JP6678983B1 - Aircraft management server and management system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a management server and a management system which do not need to manually set a waypoint to at least a part of a flight route in the work of creating a flight route of an air vehicle. . A management server according to the present invention is a management server that is connected to a user terminal and a flying body via a network and manages the flight route of the flying body. A first flight route acquisition unit that acquires a first flight route from a flight start position to a target object from outside the management server, which is generated based on a diagram showing the bird's-eye view image on a plane, and information about the target object. A second flight route generation unit that generates a second flight route for obtaining the first flight route, and a third flight route generation unit that combines the first flight route and the second flight route to generate a third flight route. , A management server comprising. [Selection diagram] Figure 8

Description

  The present invention relates to an aircraft management server and management system.

  In recent years, aircrafts such as drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) (hereinafter collectively referred to as “aircraft”) have begun to be used in industry. Under such circumstances, Patent Document 1 discloses a system in which an object is sequentially imaged at a plurality of waypoints set in advance.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2014-089160

  However, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 described above, in order to create a flight route of an air vehicle, it is necessary to preset and store all waypoints by manual input or the like. Therefore, when the flight route becomes long, it becomes troublesome to set waypoints for the entire flight route, and it is not quick in a situation where the working time is limited especially. It was

  The present invention has been made in view of such a background, and particularly, in the work of creating a flight route of an air vehicle, it is not necessary to manually set a waypoint for at least a part of the flight route. The purpose is to provide a management server and a management system.

  A main invention of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problem is a management server which is connected to a user terminal and a flying body via a network, and manages a flight route of the flying body, which is imaged from a satellite or a flying body. A first flight route acquisition unit that acquires a first flight route from a flight start position to an object, which is generated based on a bird's-eye view image or a drawing showing the bird's-eye view image on a plane, and the target A second flight route generating unit for generating a second flight route for acquiring information about an object, and a third flight route for connecting the first flight route and the second flight route to generate a third flight route. A management server comprising: a generation unit.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a management server and a management system that do not need to manually set waypoints for at least a part of a flight route, particularly in the work of creating a flight route for an air vehicle. it can.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the management system concerning embodiment of this invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the management server in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the user terminal of FIG. 1. It is a block diagram which shows the hardware constitutions of the flying body of FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the function of the management server of FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a structure of a storage unit of FIG. 5. FIG. It is an example of a display screen according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is an example of a display screen according to an embodiment of the present invention. 6 is another example of the display screen according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 6 is another example of the display screen according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

The contents of the embodiments of the present invention will be listed and described. The flight management server and the flight management system according to the embodiment of the present invention have the following configurations.
[Item 1]
A management server, which is connected to a user terminal and an aircraft via a network, for managing flight routes of the aircraft,
First flight to obtain from the outside of the management server a first flight route from a flight start position to an object, which is generated based on a bird's-eye view image captured from a satellite or an air vehicle or a diagram showing the bird's-eye view image on a plane A route acquisition unit,
A second flight route generation unit that generates a second flight route for acquiring information about the object;
A third flight route generation unit that combines the first flight route and the second flight route to generate a third flight route;
A management server equipped with.
[Item 2]
The first flight route is a movement route along a route along which a moving body having a different form from the flying body or an animal including a human can move.
The management server according to item 1, which is characterized in that
[Item 3]
The object is an object that reaches the end of the plurality of objects,
The first flight route is a route through which other objects than the object that reaches the end of the plurality of objects are used as waypoints,
The management server is
Further comprising a flight route dividing unit that sequentially divides the first flight route from the flight start position for each of the waypoints,
The third flight route generation unit sequentially combines each of the divided first flight routes and the second flight route of each of the plurality of objects from the flight start position to obtain the third flight route. To generate,
The management server according to item 1 or 2, which is characterized in that
[Item 4]
The third flight route generation unit generates a plurality of flight routes as the third flight route,
The management server is
Further comprising a candidate flight route setting unit for setting each of the plurality of flight routes as a plurality of candidate flight routes selectable,
The management server according to items 1 to 3, characterized in that
[Item 5]
The candidate flight route setting unit sets each candidate flight route related information so as to display the plurality of candidate flight routes in a distinguishable manner on the user terminal,
The management server according to item 4, characterized in that
[Item 6]
The candidate flight route related information is color information,
Item 5. The management server according to item 5, which is characterized in that
[Item 7]
A route editing unit for changing a part of the third flight route to another route,
7. The management server according to items 1 to 6, characterized in that
[Item 8]
Further comprising a return route generation unit that generates a return route from the flight end point of the second flight route in the object to the flight start position or a flight end position different from the flight start position,
The third flight route further includes the return route,
The management server according to items 1 to 7, characterized in that
[Item 9]
The management server generates a third flight route based on the flight start position selected by the user terminal and the position of the object,
9. The management server according to items 1 to 8, characterized in that
[Item 10]
The second flight route is a route that turns around the center coordinates of the object,
Item 10. The management server according to items 1 to 9, characterized in that.
[Item 11]
A past flight route storage unit that stores the third flight route as a past flight route;
11. The management server according to items 1 to 10, further comprising: a past flight route calling unit that sets a past flight route stored in the past flight route storage unit as the third flight route. .
[Item 12]
The information is a still image or a moving image,
The management server according to items 1 to 11, characterized in that
[Item 13]
A management system for an aircraft, comprising a management server for managing a flight route of the aircraft, which is connected to a user terminal and the aircraft via a network,
The management server is;
A first flight route from a flight start position to an object, which is generated based on a bird's-eye view image captured from a satellite or a flying object or a diagram showing the bird's-eye view image on a plane, is acquired from outside the management server;
Creating a second flight route for obtaining information about the object;
Combining the first flight route and the second flight route to generate a third flight route;
Management system.

<Details of the embodiment>
Hereinafter, regarding the management server and the management system for an unmanned aerial vehicle according to the embodiments of the present invention, an embodiment of the management system (hereinafter referred to as “the present system”) will be described in particular. In the accompanying drawings, the same or similar reference numerals and names are given to the same or similar elements, and redundant description of the same or similar elements may be omitted in the description of each embodiment. Further, the features shown in each embodiment can be applied to other embodiments as long as they do not contradict each other.

<Structure>
As shown in FIG. 1, the present system includes a management server 1, a plurality of user terminals 2 and 3, one or more flying bodies 4, and one or more flying body storage devices 5. The management server 1, the user terminals 2 and 3, the flying object 4, and the flying object storage device 5 are communicably connected to each other via a network. Note that the illustrated configuration is an example, and the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the configuration may be such that the user does not have the aircraft storage device 5 and is carried by a user.

<Management server 1>
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration of the management server 1. Note that the illustrated configuration is an example, and other configurations may be included.

  As shown in the figure, the management server 1 is connected to the plurality of user terminals 2, 3 and the flying body 4 and the flying body storage device 5, and constitutes a part of the present system. The management server 1 may be a general-purpose computer such as a workstation or a personal computer, or may be logically realized by cloud computing.

  The management server 1 includes at least a processor 10, a memory 11, a storage 12, a transmission / reception unit 13, an input / output unit 14, and the like, and these are electrically connected to each other through a bus 15.

  The processor 10 is an arithmetic device that controls the overall operation of the management server 1, controls the transmission and reception of data between each element, and executes information processing necessary for execution of applications and authentication processing. For example, the processor 10 is a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and executes a program or the like for this system stored in the storage 12 and expanded in the memory 11 to execute each information processing.

  The memory 11 includes a main memory configured by a volatile storage device such as a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) and an auxiliary storage configured by a non-volatile storage device such as a flash memory or an HDD (Hard Disc Drive). . The memory 11 is used as a work area or the like of the processor 10, and stores a basic input / output system (BIOS) executed when the management server 1 is started, various kinds of setting information, and the like.

  The storage 12 stores various programs such as application programs. A database that stores data used for each process may be built in the storage 12.

  The transmission / reception unit 13 connects the management server 1 to the network and the block chain network. The transmission / reception unit 13 may include short-range communication interfaces such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) and BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy).

  The input / output unit 14 is an information input device such as a keyboard and a mouse, and an output device such as a display.

  The bus 15 is commonly connected to the above-mentioned elements and transmits, for example, an address signal, a data signal and various control signals.

<User terminals 2, 3>
The user terminals 2 and 3 shown in FIG. 3 also include a processor 20, a memory 21, a storage 22, a transmission / reception unit 23, an input / output unit 24, and the like, which are electrically connected to each other via a bus 25. Since the function of each element can be configured similarly to the management server 1 described above, detailed description of each element is omitted.

<Aircraft 4>
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the flying body 4. The flight controller 41 can have one or more processors, such as programmable processors (eg, central processing units (CPU)).

  The flight controller 41 has a memory 411 and can access the memory. Memory 411 stores logic, code, and / or program instructions executable by the flight controller to perform one or more steps. The flight controller 41 may also include sensors 412 such as an inertial sensor (acceleration sensor, gyro sensor), GPS sensor, proximity sensor (e.g., rider).

  The memory 411 may include, for example, a separable medium such as an SD card or a random access memory (RAM) or an external storage device. The data obtained from the cameras / sensors 42 may be directly transmitted to and stored in the memory 411. For example, the still image / moving image data taken by a camera or the like may be recorded in the internal memory or the external memory, but the invention is not limited to this, and at least the management server 1 or It may be recorded in one of the user terminals 2 and 3 and the flying object storage device 5. The camera 42 is installed on the flying body 4 via a gimbal 43.

The flight controller 41 includes a control module (not shown) configured to control the state of the air vehicle. For example, the control module may adjust the spatial arrangement, velocity, and / or acceleration of a vehicle having 6 degrees of freedom (translational motions x, y and z, and rotational motions θ _x , θ _y and θ _z ). , ESC44 (Electric Speed Controller) to control the propulsion mechanism (motor 45, etc.) of the air vehicle. The propeller 46 is rotated by the motor 45 supplied from the battery 48, and lift of the flying object is generated. The control module can control one or more of the states of the mount and sensors.

  The flight controller 41 is configured to send and / or receive data from one or more external devices (eg, transceiver (prop) 49, terminal, display, or other remote controller). It can communicate with the unit 47. The transceiver 49 can use any suitable communication means such as wired communication or wireless communication.

  For example, the transmitting / receiving unit 47 uses one or more of a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), infrared rays, wireless, WiFi, a point-to-point (P2P) network, a telecommunication network, cloud communication, and the like. can do.

  The transmission / reception unit 47 transmits and / or receives one or more of data acquired by the sensors 42, a processing result generated by the flight controller 41, predetermined control data, a user command from a terminal or a remote controller. be able to.

  The sensors 42 according to the present embodiment may include an inertial sensor (acceleration sensor, gyro sensor), a GPS sensor, a proximity sensor (eg, rider), or a vision / image sensor (eg, camera).

<Management server functions>
FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating functions implemented in the management server 1. In the present embodiment, the management server 1 includes the communication unit 110, the flight mission generation unit 120, the first flight route acquisition unit 130, the flight route division unit 140, the past flight route calling unit 150, the storage unit 160, and the report generation unit. 170 is provided. The flight mission generation unit 120 includes a second flight route generation unit 121, a third flight route generation unit 123, a candidate flight route setting unit 125, a route editing unit 127, and a return route generation unit 129. The storage unit 160 also includes various databases of a flight route storage unit 162, a flight log storage unit 164, and an interface information storage unit 166. Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the flight route storage unit 162 includes a first flight route storage unit 1621, a second flight route storage unit 1623, a third flight route storage unit 1625, a return route storage unit 1627, and a past flight route storage unit. Includes section 1629.

  The communication unit 110 communicates with the user terminals 2 and 3, the flying body 4, and the flying body storage device 5. The communication unit 110 also functions as a reception unit that receives a flight request from the user terminals 2 and 3. It should be noted that the flight request may include any one of the flight location, the flight purpose, and the number of flying objects.

  The flight mission generation unit 120 generates a flight mission. The flight mission includes at least a flight route. The flight route is generated as a third flight route by the third flight route generation unit 123 with reference to the first flight route storage unit 1621 and the second flight route storage unit 1623. The first flight route will be described later. The second flight route is generated by the second flight route generation unit 121, and is automatically set by setting the target turning radius, the number of waypoints (WP) during turning, etc., as shown in FIG. 7, for example. The configuration may be generated, or the configuration may be such that a preset route and / or waypoint is called, or the waypoint is manually set according to the shape of the object or the route length or working time of the second flight route. You may do it. Although the second flight route is the turning route as a specific example of the present embodiment, the route is not limited to this and may be an arbitrarily generated route.

  The third flight route generation unit 123 generates a third flight route by combining the first flight route and the second flight route. As one concrete example of generation, each flight route is composed of a plurality of waypoints (including position coordinate information), and the closest waypoints (position coordinates) of the first flight route and the second flight route are included. ), The third flight route can be generated such that the two flight routes are continuously flown with each other as a connection point, but the present invention is not limited to this.

  When there are a plurality of first flight routes searched or generated as described later, the candidate flight route setting unit 125 generates a third flight route corresponding to each of the first flight routes. Each can be selected and set as multiple candidate flight routes. As a more specific example, for example, as shown in FIG. 10, the flight time of each candidate flight route is displayed, and the candidate flight route related information (for example, color information) is selected so that each route can be selected. Etc. is set, and the user can select any flight route.

  After the third flight route is generated and selected by the user as described above, the route editing unit 127 changes a part of the route to a desired route according to the instruction of the user as necessary. As a result, if the first flight route searched or generated by the method described below does not meet all the route conditions, or if you want to create a new flight route based on the third flight route used in the past as described below. It is possible to generate a flight route modified by the user as a final flight route even in (for example, increasing or decreasing the number of objects based on the previous flight result).

  The return route generation unit 129 generates a return route from the flight end point of the second flight route in the object to the flight start position or a flight end position different from the flight start position, and stores it in the return route storage unit 1627. . This return route is combined with the first flight route and the second flight route when the third flight route is generated by the third flight route generation unit 123. The return route generation unit 129 is not necessarily provided, and for example, the flight start position may be automatically set as the flight end position, or the return route generation unit 129 may be acquired from the outside of the management server 1 as in the first flight route. It may be configured.

  Note that the flight route may have a configuration in which, for example, the position where the aircraft is carried by the user is set as the flight start position without the aircraft storage device 5, or the user collects the aircraft at the flight end position. Then, based on the information (for example, position information, storage state information, storage machine information, etc.) of the flying body storage device 5 managed by the management server 1, the flying body storage device selected as the flight start position or the flight end position. The configuration may be such that it is generated as a flight route including the positions of 5 as well.

  The first flight route acquisition unit 130 acquires the first flight route generated outside the management server 1 via the communication unit 110 and stores it in the first flight route storage unit 1621. The first flight route is based on, for example, a bird's-eye view image captured from a satellite or an air vehicle (for example, satellite photograph or aerial photograph) or a diagram showing the bird's-eye view image on a plane (for example, map or route map). It was generated. As a more specific example, the first flight route is a movement route along a route in which a moving body having a different form from the flying body or an animal including a human can move (for example, a roadway, railroad track, route, sidewalk, mountain road). , Beast roads, etc.). For example, the travel route may include a flight start position, a transit position, an object position, and the like based on the above-described images and drawings, using an API (Application Programming Interface) or application software on the user terminals 2 and 3. If specified, the position information is transmitted to an external server or the like (not shown) directly or via the management server 1 via the network NW, and a route on which the mobile body can move based on the position information is searched for, The result is transmitted to the management server 1. The management server 1 can acquire the route of the search result as the first flight route and store it in the first flight route storage unit 1621. As a result, it is not necessary to manually set all the waypoints for the movement route to the object, and thus the work load and work time are reduced. Further, since the aircraft flies on the moving route, it is possible to obtain not only the information on the target object but also the information on the moving route to the target object. Therefore, for example, it can be used in various situations such as confirmation of the traffic congestion on the road to the target object, confirmation of the route condition to the target object at the time of disaster, and mountain road search at the time of searching for a victim. The acquired information on the movement route at this time may be a moving image, or may be an imaged image of waypoints automatically generated in an appropriate number.

  Further, in the above-described specific example, it is possible to reduce the load on the management server 1 by performing a route search outside the management server 1. However, if the storage capacity and processing capacity of the management server 1 permit, management can be performed. It is also possible to perform a route search within the server 1. Furthermore, in the above-described specific example, the moving route along the route in which the moving body different from the flying body or the animal including the human can move is set as the first flight route. It may be a route obtained by image recognition (for example, a ridge of a mountain range, a fence, a roof, an electric wire, etc.), or a general search method (for example, Dijkstra method, best priority search, A algorithm, etc.), AI, etc. Any route that can be searched using is applicable.

  When there are a plurality of objects, the flight route dividing unit 140 uses the first flight route that passes through the other objects, excluding the object that reaches the end of the plurality of objects, as a via point, and the flight start position. To be sequentially divided for each waypoint. In accordance with this, the third flight route generation unit sequentially combines the divided first flight routes and the second flight routes of each of the plurality of objects from the flight start position, thereby performing the third flight. Generate a route.

  The past flight route calling unit 150 refers to the past flight route storage unit 1629 and calls the past flight route as the third flight route. The third flight route generated in the past is stored in the past flight route storage unit 1629 manually or automatically. A part of the past flight route can be changed by the route editing unit 127 before or after the call.

  The interface information storage unit 166 stores various control information to be displayed on the display unit (display or the like) of the user terminals 2 and 3.

  The report generation unit 170 generates report information to be transmitted to the user terminals 2 and 3 based on the flight log storage unit 164. In the present embodiment, for example, it is acquired by the flying body 4 on the flight route (on the first flight route and / or on the second flight route) set in the flight mission and / or on the return route. Information (still image, moving image, voice, and other information) is accumulated in the flight log storage unit 164.

  A specific display example of the present system will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. 7 and 8 assume that there is one target. First, as shown in FIG. 7, on the left side of the display screen, parameters such as the flight speed and altitude of the flying object, the turning radius of the object, the number of waypoints (WP) during turning, etc. may be settable. On the image, the flight start position (illustration of drone) and the target position (number 1) may be selectable by a pointer or touch operation. Then, on the lower left side of the display screen, even if a route creation button for starting route creation based on the selected flight start position and object position, a route call button for calling a route created in the past, etc. are arranged. Good.

  Next, in FIG. 8, the acquired first flight route is a portion indicated by a solid line, the generated second flight route is a portion indicated by a dotted line, and the generated return route is one point. Although it is the part shown by the chain line, on the actual display screen, it is not necessary to divide the route display in this way, and it is displayed continuously as a solid line of a predetermined color as the third flight route. May be. As shown in FIG. 8, a route edit button for changing a part of the generated third flight route, a route save button for saving the third flight route in the past flight route storage unit 1629, and an aircraft A route execution button or the like for starting the flight of the third flight route may be arranged.

  A specific display example of the present system will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10. 9 and 10, it is assumed that there are two targets and there are two first flight routes. First, as shown in FIG. 9, on the left side of the display screen, parameters such as the speed and altitude of the flying object, the turning radius of the object, the number of waypoints (WP) during turning, etc. may be settable. On the image, the flight start position (illustration of the drone), the object position (numbers 1 and 2), and the flight end position (illustration of the flying object storage device) may be selectable by a pointer or touch operation. Then, on the lower left side of the display screen, even if a route creation button for starting route creation based on the selected flight start position and object position, a route call button for calling a route created in the past, etc. are arranged. Good.

  Next, in FIG. 10, the acquired first flight route is the part indicated by the solid line, the generated second flight route is the part indicated by the dotted line, and the generated return route is one point. Although it is the part shown by the chain line, on the actual display screen, it is not necessary to divide the route display in this way, and it is displayed continuously as a solid line of a predetermined color as the third flight route. May be. Further, as shown in FIG. 10, when there are a plurality of third flight routes, they are displayed as candidate flight routes 1 and 2 together with each flight time, and each route is displayed in a different color so that they can be selected. Good. Further, as shown in FIG. 10, a route edit button for changing a part of the generated third flight route, a route save button for saving the third flight route in the past flight route storage unit 1629, A route execution button or the like for the aircraft to start flying the third flight route may be arranged.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The flying object of the present invention can be used in airplane-related industries such as multicopter drones, and further, the present invention can be preferably used as an aerial imaging flying object equipped with a camera and the like. It can also be used in various industries such as security field, agriculture, infrastructure monitoring, surveying, inspection of sports venues such as golf courses and tennis courts, inspection of roofs of buildings such as factories and warehouses, disaster response, and disaster response.

  The above-described embodiments are merely examples for facilitating the understanding of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the interpretation of the present invention. It goes without saying that the present invention can be modified and improved without departing from the spirit thereof and that the present invention includes equivalents thereof.

1 Management Server 2 User Terminal 4 Aircraft

Claims (13)

A management server, which is connected to a user terminal and an aircraft via a network, for managing flight routes of the aircraft,
A communication unit for transmitting position information including at least the position of the target object acquired from the user terminal to the outside of the management server;
A first flight route acquisition unit that acquires a first flight route from a flight start position to an object, which is generated based on position information including at least the position of the object acquired from the user terminal, from outside the management server;
A second flight route generation unit that generates a second flight route for acquiring information about the object based on position information including at least the position of the object acquired from the user terminal ;
A third flight route generation unit that combines the first flight route and the second flight route to generate a third flight route;
A management server equipped with. The first flight route is a movement route along a route along which a moving body having a different form from the flying body or an animal including a human can move.
The management server according to claim 1, wherein: The object is an object that reaches the end of the plurality of objects,
The first flight route is a route through which other objects than the object that reaches the end of the plurality of objects are used as waypoints,
The management server is
Further comprising a flight route dividing unit that sequentially divides the first flight route from the flight start position for each of the waypoints,
The third flight route generation unit sequentially combines each of the divided first flight routes and the second flight route of each of the plurality of objects from the flight start position to obtain the third flight route. To generate,
The management server according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that. The third flight route generation unit generates a plurality of flight routes as the third flight route,
The management server is
Further comprising a candidate flight route setting unit for setting each of the plurality of flight routes as a plurality of candidate flight routes selectable,
The management server according to claim 1, wherein: The candidate flight route setting unit sets each candidate flight route related information so as to display the plurality of candidate flight routes in a distinguishable manner on the user terminal,
The management server according to claim 4, wherein: The candidate flight route related information is color information,
The management server according to claim 5, wherein: A route editing unit for changing a part of the third flight route to another route,
The management server according to claim 1, wherein: Further comprising a return route generation unit that generates a return route from the flight end point of the second flight route in the object to the flight start position or a flight end position different from the flight start position,
The third flight route further includes the return route,
The management server according to claim 1, wherein: The management server generates a third flight route based on the flight start position selected by the user terminal and the position of the object,
The management server according to claim 1, wherein: The second flight route is a route that turns around the center coordinates of the object,
The management server according to claim 1, wherein: A past flight route storage unit that stores the third flight route as a past flight route;
The management server according to claim 1, further comprising: a past flight route calling unit configured to set the past flight route stored in the past flight route storage unit as the third flight route. server. The information is a still image or a moving image,
The management server according to claim 1, wherein: A management system for an aircraft, comprising a management server for managing a flight route of the aircraft, which is connected to a user terminal and the aircraft via a network,
The management server is;
A communication unit for transmitting position information including at least the position of the target object acquired from the user terminal to the outside of the management server;
A first flight route from the flight start position to the target object, which is generated based on position information including at least the position of the target object acquired from the user terminal, is acquired from outside the management server;
Generate a second flight route for acquiring information about the object based on position information including at least the position of the object acquired from the user terminal ;
Combining the first flight route and the second flight route to generate a third flight route;
Management system.

Images