JP2022001840A - Control device, program, system, and control method - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a control device, a program, a system, and a control method for generating a flight plan including a flight path that has less impact when an unmanned aircraft crashes.SOLUTION: The system includes: an operation management system having an information provision unit, an operation management integration unit and a plurality of an operation management units; and a plurality of unmanned aircrafts. An operation management unit 100 includes: a data acquisition unit that acquires human flow data; a flight plan control unit that determines a flight plan including a flight path of an unmanned aircraft from a departure point to a destination point on the basis of the human flow data; and an output control unit that controls the output of the flight plan. Further, the data acquisition unit continuously acquires the human flow data while the unmanned aircraft is flying according to the flight plan, and the flight plan control unit causes the flight plan of the unmanned aircraft to be changed on the basis of the human flow data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The invention according to the present disclosure relates to a control device, a program, a system, and a control method.

Patent Document 1 describes a technique for controlling the movement of an unmanned aerial vehicle so as not to enter the DID (Densely Inhabited District).
[Prior Art Document]
[Patent Document]
[Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6656459

According to one embodiment of the invention according to the present disclosure, a control device is provided. The control device may include a data acquisition unit that acquires human flow data. The control device may include a flight plan control unit that determines a flight plan including a flight path from a departure point to a destination point of an unmanned aerial vehicle based on human flow data. The control device may include an output control unit that controls the flight plan to be output.

The flight plan control unit may determine a flight plan candidate from the departure point to the destination point of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and the output control unit may control to display and output the flight plan candidate. .. The data acquisition unit may acquire the flight plan of the unmanned aircraft, and the flight plan control unit determines the population density in advance when the unmanned aircraft flies in accordance with the flight plan acquired by the data acquisition unit. The flight plan may be modified in response to the determination to fly over a high density area above the given threshold. The flight plan control unit may change the flight path of the flight plan so that the unmanned aerial vehicle does not fly over the high-density area. The flight path determining unit may change the flight time of the flight plan so that the unmanned aerial vehicle does not fly over the high density area. The data acquisition unit may acquire vehicle movement data relating to vehicle movement, and the flight path control unit may determine a flight plan for the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the human flow data and the vehicle movement data. The data acquisition unit may continuously acquire human flow data while the unmanned aircraft is flying according to the flight plan, and the flight plan control unit may obtain the population density of the unmanned aircraft in advance. The unmanned aircraft may be made to change the flight plan in response to the determination to fly over a high density area higher than the threshold. When the unmanned aerial vehicle is surrounded by the high-density area during flight, the flight plan control unit flies to the unmanned aerial vehicle over a high-density area having a lower priority among the high-density areas. You may change the above flight plan so that it will. The control device may be mounted on the unmanned aerial vehicle, and the data acquisition unit may generate the human flow data based on the radio waves received by the unmanned aerial vehicle.

According to one embodiment of the invention according to the present disclosure, a control device is provided. The control device may include a data acquisition unit that continuously acquires human flow data while the unmanned aerial vehicle is flying according to the flight plan. The control device may include a flight plan control unit that changes the flight plan of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the flow data.

According to one embodiment of the invention according to the present disclosure, a program for causing a computer to function as the control device is provided.

According to one embodiment of the invention according to the present disclosure, a system is provided. The system may include the control device and the unmanned aerial vehicle.

According to one embodiment of the invention according to the present disclosure, a control method executed by a computer is provided. The control method may include a data acquisition step of acquiring human flow data. The control method may include a decision step to determine a flight plan, including a flight path from the departure point to the destination point of the unmanned aerial vehicle, based on human flow data. The control method may include an output control step that controls the output of the flight plan.

According to one embodiment of the invention according to the present disclosure, a control method executed by a computer is provided. The control method may include a data acquisition step of continuously acquiring human flow data while the unmanned aerial vehicle is flying according to the flight plan. The control method may include change steps that change the flight plan of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the flow data.

The outline of the above invention does not list all the necessary features of the present invention. A subcombination of these feature groups can also be an invention.

An example of the system 10 is shown schematically. An example of the functional configuration of the operation management unit 100 is shown schematically. An example of the processing flow by the operation management unit 100 is shown schematically. An example of the processing flow by the operation management unit 100 is shown schematically. An example of the flight path 522 determined by the flight plan control unit 104 is schematically shown. An example of the flight path 524 determined by the flight plan control unit 104 is schematically shown. An example of the flight path 526 determined by the flight plan control unit 104 is schematically shown. An example of the configuration of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 is schematically shown. An example of the functional configuration of the control device 430 is schematically shown. An example of the hardware configuration of the computer 1200 that functions as the operation management unit 100 or the control device 430 is shown schematically.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described through embodiments of the invention, but the following embodiments do not limit the invention to which the claims are made. Also, not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the means of solving the invention.

FIG. 1 schematically shows an example of the system 10. The system 10 may include an operation management system 20. The system 10 may include an unmanned aerial vehicle 400. The system 10 may include a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles 400.

The operation management system 20 may include an operation management unit 100. The operation management system 20 may include a plurality of operation management units 100. The operation management system 20 may include an operation management integrated unit 200. The operation management system 20 may include an information providing unit 300.

The operation management unit 100 may provide a service for the operator 30 under control to safely fly the unmanned aerial vehicle 400. The operation management unit 100 may create a flight plan, for example. The operation management unit 100 may, for example, accept an application for a flight plan and carry out a safety evaluation of the flight plan. The operation management unit 100 may optimize the flight route included in the flight plan, for example. The operation management unit 100 may monitor the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400, for example. The operation management unit 100 may manage, for example, the operator of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400. The operation management unit 100 may provide information on safe operation, such as information on the danger of route crossing and collision between unmanned aerial vehicles 400 (may be described as conflict information). The operation management unit 100 may be a so-called UASSP (Unmanned Aircraft System Service Provider).

The operation management integration unit 200 may centrally manage information regarding the operation of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400. The operation management integration unit 200 may share or provide information such as a flight plan and an operation status to, for example, the operation management unit 100 and the operator 30. The operation management integration unit 200 may provide information on safe operation such as conflict information at the flight planning stage and conflict information during flight. The operation management integration unit 200 may be a so-called FIMS (Flight Information Management System).

The information providing unit 300 may provide the information required by the operation management unit 100, the operation management integrated unit 200, and the operator 30. The information providing unit 300 may be a so-called SDSP (Supplemental Data Service Provider).

The information providing unit 300 may include an airspace monitoring unit 310. The airspace monitoring unit 310 may monitor the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 with a radar or the like and provide information on the detected unmanned aerial vehicle 400.

The information providing unit 300 may include a map information providing unit 320. The map information providing unit 320 may provide three-dimensional information such as terrain and buildings necessary for the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400, airspaces where flight is possible and airspaces where flight is prohibited, and other map information.

The information providing unit 300 may include a communication information providing unit 330. The communication information providing unit 330 may provide information on the usage status of radio waves in the airspace where the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 flies.

The information providing unit 300 may include a weather information providing unit 340. The meteorological information provision unit 340 provides meteorological observation information and forecast information that affect the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400, such as wind (wind direction and speed, etc.), precipitation, temperature, and pressure in the airspace where the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 flies. It's okay.

The information providing unit 300 may include a human flow data providing unit 350. The person flow data providing unit 350 may provide the person flow data. The human flow data may be data showing the population of each place for each hour. The human flow data may be data indicating when, where, and how many people are. The human flow data may be generated, for example, based on the location information of the mobile communication terminal. Specifically, the human flow data may be generated based on the location information of the mobile communication terminal collected, for example, via an application installed in the mobile communication terminal such as a mobile phone. The information for generating the human flow data is not particularly limited. For example, the human flow data may be generated based on moving image information such as a video of a surveillance camera. For example, people flow data may be generated based on the number of users of public transportation.

The person flow data providing unit 350 may acquire and store the person flow data provided by the communication carrier, for example. The human flow data providing unit 350 may acquire the human flow data generated by the communication carrier using the base station position information and the Wi-Fi (registered trademark) position information from the communication carrier. The person flow data providing unit 350 may acquire the person flow data from any provider who generates and provides the person flow data.

The person flow data providing unit 350 may acquire and store the person flow data in real time. The person flow data providing unit 350 may acquire and store the person flow data periodically or irregularly.

The person flow data providing unit 350 may provide vehicle movement data relating to vehicle movement. The human flow data providing unit 350 may, for example, collect position information measured by a positioning sensor mounted on a vehicle to generate vehicle movement data. The human flow data providing unit 350 may collect vehicle position information from a management system that manages the vehicle. The human flow data providing unit 350 may receive position information from a communication device mounted on the vehicle. The person flow data providing unit 350 may generate vehicle movement data based on the operation timetable for vehicles such as trains and buses for which the operation timetable is defined.

The operation management unit 100 may determine a flight plan including a flight route from the departure point to the destination point of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 by using the information provided by the information providing unit 300. For example, when the departure point and the destination point of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 are designated, the operation management unit 100 may determine and propose a flight plan including a flight route from the departure point to the destination point. Further, the operation management unit 100 can operate safely by, for example, receiving an application for a flight plan including a flight route, evaluating whether or not the flight plan is safe, and changing the flight plan according to the evaluation result. You may decide on a flight plan.

The operation management unit 100, the operation management integration unit 200, and the information providing unit 300 may communicate via a network. The operation management unit 100, the operation management integration unit 200, and the information providing unit 300 may be connected to the network via a wired connection. The operation management unit 100, the operation management integration unit 200, and the information providing unit 300 may be connected to the network via a wireless connection. The operation management unit 100, the operation management integration unit 200, and the information providing unit 300 may be connected to the network by using, for example, cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, or the like.

The unmanned aerial vehicle 400 may communicate with the operation management system 20 via a wireless connection. The unmanned aerial vehicle 400 may communicate with the operation management system 20 by using, for example, cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, or the like.

The operation management unit 100 according to one embodiment may determine a flight plan based on the person flow data acquired from the person flow data providing unit 350. The operation management unit 100 may be an example of a control device. The operation management unit 100 determines a flight plan so that the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 does not fly over an area where the population density is higher than a predetermined threshold value (may be referred to as a high density area), for example. good.

For example, the operation management unit 100 may first specify a flight route from a departure point to a destination point. For example, the operation management unit 100 may first specify the shortest route from the departure point to the destination point as a flight route. The operation management unit 100 may change the flight path when the flight path includes the sky over a high-density area. The operation management unit 100 may change the flight route to, for example, a route that does not fly over a high-density area. That is, the operation management unit 100 may determine a flight plan including a route that does not fly over a high-density area as a flight route. In this case, the operation management unit 100 may specify, for example, a route that does not fly over a high-density area. For example, the operation management unit 100 may specify the shortest route that avoids the sky over a high-density area. That is, when the flight route includes the sky above the high-density area, the operation management unit 100 changes the flight route from, for example, the shortest route from the departure point to the destination point to the shortest route that avoids the sky above the high-density area. good.

Further, for example, the operation management unit 100 may change the flight time when the specified flight path includes the sky over a high-density area. The operation management unit 100 may determine a flight plan for flying in a time zone that does not pass over a high-density area, for example, by changing the flight time. For example, the operation management unit 100 may first estimate the future people flow data by referring to the past people flow data. The operation management unit 100 may determine, for example, whether or not the flight path includes the sky above a high-density area based on future human flow data. If it is determined that the flight path does not include the sky above the high-density area by, for example, shifting the departure time later, the operation management unit 100 may determine the flight plan with the departure time shifted later. Further, for example, when the operation management unit 100 refers to future human flow data and determines that the high-density area will be eliminated if the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 is made to stand by in a certain area for a predetermined time, the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 is made to stand by. You may decide on a flight plan that includes the area and time to wait.

The operation management unit 100 may appropriately combine changes in the flight route and changes in the flight time to determine a flight plan that does not fly over the high-density area.

Traditionally, flight plans have been generated under some restrictions, such as avoiding the Densely Inhabited District (DID) set by the Geographical Survey Institute and prohibiting non-visual flight.

However, the DID is set from the population density calculated based on the census conducted once every few years, and does not reflect the change of the population over time. Therefore, there is a possibility that an area where the population is temporarily crowded may occur even outside the DID. For example, in the case of a park or the like, there is a possibility that an area where the population is temporarily concentrated may be created due to an event or the like. In addition, there is a possibility that an area where the population is temporarily scattered may occur even within the DID. For example, in the case of a commuter town, the population may decrease during the daytime on weekdays, and there may be areas where the population is temporarily scattered. Therefore, according to the conventional automatic navigation system, there is a possibility of unintentionally flying over a densely populated area when an unmanned aerial vehicle is automatically navigated by using the DID as a reference. In addition, according to the conventional automatic navigation system, there is a possibility of flying a route avoiding an area that does not need to be avoided.

On the other hand, the operation management unit 100 according to the embodiment can generate a flight plan based on the human flow data. According to this, the system 10 according to one embodiment can reduce the possibility of unintentionally flying over a densely populated area when the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 is automatically navigated. That is, the system 10 according to one embodiment can provide a relatively safe flight plan. Further, the system 10 according to the embodiment can reduce the possibility of flying a route avoiding an area that does not need to be avoided. That is, the system 10 according to one embodiment can improve the utilization efficiency and energy efficiency of the airspace.

For example, the system 10 according to one embodiment is on a route from point A to point B at the scheduled flight time when an unmanned aerial vehicle is flown from point A to point B by non-visual and fully automated navigation for logistics purposes. People flow may be predicted from past statistics. In this case, the system 10 according to one embodiment will fly, for example, based on the predicted flow of people, avoiding any densely populated areas in the time zone when the unmanned aerial vehicle approaches, and the population density is as low as possible and the shortest time. You may automatically generate a flight plan that allows you to fly with.

FIG. 2 schematically shows an example of the functional configuration of the operation management unit 100. The operation management unit 100 may include a data acquisition unit 102, a flight plan control unit 104, an output control unit 106, and a flight monitoring unit 110.

The data acquisition unit 102 may acquire various data. The data acquisition unit 102 may acquire various data from the operation management integration unit 200. The data acquisition unit 102 may acquire various data from the information providing unit 300.

The data acquisition unit 102 may acquire various data from the operator 30. The data acquisition unit 102 may acquire information on the departure point and the destination point of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 from, for example, the operator 30. Further, the data acquisition unit 102 may acquire a flight plan including the flight path of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 from the operator 30, for example. Although not shown, the operation management unit 100 may include an input unit capable of inputting various data. The operation management unit 100 may acquire various data by the operator 30 directly inputting various data into the input unit. The input unit may be, for example, a keyboard or a touch panel. Further, although not shown, the operation management unit 100 may have a communication unit capable of communicating with the communication terminal used by the operator 30. The operation management unit 100 may acquire various data by receiving the data input by the operator to the communication terminal. The terminal may be, for example, a PC, a smart phone, a tablet, or the like.

The flight plan control unit 104 may execute control regarding the flight plan of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400. The flight plan control unit 104 may determine a flight plan including a flight path from the departure point to the destination point of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 based on the human flow data acquired by the data acquisition unit 102.

The output control unit 106 may control to output the flight plan determined by the flight plan control unit 104. The output control unit 106 may display and output, for example, the flight plan determined by the flight plan control unit 104 on the display provided in the operation management unit 100. For example, the output control unit 106 may transmit the flight plan determined by the flight plan control unit 104 to the communication terminal used by the operator 30 and display and output it on the display provided in the communication terminal.

The flight plan control unit 104 may determine, for example, a flight plan candidate from the departure point to the destination point based on the flow data for the departure point and the destination point acquired by the data acquisition unit 102. The flight plan control unit 104 may determine, for example, a plurality of flight plans from a departure point to a destination point avoiding the sky over a high-density area. The output control unit 106 may control to display and output the flight plan candidates determined by the flight plan control unit 104. The output control unit 106 may, for example, transmit a flight plan candidate to the communication terminal used by the operator 30 and display it on the communication terminal. As a result, a safe route that does not pass over the high-density area can be presented to the operator 30, and a desired route of the operator 30 can be selected from a plurality of routes.

The flight plan control unit 104 may perform a safety evaluation on the flight plan of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 acquired by the data acquisition unit 102. The flight plan control unit 104 may determine whether or not to fly over a high-density area when the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 flies according to the flight plan. When the flight plan control unit 104 determines that the flight is to fly over a high-density area, it may determine that it is not safe. The flight plan control unit 104 may change the flight plan according to the determination that the flight is to fly over the high-density area. The flight plan control unit 104 may change the flight path so as not to fly over a high-density area, for example. Thereby, the system 10 according to one embodiment can propose to the operator 30 a flight route that is relatively safe for a flight route including the sky over a high-density area. That is, the system 10 according to the embodiment can reduce the possibility of human damage when the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 crashes. Further, the system 10 according to the embodiment can be prevented from flying over a high-density area without changing the flight time by changing the flight path, which is advantageous for the operator 30 having many time constraints. Can propose a plan.

Further, the flight plan control unit 104 may change the flight time of the flight plan so as not to fly over the high-density area, for example. Thereby, the system 10 according to one embodiment can propose to the operator 30 a relatively safe flight time for a flight path including the sky over a high-density area. That is, the system 10 according to the embodiment can reduce the possibility of human damage when the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 crashes. Further, since the system 10 according to the embodiment can be prevented from flying over a high-density area without changing the flight path by changing the flight time, the energy consumption increases by changing the route. It is possible to prevent the flight time from becoming longer.

Here, for example, when an unmanned aerial vehicle collides with a train, it threatens the safety of occupants and can have a great impact on the traffic schedule. On the other hand, the flight plan control unit 104 may determine the flight plan of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 based on the vehicle movement data acquired by the data acquisition unit 102. The flight plan control unit 104 may determine the flight plan so that, for example, the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 does not fly over high-density areas and over vehicles. Thereby, the system 10 according to the embodiment can reduce the possibility of colliding with the vehicle when the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 crashes. That is, the system 10 according to one embodiment can contribute to safety and smooth traffic.

The flight plan control unit 104 may determine the flight plan of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 based on the weather information acquired by the data acquisition unit 102. The flight plan control unit 104 may determine the flight plan so that, for example, the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 does not fly over the high-density area and the bad weather area. Further, the flight plan control unit 104 may determine the flight plan from the map information and the weather information acquired by the data acquisition unit 102 in anticipation that the railway lines and roadsides of public transportation will be congested. The flight plan control unit 104 may determine the flight plan so as not to fly over the roadsides and railway lines of public transportation that are expected to be congested, for example.

The flight plan control unit 104 may determine the flight plan of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 based on any other information. For example, the data acquisition unit 102 may acquire event-related information from a server that provides event-related information related to the event on the Internet. Then, based on the event-related information, the flight plan control unit 104 predicts that the area along the event venue at the time of the event will be congested, and determines the flight plan so as not to fly over the area along the expected congestion. You can do it. The flight plan control unit 104 may determine a flight route that does not batting with the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 based on the flight plan of the other unmanned aerial vehicle 400.

The flight plan control unit 104 may determine the flight plan according to the purpose of the target unmanned aerial vehicle 400. For example, when the target unmanned aerial vehicle 400 is for emergency transportation, disaster investigation, security, tracking, etc., the flight plan control unit 104 ignores the human flow data and determines the shortest route as the flight route. good.

The flight plan control unit 104 may determine the flight plan of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 based on the information regarding the usage status of the radio waves in the airspace acquired by the data acquisition unit 102. The flight plan control unit 104 may determine the flight plan so that, for example, the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 does not fly over a high-density area and an area where the radio wave level is lower than a predetermined intensity.

The flight monitoring unit 110 may monitor the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400. The flight monitoring unit 110 may monitor the flight of the target unmanned aerial vehicle 400 in response to a request from the operator 30. The flight monitoring unit 110 may monitor the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 flying according to the flight plan determined by the flight plan control unit 104.

The flight monitoring unit 110 may monitor the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400, for example, by acquiring the telemetry information and the video information transmitted by the unmanned aerial vehicle 400. Further, the flight monitoring unit 110 may monitor the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 by using, for example, the information acquired by the data acquisition unit 102 from the airspace monitoring unit 310.

The data acquisition unit 102 may continuously acquire human flow data, for example, while the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 is flying according to the flight plan. That is, the data acquisition unit 102 may acquire human flow data in real time. The flight plan control unit 104 may determine whether or not the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 can fly over a high-density area when the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 flies according to an existing flight plan, based on the human flow data acquired in real time. That is, the flight plan control unit 104 may determine, for example, whether or not the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 will fly over a high-density area when the flow of people changes. The flight plan control unit 104 may modify the existing flight plan, for example, if the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 can fly over a high density area. The flight plan control unit 104 may change the flight plan so that the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 does not fly over the high density area. The unmanned aerial vehicle 400 may fly according to the modified flight plan. In this way, by changing the flight plan in the middle when the flow of people changes unexpectedly after the departure of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400, the possibility that the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 will fly over a high-density area can be reduced. Can be done. The flight plan control unit 104 may change the flight plan so as to leave the high-density area when the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 invades the sky above the high-density area during flight. The flight plan may also be modified by the unmanned aerial vehicle 400. That is, the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 may receive a determination result of whether or not to fly over a high-density area from the flight plan control unit 104, and may change the flight plan based on the determination result.

FIG. 3 schematically shows an example of the processing flow by the operation management unit 100. Here, the flow of processing when the operation management unit 100 evaluates the flight plan applied for by the operator 30 is shown.

In the step (the step may be abbreviated as S) 102, the data acquisition unit 102 acquires the flight plan from the operator 30. In S104, the data acquisition unit 102 acquires the flight path included in the flight plan and the human flow data corresponding to the area around the flight path from the human flow data providing unit 350.

In S106, the flight plan control unit 104 determines whether or not the flight path of the flight plan acquired by the data acquisition unit 102 in S102 is safe. The flight plan control unit 104 may determine that the flight path is unsafe if it includes the sky over a high density area. If it is determined that it is not safe, the process proceeds to S108, and if it is determined that it is safe, the process proceeds to S112. In S112, the output control unit 106 notifies the operator 30 of the flight permission.

In S108, the flight plan control unit 104 changes the flight plan. The flight plan control unit 104 may change the flight plan so as not to fly over a high density area. In S110, the output control unit 106 notifies the operator 30 of the flight plan changed in S108.

FIG. 4 schematically shows an example of the processing flow by the operation management unit 100. Here, the operation management unit 100 monitors the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 in flight, and shows the flow of processing when the flight plan is changed in the middle of the flight plan in response to the flow of people changing in real time.

In S202, the data acquisition unit 102 acquires the flight plan followed by the unmanned aerial vehicle 400. The data acquisition unit 102 may acquire a flight plan from, for example, the unmanned aerial vehicle 400. When the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 is flying according to the flight plan determined by the flight plan control unit 104, the data acquisition unit 102 may acquire the flight plan. In S204, the data acquisition unit 102 acquires the flight path included in the flight plan and the human flow data corresponding to the area around the flight path from the human flow data providing unit 350.

In S206, the flight plan control unit 104 determines whether or not the flight path is safe. The flight plan control unit 104 may determine that the flight path is unsafe if it includes the sky over a high density area. If it is determined that it is not safe, the process proceeds to S208, and if it is determined that it is safe, the process proceeds to S212.

In S208, the flight plan control unit 104 changes the flight plan. The flight plan control unit 104 may change the flight plan so as not to fly over a high density area. In S210, the output control unit 106 notifies the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 of the flight plan changed in S208.

In S212, the flight monitoring unit 110 determines whether or not the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 has been completed. If it is determined that the process has not been completed, the process returns to S204, and the data acquisition unit 102 acquires new human flow data from the human flow data providing unit 350. The data acquisition unit 102 may acquire the human flow data corresponding to the entire flight path, or may acquire the human flow data corresponding to the route excluding the portion of the flight path that has already flown.

FIG. 5 schematically shows an example of a flight path 522 determined by the flight plan control unit 104. Here, the flight path 522 recommended for the departure point 512 and the destination point 514 acquired by the data acquisition unit 102 is illustrated.

The mesh data 500 may be an example of human flow data. The mesh data 500 may represent the population of mesh units that divides the whole of Japan into predetermined sizes. The unit of the mesh is, for example, 50 m square, but the mesh is not limited to this and may be any size. In the mesh data 500 illustrated in FIG. 5, the high density area 502 is identified.

The flight plan control unit 104 may first specify the shortest path 520 with respect to the departure point 512 and the destination point 514 acquired by the data acquisition unit 102. The flight plan control unit 104 may determine a flight path 522 that does not include the sky above the high density area 502 when the shortest path 520 includes the sky above the high density area 502.

FIG. 6 schematically shows an example of a flight path 524 determined by the flight plan control unit 104. FIG. 6 illustrates a flight path 524 when the high density area 502 changes while the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 is flying according to the flight path 522 determined in the example shown in FIG.

The data acquisition unit 102 may continuously acquire human flow data from the human flow data providing unit 350 while the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 is flying along the flight path 522. The flight plan control unit 104 may determine a flight path 524 that does not include the sky above the high density area 502, depending on the determination that the flight path 522 includes the sky above the high density area 502.

FIG. 7 schematically shows an example of a flight path 526 determined by the flight plan control unit 104. In the flight plan control unit 104, when the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 is surrounded by the high-density area 502 during flight, the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 flies over the high-density area 502, which has a lower priority than the high-density area 502. You may change the flight plan to do so.

The flight plan control unit 104 may prioritize the high-density area 502 based on the data acquired by the data acquisition unit 102. For example, the flight plan control unit 104 may give higher priority to the high density area 502 as the population density increases.

For example, the flight plan control unit 104 may give a higher priority to the high-density area 502 as the degree of danger to a person increases. The flight plan control unit 104 may give higher priority to the high density area 502, which is not in the middle of the building and has a higher proportion of people exposed to the sky. Information indicating whether or not a person is in a building may be included in the person flow data, and the flight plan control unit 104 may determine based on map information or the like. As a result, in a situation where the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 has no choice but to fly over the high-density area 502, the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 flies over the high-density area 502 where the ratio of people exposed to the sky is smaller. In the unlikely event that the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 crashes, the possibility of hitting a person directly can be reduced.

The flight plan control unit 104 may determine the priority of the high density area 502 depending on what the person who is not exposed to the sky is located in. For example, the flight plan control unit 104 may determine the priority of the high-density area 502 according to the magnitude of the influence when the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 collides. It can be said that the magnitude of the influence when the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 collides is higher in the order of, for example, a building, a car, and a train. The flight plan control unit 104 may give higher priority to the high density area 502, which has a higher proportion of people located in the train. As a result, in a situation where the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 has no choice but to fly over the high-density area 502, the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 can be made to fly on a route that is less affected in the unlikely event of a crash.

In FIGS. 1 to 7, the case where the operation management unit 100 determines the flight route based on the human flow data has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. The unmanned aerial vehicle 400 may determine the flight path based on the human flow data.

FIG. 8 schematically shows an example of the configuration of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400. The unmanned aerial vehicle 400 includes a main body portion 402, a propeller 404, a leg portion 406, a camera 408, and an antenna portion 410. The main body 402 may include a battery 412, a GNSS unit 421, an altitude sensor 422, an acceleration sensor 423, a gyro sensor 424, and a control device 430.

The camera 408 may image the perimeter of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400. The camera 408 may capture the downward direction of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400. The camera 408 may image the horizontal direction of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400. The unmanned aerial vehicle 400 may be equipped with a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ringing), an ultrasonic sensor, or an infrared sensor instead of the camera 408. Further, the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 may include a plurality of cameras 408, LiDAR, ultrasonic sensors, and infrared sensors. It should be noted that the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 is not limited to these examples as long as it can recognize the surrounding environment.

The antenna unit 410 may be capable of performing cellular communication. The antenna unit 410 may be capable of executing Wi-Fi communication.

The GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) unit 421 may specify the position of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 by the GNSS and output the position information. The altitude sensor 422 may identify the altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 and output altitude information. The altitude sensor 422 may be, for example, a barometric pressure sensor. The acceleration sensor 423 may detect the acceleration and output the acceleration information. The gyro sensor 424 may detect the angular velocity and output the angular velocity information.

FIG. 9 schematically shows an example of the functional configuration of the control device 430. The control device 430 may include a data acquisition unit 432, a flight control unit 434, and a flight plan control unit 436.

The data acquisition unit 432 may acquire various data. The data acquisition unit 432 may acquire various data from the operation management unit 100. The data acquisition unit 432 may acquire various data from the information providing unit 300. The data acquisition unit 432 may acquire various data from the camera 408, the GNSS unit 421, the altitude sensor 422, the acceleration sensor 423, and the gyro sensor 424.

The data acquisition unit 432 may generate human flow data based on the radio waves received by the antenna unit 410. For example, the data acquisition unit 432 identifies the number of mobile communication terminals existing around the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 based on the radio waves received by the antenna unit 410, regards the position of the mobile communication terminal as the position of a person, and is a human flow. Data may be generated.

The flight control unit 434 may control the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400. The flight control unit 434 may control the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 by controlling the propeller 404. The flight control unit 434 may control the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 according to the flight plan acquired from the operation management unit 100 by the data acquisition unit 102, for example.

The flight plan control unit 436 may execute control regarding the flight plan of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400. The flight plan control unit 436 may determine a flight plan including a flight path from the departure point to the destination point of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 based on the human flow data acquired by the data acquisition unit 432 from the human flow data providing unit 350. The flight plan control unit 436 may determine the flight plan by the same method as the flight plan control unit 104.

The flight plan control unit 436 may determine the flight plan of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 based on the human flow data generated by the data acquisition unit 432. The flight plan control unit 436 is, for example, a human flow generated by the data acquisition unit 432 while the flight control unit 434 controls the flight of the unmanned aircraft 400 according to the flight plan acquired from the operation management unit 100 by the data acquisition unit 432. If it is determined that the flight will fly over the high-density area when it is determined that the flight will fly over the high-density area when flying according to the flight plan acquired from the operation management unit 100 due to changes in the flow of people by referring to the data, the flight will not fly over the high-density area. You may change your plan. In this way, the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 can realize a flight that more accurately reflects the local situation by changing the flight plan based on the human flow data generated based on the observation result of the radio wave.

FIG. 10 schematically shows an example of a hardware configuration of a computer 1200 that functions as an operation management unit 100 or a control device 430. A program installed on the computer 1200 causes the computer 1200 to function as one or more "parts" of the device according to the embodiment, or causes the computer 1200 to perform an operation associated with the device according to the embodiment or the one or the like. A plurality of "parts" can be executed and / or a computer 1200 can be made to execute a process according to the above embodiment or a stage of the process. Such a program may be run by the CPU 1212 to cause the computer 1200 to perform certain operations associated with some or all of the blocks of the flowcharts and block diagrams described herein.

The computer 1200 according to one embodiment includes a CPU 1212, a RAM 1214, and a graphic controller 1216, which may be interconnected by a host controller 1210. The computer 1200 also includes an input / output unit such as a communication interface 1222, a storage device 1224, and a DVD drive 1226 and an IC card drive, which may be connected to the host controller 1210 via the input / output controller 1220. The storage device 1224 may be a hard disk drive, a solid state drive, or the like. The computer 1200 also includes a legacy I / O unit such as a ROM 1230 and a keyboard, which may be connected to the I / O controller 1220 via an I / O chip 1240.

The CPU 1212 may operate according to a program stored in the ROM 1230 and the RAM 1214, thereby controlling each unit. The graphic controller 1216 may acquire the image data generated by the CPU 1212 in a frame buffer or the like provided in the RAM 1214 or itself so that the image data is displayed on the display device 1218.

The communication interface 1222 may communicate with other electronic devices via a network. The storage device 1224 may store programs and data used by the CPU 1212 in the computer 1200. The IC card drive may read the program and data from the IC card and / or write the program and data to the IC card.

The ROM 1230 may store a boot program or the like executed by the computer 1200 at the time of activation and / or a program depending on the hardware of the computer 1200. The input / output chip 1240 may also connect various input / output units to the input / output controller 1220 via a USB port, a parallel port, a serial port, a keyboard port, a mouse port, and the like.

The program may be provided by a computer-readable storage medium such as a DVD-ROM 1227 or an IC card. The program may be read from a computer-readable storage medium, installed in a storage device 1224, RAM 1214, or ROM 1230, which is also an example of a computer-readable storage medium, and executed by the CPU 1212. The information processing described in these programs can be read by the computer 1200 and bring about coordination between the program and the various types of hardware resources described above. The device or method may be configured to implement the operation or processing of information in accordance with the use of the computer 1200.

For example, when communication is performed between the computer 1200 and an external device, the CPU 1212 may execute a communication program loaded in the RAM 1214. Then, the CPU 1212 may instruct the communication interface 1222 to perform communication processing based on the processing described in the communication program. The communication interface 1222 may read transmission data stored in a transmission buffer area provided in a recording medium such as a RAM 1214, a storage device 1224, a DVD-ROM 1227, or an IC card under the control of the CPU 1212. Then, the communication interface 1222 may transmit the read transmission data to the network, or may write the reception data received from the network to the reception buffer area or the like provided on the recording medium.

Further, the CPU 1212 may allow the RAM 1214 to read all or necessary parts of a file or database stored in an external recording medium such as a storage device 1224, a DVD drive 1226 (DVD-ROM1227), an IC card, or the like. Then, the CPU 1212 may execute various types of processing on the data on the RAM 1214. The CPU 1212 may then write back the processed data to an external recording medium.

Various types of information such as various types of programs, data, tables, and databases may be stored in recording media and processed. The CPU 1212 describes various types of operations, information processing, conditional judgment, conditional branching, unconditional branching, and information retrieval described in various parts of the present disclosure with respect to the data read from the RAM 1214. Various types of processing may be performed, including / replacement and the like. Then, the CPU 1212 may write back the result to the RAM 1214. Further, the CPU 1212 may search for information in a file, database, or the like in the recording medium. For example, when a plurality of entries each having an attribute value of the first attribute associated with the attribute value of the second attribute are stored in the recording medium, the CPU 1212 is the first of the plurality of entries. You may search for an entry that matches the condition for which the attribute value of the attribute of is specified. Then, the CPU 1212 reads the attribute value of the second attribute stored in the entry, thereby acquiring the attribute value of the second attribute associated with the first attribute satisfying the predetermined condition. good.

The program or software module described above may be stored on a computer 1200 or in a computer readable storage medium near the computer 1200. Further, a recording medium such as a hard disk or RAM provided in a server system connected to a dedicated communication network or the Internet may be usable as a computer-readable storage medium. That is, the program may be provided to the computer 1200 via the network.

A block in a flowchart and a block diagram in an embodiment may represent a stage of a process in which an operation is performed or a "part" of a device having a role in performing the operation. Specific steps and "parts" are supplied with a dedicated circuit, a programmable circuit supplied with computer-readable instructions stored on a computer-readable storage medium, and / or with computer-readable instructions stored on a computer-readable storage medium. It may be implemented by the processor. Dedicated circuits may include digital and / or analog hardware circuits. Dedicated circuits may include, for example, integrated circuits (ICs) and / or discrete circuits. Programmable circuits include logical products, logical sums, exclusive logical sums, negative logical products, negative logical sums, and other logical operations, such as, for example, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic arrays (PLAs), and the like. , Flip-flops, registers, and reconfigurable hardware circuits, including memory elements.

The computer-readable storage medium may include any tangible device capable of storing instructions executed by the appropriate device. As a result, the computer-readable storage medium having the instructions stored therein may comprise a product containing instructions that may be executed to create means for performing the operation specified in the flowchart or block diagram. Examples of the computer-readable storage medium may include an electronic storage medium, a magnetic storage medium, an optical storage medium, an electromagnetic storage medium, a semiconductor storage medium, and the like. More specific examples of computer-readable storage media include floppy (registered trademark) disks, diskettes, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), and erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory). , Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM), Static Random Access Memory (SRAM), Compact Disc Read Only Memory (CD-ROM), Digital Versatile Disc (DVD), Blu-ray® Disc, Memory Stick , Integrated circuit cards and the like may be included.

Computer-readable instructions are assembler instructions, instruction set architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine-dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state-setting data, or object-oriented programming such as Smalltalk, JAVA®, C ++, etc. Includes either source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including languages and traditional procedural programming languages such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages. good.

Computer-readable instructions are used to generate means for a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, or the processor of another programmable data processing device, or a programmable circuit, to perform an operation specified in a flowchart or block diagram. General purpose computers, special purpose computers, or other programmable data processing locally or via a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet, etc., to execute such computer-readable instructions. It may be provided to the processor of the device or a programmable circuit. The processor may be, for example, a computer processor, a processing unit, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor, a controller, a microcontroller, or the like.

Although the invention according to the present disclosure has been described above by using the embodiment, the technical scope of the invention according to the present disclosure is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiment. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes or improvements can be made to the above embodiments. It is clear from the description of the claims that the form with such changes or improvements may be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

The order of execution of each process, such as operation, procedure, step, and step in the device, system, program, and method shown in the claims, specification, and drawings, is particularly "before" and "prior to". It should be noted that it can be realized in any order unless the output of the previous process is used in the subsequent process. Even if the scope of claims, the specification, and the operation flow in the drawings are explained using "first", "next", etc. for convenience, it means that it is essential to carry out in this order. It's not a thing.

10 system, 20 operation management system, 30 operator, 100 operation management unit, 102 data acquisition unit, 104 flight plan control unit, 106 output control unit, 110 flight monitoring unit, 200 operation management integration unit, 300 information provision unit, 310 Airspace monitoring unit, 320 map information provider, 330 communication information provider, 340 weather information provider, 350 human flow data provider, 400 unmanned aircraft, 402 main unit, 404 propeller, 406 legs, 408 camera, 410 antenna section, 412 battery, 421 GNSS unit, 422 altitude sensor, 423 acceleration sensor, 424 gyro sensor, 430 controller, 500 mesh data, 502 high density area, 512 departure point, 514 destination point, 520 shortest route, 522 flight route, 524 flight. Route 526 Flight Route 1200 Computer, 1210 Host Controller, 1212 CPU, 1214 RAM, 1216 Graphic Controller, 1218 Display Device, 1220 I / O Controller, 1222 Communication Interface, 1224 Storage Device, 1226 DVD Drive, 1227 DVD-ROM, 1230 ROM, 1240 I / O chip

Claims (14)

The data acquisition department that acquires human flow data, and
Based on the human flow data, the flight plan control unit that determines the flight plan including the flight path from the departure point to the destination point of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and
A control device including an output control unit that controls to output the flight plan. The flight plan control unit determines a flight plan candidate from the departure point to the destination point of the unmanned aerial vehicle.
The control device according to claim 1, wherein the output control unit controls to display and output the flight plan candidates. The data acquisition unit acquires the flight plan of the unmanned aerial vehicle and obtains the flight plan.
The flight plan control unit determines that when the unmanned aircraft flies in accordance with the flight plan acquired by the data acquisition unit, it flies over a high-density area where the population density is higher than a predetermined threshold. The control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the flight plan is changed accordingly. The control device according to claim 3, wherein the flight plan control unit changes the flight path of the flight plan so that the unmanned aerial vehicle does not fly over the high-density area. The control device according to claim 3, wherein the flight plan control unit changes the flight time of the flight plan so that the unmanned aerial vehicle does not fly over the high-density area. The data acquisition unit acquires vehicle movement data related to vehicle movement, and obtains vehicle movement data.
The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the flight plan control unit determines a flight plan of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the human flow data and the vehicle movement data. The data acquisition unit continuously acquires human flow data while the unmanned aerial vehicle is flying according to the flight plan.
The flight plan control unit makes the unmanned aerial vehicle change the flight plan in response to the determination that the unmanned aerial vehicle flies over a high-density area where the population density is higher than a predetermined threshold. Item 6. The control device according to any one of Items 1 to 6. When the unmanned aerial vehicle is surrounded by the high-density area during flight, the flight plan control unit flies to the unmanned aerial vehicle over a high-density area having a lower priority among the high-density areas. The control device according to claim 7, wherein the flight plan is changed so as to cause the flight plan to be changed. The control device is mounted on the unmanned aerial vehicle and is mounted on the unmanned aerial vehicle.
The control device according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the data acquisition unit generates the human flow data based on the radio waves received by the unmanned aerial vehicle. A data acquisition unit that continuously acquires human flow data while an unmanned aerial vehicle is flying according to a flight plan,
A control device including a flight plan control unit that changes the flight plan of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the human flow data. A program for operating a computer as the control device according to any one of claims 1 to 10. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
A system equipped with the unmanned aerial vehicle. A control method performed by a computer
Data acquisition step to acquire people flow data,
Based on the above-mentioned human flow data, a decision step for determining a flight plan including a flight route from a departure point to a destination point of an unmanned aerial vehicle, and a decision step.
A control method comprising an output control step for controlling the output of the flight plan. A control method performed by a computer
A data acquisition step to continuously acquire human flow data while the unmanned aerial vehicle is flying according to the flight plan,
A control method including a change step for changing the flight plan of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the human flow data.

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