JP6063595B1 - Fish school search system - Google Patents

Abstract

A fish search system capable of searching for a school of fish at low cost and high efficiency is provided. A fish school searching system according to the present invention includes an unmanned air vehicle and a ship provided with a control means for the unmanned air vehicle. The control means includes a communication means for communicating with an external communication device via a communication line, and the unmanned air vehicle 20 shoots the outside of the own aircraft and the shooting means 23 for landing on the sea and levitating. The buoyancy body 24 and communication means for communicating with the control means via a communication line are included. Information transmitted from the unmanned air vehicle 20 via the communication line includes position information and photographing of the unmanned air vehicle 20. The video information photographed by the means 23 is included, and the control means includes a display means for displaying a video based on the video information. [Selection] Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a fish school search system for finding and tracking fish school.

  In general, in a type of fishery that actively follows a school of fish (for example, purse seine fishing), it is important to efficiently find a school of fish captured from a wide range of waters. Conventionally, as a search for such a school of fish, a search by visual observation using binoculars, a search by sonar, a search by a bird search radar for birds gathering in a school of fish, and the like are performed (for example, see Patent Document 1).

JP 2001-95426 A

  In recent years, the operating conditions of fisheries have become more severe, such as rising fishing charges at overseas fishing grounds, and a system that can search for a school of fish at low cost and high efficiency is strongly desired.

  This invention is made | formed in view of the said subject, and provides the fish search system which can search a fish school at low cost and high efficiency.

(Aspect of the Invention)
The following aspects of the present invention exemplify the configuration of the present invention, and will be described separately for easy understanding of various configurations of the present invention. Each section does not limit the technical scope of the present invention, and some of the components of each section are replaced, deleted, or further while referring to the best mode for carrying out the invention. Those to which the above components are added can also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

(1) A fish search system including an unmanned aerial vehicle and a ship provided with a control unit for the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the control unit includes a communication unit that communicates with an external communication device via a communication line. The unmanned air vehicle includes photographing means for photographing the outside of the aircraft, a buoyant body for landing on the sea and floating, and communication means for communicating with the control means via a communication line. And the information transmitted from the unmanned air vehicle via the communication line includes position information of the unmanned air vehicle and video information captured by the imaging unit, and the control unit includes the video information. Display means for displaying an image based on the vehicle , wherein the unmanned air vehicle further includes a tracking body and a dropping mechanism for dropping the tracking body to the outside, and the tracking body is configured to be levitated on the sea. , The result of combining the tracking body and the fish Means, communication means for communicating with the control means through the communication line, provided with a, in information transmitted via the communication line from said tracking element include location information of the tracking member, it A fish school search system characterized by

(2) (1) In the fish the search system according to claim, wherein the unmanned air vehicle is fish search system characterized by further comprising a water sprinkling means for sprinkling the surrounding seawater was raised seen 汲.

( 3 ) The fish search system according to (1) or (2) , wherein the unmanned air vehicle further includes an ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving unit for performing fish detection.

  Since the present invention is configured as described above, it is possible to search for a school of fish with low cost and high efficiency in a wide range on the sea.

It is a figure which shows typically the structure of the fish finder system in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view which shows typically the principal part of the unmanned air vehicle in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows typically the tracking body in one Embodiment of this invention, (a) is a side view which shows the state with which the tracking body and the fish were couple | bonded, (b) is a top view of a tracking body. . It is a block diagram which shows the principal part of the internal structure of the unmanned air vehicle in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the principal part of the internal structure of the tracking body in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows typically the communication structure of the fish finder system in one Embodiment of this invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the fish finder system in one embodiment of the present invention includes a ship 10 and an unmanned air vehicle 20. In the present embodiment, the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 is an unmanned aerial vehicle (so-called drone) that can fly by remote control and / or automatic piloting. Further, the ship 10 includes unmanned aerial vehicle control means (not shown), and the control means communicates with the unmanned air vehicle 20 via a communication line. In this embodiment, the communication line includes a satellite communication system including a communication satellite (for example, Inmarsat satellite) 30 and a ground station 40, and a control server 70 (see FIG. 6) connected to the satellite communication system via the Internet 60. Is included.

  In the present embodiment, the unmanned air vehicle 20 is equipped with a tracking body 50 that can be dropped onto the sea. FIG. 1 shows the tracking body 50 being dropped onto the sea.

  Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 2 to 6, the fish school searching system in the present embodiment will be described in detail. Here, FIGS. 3 and 5 are block diagrams showing the internal configurations of the unmanned air vehicle 20 and the tracking body 50, respectively. Each block shown in these figures functions to achieve a predetermined operation described below, and its configuration is configured by any appropriate hardware or software, or a combination thereof. .

  In the present embodiment, the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 may be, for example, a helicopter or multi-copter type unmanned small airplane including one or more rotary wings (not shown). However, the present invention is not limited by the configuration of the unmanned air vehicle 20 as a flying object, power, flight control, or the like, and may have any appropriate configuration depending on the flight performance required depending on the use situation. (Therefore, the description of the configuration, power, flight control, etc. of the unmanned air vehicle 20 as a flying object will be omitted below).

  In the present embodiment, the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 includes a main body 21 as shown in FIG. 2, and a camera for photographing the outside of the aircraft (in the present embodiment) in front of the main body 21. A watering means 25 including a watering pump 25 a and a watering hose 25 b is attached to the rear of the main body 21. A buoyancy body 24 for landing and floating on the sea is coupled to the main body 21 by any appropriate coupling means 241 below the main body 21. The buoyancy body 24 may be made of, for example, urethane foam. Furthermore, from the lower surface side of the main body 21, a sonar (an ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving unit in the present embodiment) 26 including an ultrasonic wave transmitter / receiver 26a and a vertical movement mechanism 26b extends. In FIG. 2, a satellite communication antenna 22 described later is shown above the main body 21. Although not shown in FIG. 2, a tracking body 50 (see FIG. 4) described later is mounted on the main body 21 of the unmanned air vehicle 20, and the unmanned air vehicle 20 moves the tracking body 50 to the sea. A tracking body dropping mechanism 27 (see FIG. 3) is also provided.

  Here, the configuration of the unmanned air vehicle 20 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 3 together with FIG. In the present embodiment, the unmanned air vehicle 20 controls the control unit 200 that controls the entire operation, the pump control unit 250 that controls the watering pump 25a, the camera control unit 230 that controls the camera 23, and the sonar 26. A sonar control unit 260 and a tracking body dropping control unit 270 that controls the tracking body dropping mechanism 27 are provided. Here, in FIG. 3, the pump control unit 250, the camera control unit 230, the sonar control unit 260, and the tracking object dropping control unit 270 are shown as separate blocks from the control unit 200. Some or all of the control units 250, 230, 260, and 270 may be configured integrally with the control unit 200 as a function of the control unit 200. Of course, in this case, movement of information described below as input / output between the individual control units 250, 230, 260, 270 and the control unit 200 is unnecessary or within the control unit 200. Is the transfer of information between functions.

  In the unmanned air vehicle 20, the watering pump 25 a is controlled by the pump control unit 250 and pumps seawater from the lower end side of the watering hose 25 b when the unmanned air vehicle 20 reaches the sea. The pumped seawater is sprinkled around from the upper end side of the watering hose 25b. In that case, the watering means which concerns on this invention may be comprised so that dyes, such as a uranin pigment | dye, can be mixed in the seawater sprinkled.

  The camera 23 is controlled by the camera control unit 230 to photograph the outside of the unmanned air vehicle 20. The captured video information is input from the camera control unit 230 to the control unit 200. Here, in the present embodiment, the camera 23 may be a still image, a moving image, or both. In the present invention, the term video is used to include both still images and moving images.

  The sonar 26 is configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave from the ultrasonic transducer 26a and receive a reflected wave of the ultrasonic wave. The vertical movement mechanism 26b moves the ultrasonic transducer 26a up and down. When the sonar 26 is not in use, the vertical movement mechanism 26b raises the ultrasonic transducer 26a so that the unmanned air vehicle 20 It can be stored in the main body 21 (indicated by a broken line in FIG. 2 (26)). At this time, the sonar 26 is configured to be able to adjust either one or both of the tilt angle (the depression angle) and the scan angle (the azimuth angle) of the ultrasonic transducer 26a. It is preferable that water can be detected over a range. The sonar control unit 260 controls operations of the ultrasonic transducer 26a and the vertical movement mechanism 26b. The reflected wave information received by the ultrasonic handset 26 a is input from the sonar control unit 260 to the control unit 200.

  The tracking body dropping mechanism 27 is typically controlled by the tracking and dropping control unit 270 after the unmanned air vehicle 20 has landed on the sea, and drops the tracking body 27 mounted on the unmanned air vehicle 20 onto the sea. To do.

  The unmanned air vehicle 20 includes satellite communication means including a satellite communication antenna 22 and a satellite communication unit 220 as communication means for communicating with the control means via a communication line. Information transmitted from the satellite communication unit 220 of the unmanned air vehicle 20 using the satellite communication antenna 22 is received by the ground station 40 via the communication satellite 30 as shown in FIG. Information received by the ground station 40 is transmitted to the control server 70 via the Internet 60, and the control server 70 (after storing and / or processing as necessary) sends the information to the ship 10. Send. And in this embodiment, the control means with which the ship 10 is equipped is equipped with the satellite communication means similar to the satellite communication means with which the unmanned air vehicle 20 is provided as a communication means which communicates with an external communication apparatus via a communication line. Information transmitted from the control server 70 is received by the control means of the ship 10 via the Internet 60, the ground station 40, and the communication satellite 30.

  The unmanned aerial vehicle 20 includes GPS receiving means including a GPS (Global Positioning system) antenna 28 and a GPS receiving unit 280 in addition to the above-described constituent elements, whereby a GPS satellite signal transmitted from a GPS satellite is received. Receive. Typically, the GPS receiving unit 280 outputs the received GPS satellite signal to the control unit 200, and the control unit 200 performs positioning calculation using the GPS satellite signal input from the GPS receiving unit 280, and performs unmanned flight. The current position of the body 20 is calculated as GPS position information including, for example, latitude and longitude.

  In the present embodiment, the information transmitted from the satellite communication means of the unmanned air vehicle 20 via the communication line includes the GPS position information of the unmanned air vehicle 20 and video information photographed by the camera photographing means, These pieces of information are transmitted to the control means of the ship 10. If the sonar 26 is used in the unmanned air vehicle 20, the information transmitted from the satellite communication means of the unmanned air vehicle 20 via the communication line includes the reflected wave information from the sonar 26. .

  Next, the configuration of the tracking body 50 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. The tracking body 50 is configured to float on the sea, and includes a communication means that communicates with the control means on the ship 10 via a communication line, and a coupling means 53 that couples the tracking body 50 and the fish A. Yes. In the present embodiment, the tracking body 50 is configured in the shape of a small hull.

  The tracking body 50 includes satellite communication means including a satellite communication antenna 52 and a satellite communication unit 520 similar to the unmanned air vehicle 20 as communication means communicating with the control means via a communication line. Information transmitted from the satellite communication unit 520 of the tracking body 50 using the satellite communication antenna 52 is received by the ground station 40 via the communication satellite 30 as shown in FIG. Information received by the ground station 40 is transmitted to the control server 70 via the Internet 60, and the control server 70 (after storing and / or processing as necessary) sends the information to the ship 10. Send. The information transmitted from the control server 70 is received by the control means of the ship 10 via the Internet 60, the ground station 40, and the communication satellite 30.

  In addition, the tracking body 50 includes GPS receiving means including a GPS (Global Positioning System) antenna 54 and a GPS receiving unit 540 similar to the unmanned air vehicle 20, whereby GPS satellite signals transmitted from the GPS satellites are obtained. Receive. Typically, the GPS receiving unit 540 outputs the received GPS satellite signal to the control unit 500, and the control unit 500 performs positioning calculation using the GPS satellite signal input from the GPS receiving unit 540, and performs tracking. The 50 current positions are calculated as GPS position information including, for example, latitude and longitude. The information transmitted from the satellite communication means of the tracking body 50 via the communication line includes the GPS position information of the tracking body 50.

  In the tracking body 50, the coupling means 53 that couples the tracking body 50 and the fish A includes a spool 53a, a fishing line 53b wound around the spool 53a, and a pseudo bait 53c attached to the tip of the fishing line 53b. It is. The bobbin winding unit 53a is formed of a winding frame that is disposed horizontally so that the rotation axis is in the vertical direction, and the bobbin winding control unit 53 is arranged as necessary (typically, the unmanned flying vehicle 20 to the tracking body 50 After being dropped on the sea), the spool 53 is controlled to feed out the fishing line 53b wound around the spool 53a. In this coupling means 53, the tracking body 50 and the fish A are coupled by the fish A to be captured hanging on the pseudo bait 53c at the tip of the fed fishing line 53b.

  Accordingly, the tracking body 50 is coasted on the sea as the fish A moves. Here, the appropriate length of the fishing line 53b is appropriately set according to the type of fish to be captured in consideration of avoiding the tracking body 50 being drawn into the water by the fish A. For example, when the fish to be captured is skipjack, about 100 to 150 m is preferable.

  Next, the configuration of the control means on the ship 10 will be described as follows. This control means is received by the sonar 26 and the display means for displaying the video based on the video information taken by the camera 23 of the unmanned air vehicle 20 and transmitted through the communication line as described above. Display means for displaying an image based on the reflected wave information transmitted via the communication line. Further, the control means usually includes notifying means (typically display means) for notifying the user of the control means of the GPS position information of the unmanned air vehicle 20 and the position information of the tracking body 50. The user can determine the navigation plan of the ship 10 according to the information shown in these displays and / or notification means.

  Further, the control system typically includes an operation unit for the unmanned air vehicle 20, and can control the flight and landing (and landing) of the unmanned air vehicle 20 from the ship 10. In addition, the control system may include operation means for operating part or all of the camera 23, the watering pump 25 a, the sonar 26, and the tracking body dropping mechanism 27 of the unmanned air vehicle 20. In this case, the control unit generates a necessary operation command in response to an input from the user to the control unit, and this operation command is transmitted from the satellite communication unit of the control unit via the communication line described above. The transmitted operation command is received by the satellite communication means of the unmanned air vehicle 20 via the communication line described above, and the control unit 200 of the unmanned air vehicle 20 controls the flight of the unmanned air vehicle 20 in accordance with this operation command. In addition, operation control of the camera 23, the watering pump 25a, the sonar 26, and the tracking body dropping mechanism 27 is executed.

  However, in the present invention, the unmanned air vehicle 20 may be capable of flying by autopilot without receiving an operation command, and similarly, the control unit 200 of the unmanned air vehicle 20 receives the operation command. Even if not received, it may be possible to operate some or all of the camera 23, the watering pump 25a, the sonar 26, and the tracking body dropping mechanism 27 in accordance with a program stored in advance. Of these operations, how to combine the operation based on the operation command from the control means on the ship 10 and the operation automatically or according to the program depends on the cost of the system and / or the use situation. It is set appropriately in consideration of required specifications.

  The operation and effect of the fish finder system configured as described above will be described as follows. In the fish school searching system in the present embodiment, after the ship 10 on which the unmanned air vehicle 20 is deployed reaches the fishing ground, the unmanned air vehicle 20 is caused to fly to search for the fish school. At that time, the user on the ship 10 searches the fish school by observing the video displayed on the display means by flying the unmanned air vehicle 20 while photographing the surroundings of the own aircraft with the camera 23. Can do. At this time, by using the unmanned air vehicle 20, it is possible to search for a school of fish in a wider area of the sea at low cost and with high efficiency, and to find it easily.

  For example, when a human on the deck visually searches for a school of fish, there is a limit of the visible range of the distance to the horizon (about 16 km), while the flight range of the unmanned air vehicle is at least about 50 km, The efficiency of fish school search can be significantly improved.

  At this time, in the fish finder system according to the present embodiment, the communication line between the unmanned air vehicle 20 and the ship 10 is connected to the satellite communication system including the communication satellite 30 and the ground station 40, and the satellite communication system via the Internet 60. Therefore, when a moving image is shot by the camera 23, it is possible to display a video (moving image) on the display unit of the control unit in real time using the stream distribution technique.

  Further, in the fish school search system according to the present embodiment, the unmanned air vehicle 20 includes the buoyancy body 24 so that when the fish school is discovered, the unmanned air vehicle 20 is landed on or near the fish school. Can do. And since the unmanned air vehicle 20 transmits the GPS position of its own aircraft to the ship 10, after landing, it performs the same function as a buoy (in this case, a satellite buoy) indicating the position of a school of fish. become. Thereby, even when a fish school is found in a relatively remote place, the ship 10 can navigate the ship 10 based on the GPS position information of the unmanned air vehicle 20 and easily reach the fish school.

  Further, in the fish school searching system according to the present embodiment, since the unmanned air vehicle 20 includes the sprinkling means 25a and 25b, the sea water is sprinkled on the fish school after the fish school is discovered and the unmanned air vehicle 20 has landed. Can do. As is well known, such watering helps to keep a school of fish in place. In particular, in the search system according to the present embodiment, in order to search for a school of fish in a wider range of water than in the past, the provision of such a sprinkler means that when the school of fish is found at a location relatively far from the ship 10, It is advantageous to keep the school until it reaches the school.

  Further, in the fish school searching system according to this embodiment, since the unmanned air vehicle 20 includes the sonar 26, for example, when the fish school cannot be found by photographing with the camera 23, the unmanned air vehicle 20 is landed and the sonar 26 is used to select the fish school. It becomes possible to search. Since the unmanned air vehicle 20 has much higher mobility than the ship 10, a larger number of locations can be obtained in a shorter time than when searching for a fish school using a fish finder or sonar provided in the ship 10. It becomes possible to search, and as a result, the efficiency of fish school search can be improved.

  In addition, the fish finder system according to the present embodiment includes the tracking body 50. The operation and effect of this feature will be described as follows. In general, in the type of fishery (typically purse seine fishing) in which a school of fish is captured by a fishing net, not all the fish that make up the school are captured, and there is always a fish that escapes without being captured. On the other hand, it is known that such escaped fish often move in search of other school of fish and join a new school of fish found.

  In the fish school search system according to the present embodiment, the tracking body 50 is provided in the unmanned air vehicle 20, and after finding the fish school and landing, the fish in the fish school or in the vicinity of the fish school (typically In this case, the tracking body 50 is dropped outside the fishing net. And the tracking body 50 is couple | bonded with the fish A hung on the pseudo bait 53c by operating the coupling | bonding means 53 as mentioned above, and the fish A is lame by the movement of the fish A. As described above, the fish A is highly likely to join a new fish school. In this case, the tracking body 50 is guided to the new fish school by the fish A.

  And since the tracking body 50 fulfill | performs the function equivalent to the satellite buoy which transmits the GPS position of an own machine to the ship 10, after the fishing of the present fish school is complete | finished, the ship 10 immediately follows the tracking body 10. It is possible to search for the next school of fish based on the GPS position information, and to find it with a relatively high probability. This can greatly improve the efficiency of fish school search.

  At this time, since the tracking body 50 in the present embodiment is configured to have the shape of a hull, the resistance of water decreases when the fish A is coupled with the tracking body 50, and as a result, the fish It is advantageous for A to reach a new school of fish without consuming physical strength. In the present invention, the tracking body 50 may have a self-propelled function. However, from the viewpoint of weight reduction, it is desirable not to have a self-propelled function in consideration of the point deployed on the unmanned air vehicle 20 and the point where the sea A is coasted by the fish A.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated based on preferable embodiment, this invention is not limited by embodiment mentioned above. For example, the unmanned air vehicle 20 and the ship 10 according to the present invention include other wireless communication means instead of the satellite communication means or in addition to the satellite communication means, and between the unmanned air vehicle 20 and the ship 10. A part or all of the communication may be performed directly by the wireless communication means. Similarly, the tracking body 50 includes other wireless communication means instead of or in addition to the satellite communication means, and a part or all of the communication between the tracking body 50 and the ship 10 can be performed. You may implement directly by this radio | wireless communication means.

  The unmanned aerial vehicle 20 includes a radio wave transmitting unit that transmits a predetermined radio wave as position information instead of or in addition to the GPS receiving unit, and the ship 10 transmits a radio wave transmitted from the unmanned air vehicle 20. The position of the unmanned air vehicle 20 may be specified by searching for the source. Similarly, the tracking body 50 includes radio wave transmission means for transmitting predetermined radio waves as position information instead of or in addition to the GPS reception means, and the ship 10 is a source of radio waves transmitted from the tracking body 50. The position of the tracking body 50 may be specified by searching for.

  The sonar 26 may be coupled to the buoyancy body 24. By coupling the sonar 26 to the buoyant body 24, a fish school search can be started immediately after landing of the unmanned air vehicle 20 with a simple configuration in which the ultrasonic transducer 26a is not moved up and down. However, like the sonar 26 in the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the ultrasonic transducer 26a is lowered by the up-and-down moving mechanism 26b is that a fish school can be searched without picking up noise due to bubbles, dust, etc. on the sea surface. It is advantageous.

  10: Ship, 20: Unmanned air vehicle, 23: Camera (photographing means), 25: Sprinkling means, 26: Sonar (ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving means), 30: Communication satellite, 40: Ground station, 50: Tracking body

Claims (3)

A fish finder system including an unmanned air vehicle and a ship provided with a control means for the unmanned air vehicle,
The control means includes a communication means for communicating with an external communication device via a communication line,
The unmanned aerial vehicle includes photographing means for photographing the outside of the aircraft, a buoyant body for landing on the sea and floating, and communication means for communicating with the control means via a communication line. And
The information transmitted from the unmanned aerial vehicle via a communication line includes the position information of the unmanned aerial vehicle and video information captured by the imaging means.
The control means includes display means for displaying a video based on the video information ,
The unmanned aerial vehicle further includes a tracking body and a dropping mechanism for dropping the tracking body to the outside, and the tracking body is configured to float on the sea and is coupled to couple the tracking body and the fish Means and communication means for communicating with the control means via a communication line, and information transmitted from the tracking body via the communication line includes position information of the tracking body. A fish school search system characterized by The unmanned air vehicle is fish search system according to claim 1, characterized by further comprising a water sprinkling means for sprinkling the surrounding seawater was raised seen 汲. The fish search system according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the unmanned air vehicle further includes an ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving unit for detecting a fish school.

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