IT202100004391A1 - A REMOTELY PILOT AERIAL DRONE INCLUDING A CUTTING SYSTEM TRIMMER OF GRASS ELEMENTS - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

The present invention refers to a remotely piloted aerial drone comprising a herbaceous elements trimming cutting system.

? known that for some years now the problem of weeds in agricultural crops, typically in rice fields, typically in organic rice fields, ? has become more and more important.

The cause ? due both to the regulatory foreclosure of the use of some active chemical principles, and to the increasing resistance of these weeds to some permitted families of herbicides.

? therefore known as this problem is increasingly more? heavy to deal with. ? also known as the rice field is a more agroecosystem? susceptible of others to the selection and diffusion of resistant individuals within a certain species, due to the environment characterized by a prolonged presence of submersion and by an intense single succession, which determine a specialization of the weeds present and a high dependence from herbicide interventions.

? therefore it is known that the elimination of weeds from organic rice crops is one of the most common problems? current and important that rice growers have. The traditional solutions for the elimination of weeds from organic rice cultivations are substantially: the management and preparation of the soil, the choice of the seed, false sowing and the sustainable management of the paddy field based on permitted chemical and agronomic means.

The varieties of weeds pi? common in rice fields are crodo rice, giavoni, cyperaceae, alismataceous, butomaceous and heteranthera.

These species are very resistant, and capable of being born and developing even in the presence of adverse conditions and more and more? resistant to known and permitted herbicidal substances.

Currently, the fight against these weeds is carried out with known techniques and means substantially attributable alternatively to a suitable preparation of the soil and false sowing, to the use of specialized agricultural machines and herbicides, to manual weeding.

False sowing basically consists in preparing the seedbed for a crop cycle, and in irrigating it, as if you were carrying out a normal sowing, but in reality? without sowing: in this way the germination of the seeds of the weeds present in the ground is stimulated, subsequently eliminated with a mechanical harrowing operation, using a harrow harrow, which is followed by the actual sowing.

The specialized agricultural machines for this activity? they are typically tractors equipped with two transversal arms with a front of about 6 meters, which carry, by means of a system of pulleys, a wire made of fabric with a diameter of about 4 mm which rotates moved by an electric motor.

During rotation, the line passes inside a tank containing the herbicide, and is soaked by it.

The weeds have a higher growth rate than the cultivation, therefore, in a period between June and August, their height exceeds the cultivation by about 20-30 cm.

By positioning the arms and the relative wire at a height higher than that of the cultivation, but lower than that of the weed, the result is that only the portion of the tree to be eliminated is treated with the herbicide.

This system presents various criticalities: it is difficult to reconcile with 100% organic crops, it is affected by the inevitable oscillations of the tractor and its arms, it has considerable management costs, in terms of fuel, depreciation of the vehicle and personnel costs.

The passage of the agricultural machinery in cultivation partially but inevitably damages the growing crop.

Manual weeding consists in the use of personnel who manually uproot the weed, with physical effort, high costs and timescales linked to the number and effectiveness of the weeding. easily imaginable resources.

These known techniques and means for eliminating weeds from rice crops, typically organic rice, therefore present critical issues. operational, economic and temporal.

The need is therefore felt to simplify the structure of known techniques and means for eliminating weeds from rice crops.

The technical task proposed by the present invention is, therefore, that of realizing a system for the elimination of herbaceous weeds from rice crops which allows the aforementioned technical drawbacks of the prior art to be eliminated.

Within the scope of this technical task, a purpose of the invention is that of creating a system for the elimination of herbaceous weeds that is simple to use, economical and effective.

Another purpose of the invention? that of creating a system for the elimination of weeds that does not damage the growing rice crop.

Not the last purpose of the invention? that of creating a system for the elimination of herbaceous weeds that can be programmed and automatic.

The technical task, as well as? these and other aims, according to the present invention, are achieved by realizing a remotely piloted aerial drone comprising a frame, a plurality of of rotating wings operated by a plurality? of electric motors, at least one electric accumulator for the power supply of said plurality? of electric motors and on-board services, a flight controller comprising at least one inertial platform, at least one navigation computer and at least one differential GPS system, and at least one first receiver/transmitter for piloted flight and at least one second receiver/transmitter for the transmission of telemetric data to the ground, characterized in that it comprises a shearing system of herbaceous elements comprising a plurality of of rotating blades activated by a plurality? of respective electric motors.

In one embodiment of the invention said shearing cutting system comprises a removable mechanical connection block for fastening under a bottom of said frame of said aerial drone.

In one embodiment of the invention said shearing cutting system comprises at least a first longitudinal rod at one end of which ? fixed transversely and centrally a second transverse rod supporting said plurality? of rotating blades.

In one embodiment of the invention said first longitudinal rod ? configured to support said second transverse rod outside the descending air flow generated by said plurality? of rotating wings.

In one embodiment of the invention said first longitudinal rod supports in the end? distal opposite to said second transverse rod at least one electric accumulator for powering said plurality? of electric motors of said a plurality? of rotating blades.

In one embodiment of the invention said each of said electric motors ? equipped with a respective electronic speed controller?.

In one embodiment of the invention said first longitudinal rod supports in the end? distal opposite said second cross rod at least a third receiver/transmitter.

In one embodiment of the invention said third receiver/transmitter transmits the on, off, speed and speed commands? of rotation and direction of rotation to said electronic regulators of speed? of said plurality? of electric motors of said plurality? of rotating blades.

In one embodiment of the invention said commands for turning on, turning off, speed? of rotation and direction of rotation are individual and independent for each of said plurality? of rotating blades.

In one embodiment of the invention said first longitudinal rod supports in the end? distal opposite to said second transverse rod at least fourth receiver/transmitter dedicated to the actuation command of a safety switch capable of interrupting the electric power supply from said electric accumulator to said plurality? of electric motors of said plurality? of rotating blades.

In one embodiment of the invention said shearing cutting system ? fixed below and in the center of gravity of said aerial drone.

In one embodiment of the invention said removable adjustable mechanical connection block ? mounted in an adjustable manner on said first rod for fixing said shearing cutting system below and in the center of gravity of said aerial drone.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become more evident from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a remotely piloted aerial trimming drone comprising a herbaceous elements trimming cutting system according to the invention , illustrated by way of example and not in limitation in the attached drawings, in which:

figure 1 shows a perspective view from below of the drone comprising the herbaceous elements trimming cutting system;

Figure 2 shows a top plan view of the drone including the cutting system;

figure 3 shows a side view of the drone including the cutting system;

figure 4 shows a front view of the drone including the cutting system;

figure 5 shows a detail view of the cutting system;

figure 6 shows an overall top view of the herbaceous elements trimming cutting system.

With reference to the cited figures, a remotely piloted aerial drone is shown comprising a herbaceous elements trimming cutting system indicated as a whole with the reference number 1.

The remotely piloted aerial drone 10 comprises a frame 11 and a plurality of of rotating wings 12i operated by a plurality? of respective electric motors 13i, typically of the 24 or 48V brushless type, each individually equipped with its own electronic speed controller? (ESC).

The aerial drone 10 then comprises at least one electric accumulator for powering the plurality of of electric motors 13i and on-board services, a flight controller comprising at least one inertial platform, at least one navigation computer, at least one differential GPS system for position control, and at least one first receiver/transmitter for piloted flight and at least a second receiver/transmitter for the transmission of telemetry data to land. These elements, not shown in the figures, are supported in a suitable position by the frame 1.

The remotely piloted aerial drone 10 ? a vertical take-off and landing aircraft capable of autonomous flight under the supervision of an operator.

The aerial drone 10 ? able to carry out routes previously memorized inside the navigation computer 18, using the differential GPS system based on the combination of data observed simultaneously by at least two (or more?) GPS receivers, thus obtaining the elimination or significant reduction of major errors in GPS positioning.

The accuracy of the x-axis and y-axis positioning of the aerial drone 10 is so good. obtained sar? less than 50cm.

The precision of the positioning in constant altitude on the z axis orthogonal to the x and y axes of the aerial drone 10 ? obtained and maintained using the differential GPS system, possibly integrated by an optical system composed of a rotating IR laser theodolite on the ground and an IR receiver on board the aircraft. The precision of the positioning on the z-axis of the aircraft cos? obtained ? less than 10cm.

The propulsion of the aerial drone 10 will be? totally electric through the electric accumulator recharged on the ground before the flight phase, or hybrid, that is? with energy produced by a generator of known type present on board the aircraft (not shown in the figures) which conveniently recharges the electric accumulator, to increase flight autonomy.

Typically, the aerial drone 10 ? equipped with the following devices:

? N? 1 bidirectional receiver/transmitter (RX/TX), operating frequency in the 2.4 GHz band, dedicated for manually piloted flight and interfaced with a flight controller (Flight Controller, FC);

? N? 1 flight controller (Flight Controller, FC) which receives commands from the ground and/or autonomously manages the flight following previously memorized flight programs.

? N? 1 bidirectional transmitter (TX/RX), with an operating frequency in the 900 MHz or 433 MHz or 2.4 GHz band, dedicated to the ground transmission of telemetry data coming from sensors of known type aboard the aerial drone 10 or from telemetry data generated by the flight controller (Flight Controller, FC).

Fittingly, the aerial drone 10 ? also equipped with the following devices:

? N? 1 bidirectional receiver (RX/TX), with operating frequency in the 900MHz or 433 MHz band, dedicated to the activation command of a safety switch (Safety Switch).

? N?1 safety switch (Safety Switch) which in emergency conditions interrupts the power supply of the motors 13i from the electric accumulator, causing it to stop and the immediate descent of the aerial drone 10.

The aerial drone 10 according to the present invention comprises a shearing system 100 of herbaceous elements fixed at the bottom by means of a removable adjustable mechanical connection block 140 below a bottom of the frame 11 and in a barycentric position: suitably, in fact, the center of gravity of the aerial drone 10 and the center of gravity of the cutting system 100 are placed on the same vertical axis z, Z.

The cutting system 100 comprises a plurality? of rotating blades 110i activated by a plurality? of respective electric motors 111i, typically of the 24 V brushless type, each individually equipped with its own electronic speed controller? 112i (ESC).

The cutting system 100 comprises at least a first longitudinal rod 120 aligned along a longitudinal axis X, typically coinciding with the x axis which defines the main direction of advance of the aerial drone 10.

At the end front of the first longitudinal rod 120 ? transversely and centrally fixed a second transverse rod 130 supporting the plurality of rotating blades 110i, with the respective electric motors 111i and electronic speed controllers? 112i, suitably and symmetrically spaced in the direction of the transversal axis Y parallel to the longitudinal axis y of the aerial drone 10.

Conveniently, the first longitudinal rod 120 ? configured to support the second cross rod 130 outside and in addition to the downward flow of air generated by the plurality of rotary wings 12i in flight conditions of the aerial drone 10, which can? bend the herbaceous elements disadvantageously for the shearing cut.

Conveniently, the removable adjustable mechanical connection block 140 also allows adjustment of the vertical positioning along the Z axis of the cutting system 100 to provide good stability for the movement. transversal and roll around the longitudinal axis x of the aerial drone 10 comprising the cutting system 100.

Does the first longitudinal rod 120 support in the end? distal opposite to the second cross rod 130 at least one electric accumulator 121 for feeding the plurality? of electric motors 111i of the plurality? of rotating blades 110i through the respective electronic speed controllers? 112i, and on-board services.

Always at the end? distal opposite to the second transversal rod 130, the first longitudinal rod 120 also supports at least a third receiver/transmitter 122 (RX/TX), operating frequency in the 2.4 GHz band, bidirectional dedicated to commands for switching on, off, and speed control? of rotation of the plurality? of rotating blades 110i, and also to the possible inversion of their direction of rotation, through the respective electronic speed controllers? 112i of the 111i electric motors.

Advantageously, these commands can also be sent and managed independently for each of the plurality? of 110i rotary blades. Conveniently, the third receiver/transmitter 122 (RX/TX) ? also interfaced with the flight controller of the aerial drone 10 from which it receives commands on the basis of previously memorized flight programs and/or integrated by punctual telemetric detection during flight.

Conveniently, the first longitudinal rod 120 also supports a fourth receiver/transmitter 123 (RX/TX), operating frequency in the 900MHz or 433 MHz band, bidirectional dedicated to the actuation command of a safety switch 124 for protection of the cutting system 100, which, in emergency conditions, interrupts the electric power supply from the electric accumulator 121 to the plurality? of electric motors 111i causing the arrest of the rotation of the plurality? of 110i rotary blades. Typically, each of the plurality? of rotating blades 110i alternately rotates opposite the adjacent rotating blade.

Typically, the plurality of rotating blades 110i ? in carbon steel, with 4 or 6 double cutting teeth.

The number and the diameter of the plurality? of the 110i cutting blades are predetermined according to the shearing cutting front of the herbaceous elements to be tackled.

The operation of the remotely piloted aerial drone comprising a herbaceous elements trimming cutting system according to the invention is evident from what has been described and illustrated and, in particular, ? basically the following. The herbaceous elements weeds from organic rice crops have a higher growth rate than rice cultivation, so that, in a certain period of the production cycle, their height exceeds the cultivation by about 20-30 cm, without having any ears not yet matured.

The aerial drone 10 comprising the shearing system 100 is programmed via the navigation computer for a flight over the area to be treated at a height higher than the height of the crop, but lower than that of the weed.

The shearing cutting system 100 according to the present invention obtains the cut of the herbaceous weeds before the ears of these reach maturity, triggering the phenomenon of self-seeding of the weed species which is harmful to the cultivation.

The flight control of the aerial drone 10 and the cutting of the trimmer cutting system 100 are performed in a programmed and automatic form and/or remotely assisted by an operator, through the on-board control and command means described above.

Yes ? in practice it has been found that a herbaceous element trimming cutting system according to the invention is particularly advantageous in that it is simple to use, economical and effective, programmable and automatic.

Another advantage of the invention ? that of creating a system for the elimination of weeds that does not damage the growing rice crop.

A cutting system shearing herbaceous elements like this? conceived ? susceptible to numerous modifications and variations, all falling within the scope of the inventive concept, as defined by the claims; moreover all the details can be replaced by technically equivalent elements.

In practice, the materials used, as well as? the dimensions may be any according to the requirements and to the state of the art.

Claims (15)

A remotely piloted aerial drone (10) comprising a frame (11), a plurality of of rotating wings (12i) operated by a plurality? of electric motors (13i), at least one electric accumulator for feeding said plurality? of electric motors (13i) and on-board services, a flight controller comprising at least one inertial platform, at least one navigation computer and at least one differential GPS system, and at least one first receiver/transmitter for piloted flight and at least one second receiver /transmitter for transmitting telemetric data to the ground, characterized in that it comprises a shearing system (100) of herbaceous elements comprising a plurality of of rotating blades (110i) activated by a plurality? of respective electric motors (111i). 2. An aerial drone (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that said shearing system (100) comprises a removable mechanical connection block (140) for fixing below a bottom of said frame (11) of said aerial drone (10). 3. An aerial drone (10) according to any preceding claim, characterized in that said shearing system (100) comprises at least a first longitudinal rod (120) at one end of which ? fixed transversely and centrally a second transverse rod (130) supporting said plurality? of rotating blades (110i). 4. An aerial drone (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said first longitudinal rod (120) ? configured to support said second cross rod (130) outside the downward flow of air generated by said plurality? of rotating wings (12i). 5. An aerial drone (10) according to any claim 3 or 4, characterized in that said first longitudinal rod (120) supports at the end distal opposite to said second transverse rod (130) at least one electric accumulator (121) for powering said plurality? of electric motors (111i) of said a plurality? of rotating blades (110i). 6. An aerial drone (10) according to any preceding claim, characterized in that said electric motors (111i) are of the 24 V brushless type. 7. An aerial drone (10) according to any preceding claim, characterized in that each of said electric motors (111i) ? equipped with a respective electronic speed controller? (112i). 8. An aerial drone (10) according to any claim from 3 to 7, characterized in that said first longitudinal rod (120) supports at the end distal opposite said second crossbar (130) at least a third receiver/transmitter (122). 9. An aerial drone (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said third receiver/transmitter (122) transmits the on, off, speed and speed commands? of rotation and direction of rotation to said electronic regulators of speed? (112i) of said plurality? of electric motors (111i) of said plurality? of rotating blades (110i). 10. An aerial drone (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said on, off, speed? of rotation and direction of rotation are individual and independent for each of said plurality? of rotating blades (110i). 11. An aerial drone (10) according to any preceding claim, characterized in that each of said plurality? of rotating blades (110i) alternately rotates in the opposite direction to the adjacent rotating blade. 12. An aerial drone (10) according to any preceding claim, characterized in that said plurality? of rotating blades (110i) are made of carbon steel, with 4 or 6 double-edged cutting teeth. 13. An aerial drone (10) according to any claim from 3 to 12, characterized in that said first longitudinal rod (120) supports at the end distal opposite to said second cross rod (130) at least fourth receiver/transmitter (123) dedicated to the actuation command of a safety switch (124) capable of interrupting the power supply from said electric accumulator (121) to said plurality ? of electric motors (111i) of said plurality? of rotating blades (110i). 14. An aerial drone (10) according to any preceding claim, characterized in that said trimming cutting system (100) ? fixed below and in the center of gravity of said aerial drone (10). 15. An aerial drone (10) any preceding claim, characterized in that said removable adjustable mechanical connection block (140) is? mounted in an adjustable manner on said first rod (120) for fixing said shearing cutting system (100) below and in the center of gravity of said aerial drone (10).