JP6475532B2 - Unmanned aircraft flight control apparatus, unmanned aircraft flight control method, and unmanned aircraft flight control program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a flight control technique for an unmanned aerial vehicle that causes the unmanned aircraft to follow a moving target.

Conventionally, as a use of unmanned aerial vehicles, by flying relative to a specific target, the target is reconnaissance / surveillance, or a formation action with the target is performed, or the target is a shooting target (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).
In an unmanned aerial vehicle used for this purpose, it is common to always capture the target position by measurement with a radar or camera, communication with a control station using a communication device, or the like. In particular, when the target is moving and the aircraft is allowed to follow while maintaining a relative position with respect to the moving target, it is essential to continuously capture the target position by the mounted device.

Special Table 2007-526175

  However, the target position information obtained from the mounted device is not necessarily guaranteed in reliability and continuity, and for example, noise may be superimposed on the signal or the signal itself may be temporarily interrupted. In such a case, if simple flight control is performed depending on the target position information from the onboard equipment, the flight state may become unstable due to signal noise, or the moving target may not be able to follow due to signal interruption. End up.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to allow an unmanned aircraft to appropriately follow a moving target without depending on target position information from the on-board equipment.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is a flight control device for an unmanned aerial vehicle that is mounted on an unmanned aerial vehicle and causes the unmanned aircraft to follow a moving target while flying along a predetermined relative flight path. ,
Storage means for storing in advance target movement information including the moving speed and moving direction of the moving target;
Calculation means for calculating a movement amount of the relative flight path based on the target movement information stored in the storage means;
Flight control means for controlling the flight of the unmanned aircraft based on the amount of movement calculated by the calculation means;
It is characterized by providing.

The invention according to claim 2 is the flight control device for the unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1,
Obtaining means for obtaining the target movement information during the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle;
When the reliability of the target movement information acquired by the acquisition means is determined and the reliability is affirmed, the target movement information is selected, and when the reliability is denied, the reliability is stored in the storage means. Selecting means for selecting the target movement information,
With
The calculation means calculates a movement amount of the relative flight path based on the target movement information selected by the selection means.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the flight control device for an unmanned aerial vehicle according to the second aspect,
The acquisition means acquires at least one of the target movement information from sensing, a data link with another aircraft, and an uplink with a control station. .

The invention according to claim 4 is the flight control device for the unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 2 or 3,
The acquisition means acquires a plurality of the target movement information having different information accuracy,
The selection means includes
Unless one of the plurality of target movement information is selected, the reliability is sequentially determined from the target movement information with high information accuracy,
When the reliability of all of the plurality of pieces of target movement information is denied, the target movement information stored in the storage unit is selected.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the flight control device for an unmanned aerial vehicle according to the fourth aspect,
The acquisition means acquires a plurality of the target movement information by sensing, by a data link with another aircraft, and by an uplink with a control station,
The plurality of pieces of target movement information has high information accuracy in this order.

  The invention according to claim 6 is a flight control method for an unmanned aerial vehicle having the same features as the flight control device for an unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1.

  The invention according to claim 7 is a flight control program for an unmanned aerial vehicle having the same features as the flight control device for an unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1.

According to the first, sixth, and seventh aspects of the present invention, the movement amount of the relative flight path is calculated based on the target movement information stored in advance by the storage means mounted on the aircraft, and the unmanned aircraft is calculated based on the movement amount. Flight is controlled.
Therefore, the unmanned aerial vehicle can be suitably followed to the moving target without depending on the target position information from the onboard equipment.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the reliability of the target movement information acquired during the flight of the unmanned aircraft is determined and the reliability is affirmed, the target movement information is selected, When the reliability is denied, the target movement information stored in advance is selected. Then, the movement amount of the relative flight path is calculated based on the selected target movement information, and the flight of the unmanned aircraft is controlled based on the movement amount. That is, when the target movement information is normally acquired during the flight, the flight is appropriately controlled based on the target movement information, and when it is determined that the acquisition of the target movement information is not normal, the target movement information is stored in advance. Flight control is performed based on the target movement information.
As a result, even if noise is superimposed on the signal of the target movement information acquired during the flight or the signal itself is interrupted, the unmanned aircraft can follow the moving target in a stable flight state. Can follow the movement target more suitably.

It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of an unmanned aerial vehicle. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a flight control process. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the process which acquires target movement information. It is a figure which shows the flight operation example of an unmanned aerial vehicle. It is a figure which shows the flight operation example of an unmanned aerial vehicle.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[Configuration of Flight Control Device 10]
First, the configuration of an unmanned aircraft flight control device (hereinafter simply referred to as a “flight control device”) 10 according to the present embodiment will be described.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an unmanned aerial vehicle 1 on which a flight control device 10 is mounted.

The flight control device 10 controls the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle 1 to cause the unmanned aircraft 1 to fly along a predetermined relative flight path R and to follow a moving target (moving target) T such as a ship. (See FIG. 4 etc.).
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the flight control device 10 includes a body sensor 11, a communication unit 12, a storage unit 13, and a control unit 14.

The airframe sensor 11 is a variety of sensors for detecting the flight state of the unmanned aerial vehicle 1 and obtaining information on the movement target T. The airframe sensor 11 is a radar, video sensor (camera), gyro sensor, speed sensor, GPS (Global Positioning System) and the like. Of these, the video sensor can automatically shoot in the direction of the moving target T within the shooting range.
These body sensors 11 acquire various types of information based on a control command from the control unit 14 and output the signals to the control unit 14.

  The communication unit 12 can communicate with a control station on the ground (including the sea and the air) and other aircraft, and can transmit and receive various signals to and from each other.

The storage unit 13 is a memory that stores programs and data for realizing various functions of the flight control device 10 and also functions as a work area. In the present embodiment, the storage unit 13 stores a flight control program 130.
The flight control program 130 is a program for causing the control unit 14 to execute a flight control process (see FIG. 2) described later.

In addition, the target movement schedule information D1 and the relative flight path R are stored (preprogrammed) in advance in the storage unit 13 before the unmanned aircraft 1 flies.
Among these, the target movement schedule information D1 is the target movement information of the movement target T that has been previously known (or expected) before the unmanned aircraft 1 flies, and the target movement information is the movement of the movement target T. Information including speed and moving direction (direction).
On the other hand, the relative flight path R is a relative flight path of the unmanned aircraft 1 relative to the movement target T, that is, a flight path of the unmanned aircraft 1 when viewed from the movement target T. It is a rectangular circuit (see FIG. 4 etc.).

  The control unit 14 centrally controls each part of the unmanned aerial vehicle 1 including the flight control device 10. Specifically, the control unit 14 controls the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle 1 by driving and controlling a flight mechanism 15 including an engine, a control surface driving actuator, and the like, or from a program stored in the storage unit 13. The specified program is expanded, and various processes are executed in cooperation with the expanded program.

[Operation of Flight Control Device 10]
Next, the operation when the flight control device 10 executes the flight control process will be described.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a flow of the flight control process, FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of a process for acquiring target movement information described later in the flight control process, and FIGS. 4 and 5 are unmanned. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of flight operation of the aircraft 1.

The flight control process is a process of acquiring / selecting target movement information of the movement target T and controlling the flight of the unmanned aircraft 1 based on the target movement information. The flight control process is executed when the control unit 14 reads out and expands the flight control program 130 from the storage unit 13 when an instruction to execute the flight control process is input according to a control command or the like from the control station. .
In the following description, it is assumed that the unmanned aircraft 1 has already taken off and is in flight at a point where the moving target T can be captured by the body sensor 11.

  As shown in FIG. 2, when the flight control process is executed, the control unit 14 first acquires the current position of the unmanned aircraft 1 by using, for example, the airframe sensor 11 (GPS) (step S1).

Next, the control unit 14 acquires target movement information (movement speed and movement direction) D of the movement target T (step S2).
In this process, as shown in FIG. 3, first, the control unit 14 acquires target movement information D2 based on the sensing by using (sensing) the body sensor 11 such as a radar or a video sensor (step S20).

Next, the control unit 14 determines the reliability of the target movement information D2 by sensing, that is, whether sensing is normal (step S21).
In this step, when the value of the acquired target movement information D2 (movement speed and movement direction) is out of the range of normal values set in advance or has not changed for a predetermined time, the control unit 14 Then, it is determined that the sensing is not normal, and the reliability of the target movement information D2 is denied. When the sensed body sensor 11 has an abnormality detection function, the control unit 14 may negate the reliability of the target movement information D2 based on the abnormality detection signal from the body sensor 11.

  In this step S21, when it is determined that sensing is normal and the reliability of the target movement information D2 by sensing is affirmed (step S21; Yes), the control unit 14 uses the target movement information D2 for flight control. It selects as the target movement information D to be used (step S22).

When it is determined in step S21 that the sensing is not normal and the reliability of the target movement information D2 by sensing is denied (step S21; No), the control unit 14 uses another aircraft using the communication unit 12. Through the communication (data link), the target movement information D3 by the data link is acquired (step S23).
Here, other aircraft (unmanned aerial vehicles) are flying within the data link area with the unmanned aerial vehicle 1 and have higher information accuracy than the ground control station (however, more than the target movement information D2 by sensing). It is assumed that target movement information (low information accuracy) is held.

Next, the control unit 14 determines the reliability of the target movement information D3 by the data link, that is, whether or not the data link is normal (step S24).
In this step, similarly to step S22 described above, the reliability of the target movement information D3 by the data link is determined. Alternatively, the determination may be made based on a flag (indicating that a normal link is maintained) included in a signal transmitted / received via the data link.

  In step S24, when it is determined that the data link is normal and the reliability of the target movement information D3 by the data link is affirmed (step S24; Yes), the control unit 14 flies the target movement information D3. It selects as the target movement information D used for control (step S25).

  In Step S24, when it is determined that the data link is not normal and the reliability of the target movement information D3 by the data link is denied (Step S24; No), the control unit 14 uses the communication unit 12 on the ground. Through the communication (uplink) with the control station, the target movement information D4 by the uplink is acquired (step S26).

Next, the control unit 14 determines the reliability of the target movement information D4 by the uplink, that is, whether or not the uplink is normal (step S27).
In this step, similarly to step S24 described above, the reliability of the target movement information D4 by the uplink is determined.

  In this step S27, when it is determined that the uplink is normal and the reliability of the target movement information D4 by the uplink is affirmed (step S27; Yes), the control unit 14 flies the target movement information D4. It selects as the target movement information D used for control (step S28).

  If it is determined in step S27 that the uplink is not normal and the reliability of the target movement information D4 by the uplink is denied (step S27; No), the control unit 14 is preprogrammed in the storage unit 13. The target movement schedule information D1 is selected as target movement information D used for flight control (step S29).

Next, as shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 14 calculates the movement amount of the relative flight path R based on the target movement information D of the movement target T acquired / selected in step S2 (step S3).
That is, in this step, when the movement target T moves at the movement speed and movement direction of the target movement information D, the relative flight path R of the relative flight path R for maintaining the relative positional relationship with respect to the movement target T is determined. A movement amount is calculated.
More specifically, the relative flight path R is a path configured by connecting a plurality of waypoints. In this step, the waypoint of the waypoint that the unmanned aircraft 1 should have passed next in the relative flight path R before the movement is The position in the relative flight path R after movement is calculated.

Next, the control unit 14 controls the flight of the unmanned aircraft 1 based on the movement amount of the relative flight path R calculated in step S3 (step S4). That is, the control unit 14 controls the flight of the unmanned aircraft 1 by driving and controlling the flight mechanism 15 so that the unmanned aircraft 1 flies on the relative flight path R after the movement to be moved with the movement target T. To do.
Specifically, the control unit 14 controls the flight of the unmanned aircraft 1 so as to go to the waypoint on the relative flight path R after the movement whose position is calculated in step S3.

  Next, the control unit 14 determines whether or not to end the flight control process for causing the unmanned aircraft 1 to follow the movement target T (step S5), and when determining not to end (step S5; No), The process proceeds to step S1 described above. That is, the control part 14 repeats the process of step S1-S4 at any time until it determines with complete | finishing this flight control process.

  In step S5, for example, when it is determined that the flight control process is to be ended by a control command from the control station or the like (step S5; No), the control unit 14 ends the flight control process.

With the above flight control processing, the unmanned aerial vehicle 1 can suitably follow the movement target T even when noise is superimposed on the signals of the airframe sensor 11 or the communication unit 12 or the signal is interrupted.
For example, as shown in FIG. 4A, when the body sensor 11 and the communication unit 12 are functioning normally when the movement target T moves at a predetermined movement speed along the movement direction X, Based on any of the target movement information D2 to D4 acquired from these, the unmanned aircraft 1 is appropriately flight-controlled. Then, as shown in FIG. 4B, the unmanned aircraft 1 is appropriately flight-controlled so as to go to the next waypoint (not shown) in the relative flight path R corresponding to the movement of the movement target T.

  At this time, even if an abnormality occurs in the airframe sensor 11 or the communication unit 12, the unmanned aircraft 1 moves based on the target movement schedule information D1 stored in advance as shown in FIG. Flight control is appropriately performed so as to go to the next waypoint (not shown) in the relative flight path R corresponding to the movement of T. However, it is assumed that the moving speed and moving direction X of the moving target T are stored as the target moving schedule information D1 without a large error.

Further, after this, when the airframe sensor 11 and the communication unit 12 return to normal, the unmanned aircraft 1 again receives any of the target movement information D2 to D4 acquired from them as shown in FIG. 5 (b). Based on the above, flight control is appropriately performed so as to go to the next waypoint (not shown) in the relative flight path R corresponding to the movement of the movement target T.
Therefore, even if the information accuracy of the target movement schedule information D1 is low and the relative positional relationship between the movement target T and the relative flight path R is slightly broken before the airframe sensor 11 and the communication unit 12 return to normal. By these normal returns, the unmanned aerial vehicle 1 can be caused to fly so as to return to the relative flight path R that is in an appropriate relative positional relationship with the movement target T.

[effect]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the movement amount of the relative flight path R is calculated based on the target movement schedule information D1 stored in advance in the storage unit 13 mounted on the aircraft, and the unmanned operation is performed based on the movement amount. The flight of the aircraft 1 is controlled.
Therefore, the unmanned aerial vehicle 1 can appropriately follow the movement target T without depending on the position information of the movement target T from the mounted device.

If the reliability of the target movement information D2 to D4 acquired during the flight of the unmanned aircraft 1 is determined and this reliability is affirmed, the target movement information D2 to D4 is selected, and the reliability If NO is selected, the pre-stored target movement information (target movement schedule information D1) is selected. Then, the movement amount of the relative flight path R is calculated based on the selected target movement information D, and the flight of the unmanned aircraft 1 is controlled based on the movement amount.
That is, when the target movement information D2 to D4 is normally acquired during the flight, the flight is appropriately controlled based on one of the target movement information D2 to D4, and the acquisition of the target movement information D2 to D4 is normal. If it is determined that it is not, flight control is performed based on pre-stored target movement schedule information D1.

  As a result, even if noise is superimposed on the signals of the target movement information D2 to D4 acquired during the flight or the signal itself is interrupted, the unmanned aircraft 1 can follow the movement target T in a stable flight state. The unmanned aircraft 1 can be made to follow the movement target T more preferably.

  In addition, the target movement information D2 to D4 acquired during the flight is determined in order from the information with higher accuracy unless one of them is selected, so the target movement information with higher information accuracy is preferential. As a result, the flight of the unmanned aircraft 1 can be controlled with higher accuracy.

  The embodiments to which the present invention can be applied are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the flight control apparatus 10 uses the body sensor 11 or the target movement information D2 by sensing, the target movement information D3 by data link, and the target movement information D4 by uplink as three types of target movement information. Although it can be acquired during flight by the communication unit 12, the flight control device 10 may not be configured to be able to acquire the target movement information. However, it is preferable that at least one of these three pieces of target movement information can be acquired, and it is more preferable that information having higher information accuracy can be acquired.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Unmanned aerial vehicle 10 Flight control apparatus 11 Airframe sensor (acquisition means)
12 Communication Department (Acquisition means)
13 Storage unit (storage means)
14 Control unit (selection means, calculation means, flight control means)
15 Flight mechanism 130 Flight control program D Target movement information D1 Target movement schedule information D2 Target movement information (by sensing)
D3 Target movement information (by data link)
D4 Target movement information (by uplink)
R Relative flight path T Moving target

Claims (7)

A flight control device for an unmanned aerial vehicle that is mounted on an unmanned aerial vehicle and follows a movement target while allowing the unmanned aircraft to fly along a predetermined relative flight path,
Storage means for storing in advance target movement information including the moving speed and moving direction of the moving target;
Calculation means for calculating a movement amount of the relative flight path based on the target movement information stored in the storage means;
Flight control means for controlling the flight of the unmanned aircraft based on the amount of movement calculated by the calculation means;
A flight control device for an unmanned aerial vehicle comprising: Obtaining means for obtaining the target movement information during the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle;
When the reliability of the target movement information acquired by the acquisition means is determined and the reliability is affirmed, the target movement information is selected, and when the reliability is denied, the reliability is stored in the storage means. Selecting means for selecting the target movement information,
With
The unmanned aircraft flight control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the calculation unit calculates a movement amount of the relative flight path based on the target movement information selected by the selection unit.   The acquisition means acquires at least one of the target movement information from sensing, a data link with another aircraft, and an uplink with a control station. The flight control device for an unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 2. The acquisition means acquires a plurality of the target movement information having different information accuracy,
The selection means includes
Unless one of the plurality of target movement information is selected, the reliability is sequentially determined from the target movement information with high information accuracy,
4. The unmanned aircraft flight control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the target movement information stored in the storage unit is selected when reliability of all of the plurality of target movement information is denied. 5. The acquisition means acquires a plurality of the target movement information by sensing, by a data link with another aircraft, and by an uplink with a control station,
The flight control apparatus for an unmanned aircraft according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of target movement information has high information accuracy in this order. A flight control method for an unmanned aerial vehicle that follows a moving target while flying a predetermined relative flight path to the unmanned aircraft,
Using storage means mounted in the unmanned aircraft and pre-stored with target movement information including the movement speed and direction of the movement target,
A calculation step of calculating a movement amount of the relative flight path based on the target movement information stored in the storage means;
A flight control step of controlling the flight of the unmanned aircraft based on the amount of movement calculated in the calculation step;
An unmanned aircraft flight control method comprising: A flight control program for an unmanned aerial vehicle that allows a unmanned aircraft to follow a moving target while flying a predetermined relative flight path,
In a flight control apparatus mounted on the unmanned aircraft, comprising storage means for storing in advance target movement information including the moving speed and moving direction of the moving target,
A calculation function for calculating a movement amount of the relative flight path based on the target movement information stored in the storage means;
A flight control function for controlling the flight of the unmanned aircraft based on the amount of movement calculated by the calculation function;
A flight control program for an unmanned aerial vehicle characterized in that

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