FR3086640A1 - EXTINGUISHING DRONE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a drone comprising a propulsion unit controlled by a trajectory control unit, the trajectory control unit being controlled by a control unit, the propulsion unit comprising a plurality of propellers distributed on the periphery of the '' a carrier air flow having a cone shape and generating a propelling force, the drone comprises in particular at least one reserve (RP) of active agent intended to be expelled in the form of a light product under the action a trigger, said reserve of active agent being disposed at least in part in the cone (203).

Description

EXTINGUISHING DRONE TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The technical field of the invention relates to fire-fighting devices and in particular mobile intervention equipment.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

For interventions on difficult to access or dangerous areas, it is known to send fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft to fight a fire. For example, a water bomber aircraft is used to fight forest fires.

However, these techniques are not suitable for fires breaking out inside buildings. In addition, the reaction time required for an intervention is only suitable for large-scale fires.

There is thus a need to provide a device adapted to the fire declaring itself inside a building and allowing a shorter intervention time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention aims to overcome the problems mentioned above, by providing a drone allowing intervention in a reduced time and suitable for a fire inside a building.

This objective is achieved by a drone comprising a propulsion unit controlled by a trajectory control unit, the trajectory control unit being controlled by a control unit, the propulsion unit comprising a plurality of propellers distributed in periphery of a carrier air flow having a cone shape and generating a propelling force, characterized in that it comprises at least one reserve of active agent intended to be expelled in the form of a light product under the action of a trigger, said reserve of active agent being disposed at least partly in the cone.

According to a characteristic of the invention, each reserve of active agent is in the form of a cartridge comprising an extinguishing agent released via an orifice closed by a plug, the trigger having the action of releasing the orifice from its plug, the orifice of said reserve being disposed in the cone and oriented opposite to the propelling force.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the stopper comprises wax, the trigger acting on the stopper by a heating action.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the active agent is stored in solid form and is intended to sublimate on contact with air, when the orifice is released, thus promoting its expulsion in a jet directed towards the opposite of the propelling force.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the active agent is a gas combining with oxygen atoms and preferably with hot molecules, thus achieving fire smothering.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the drone comprises at least one detection unit configured to acquire environmental data comprising a thermal camera, the control unit comprising at least:

- a target determination module for determining a target on which to drop the product;

- a drop trajectory calculation module configured to calculate or update a drop trajectory as a function of the environmental data acquired by the detection unit;

- an air flow calculation module configured to calculate the air flow generated by the drone as a function of a set power generated by the propulsion unit.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the drone comprises a location unit, the drone, in communication link with a ground station, receiving a location of fire or start of fire.

Another object of the invention relates to a method for dropping at least one light product by drone comprising the following steps:

- determine a target on which to drop the product;

- acquire environmental data by a drone detection unit;

- calculate an air flow generated by the drone;

- calculate a release trajectory based on the environmental data acquired and the air flow calculation;

- check, before dropping, that the dropping trajectory allows the product to efficiently reach the target or move to a new position then jump to the calculation step of the dropping trajectory.

Advantageously, the extinguishing agent is a gas which extinguishes fire by suffocation by sublimating on contact with oxygen molecules. Thus, the extinguishing agent is not under pressure and does not cause damage to the areas with which it comes into contact when it is released. The drone can therefore use the extinguishing agent without waiting for instructions from an operator to confirm the presence of a fire, its dissemination having no material consequences.

Advantageously, the product is light enough to feel the effects of the air flow generated by the drone. Thus, the air flow generated by the drone influences the release path of the light product and can be used to counter a disturbing element or increase the distance of effect.

Advantageously, the target can be determined autonomously from environmental data acquired by the drone detection unit. An environmental data can be for example a temperature or a wind speed.

Advantageously, the air flow generated by the propulsion unit delimits a cone volume and the reserve of products is inside this volume.

Advantageously, the detection unit comprises a thermal camera and a video acquisition unit configured to acquire the thermal images captured by the thermal camera. The target determination module is further configured to determine the target from the acquired thermal images. Thus, the detection unit allows for example to detect a fire.

Advantageously, the detection unit includes an anemometer. Thus, the detection unit makes it possible to measure the wind speed and direction to assess the external stresses exerted on the drone.

Advantageously, the target determination module is configured to receive a setpoint associated with an intervention position and choose the intervention position for target. Thus, an operator can choose the target on which the drone will drop its light product.

The invention and its various applications will be better understood on reading the description which follows and on examining the figures which accompany it.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The figures are presented for information and in no way limit the invention.

- Figure 1 shows a block diagram of a method according to the invention.

- Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of a drone according to the invention.

- Figure 3 shows another schematic representation of the drone according to the invention arranged above a target.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AT LEAST ONE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Unless otherwise specified, the same element appearing in different figures has a unique reference.

"Drone dropping a product" means the act of dropping, dropping the product from a drone.

The release method 100 can be used in many situations. The target 110 and the product to be dropped differs depending on the situation. The target 110 is for example a fire or a starting point of fire, the product being an extinguishing agent.

The light product is, for example, in the form of a solid state extinguishing agent. This extinguishing agent sublimes in contact with air to intervene on fire in its gaseous state.

A drone 210 is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 2.

The drone 210 is an unmanned aircraft type vehicle, that is to say a flying drone.

The drone 210 is preferably autonomous, that is to say that the drone can make decisions without necessarily receiving instructions from an operator.

The drone 210 includes a control unit UC.

“Control unit” is understood to mean a data processing device comprising for example one or more processors or other computers and one or more memories storing for example program data, drivers, also designated by drivers in English, or data representative of the environment from one or more sensors.

The control unit UC is for example capable of recording and processing data such as mission data and data from sensors. The control unit UC allows the execution of programs which can call on subroutines to perform functions and sub-functions for processing the stored data. A functional module is thus composed of one or more functions or sub-functions performed by one or more programs or sub-programs. The UC control unit thus allows the activation of modules performing functions and interacting with each other, for example in a cooperative manner.

The drone 210 also includes at least one reserve of RP products associated with at least one DE trigger configured so that, when activated, perform an action on the reserve of RP products.

The reserve of RP products is for example in the form of a container comprising a closed orifice and intended to be released by a trigger.

The reserve of RP products is for example a cartridge of cylindrical shape closed by a plug and the light product to be dropped is for example an extinguishing agent stored in solid form and intended to sublimate in the gaseous state in contact with air, c that is to say at the time of release of the orifice. Sublimation facilitates the expulsion of the product from the cartridge in the form of a jet. The plug sealing the orifice is for example in the form of a wax capsule capable of melting above a certain temperature. The action on the reserve of RP products which the ED trigger exerts is for example the heating of the wax seal allowing the opening of the orifice and the expulsion of the active product in the gaseous state.

The action of the trigger on the reserve of RP products can also consist in removing the cap from the cartridge and freeing the orifice.

We can also consider dropping the cartridge by the drone over the fire, the orifice of the cartridge being released before dropping or the wax plug being intended to melt in the fire to release the extinguishing agent directly to the heart fire under the effect of temperature.

The drone 210 may include several reserves of RP products each containing identical or different products and each associated with a trigger.

The drone comprises for example feet 211 allowing it to land on the ground.

The drone 210 also includes at least one rotary wing UP propulsion unit. The propulsion unit comprises for example a plurality of propellers 200. The rotary wing propulsion unit advantageously allows the drone to hover or at low speed.

The propulsion unit UP creates an air flow 203 represented by curved arrows forming a cone as shown in FIG. 3. The air flow 203 is generated by the rotation of the propellers 200 which create a lift force allowing the drone 210 to fly and exerts a pushing force on the elements in the air flow 203.

The expelled light extinguisher has characteristics which allow it to feel the pushing effect exerted by the air flow 203 of the drone 210. The expelled light product thus feels the pushing effect.

Thus, the trajectory of the expelled gas 112 is influenced by the air flow 203. This can for example make it possible to counter a disturbing element such as a side wind 111 or to increase the distance of effect by pushing the volume of light extinguishing agent forced out.

"Effect distance" means the maximum distance between the drone 210 and the target 110 so that the light product dropped by the drone 210 can reach the target 110 without too much dispersion, so as to maintain an extinguishing effect.

As shown in FIG. 3, the release trajectory 112 is influenced on the one hand by the wind 111 which pushes the light product laterally and on the other hand by the air flow 203 generated by the drone which pushes the light product towards the bottom. Thus, the release trajectory 112 may have several stages, that is to say several vertical portions and several horizontal portions, under the effect of a continuous lateral wind 111 and of a pulsed vertical flow produced by the propellers 200 of the drone 210. The horizontal portions correspond to the instants to which the light product is subjected only to wind 111 and the vertical portions correspond to the instants to which the light product is subjected to wind 111 and to the thrust force exerted by the flow d 'air 203. Overall and in particular on the vertical portions, the thrust force exerted by the air flow 203 can make it possible to counter the disturbing element that constitutes the wind 111.

The air flow 203 generated by the propellers 200 of the drone 210 defines a volume. The volume limits are shown in dotted lines in Figure 3. This volume has a typical cone shape, as shown in Figure 3.

Each container is preferably placed inside the cone, and oriented downwards, as shown in FIG. 3. Thus the volume of expelled light product which has an initial speed, is further pushed down under the effect of the air flow generated by the drone.

In FIG. 3, only two propellers 200 have been shown, but it is understood that the drone 210 may include a larger number of propellers distributed around the periphery of the cone of propelled air flow.

Likewise, a single RP cartridge is shown inside the cone, but several cartridges could be arranged inside the cone. By cartridge placed inside the cone it is understood that the expulsion orifice of the cartridge is arranged inside the cone and that thus the light product expelled is subjected to the acceleration of the air flow generated by the drone 210.

The drone 210 also includes a trajectory control unit UT configured to control the propulsion unit UP so as to obtain a determined drone trajectory.

The drone 210 also includes at least one UD detection unit enabling the acquisition of environmental data.

The detection unit UD comprises for example a thermal sensor, an environmental data item is then a temperature. The thermal sensor is for example an infrared sensor. This takes into account the risk of exposure of the drone 210 to excessive heat, when the drone 210 intervenes in a fire.

The detection unit UD comprises, for example, an anemometer, an environmental data item then being representative of the wind speed and direction. This makes it possible to take into account the information concerning the stresses exerted by the wind 111 on the drone 210, for example for a hovering flight, but also to take account of the wind for the conditions of release. Thus, as shown in FIG. 3, the drone 210 shifts laterally with respect to a vertical position of the target 110.

The detection unit UD comprises for example a thermal camera and a video acquisition unit configured to acquire thermal images filmed by the thermal camera.

The drone 210 comprises at least one UL location unit, for example a GPS type module.

The control unit UC, in communication link with the trajectory control unit UT, the trigger (s) DE of the container (s), the detection unit UD and the location unit UL, allows autonomous management by the drone. The control unit in particular sends commands directly to the autopilot of the control unit, which allows the reprogramming of a mission in progress memorized by the control unit.

The drone 210 comprises for example a camera and a video acquisition unit configured to record the images filmed by the camera and retransmit the video stream intended for a ground station and for an operator to enable it to follow the intervention in progress and if necessary, send instructions to the drone 210.

The drone 210 UC control unit includes for example:

- a target determination module MC;

- an MTL drop position calculation module;

- a MTD drone trajectory calculation module;

- an MF air flow calculation module;

- a control module for dropping the extinguisher product.

The steps of method 100 are illustrated in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, a first step 101 is for example a step of determining the target 110 by the target determination module MD of the drone 210. The target 110 can be determined from the environmental data acquired by the UD detection unit of drone 210.

For example, the drone 210 can determine the relative position of a fire, using the thermal camera so as to detect hot spots beyond a memorized temperature threshold.

A location of a fire or a start of a fire can also be transmitted by an operator through a ground station in communication with the drone.

After determining the position of the target, the detection unit UD performs a step 102 of acquiring environmental data.

This acquisition step 102 consists for example of acquiring temperature data using a thermal sensor of the detection unit UD or the wind speed and direction using the anemometer of the UD detection unit or other data on the external stresses exerted on the drone 210 and which will be exerted on the light product after its release.

The air flow calculation module MF then performs a step 103 of calculation of the air flow 203 generated by the propulsion unit UP of the drone 210. This step 103 consists in an evaluation of the thrust force exerted by the air flow 203.

The MTL drop trajectory calculation module then performs a step 104 of calculating a drop trajectory 112. This trajectory calculation is for example performed as a function of the environmental data acquired in step 102 and of the flow of air 203 calculated in step 103.

Knowing the characteristics of the light product, for example its mass and its mode of dispersion, the drone 210 performs an assessment of its release trajectory 112 and of its optimal distance of action, taking into account external constraints such as wind and stresses exerted by the drone 210 on the light product once dropped.

The calculation of a trajectory in a first position can be carried out before verifying, in a verification step 105, whether the light product dropped can effectively reach the target.

In the event of verification failure, a new drop position is for example considered and a new step 104 of calculating a drop trajectory is carried out. This new release position is for example a position closer to an obstacle or closer to the fire, that is to say a less secure position.

A real-time movement is for example carried out in a repositioning step 106 aiming to benefit from a new effective position of the drone.

Following the trajectory calculation in the second position, a new verification step 105 is carried out to determine whether the light product dropped can effectively reach the target.

In the event of confirmed verification, a next step 109 of dropping the light product onto the target 110 is carried out by the dropping module ML.

Claims (7)

1. Drone comprising a propulsion unit (UP) piloted by a trajectory control unit (UT), the trajectory control unit being controlled by a control unit (UC), the propulsion unit comprising a plurality of propellers (200) distributed around the periphery of a carrier air flow (203) having a cone shape and generating a propelling force, characterized in that it comprises at least one reserve (RP) of active agent intended to be expelled in the form of a light product under the action of a trigger r, said reserve of active agent being disposed at least partially in the cone (203). 2. Drone according to claim 1, characterized in that each reserve (RP) of active agent is in the form of a cartridge comprising an extinguishing agent released via an orifice closed by a plug, the trigger having the action of releasing the orifice of its plug, the orifice of said reserve being disposed in the cone (203) and oriented opposite to the propelling force. 3. Drone according to claim 2, characterized in that the plug comprises wax, the trigger acting on the plug by a warming action. 4. Drone according to one of claims 2 to 3, characterized in that the active agent is stored in solid form and is intended to sublimate on contact with air, upon release of the orifice, thus promoting its expulsion in a jet directed opposite to the propelling force. 5. A drone according to claim 4, characterized in that the active agent is a gas combining with oxygen atoms and preferably with hot molecules, thus producing a smothering of fire. 6. Drone according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one detection unit (UD) configured to acquire environmental data (111) comprising a thermal camera, the control unit (UC ) including at least: - a target determination module (MC) for determining a target (110) on which to drop the product; - a drop trajectory calculation module (MTL) configured to calculate or update a drop trajectory (112) as a function of the environmental data acquired by the detection unit (UD); - an air flow calculation module (MF) configured to calculate the air flow (203) generated by the drone (210) according to a set power generated by the propulsion unit (UP). 7. Drone according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a location unit (ÜL), the drone, in communication link with a ground station, receiving a location of fire or start of fire.