 500 transitions to the initial check state (S1). The power of each component may be manually turned on by the user 402, or by manipulating one component with the user 402, the power of the other components is turned on. It may be designed to become. For example, the user 402 may be configured to power on the drone 100 and the base station 404 by turning on the power of the pilot 401 and launching a dedicated application.

The initial check state (S1) is a state in which it is confirmed whether or not the operation of each component is normally performed after each component is started. In the initial check state, for example, it is confirmed whether or not each component is turned on, and whether or not communication between each component is normally performed. When it is confirmed that all the predetermined confirmation items are normal, the drone system 500 transitions to the drug preparation standby state (S2).

The drug preparation standby state (S2) is a state of waiting for the command from the user 402 to start the work of injecting the drug into the drug tank 104 of the drone 100, that is, the command to start the drug injection. Is. Upon receiving the drug injection start command input by the user 402, the drone system 500 transitions to the drug preparation state (S3).

The drug preparation state (S3) is a state to which the drone system 500 belongs while the user 402 is injecting the drug into the drug tank 104.

As shown in FIG. 12, the drug preparation state (S3) includes a liquid standby state (S31), an air bleeding standby state (S32), a spray system diagnostic state (S33), and a drug standby state (S34). Including.

The liquid standby state (S31) is a state in which the liquid can be injected into the medicine tank 104. The liquid standby state (S31) is a state of transition from the drug preparation standby state (S2) based on the drug injection start command from the user. In the liquid standby state (S31), the drone system 500 notifies the user 402 through the controller 401 that the liquid needs to be injected into the medicine tank 104. Further, the drone 100 determines whether or not a sufficient amount of liquid is injected into the drug tank 104 by the liquid detection unit 31. In this case, the drone system 500 notifies the user through the controller 401 that the drug tank 104 is filled with a sufficient amount of liquid. The amount of liquid detected by the liquid detection unit 31 is larger than the total volume of each path from the drug tank 104 to the drug nozzle 103. The liquid detection unit 31 detects that, for example, 10% or more of the upper limit of the drug tank 104 is filled with liquid.

Further, the drone system 500 notifies the user 402 through the pilot 401 to close the lid of the drug tank 104 or to lock the lid after the injection is completed. The opening and closing of the lid and the locking and unlocking of the lock may be automatically performed by the mechanisms provided in the drone 100, respectively.

When the liquid detection unit 31 detects that the liquid has been injected into the drug tank 104 in the liquid standby state (S31), the drone system 500 transitions to the air bleeding standby state (S32). The drone system 500 enters the air bleeding standby state (S32) on the condition that the lid of the drug tank 104 is closed or further locked by an appropriate locking mechanism with reference to the discrimination result of the open / close sensor 104a. You may make a transition.

The air bleeding standby state (S32) is a state in which the pump 106 is driven to bleed air and waits for air to be evacuated from the inside of the medicine tank 104 and the path from the medicine tank 104 to the medicine nozzles 103-1 to 4. .. The air bleeding standby state (S32) further includes an upstream air bleeding standby state (S32-1) and a downstream air bleeding standby state (S32-2).

In the upstream air bleeding standby state (S32-1), the three-way valve 122 is open to the expansion tank 131 side. The air present in the drug tank 104 and in the upstream path is circulated in this path by the drive of the pump 106 and is temporarily stored and removed in the expansion tank 131. When the air bleeding detection unit 32 detects the completion of the air bleeding operation in the upstream path, the drone system 500 transitions to the downstream air bleeding standby state (S32-2).

In the downstream air bleeding standby state (S32-2), the three-way valve 122 is open to the drug nozzles 103-1 to 4 side. The air mainly present in the downstream path is pushed by the moving water driven by the pump 106 and discharged from the nozzle 103 to the outside of the drug tank 104. That is, the air in the drug tank 104 in the downstream route is bleeded. When the air bleeding detection unit 32 detects the completion of the air bleeding operation, the drone system 500 transitions to the drug standby state (S34).

The upstream air bleeding standby state (S32-1) and the downstream air bleeding standby state (S32-2) are fully automatic, and there is no need for conditions based on the actions of the user 402, but the upstream air bleeding standby state The controller 401 may notify that the state (S32-1) will be changed to the downstream air bleeding standby state (S32-2), and the state may be changed based on the confirmation input of the user 402. Further, even when the state changes fully automatically, the user 402 may be configured to notify the user 402 of which state the drone system 500 is in through the controller 401.

The spray system diagnostic state (S33) is a state to which the drone system 500 belongs while diagnosing whether or not there is an abnormality in each configuration of the drone 100 related to drug spraying. Specifically, the leak abnormality detection unit 33 diagnoses whether or not there is an abnormality in the path from the drug tank 104 to the drug nozzle 103. Path anomalies are the piping path itself, or the shutoff mechanism located in the piping path, specifically check valves 121-1, 121-2, 121-3, 121-4, 121-5, 121. Includes abnormalities in members such as -6 and 121-7.

When a liquid leakage abnormality is detected, it is assumed that one of the check valves 121 is out of order or damaged in the path. When an abnormality is detected, the drone system 500 notifies the user 402 to that effect. If no leakage abnormality is detected, the drone system 500 transitions to the drug standby state (S34).

According to the configuration having the spray system diagnostic state (S33) for diagnosing whether there is any abnormality in the configuration related to chemical spraying in the state where the liquid is injected into the drug tank 104 and the path, the discharge pressure applied to the liquid is measured. Therefore, it is possible to detect a leak abnormality using a liquid.

The drug standby state (S34) is a state in which the lid of the water injection port is unlocked and the drug can be injected from the water injection port. In the drug standby state (S34), the drone system 500 notifies the user 402 through the controller 401 that the drug needs to be injected into the drug tank 104. The drone system 500 determines that a sufficient amount of drug has been injected into the drug tank 104 by the replenishment detection unit 34, and notifies the user 402 to that effect through the controller 401.

In addition, the drone system 500 may notify the user through the controller 401 to close the lid of the drug tank 104 or even lock the lid after the injection is complete.

When the replenishment detection unit 34 detects that the replenishment of the drug has been completed in the drug tank 104, the drone system 500 transitions to the flight start standby state (S4).

As mentioned above, the drone 100 that sprays in the air can spray the chemicals precisely to the field, so it is compared with the general chemicals sprayed from the ground by the ground sprayer or the user himself. , Carry high concentration drug. That is, it is more expensive than general chemicals and may be harmful to the human body and the field. Therefore, discharging the drug by the air bleeding operation is not preferable in terms of cost and safety. According to this configuration in which the drug is replenished after performing the air bleeding operation with water, the amount of the drug discharged from the nozzle 103 in the drug preparation state (S3) can be suppressed, so that the application to the drone 100 is particularly useful. is there.

Even in each state of the drug preparation state (S3), the first to fourth state storage units 115,415,445,455 store the state to which the drone system 500 currently belongs. In addition, the first to fourth state storage units 115,415,445,455 store the history of the states that have already transitioned in the drug preparation state (S3), and if the state in which the memory is retained becomes the already transitioned state, the history The step in this state is omitted with reference to. In other words, the drone system 500 can transition from each state of the drug preparation state (S3) to another state on condition that the process described above is completed and there is already a transition history.

The first to fourth state storage units 115,415,445,455 store the liquid injection history as "Yes" when transitioning from the liquid standby state (S31) to the upstream air bleeding standby state (S32-1). The first to fourth state storage units 115,415,445,455 store the upstream air bleeding history as "Yes" when transitioning from the upstream air bleeding standby state (S32-1) to the downstream air bleeding standby state (S32-2). The first to fourth state storage units 115,415,445,455 store the downstream air bleeding history as "Yes" when transitioning from the downstream air bleeding standby state (S32-2) to the spray system diagnosis state (S33).

In the drug preparation state (S3), the battery capacity of the drone 100 may become less than the specified value, and it may be necessary to charge the battery or replace the battery. As shown in FIG. 11, when the battery capacity becomes less than a predetermined value in the drug preparation state (S3), the drone system 500 transitions to the standby state (S7) after landing via the battery dead route (C), and the battery is replaced. After that, it transitions to the drug preparation standby state (S2) via the drug out-of-drug route (B). When transitioning from the drug preparation standby state (S2) to the drug preparation state (S3), if the liquid injection history, upstream air bleeding history, or downstream air bleeding history is not stored in the liquid standby state (S31), the drug tank 104 Notify user 402 to inject liquid into. When at least one of the liquid injection history, the upstream air bleeding history, and the downstream air bleeding history is stored, the drone system 500 changes from the liquid standby state (S31) to the upstream air bleeding standby state (S32-1). Judging that the transition conditions are satisfied, the system transitions to the upstream air bleeding standby state (S32-1).

Similarly, in the upstream air bleeding standby state (S32-2), when at least one of the upstream air bleeding history and the downstream air bleeding history is stored, the drone system 500 is in the upstream air bleeding standby state (S32). It is determined that the conditions for transitioning from -1) to the downstream air bleeding standby state (S32-2) are satisfied, and the transition to the downstream air bleeding standby state (S32-2) is performed. When the downstream air bleeding history is stored in the downstream air bleeding standby state (S32-2), the drone system 500 is a condition for transitioning from the downstream air bleeding standby state (S32-2) to the spray system diagnostic state (S33). Is determined to be sufficient, and the system transitions to the spray system diagnostic state (S33).

In this way, when the first to fourth state storage units 115,415,445,455 store the history of the state already transitioned in the drug preparation state (S3), and the state already transitioned in the state where the memory is retained, According to the configuration in which the steps in the state are omitted with reference to the history, even if the work is interrupted due to the battery running out during the drug replenishment, the drug can be replenished by an appropriate procedure.

The flight start standby state (S4) is a state in which a flight start command from the user 402 can be input. The flight start command is a command that allows the user 402 to start the flight of the drone 100 and prompts the takeoff. As shown in FIG. 11, when the flight start command receiving unit 51 receives the flight start command, the drone system 500 shifts to the takeoff diagnosis state (S5) in which the takeoff diagnosis necessary before the takeoff of the drone 100 is performed.

The takeoff diagnostic state (S5) is the state to which the drone system 500 belongs while the drone 100 is diagnosed before it takes off to ensure that the drone 100 can fly safely and the conditions for spraying the drug are in place.

As shown in FIG. 13, the takeoff diagnosis state (S5) includes a drone determination state (S51), a flight plan confirmation state (S52), and an external environment determination state (S53).

The drone determination state (S51) is a state to which the drone system 500 belongs while the drone determination unit 53 determines that each configuration of the drone 100 itself is operating within a normal range. When the drone determination unit 53 determines that each configuration is operating within the normal range, the drone system 500 transitions to the flight plan confirmation state (S52). When an abnormality is confirmed by the drone determination unit 53, a message to that effect is displayed on the pilot 401, and the state transitions to the standby state (S7) after landing.

The flight plan confirmation state (S52) is a state to which the drone system 500 belongs while the flight plan confirmation unit 52 confirms whether or not the drone 100 normally holds information on the flight plan of the drone 100. When the information on the flight plan is confirmed, the drone system 500 transitions to the external environment judgment state (S53). If the information about the flight plan is not properly held, the drone system 500 operates to obtain the information about the flight plan. This operation may receive the information from, for example, the farming support cloud 405. In addition, when it is necessary for the user 402 to make a decision such as designating the field where the chemicals are to be sprayed, the user 402 is notified through the controller 401 to prompt the decision.

The external environment determination state (S53) is a state to which the drone system 500 belongs, mainly while the external environment determination unit 54 determines whether the external environment of the drone 100 is an environment suitable for the flight of the drone 100. When the external environment determination unit 54 determines that the external environment is suitable for flight, the drone system 500 takes off and transitions to the flight spraying state (S6). By having the takeoff diagnosis state (S5) after the flight start command and immediately before takeoff, it is possible to reliably detect abnormalities that occurred during other work such as drug injection, so diagnosis is made at a different timing. Higher safety can be ensured compared to the configuration in which the operation is performed and the configuration in which the diagnosis is not performed.

When the external environment determination unit 54 determines that the external environment is not suitable for the flight of the drone 100, the drone 100 stands by while landing. In addition, the controller 401 indicates that fact. Since the external environment is a factor that fluctuates rapidly in a short period of time, it is preferable to wait for the external environment to become suitable for flight rather than transitioning to another state.

In the takeoff diagnosis state (S5), the drone system 500 may prompt the confirmation by the user 402 and input the information to the effect that the confirmation by the user 402 is one condition of the state transition.

The drone system 500 may check the power capacity of the emergency pilot in the takeoff diagnosis state (S5). This is because if the power capacity of the emergency pilot is less than the specified value, the emergency stop command cannot be transmitted in the flight spraying state (S6), which may impair safety. If the power capacity of the emergency pilot is less than or equal to the specified value, a notice to that effect is displayed on the pilot 401, and the user 402 is urged to take measures such as replacing the battery of the emergency pilot. The same applies to the power capacity of the controller 401 itself.

The flight spraying state (S6) is a state to which the drone system 500 belongs while the drone 100 is flying and the chemicals are sprayed on the field. When the drone 100 lands, it transitions to the standby state (S7) after landing.

When the emergency stop command is transmitted by the pilot 401 or the emergency pilot in the flight spraying state (S6), the drone 100 takes an evacuation action. The evacuation action includes, for example, "emergency return" in which the user immediately moves to a predetermined return point by the shortest route. The predetermined return point is a point stored in the flight controller 501 in advance, for example, a departure / arrival point 406. The departure / arrival point 406 is, for example, a land point where the user 402 can approach the drone 100, and the user 402 can inspect the drone 100 that has reached the departure / arrival point 406, or manually carry it to another place. can do.

In addition, the evacuation action includes a landing action. "Landing motion" means "normal landing", which is a normal landing motion, "emergency landing", which descends and lands faster than normal landing, and the drone 100 is lowered from the spot by stopping all rotors. Includes an "emergency stop" to drop into. In "emergency landing", not only the operation of descending faster than the normal landing and landing at the same point as the normal landing while performing the same attitude control as the normal time, but also the accuracy of the attitude control It includes the movement to establish the landing while losing the attitude a little. As one specific example, by slowly and evenly reducing the number of revolutions of all the motors, it is possible to land while descending accurately, although not directly below.

The drone 100 receives the power capacity of the pilot 401 from the pilot 401, at least in the flight spray state (S6). The drone 100 takes an evacuation action when the power capacity of the pilot 401 is less than or equal to a predetermined value. If the power capacity of the pilot 401 is low, the flight command of the user 402 cannot be transmitted to the drone 100, which makes it difficult for the drone 100 to fly safely. Therefore, when the power capacity of the pilot 401 is low, it is preferable to cause the drone 100 to take an evacuation action even when the capacity of the battery 502 of the drone 100 is sufficient.

Similarly, when the power capacity of the emergency pilot is less than or equal to the predetermined value, it is advisable to cause the drone 100 to take an evacuation action.

Upon receiving the emergency stop command from the pilot 401 or the emergency pilot, the drone system 500 transitions to the emergency stop state (S11). The drone system 500 receives the emergency stop order and transmits the receipt information indicating the transition to the emergency stop state (S11) to the pilot 401. According to this configuration, the user 402 can know from the display of the controller 401 that the drone system 500 has transitioned to the emergency stop state (S11) as intended by the user 402.

The post-landing standby state (S7) is the state to which the drone system 500 belongs while preparing to switch work after landing. The standby state (S7) after landing is a state in which the drone 100 can transition to a plurality of states based on an operation command from the user 402 while the drone 100 is landing.

In the standby state (S7) after landing, when the operation command for switching the field where the chemicals are sprayed (hereinafter, also referred to as “field switching command”) is received from the user 402, the drone system 500 receives the designated field switching route (D). Transition to the flight start standby state (S4) via.

In the standby state (S7) after landing, when the operation command for maintenance is received from the user 402, the drone system 500 transitions to the maintenance state (S8).

In the standby state (S7) after landing, when the operation command for replenishing the drug is received from the user 402, the drone system 500 transitions to the drug preparation standby state (S2). Further, when the amount of the drug stored in the drug tank 104 is less than or equal to a predetermined value, the drug preparation standby state (S2) may be automatically entered. In addition, it is configured to notify the user 402 that the drug storage is below the predetermined level and determine whether or not to transition to the drug preparation standby state (S2) based on the input of the user 402. May be good.

In the standby state (S7) after landing, the drone system 500 transitions to the shutdown state (S9) when it receives an operation command (hereinafter, also referred to as "battery replacement command") to replace the battery 502 from the user 402. To do. Further, when the amount of electricity stored in the battery 502 is less than or equal to a predetermined value, the shutdown state (S9) may be automatically entered. Further, it is configured to notify the user 402 that the amount of electricity stored in the battery 502 is equal to or less than a predetermined value, and to determine whether or not to transition to the shutdown state (S9) based on the input of the user 402. May be good.

In the standby state (S7) after landing, the drone system 500 transitions to the maintenance state (S8) when it receives an operation command (hereinafter, also referred to as “suspension command”) to interrupt the drug spraying operation.

According to the drone system 500 that has a standby state (S7) after landing, even if the drone 100 that has finished spraying chemicals in one field continues to spray chemicals or replenish chemicals in another field, the next operation will be smooth. Can be migrated to. Specifically, when switching fields and replenishing chemicals, the flight start standby state (Flight start standby state) without going through other states such as the shutdown state (S9), stop state (S0), and initial check state (S1). It is possible to directly transition to S4) and drug preparation standby state (S2).

The maintenance state (S8) is a state to which the drone system 500 belongs while the drone 100 is performing maintenance on the drone 100 itself. Maintenance includes, for example, the operation of automatically cleaning the outer housing of the drone 100. It also includes the action of cleaning the drug pathway of the drone 100.

For maintenance, multiple types of operations are programmed and can be performed selectively. For example, maintenance includes full maintenance, which performs all the maintenance that Drone 100 can perform, and simple maintenance, which performs the minimum maintenance required when suspending the use of Drone 100. In simple maintenance, for example, cleaning of the drug path is performed. When spraying is interrupted, solidification, separation, precipitation, etc. of the drug in the drug pathway occur immediately, so proper spraying may not be possible after resumption. Therefore, even in the case of simple maintenance, cleaning of the drug route is at least necessary.

Which maintenance is to be performed is selected in the standby state (S7) after landing. The suspension command input in the standby state (S7) after landing includes a temporary suspension command and a long-term suspension command. The temporary suspension command is input, for example, when the user 402 takes a break, that is, when the user 402 suspends the operation within about one hour. The long-term suspension command is input, for example, when the operation is scheduled to be resumed over days, that is, when the suspension extends from several hours to several days. When the drone system 500 receives the suspension command, perform simple maintenance. Therefore, since the drug spraying work is resumed earlier than the long-term suspension order, some maintenance is sufficient. On the other hand, when the drone system 500 receives a long-term suspension command, it performs full maintenance. According to the configuration in which a plurality of types of maintenance can be selectively executed, it is possible to save power and time.

When the maintenance in the maintenance state (S8) is completed, the drone system 500 transitions to the shutdown state (S9).

The shutdown state (S9) is the state to which the drone system 500 belongs while the drone 100, the pilot 401, and the base station 404 are disconnected from each other and the power of the drone 100, the pilot 401, and the base station 404 is shut down. ..

As shown in FIG. 14, the shutdown state (S9) includes a drone shutdown state (S91), a partial cooperative state (S92), and another terminal shutdown state (S93).

The drone shutdown state (S91) is a state to which the drone system 500 belongs until the drone 100 shuts down, that is, makes necessary preparations for the power to be turned off, and the drone 100 shuts down. In the drone shutdown state (S91), the drone 100 stores the information stored in the first state storage unit 115 in the non-volatile storage unit. Further, the drone 100 transmits the information stored in the first state storage unit 115 to the farming support cloud 405 by the first state transmission unit 111.

The drone 100 disconnects from the pilot 401 and the base station 404, and disengages from each component. Then the drone 100 is shut down.

When the drone 100 is shut down, the drone system 500 transitions to a partially coordinated state (S92). Here, if the drone 100 is the main terminal, the main terminal moves to another component, for example, the pilot 401, when the drone 100 is shut down.

In the migration of the main terminal, the controller 401 may be determined as the main terminal by the first main terminal determination unit 114 before the drone 100 is shut down. Further, the second main terminal determination unit 414 may detect that the power of the drone 100 is turned off and determine the controller 401 as the main terminal.

The partially coordinated state (S92) is a state in which the drone 100 is shut down and the other components are coordinated with each other. In the partially coordinated state (S92), the battery 502 of the drone 100 can be replaced.

In the partially coordinated state (S92), it is possible to select whether to restart the operation after the battery 502 is attached / detached or to shut down other terminals to stop the operation by inputting the user 402. In the partially coordinated state (S92), after the battery 502 is replaced, when a command to restart the drone 100 and restart the operation (hereinafter, also referred to as "restart command") is input, the drone is drone. System 500 transitions to the initial check state (S1).

In the partially coordinated state (S92), if the restart command is not input for a predetermined time, or if the command to shut down other terminals is input, the drone system 500 is put into the other terminal shutdown state (S93). Transition.

The other terminal shutdown state (S93) is a state to which the drone system 500 belongs until the control unit 401 and the base station 404 are shut down. Even if the pilot 401 and the base station 404 transmit the information stored in the second and third state storage units 415 and 445 to the farming support cloud 405 by the second and third state transmission units 411 and 441, respectively. Good.

When the drone 100, the pilot 401, and the base station 404 are all shut down, the drone system 500 is shut down. That is, the drone system 500 transitions to the stopped state (S0).

● Battery dead route When it is detected that the amount of electricity stored in the battery 502 of the drone 100 is less than the specified amount in the drug preparation state (S3), takeoff diagnosis state (S5) or flight spraying state (S6), the drone system The 500 transitions to the standby state (S7) after landing via the dead battery route (C). When the storage capacity of the battery 502 is equal to or less than the predetermined amount in the standby state (S7) after landing, the drone system 500 shifts to the shutdown state (S9) and the battery 502 becomes replaceable. When a plurality of batteries are mounted, when a decrease in the amount of electricity stored in one battery is detected, another battery may be used to perform the state transition.

The flow when the battery exhaustion is detected in the drone judgment state (S51) to the position and surrounding confirmation state (S54) in the drug preparation state (S3) and the takeoff diagnosis state (S5) will be described. The drone system 500 detects the amount of electricity stored in the battery when transitioning from each state (S31 to S34) included in the drug preparation state (S3) to the next state. When the amount of electricity stored in the first battery 502a is less than or equal to a predetermined value, the drone system 500 does not transition to the next state shown in FIG. Record at least one. The status of the drone system 500 includes a history of the status to which the drone system 500 currently belongs and the status of transitions so far. Further, this storage area is a non-volatile area in which records can be retained even if the drone system 500 is shut down. Then, the drone system 500 transitions to the standby state after landing via the dead battery route (C). In addition, the user 402 is notified through the drone 100 or the pilot 401.

A flow of detecting the battery exhaustion in the hovering state (S55) and the flight spraying state (S6) and retracting the battery will be described with reference to FIG. First, the stored amount of the first battery 502a is detected (S101), and it is determined whether or not the stored amount is large (S102). The criterion for the large amount of electricity stored is whether the drone 100 can perform normal operation. If the amount of electricity stored is large, normal operation is performed (S103), and the process returns to step S101. If the amount of electricity stored is not large, the following evacuation action is performed.

In the evacuation action, the stored amount of the second battery 502b is detected (S104), and it is determined whether or not the stored amount of the second battery 502b is large (S105). The criterion for whether the amount of electricity stored in this case is large is whether the drone can make an emergency return. If the amount of electricity stored is large, make an emergency return (S16). If the amount of electricity stored is not large, it is determined whether or not the amount of electricity stored is minimal (S17). The criterion for whether or not the amount of electricity stored is extremely small is whether or not the drone can make an emergency landing. If the amount of electricity stored is not extremely small, that is, if a certain amount of electricity is left, an emergency landing is made (S18), and the amount of electricity stored is If it is extremely small, make an emergency stop (S19).

When the amount of electricity stored in one battery is low and the other battery with a large amount of electricity is supplied with power for emergency return, it is advisable to abandon the cargo of the drone and return. For example, in the case of an emergency return in an agricultural drone, it is advisable to configure a program so that the chemical is sprayed and returned to a predetermined field. The charge amount of the battery may be displayed on the controller 401, and the user 402 may be notified of the operation being executed as appropriate. If the emergency stop operation is not possible, the user 402 may be notified to that effect. Except for the case where the drug is systematically sprayed and returned, the evacuation action is performed after the drug spraying is surely stopped.

Further, in addition to the case where the storage capacity of the battery 502 is low, when an abnormality or deterioration is detected in the battery 502, the state may be changed to the standby state (S7) after landing via the battery dead route (C). .. When a plurality of batteries 502 are mounted, when an abnormality or deterioration is detected in one battery, another battery may be used to perform the evacuation action.

The drone system 500 also provides information about the status of the drone system 500 at least in the first to fourth state storage units 115,415,445,455 when going through the dead battery route (C) in the hovering state (S55) and the flight spraying state (S6). Record in one. The status of the drone system 500 includes information on the state to which the drone system 500 currently belongs, areas where drug spraying has already been performed in the field, and information on areas where future spraying is required.

After the standby state (S7) after landing, in the battery attachment / detachment state (S92), the lock of the outlet of the battery 502 is released, and the battery 502 can be replaced. When the battery 502 is replaced and a restart request is made, the drone system 500 transitions to the initial check state (S1). In the initial check state (S1), the drone system 500 calls and stores information on the status of the drone system 500 recorded when the battery is exhausted from at least one of the first to fourth state storage units 115,415,445,455. ..

With this configuration, as described above, it is possible to appropriately omit the operation already performed. Therefore, even if the battery runs out in the drug preparation state (S3) and the work is interrupted during the drug replenishment, the drug can be replenished by an appropriate procedure after the battery is replaced. When the battery runs out in the drone judgment state (S51) to the position and surrounding confirmation state (S54), the unfinished pre-takeoff diagnosis can be appropriately performed after the battery is replaced. Depending on the diagnostic items such as the external environment judgment, the situation may change in a short time, the diagnosis performed before the battery replacement may be performed again. Even if the battery runs out in the flight spraying state (S6), the area in the field where the chemical spraying is necessary can be properly grasped, and the chemical spraying can be restarted accurately.

The mechanism when the battery runs out has been explained by taking the example of replacing the battery 502 of the drone 100 with a charged battery, but by charging the battery 502 whose storage capacity has decreased, even after the operation is resumed. The same battery may be used. Further, the drone itself incorporated in the drone system 500 may be replaced with another drone. By connecting to the same drone system 500, it is recorded when a dead battery is detected from at least one of the pilot 401, base station 404, or the second to fourth state storage units 415,445,455 of the farming support cloud 405. It is possible to call up information about the status of the drone system 500 and have the newly connected drone hold the information.

Further, even when the amount of electricity stored in the battery of the controller 401 is equal to or less than the predetermined value, the drone system 500 transitions to the standby state (S7) after landing via the battery dead route (C). Regarding the amount of electricity stored, it may have a first threshold value and a second threshold value smaller than the first threshold value, and may perform different operations depending on the relationship between the amount of electricity stored in the battery and each threshold value. When the amount of electricity stored in the battery of the controller 401 is equal to or less than the first threshold value, the controller 401 notifies the user 402 by an appropriate means such as display or sound. For example, it is a notification that the battery is about to run out and should be charged. Further, when transmitting an emergency stop command, it is a notification that it should be transmitted through a component other than the pilot controller 401, for example, an emergency pilot or a base station. When the amount of electricity stored in the battery of the controller 401 is equal to or less than the first threshold value and exceeds the second threshold value, the user 402 can selectively continue the operation of the drone system 500.

When the battery charge of the pilot 401 is equal to or less than the second threshold value, the drone 100 takes evacuation action in the hovering state (S55) or the flight spraying state (S6), or restricts the start of flight in the landing state. To do. This is because if the amount of electricity stored in the pilot 401 is small and it becomes inoperable, it is not possible to send an emergency stop command to the drone 100, and there is a risk that safe flight will not be possible. Regarding the amount of electricity stored in the battery of the emergency controller, a function unit that detects the amount of electricity stored in the emergency controller is similarly arranged, and when the amount of electricity stored is less than the predetermined amount, the same measures as those of the controller 401 are taken. You may.

● Drug out route When it is detected that the amount of drug in the drug tank 104 is less than the specified value in the drug preparation state (S3) or the standby state after landing (S7), the drone system 500 goes through the drug out route (B). Then, it transitions to the drug preparation standby state (S2). When it is detected that the amount of drug in the drug tank 104 is below the specified level in the drug preparation state (S3), that is, when the drone 100 is landing, the state may transition to the drug preparation standby state (S2) before takeoff. it can. If the drug tank 104 is sufficiently filled with the drug in the drug preparation state (S3), there is a high possibility that the drug will be depleted in the flight spraying state (S6) of the drone 100. Therefore, the drone 100 lands from the flight spraying state (S6), transitions to the standby state (S7) after landing, and then transitions to the drug preparation standby state (S2). In this way, the drone system 500 can detect drug shortage and transition from two different states to the drug preparation standby state (S2), so that even if the drug runs out, a redundant state transition is performed. The next state can be smoothly transitioned to without any problem.

According to the drone system according to the present invention in which the drone, the pilot, the base station, and the farming support cloud are connected to each other and operate in cooperation with each other, the connection between one component and the other component may be disconnected. Even when the power of any of the components is turned off, the state of the drone system can be maintained and the operation as a drone system can be smoothly continued.

In this description, an agricultural chemical spray drone has been described as an example, but the technical idea of the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to a sprayer and an agricultural machine having a spray function. .. It is also useful for drones that fly autonomously.

(Technically remarkable effect of the present invention)
In the drug control and replenishment system according to the present invention, the safety of spraying the drug can be enhanced in the agricultural machine for spraying the drug.

Claims (13)

A drone system in which a drone and a pilot that controls the drone are connected to each other through a network and operate in cooperation with each other.
The drone
The battery for driving the drone and
A first low battery detection unit that detects that the amount of electricity stored in the battery is equal to or less than the first predetermined value, and
With
The drone system
Third and configured to operate in cooperation with each other are connected to each other through the steering unit and the drones and network,
After the activation of each configuration, the drone, the pilot, and the third configuration of the drone system and before the start of flight of the drone, the configurations, the drone, the pilot, and the third configuration It is equipped with an initial check unit that checks the status of whether the operation is performed normally and cooperates with each other.
When the first low battery detection unit detects that the amount of electricity stored in the battery is equal to or less than the first predetermined value, the drone is put into a landing state.
After the drone was shut down in the landing state, the pilot and the third configuration maintained a partially coordinated state in which they were coordinated.
In the drone system, when the drone activation command is input after the battery of the drone is replaced in the partially coordinated state, the initial check unit confirms the state of the drone system, and the drone system is described. A drone system that stops the drone system when a shutdown command for the pilot and the third configuration is input in a partially coordinated state.
A drug spraying drone system capable of spraying a drug in a field by connecting a drone and a pilot for operating the drone to each other through a network and operating in cooperation with each other.
The drone
The battery for driving the drone and
It is provided with a first low battery detection unit that detects that the amount of electricity stored in the battery is equal to or less than the first predetermined value.
The drone system includes a storage unit that stores the state of the drone system.
When the first low battery detection unit detects that the amount of electricity stored in the battery is equal to or less than the first predetermined value while the drone is hovering or flying and spraying, the drone system performs the drone system. , A drone system that stores in the storage unit spraying information including at least one of information on an area where chemical spraying has already been performed in the field and information on an area requiring spraying in the future.
A drone system in which a drone and a pilot that controls the drone are connected to each other through a network and operate in cooperation with each other.
The drone includes a battery for driving the drone and a first low battery detection unit that detects that the amount of electricity stored in the battery is equal to or less than a first predetermined value.
The pilot includes a pilot battery for driving the pilot and a second low battery detection unit that detects that the amount of electricity stored in the pilot battery is equal to or less than a second predetermined value. Prepare,
When the drone system detects that the amount of electricity stored in the battery is equal to or less than the first predetermined value by the first low battery detection unit while the drone is hovering or flying and spraying. Alternatively, a drone system for landing or stopping the drone when the second low battery detection unit detects that the amount of electricity stored in the pilot battery is equal to or less than the second predetermined value.
The second low battery detection unit estimates the amount of electricity stored in the battery based on one or more of the battery voltage, battery temperature, and current, and the amount of electricity stored in the battery is equal to or less than a predetermined value. The drone system according to claim 3, which detects the above.
The drone system according to claim 4, wherein the second low battery detection unit corrects the estimated stored amount of the battery based on one or more values of the actual usage time of the battery, the ambient temperature, and the like.
A drug spraying drone system capable of spraying a drug in a field by connecting a drone and a pilot for operating the drone to each other through a network and operating in cooperation with each other.
The drone includes a battery for driving the drone and a first low battery detection unit that detects that the amount of electricity stored in the battery is equal to or less than a first predetermined value.
The drone system
A third configuration in which the pilot and the drone are connected to each other through a network and operate in cooperation with each other.
After the activation of each configuration, the drone, the pilot, and the third configuration of the drone system and before the start of flight of the drone, the configurations , the drone, the pilot, and the third configuration It is equipped with an initial check unit that checks the status of whether or not the operations are performed normally and cooperate with each other.
When the first low battery detection unit detects that the amount of electricity stored in the battery is equal to or less than the first predetermined value, the drone is put into a landing state.
After the drone is shut down in the landing state, the pilot and the third configuration maintain a coordinated partially coordinated state, and after the battery of the drone is replaced in the partially coordinated state. When the drone activation command is input, the initial check unit checks the state of the drone system.
In the landing state, when an operation command requesting a change of the designated field on which the drone sprays the chemical is input, the state transitions to the flight start standby state in which the flight can be started based on the flight start command from the user. Drone system.
The drone system according to claim 1 or 6, wherein in the landing state, when an operation command requesting maintenance including cleaning of the drone is input, the drone system cleans the housing or the drug path of the drone.
The drone system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the first predetermined value detected by the first low battery detection unit is equal to or more than the amount of electricity stored for the drone to return to the departure / arrival point. ..
The first low battery detection unit estimates the amount of electricity stored in the battery based on one or more of the battery voltage, battery temperature, and current, and the amount of electricity stored in the battery is equal to or less than a predetermined value. The drone system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, which detects the above.
The drone system according to claim 9, wherein the first low battery detection unit corrects an estimated storage amount of the battery based on one or more values of the actual usage time of the battery, the ambient temperature, and the like.

A drone system in which a drone and a pilot that controls the drone are connected to each other through a network and operate in cooperation with each other.
The drone comprises a battery for driving the drone.
The drone system includes a storage unit that stores the state of the drone system and a storage unit.
A third configuration in which the pilot and the drone are connected to each other through a network and operate in cooperation with each other.
Before the drone is shut down, information about the status of the drone system is recorded in the storage.
After the drone was shut down, the pilot and the third configuration remained in coordinated, partially coordinated state.
The drone can be replaced with the battery while the drone system is in the partially coordinated state, and the drone can be replaced with other configurations of the drone system by replacing the battery of the drone. A drone system that recalls the information from the storage when the and is connected through a network and the cooperation is established.
It is a control method of a drone system in which a drone and a pilot for operating the drone are connected to each other through a network and operate in cooperation with each other.
The drone comprises a battery for driving the drone.
The drone system
A storage unit that stores the state of the drone system,
A third configuration in which the pilot and the drone are connected to each other through a network and operate in cooperation with each other.
Before the drone is shut down, information about the status of the drone system is recorded in the storage.
After the drone was shut down, the pilot and the third configuration remained in coordinated, partially coordinated state.
The drone can be replaced with the battery while the drone system is in the partially coordinated state, and the drone can be replaced with other configurations of the drone system by replacing the battery of the drone. A method of controlling a drone system, comprising the step of recalling the information from the storage when the and is connected through a network and the coordination is established.
A control program for a drone system in which a drone and a pilot for operating the drone are connected to each other through a network and operate in cooperation with each other.
The drone comprises a battery for driving the drone.
The drone system includes a storage unit that stores the state of the drone system and a storage unit.
A third configuration in which the pilot and the drone are connected to each other through a network and operate in cooperation with each other.
Before the drone is shut down, information about the status of the drone system is recorded in the storage.
After the drone is shut down, the computer is made to execute an instruction to maintain a partially coordinated state in which the pilot and the third configuration are coordinated.
The drone can be replaced with the battery while the drone system is in the partially coordinated state, and the drone can be replaced with other configurations of the drone system by replacing the battery of the drone. A control program for a drone system that causes a computer to execute an instruction to call the information from the storage unit when the and the like are connected through a network and the cooperation is established.

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