Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
  • B64C—AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
  • B64C39/00—Aircraft not otherwise provided for
  • B64C39/02—Aircraft not otherwise provided for characterised by special use
  • B64C39/024—Aircraft not otherwise provided for characterised by special use of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01B—SOIL WORKING IN AGRICULTURE OR FORESTRY; PARTS, DETAILS, OR ACCESSORIES OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINES OR IMPLEMENTS, IN GENERAL
  • A01B79/00—Methods for working soil
  • A01B79/005—Precision agriculture
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01C—PLANTING; SOWING; FERTILISING
  • A01C21/00—Methods of fertilising, sowing or planting
  • A01C21/007—Determining fertilization requirements
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01M—CATCHING, TRAPPING OR SCARING OF ANIMALS; APPARATUS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF NOXIOUS ANIMALS OR NOXIOUS PLANTS
  • A01M7/00—Special adaptations or arrangements of liquid-spraying apparatus for purposes covered by this subclass
  • A01M7/0089—Regulating or controlling systems
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
  • B64D—EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
  • B64D1/00—Dropping, ejecting, releasing, or receiving articles, liquids, or the like, in flight
  • B64D1/16—Dropping or releasing powdered, liquid, or gaseous matter, e.g. for fire-fighting
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
  • B64D—EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
  • B64D1/00—Dropping, ejecting, releasing, or receiving articles, liquids, or the like, in flight
  • B64D1/16—Dropping or releasing powdered, liquid, or gaseous matter, e.g. for fire-fighting
  • B64D1/18—Dropping or releasing powdered, liquid, or gaseous matter, e.g. for fire-fighting by spraying, e.g. insecticides
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
  • B64D—EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
  • B64D47/00—Equipment not otherwise provided for
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
  • B64U—UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
  • B64U10/00—Type of UAV
  • B64U10/10—Rotorcrafts
  • B64U10/13—Flying platforms
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
  • B64U—UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
  • B64U30/00—Means for producing lift; Empennages; Arrangements thereof
  • B64U30/20—Rotors; Rotor supports
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
  • B64U—UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
  • B64U50/00—Propulsion; Power supply
  • B64U50/30—Supply or distribution of electrical power
  • B64U50/37—Charging when not in flight
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N33/00—Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
  • G01N33/24—Earth materials
  • G01N33/245—Earth materials for agricultural purposes
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
  • B64U—UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
  • B64U2101/00—UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
  • B64U2101/30—UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications for imaging, photography or videography
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
  • B64U—UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
  • B64U2201/00—UAVs characterised by their flight controls
  • B64U2201/10—UAVs characterised by their flight controls autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
  • B64U2201/102—UAVs characterised by their flight controls autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS] adapted for flying in formations

Definitions

• the invention relates to a method for ground scanning using at least one aircraft, in particular a (rotary wing) flying drone, which has at least one sensor, after which the surface and / or a depth region of the ground is scanned by means of the sensor.
• the aircraft can in principle be a manned or unmanned aircraft.
• the subject of the present application is unmanned aerial vehicles and here preferably (rotating wing) flying drones.
• (Rotary wing) flying drones are used in the generic state of the art according to EP 2 612 110 B1 in order to be able to work on agricultural areas precisely and in particular to ensure optimal use of fertilizer.
• the floor area in question is flown with a (rotary wing) drone along a planned route.
• the flight altitude is reduced at predetermined points in order to be able to take detailed pictures.
• a nitrogen moisture or temperature sensor is integrated in the small aircraft for mapping the ground. Among other things, the nitrogen content can be determined in this way. From this, statements can be made regarding plant density, soil moisture, plant moisture, etc.
• the goal has been set to collect a large amount of information in a reasonable time in view of the limited energy capacity of such a (rotary wing) flying drone through the mostly implemented battery operation.
• the information or corresponding data from the sensor is used directly to control harvesting machines. This can be used for targeted fertilization and / or further tillage. This has generally proven itself.
• DE 10 2015 224 175 B3 relates to a system for determining grain losses when harvesting with a combine harvester.
• a camera for capturing images from a field is realized, which is arranged on an unmanned aerial vehicle in the form of, for example, a (rotating wing) drone.
• the aircraft can be controlled in such a way that an air flow formed by it with the aid of a rotor is directed in the direction of the surface of the arable soil provided for the acquisition of at least one image. In this way, lost grains and broken grains lying on a surface of the arable land are exposed. Their number can be determined.
• WO 2017/083128 A1 is concerned with a drone for agricultural applications which is used for ground scanning. In principle, a sensor is also used.
• the invention is based on the technical problem of further developing such a method in such a way that the expenditure on plant technology is reduced and the soil quality can be influenced in a targeted manner in a simple manner.
• a correspondingly designed device is to be made available.
• a generic method for ground scanning with the aid of at least one (rotary wing) flight drone is characterized in the context of the invention in that the flight drone in question has, in addition to the sensor, at least one manipulation unit which, depending on the data determined with the aid of the sensor, the Soil quality affects.
• the flight drone used according to the invention is preferably a (rotary wing) flight drone.
• the invention is not restricted to this. This means that a flight drone with rigid wings, a so-called fixed-wing aircraft, can alternatively be used at this point.
• the (rotary wing) flying drone therefore not only has the sensor or the several sensors already mentioned, with the aid of which the surface of the floor and / or the depth region of the floor is scanned, but according to the invention there is additionally at least one manipulation unit as Part of the flight drone provided.
• the soil quality can be influenced with the aid of the manipulation unit, depending on the data determined with the aid of the sensor.
• the manipulation unit can be designed as a controllable storage container for, for example, seeds.
• the soil quality can be positively influenced in such a way that, depending on the natural properties of the soil, such as the nitrogen content of the soil determined by the sensor, its moisture, its temperature, its surface topology or even depending on its composition, seeds are applied directly with the aid of the manipulation unit can.
• the manipulation unit designed as a controllable storage container to specifically apply chemicals and, in the example described, fertilizers. This can be done in a very targeted manner and depending on the fertilizer requirement previously determined using the sensor as an example and can be set in a targeted manner using the manipulation unit.
• this procedure is associated with the particular advantage that the seeds and / or the chemicals or the one or more fertilizers in the example are fed directly to the soil depending on its current soil quality. It is therefore expressly not necessary to maintain an additional seed machine or one that applies fertilizers and to order it in a correspondingly examined partial area, for example an arable area. This requires additional mechanical engineering effort and is naturally associated with delays.
• seeds and / or fertilizers for example, can be applied directly if the nature of the soil permits and requires this, for example with regard to moisture content, nitrogen content, etc.
• particularly economical use of seeds or fertilizers is possible, which has not previously been shown in this consequence and form in the prior art.
• the plant engineering effort has been significantly reduced.
• the area to be scanned can be subdivided into one or more areas. This allows the individual areas to be scanned individually. Depending on the soil quality of the respective area determined using the sensor, the soil quality can now be influenced as described.
• the division of the soil to be scanned into the individual areas can advantageously be carried out using corresponding GPS (Global Positioning System) coordinates.
• GPS Global Positioning System
• a mechanical delimitation of the individual areas is also possible and conceivable in such a simple way that they are defined by a boundary wire surrounding the areas.
• the boundary wire can be encompassed by the aircraft or its own sensor. For example, it is conceivable to apply electrical current, for example short current, for example short current pulses, to the boundary wire, so that the electromagnetic field generated in this way can be determined with the aid of the sensor and consequently the boundary of the respective area can be detected.
• the manipulation unit can also be used as a controllable storage container for, for example, insects and / or liquid.
• insects that can be used for pest control and / or support a declining natural population of pest controlers can be “shed” on an agricultural area.
• these include, for example, so-called “parasitic wasps", which can be used to control pests naturally and without using pesticides.
• one or more liquids can also be applied in a targeted manner using the manipulation unit. This may be weedkiller, water, etc., which, depending on the data determined with the help of the sensor, can be applied precisely and consequently particularly economically.
• a larger arable area can not only be scanned with the aid of a (rotating wing) flying drone, but can also be advantageously used at this point with a (rotating wing) flying drone swarm.
• a flight drone swarm can be coordinated with one another, for example, in such a way that the arable area to be scanned is divided into respective partial areas and each flight drone examines only a single partial area and, if necessary, produces seeds.
• the respective (rotating wing) flying drones can scan or process the partial areas overlapping.
• the invention provides according to a further advantageous embodiment that the scanned soil is examined with the aid of the sensor with regard to possible contaminants.
• contaminants can be pesticides and / or metals and / or radioactive materials and / or wastes and / or waste water. That is, with the aid of the at least one sensor, the soil is examined for the aforementioned contaminants, the list given being to be understood only as an example and not as restrictive.
• the manipulation unit now ensures that countermeasures are taken, depending on the identified contaminant.
• the countermeasures can, for example, be markings applied to the floor or introduced into the floor. With the help of these markings, the location of the contaminants and, if necessary, their characteristics can be specified and displayed. For example, the type of contaminant can be displayed via the color of the markings. This means that subsequent processing of the floor in the area of the markings can be precisely targeted
• the senor can be a gas sensor, with the aid of which, for example, gases associated with waste water or waste or gases originating from waste water or waste can be detected.
• This also includes fermentation gases.
• Waste water or wastewater typically emits fermentation gases which can be sensed by means of a gas sensor designed accordingly.
• the gas sensor is also able to detect a (gas) pipeline installed in the ground, for example, for any escaping gases. The registration of the gases or such fermentation gases consequently and under certain circumstances allows conclusions to be drawn about, for example, waste present under the surface of the soil. The same applies to waste water.
• the senor can also be designed as a so-called GPR sensor, ie as a “ground penetrating radar” sensor.
• GPR sensor ie as a “ground penetrating radar” sensor.
• the soil and in particular a deep region of the soil can be characterized non-destructively with the aid of high-frequency electromagnetic waves.
• such a sensor or ground radar sensor uses frequencies that are typically in the megahertz range. This allows the ground to be scanned to depths of several meters. In principle, it is also possible to work with higher frequencies down to the gigahertz range, such as those used for mine clearance, which are typically only applied to a depth of 20 to 30 cm in the ground.
• the manipulation unit may be designed as a radiation source.
• a design as a laser for example, has proven to be advantageous, with the aid of which the mines previously mentioned and located in the ground can be deliberately detonated.
• the manipulation unit simply delivering a projectile in such a case in order to be able to switch off the mine.
• neutralizing waste water by means of chemicals introduced with the aid of the manipulation unit, for example with regard to its PH value. It is also possible to add bacteria to the wastewater or waste with the help of the manipulation unit in order to promote its decomposition.
• the sensor and / or the manipulation unit are advantageously attached to the drone in an exchangeable manner. This makes it possible to adapt the one or more sensors to the actual conditions, depending on the soil examined. The same applies to the one or more manipulation units.
• the exchange station is at the same time designed as a charging station for one or more batteries in the (rotating wing) drone.
• the (rotary wing) drone in question is charged and adapted to its new purpose.
• the relevant sensor or manipulation unit can be exchanged automatically, for example, by equipping the exchange station with a revolver magazine which surrounds the drone in its rest position on the circumference of the exchange station.
• the revolver magazine can be equipped with various sensors and / or manipulation units which, if necessary, are interchangeably coupled to the drone by a corresponding radial displacement in the direction of the drone.
• the drone can be parked on a platform of the exchange station.
• the accumulators or the at least one accumulator of the drone can be charged with electrical energy in this context and advantageously inductively via, for example, a coil embedded in the platform.
• the charging process can be carried out automatically and simultaneously together with the exchange process.
• the exchange station does not necessarily have to be designed as a charging station for the batteries in the drone. Because within the scope of the invention there is also the possibility of supplying the drone with the required electrical energy, for example via a cable.
• the drone can be supplied with the required electrical energy directly via the cable. However, it is also possible for the drone's battery to be supplied with the necessary energy using the cable.
• the cable in question can be detachable. In this case, the cable can be released, for example, using a remote control that controls the drone, so that the drone can then be detached from it
• Cables and self-sufficient (with the help of the accumulator or several accumulators on board) can start their work.
• a control unit in the (rotary wing) drone can communicate with a central controller.
• the central control may in turn be present in a remote control for the (rotary wing) drone, which is required anyway. In this way, the image data and the data of the sensor can be visualized on a screen of the remote control, for example.
• the invention enables for the first time a targeted soil scanning with regard to its surface and any depth ranges and at the same time the direct and targeted influencing of the soil quality and, if necessary, the implementation of countermeasures if impurities are detected in or on the floor. This is where the main advantages can be seen.
• the invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of a drawing illustrating only one exemplary embodiment.
• the single figure shows a device according to the invention, as is the subject of claim 10.
• the respective (rotating wing) flying drone 1 is equipped in the example with a thermal imaging camera 3 in order to use it to scan the floor 2 for any abnormal heat sources or its temperature.
• This (for abnormal heat sources) can be radioactive contaminants, for example.
• the thermal imager 3 enables the temperature of the soil 2 to be determined, so that depending on this, the discharge of seeds can be carried out optimally, as will be described in more detail below.
• the floor 2 can be divided into individual areas. These areas can be defined by associated GPS coordinates and / or a perimeter wire.
• the (rotating wing) flying drone 1 is equipped with a plurality of sensors 6, 7 which, according to the exemplary embodiment, on the circumference or outside of the (rotating wing) Flight drones 1 are arranged and are held interchangeably on the drone in question, as will be explained in more detail below.
• the sensor 6 may be a gas sensor.
• the sensor 7 is designed as a ground radar or GPR sensor 7.
• additional sensors are also conceivable. With the help of the two sensors 6, 7, the surface and / or a depth region of the bottom 2 is scanned.
• the (rotary wing) flying drone 1 is equipped with at least one manipulation unit 8 in addition to the at least one sensor 6, 7 or the two sensors 6, 7 in the example.
• the sensors 6, 7 as well as the manipulation unit 8, the thermal imaging camera 3 and also the photographic imaging camera 5 as a whole are connected to the control unit 4, which takes over all control functions and functions for data acquisition and data collection.
• the control unit 4 in turn communicates with a central controller 9, which is shown schematically in the figure. Communication may typically be wireless.
• the central controller 9 can be implemented in a remote control for the (rotary wing) flying drone 1, which is required anyway, but may also be attached stationary at a certain point on the floor 2.
• the central controller 9 can be coupled to a computer network.
• the central controller 9 may visualize the data as well as the photographic image data of the image camera 5.
• an operator can wear data glasses, for example, as has already been described in the introduction.
• the manipulation unit 8 is designed according to the embodiment as a controllable storage container.
• the manipulation unit 8 or the controllable storage container can accommodate seeds and / or insects and / or liquid and / or chemicals in its interior, as has already been described in the introduction.
• the control unit 4 With the help of the control unit 4, the targeted delivery of the aforementioned materials can now be controlled and specified by the manipulation unit 8. This happens depending on the data determined with the help of the two sensors 6, 7.
• the gas sensor 6 detects a specific and insufficient moisture content in the soil, whereupon the
• Control unit 4 acts on the manipulation unit 8 in such a way that it releases moisture in the form of water at the relevant location. Most of the time, however, one will work with fertilizers, for example, if a nitrogen sensor, which is not expressly shown, has previously measured a corresponding fertilizer requirement of the soil 2 on its surface.
• the bottom 2 can be scanned with regard to possible contaminants.
• the GPR or ground radar sensor 7 may scan the ground 2 to a certain depth range. If, for example, impurities or wastes are found below the surface of the base 2, these can be neutralized to a certain extent, for example, by applying chemicals using the manipulation unit 8 or the controllable storage container.
• the manipulation unit 8 can also be used to deliver insects for targeted pest control, as has already been described in the introduction.
• the manipulation unit 8 can be designed as a radiation source and in particular a laser radiation source in order to implement the targeted destruction of contaminants located in the ground 2.
• the at least one sensor 6, 7 or the two sensors 6, 7 and also the manipulation unit 8 are interchangeably attached to the drone or (rotary wing) drone 1.
• the two sensors 6, 7 and the manipulation unit 8 are each located on the outer circumference of a drone housing 11 and are connected to the drone housing 11 in an interchangeable manner. In this way, the sensor 6, 7 or the manipulation unit 8 can be exchanged at an additionally shown exchange station 10.
• the drone or (rotary wing) drone 1 first flies onto a platform 12 of the exchange station 10. Coils can be embedded in the platform 12, with the aid of which batteries or at least one such battery arranged in the drone housing 11 can be inductively charged.
• the exchange station enables a targeted exchange of individual sensors 6, 7 or the manipulation unit 8.
• the exchange station 10 is equipped with a revolver magazine 13, which is only indicated, and which surrounds the outer circumference of the drone parked on the platform 12.
• the revolver magazine 13 in each case accommodates further sensors or manipulation units in individual shafts, which are not expressly shown, and which are exchanged by a radial movement, for example, for the sensors 6, 7 or the manipulation unit 8 attached to the (rotating wing) drone 1. This can all happen automatically during a charging process.
• the ground 2 to be scanned can be mapped, for example, and divided into different fields.
• the use of a triangulation method is also possible.
• the area to be examined is subdivided, for example, into acute-angled triangles and measured in this way. This means that the position of any contaminants in the ground can be measured precisely and, for example, compared with information on a map, or the contaminants can be mapped correctly.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
• Environmental Sciences (AREA)
• Soil Sciences (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Pest Control & Pesticides (AREA)
• Remote Sensing (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Insects & Arthropods (AREA)
• Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
• Zoology (AREA)
• Immunology (AREA)
• Geology (AREA)
• Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
• Pathology (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
• Food Science & Technology (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Biochemistry (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Catching Or Destruction (AREA)
• Control Of Position, Course, Altitude, Or Attitude Of Moving Bodies (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Families Citing this family (7)

Family Cites Families (11)

• 2018
  • 2018-11-08 DE DE102018128002.5A patent/DE102018128002A1/de active Pending
• 2019
  • 2019-11-06 WO PCT/EP2019/080319 patent/WO2020094683A1/de unknown
  • 2019-11-06 EP EP19805148.4A patent/EP3876693A1/de active Pending
  • 2019-11-06 CA CA3119377A patent/CA3119377A1/en active Pending
  • 2019-11-06 AU AU2019374445A patent/AU2019374445A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2019-11-06 EA EA202191234A patent/EA202191234A1/ru unknown
  • 2019-11-06 KR KR1020217017253A patent/KR20210090215A/ko unknown

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