JP7187504B2 - Control device, program, system, and control method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to control devices, programs, systems, and control methods.

Patent Literature 1 describes a technique for controlling movement of an unmanned aircraft so as not to enter a DID (Densely Inhabited District).
[Prior art documents]
[Patent Literature]
[Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6656459

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

The flight plan control unit may determine flight plan candidates from the departure point to the destination point of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and the output control unit may control to display and output the flight plan candidates. . The data acquisition unit may acquire a flight plan of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and the flight plan control unit may determine whether the population density is predetermined when the unmanned aerial vehicle flies according to the flight plan acquired by the data acquisition unit. The flight plan may be changed in response to determining to fly over a high-density area higher than a set threshold. The flight plan controller may change the flight route of the flight plan so that the unmanned aerial vehicle does not fly over the high density area. The flight path determining unit may change the flight time of the flight plan so that the unmanned aerial vehicle does not fly over the high density area. The data acquisition unit may acquire vehicle movement data relating to vehicle movement, and the flight path control unit may determine a flight plan for the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the people flow data and the vehicle movement data. The data acquisition unit may continuously acquire the people flow data while the unmanned aerial vehicle is flying according to the flight plan, and the flight plan control unit may control the unmanned aerial vehicle to operate according to a predetermined population density. The unmanned aerial vehicle may change the flight plan in response to determining to fly over a high density area higher than a threshold. When the unmanned aerial vehicle is surrounded by the high-density areas during flight, the flight plan control unit instructs the unmanned aerial vehicle to fly over a high-density area having a lower priority among the high-density areas. The flight plan may be changed to allow The control device may be mounted on the unmanned aerial vehicle, and the data acquisition unit may generate the people flow data based on radio waves received by the unmanned aerial vehicle.

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

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

According to one embodiment of the disclosed invention, a system is provided. A system may comprise the controller and the unmanned aerial vehicle.

According to one embodiment of the disclosed invention, a computer-implemented control method is provided. The control method may comprise a data acquisition step of acquiring people flow data. The control method may comprise determining, based on the people flow data, a flight plan including a flight path from the departure point to the destination point of the unmanned aerial vehicle. The control method may comprise an output control step of controlling to output the flight plan.

According to one embodiment of the disclosed invention, a computer-implemented control method is provided. The control method may comprise a data acquisition step of continuously acquiring people flow data while the unmanned aerial vehicle is flying according to the flight plan. The control method may comprise modifying a flight plan of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the people flow data.

It should be noted that the above summary of the invention does not list all the necessary features of the invention. Subcombinations of these feature groups can also be inventions.

An example system 10 is shown schematically. An example of the functional composition of operation management part 100 is shown roughly. An example of the flow of processing by the operation management part 100 is shown roughly. An example of the flow of processing by the operation management part 100 is shown roughly. An example of a flight path 522 determined by the flight plan controller 104 is schematically shown. An example of a flight path 524 determined by the flight plan controller 104 is schematically shown. An example of flight path 526 determined by flight plan control 104 is schematically shown. An example of the configuration of an unmanned aerial vehicle 400 is shown schematically. An example of the functional configuration of the control device 430 is shown schematically. An example of the hardware configuration of the computer 1200 which functions as the operation management part 100 or the control apparatus 430 is shown roughly.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described through embodiments of the invention, but the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. Also, not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential for the solution of the invention.

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an example system 10 . System 10 may comprise an operations management system 20 . System 10 may comprise unmanned aerial vehicle 400 . System 10 may include multiple unmanned aerial vehicles 400 .

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

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

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

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

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

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

Information provider 300 may include communication information provider 330 . The communication information providing unit 330 may provide information on the radio wave usage status in the airspace in which the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 flies.

The information provider 300 may include a weather information provider 340 . The weather information providing unit 340 provides meteorological observation information and forecast information that affect the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400, such as wind (wind direction, wind speed, etc.), precipitation, temperature, and atmospheric pressure in the airspace in which the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 flies. you can

The information provider 300 may include a people flow data provider 350 . The people flow data providing unit 350 may provide people flow data. The people flow data may be data indicating the population of each place for each hour. People flow data may be data indicating when, where, and how many people are present. People flow data may be generated based on location information of mobile communication terminals, for example. Specifically, the people flow data may be generated, for example, based on location information of mobile communication terminals, such as mobile phones, collected via applications installed in the mobile communication terminals. In addition, information for generating people flow data is not particularly limited. For example, the people flow data may be generated based on moving image information such as surveillance camera footage. For example, people flow data may be generated based on the number of users of public transportation.

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

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

The people flow data provider 350 may provide vehicle movement data relating to vehicle movement. The people flow data providing unit 350 may, for example, collect position information measured by a positioning sensor mounted on a vehicle and generate vehicle movement data. The people flow data providing unit 350 may collect vehicle location information from a management system that manages vehicles. The people flow data provider 350 may receive location information from a communication device mounted on a vehicle. The people flow data providing unit 350 may generate vehicle movement data based on the operation schedule for vehicles such as trains and buses that have a fixed operation schedule.

The operation management unit 100 may use the information provided by the information providing unit 300 to determine a flight plan including the flight route from the departure point to the destination point of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 . For example, when the departure point and destination point of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 are specified, the operation management unit 100 may determine and propose a flight plan including a flight route from the departure point to the destination point. In addition, for example, the operation management unit 100 receives an application for a flight plan including a flight route, evaluates whether the flight plan is safe, and changes the flight plan according to the evaluation result. A flight plan may be determined.

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

Unmanned aerial vehicle 400 may communicate with fleet management system 20 via a wireless connection. Unmanned aerial vehicle 400 may communicate with traffic management system 20 using, for example, cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, and the like.

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

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

Further, for example, the operation management unit 100 may change the flight time when the identified flight route includes the sky above the high-density area. The operation management unit 100 may determine, for example, a flight plan that flies in a time zone that does not fly over the high-density area by changing the flight time. For example, the operation management unit 100 may first refer to past people flow data to estimate future people flow data. For example, the operation management unit 100 may determine whether or not the flight route includes the sky above the high-density area, based on future people flow data. For example, when the flight management unit 100 determines that the flight route does not include the sky above the high-density area by shifting the departure time later, the flight management unit 100 may determine a flight plan with the later departure time. In addition, for example, when the operation management unit 100 refers to future people flow data and determines that the high-density area can be eliminated by making the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 wait in a certain area for a predetermined period of time, it makes the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 wait. A flight plan, including areas and waiting times, may be determined.

Note that the operation management unit 100 may appropriately combine the change of the flight route and the change of the flight time to determine a flight plan that does not fly over high-density areas.

Conventionally, flight plans have been generated under some restrictions, such as avoidance of densely populated areas (DID) defined by the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan, prohibition of flights beyond visual line of sight, and the like.

However, the DID is set based on the population density calculated based on the national census that is conducted once every few years, and does not reflect changes in the population over time. Therefore, even outside the DID, there is a possibility that an area with a high population density will occur temporarily. For example, in the case of a park or the like, an event or the like may temporarily create a densely populated area. In addition, there is also the possibility that an area in which the population is temporarily dispersed will occur even within the DID. For example, in a commuter town or the like, the population decreases during the daytime on weekdays, and there may be areas where the population is temporarily dispersed. Therefore, according to the conventional automatic navigation system, when the unmanned aerial vehicle is automatically navigated based on the DID, there is a possibility that the unmanned aircraft may fly over the densely populated area unintentionally. In addition, according to the conventional automatic navigation system, there was a possibility that the aircraft would fly on a route that avoids areas that do not need to be avoided.

In contrast, the operation management unit 100 according to one embodiment can generate a flight plan based on people flow data. According to this, the system 10 according to one embodiment can reduce the possibility of unintentionally flying over a densely populated area when the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 is automatically navigated. That is, system 10 according to one embodiment may provide a relatively safe flight plan. Also, the system 10 according to one embodiment can reduce the possibility of flying a route that avoids areas that do not need to be avoided. That is, the system 10 according to one embodiment may improve airspace efficiency and energy efficiency.

For example, when the system 10 according to one embodiment flies an unmanned aerial vehicle from point A to point B out of visual line of sight and fully automated for logistics purposes, on the route from point A to point B at the scheduled flight time You can predict the flow of people from past statistics. In this case, for example, based on the predicted flow of people, the system 10 according to one embodiment avoids any areas with high population density during the time zone when the unmanned aircraft approaches, and flies in areas with low population density as much as possible and in the shortest time. You may automatically generate a flight plan that allows you to fly with

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

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

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

Flight plan controller 104 may perform control related to the flight plan of unmanned aerial vehicle 400 . The flight plan control unit 104 may determine a flight plan including a flight route from the departure point to the destination point of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 based on the people flow data acquired by the data acquisition unit 102 .

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

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

The flight plan control unit 104 may perform safety evaluation on the flight plan of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 acquired by the data acquisition unit 102 . The flight plan control unit 104 may determine whether the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 flies over the high-density area when flying according to the flight plan. The flight plan control unit 104 may determine that the flight is unsafe if it determines that the flight will fly over the high-density area. The flight plan control unit 104 may change the flight plan in response to the determination to fly over the high density area. The flight plan control unit 104 may change the flight route, for example, so as not to fly over high-density areas. Thereby, the system 10 according to one embodiment can propose a relatively safe flight route to the operator 30 for the flight route including the sky over the high density area. That is, the system 10 according to one embodiment may reduce the likelihood of human injury when the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 crashes. In addition, the system 10 according to one embodiment can avoid flying over high-density areas without changing the flight time by changing the flight path, which is advantageous for operators 30 with many time constraints. Can propose a plan.

Further, the flight plan control unit 104 may change the flight time of the flight plan so as not to fly over the high-density area, for example. This allows the system 10 according to one embodiment to suggest relatively safe flight times to the operator 30 for flight paths that include over high-density areas. That is, the system 10 according to one embodiment may reduce the likelihood of human injury when the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 crashes. Also, since the system 10 according to an embodiment can avoid flying over high-density areas without changing the flight path by changing the flight time, changing the path consumes more energy. It is possible to prevent the flight time from becoming too long.

Here, for example, if an unmanned aerial vehicle collides with a train, it may threaten the safety of passengers and greatly affect the traffic schedule. Alternatively, the flight plan control unit 104 may determine the flight plan of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 further based on the vehicle movement data acquired by the data acquisition unit 102 . Flight plan controller 104 may, for example, determine a flight plan such that unmanned aerial vehicle 400 does not fly over high density areas and over vehicles. As such, system 10 according to one embodiment may reduce the likelihood of hitting a vehicle if unmanned aerial vehicle 400 crashes. That is, the system 10 according to one embodiment can contribute to safety and smooth traffic.

The flight plan control unit 104 may determine the flight plan of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 further based on the weather information acquired by the data acquisition unit 102 . The flight plan controller 104 may, for example, determine a flight plan so that the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 does not fly over high density areas and bad weather areas. Further, the flight plan control unit 104 may determine the flight plan by predicting congestion along public transportation lines and roadsides based on the map information and weather information acquired by the data acquisition unit 102 . The flight plan control unit 104 may, for example, determine a flight plan so as not to fly over roadsides and railroads of public transportation that are expected to be congested.

Flight plan controller 104 may determine a flight plan for unmanned aerial vehicle 400 further based on any other information. For example, the data acquisition unit 102 may acquire event-related information from a server that provides event-related information on the Internet. Then, based on the event-related information, the flight plan control unit 104 anticipates that the areas along the railway lines at the event venue will be congested when the event is held, and determines a flight plan so as not to fly over the areas along the railway lines that are expected to be congested. You can The flight plan control unit 104 may determine a flight route that does not conflict with the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 based on the flight plans of other unmanned aerial vehicles 400 .

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

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

Flight monitor 110 may monitor the flight of unmanned aerial vehicle 400 . The flight monitor 110 may monitor the flight of the target unmanned aerial vehicle 400 in response to a request from the operator 30 . Flight monitor 110 may monitor unmanned aerial vehicle 400 as it flies according to a flight plan determined by flight plan controller 104 .

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

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

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

In step (the step may be abbreviated as S) 102 , the data acquisition unit 102 acquires the flight plan from the operator 30 . In S<b>104 , the data acquisition unit 102 acquires the flight route included in the flight plan and the people flow data corresponding to the area around the flight route from the people flow data providing unit 350 .

In S106, the flight plan control unit 104 determines whether the flight route of the flight plan acquired by the data acquisition unit 102 in S102 is safe. The flight plan controller 104 may determine that the flight path is unsafe if it includes over a high density area. If it is determined to be unsafe, the process proceeds to S108, and if determined to be safe, the process proceeds to S112. In S112, the output control unit 106 notifies the operator 30 of flight permission.

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

FIG. 4 schematically shows an example of the flow of processing by the operation management unit 100. As shown in FIG. Here, the flow of processing when the operation management unit 100 monitors the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 in flight and changes the flight plan midway as necessary in response to the flow of people that change in real time is shown.

In S202, the data acquisition unit 102 acquires the flight plan that the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 is following. The data acquisition unit 102 may acquire the flight plan from the unmanned aerial vehicle 400, for example. When the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 is flying according to the flight plan determined by the flight plan control unit 104, the data acquisition unit 102 may acquire the flight plan. In S<b>204 , the data acquisition unit 102 acquires the flight route included in the flight plan and the people flow data corresponding to the area around the flight route from the people flow data providing unit 350 .

In S206, the flight plan control unit 104 determines whether the flight route is safe. The flight plan controller 104 may determine that the flight path is unsafe if it includes over a high density area. If it is determined to be unsafe, the process proceeds to S208, and if it is determined to be safe, the process proceeds to S212.

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

In S212, the flight monitoring unit 110 determines whether the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 has ended. If it is determined that the process has not ended, the process returns to S<b>204 and the data acquiring unit 102 acquires new people flow data from the people flow data providing unit 350 . The data acquisition unit 102 may acquire people flow data corresponding to the entire flight route, or may acquire people flow data corresponding to a flight route excluding a portion already flown.

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

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

The flight plan control unit 104 may first identify the shortest route 520 for the departure point 512 and the destination point 514 acquired by the data acquisition unit 102 . The flight plan controller 104 may determine a flight path 522 that does not include the sky over the high density area 502 when the shortest route 520 includes the sky over the high density area 502 .

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

The data acquisition unit 102 may continuously acquire people flow data from the people flow data provider 350 while the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 is flying along the flight route 522 . In response to determining that flight path 522 includes the sky over high density area 502 , flight plan controller 104 may determine flight path 524 that does not include the sky over high density area 502 .

FIG. 7 schematically shows an example of flight path 526 determined by flight plan control 104 . When the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 is surrounded by high-density areas 502 during flight, the flight plan control unit 104 allows the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 to fly over a high-density area 502 with a lower priority among the high-density areas 502. You may change your flight plan to

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

For example, the flight plan controller 104 may assign a higher priority to the high-density area 502 as the risk to humans is higher. The flight plan controller 104 may give higher priority to high density areas 502 where a higher percentage of people are exposed to the sky, not inside buildings or the like. Information indicating whether or not a person is inside a building may be included in the people flow data, and the flight plan control unit 104 may determine based on map information or the like. This allows the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 to fly over the high density area 502 in which the percentage of people exposed to the sky is less in a situation where the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 has no choice but to fly over the high density area 502. In the unlikely event that the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 crashes, the possibility of a direct hit to a person can be reduced.

The flight plan controller 104 may prioritize the high density areas 502 according to what the person not exposed to the sky is located in. For example, the flight plan controller 104 may determine the priority of the high density areas 502 according to the magnitude of the impact when the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 collides. For example, it can be said that the degree of impact when the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 collides is highest in order of buildings, cars, and trains. The flight plan controller 104 may give higher priority to high density areas 502 with a higher percentage of people located on the train. As a result, in a situation where unmanned aerial vehicle 400 has to fly over high-density area 502, unmanned aerial vehicle 400 can fly a route with less impact in the event of a crash.

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

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

Camera 408 may image the surroundings of unmanned aerial vehicle 400 . Camera 408 may image the downward direction of unmanned aerial vehicle 400 . Camera 408 may image the horizontal direction of unmanned aerial vehicle 400 . Unmanned aerial vehicle 400 may include a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or an infrared sensor instead of camera 408 . Unmanned aerial vehicle 400 may also include more than one of camera 408, LiDAR, ultrasonic sensors, and infrared sensors. Note that the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 is not limited to these examples as long as it can recognize the surrounding environment.

Antenna unit 410 may be capable of performing cellular communication. Antenna unit 410 may be capable of performing Wi-Fi communication.

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

FIG. 9 schematically shows an example of the functional configuration of the control device 430. As shown in FIG. Controller 430 may include data acquisition section 432 , flight control section 434 , and flight plan control section 436 .

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

The data acquisition unit 432 may generate people flow data based on radio waves received by the antenna unit 410 . For example, the data acquisition unit 432 identifies the number of mobile communication terminals existing around the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 based on the radio waves received by the antenna unit 410, regards the positions of the mobile communication terminals as the positions of people, and determines the flow of people. data may be generated.

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

Flight plan controller 436 may perform control related to the flight plan of unmanned aerial vehicle 400 . The flight plan control unit 436 may determine a flight plan including a flight route from the departure point to the destination point of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 based on the people flow data acquired by the data acquisition unit 432 from the people flow data providing unit 350 . Flight plan controller 436 may determine the flight plan in a manner similar to flight plan controller 104 .

The flight plan controller 436 may determine a flight plan for the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 based on the people flow data generated by the data acquirer 432 . For example, while the flight control unit 434 is controlling the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 in accordance with the flight plan that the data acquisition unit 432 has acquired from the operation management unit 100, the flight plan control unit 436 detects the flow of people generated by the data acquisition unit 432. If it is determined by referring to the data that flying according to the flight plan acquired from the operation management unit 100 would result in flying over the high-density area due to changes in the flow of people, the flight is made so as not to fly over the high-density area. You can change your plans. In this way, the unmanned aerial vehicle 400 can realize a flight that more accurately reflects the local situation by changing the flight plan based on the people flow data generated based on the radio wave observation results.

FIG. 10 schematically shows an example of a hardware configuration of a computer 1200 functioning as the operation management section 100 or the control device 430. As shown in FIG. Programs installed on the computer 1200 cause the computer 1200 to act as one or more "parts" of the apparatus of the above embodiments, or cause the computer 1200 to operate or perform operations associated with the apparatus of the above embodiments. Multiple "units" can be executed and/or the computer 1200 can be caused to execute the processes or steps of the processes according to the above embodiments. Such programs may be executed by CPU 1212 to cause computer 1200 to perform certain operations associated with some or all of the blocks in the flowcharts and block diagrams described herein.

Computer 1200 , according to one embodiment, includes CPU 1212 , RAM 1214 , and graphics controller 1216 , which may be interconnected by host controller 1210 . Computer 1200 also includes communication interface 1222 , storage device 1224 , and input/output units such as DVD drive 1226 and IC card drive, which may be connected to host controller 1210 via input/output controller 1220 . Storage devices 1224 may be hard disk drives, solid state drives, and the like. Computer 1200 also includes legacy input/output units such as ROM 1230 and keyboard, which may be connected to input/output controller 1220 via input/output chip 1240 .

CPU 1212 may operate according to programs stored in ROM 1230 and RAM 1214, thereby controlling each unit. Graphics controller 1216 may retrieve image data generated by CPU 1212 into a frame buffer or the like provided in RAM 1214 or itself, and cause the image data to be displayed on display device 1218 .

Communication interface 1222 may communicate with other electronic devices over a network. Storage device 1224 may store programs and data used by CPU 1212 within computer 1200 . The IC card drive may read programs and data from the IC card and/or write programs and data to the IC card.

ROM 1230 may have stored therein, such as a boot program that is executed by computer 1200 upon activation, and/or programs that depend on the hardware of computer 1200 . Input/output chip 1240 may also connect various input/output units to input/output controller 1220 via USB ports, parallel ports, serial ports, keyboard ports, mouse ports, and the like.

The program may be provided by a computer-readable storage medium such as DVD-ROM 1227 or IC card. The program may be read from a computer-readable storage medium, installed in storage device 1224 , RAM 1214 , or ROM 1230 , which are also examples of computer-readable storage media, and executed by CPU 1212 . The information processing described within these programs can be read by computer 1200 to provide coordination between the programs and the various types of hardware resources described above. An apparatus or method may be configured by implementing information operations or processing according to the use of computer 1200 .

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

Also, the CPU 1212 may cause the RAM 1214 to read all or necessary portions of files or databases stored in external recording media such as the storage device 1224, the DVD drive 1226 (DVD-ROM 1227), and IC cards. CPU 1212 may then perform various types of processing on the data in RAM 1214 . CPU 1212 may then write back the processed data to an external recording medium.

Various types of information, such as various types of programs, data, tables, and databases, may be stored on recording media and subjected to information processing. CPU 1212 performs various types of operations on data read from RAM 1214, information processing, conditional decisions, conditional branching, unconditional branching, and information retrieval, which are described throughout this disclosure and are specified by instruction sequences of programs. Various types of processing may be performed, including /replace and the like. CPU 1212 may then write back the results to RAM 1214 . In addition, the CPU 1212 may search for information in a file in a recording medium, a database, or the like. For example, when a plurality of entries each having an attribute value of a first attribute associated with an attribute value of a second attribute are stored in the recording medium, the CPU 1212 selects the first attribute from among the plurality of entries. You may search for entries that match the conditions in which the attribute value of the attribute is specified. Then, the CPU 1212 reads the attribute value of the second attribute stored in the entry, thereby acquiring the attribute value of the second attribute associated with the first attribute that satisfies the predetermined condition. good.

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

The blocks in the flowcharts and block diagrams in one embodiment may represent steps in the process in which the operations are performed or "parts" of the apparatus responsible for performing the operations. Certain steps and "sections" may be provided with dedicated circuitry, programmable circuitry provided with computer readable instructions stored on a computer readable storage medium, and/or computer readable instructions provided with computer readable instructions stored on a computer readable storage medium. It may be implemented by a processor. Dedicated circuitry may include digital and/or analog hardware circuitry. Dedicated circuitry may include, for example, integrated circuits (ICs) and/or discrete circuitry. Programmable circuits, such as Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), Programmable Logic Arrays (PLAs), etc., perform AND, OR, EXCLUSIVE OR, NOT AND, NOT OR, and other logical operations. , flip-flops, registers, and memory elements.

A computer-readable storage medium may include any tangible device capable of storing instructions for execution by a suitable device. As a result, a computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon may comprise an article of manufacture including instructions that may be executed to create means for performing the operations specified in the flowcharts or block diagrams. Examples of computer-readable storage media may include electronic storage media, magnetic storage media, optical storage media, electromagnetic storage media, semiconductor storage media, and the like. More specific examples of computer readable storage media include floppy disks, diskettes, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM or flash memory) , electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), static random access memory (SRAM), compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disc (DVD), Blu-ray disc, memory stick , integrated circuit cards, and the like.

The computer readable instructions may be assembler instructions, Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state setting data, or object oriented programming such as Smalltalk, JAVA, C++, etc. language, and any combination of one or more programming languages, including conventional procedural programming languages, such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages. good.

Computer readable instructions are used to produce means for a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus, or programmable circuits to perform the operations specified in the flowchart or block diagrams. A general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processor, locally or over a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet, etc., to execute such computer readable instructions. It may be provided in the processor of the device or in a programmable circuit. A processor may be, for example, a computer processor, processing unit, microprocessor, digital signal processor, controller, microcontroller, or the like.

Although the invention according to the present disclosure has been described above using the embodiments, the technical scope of the invention according to the present disclosure is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications and improvements can be made to the above embodiments. It is clear from the description of the scope of claims that forms with such modifications or improvements can also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

The execution order of each process such as actions, procedures, steps, and stages in the devices, systems, programs, and methods shown in the claims, the specification, and the drawings is particularly "before", "before etc., and it should be noted that they can be implemented in any order unless the output of the previous process is used in the subsequent process. Regarding the operation flow in the claims, the specification, and the drawings, even if the description is made using "first," "next," etc. for convenience, it means that it is essential to carry out in this order. not a thing

10 system, 20 operation management system, 30 operator, 100 operation management unit, 102 data acquisition unit, 104 flight plan control unit, 106 output control unit, 110 flight monitoring unit, 200 operation management integration unit, 300 information provision unit, 310 airspace monitoring unit, 320 map information providing unit, 330 communication information providing unit, 340 weather information providing unit, 350 people flow data providing unit, 400 unmanned aerial vehicle, 402 main unit, 404 propeller, 406 leg, 408 camera, 410 antenna unit, 412 battery, 421 GNSS unit, 422 altitude sensor, 423 acceleration sensor, 424 gyro sensor, 430 controller, 500 mesh data, 502 high density area, 512 departure point, 514 destination point, 520 shortest path, 522 flight path, 524 flight path, 526 flight path, 1200 computer, 1210 host controller, 1212 CPU, 1214 RAM, 1216 graphic controller, 1218 display device, 1220 input/output controller, 1222 communication interface, 1224 storage device, 1226 DVD drive, 1227 DVD-ROM, 1230 ROM, 1240 input/output chip

Claims (15)

a data acquisition unit that acquires people flow data generated based on location information of a mobile communication terminal;
a flight plan control unit that determines a flight plan including a flight route from a departure point to a destination point of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the people flow data;
an output control unit that controls to output the flight plan ,
The data acquisition unit continuously acquires people flow data while the unmanned aerial vehicle is flying according to the flight plan,
The flight plan control unit assigns a higher priority to a high-density area where the population density is higher than a predetermined threshold, the higher the human risk is,
When the unmanned aerial vehicle is surrounded by the high-density areas during flight, the flight plan control unit instructs the unmanned aerial vehicle to fly over a high-density area having a lower priority among the high-density areas. altering the flight plan to fly;
Control device. 2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein said data acquisition unit acquires said people flow data generated by a communication carrier using base station location information and Wi-Fi location information. The flight plan control unit determines flight plan candidates from the departure point to the destination point of the unmanned aerial vehicle,
The control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the output control unit performs control to display and output the flight plan candidates. The data acquisition unit acquires a flight plan of the unmanned aerial vehicle,
The flight plan control unit determines that, when the unmanned aerial vehicle flies according to the flight plan acquired by the data acquisition unit, the unmanned aerial vehicle flies over a high-density area having a population density higher than a predetermined threshold. 4. A controller as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, adapted to modify the flight plan accordingly. 5. The controller of claim 4, wherein the flight plan controller changes the flight path of the flight plan so that the unmanned aerial vehicle does not fly over the high density area. 5. The controller of claim 4, wherein the flight plan controller changes the flight time of the flight plan so that the unmanned aerial vehicle does not fly over the high density area. The data acquisition unit acquires vehicle movement data relating to vehicle movement,
The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the flight plan control unit determines a flight plan for the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the people flow data and the vehicle movement data. 2. The controller of claim 1 , wherein the flight plan controller gives higher priority to the high density areas having a higher percentage of people exposed to the sky. 9. The controller of claim 8 , wherein the flight plan controller prioritizes the high density areas according to what a person not exposed to the sky is located in. The control device is mounted on the unmanned aerial vehicle,
The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 9 , wherein the data acquisition unit generates the people flow data based on radio waves received by the unmanned aerial vehicle. a data acquisition unit that continuously acquires people flow data generated based on the location information of the mobile communication terminal while the unmanned aerial vehicle is flying according to the flight plan;
a flight plan control unit that changes the flight plan of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the people flow data ;
The flight plan control unit assigns a higher priority to a high-density area where the population density is higher than a predetermined threshold, the higher the human risk is,
When the unmanned aerial vehicle is surrounded by the high-density areas during flight, the flight plan control unit instructs the unmanned aerial vehicle to fly over a high-density area having a lower priority among the high-density areas. altering the flight plan to fly;
Control device. A program for causing a computer to function as the control device according to any one of claims 1 to 11 . a control device according to any one of claims 1 to 11 ;
A system comprising: the unmanned aerial vehicle; A control method implemented by a computer, comprising:
a data acquisition step of continuously acquiring people flow data generated based on position information of mobile communication terminals while the unmanned aerial vehicle is flying according to the flight plan ;
determining a flight plan including a flight path from a departure point to a destination point of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the people flow data;
an output control step of controlling to output the flight plan ;
A high-density area with a population density higher than a predetermined threshold is given higher priority as the degree of danger to humans is higher, and when the unmanned aerial vehicle is surrounded by the high-density area during flight, a changing step of changing the flight plan so that the unmanned aerial vehicle flies over a high density area having a lower priority among the high density areas;
A control method comprising: A control method implemented by a computer, comprising:
a data acquisition step of continuously acquiring people flow data generated based on position information of mobile communication terminals while the unmanned aerial vehicle is flying according to the flight plan;
A changing step of giving higher priority to high-density areas where the population density is higher than a predetermined threshold and changing the flight plan of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the human flow data. and, when the unmanned aerial vehicle is surrounded by the high-density areas during flight, the unmanned aerial vehicle is caused to fly over a high-density area having a lower priority among the high-density areas. A control method comprising : a change step to change the flight plan .

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