JP6830187B2 - Electric rotary wing unmanned aerial vehicle with multiple connected aircraft - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a remote-controlled electric rotary wing type unmanned aerial vehicle in which a working unmanned aerial vehicle and a power supply unmanned aerial vehicle are connected by an electric cable.

Remote-controlled unmanned aerial vehicles with multiple electric rotors, also known as multicopters, are being used in various fields.
This unmanned aerial vehicle is equipped with a small computer, accelerometer, 3-axis gyro, altimeter, etc., and is rapidly becoming widespread because it can be remotely controlled by users relatively easily using not only dedicated radio controls but also smartphones and tablets. .. As a usage method, it is equipped with a camera for shooting, and it is conveniently used for aerial shooting from the sky and shooting in places where people cannot easily approach such as high places and narrow areas, and a tank and spray containing chemicals. It is equipped with a nozzle and is also used for spraying chemicals on agricultural land. In addition, technological development is underway for a wide range of applications such as bee extermination, surveying, inspection, and transportation.

Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2016-505441) "Aerial power supply device for power storage system and an aircraft equipped with the device" includes means for temporarily and electrically connecting a charging side aircraft and an electrically propelled aircraft. Disclosed is a system in which a charge control device is provided in the electrically propelled aircraft to recharge the battery of the electrically propelled aircraft.

Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent No. 5874940) discloses an air vehicle and a battery unit storage system capable of lengthening the flight time in one flight as compared with the conventional case. Has been done.

Patent Document 3 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2014-31118) "Flying body and flying body system" is mounted on a flying body landing at a parking lot when replacing the battery of a flying body that images a plant or a worker in a plant factory. There is disclosed an air vehicle system including a battery replacement system in which the detachment of a battery and the installation of a charged battery are automatically performed.

Special Table 2016-505441 Japanese Patent No. 5874940 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2014-31118

A remote-controlled unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with a plurality of electric rotors is generally equipped with a lithium-ion battery as a power source. The flight time is limited by the electric capacity of the installed battery, and it is usually about 30 minutes at the longest, so in the case of work that requires time such as spraying chemicals on a large agricultural land or inspecting large infrastructure equipment. However, there was a problem that sufficient working time could not be secured in one flight.
In order to extend the flight time of the unmanned aerial vehicle, it is possible to solve the problem by increasing the number of batteries with a larger electric capacity and the batteries installed. However, a battery with a large electric capacity increases the weight, which leads to an increase in the weight of an unmanned airplane, a larger lift is required for flight, and an increase in power consumption. Therefore, there is a problem that the increase in battery capacity is not directly proportional to the increase in flight time. In addition, the increase in the weight of the unmanned aerial vehicle due to the battery has a problem that the loading of equipment and chemicals necessary for the work is restricted.
In order to solve the problem that the flight time of unmanned airplanes with electric rotors is not enough, the development of wired power supply type unmanned airplanes and automatic battery replacement system is underway, but the former is the salary that connects to unmanned airplanes. There is a risk that the electric wire may get entangled with trees, electric wires, buildings, etc., and it is restricted to use on flat ground without obstacles, and the latter has problems such as the need for a complicated control system and new equipment.
There is no prior art for electrically rotary wing unmanned aerial vehicles to solve the above problems.

Patent Document 1 "Aerial power supply device for a power storage system and an aircraft equipped with the device" is a battery mounted on an electrically propelled aircraft in which an electrically propelled aircraft in flight and a charging side aircraft are connected by an electric cable. It is related to the system in which the aircraft is charged, and is not related to the system in which the unmanned aircraft for work and the unmanned aircraft for power supply are connected and flown to secure the working time of the unmanned aircraft for work.

Patent Document 2 "Airplane and Battery Unit Storage System" allows a plurality of battery units equipped with a plurality of battery cells to be held by a plurality of multi-rotor helicopters, and the battery units whose remaining charge is less than a reference value are sequentially dropped to a drop location. By doing so, it is related to a system that reduces the weight of the aircraft and extends the flight time in one flight, but the work time of the unmanned work airplane is reduced by connecting the unmanned work airplane and the unmanned airplane for power supply. It is not about the system to secure.

Patent Document 3 "Flying Body and Flying Body System" relates to a system for installing an automatic battery replacement facility that automatically disconnects and attaches a battery to a parking lot of a flying body, and works in one flight of the flying body. It's not about a system that extends time.

An object of the present invention has been made in view of the problems of the prior art as described above.
By connecting the unmanned aerial vehicle for work and the unmanned aerial vehicle for power supply with an electric cable, it is possible to secure the work electricity and work time of the unmanned aerial vehicle for work. provide.

The electric rotary wing type unmanned aerial vehicle of the multi-machine connection type according to the invention of claim 1 is
It is composed of a work unmanned airplane having an electric rotary wing and a power supply unmanned airplane having an electric rotary wing equipped with a power supply battery for supplying electricity to the work unmanned airplane via an electric cable. In a remote-controlled, multi-machine connected electric rotary wing unmanned airplane that flies in a connected state, the work unmanned airplane and the power supply unmanned airplane connected by an electric cable are simultaneously connected by a single wireless controller. The unmanned airplane for work, which is controlled, is equipped with a wireless transmitter / receiver that directly communicates with the wireless controller and a repeater that relays communication with the unmanned airplane for power supply via the electric cable. It is a feature.

The electric rotary wing type unmanned aerial vehicle of the multi-machine connection type according to the invention of claim 2 is
In the electric rotary wing type unmanned airplane of the plurality of aircraft connected type according to claim 1, the unmanned airplane for power supply having the electric rotary wing is the flight electricity for the unmanned airplane for power supply to fly and the work. An electric rotary wing type unmanned airplane for power supply equipped with a battery that stores electricity for flight of an unmanned airplane and electricity for work of the unmanned airplane for work. The unmanned airplane for work is an unmanned airplane that constitutes an electric rotary wing type unmanned airplane of a multi-machine connection type equipped with work equipment and a disinfectant without mounting a battery as a power source, and is used for power supply. It is characterized by being connected to an unmanned airplane by an electric cable.

The electric rotary wing type unmanned aerial vehicle of the multi-machine connection type according to the invention of claim 1 is
It is composed of a work unmanned airplane having electric rotary wings and a power supply unmanned airplane having electric rotary wings equipped with a power supply battery for supplying electricity to the work unmanned airplane via an electric cable. In a remote-controlled, multi-machine connected electric rotary wing unmanned airplane that flies in a connected state, the work unmanned airplane and the power supply unmanned airplane connected by an electric cable are simultaneously connected by a single wireless controller. The unmanned airplane for work, which is controlled, is equipped with a wireless transmitter / receiver that directly communicates with the wireless controller and a repeater that relays communication with the unmanned airplane for power supply via the electric cable . Compared to the case of an unmanned airplane equipped with electric rotary wings equipped with the equipment and chemicals required for work on one aircraft and the battery that stores the electricity required for flying and working, the equipment required for work An electric rotary wing type that is divided into a work unmanned airplane equipped with chemicals, etc. and a power supply unmanned airplane equipped with a battery that stores electricity necessary for flying and working, and is connected by an electric cable. Since the on-board weight of an unmanned airplane can be suppressed, the lift required to fly each unmanned airplane can be reduced, and the power required for the flight can be suppressed.
That is, by configuring an unmanned aerial vehicle with electric rotor blades with multiple aircraft and dividing the roles into a work unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with work equipment and chemicals and a power supply unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with a battery, the flight time and flight time and It becomes possible to easily secure the working time.
In addition, by communicating with a work unmanned airplane with one wireless controller and further communicating with a power supply unmanned airplane via a repeater of the work unmanned airplane, one can use one without using multiple control panels. It is possible to easily control a plurality of aircraft with a single wireless controller.
By connecting the unmanned airplane for power supply and the unmanned airplane for work with an electric cable that also serves as a signal cable and communicating control signals, it is possible to fly stably in a constantly connected state according to each other's flight conditions. It is possible.

The electric rotary wing type unmanned airplane of the multi-machine connection type according to the invention of claim 2 is the electric rotary wing type unmanned airplane of the multi-machine connection type according to claim 1, and is an unmanned airplane for power supply having the electric rotary wing. Is a battery that stores flight electricity for the unmanned airplane for power supply to fly, flight electricity for the unmanned airplane for work to fly, and electricity for the unmanned airplane for work to work. The on-board electric rotary wing type unmanned airplane for power supply, and the unmanned work airplane having the electric rotary wing, is connected to a plurality of aircraft equipped with work equipment and a disinfectant without installing a battery as a power source. It is an unmanned airplane that constitutes an electric rotary wing type unmanned airplane of the type, and since it is connected to the unmanned airplane for power supply by an electric cable, the unmanned airplane for work can be used for flight electricity and chemical spraying, facility inspection, etc. It is possible to fly and work by supplying work electricity for work from the unmanned airplane for power supply, and since it is not equipped with a heavy battery, it is possible to fly with the equipment and chemicals necessary for work in one aircraft. Compared to the case of an unmanned airplane equipped with an electric rotary wing equipped with a heavy battery required for work, the amount of work equipment and chemicals required for work and the work time are less severely restricted. Become.
Further, since the unmanned airplane for power supply is an unmanned airplane constituting an electric rotary wing type unmanned airplane of a plurality of connected type connected with the unmanned airplane for work by an electric cable, work equipment and chemicals necessary for work. It is not necessary to install a battery with a large electric capacity or multiple batteries can be installed, and it is easy to secure the formation flight time and working time of an electric rotary wing type unmanned airplane in which multiple aircraft are connected by an electric cable. Become.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the example of the electric rotary wing type unmanned aerial vehicle 1 of the multi-machine connection type which was configured by connecting the unmanned aerial vehicle 3 for work and the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 for power supply which concerns on this invention by the electric cable 4. It is a figure which shows typically the structure which controls the electric rotary wing type unmanned aerial vehicle 1 of a plurality of machines connected type by a wireless controller 10.

An embodiment of an electric rotary wing unmanned aerial vehicle of a plurality of aircraft connection type according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 2. The present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. It goes without saying that the following components can be omitted or added, and embodiments such as the shape of the components can be changed without departing from the gist of the present invention. The figure is an outline, and only a part is drawn and the detailed structure is omitted.

FIG. 1 shows an electric rotary wing unmanned aerial vehicle 1 of a multi-machine connection type according to the present invention, and the electric rotary wing unmanned aerial vehicle 1 of the multi-machine connection type is a plurality of remote control connected by an electric cable 4. The unmanned aerial vehicle is composed of a work unmanned aerial vehicle 3 and a power supply unmanned aerial vehicle 2 equipped with a power supply battery 2a and supplying power to the work unmanned aerial vehicle 3 via the electric cable 4.
Note that FIG. 1 shows an example in which two unmanned aerial vehicles for power supply 2 are connected to one unmanned aerial vehicle for work 3. The unmanned aerial vehicle 2 for power supply shall be composed of at least one aircraft.

In the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 for power supply and the unmanned aerial vehicle 3 for work shown in FIG. 1, four-axis rotors 2b (3b) are arranged in substantially the same plane, and each rotor 2b (3b) is a rotary wing guard 2c (3c). Shows an example of an aircraft with.
The unmanned airplane 2 for power supply has a structure in which a battery 2a is mounted in the center of the airframe, and supplies flight electricity from the battery 2a to a motor of a rotary wing to rotate the rotary wing to fly.
The unmanned work airplane 3 does not have a battery as a power source, but has a structure equipped with a 4-axis rotary blade 3b, a flight motor, a work motor, work equipment, chemicals, etc. And work electricity is supplied from the battery 2a of the unmanned airplane 2 for power supply via the electric cable 4 to perform flight and work.
Both ends of the electric cable 4 are connected to connectors (not shown) arranged on the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 for power supply and the unmanned aerial vehicle 3 for work, respectively.
Further, the electric cable 4 is composed of a power cable 4a for power supply and a signal cable 4b for control, and is formed as a single cable in which the power cable 4a and the signal cable 4b are included in the same coating. Either the power cable 4a and the signal cable 4b may be separated into two cables. FIG. 1 shows an example in which the electric cable 4 is used as a single cable.
Further, FIG. 1 shows an example in which a connector (not shown) of the electric cable 4 is arranged at the lower part of the body of the unmanned aerial vehicle 3 for work so that the electric cable 4 is not caught in the propeller 3b of the unmanned aerial vehicle 3 for work. Shown.

The following effects can be obtained by using the electric rotary wing type unmanned aerial vehicle 1 of the plurality of aircraft connection type.
Compared to the case of an unmanned airplane equipped with electric rotary wings equipped with the equipment and chemicals required for work on one aircraft and the battery that stores the electricity required for flying and working, the equipment required for work An unmanned airplane for work 3 equipped with chemicals and the like, and an unmanned airplane 2 for power supply equipped with a battery 2a that stores electricity necessary for flying and working, and connected by an electric cable 4 Since the electric rotary wing type unmanned airplane 1 can reduce the load weight per aircraft, the lift required to fly each unmanned airplane can be reduced, and the power required for flight can be suppressed. It will be possible.
That is, by configuring a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles having electric rotary wings and dividing the roles into a work unmanned aerial vehicle 3 equipped with work equipment, chemicals, etc. and a power supply unmanned aerial vehicle 2 equipped with a battery 2a. It becomes possible to easily secure flight time and working time.

The unmanned aerial vehicle 3 for work shown in FIG. 1 shows an example of an unmanned aerial vehicle 3 for work used for exterminating insects such as wasps that are highly aggressive and difficult for humans to approach and exterminate, as work equipment. A tank 5 in which a repellent such as a chemical for exterminating insects is stored, an injection cylinder 6 for injecting the stored repellent, and a tank fixture for fixing the tank 5 to a working unmanned aerial vehicle 3 (FIG. A structure with (not shown) is shown. Further, FIG. 1 shows an example of a structure in which the housing 8 is fixed to the tank 5 and the housing 8 is provided with an opening 9 that allows the injection cylinder 6 to rotate in the vertical direction.

The user of the electric rotary wing unmanned aerial vehicle 1 of the multi-machine connection type remotely controls the electric rotary wing unmanned aerial vehicle 1 of the multi-machine connection type by the wireless controller 10, and follows the instruction from the wireless controller 10. The unmanned aerial vehicle 2 for power supply and the unmanned aerial vehicle 3 for work fly in a state of being connected by an electric cable 4, and the unmanned aerial vehicle 3 for work performs work such as insect extermination. The wireless controller 10 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.
When the work unmanned airplane 3 is used for exterminating wasps, while checking the image taken by the camera (not shown) mounted on the work unmanned airplane 3 on the monitor screen of the wireless controller 10. The unmanned airplane for work 3 is brought close to the wasp or its nest, and the injection cylinder 6 is rotated in the vertical direction by the radio controller 10 to adjust the direction, and the chemical is injected toward the wasp or its nest hole. To get rid of it.

The unmanned airplane for work 3 is heavy because it can fly and work by supplying electricity for flight and work electricity for performing work such as chemical spraying and equipment inspection from the unmanned airplane for power supply 2. Since it does not have a battery, it is necessary for work compared to the case of an unmanned airplane with electric rotors equipped with the equipment and chemicals necessary for work and the heavy battery necessary for flying and working in one aircraft. It is less likely that the loading amount and working time of various work equipment and chemicals will be severely restricted. Further, since the power supply unmanned airplane 2 is an unmanned airplane constituting the electric rotary wing type unmanned airplane 1 of a plurality of connected type connected by an electric cable 4 to the work unmanned airplane 3, the work required for the work is required. There is no need to load equipment or chemicals, there is room to mount a battery with a large electric capacity or a plurality of batteries, and the formation flight time and work of an electric rotary wing type unmanned airplane 1 in which a plurality of aircraft are connected by an electric cable 4 It will be easier to secure time.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a configuration in which a wireless controller 10 controls an electric rotary wing type unmanned aerial vehicle 1 in which a plurality of aircraft are connected.
The electric rotary wing unmanned aerial vehicle 1 in which a plurality of aircraft are connected is remotely controlled by a user with a single wireless controller 10.
The unmanned work airplane 3 includes a wireless transmitter / receiver 3f and a controller 3e, and control signals 11 such as flight position, altitude, and speed are directly communicated between the wireless transmitter / receiver 3f and the wireless controller 10. After that, the control signal 11 is communicated between the wireless transmitter / receiver 3f and the controller 3e, and the controller 3e controls the flight and work of the unmanned work airplane 3.
Further, the work unmanned airplane 3 is configured to be provided with various sensors 3d for detecting obstacles and the like, and a control signal 11 is communicated between the sensor 3d and the controller 3e, and the controller 3e causes an obstacle. It may be configured to control the flight and work of the work unmanned airplane 3 according to the environment such as an object.

The unmanned airplane 2 for power supply includes a controller 2e, and the controller 2e determines the flight position, altitude, speed, etc. via the repeater 3g connected to the controller 3e of the unmanned airplane 3 for work and the signal cable 4b. It communicates with the control signal 11 and indirectly communicates with the radio controller 10 to control the flight.
Further, the unmanned airplane 2 for power supply is configured to include various sensors 2d for detecting the remaining amount of the battery 2a, obstacles, etc., and the control signal 11 is communicated between the sensor 2d and the controller 2e, and the control signal 11 is transmitted. The controller 2e may be configured to control the flight of the power supply unmanned airplane 2 according to the remaining amount of the battery 2a and the environment such as obstacles.

The work unmanned airplane 3 has a structure provided with a power supply switch 3a, and by turning on and off the switch of the internal power supply circuit (not shown), the power supply unmanned airplane 2 is changed to the work unmanned airplane 3. It is possible to control the power supply 7 of.
The control signal 11 of the power supply switch 3a is transmitted from the wireless controller 10 to the controller 3e of the work unmanned airplane 3 via the wireless transmitter / receiver 3f, and then transmitted from the controller 3e to the power supply switch 3a. Will be done.
For example, when the work unmanned airplane 3 starts work, the switch of the power supply switch 3a is turned on to supply power 7 from a plurality of power supply unmanned airplanes 2 to the work unmanned airplane 3, or a certain power supply unmanned airplane. When the remaining amount of the battery 2a of the airplane 2 falls below a predetermined amount, it is possible to make adjustments such as turning off the switch of the power supply switch 3a and stopping the power supply 7 from the unmanned airplane 2 for power supply. ..

As described above, the following effects can be obtained by controlling the electric rotary wing type unmanned aerial vehicle 1 in which a plurality of aircraft are connected by one wireless controller 10.
A plurality of control panels are used by communicating with the work unmanned airplane 3 with one wireless controller 10 and further communicating with the power supply unmanned airplane 2 via the repeater 3 g of the work unmanned airplane 3. Instead, it is possible to easily control a plurality of aircraft with one wireless controller 10.
By connecting the unmanned airplane 2 for power supply and the unmanned airplane 3 for work with an electric cable 4 that also serves as a signal cable 4b and communicating with the control signal 11, it is stable in a state of being always connected according to each other's flight conditions. It is possible to fly.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various configuration changes can be made without departing from the gist thereof.

1 Electric rotary wing unmanned aerial vehicle with multiple connected aircraft
2 Unmanned aerial vehicle for power supply
2a Battery 2b (for unmanned aerial vehicle 2 for power supply) Rotorcraft 2c (for unmanned aerial vehicle 2 for power supply) Rotorcraft guard 2d (for unmanned aerial vehicle 2 for power supply) Sensor 2e (unmanned aerial vehicle 2 for power supply) ) Controller 3 Unmanned aerial vehicle for work
3a (working unmanned airplane 3) power supply switch 3b (working unmanned airplane 3) rotating wing 3c (working unmanned airplane 3) rotating wing guard 3d (working unmanned airplane 3) sensor 3e (for work) Controller 3f (for unmanned airplane 3 for work) Wireless transmitter / receiver 3g (for unmanned airplane 3 for work) Repeater 4 Electric cable 4a Power cable 4b Signal cable 5 Tank 6 Injection cylinder 7 Power supply 8 Housing 9 Aperture 10 Wireless controller 11 Control signal

Claims (2)

It is composed of a work unmanned airplane having an electric rotary wing and a power supply unmanned airplane having an electric rotary wing equipped with a power supply battery for supplying electricity to the work unmanned airplane via an electric cable. In a remote-controlled, multi-aircraft rotary-wing unmanned airplane that flies in a connected state, the work unmanned airplane and the power supply unmanned airplane connected by an electric cable are simultaneously connected by a single wireless controller. The unmanned airplane for work, which is controlled, is equipped with a wireless transmitter / receiver that directly communicates with the wireless controller and a repeater that relays communication with the unmanned airplane for power supply via the electric cable. It is an electric rotary wing type unmanned airplane with multiple aircraft connected. In the electric rotary wing type unmanned airplane of the plurality of aircraft connected type according to claim 1, the unmanned airplane for power supply having the electric rotary wing is the flight electricity for the unmanned airplane for power supply to fly and the work. An electric rotary wing type unmanned airplane for power supply equipped with a battery that stores electricity for flight of an unmanned airplane and electricity for work of the unmanned airplane for work. The unmanned airplane for work is an unmanned airplane that constitutes an electric rotary wing type unmanned airplane of a multi-machine connection type equipped with work equipment and a disinfectant without mounting a battery as a power source, and is used for power supply. The electric rotary wing type unmanned airplane of a multi-machine connection system according to claim 1, wherein the airplane is connected to an unmanned airplane by an electric cable.

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