JP7417219B1 - Drone with fuel cell - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a fuel cell-equipped drone that can use power from a fuel cell and a secondary battery according to the required power. SOLUTION: Equipped with a fuel cell that includes a flight electric motor 24, a hydrogen fuel cell 42 that generates electric power to be supplied to the flight electric motor 24, and a secondary battery 46 that supplies electric power to the flight electric motor 24. The drone 11 has a low load mode in which the electric power of the hydrogen fuel cell 42 is supplied to the flight electric motor 24 and a high load mode in which the electric power of the hydrogen fuel cell 42 and the electric power of the secondary battery 46 is supplied to the flight electric motor 24. a control unit 45 that determines whether the required power of the flight electric motor 24 is less than or equal to the generated power of the hydrogen fuel cell 42; The fuel cell-equipped drone 11 has a control unit 45 that selects a low load mode and selects a high load mode when the required power exceeds the generated power. [Selection diagram] Figure 1

Description

The present disclosure relates to a drone equipped with a fuel cell and a secondary battery.

An example of a drone (flying object) equipped with a fuel cell and a secondary battery is described in Patent Document 1. The flying object described in Patent Document 1 includes a fuel cell, a secondary battery, a propeller, a motor, and a power controller. The propeller is connected to and driven by the motor. When the propeller rotates in response to the operation of the motor, lift is generated on the flying object. A fuel cell generates electricity by using fuel gas supplied from a fuel container. The power supply controller can control the output power of the fuel cell by controlling the amount of fuel gas supplied to the fuel cell. The fuel cell is connected to the motor through a power line. Power generated by the fuel cell is supplied to the motor through power lines.

The secondary battery is connected to the power line. The secondary battery is connected in parallel to the fuel cell via a power line, and is connected to the motor together with the fuel cell. A diode is inserted between the fuel cell and the secondary battery to cut off current flowing toward the fuel cell. The current generated by the secondary battery is prohibited from flowing to the fuel cell by the diode and is supplied to the motor through the power line. The secondary battery can also be charged with electricity generated by the fuel cell.

JP 2023-17523 Publication

The inventor of the present application believes that the drone described in Patent Document 1 does not take into consideration the manner in which the power of the fuel cell and the secondary battery is used according to the required power of the power consumption unit, and there is room for improvement in this respect. We recognized the issue that there is.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a fuel cell-equipped drone that can utilize power from a fuel cell and a secondary battery according to the power required by a power consumption unit.

The present disclosure provides a power consumption unit provided in a drone body, a fuel cell provided in the drone body and generating power to be supplied to the power consumption unit, and a fuel cell provided in the drone body to store power, and a secondary battery that supplies stored power to the power consumption unit, the fuel cell equipped drone that supplies the power of the fuel cell to the power consumption unit, and that supplies the power of the fuel cell to the power consumption unit, and Switching between a first mode in which power is not supplied to the power consumption section and a second mode in which power from the fuel cell is supplied to the power consumption section and power from the secondary battery is supplied to the power consumption section. a determining unit provided in the drone body that determines whether the required power of the power consuming unit is below a predetermined value; a power control section that selects the first mode as the mode of the switching section and selects the second mode as the mode of the switching section when the required power of the power consumption section exceeds a predetermined value; Configured the drone.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a fuel cell-equipped drone that can utilize the power of the fuel cell and the secondary battery according to the required power of the power consumption unit.

Further, when the control section selects the low load mode as the mode of the switching section, the secondary battery is charged with surplus power obtained by subtracting the required power of the power consumption section from the power generated by the fuel cell. Therefore, the power generated by the fuel cell can be effectively utilized. Further, when the control section selects the high load mode as the mode of the switching section, the power shortage obtained by subtracting the power generated by the fuel cell from the required power of the power consumption section is supplied from the secondary battery to the power consumption section. Therefore, power shortage in the power consumption section can be suppressed.

Furthermore, the power required for the flight electric motor can be covered by the power generated by the fuel cell and the power from the secondary battery. Therefore, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the lift and propulsion force of the drone.

Furthermore, it has a working part that performs work that does not generate lifting force or propulsive force of the drone, and a working actuator that operates the working part by being supplied with electric power from the fuel cell. Electric power from the fuel cell is supplied to the working actuator. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the function of the working part from deteriorating.

Furthermore, it has a working part that cleans the target part, and has a first electric motor and a second electric motor that operate the working part by being supplied with electric power from the fuel cell. Therefore, it is possible to suppress a decline in the function of the work unit for cleaning the object.

Further, the drone has a plurality of legs that are grounded when the drone lands on the ground, and when electric power is supplied from the fuel cell to the electric motor for driving the legs, the plurality of legs can be operated. Therefore, when the drone lands on a slope on the ground, the attitude can be stabilized.

Further, the working part of the drone operates by being supplied with electric power from a fuel cell, and has an injection nozzle that sprays objects onto the ground. Therefore, the work of spraying objects onto the ground from the injection nozzle can be smoothly performed.

Furthermore, the object carrying section of the drone transports objects. Therefore, drones can transport objects.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a drone system of the present disclosure. FIG. 1 is a side view showing an example of a drone according to the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the drone of FIG. 2; 3 is a front view of the drone of FIG. 2. FIG. FIG. 3 is a side view of the drone of FIG. 2; FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing another configuration example of the drone of the present disclosure. It is a flowchart which shows the example of control performed by the power supply part of a drone.

(overview)
Some specific examples of the fuel cell-equipped drone of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In each figure, common components are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted. In FIG. 1, a drone system 10 is shown. The drone system 10 includes a fuel cell-equipped drone (hereinafter abbreviated as "drone") 11 and a management device 12 that controls the drone 11 from the outside. In this disclosure, for convenience, an example will be described in which a solar panel is cleaned by the drone 11.

(Management device)
The management device 12 may be either a server provided at a base that manages the drone 11 or a transmitter manually operated by an administrator. The management device 12 includes an operation section 13 , a control section 14 , a communication section 15 , a display section 16 , and a storage section 17 . The operation unit 13 is operated by an administrator who uses the management device 12. The administrator can input control information for controlling the drone 11 to the management device 12 by operating the operation unit 13. The control information includes the departure point and destination of the drone 11, the distance between the departure point and the destination, the target time for the drone 11 to reach the destination from the departure point, the flight purpose of the drone 11, and the object to be cleaned. including the location, number and area of objects to be cleaned, etc.

When the drone 11 is shuttled between the base and the location of the solar system, the departure point of the drone 11 is the base and the destination is the location of the solar system on the outbound route of the drone 11. On the return trip of the drone 11, the departure point of the drone 11 is the location of the solar system, and the destination is the base. The control unit 14 has a function of processing control information input from the operation unit 13, a function of generating a control signal to be sent to the drone 11, a function of processing information acquired from the drone 11, and a function of storing the acquired information in a storage unit. 17. Further, the control unit 14 generates a control signal to be sent to the drone 11 based on control information input by operating the operation unit 13 and information and data stored in the storage unit 17.

The communication unit 15 has a function of sending a control signal generated by the control unit 14 to the drone 11 and a function of sending information acquired from the drone 11 to the control unit 14. The display unit 16 has a function of displaying a screen when operating the operation unit 13, and a function of displaying information acquired from the drone 11, map data, etc. The display unit 16 is, for example, a liquid crystal display. The storage unit 17 stores information, data, programs, map data, etc. used for processing, judgment, etc. performed by the control unit 14. The map data includes the location of the base, the location of the destination, the location of the area in which the drone 11 flies, topography, altitude, fields, farmland, roads, buildings, locations of solar panels, etc.

(drone)
The drone 11 has a main body part 18, a power supply part 19, a two-axis gimbal 20, and a cleaning part 21, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4. As shown in FIG. 3, the main body portion 18 is provided with a plurality of arms 22, and a propeller 23 is attached to each arm 22, respectively. Each propeller 23 is attached to a rotating shaft of a flight electric motor 24, respectively. The flight electric motor 24 is, for example, a brushless motor. The flight electric motor 24 is supplied with electric power from the power supply section 19 and rotates. The rotation, stop, rotation direction, and rotation speed of the flight electric motor 24 are controlled separately.

As shown in FIG. 1, the main body 18 includes a distance sensor 25, a position detection section 26, a control section 27, a storage section 28, a gyro sensor 29, an obstacle detection sensor 30, a weather composite sensor 32, a communication section 33, A speed sensor 34, a weight sensor 31, etc. are provided. A plurality of distance sensors 25 are provided. The distance sensor 25 measures the distance (height) from the ground to the drone 11 by, for example, emitting a laser beam toward the ground and receiving the reflected laser beam, and outputs a signal. The ground may be the ground, a field, a road, a building, the roof of a building, the rooftop of a building, a solar panel installed on the ground, a solar panel installed on a building, or the like.

The position detection unit 26 is configured by, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System), and detects the position information of the drone 11 in the map data, that is, the current position, by receiving signals from four or more artificial satellites. It is a system that Gyro sensor 29 includes an angular velocity sensor and an acceleration sensor. The gyro sensor 29 detects rotation, vibration, tilt, etc. of the drone 11 and outputs a signal. The obstacle detection sensor 30 detects obstacles around the drone 11 and outputs a signal.

The weather composite sensor 32 detects the wind direction, wind pressure, wind speed, rainfall amount, etc. that the drone 11 is receiving, and outputs a signal. The speed sensor 34 detects the flight speed of the drone 11 and outputs a signal. The weight sensor 31 is a sensor that detects the weight of an object supported by the main body 18 and outputs a signal. In the present disclosure, the weight sensor 31 can output a signal according to the weight of the two-axis gimbal 20 and the cleaning section 21, and a signal according to the weight of the object supported by the main body section 18.

The communication section 33 is provided in the main body section 18, for example, and allows two-way communication between the communication section 33 and the management device 12. Further, the control section 27 and the cleaning section 21 are connected to be able to communicate with each other.

The control section 27 is connected to the communication section 33 , the distance sensor 25 , the position detection section 26 , the gyro sensor 29 , the obstacle detection sensor 30 , the weight sensor 31 , the weather composite sensor 32 , and the storage section 28 . The control unit 27 functions as an input port, an output port, and a central processing circuit. The control unit 27 includes control information acquired from the management device 12, a signal output from the distance sensor 25, a signal output from the gyro sensor 29, the current position of the drone 11 detected by the position detection unit 26, and an obstacle detection sensor. 30, the signal output from the weather composite sensor 32, the signal output from the weight sensor 31, the signal output from the speed sensor 34, and the information and data stored in the storage unit 28. , performs various processes and judgments, and based on the processing results and judgment results, controls the flight electric motor 24 and the two-axis gimbal 20, and generates a control signal to be sent to the cleaning unit 21.

The control unit 27 controls a plurality of flight electric motors based on, for example, the current position of the drone 11, the weather, the distance from the ground to the drone 11, the wind direction, wind pressure and wind speed that the drone 11 receives, the flight speed of the drone 11, etc. 24 respectively. Therefore, the drone 11 can ascend, descend, stop in the air, fly in the air, face during flight, change direction, turn, turn right, turn left, etc., and can also control the distance from the ground to the drone 11. Can be adjusted. The control unit 27 ensures that the distance from the ground to the drone 11 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value while the drone 11 is in flight, or that the distance from the ground to the drone 11 is within a predetermined range. The rotation speeds of the plurality of flight electric motors 24 can be controlled separately for the purpose of stabilizing the attitude of the drone 11, keeping the time required for the drone 11 from the departure point to the destination within the target time, etc.

Further, the control unit 27 processes the signal output from the gyro sensor 29 and controls the rotation speed and rotation direction of the plurality of flight electric motors 24 based on the processing result, thereby controlling the drone 11. Posture, for example horizontality, can be maintained. Further, by processing the signals from the plurality of distance sensors 25, the control unit 27 can determine the state of the ground surface, such as the inclination angle of the ground, the unevenness existing on the ground, the inclination angle of the surface of the solar panel, etc. The inclination angle can be expressed as the acute angle between a horizontal imaginary line and the ground. FIG. 4 shows a state in which the drone 11 is in the sky above the solar panel 63. The acute angle between the horizontal virtual line B1 and the surface 64 of the solar panel 63 is shown as the inclination angle θ1. The control unit 27 can determine the inclination angle θ1 from the difference in distance detected by the plurality of distance sensors 25.

The control unit 27 can control the two-axis gimbal 20 and the cleaning unit 21 based on the determination result of the inclination angle θ1. The control performed by the control unit 27 based on the determination result of the inclination angle θ1 will be described later. Furthermore, the control unit 27 has a function of determining the required power of a power consumption unit provided in the main body 18, for example, the flight electric motor 24. The control unit 27 determines the required power of the flight electric motor 24 based on the weather, the amount of cleaning liquid in the cleaning liquid tank 50, whether there is a headwind or a tailwind, wind pressure, the flight speed of the drone 11, and the power from the ground during the flight of the drone 11. The determination is made based on information such as the distance (height) to the drone 11, the target time for the drone 11 to reach the destination from the starting point, and the weight of the object to be transported suspended from the main body 18. Further, the control section 27 has a function of sending information obtained by the main body section 18, judgment results, processing results, and information obtained from the cleaning section 21 to the power supply section 19.

The storage unit 28 shown in FIG. Programs and information for generation, programs and information for processing information received from the cleaning section 21, and the like are stored.

(2-axis gimbal)
The two-axis gimbal 20 is a mechanism that adjusts the attitude of the cleaning section 21 with respect to the main body section 18. The two-axis gimbal 20 includes a first bracket 35 fixed to the lower surface of the main body 18 , a second bracket 36 fixed to the cleaning section 21 , and a connector 37 connecting the first bracket 35 and the second bracket 36 . , a first electric motor 38 and a second electric motor 39. The connecting tool 37 can be operated (rotated) and stopped with respect to the first bracket 35 within a predetermined angle range centered on the imaginary line Q1. The first electric motor 38 is an actuator that operates and stops the connector 37.

The second bracket 36 can be operated (rotated) and stopped within a predetermined angular range centered on the imaginary line Q2 with respect to the connecting tool 37. The second electric motor 39 is an actuator that operates (rotates) and stops the second bracket 36 around the virtual line Q2. The first electric motor 38 and the second electric motor 39 are supplied with electric power from the power supply unit 19 and rotate. The control unit 27 separately controls the stoppage, rotation, rotational speed, and rotational direction of the first electric motor 38 and the second electric motor 39. When the drone 11 is viewed in plan from directly above as shown in FIG. 3, the virtual line Q1 and the virtual line Q2 are in a positional relationship that intersect at an angle of approximately 90 degrees.

(Cleaning Department)
The cleaning unit 21 is a mechanism that cleans the surface 64 of the solar panel 63. The cleaning section 21 is attached to the main body section 18 via a two-axis gimbal 20. The cleaning section 21 includes a connection frame 48, a main body section 49, a cleaning liquid tank 50, a spray nozzle 51, a cleaning roller 52, a caterpillar (registered trademark) 53, a cleaning roller drive section 54, a caterpillar drive section 55, a control section 56, a camera 57, It includes a storage section 58, a wipe 59, a cleaning liquid amount sensor 65, a gradient sensor 66, and the like. The connection frame 48 is fixed to the second bracket 36 and the main body part 49.

A cleaning liquid is stored in the cleaning liquid tank 50. The injection nozzle 51 is provided on the connection frame 48, for example. The spray nozzle 51 sprays the cleaning liquid in the cleaning liquid tank 50 in front of the cleaning roller 52 . The injection nozzle 51 has, for example, a solenoid valve, and the solenoid valve is operated by electric power. The caterpillar drive section 55 is attached to the lower part of the main body section 49. A support frame 60 is connected to the caterpillar drive unit 55, and the cleaning roller 52 is attached to the support frame 60. The cleaning roller 52 is an element that cleans the surface 64 of the solar panel 63.

The cleaning roller drive section 54 is attached to the support frame 60. The cleaning roller drive section 54 includes an electric motor 61 that rotates the cleaning roller 52. The electric motor 61 is supplied with electric power from the power supply unit 19 and rotates. The circumferential speed of the cleaning roller 52 is controlled to exceed the circumferential speed of the caterpillar 53. The caterpillar (infinite track) 53 is a mechanism for moving the cleaning unit 21 along the surface 64 of the solar panel 63. The caterpillar 53 has a belt 62 wound around a starting wheel, a rolling wheel, and an idler wheel (guiding wheel). The caterpillars 53 are provided on both sides of the caterpillar drive unit 55, and the belts 62 of the two caterpillars 53 rotate, stop, and switch the rotation direction independently.

The caterpillar drive unit 55 has an electric motor 83, and the electric motor 83 separately operates and stops the belts 62 of the two caterpillars 53. The electric motor 83 is supplied with power from the power supply unit 19 and rotates. When the belt 62 of the caterpillar 53 is activated, the drone 11 can move forward and backward while the cleaning unit 21 is installed on the surface 64 of the solar panel 63. Furthermore, by controlling the rotation directions of the belts 62 of the two caterpillars 53, the cleaning section 21 can be turned right, turned left, changed direction, turned, etc.

The wipe 59 is attached to the caterpillar drive unit 55, for example. The wipe 59 is an element for wiping off foreign matter, such as water droplets, adhering to the surface 64 of the solar panel 63. Camera 57 is attached to support frame 60, for example. The camera 57 captures an image around the drone 11 and outputs a signal.

While the drone 11 is flying in the air, stationary in the air, or stationary on the ground, the camera 57 can capture images of the surroundings of the drone 11 and the ground. The camera 57 can take images of, for example, the outer circumferential shape of the surface 64 of the solar panel 63, the dirtiness of the surface 64 of the solar panel 63, and the like. The image taken by the camera 57 is sent to the control section 56 and stored in the storage section 58. The cleaning liquid amount sensor 65 detects the amount of cleaning liquid in the cleaning liquid tank 50 and outputs a signal. The amount of cleaning fluid detected by the cleaning fluid amount sensor 65 is processed by the control unit 56. The slope sensor 66 detects the inclination angle θ1 and the inclination direction of the surface 64 of the solar panel 63 by the cleaning unit 21 while the cleaning unit 21 is landing on the solar panel 63. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the drone 11 viewed from directly above. A virtual line C1 indicates the center of the main body portion 18 in the width direction.

Further, in the direction along the imaginary line C1 of the main body portion 18, the cleaning roller 52 and the wipe 59 are arranged at intervals. For convenience, the direction along the virtual line C1 can be defined as the front-rear direction of the drone 11. Further, the movement of the drone 11 in a direction D1 in which the wipe 59 is located behind the cleaning roller 52 in a direction along the virtual line C1 can be defined as forward movement. On the other hand, moving the drone 11 in a direction D2 along the virtual line C1 in which the cleaning roller 52 is located behind the wipe 59 can be defined as retreating.

The slope sensor 66 is configured such that the surface 64 of the solar panel 63 is sloped in such a direction that the lower end of the cleaning roller 52 is located above the lower end of the wipe 59, or A signal can be output by detecting whether the wipe 59 is tilted in a direction below the lower end of the wipe 59. The slope sensor 66 also determines whether the surface 64 of the solar panel 63 in the drone 11 shown in FIG. In the drone 11, a signal can be output by determining whether the surface 64 of the solar panel 63 is tilted so that the portion on the left side of the imaginary line C1 is lower than the portion on the right side. In addition to being able to detect the direction of inclination of the surface 64 of the solar panel 63 with respect to the drone 11, the gradient sensor 66 can also detect the inclination angle θ1.

The control section 56 is provided within the main body section 49. The control section 56 has an input port, an output port, and a central processing circuit, and is connected to the control section 27 . The control unit 56 performs various processes and judgments based on the signals received from the control unit 27 of the main body 49 and the information and programs stored in the storage unit 58, and based on the processing results and judgment results. The cleaning roller drive section 54 and the caterpillar drive section 55 are controlled.

Further, the control unit 56 has a function of determining the required power of the caterpillar drive unit 55 and the required power of the cleaning roller drive unit 54. The control unit 56 calculates the required power of the caterpillar drive unit 55 based on the amount of cleaning liquid in the cleaning liquid tank 50, the inclination angle θ1 of the surface 64 while the cleaning unit 21 is cleaning the surface 64 of the solar panel 63, and the solar panel 63 in the cleaning unit 21. It can be determined based on information such as whether the drone 11 is climbing or descending the surface 64 while cleaning the surface 64. By processing the signal from the slope sensor 66, the control unit 56 can determine the inclination angle θ1 of the surface 64 of the solar panel 63 while the cleaning unit 21 is cleaning the surface 64.

Furthermore, by processing the signal from the slope sensor 66, the control unit 56 can determine whether the drone 11 is climbing or descending the surface 64 of the solar panel 63 while the cleaning unit 21 is cleaning the surface 64 of the solar panel 63. The control unit 56 can determine the required power of the cleaning roller drive unit 54 based on the area of the surface 64 of each solar panel 63 to be cleaned. The control unit 56 stores the results of determining the required power of the caterpillar drive unit 55 and the cleaning roller drive unit 54 in the storage unit 58 and sends the results to the control unit 27 .

Furthermore, the control section 56 processes the video taken by the camera 57, stores the processing result in the storage section 58, and sends it to the control section 27 of the main body section 18. By processing the image of the camera 57, the control unit 56 can determine the position of the drone 11 on the surface 64 of the solar panel 63, whether the cleaning unit 21 is climbing or descending the surface 64, etc. The storage unit 58 stores programs and information used for processing and judgment by the control unit 56. Furthermore, the storage unit 58 stores images taken by the camera 57 and results of processing and judgment performed by the control unit 56.

(Power supply part)
The power supply section 19 is provided within the main body section 49, for example. The power supply section 19 includes a fuel tank 40, an air supply device 41, a hydrogen fuel cell 42, a converter 43, a switching section 44, a control section 45, a secondary battery 46, a storage section 47, and the like. The fuel tank 40 is filled with hydrogen fuel, such as natural gas or methanol, at normal pressure (1 atm (1013.25 hPa)). Hydrogen fuel in the fuel tank 40 is supplied to a hydrogen fuel cell 42 . The air supply device 41 is, for example, a compressor that sucks in and discharges air. The air supply machine 41 is driven by the power of the secondary battery 46. Air, specifically oxygen, discharged from the air supply device 41 is supplied to the hydrogen fuel cell 42. The hydrogen fuel cell 42 generates electric power by chemically reacting hydrogen gas obtained from hydrogen fuel with oxygen. Specifically, the converter 43 is a DC-DC converter that converts voltage (potential). Power generation is controlled so that the maximum value is achieved.

The switching section 44 is connected to the hydrogen fuel cell 42 , the secondary battery 46 , the power consumption section provided in the main body section 18 , the power consumption section provided in the cleaning section 21 , and the power consumption section provided in the two-axis gimbal 20 . , an electrically connected switching circuit. The switching unit 44 has a low load mode and a high load mode as operating states. When the operating state of the switching unit 44 is in the low load mode, a part of the electric power of the hydrogen fuel cell 42 is supplied to the power consumption unit, and a part of the electric power of the hydrogen fuel cell 42 is supplied to the secondary battery 46. It will be charged. That is, the secondary battery 46 is charged with surplus power obtained by subtracting the required power of the power consumption unit from the power generated by the hydrogen fuel cell 42 . When the switching unit 44 is in the low load mode, the secondary battery 46 is not discharged.

When the operating state of the switching unit 44 is the high load mode, the power generated by the hydrogen fuel cell 42 is supplied to the power consumption unit, and the power of the secondary battery 46 is supplied to the power consumption unit. In other words, the power shortage obtained by subtracting the power generated by the hydrogen fuel cell 42 from the required power of the power consumption section is supplied from the secondary battery to the power consumption section. Note that the power consumption unit will be described later.

The secondary battery 46 is a storage battery that can be charged and discharged. As the secondary battery 46, for example, a battery that converts electrical energy into chemical energy and stores it can be used. The control unit 45 has an input port, an output port, and a central processing circuit. The control unit 45 has a function of determining the required power of the power consumption unit of the drone 11 and a function of controlling and determining the power generated by the hydrogen fuel cell 42. The control unit 45 obtains the required power from the control unit 27. The control unit 45 controls the power generated by the hydrogen fuel cell 42 by controlling the converter 43 and the air supply device 41. Furthermore, the control unit 45 has a function of determining whether the required power of the power consumption unit is less than or equal to a predetermined value. The predetermined value is, for example, a value according to the power generated by the hydrogen fuel cell 42.

Furthermore, the control unit 45 has a function of switching the operating state of the switching unit 44, that is, between the low load mode and the high load mode, based on the result of determining whether the required power of the power consumption unit is less than or equal to a predetermined value. has. Furthermore, the storage unit 47 stores information, data, and programs used for processing and judgment performed by the control unit 45. For example, data and information for controlling the converter 43 and the air supply device 41 are stored so that the power generation efficiency in the hydrogen fuel cell 42 is maximized.

(Example of operation)
An example of operation of the drone system 10 is as follows. The management device 12 transmits control information to the drone 11. The control information includes, for example, the location of the solar panel 63 to be cleaned, the total area of the solar panel 63, a target value of the time required from the start to the end of cleaning the solar panel 63, and the like. Upon acquiring the control information, the control unit 27 of the drone 11 rotates the plurality of flight electric motors 24 to launch the drone 11 from the base to the location of the solar panel 63.

Among the four propellers 23 shown in FIG. 3, the propellers 23 located diagonally across the main body 18 of the drone 11 are rotated clockwise; , rotated counterclockwise. The rotation of the four propellers 23 generates lift and propulsive force for the drone 11.

When the drone 11 reaches the sky above a location where a plurality of solar panels 63 are installed, the control unit 27 stops the drone 11 on any one of the solar panels 63. Before lowering the drone 11, the control unit 27 determines the orientation of the drone 11 with respect to the surface 64 from the image of the camera 57. Further, the control unit 27 determines the inclination angle θ1 of the surface 64 of the solar panel 63 shown in FIG. 4 from the signals of the plurality of distance sensors 25. Based on these determination results, the control unit 27 controls the plurality of flight electric motors 24 to adjust the orientation of the drone 11 with respect to the surface 64. Further, the control unit 27 controls the two-axis gimbal 20 based on the determination result of the inclination angle θ1, and adjusts the attitude of the cleaning unit 21 according to the inclination direction of the surface 64 and the inclination angle θ1.

After that, the control unit 27 lowers the drone 11 and lands the drone 11 on the surface 64 of the solar panel 63. The orientation of the drone 11 with respect to the solar panel 63 is adjusted, and the attitude of the cleaning unit 21 is adjusted based on the determination result of the inclination angle θ1. Therefore, the impact when the belt 62 contacts the surface 64 of the solar panel 63 and the impact when the cleaning roller 52 contacts the surface 64 of the solar panel 63 can be reduced.

After the drone 11 lands on the surface 64, the control unit 27 transmits a control signal to the control unit 56 of the cleaning unit 21. Then, the control unit 56 controls the caterpillar drive unit 55 to move the drone 11 forward in the direction D1. Furthermore, the control unit 56 controls the spray nozzle 51 to spray the cleaning liquid to a region of the surface 64 that is located in front of the cleaning roller 52 . Furthermore, the control unit 56 rotates the cleaning roller 52 by controlling the cleaning roller drive unit 54 . Therefore, dirt on the surface 64 is removed by the cleaning roller 52.

Further, when the cleaning roller 52 approaches the end of the surface 64 of the solar panel 63, the control unit 56 changes the direction of the cleaning unit 21 by controlling the caterpillar drive unit 55. Further, the control unit 27 controls the flight electric motor 24 to change the direction of the main body 18 in synchronization with the direction change of the cleaning unit 21.

Furthermore, in the process of changing the direction of the cleaning unit 21, the control unit 27 controls the first electric motor 38 and the second electric motor 39 of the two-axis gimbal 20 based on the inclination angle θ1 of the surface 64. Therefore, the belt 62 of the caterpillar 53 and the cleaning roller 52 can be kept in constant contact with the surface 64 of the solar panel 63.

Then, when the cleaning of the surface 64 of the solar panel 63 is completed, the control unit 56 stops the caterpillar drive unit 55 and the cleaning roller drive unit 54. The control unit 56 can determine whether cleaning of the surface 64 of the solar panel 63 is completed by processing the image from the camera 57. Further, the control unit 56 transmits to the control unit 27 that cleaning of the surface 64 of the solar panel 63 has been completed. When the control unit 27 detects that the cleaning unit 21 has completed cleaning the surface 64 of the solar panel 63, the control unit 27 raises the drone 11. When the cleaning of all the solar panels 63 is completed, the drone 11 flies in the air and returns to the base from the location of the solar panels 63.

(Other configuration examples of drones)
The drone 11 shown in FIG. 6 shows another configuration example. At the lower part of the main body part 18, an object scattering part 70 is provided in place of the cleaning part 21. The object dispersing section has a function of dispersing objects such as medicine, agricultural chemicals, water, fire extinguishing liquid, fertilizer, pollen, etc. toward the ground. The object may be either a liquid or a granular material. Ground level includes fields, farmland, farms, forests, construction sites, fire sites, etc. The object dispersing section 70 includes an object tank 71, an injection nozzle 72, a control section 73, a storage section 74, and an object amount sensor 75. The object tank 71 stores objects. The spray nozzle 72 sprays the object in the object tank 71 .

The injection nozzle 72 has, for example, a solenoid valve, and the solenoid valve operates with electric power supplied from the power supply unit 19. The control unit 73 controls the injection nozzle 72 based on the object injection information, the signal from the object amount sensor 75, and the information and data stored in the storage unit 74. Further, the control unit 73 determines the necessary power for the injection nozzle 72 . For example, the power required to jet an object from the jet nozzle 72 is higher than the power required when the object is not jetted from the jet nozzle 72 . The control unit 73 is capable of bidirectional communication with the control unit 27. The object injection information is sent from the control section 14 of the management device 12 to the control section 73 via the control section 27 of the main body section 18 . The object injection information includes the location on the map data where the object is to be ejected, the amount of object injection, the timing of object injection, and the like. The storage unit 74 stores information and data for the control unit 73 to control the injection nozzle 72. The object amount sensor 75 detects the weight of the object accommodated in the object tank 71 and outputs a signal. The signal output from the object amount sensor 75 is sent to the control section 27 via the control section 73.

Further, the drone 11 includes a leg section 80, an electric motor 81 for driving the leg section, and a control section 82. A plurality of leg parts 80 are provided, and the amount of downward protrusion of each leg part 80 can be changed within a predetermined range. The leg drive electric motor 81 has a function of individually operating and stopping the plurality of legs 80. The leg driving electric motor 81 is operated by electric power supplied from the power supply section 19 . The control unit 82 is capable of bidirectional communication with the control unit 27. The control unit 82 determines the necessary power for the leg drive electric motor 81. For example, the power required to rotate the leg drive electric motor 81 is higher than the power required when the leg drive electric motor 81 is stopped.

Note that FIG. 6 shows an example in which the leg section 80, the leg drive electric motor 81, and the control section 82 are provided below the power supply section 19. The leg portion 80, the electric motor 81 for driving the leg portion, and the control portion 82 may be attached to the lower surface of the main body portion 18. Further, each leg portion 80 may have either a configuration in which it operates linearly along the height direction, or a configuration in which it operates in an arc shape within a predetermined angular range centering on the support shaft.

The control unit 82 stops the leg drive electric motor 81 while the drone 11 is flying. In other words, the plurality of legs 80 are stopped at the standby position. Before the drone 11 lands on the ground, the control unit 27 uses the distance sensor 25 to detect the ground condition, for example, the inclination angle of the landing place or the unevenness of the ground, and transmits the ground condition to the control unit 82. Before the drone 11 lands on the ground, the control unit 82 rotates the leg driving electric motor 81 to operate and stop at least one leg 80 based on the state of the landing place. Therefore, when the drone 11 lands, the stopping position of each leg 80 can be adjusted to match the conditions of the landing site. Therefore, the attitude of the drone 11 can be maintained horizontally. When the drone 11 rises from the ground, the control unit 82 rotates the leg drive electric motor 81 to return the plurality of legs 80 to the standby position.

Although not shown, the drone 11 may be configured to transport cargo as an object that is not dispersed. In this case, the drone 11 has a hook, a container, etc. for hanging cargo, instead of the object dispersing unit 70, the control unit 82, and the leg drive electric motor 81 shown in FIG. A weight sensor 31 provided in the main body 18 detects the weight of the luggage and outputs a signal. The control unit 27 determines the weight of the luggage and sends the determination result to the control unit 45.

(Control example)
FIG. 7 shows an example of control performed by the control section 45 of the power supply section 19. The control unit 45 processes various information in step S10. In step S11, the control unit 45 determines whether the required power in the power consumption unit is less than or equal to a predetermined value. Specifically, in step S11, the control unit 45 determines whether the required power of the power consumption unit is less than or equal to the power generated by the hydrogen fuel cell 42.

If the control unit 45 determines Yes in step S11, the control unit 45 sets the mode of the switching unit 44 to the low load mode in step S12, and ends the control shown in FIG. 6. If the control unit 45 determines No in step S11, the control unit 45 sets the mode of the switching unit 44 to the high load mode in step S13, and ends the control shown in FIG. 6.

(Concrete example)
Examples in which the control unit 45 determines Yes in step S11 in FIG. 7 and specific examples in which it determines No in step S11 include the following. The control unit 45 can determine Yes in step S11 if the required power of the flight electric motor 24 when the drone 11 descends or flies at a constant speed (cruising flight) is less than or equal to a predetermined value. On the other hand, if the required electric power of the flight electric motor 24 when the drone 11 ascends or accelerates exceeds a predetermined value, the control unit 45 can determine No in step S11.

The control unit 45 can determine Yes in step S11 if the drone 11 is receiving a tailwind during flight and the required electric power of the flight electric motor 24 is less than or equal to a predetermined value. On the other hand, if the drone 11 is facing a headwind during flight and the required electric power of the flight electric motor 24 exceeds the predetermined value, the control unit 45 can determine No in step S11.

The control unit 45 can determine Yes in step S11 if it is a sunny day or a cloudy day and the required power of the flight electric motor 24 is less than or equal to a predetermined value. On the other hand, if it is a rainy day and the required electric power of the flight electric motor 24 exceeds the predetermined value, the control unit 45 can determine No in step S11.

If the required power of the cleaning roller drive unit 54 and the caterpillar drive unit 55 is below a predetermined value when the drone 11 has landed on the solar panel 63 and the solar panel 63 is not being cleaned, the control unit 45 performs step Yes can be determined in S11. On the other hand, if the drone 11 has landed on the solar panel 63 and is cleaning the solar panel 63, and the required power of the cleaning roller drive unit 54 and the caterpillar drive unit 55 exceeds a predetermined value, the control unit 45 performs step S11. You can judge No.

When the drone 11 descends along the surface 64 of the solar panel 63, the control unit 45 can determine Yes in step S11 if the required power of the caterpillar drive unit 55 is equal to or less than a predetermined value. If the required power of the caterpillar drive unit 55 exceeds a predetermined value when the drone 11 climbs along the surface 64 of the solar panel 63, the control unit 45 can determine No in step S11.

When the drone 11 departs from the base to the location of the solar panel 63, if the amount of cleaning liquid in the cleaning liquid tank 50 is large and the required electric power of the flight electric motor 24 exceeds a predetermined value, the control unit 45 returns No in step S11. It can be determined that On the other hand, when the drone 11 returns to the base from the location of the solar panel 63, the control unit 45 determines in step S11 that the amount of cleaning liquid in the cleaning liquid tank 50 is small and the required electric power of the flight electric motor 24 is below a predetermined value. You can judge Yes.

The control unit 45 can determine Yes in step S11 if the required power of the object dispersing unit 70 when the object is not injected from the injection nozzle 72 of the drone 11 is less than or equal to the predetermined value. On the other hand, the control unit 45 can determine Yes in step S11 if the required power of the object dispersing unit 70 when injecting an object from the injection nozzle 72 of the drone 11 exceeds a predetermined value.

When the drone 11 shown in FIG. 6 departs from the base to a location where objects are to be sprayed, the control unit 45 determines that the amount of objects in the object tank 71 is large and the required electric power of the flight electric motor 24 exceeds a predetermined value. No can be determined in step S11. On the other hand, when the drone 11 shown in FIG. 6 returns to the base from the location where the objects are sprayed, the control unit 45 determines that the amount of objects in the object tank 71 is small and the electric power required for the flight electric motor 24 is below a predetermined value. , it can be determined Yes in step S11.

When the drone 11 shown in FIG. 6 transports an object from a base to a destination, the control unit 45 controls the control unit 45 so that the weight of the object detected by the weight sensor 31 is heavy and the electric power required for the flight electric motor 24 exceeds a predetermined value. If so, it can be determined No in step S11. On the other hand, when the drone 11 returns to the base from the destination, the control unit 45 determines that the weight of the object detected by the weight sensor 31 is light and the required power of the flight electric motor 24 is below a predetermined value. It is possible to determine Yes in step S11.

(supplementary explanation)
An example of the meaning of the technical matters disclosed in this embodiment is as follows. The drone 11 is an example of a fuel cell-equipped drone. The main body portion 18 is an example of a drone main body. In this embodiment, the "power consumption section provided on the drone body" includes "power consumption section provided directly on the drone body" and "power consumption section provided indirectly on the drone body". include. Hydrogen fuel cell 42 is an example of a fuel cell. The secondary battery 46 is an example of a secondary battery. The power supply section 19 is an example of a power supply section. The low load mode is an example of the first mode, and the high load mode is an example of the second mode. The switching unit 44 is an example of a switching unit. The control unit 45 is an example of a determination unit and a power control unit. The flight electric motor 24, the first electric motor 38, the second electric motor 39, the leg drive electric motor 81, and the injection nozzle 72 are examples of power consumption parts. A power consumer can also be defined as an electrical load.

The cleaning section 21, the object scattering section 70, and the leg section 80 are examples of working sections. The electric motors 61 and 83, the leg drive electric motor 81, and the injection nozzle 72 are examples of an injection nozzle and a working actuator. The cleaning roller 52 is an example of a cleaning roller. The caterpillar 53 is an example of a caterpillar. The solar panel 63 is an example of an object. The electric motor 61 is an example of a first electric motor. The electric motor 83 is an example of a second electric motor. Leg portion 80 is an example of a leg portion. The leg drive electric motor 81 is an example of a leg drive electric motor. The cleaning section 21, the object dispersing section 70, the container, and the hook are examples of the object transporting section. The drone body includes a casing, a housing, a frame, etc. Further, the power required for the power consumption section of the drone becomes relatively high as the operating load of the drone becomes relatively high. The operational load of the drone can also be defined as the operational resistance of the drone. The operations of the drone include flying the drone in the air, moving the drone on the ground, and cleaning the area to be cleaned by the drone. Parts to be cleaned include solar panels, building roofs, building windows, etc. The control example shown in FIG. 7 can also be defined as a drone control method.

In the present disclosure, in the fuel cell, the ions moving through the electrolyte may be carbonate ions or oxygen ions instead of hydrogen ions. In other words, the fuel cell may be any of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, a direct methanol fuel cell, a phosphoric acid fuel cell, an alkaline fuel cell, a molten carbonate fuel cell, and a solid oxide fuel cell. Good too. Further, the secondary battery includes a capacitor in addition to a battery. Furthermore, the actuator includes an electric motor and a solenoid. A capacitor is a storage battery that stores electrical energy on the surface of electrodes using electrostatic force. The control unit can perform a process of predicting changes in the operating load of the drone in advance and determining the necessary power in the power consumption unit in advance. The control unit can also perform a process of determining the required power in the power consumption unit after the operating load of the drone changes.

Furthermore, the control unit of the drone autonomously ascends, cruises, decelerates, accelerates, turns, stands still in the air, descends (descends), lands, stops, etc., based on the control information obtained from the management device. It is the composition. Alternatively, the drone may be configured to ascend, cruise, decelerate, accelerate, turn, stand still in the air, descend (descend), land, stop, etc. each time the administrator operates the operating section of the management device. In the present disclosure, the control unit can also be defined as a control circuit. The judgment unit can also be defined as a judgment circuit. The switching unit can also be defined as a switching circuit. The power control unit can also be defined as a power control circuit. A working unit can also be defined as a working device or a working mechanism. In this disclosure, required power can also be defined as power consumption.

(Effect of specific example)
According to the drone 11 of the present disclosure, the control unit 45 determines whether the required power of the power consumption unit is less than or equal to a predetermined value. Then, the control unit 45 selects the low load mode as the mode of the switching unit 44 if the required power of the power consumption unit is less than or equal to the power generated by the hydrogen fuel cell 42 . When the required power of the power consumption section exceeds the power generated by the hydrogen fuel cell 42, the control section 45 selects the high load mode as the mode of the switching section 44. Therefore, it is possible to provide the drone 11 that can utilize the power of the hydrogen fuel cell 42 and the secondary battery 46 according to the required power of the power consumption section.

Further, when the control unit 45 selects the low load mode as the mode of the switching unit 44, the secondary battery 46 is charged with surplus power obtained by subtracting the required power of the power consumption unit from the power generated by the hydrogen fuel cell 42. Therefore, the electric power generated by the hydrogen fuel cell 42 can be effectively utilized. Further, when the control unit 45 selects the high load mode as the mode of the switching unit 44, the power shortage obtained by subtracting the generated power of the hydrogen fuel cell 42 from the required power of the power consumption unit is transferred from the secondary battery 46 to the power consumption unit. Supplied. Therefore, power shortage in the power consumption section can be suppressed.

Furthermore, the electric power required for the flight electric motor 24 can be covered by the electric power generated by the hydrogen fuel cell 42 and the electric power of the secondary battery 46. Therefore, a decrease in the lift and propulsion force of the drone 11 can be suppressed.

Furthermore, it has a working part that performs work that does not generate lift and propulsion force of the drone 11, and a working actuator that operates the working part by being supplied with electric power from the power supply part 19. Electric power from the power supply unit 19 is supplied to the working actuator. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the function of the working part that does not generate lift and propulsion force of the drone 11 from deteriorating.

Furthermore, it has a working part that cleans the target part, and has a first electric motor and a second electric motor that are supplied with electric power from the power supply part 19 to operate the working part. Therefore, it is possible to suppress a decline in the function of the work unit for cleaning the object.

Further, the drone 11 has a plurality of legs 80 that are grounded when landing on the ground, and when power is supplied from the power supply unit 19 to the electric motor 81 for driving the legs, the plurality of legs 80 are operated. be able to. Therefore, when the drone 11 lands on a slope on the ground, its attitude can be stabilized.

Furthermore, the working section of the drone 1 is operated by being supplied with electric power from the power supply section 19, and has a spray nozzle 72 that sprays objects onto the ground. Therefore, the work of spraying objects onto the ground from the injection nozzle 72 can be performed smoothly.

Furthermore, the object transport section of the drone 11 transports objects. Therefore, the drone 11 can transport objects.

The present disclosure can be used as a fuel cell-equipped drone having a power consumption unit, a fuel cell, and a secondary battery.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11... Fuel cell equipped drone (drone), 18... Main body part, 19... Power supply part, 21... Cleaning part, 24... Electric motor for flight, 42... Hydrogen fuel cell, 44... Switching part, 45... Control part, 46... Secondary battery, 52... Cleaning roller, 53... Caterpillar, 61, 83... Electric motor, 72... Injection nozzle, 63... Solar panel, 70... Object scattering part, 80... Leg part, 81... Leg drive electric motor

Claims (9)

A power consumption part provided in the drone body,
a fuel cell that is provided in the drone body and that generates power to be supplied to the power consumption section;
a secondary battery provided in the drone body to store power and supply the stored power to the power consumption unit;
A fuel cell-equipped drone having
a first mode in which power from the fuel cell is supplied to the power consumption section and power from the secondary battery is not supplied to the power consumption section; and a first mode in which power from the fuel cell is supplied to the power consumption section; , a switching unit capable of switching between a second mode in which power from the secondary battery is supplied to the power consumption unit;
a determination unit provided in the drone body and determining whether the required power of the power consumption unit is less than or equal to a predetermined value;
When the required power of the power consumption section is below a predetermined value, the first mode is selected as the mode of the switching section, and when the required power of the power consumption section exceeds a predetermined value, the second mode is selected as the mode of the switching section. a power control unit that selects a mode;
has
In the drone body,
a working unit that performs work that does not generate lift and propulsion of the drone body;
a working actuator that is supplied with electric power and operates the working part;
is established,
The power consumption section includes the working section and the working actuator,
The working section is
It has a caterpillar that moves the drone body landed on the target object along the target object,
The power control unit determines the power required to drive the caterpillar depending on whether the drone body is climbing or descending on the surface of the object to be cleaned based on the inclination angle of the surface of the object to be cleaned during cleaning.
Drone equipped with fuel cells. The fuel cell-equipped drone according to claim 1,
The predetermined value used by the determination unit for determination is the power generated by the fuel cell,
When the power control unit selects the first mode as the mode of the switching unit, the secondary battery is charged with surplus power obtained by subtracting the required power of the power consumption unit from the power generated by the fuel cell. , a fuel cell-equipped drone. The fuel cell-equipped drone according to claim 1 or 2,
The predetermined value used by the determination unit for determination is the power generated by the fuel cell,
When the power control section selects the second mode as the mode of the switching section, the power shortage obtained by subtracting the power generated by the fuel cell from the power required for the power control section is transferred from the secondary battery to the power consumption section. A fuel cell-equipped drone supplied to The fuel cell-equipped drone according to claim 1 or 2,
In the drone body,
a propeller that generates lift and propulsion for the drone body;
a flight electric motor to which electric power is supplied to rotate the propeller;
is established,
The fuel cell-equipped drone, wherein the power consumption unit includes the flight electric motor. The fuel cell-equipped drone according to claim 1 ,
It has an object dispersion section that sprays the object stored in the object tank section toward the ground via a spray nozzle,
The power control unit determines the required power depending on whether the injection nozzle is injecting an object or not injecting an object.
Drone equipped with fuel cells. The fuel cell-equipped drone according to claim 1 ,
The power control unit determines the power required to drive the caterpillar according to the amount of cleaning liquid in the cleaning liquid tank.
Drone equipped with fuel cells. The fuel cell-equipped drone according to claim 5,
The working section is
a plurality of legs that are grounded when the drone body lands on the ground;
a leg drive electric motor that is supplied with electric power and operates the plurality of legs;
has
The work actuator is a fuel cell-equipped drone, in which the work actuator includes the leg drive electric motor. The fuel cell-equipped drone according to claim 5,
The working part is operated by being supplied with electric power, and has an injection nozzle that sprays objects on the ground,
The work actuator is a fuel cell-equipped drone including the injection nozzle. The fuel cell-equipped drone according to claim 4,
A fuel cell-equipped drone, wherein the drone body is provided with an object carrying section that does not generate lift and propulsive force of the drone body and that carries an object.