JP7478200B2 - Guidance System - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a guidance system that includes an unmanned aerial vehicle and a manned guided vehicle.

Manned guided vehicles used in factories and warehouses are configured to operate when operated by an operator. An example of a manned guided vehicle is a forklift. The forklift is configured to use forks to handle cargo.

Incidentally, a guidance system is known that includes an unmanned aerial vehicle capable of hovering, a manned guided vehicle, and a management device that controls the unmanned aerial vehicle (see Patent Document 1, etc.).

The unmanned aerial vehicle is equipped with a projector that projects a guidance image onto the road surface. The guidance image is, for example, an arrow pointing in a specific direction, and is projected onto the road surface in front of the manned guided vehicle. This allows an operator operating the manned guided vehicle to be guided to the loading position by checking the guidance image.

However, in conventional guidance systems, one unmanned aerial vehicle guides a manned guided vehicle, which means that it is difficult for the operator of the manned guided vehicle to intuitively recognize the distance and direction to the loading position. In addition, no consideration was given to reducing the power consumption of the unmanned aerial vehicle in order to continuously guide it.

JP 2020-52629 A

The problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide a guidance system that uses an unmanned aerial vehicle to guide a manned transport vehicle, allows the operator to intuitively recognize the distance and direction to the loading position, and also reduces the power consumption of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

In order to solve the above problems, the guidance system according to the present invention comprises:
A manned transport vehicle,
A plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles capable of hovering;
A management device,
The manned guided vehicle has a plurality of waiting spaces in which the unmanned aerial vehicle can wait,
The unmanned aerial vehicle is
A projection unit that projects light or an image or both;
A power unit and
a battery for supplying power to the power unit;
When waiting, please wait in the waiting area.
The management device
A storage unit that stores a facility map and a loading/unloading position;
The location of the manned transport vehicle,
a route determination unit that determines a route for guiding the manned guided vehicle to the loading position based on the loading position and a facility map;
A location determination unit that determines the location of each unmanned aerial vehicle on the determined route based on the remaining battery charge of each unmanned aerial vehicle,
The multiple unmanned aerial vehicles, when guided, hover at their respective locations and project light or images or both to guide the manned transport vehicle.

The guidance system preferably comprises:
The placement determination unit determines the placement position of the unmanned aerial vehicle in front of the manned guided vehicle in ascending order of remaining battery power.

The guidance system preferably comprises:
The placement determination unit determines the placement position of the unmanned aerial vehicle in front of the manned guided vehicle in descending order of remaining battery power.

The guidance system preferably comprises:
the unmanned aerial vehicle further includes a power receiving unit electrically connected to the battery;
The manned guided vehicle further includes a power supply unit,
The power supply unit supplies power to the unmanned aerial vehicle waiting in the waiting space via the power receiving unit.

The guidance system preferably comprises:
A management device is configured to keep at least one unmanned aerial vehicle on standby and powered at all times.

The guidance system preferably comprises:
The management device further includes a projection control unit,
The projection control unit causes the projection unit to project different colors of light or images depending on the bend position, loading and unloading position, and other positions on the route.

The guidance system preferably comprises:
The management device further includes a projection control unit,
The projection control unit causes the projection unit to project different sizes of light or images, or different shapes of light or images, depending on bending positions, loading and unloading positions, and other positions on the route.

The guidance system preferably comprises:
The management device further includes a projection control unit,
The location determination unit determines a location of the unmanned aerial vehicle so that the unmanned aerial vehicle is located at a height of a loading position, and the projection unit is configured to be capable of projecting downward and upward,
The projection control unit causes the projection unit to project upward when the height of the placement position is equal to or lower than a predetermined height.

The guidance system preferably comprises:
The management device further includes a projection control unit,
The projection control unit stops the projection of the unmanned flying object when the unmanned flying object comes within a predetermined distance from the manned guided vehicle,
the unmanned aerial vehicle further comprises a speaker;
The management device further includes a voice control unit,
The audio control unit notifies either or both of the bending position and the loading position through a speaker of the unmanned aerial vehicle that is not performing projection.

The guidance system preferably comprises:
The management device further includes a projection control unit,
The projection control unit stops projection by the projection unit when the unmanned aerial vehicle completes its role and moves away.

The guidance system of the present invention allows the operator to intuitively recognize the distance and direction to the loading position, and also reduces the power consumption of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a guidance system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2A and 2B show the guidance system shown in FIG. 1, in which A is a side view and B is a plan view. 1A and 1B show a waiting space for a manned guided vehicle, in which FIG. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the guidance system shown in FIG. 1 . A shows an example of a light image projected onto an unmanned aerial vehicle, and B shows an example of another light image projected onto an unmanned aerial vehicle. 2A illustrates another example height for the unmanned air vehicle shown in FIG. 2A, and B illustrates yet another example height for the unmanned air vehicle. 2A and 2B are diagrams illustrating yet another example of the height of the unmanned air vehicle shown in FIG. 2A.

One embodiment of the guidance system according to the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figs. 1 and 2 show a guidance system S according to one embodiment of the present invention, with Fig. 1 being a perspective view, Fig. 2A being a side view, and Fig. 2B being a plan view. In each drawing, the X-axis and Y-axis indicate the horizontal direction, the Z-axis indicates the vertical direction, and the axes are mutually orthogonal. Fig. 3 is a functional block diagram of the guidance system S.

As shown in FIG. 1, the guidance system S includes a manned guided vehicle 1, multiple unmanned aerial vehicles 2 (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d), and a management device 5. Note that the unmanned aerial vehicles 2 may be shown larger in the figure than they actually are. Also, while nine unmanned aerial vehicles 2 are shown in FIG. 1, the number of unmanned aerial vehicles 2 according to the present invention is not limited to this. A load W to be transported by the manned guided vehicle 1 is placed on the shelf R1. Hereinafter, the position where the load W is placed, or the position where the load W will be placed, will be referred to as the "loading position."

<Manned transport vehicle>
1, the manned guided vehicle 1 includes a vehicle body 10, forks 11 arranged in front of the vehicle body 10, a head guard 12 arranged above the vehicle body 10, and a waiting space 13. An operator O scoops up a load W with the forks 11 and transports it. The manned guided vehicle 1 is configured to be able to communicate with a management device 5.

As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4, the waiting spaces 13 are disposed on the upper surface of the head guard 12 and are used for the unmanned aerial vehicles 2 to wait. The number of waiting spaces 13 corresponds to the number of unmanned aerial vehicles 2 that guide the manned guided vehicle 1, but this is merely an example and is not limited to this. Furthermore, the location of the waiting spaces 13 in the present invention is not limited to the head guard 12.

As shown in FIG. 3, the manned guided vehicle 1 further includes a position detection unit 14 and a power supply unit 15.

The position detection unit 14 detects the position of the manned guided vehicle 1 and transmits the detected position of the manned guided vehicle 1 to the management device 5.

The power supply unit 15 is disposed in the waiting space 13 and has the necessary configuration for power supply. The specific configuration of the power supply unit 15 is determined based on the power supply method and is not particularly limited. For example, if the power supply method is a contact type, the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 may have an electrode at the part where it is grounded, and power may be supplied to the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 via the electrode. Also, if the power supply method is a non-contact type, a known power supply method such as an electromagnetic induction method, a magnetic field resonance method, a magnetic field coupling method, an electric field coupling method, etc. is adopted, and the power supply unit 15 has the components on the power supply side of each power supply method.

The power supply unit 15 may be supplied from a battery 26 included in the manned guided vehicle 1, or the power supply unit 15 may further include a battery 26 and power may be supplied from the battery 26. The power supply unit 15 is configured to supply power to the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 waiting in the waiting space 13.

The manned guided vehicle 1 is a forklift operated by an operator O, but this is merely one example, and the manned guided vehicle 1 according to the present invention is not limited to this forklift. The manned guided vehicle 1 may be, for example, a manned/unmanned forklift, in which case the manned guided vehicle 1 has an unmanned mode in which it operates autonomously, and a manned mode in which it operates by the operation of the operator O.

<Unmanned Aerial Vehicles>
The unmanned aerial vehicle 2 is an aerial vehicle commonly referred to as a drone, and is equipped with a main body, four propellers arranged on all four sides of the main body, and a power unit (not shown) that rotates the propellers.

As shown in FIG. 3, the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 further includes a flight control unit 22, a memory unit 23, a projection unit 24, a speaker 25, a battery 26, and a power receiving unit 27. The unmanned aerial vehicle 2 is configured to be able to communicate with the management device 5.

The flight control unit 22 detects the position of the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 using publicly known technology and controls the rotation of the propellers to fly the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 to the placement position received from the management device 5 or to hover at the placement position.

The memory unit 23 stores guidance images for guiding the manned guided vehicle 1. As shown in FIG. 2B, the guidance images include a first image D1 indicating the direction in which the manned guided vehicle 1 will move straight, a second image D2 indicating the position where the manned guided vehicle 1 changes direction (corresponding to the "bending position" of the present invention) and the running direction, and a third image D3 indicating the loading position. Hereinafter, the first, second and third images D1, D2, D3 may be collectively referred to as guidance image D. In the present invention, the "loading position" means the position where the manned guided vehicle 1 stops and loads.

The arrows in the first and second images D1, D2 indicate the direction of travel, and the arrow in the third image D3 indicates the direction of the placement position. It is preferable that the shapes, sizes, and colors of the first, second, and third images D1, D2, D3 are different from each other, but for example, any one of the shapes, sizes, and colors may be different. The first, second, and third images D1, D2, D3 according to this embodiment are composed of circles of different colors and arrows of different colors arranged within the circles.

The memory unit 23 further stores voices V for guiding the operator O. The voices V include "○ meters away," "Turn left ahead," "Destination ahead," "There is an obstacle ahead," "Please be careful," "Please stop," etc.

In this embodiment, the projection unit 24 is configured by a projector. The projection unit 24 is disposed on the underside of the main body, and projects a guidance image D downward, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2A. The projected guidance image D is displayed on the road surface, as shown in Fig. 2B. In this embodiment, the projection unit 24 projects the guidance image D directly below the unmanned aerial vehicle 2.

The speaker 25 is located on the main body and outputs sound V toward the manned guided vehicle 1 (operator O).

The battery 26 is built into the main body and supplies power to the power unit. The remaining charge of the battery 26 is transmitted to the management device 5.

The power receiving unit 27 is electrically connected to the battery 26 and supplies the power received from the power supply unit 15 to the battery 26. The configuration of the power receiving unit 27 is determined based on the power supply method of the power supply unit 15 and is not particularly limited. For example, if the power supply method is a contact type, the power receiving unit 27 may have an electrode provided on the ground part of the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 and receive power from the power supply unit 15 via the electrode. Also, if the power supply method is a non-contact power supply method, the power receiving unit 27 has components on the power receiving side of each power supply method.

The unmanned aerial vehicle 2 is configured to wait in the waiting space 13 when not guiding the manned guided vehicle 1. This allows the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 to reduce power consumption and still be able to supply power, thereby allowing it to continue guiding the manned guided vehicle 1. Moreover, by waiting in the waiting space 13, the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 can quickly move to its placement position when it is time to guide the vehicle.

In this embodiment, the number of unmanned aerial vehicles 2 to be guided is nine, and the number of waiting spaces 13 is also nine, and all of the unmanned aerial vehicles 2 are configured to be deployed simultaneously during guidance; however, for example, the number of unmanned aerial vehicles 2 to be guided may be less than the number of waiting spaces 13, and at least one unmanned aerial vehicle 2 may always be waiting and powered. In this case, the number of power supply timings for the entire unmanned aerial vehicles 2 increases, so the remaining battery charge for the entire unmanned aerial vehicles 2 can be maintained longer.

<Management Device>
The management device 5 is, for example, a server computer, and includes a storage unit and a computing unit (not shown). The storage unit stores a program for causing the server computer to function as the management device 5 according to the present embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 3, the management device 5 includes a memory unit 50, a route determination unit 51, a placement determination unit 52, a projection control unit 53, and an audio control unit 54.

The memory unit 50 stores a facility map, a loading schedule for the manned guided vehicles 1, and the loading positions and placement positions related to the loading schedule. The facility map includes the position of the shelf R, the height of the shelf R, the position of the passage, and the position of obstacles. The facility map also stores the width of the passage. In this embodiment, the management device 5 manages multiple manned guided vehicles 1, and the memory unit 50 stores the loading schedule for each manned guided vehicle 1, and the loading positions and placement positions related to each loading schedule.

The route determination unit 51 determines the route (hereinafter simply referred to as "route") that the manned guided vehicle 1 will take to the loading position based on the position of the manned guided vehicle 1, the loading position, and the facility map. The route determination unit 51 may, for example, determine the shortest route connecting the manned guided vehicle 1 and the loading position, or may determine the route taking into consideration the operator O's past travel route, the width of the road, and the condition of the road (such as steps). The route determination unit 51 also determines the route so that the routes of multiple manned guided vehicles 1 do not overlap. The route determination unit 51 may, for example, determine the route taking into consideration the time at which multiple manned guided vehicles 1 are traveling, or may update the route in real time based on the current positions of multiple manned guided vehicles 1.

The placement determination unit 52 is configured to place the unmanned aerial vehicles 2 in front of the manned guided vehicle 1 in order of lowest remaining battery charge based on the received remaining battery charge of each unmanned aerial vehicle 2. In other words, if an unmanned aerial vehicle 2 is placed farther from the standby position, the travel distance and flight time will increase, and more power will be consumed. Therefore, by placing the unmanned aerial vehicles 2 with low remaining battery charge in front of the manned guided vehicle 1, the power consumption of the unmanned aerial vehicles 2 with low remaining battery charge can be suppressed. This makes it possible to prevent some unmanned aerial vehicles 2 from running out of battery charge earlier than other unmanned aerial vehicles 2, which would make it impossible to guide them.

For example, in the embodiment in which the number of guided unmanned aerial vehicles 2 is less than the number of waiting spaces 13 as described above and at least one unmanned aerial vehicle 2 is always waiting and powered, the placement determination unit 52 may be configured to place the unmanned aerial vehicles 2 in front of the manned transport vehicle 1 in order of the remaining battery charge based on the received remaining battery charge of each unmanned aerial vehicle 2. By having the unmanned aerial vehicles 2 whose remaining battery charge falls below a predetermined level wait and receive power, the timing of receiving power for each unmanned aerial vehicle 2 can be rotated, so that the remaining battery charge of the unmanned aerial vehicles 2 can be efficiently restored, thereby maintaining a high remaining battery charge for the entire unmanned aerial vehicles 2.

The placement determination unit 52 determines the placement position of each unmanned aerial vehicle 2 on the determined route. More specifically, the placement determination unit 52 places the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 at a bend position on the route and above a loading position, and also above other positions, based on the remaining battery power of each unmanned aerial vehicle 2. The placement determination unit 52 also determines the placement positions so that the horizontal distance Q1 between the multiple unmanned aerial vehicles 2 and the hovering height H (hereinafter simply referred to as "height H") are constant. It is preferable that the height H of the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 is higher than the head position of the operator O riding on the manned transport vehicle 1 so as not to obstruct the forward view of the operator O. The horizontal distance Q1 between the unmanned aerial vehicles 2 may be fixed, for example, between 1 m and 10 m. In this embodiment, the horizontal distance Q1 is configured to be 5 m.

The projection control unit 53 projects the first, second and third images D1, D2, D3 shown in FIG. 2B onto the unmanned aerial vehicles 2 that are equally spaced at a predetermined distance Q1, as shown in FIG. 2A. This allows the guidance system S to display the guidance images D on the road surface at equal intervals at a predetermined distance Q2. Furthermore, since the guidance system S fixes the distance Q2 at a predetermined distance, the number of guidance images D allows the operator O to intuitively recognize the distance to the bend position and loading position.

As shown in FIG. 2B, the projection control unit 53 causes the projection unit 24 to project the first, second, and third images D1, D2, and D3 according to the straight-line position, bend position, and loading position on the route. Since the first, second, and third images D1, D2, and D3 have different colors, the guidance system S can allow the operator O to recognize the straight-line position, bend position, and loading position, respectively, by the color of the guidance image D displayed at each position, and each position can be recognized more intuitively than guidance images D that simply have different shapes. In this embodiment, the first, second, and third images D1, D2, and D3 corresponding to each position are stored in advance in the memory unit 23 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 2, so the projection control unit 53 controls the projection unit 24 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 arranged above the straight-line position, bend position, and loading position to project the guidance image D corresponding to each position.

The projection control unit 53 may also periodically flash the first, second, and third images D1, D2, and D3 in a flowing manner in the traveling direction, and guide the manned guided vehicle 1 by the flowing flashing effect. Alternatively, the projection control unit 53 may flash only the first image D1 in a flowing manner and keep the second image D2 and the third image D3 lit. Furthermore, the projection control unit 53 may flash only the second and third images D2 and D3. In this way, the projection control unit 53 can make the first, second, and third images D1, D2, and D3 as a whole flash in a specific pattern, or light or flash the first, second, and third images D1, D2, and D3 in different patterns, thereby allowing the operator O to intuitively recognize the direction of the route, the relative positions of each image, and the like.

The projection control unit 53 also sets up a no-image space Q3 several meters ahead of the manned guided vehicle 1, and does not project onto the unmanned aerial vehicle 2a above the no-image space Q3. This is to prevent the operator O from concentrating his gaze downward and becoming unable to see what is ahead. In other words, by setting up the no-image space Q3, the projection control unit 53 directs the operator O's gaze forward, improving safety during operation. Note that as the manned guided vehicle 1 moves, the no-image space Q3 also moves with it, so the projection control unit 53 further stops the projection of the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 that is now positioned above the no-image space Q3.

The voice control unit 54 controls the speaker 25 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 arranged above the image-free space Q3 to notify the operator O of either or both of the bend position and the loading position, as well as other information. The voice V to be notified may be, for example, "Turn left 15 m ahead", "Destination 30 m ahead", "There is an obstacle ahead, please be careful", etc. The voice V may be generated by appropriately combining "○ m", "Turn left ahead", "Destination ahead", "There is an obstacle ahead", "Please be careful", etc. stored in the memory unit 23. The guidance system S can make the operator O more intuitively recognize the bend position, loading position, etc. by notifying them with these voices V.

Referring to FIG. 1, the role of each unmanned aerial vehicle 2 placed by the placement determination unit 52 will be explained again. The two unmanned aerial vehicles 2a in front of the manned guided vehicle 1 do not project a guidance image D, but guide the manned guided vehicle 1 by sound V. The unmanned aerial vehicle 2b placed between the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 and the bending position, and between the bending position and the loading position, projects a first image D1 to guide the manned guided vehicle 1. The unmanned aerial vehicles 2c and 2d placed at the bending position and the loading position, respectively, project second and third images D2 and D3 to indicate the bending position and the loading position, respectively, to guide the manned guided vehicle 1.

As a result, the guidance system S allows the operator O to intuitively recognize the distance and direction to the loading position. Furthermore, the guidance system S positions the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 at fixed distances Q1, thereby displaying the guidance image D on the road surface at fixed distances Q2, thereby improving the visibility of the operator O.

Furthermore, the guidance system S can reduce the power consumption of the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 by powering the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 that has completed its role in the waiting space 13 of the manned guided vehicle 1, without moving the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 to a distant power supply unit. Moreover, when the manned guided vehicle 1 completes its loading operation at a loading position and heads to the next loading position, the guidance system S can also quickly position the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 that has been powered in the waiting space 13 of the manned guided vehicle 1 to the next guidance position (in front of the manned guided vehicle 1).

Although the guidance system S according to one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the guidance system according to the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the above embodiment may be modified as follows, and may be implemented in combination with the following modified examples.

<Modification>
(1) As shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the guidance system S may project simple round light images D4, D5, D6 or arrow light images D7, D8, D9 as guidance images D on the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 instead of the first, second, and third images D1, D2, and D3. In this case, the guidance system S may vary the size, color, and shape of the light images according to the bend position, loading position, and other positions on the route, as shown in Figures 5A and 5B. In Figures 5A and 5B, the light images D4 and D7 indicate the traveling direction, the light images D5 and D8 indicate the bend position and the traveling direction, and the light images D6 and D9 indicate the loading position and the placement position, respectively.

(2) The guidance system S may place the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 at the height of the placement position, for example, as shown in FIG. 6A. In this case, the placement determination unit 52 determines the placement position so that the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 is placed at the height of the placement position. Alternatively, the guidance system S may place the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 along a straight line L connecting the height of the face of the operator O riding in the manned transport vehicle 1 and the height of the placement position, for example, as shown in FIG. 6B. In this case, the placement determination unit 52 determines the placement position so that the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 is placed at a height along the straight line L. By placing the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 in this manner, the guidance system S can allow the operator O to intuitively recognize the height of the placement position.

When the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 is positioned in this manner, the guidance system S is unable to allow the operator O to recognize the guidance image D when the placement position is low, as the guidance image D is blocked by the unmanned aerial vehicle 2. Therefore, the guidance system S may be configured so that the projection unit 24 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 can project the guidance image D downward and upward, and when the height of the placement position is equal to or lower than a predetermined height, the projection control unit 53 controls the projection unit 24 to project the guidance image D toward the ceiling, as shown in FIG. 7A. The predetermined height may be, for example, 0.5 m to 1 m. In this case, the operator O can recognize the route direction, bend position, and loading position from the guidance image D projected onto the ceiling, and can recognize the height of the placement position from the height H of the unmanned aerial vehicle 2.

Furthermore, in order to prevent the operator O's line of sight from turning upward and becoming unable to see what is ahead, the guidance system S may set the distance of the no-image space Q3 even longer when projecting toward the ceiling, as shown in FIG. 7B. In this case, for example, a line-of-sight recognition unit that recognizes the angle of the operator O's line of sight may be further provided, and the projection control unit 53 may be configured to adjust the distance of the no-image space Q3 based on the angle of the operator O's line of sight. The line-of-sight recognition unit has a camera, and the camera may be disposed, for example, on the unmanned aerial vehicle 2, the manned transport vehicle 1, or the shelf R. In addition, the projection control unit 53 determines the size of the light or image, or both, or the shape of the light or image, or both, depending on the projection target. In other words, the projection control unit 53 may make the size and shape of the guidance image D projected onto the ceiling different from when projecting it onto the road surface.

(3) The guidance system S may recognize the position of the manned guided vehicle 1 using a camera installed within the facility or a camera installed on the unmanned aerial vehicle 2. In this case, the manned guided vehicle 1 does not need to be equipped with a position recognition unit.

(4) The guidance system S may configure the guidance image D, for example, only with the first image D1, and allow the operator O to recognize the bending position and the loading position by flashing the first image D1 projected at the bending position and the loading position. Furthermore, the guidance system S may configure the sound V emitted by the speaker 25 with a buzzer, chime, etc., and notify the operator O of the bending position and the loading position by the sound V.

(5) The projection control unit 53 does not necessarily have to provide the image-free space Q3. In this case, the projection control unit 53 stops the projection by the projection unit 24 when the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 finishes its role and moves away. This allows the guidance system S to prevent the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 from interfering with the guidance of other unmanned aerial vehicles 2 and confusing the operator O when the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 finishes its role and moves away to the power supply unit 15.

(6) The guidance system S does not necessarily need to include a power supply unit 15 on the manned guided vehicle 1. In this case, the management device 5 may have an unmanned aerial vehicle 2 whose remaining battery charge falls below a predetermined level receive power from another power supply unit 15 provided within the facility, and replace it with an unmanned aerial vehicle 2 whose remaining battery charge is equal to or higher than the predetermined level. In this case, the projection control unit 53 stops projection by the projection unit 24 when the unmanned aerial vehicle 2 is moving during this replacement.

1 Manned guided vehicle 10 Vehicle body 11 Fork 12 Head guard 13 Waiting space 14 Position detection unit 15 Power supply unit 2 Unmanned aerial vehicle 22 Flight control unit 23 Memory unit 24 Projection unit 25 Speaker 26 Battery 27 Power receiving unit 5 Management device 50 Memory unit 51 Route determination unit 52 Placement determination unit 53 Projection control unit 54 Voice control unit D1 First image D2 Second image D3 Third image H Hovering height L Straight line O Operator Q1 Horizontal distance between unmanned aerial vehicles Q2 Distance between guidance images Q3 Image-free space R Shelf S Guidance system V Voice W Load

Claims (10)

A manned transport vehicle,
A plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles capable of hovering;
A management device,
The manned guided vehicle has a plurality of waiting spaces in which the unmanned aerial vehicle can wait,
The unmanned aerial vehicle is
A projection unit that projects light or an image or both;
A power unit and
a battery for supplying power to the power unit;
When waiting, wait in the waiting space,
The management device includes:
A storage unit that stores a facility map and a loading/unloading position;
a route determination unit that determines a route for guiding the manned guided vehicle to the loading position based on a position of the manned guided vehicle, the loading position, and the facility map;
and a placement determination unit that determines a placement position of each of the unmanned aerial vehicles on the determined route based on a remaining battery charge of each of the unmanned aerial vehicles;
A guidance system in which the multiple unmanned aerial vehicles, when guided, hover at the placement positions and project light, images, or both to guide the manned guided vehicle. The guidance system according to claim 1, wherein the placement determination unit determines the placement position of the unmanned aerial vehicle in order of decreasing battery remaining charge, starting from in front of the manned guided vehicle. The guidance system according to claim 1, wherein the placement determination unit determines the placement position of the unmanned aerial vehicle in order of the remaining battery charge from the front of the manned guided vehicle. The unmanned aerial vehicle further includes a power receiving unit electrically connected to the battery,
The manned guided vehicle further includes a power supply unit,
The guidance system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the power supply unit supplies power to the unmanned aerial vehicle waiting in the waiting space via the power receiving unit. The guidance system of claim 4, wherein the management device is configured to always keep at least one of the unmanned aerial vehicles on standby and powered. The management device further includes a projection control unit,
The guidance system according to claim 1 , wherein the projection control unit causes the projection unit to project light or images of different colors depending on a bend position, the loading and unloading position, and other positions on the route. The management device further includes a projection control unit,
The guidance system according to claim 1 , wherein the projection control unit causes the projection unit to project different sizes of light or images, or different shapes of light or images, depending on a bending position, the loading and unloading position, and other positions on the route. The management device further includes a projection control unit,
The placement determination unit determines the placement position so that the unmanned aerial vehicle is placed at a height of a load placement position,
The projection unit is configured to be capable of projecting downward and upward,
The guidance system according to claim 1 , wherein the projection control unit causes the projection unit to project upward when the height of the placement position is equal to or lower than a predetermined height. The management device further includes a projection control unit,
The projection control unit stops projection of the unmanned aerial vehicle when the unmanned aerial vehicle comes within a predetermined distance from the manned guided vehicle,
The unmanned aerial vehicle further includes a speaker,
The management device further includes a voice control unit,
The guidance system of claim 1 , wherein the voice control unit notifies either or both of the bent position and the loading position through a speaker of the unmanned aerial vehicle that is not performing projection. The management device further includes a projection control unit,
The guidance system of claim 1 , wherein the projection control unit stops projection by the projection unit when the unmanned aerial vehicle has completed its role and is moving.

Images