JP2021000941A - Landing system of multi-copter - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a landing system of a multi-copter that enables the multi-copter to land more safely.SOLUTION: The landing system of a multi-copter comprises a multi-copter 2 that is remotely controlled or automatically controlled and a portable landing port device 5. The landing port device 5 has a landing space 30 on which the multi-copter 2 can land. The system further comprises automatic landing means that allows the multi-copter 2 to land by lowering altitude thereof and guiding means that guides the multi-copter 2 to the landing port device 5, which can make the guiding means guide the multi-copter 2 to the landing port device 5 placed at an arbitrary position and make the automatic landing means automatically land the multi-copter 2 on the landing space 30 of the landing port device 5.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a multicopter commonly referred to as a "drone".

A multicopter that has multiple propellers and takes off and landing vertically is known. Initially, multicopters were sold as toys, but they have gradually become more sophisticated and are being used for commercial purposes such as taking aerial photographs and transporting supplies.

JP-A-2018-129713

Multicopters are generally remotely controlled by radio. Maneuvering a multicopter requires skill. In particular, landing requires skill. If operated by a person unfamiliar with maneuvering, landing may fail and the propeller or the aircraft body may be damaged.
In addition, since a multicopter for business use has a large propeller diameter and a powerful motor, if the propeller hits a person, it will be injured and the person cannot easily approach it. Therefore, in order to ensure the safety of the operator, it is necessary to land the multicopter at a position some distance from the operator.
It is also difficult for beginners to guide the multicopter to a place away from the pilot.
It is also necessary to ensure higher safety at the time of landing due to the surrounding environment of the landing site, such as bad weather and the presence of obstacles, regardless of the skill level of the pilot.

It is an object of the present invention to pay attention to the above-mentioned problems of the prior art and to provide a landing system of a multicopter capable of landing more safely.

A mode for solving the above-mentioned problems is to have a remotely operated or automatically operated multicopter and a transportable landing port device, and the landing port device has a landing space on which the multicopter can land, and the multicopter has a landing space. An automatic landing means for lowering the altitude of the copter to land and a guiding means for guiding the multicopter to the landing port device are provided, and the multicopter is guided to the landing port device placed at an arbitrary position by the guiding means. The multicopter landing system is characterized in that the multicopter can be automatically landed in the landing space of the landing port device by the automatic landing means.

The automatic landing means and the guiding means may be provided on the multicopter side or may be provided on the landing port device side. In addition, both may cooperate to function as an automatic landing means and a guiding means. Further, other devices such as a control device may be provided with automatic landing means and guidance means.
The multicopter landing system of this embodiment includes a multicopter and a landing port device. The landing port device can be carried by human power or mounted on a vehicle or the like. In the landing system of this aspect, the landing port device is carried to the place where the multicopter is to be landed and placed on the ground or the like.
The landing system of this embodiment includes guiding means. Further, the landing system of this embodiment is provided with automatic landing means.
For example, a multicopter is guided by a guiding means to fly over a landing port device, slowly descends by an automatic landing function, and makes a soft landing in the landing space.

It is desirable that the multicopter and the landing port device have a position information acquisition means.

For example, G. P. It is desirable to have S (Global Positioning System) installed.

It is desirable that the multicopter can be taken off from the landing port device.

According to this aspect, the multicopter can be taken off and landed from the landing port device.

Another aspect for solving a similar problem is to have a multicopter, a control device for wirelessly maneuvering the multicopter, and a landing target device that can be carried separately from the control device, and lower the altitude of the multicopter. It is provided with an automatic landing means for causing and landing, and a guiding means for guiding the multicopter to the landing target device, and the multicopter is guided to or near the position of the landing target device placed at an arbitrary position by the guiding means. It is a multicopter landing system characterized in that the multicopter can be automatically landed at or near the position of a landing target device by an automatic landing means.

The multicopter landing system of this embodiment includes a multicopter, a control device, and a landing target device. The landing target device can be carried by human power or mounted on a vehicle or the like. In the landing system of this aspect, the landing target device is carried to the place where the multicopter is to be landed and placed on the ground or the like.
The landing system of this embodiment includes guiding means. Further, the landing system of this embodiment has an automatic landing function.
Therefore, the multicopter is guided by the guiding means and flies over the landing port device, slowly descends by the automatic landing function, and makes a soft landing in the vicinity of the landing target device.

According to the multicopter landing system of the present invention, the multicopter can be landed more safely.

It is a conceptual diagram of the landing system of the multicopter of the embodiment of this invention. It is a control device block diagram of the multicopter and the landing port device (landing target device) adopted in the landing system of the multicopter of the embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing explaining the operation of a multicopter.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described.
The multicopter landing system 1 of the present embodiment (hereinafter, may be simply referred to as a landing system 1) is provided by the multicopter 2, the control device 3, and the landing port device (landing target device) 5 as shown in FIG. It is configured.
The multicopter 2 is a drone with four propellers 7 and is remotely controlled by radio. Similar to the known one, the multicopter 2 floats in the air by rotating the propeller 7, and moves in the horizontal direction by changing the rotation speed of each propeller 7. Further, by making the rotation speed of each propeller 7 different, it is possible to rotate the airframe or to make various movements such as moving diagonally upward while changing the direction of the airframe.

The multicopter 2 is equipped with a battery, a motor, and a control device 10.
As shown in FIG. 2, the control device 10 has a G.I. P. It has S11, anti-control device communication means 12, anti-landing port communication means 13, landing control means (automatic landing means) 15, automatic flight means 16, and motor control means 17.
That is, the multicopter 2 has a G.I. P. It is equipped with S11 and is provided with location information acquisition means. The multicopter 2 can recognize the current position coordinates by the global satellite positioning system.
The anti-control device communication means 12 receives an operation signal emitted from the control device 3, and the motor control means 17 is controlled based on the operation signal received by the anti-control device communication means 12. That is, the operation signal emitted from the control device 3 is received by the control device communication means 12, the motor of each propeller 7 is driven by the motor control means 17, and the multicopter 2 moves up and down and traverses.

The anti-landing port communication means 13 is a means for mutual communication with the landing port device 5.
The landing control means (automatic landing means) 15 controls to reduce the rotation speed of the propeller 7 and slowly lower the multicopter 2 while maintaining the position and attitude of the multicopter 2.
Further, the multicopter 2 is provided with an automatic flight means 16. The automatic flight means 16 controls to automatically fly from the current position to a designated position.

The multicopter 2 is also equipped with a speed controller, a flight controller, a gyro, an accelerometer, a compass, an altimeter, a visual sensor and the like.

The landing port device 5 has a plate shape as shown in FIG. 1, and has a landing space 30 in the center. The area of the landing space 30 is equal to or larger than the plane occupied by the multicopter 2, and the surface is smooth. Further, the landing port device 5 has a certain degree of rigidity, and the surface is kept smooth even if the ground on which it is placed is uneven.
The landing port device 5 is provided with a takeoff switch 31 and a landing switch 32.
The landing port device 5 is portable and can be moved by human power or by mounting it on a vehicle.

The control device 20 is also mounted on the landing port device 5.
The control device 20 of the landing port device 5 has a G.I. P. It has S21, anti-control device communication means 22, anti-multirotor communication means 23, and correction means 25.
In the present embodiment, the landing port device 5 also has a G.I. P. It is equipped with S21 and is provided with location information acquisition means.
The anti-control device communication means 22 receives an operation signal emitted from the control device 3.
The multicopter communication means 23 is a means for mutual communication with the multicopter 2.
The correction means 25 is a program and a circuit for creating a correction signal for correcting the position of the multicopter 2.

The control device 3 is a known proportional controller, and has a left stick 40 and a right tech 41. The functions of the left stick 40 and the right stick 41 of the control device 3 differ depending on the manufacturer, and there are types from mode 1 to mode 4. The control device 3 of the present embodiment adopts the mode 2.
In the control device 3 of the present embodiment, the left stick 40 is an operation rod for raising and lowering the multicopter 2, and the rotation speed of the propeller 7 of the multicopter 2 increases or decreases according to the amount of operation.
The right stick 41 is an operation rod for changing the traveling direction of the multicopter 2.
Further, the control device 3 is provided with a takeoff switch 42 and a landing switch 43.

The landing system 1 of the present embodiment can take off the multicopter 2 from the landing port device 5 and further guide the multicopter 2 in flight to automatically land on the landing port device 5.
In the present embodiment, the G.M. P. The current position of the multicopter 2 is detected by S11, and the G.I. P. The multicopter 2 is automatically made to fly toward the position detected by S21. Further, while finely adjusting the course by the correction means 25, the landing control means (automatic landing means) 15 descends the multicopter 2 and lands it on the landing port device 5.
In the present embodiment, the G.M. P. S11, G.M. of the landing port device 5. P. A guiding means for guiding the multicopter 2 to the landing port device 5 is configured by S21, the automatic flight means 16, and the correction means 25.

Next, the operation of the landing system 1 of the present embodiment will be specifically described.
When using the landing system 1, the multicopter 2 is paired with the control device 3 and the landing port device 5, and measures are taken to enable mutual communication and prevent interference with other devices. ..
Then, the multicopter 2 is placed in the landing space 30 of the landing port device 5.
After that, the takeoff switches 31 and 42 of the landing port device 5 or the control device 3 are operated.

As a result, the motor of the multicopter 2 is activated by the mutual communication between the multicopter 2, the control device 3, and the landing port device 5, the propeller 7 is rotated, and the multicopter 2 floats in the air.
The multicopter 2 is hovered at a certain height position by the function of the flight controller and the altimeter.
After that, the multicopter 2 is made to fly by operating the left stick 40 and the right stick 41 of the control device 3. Alternatively, the autopilot is automatically operated by the automatic flight means 16 to fly toward the target location.

When returning the multicopter 2, the landing ports 32 and 43 of the landing port device 5 or the control device 3 are operated.
Since the landing port device 5 is portable, the landing port device 5 may be moved to change the position after the multicopter 2 is taken off.

When the landing switches 32 and 43 are operated, the landing port device 5 transmits information regarding the position of the landing port device 5 to the multicopter 2. In the multicopter 2, the automatic flight means 16 functions, and the multicopter 2 automatically flies toward the sky above the landing port device 5 as shown in FIGS. 3 (a) to 3 (b). Further, the position of the multicopter 2 is slightly corrected by the correction means 25. As shown in FIG. 3B, when the multicopter 2 reaches the sky above the landing port device 5, it hovering at a position directly above the landing port device 5.
After that, the landing control means (automatic landing means) 15 functions, and the multicopter 2 slowly descends and makes a soft landing in the landing space 30.
Even when the multicopter 2 descends, the position of the multicopter 2 is corrected by the correction means 25, so that the multicopter 2 lands without departing from the landing space 30.

In the above embodiment, the correction signal is output from the correction means 25 of the landing port device 5 to adjust the position of the multicopter 2, but the correction means 25 may be on the multicopter 2 side. For example, the camera mounted on the multicopter 2 may recognize the landing port device 5 and the drawn mark, and modify the position of the multicopter 2 so that the multicopter 2 can land at the position of the mark.

Since the landing port device 5 used in the present embodiment has a certain degree of rigidity as described above, the landing space 30 maintains smoothness even if the ground is uneven. For example, even if the landing port device 5 is placed in a rugged place such as a rocky place, the landing space 30 remains flat.
On the contrary, even if the landing port device 5 is placed in a soft place such as on snow, the landing space 30 remains flat. Therefore, if the landing system 1 of the present embodiment is adopted, the multicopter 2 can be landed even in a place where it is normally impossible to land.
Further, the multicopter 2 can be landed on the water by attaching a float to the landing port device 5 and floating it on the water surface.
The landing port device 5 may be foldable so that it can be easily carried. Further, the landing port device 5 may be an assembly type.

As a special application, the landing system 1 can be used for distress rescue. For example, carry the landing port device 5 when heading for rescue in a mountain accident. The multicopter 2 is made to stand by at the base at the foot of the mountain.
When the victim is found, the landing port device 5 is placed at that location. In addition, the necessary chemicals and supplies are notified to the base by wireless communication or the like, and the multicopter 2 is loaded. Then, the multicopter 2 is started from the base and landed on the landing port device 5, and the necessary supplies are delivered.
The landing port device 5 may be placed in a mountain lodge or a place where the ridge muscle is easily distressed, and may be taken out if necessary.

Similarly, the landing system 1 can be applied to salvage and water rescue. For example, the landing port device 5 is mounted on a fishing boat, a passenger ship, or the like. More preferably, the lifeboat includes a landing port device 5 as one of the fixtures.
The landing port device 5 may be mounted on an aircraft or ship heading for rescue and dropped at sea.
Landing port devices 5 may be deployed at a plurality of locations on the beach, such as rocks, breakwaters, and breakwater equipment.

In the embodiment described above, the multicopter 2 is guided to the landing port device 5 having the landing space 30 for landing, but it does not have a landing space and may be simply used as a landing target device.

According to the multicopter landing system 1 of the present embodiment, even a beginner can safely land the multicopter 2.
Further, by utilizing the landing system of the multicopter of the present embodiment, it is possible to land in bad weather and to land the multicopter 2 in a place where there are many obstacles in the surroundings.
For example, even if the landing point is under strong wind, there are obstacles such as standing trees, utility poles, buildings, etc. around it, or if the landing point is on board and is moving, there is a danger. Can be lowered and landed safely.

1 Multicopter landing system 2 Multicopter 3 Maneuvering device 5 Landing port device (landing target device)
10 Control device 11, 12 G. P. S
15 Landing control means (automatic landing means)
30 Landing space

Claims (4)

It has a remote-controlled or autopilot multicopter and a portable landing port device.
The landing port device has a landing space where the multicopter can land,
It is equipped with an automatic landing means for lowering the altitude of the multicopter and landing, and a guiding means for guiding the multicopter to the landing port device.
The multicopter can be guided to a landing port device placed at an arbitrary position by the guiding means, and the multicopter can be automatically landed in the landing space of the landing port device by the automatic landing means. Multicopter landing system. The multicopter landing system according to claim 1, wherein the multicopter and the landing port device have a position information acquisition means. The multicopter landing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the multicopter can be taken off from the landing port device. It has a multicopter, a control device for radio-controlling the multicopter, and a landing target device that can be carried separately from the control device.
It is equipped with an automatic landing means for lowering the altitude of the multicopter and landing, and a guiding means for guiding the multicopter to the landing target device.
The multicopter can be guided by the guiding means to the position of the landing target device placed at an arbitrary position or its vicinity, and the multicopter can be automatically landed at or near the position of the landing target device by the automatic landing means. A multicopter landing system characterized by being possible.

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