JP7302431B2 - Measuring system and method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to measurement systems and methods.

Conventionally, measurement techniques using drones are known. For example, in Patent Document 1, a drone is sequentially moved to a plurality of predetermined measurement points, a measurement target is measured at each measurement point with a measuring instrument, and a plurality of measurement values obtained at the plurality of measurement points are obtained. is recorded in a storage device, and a distribution of the measured values is created based on the plurality of measured values and the positions of the plurality of measurement points.

JP 2019-90741 A

However, there is room for improvement in measurement technology using drones. For example, it is not always easy to perform measurements continuously for a long time due to problems such as the battery life of drones.

Accordingly, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a measurement system and a measurement method that can improve measurement techniques using drones.

A measurement system according to some embodiments includes a plurality of drones equipped with measuring instruments, and acquires measurement data from the measuring instruments by wirelessly communicating with the plurality of drones to obtain measurement results. wherein the data collection device is configured to measure data from measurements using a first measuring device onboard a first drone of the plurality of drones to a first one of the plurality of drones. When switching to the measurement using the second measuring device mounted on the second drone, the first measurement data by the first measuring device and the second measurement data by the second measuring device , a process for ensuring the continuity of the measurement results before and after the switching is performed.

In this way, the data collection device ensures the continuity of the measurement results before and after the switching of the measurement described above, so that the measurement using the drone can be performed continuously for a long time.

In one embodiment, the plurality of drones may perform communication load reduction processing on the measurement data.

Thereby, the communication load can be reduced.

In one embodiment, the data collection device performs the wireless communication with the plurality of drones via processing devices mounted on the plurality of drones, and the processing device reduces communication load with respect to the measurement data. Reduction processing may be performed.

Thereby, the communication load can be reduced.

In one embodiment, the data collection device may perform the wireless communication with the drone via at least one relay device.

Thus, the communication distance between the drone and the data collection device can be extended by using the relay device.

In the measurement method according to some embodiments, when switching from measurement using the first measuring device to measurement using the second measuring device, the data collection device performs The step of ensuring continuity of the measurement results before and after the switching is performed based on the first measurement data and the second measurement data obtained by the second measuring device.

In this way, the data collection device ensures the continuity of the measurement results before and after the switching of the measurement described above, so that the measurement can be performed continuously for a long period of time.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide measurement systems and methods that can improve measurement techniques using drones.

It is a figure which shows each structure of the measurement system based on a comparative example. 2 is a diagram showing each configuration of the measuring instrument of FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a diagram showing each configuration of the drone of FIG. 1; FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a measurement system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 5 is a diagram showing each configuration of the data collection device of FIG. 4; FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing an operation procedure of the data collection device of FIG. 4; 5 is a flow chart showing the operation procedure of the drone of FIG. 4; FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing details of processing in step S140 of FIG. 6; FIG. It is a figure which shows each structure of the measurement system based on a 1st modification. It is a figure which shows each structure of the measurement system based on a 2nd modification. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing each configuration of a measurement system according to a third modified example;

Hereinafter, embodiments for implementing the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In each figure, the same reference numerals denote the same or equivalent components.

First, for comparison, a measurement system 5 according to a comparative example will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG.

Referring to FIG. 1, measurement system 5 according to the comparative example includes drone 10 on which measuring device 20 is mounted.

Referring to FIG. 2 , measuring device 20 has measuring section 21 , control section 22 , input section 23 and output section 24 .

The measurement unit 21 is realized by at least one of a thermo camera, an optical camera, a gas sensor, a vibration sensor, a thermometer, a hygrometer, a radiation meter, an anemometer, a rain gauge, a light meter, a turbidity meter, and a PH meter. be done. However, the measurement unit 21 is not limited to these.

Controller 22 may include one or more processors. The processor is a general-purpose processor or a dedicated processor specialized for specific processing, but is not limited to these. The control unit 22 controls the operation of the measuring instrument 20 as a whole.

Input section 23 includes one or more input interfaces for detecting user input to change settings of meter 20 . The input interface is, but not limited to, physical keys, capacitive keys, touch screens, or the like.

The output unit 24 includes one or more arbitrary interfaces that output measurement data obtained by measurement by the measurement unit 21 to the input unit 14 of the drone 10 described later.

Referring to FIG. 3 , drone 10 can include control unit 11 , operation unit 12 , recording unit 13 , input unit 14 and communication unit 15 .

Control unit 11 may include one or more processors. The processor is a general-purpose processor or a dedicated processor specialized for specific processing, but is not limited to these.

Actuator 12 includes one or more drive mechanisms. Drive mechanisms include, but are not limited to, propellers, motors, rotors, or the like.

The recording unit 13 includes one or more memories. The memory is, for example, a semiconductor memory, a magnetic memory, an optical memory, or the like, but is not limited to these.

Input section 14 includes any one or more interfaces that detect output by output section 24 of meter 20 . Thereby, the drone 10 can perform wired communication or wireless communication with the measuring device 20 .

Communication unit 15 may include one or more communication interfaces. The communication interface is capable of performing data communication by wireless communication, but is not limited to this.

Here, as an example of the drone 10, the operation of a flying drone will be described. The control unit 11 of the drone 10 interprets the operator's operation details acquired via the communication unit 15 or the operation details pre-recorded in the recording unit 13, and controls the drone 10 including the flight path, flight attitude, hovering attitude, etc. to the operation unit 12 . The operation unit 12 operates the drone 10 according to instructions from the control unit 11 . In addition, during operation, the drone 10 can record measurement data obtained by the measuring device 20 via the input unit 14 in the recording unit 13. Based on this measurement data, the drone 10 can also respond to abnormal situations such as collision avoidance. It can be performed. Furthermore, during operation, the drone 10 can transmit measurement data and telemetry data acquired from the measuring device 20 via the input unit 14 to any terminal via the communication unit 15 .

Next, a measurement method using the measurement system 5 including the drone 10 on which the measurement device 20 shown in FIG. 1 is mounted will be described.

For example, the operator uses an arbitrary operation terminal to operate the drone 10 on which the measuring device 20 is mounted, and moves the drone 10 to the measurement position where the measurement target is. Then, when the drone 10 reaches the measurement position, the operator measures the measurement target using the measuring device 20 mounted on the drone 10 while appropriately maintaining the positional relationship between the measurement target and the drone 10 . Measurement data obtained by measurement by the measuring device 20 is recorded in the recording unit 13 of the drone 10 and collected after the measurement is completed. Alternatively, the drone 10 moves to a measurement position where the object to be measured is based on the operation details recorded in advance in the recording unit 13. When the drone 10 reaches the measurement position, the positional relationship with the object to be measured is appropriately maintained. The measuring object may be measured using the measuring device 20 mounted on the .

However, in the measurement system 5 according to the comparative example, it is difficult to perform measurements continuously for a long time due to the problem of the battery of the drone 10 . As a countermeasure against this, it is conceivable to prepare a plurality of drones 10 each equipped with the measuring device 20 and perform the measurement. That is, when the remaining battery power of a certain drone decreases, the measurement is switched to using a measuring device mounted on another drone with a sufficient remaining battery power. However, even if each measuring instrument measures the same physical quantity for the same measurement object, the measurement results may not always be the same due to differences in the characteristics inherent to each measuring instrument. There is a problem that the measurement results become discontinuous.

Therefore, the present disclosure describes a measurement system and a measurement method that can ensure continuity of measurement results even when measurements are performed continuously for a long period of time.

(measurement system)
A measurement system 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to FIG.

FIG. 4 shows a change from the measurement using the first measuring device 20-1 mounted on the first drone 10-1 to the measurement using the second measuring device 20-2 mounted on the second drone 10-2. 1 is a schematic diagram of the measurement system 1 when switching to a measurement that has already been performed; FIG. In this case, the measurement system 1 includes a first drone 10-1 equipped with a first measuring device 20-1, a second drone 10-2 equipped with a second measuring device 20-2, and a data collection device 30 . The data collection device 30 acquires first measurement data from the first measuring device 20-1 by wirelessly communicating with the first drone 10-1. Also, the data collection device 30 acquires second measurement data from the second measuring device 20-2 by performing wireless communication with the second drone 10-2.

[Measuring instrument]
The first measuring device 20-1 and the second measuring device 20-2 (hereinafter sometimes abbreviated as “measuring device 20”) in this embodiment are capable of communicating with the data collection device 30. Since each of them is the same as the measuring instrument 20 in the comparative example except that it can include one or more communication interfaces, the description is omitted. Note that in the present disclosure, the measuring device 20 itself may wirelessly communicate with the data collecting device 30 . Further, in the present disclosure, the number of first measuring instruments 20-1 mounted on the first drone 10-1 is not limited to one, and may be two or more. Also, the number of second measuring instruments 20-2 mounted on the second drone 10-2 is not limited to one, and may be two or more. Also, in the present disclosure, the first measurement device 20-1 may be built into the first drone 10-1. Also, the second measuring device 20-2 may be built in the second drone 10-2.

[Drone]
The first drone 10-1 and the second drone 10-2 (hereinafter sometimes abbreviated as "drone 10") in the present embodiment are the same as the drone 10 in the comparative example, respectively. omitted. Note that, in the present disclosure, the drone 10 can move unmanned in at least one or more of air, ground, underground, liquid, liquid surface, and space. Also, in the present disclosure, the number of drones 10 is not limited to two, and may be three or more.

[Data collection device]
Referring to FIG. 5 , data collection device 30 can have control section 31 , communication section 32 , calculation section 33 , output section 34 and recording section 35 .

Control unit 31 may include one or more processors. The processor is a general-purpose processor or a dedicated processor specialized for specific processing, but is not limited to these. The control unit 31 instructs the drone 10 to move to the measurement position and to return from the measurement position, and instructs the measuring device 20 to start measurement and to end measurement, etc., via the communication unit 32 . In addition, the control unit 31 monitors the remaining battery level of the drone 10 and the measuring device 20, the presence or absence of communication errors, the presence or absence of failures, etc., via the communication unit 32, and determines the timing of replacement of the drone 10 based on the monitoring results. to decide. Further, the control unit 31 instructs the calculation unit 33 to execute switching processing, which will be described later.

Communication unit 32 may include one or more communication interfaces. The communication interface is capable of performing data communication or the like with the drone 10 by wireless communication, but is not limited to this. Further, the communication unit 32 can perform data communication with the first drone 10-1 by wireless communication with the first communication interface and the second drone 10-2 by wireless communication. and a second communication interface. In this case, the data collection device 30 acquires the first measurement data from the first measuring device 20-1 mounted on the first drone 10-1 via the first communication interface. The data collection device 30 also acquires second measurement data from the second measuring instrument 20-2 mounted on the second drone 10-2 via the second communication interface.

The computing unit 33 can include one or more processors. The processor is a general-purpose processor or a dedicated processor specialized for specific processing, but is not limited to these. The calculator 33 calculates a correction value based on the comparison between the first measurement data and the second measurement data. Specifically, the calculation unit 33 can calculate the correction value by taking the difference between the first measurement data and the second measurement data according to the following equation (1). In the second communication interface, the second measurement data is overwritten with the corrected second measurement data calculated according to the following equation (2).

[Correction value] = [first measurement data] - [second measurement data] (1) formula

[Second measurement data after correction]=[Second measurement data]+[Correction value] Expression (2)

Further, the calculation unit 33 calculates a measurement result based on the first measurement data and the corrected second measurement data. Specifically, the calculation unit 33 can calculate the measurement result according to the following formula (3). In the following equation (3), the first flag value is 1 when the first measurement data is adopted as the measurement result, and is 0 when the first measurement data is not adopted as the measurement result. The second flag value is 1 when the corrected second measurement data is used as the measurement result, and is 0 when the corrected second measurement data is not used as the measurement result. . When switching from the measurement using the first measuring device 20-1 to the measurement using the second measuring device 20-2, the calculation unit 33 changes the first flag value from 1 to 0, flag value from 0 to 1. In addition, after a predetermined time has passed since the second drone 10-2 arrived at the measurement position, the operation unit 33 is triggered by an event such as the occurrence of a lower limit alarm of the battery of the drone or a user's operation. It is preferable to use a function or the like to perform the switching described above. As a result, it is possible to prevent the measurement data from becoming unstable due to the surrounding atmosphere. The "predetermined time" may be set arbitrarily as long as the time allows the measuring device 20 to adapt to the ambient atmosphere.

[Measurement result]=[First flag value]×[First measurement data]+[Second flag value]×[Second measurement data after correction] Equation (3)

In this way, the data collection device 30 performs measurements before and after switching based on the first measurement data from the first measuring device 20-1 and the second measurement data from the second measuring device 20-2. Continuity of results can be ensured. "Continuity" in the present disclosure means continuity along the time axis. However, in the present disclosure, the measurement result at the start point and the measurement result at the end point of the time interval of several milliseconds to several tens of milliseconds including the time of switching do not need to match exactly mathematically, and are deviated within the measurement error. is also allowed.

However, the processing for ensuring continuity described above is not limited to this. For example, when each measuring device 20 has an inclination a and an offset b as calibration values (that is, when [measurement data]=ax (raw data of the measurement unit 21)+b), the first measurement data In addition to correcting the value of the offset b based on the difference between and the second measurement data, it is also possible to correct the slope a based on the difference in slope between the first measurement data and the second measurement data. . A specific example thereof will be described below. Note that the slope a and the offset b are numerical values set in advance for calculating measurement data from the raw data of the measurement unit 21 .

In this specific example, when the first measuring device 20-1 indicates "0", the second measuring device 20-2 indicates "0.2", and the first measuring device 20-1 indicates "100". , the second measuring device 20-2 indicates "100.7" and the second measuring device 20-2 is to be corrected. In this case, the "second measurement data" is represented by the following formula (B1).
[Second measurement data]=((100.7−0.2)/100)×[First measurement data]+0.2 (B1) formula Here, the “correction The "second measured data after correction" is expressed by the following formula (B2) by replacing the "first measured data" in the above formula (B1) with the "second measured data after correction".
[Second measured data after correction] = ([Second measured data] - 0.2) x (100/(100.7 - 0.2)) (B2) Formula Calculated in this way The "measurement result" in the above equation (3) may be obtained by using the "corrected second measurement data".

The output unit 34 includes one or more output interfaces for outputting information including measurement results and the like to the user. For example, the output interface is a display that outputs information as video or a speaker that outputs information as audio, but is not limited to these.

Recording unit 35 includes one or more memories. The memory is, for example, a semiconductor memory, a magnetic memory, an optical memory, or the like, but is not limited to these. The recording unit 35 records measurement data acquired via the communication unit 32, movement information of the drone 10, and the like.

(Measuring method)
A measurement method that can be performed using the measurement system 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below.

[Operating procedure of the data collection device]
The operation procedure of the data collection device 30 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 6. FIG.

In step S100, the data collection device 30 requests wireless communication from the first drone 10-1 and the second drone 10-2. At this time, the drone 10 or the like that cannot be flown due to a defect or failure is confirmed (ascertained). In this embodiment, for example, in steps S105 to S125, only the first drone 10-1 is operated. between S125 and S130).

Subsequently, in step S105, the data collection device 30 instructs the first drone 10-1 to move to the measurement position.

Subsequently, in step S110, when the data collection device 30 receives notification from the first drone 10-1 that it has reached the measurement position, -1 is instructed to start measurement, and data collection is started.

Subsequently, in step S115, the data collection device 30 determines whether or not there is an instruction to end data collection. If there is an instruction to end data collection (step S115: YES), the process proceeds to step S150. If there is no instruction to end data collection (step S115: NO), the process proceeds to step S120.

When proceeding to step S120, in step S120, the data collection device 30 determines whether or not the remaining battery level of the first drone 10-1 is less than a predetermined value. If the remaining battery level is less than the predetermined value (step S120: YES), the process proceeds to step S130. If the remaining battery level is not less than the predetermined value (step S120: NO), the process proceeds to step S125. The predetermined value is appropriately set according to the movement distance required for the first drone 10-1 to return.

When proceeding to step S125, in step S125, the data collection device 30 determines whether or not the remaining battery capacity of the first measuring device 20-1 is less than a predetermined value. If the remaining battery level is less than the predetermined value (step S125: YES), the process proceeds to step S130. If the remaining battery level is not less than the predetermined value (step S125: NO), the process returns to step S115. The predetermined value is appropriately set according to the travel distance or travel time necessary for the second drone 10-2 to arrive at the measurement position and take over the measurement with the second measuring device 20-2. .

When proceeding to step S130, in step S130, the data collection device 30 instructs the second drone 10-2 to move to the measurement position. That is, the second drone 10-2 moves to the measurement position to replace the first drone 10-1. Here, in step S130, the second drone 10-2 instructed by the data collection device 30 has returned and is ready for movement and measurement. If there are multiple drones in such a state, any one of the drones in the return state and the movement and measurement possible state (for example, the drone with the oldest flight time, the drone and the measuring device are selected in a predetermined order).

Subsequently, in step S135, when the data collection device 30 receives a notification from the second drone 10-2 that it has arrived at the measurement position, the second measuring device 20 mounted on the second drone 10-2 -2 is instructed to start measurement.

Subsequently, in step S140, the data collection device 30 performs switching processing from the measurement using the first measuring device 20-1 to the measurement using the second measuring device 20-2. Details of the processing in step S140 will be described later with reference to FIG.

Subsequently, in step S145, the data collection device 30 instructs the end of measurement by the first measuring device 20-1 and the return of the first drone 10-1, and returns to step S115. Note that steps S115 to S145 are repeated by appropriately replacing the numbers (first and second) given for convenience to identify the drone.

When proceeding to step S<b>150 , in step S<b>150 , the data collection device 30 ends data collection, instructs the end of measurement by the measuring device 20 and the return of the drone 10 .

Subsequently, in step S155, when the data collection device 30 receives the notification that it has returned from the drone 10, it terminates communication with the first drone 10-1 and the second drone 10-2. This completes the processing.

In addition to the conditions of steps S120 and S125, the data collection device 30 may determine whether to perform the above-described switching based on an abnormality or failure of the drone 10 and the measuring device 20. Also, the battery consumption of the drone 10 and the measuring device 20 is affected by climate such as wind volume, atmospheric pressure, and humidity. Therefore, the data collection device 30 may determine whether to perform the switching described above based on weather conditions.

[Drone and measuring instrument operation procedure]
An operation procedure of the drone 10 on which the measuring device 20 is mounted will be described with reference to FIG.

In step S<b>200 , the drone 10 establishes wireless communication with the data collection device 30 upon request from the data collection device 30 . At this time, wireless communication for transmission of measurement data and telemetry data from the drone 10 to the data collection device 30 is started. Note that the telemetry data can include the drone's current position, acceleration, battery information, and the like.

Subsequently, in step S210, the drone 10 receives an instruction from the data collection device 30, moves to the measurement position, and after arriving at the measurement position, notifies the data collection device 30 of its arrival.

Subsequently, in step S220, the measurement device 20 receives an instruction from the data collection device 30 and starts measurement.

Subsequently, in step S230, the measuring device 20 determines whether or not the data collecting device 30 has given an instruction to end the measurement. If there is an instruction to end the measurement (step S230: YES), the process proceeds to step S240. If there is no instruction to end the measurement (step S230: NO), the process returns to step S230.

Subsequently, in step S240, the measuring device 20 receives an instruction from the data collecting device 30, ends the measurement, and moves toward the return position.

Subsequently, in step S250, the drone 10 moves to the return position, and after returning, notifies the data collection device 30 of the return. This completes the processing.

Note that the drone 10 is automatically or manually charged or replenished with fuel after returning.

[Switching process]
The processing contents of step S140 in FIG. 6 will be described with reference to FIG.

In step S300, the data collection device 30 calculates the corrected second measurement data based on the above formulas (1) and (2). For details, the above description is used.

Subsequently, in step S310, the data collection device 30 changes the first flag value from 0 to 1 and the second flag value from 1 to 0 in the above equation (3). Then, the data collection device 30 calculates the measurement result based on the above equation (3). For details, the above description is used.

When this process is completed as described above, the process proceeds to step S145 in FIG. Note that the corrected second measurement data is used for subsequent measurement results.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to ensure continuity of measurement results even when measurements are performed continuously for a long period of time. In particular, according to the present disclosure, measurements can be performed continuously for 24 hours even when measurements are performed in a harsh environment or an environment in which it is difficult to secure a power source. In addition, according to the present disclosure, since power supply construction or the like is not required at the measurement position, it is possible to respond quickly even when emergency measurement becomes necessary due to a disaster or the like. Further, according to the present disclosure, since a drone equipped with a measuring device is used, it is possible to easily perform maintenance or replacement of the measuring device in an operation room or the like, not at a place where the object to be measured is located. Moreover, according to the present disclosure, even when the measurement cycle is long or when measurements are performed over a wide range (multiple points), there is no need to install a plurality of wirings and measuring instruments, so costs can be reduced.

Based on the measurement results, the data collection device 30 determines whether an abnormality such as a high temperature has occurred in the measurement target, whether an abnormality has occurred in the measuring instrument 20, and whether an abnormality such as a failure has occurred in the drone 10. You may judge whether it has occurred or not. Then, when an abnormality or the like occurs, the data collection device 30 may notify the user of the abnormality or the like using a display function, an alarm function, or an e-mail transmission function. This allows the user to recognize the occurrence of an abnormality in real time. Also, the drone 10 itself may detect an abnormality based on measurement data from the measuring device 20 and notify the user of the abnormality.

In addition, the data collection device 30 may aggregate information including measurement results and present it to the user. For example, the data collection device 30 may use a pre-loaded user-specified format and measurement results to create a report and present it to the user.

Further, the drone 10 equipped with the measuring device 20 may perform at least one task out of assembly, excavation, exploration, chemical spraying, and inspection while performing the above-described measurements. For example, when the drone 10 also sprays chemicals, the data collection device 30 determines whether or not to replace the drone 10 based on the remaining battery level of the drone 10 and the remaining amount of the medicine mounted on the drone 10. You can judge whether Also, the data collection device 30 may determine whether or not these operations have been performed accurately based on the measurement results.

Several application examples utilizing the measurement system and measurement method of the present disclosure will be described below. However, examples of utilization utilizing the measurement system and measurement method of the present disclosure are not limited to these.

(Utilization example 1)
By performing fixed-point observation with a drone 10 equipped with a thermocamera or gas sensor, it is possible to monitor the state of the crater of a volcano 24 hours a day and detect signs of an eruption.

(Utilization example 2)
Fixed-point observation by the drone 10 equipped with a radiation meter, an anemometer, or a hygrometer makes it possible to measure the environment near the nuclear power plant, which is difficult for people to approach due to the occurrence of an accident.

(Utilization example 3)
A drone 10 equipped with a thermocamera or a gas sensor can be used to patrol and monitor the factory for 24 hours to detect liquid or gas leaks in flanges such as the joints of factory pipes. In addition, the drone 10 can be used to inspect facilities such as solar panels or LNG storage tanks.

(Utilization example 4)
The theft of water or crude oil in the pipeline can be monitored by patrol monitoring the inside of the pipeline 24 hours a day using the submersible drone 10 equipped with a light meter or vibration sensor.

(Utilization example 5)
Theft of water or crude oil in the pipeline can be monitored by patrol monitoring the pipeline 24 hours a day using a drone 10 equipped with a thermo camera.

(Utilization example 6)
Drones 10 equipped with thermal cameras can be used to patrol indoors and outdoors 24 hours a day to detect fires or wildfires caused by flammable materials such as coal.

(Utilization example 7)
A drone 10 equipped with a rain gauge, an anemometer, or a hygrometer is used to measure rainfall, wind force, or humidity up to a height at which the drone 10 can fly. As a result, it is possible to collect and provide weather data for drone operation support such as cargo transport.

Although the present disclosure has been described above based on the drawings and embodiments, it should be noted that a person skilled in the art can easily make various modifications or modifications based on the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these variations or modifications are included within the scope of this disclosure. For example, functions included in each step can be rearranged so as not to be logically inconsistent, and a plurality of steps can be combined into one or divided.

(First modification)
In the measurement system 2 according to the first modification shown in FIG. 9, the drone 10 on which the measuring device 20 is mounted is a processing device capable of performing communication load reduction processing on the measurement data acquired from the measuring device 20. 40 is installed. The processing device 40 may be in wired communication with the drone 10 and the measuring instrument 20, respectively. In the first modification, the drone 10 wirelessly communicates with the data collection device 30 via the processing device 40 , thereby transmitting the measurement data subjected to the communication load reduction process to the data collection device 30 . The "communication load reduction process" includes time averaging of measured data, extraction of only abnormal data, and the like. Other than these, the description of the above-described embodiment is used. According to the first modification, the frequency of sending measurement data from the drone 10 to the data collection device 30 is reduced to once/second, for example, when performing measurements with a short measurement cycle such as once/10 milliseconds. communication load is reduced. Note that the drone 10 may have a processing unit having the same function as the processing device 40 inside instead of mounting the processing device 40 .

(Second modification)
In the measurement system 3 according to the second modification shown in FIG. 10, the data collection device 30 wirelessly communicates with the drone 10 via at least one relay device. Examples of the relay device include an access point such as WiFi (registered trademark), or a transmission/reception device 50 that can extend the communication distance with the drone 10 . For example, in the second modification, the data collection device 30 acquires measurement data and telemetry data from the drone 10 via the transmission/reception device 50 . The transmitting/receiving device 50 may perform data processing such as communication protocol conversion on the measurement data and telemetry data. The transmitting/receiving device 50 may also wirelessly communicate with the measuring instrument 20 . Here, the transmitting/receiving device 50 may be mounted on the drone 10 or may be installed on the ground without being mounted on the drone 10 . When the transmitting/receiving device 50 is mounted on the drone 10 , the transmitting/receiving device 50 can communicate by wire with the drone 10 and the measuring device 20 respectively, and can communicate wirelessly with the data collection device 30 . As an example, one transceiver device 50 may be mounted on the drone 10 and a plurality of transceiver devices 50 may be installed on the ground. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 10, when the transmitting/receiving device 50 is not mounted on the drone 10, the transmitting/receiving device 50 can wirelessly communicate with the drone 10 and the measuring instrument 20, respectively, and can communicate with the data collection device 30 by wire or wirelessly. can do. As an example, a plurality of transmitting/receiving devices 50 may be installed on the ground. Other than these, the description of the above-described embodiment is used. According to the second modification, the communication distance between the drone 10 on which the measuring device 20 is mounted and the data collection device 30 can be extended. In addition to those using Wi-Fi (registered trademark), examples of wireless communication include those using 920 MHz band wireless (wireless for telemetry, telecontrol, data transmission, etc.). is not limited to

(Third modification)
A measurement system 4 according to a third modification shown in FIG. 11 includes an external server 60 capable of wired or wireless communication with the data collection device 30 . In the third modification, the data collection device 30 processes the measurement data as necessary and transmits the processed data to the external server 60 . The external server 60 performs analysis processing such as image processing on the measurement data, and transmits the measurement data after the analysis processing to the data collection device 30 . Note that the external server 60 may store the measurement data received from the data collection device 30 . Other than these, the description of the above-described embodiment is used. According to the third modification, heavy analysis processing such as image analysis can be efficiently performed on the measurement data.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide measurement systems and methods that can improve measurement techniques using drones.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5 measurement system 10 drone 10-1 first drone 10-2 second drone 11 control unit 12 operation unit 13 recording unit 14 input unit 15 communication unit 20 measuring device 20-1 first measuring device 20-2 second measuring device 21 measuring unit 22 control unit 23 input unit 24 output unit 30 data collection device 31 control unit 32 communication unit 33 calculation unit 34 output unit 35 recording unit 40 processing device 50 transmission/reception device (relay Device)
60 external server

Claims (5)

A measurement system comprising: a plurality of drones equipped with measuring instruments; and a data collection device that obtains measurement results by acquiring measurement data from the measuring instruments by performing wireless communication with the plurality of drones,
The data collection device performs measurement using a first measuring device mounted on a first drone among the plurality of drones, a second measurement device mounted on a second drone among the plurality of drones, When switching to measurement using a measuring device, based on the first measurement data by the first measuring device and the second measurement data by the second measuring device, the above before and after the switching A measurement system that performs processing to ensure continuity of measurement results. The measurement system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of drones perform communication load reduction processing on the measurement data. The data collection device performs the wireless communication with the plurality of drones via processing devices mounted on the plurality of drones, and the processing device performs communication load reduction processing on the measurement data. The measurement system according to claim 1. The measurement system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said data collection device performs said wireless communication with said drone via at least one relay device. When switching from measurement using the first measuring instrument to measurement using the second measuring instrument,
The data collection device performs processing for ensuring continuity of measurement results before and after the switching based on first measurement data obtained by the first measuring device and second measurement data obtained by the second measuring device. A method of measurement, including steps to take.

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