KR101056377B1 - Flight control terminal, flight control method and flight control system - Google Patents

Abstract

A flight control terminal, a flight control method and a flight control system are provided. The flight control device receives a selection command for at least one specific point, detects location information of at least one specific point input through the user interface unit, and uses the at least one specific point to provide flight path information. The calculated flight path information is transmitted to the flight device. Accordingly, the user can uniformly spread the agricultural materials using the flying device.

Flight path, terminal, pesticide

Description

Flight control device, flying device control method and flying device control system {Controlling terminal for flying apparatus, Controlling method for flying apparatus, and controlling system for flying apparatus}

The present invention relates to a flying device control terminal, a flying device control method and a flying device control system, and more particularly to a flying device control terminal, a flying device control method and a flying device control system for adjusting the flying device by the control terminal. It is about.

In rural areas, farmers now dilute fertilizers or pesticides in water, spray them directly into sprayers, or spray them using hoses. This method has to be dragged by farmers or workers directly to spray and poisoned with pesticides can be harmful to health, work efficiency is deteriorated and work is inconvenient. In addition, in the process of spraying, because the crop must pass on, there was a problem that the damage of the crop occurs.

In order to solve the above problems, but is carried out by mounting a farm machine to spray pesticides and fertilizers to manned aircraft such as airplanes and helicopters, this is too expensive for ordinary farmers to use the reality is low. Although suitable for large-scale farming complexes, it is not suitable for farmers who farm small areas such as Korea, and Korean rural reality does not guarantee safety due to many obstacles (telephone pole, electric wire, trees, etc.) on arable land. It was not possible to adjust the dose according to the speed of the aircraft.

Farmers want to distribute agricultural materials safely and evenly to rice fields and fields. Therefore, the search for a method for uniformly spreading agricultural materials using a flying device is required.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, an object of the present invention, receiving a selection command for at least one specific point, and detects the position information of at least one specific point input through the user interface unit The present invention provides a flight control terminal for calculating flight path information using at least one specific point and transmitting the calculated flight path information to a flight device.

According to an embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above object, the flight control terminal, the user interface for receiving a selection command for at least one specific point; A location information detector for detecting location information of at least one specific point input through the user interface unit; A controller configured to calculate flight path information using the location information of the at least one specific point; And a communication unit for transmitting the calculated flight path information to a flight device.

The display apparatus may further include a display configured to display a map of a specific area, wherein the user interface may receive a selection command for at least one specific point on the displayed map.

The user interface unit may receive a selection command for the at least one specific point, and when the selection command is input, the user interface unit may detect location information regarding a point where the flight control terminal is currently located. It may be.

The user interface unit receives cross-width information of a flight path, and the controller controls a flight area up to an area separated by the cross-width in left and right directions based on a line connecting the at least one specific point to each other. And determine flight path information for the flight device to fly within the flight area.

The controller may determine an inner region of the polygon formed by connecting the at least one specific point as a flying region, and calculate flight path information so that the flying device may fly within the flying region.

The flying device may be a flying device for spraying agricultural materials.

In addition, the communication unit receives the remaining capacity information of the agricultural material from the flying device, the control unit, if there is no remaining capacity of the agricultural material while the flying device is flying along the flight path, the flying device is the flying device It may be controlled to return to the current position of the control terminal.

The controller may calculate the flight path information based on the agricultural material spreading range of the flying device.

On the other hand, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for controlling a flight apparatus, the method comprising: receiving a selection command for at least one specific point; Detecting location information of at least one specific point input through the user interface unit; Calculating flight path information using the at least one point; And transmitting the calculated flight path information to a flight device.

On the other hand, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the flight control system, a user interface unit for receiving a selection command for at least one specific point, detecting the position information of at least one specific point input through the user interface unit A flight device control terminal including a location information detection unit, a flight path controller for calculating flight path information using the at least one point, and a first communication unit for transmitting the calculated flight path information to a flight device; And a second communication unit for receiving the flight path information from the first communication unit, and a flying device including an automatic navigation unit for controlling to fly along the received flight path information.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a selection command for at least one specific point is received, position information of at least one specific point input through a user interface unit is detected, and a flight path is performed using at least one specific point. It is possible to provide a flight control terminal for calculating the information and transmitting the calculated flight path information to the flight device, the user can uniformly spread the agricultural materials using the flight device.

Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings will be described the present invention in more detail.

1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a flight control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the flight control system includes a flight device 10 and a flight control terminal 100.

The flight control device 100 calculates flight path information and transmits the flight path information to the flight device 10. Then, the flight device 10 will automatically fly based on the received flight path information.

As shown in FIG. 1, the flight control device 100 includes a user interface unit 110, a first location information detector 120, a first communication unit 130, a controller 140, a display unit 150, And a storage unit 160.

The user interface 110 corresponds to a UI for receiving a user's manipulation. In detail, the user interface 110 receives a selection command for at least one specific point from the user. Here, the specific point is a point used to set the flight area, and means a point corresponding to the vertices of the flight area. A particular point is also called a point of interest (POI).

The user interface 110 may receive a selection command of a specific point in various ways. For example, the user interface 110 may receive a selection command for a specific point through the buttons. In this case, the user interface 110 may include a start point selection button, an intermediate point selection button, and an end point selection button. Then, the user can select a specific point by sequentially pressing the start point selection button, the middle point selection button (the middle point selection button can be pressed several times), and the end point selection button.

In addition, the user interface 110 may be implemented in the form of a touch screen on the display 150. In this case, when the touch screen is touched, the user interface 110 recognizes that a selection command for selecting a corresponding point as a specific point is input. Accordingly, the user may select at least one specific point by touching a desired point on the map displayed on the display unit 150.

In addition, the user interface 110 may receive input of width information of the flight path. The cross width information means a width in a left direction or a right direction about a line connecting at least one specific point to each other.

The first location information detector 120 detects location information of at least one specific point input through the user interface 110. That is, the first location information detector 120 detects location information corresponding to the coordinates of the specific point selected by the user. The first location information detector 120 may include a Global Positioning System (GPS) module. The location information may include coordinate information such as latitude and longitude for a specific point, and may be location information generally used in GPS.

For example, when a selection command is input through the user interface unit 110, the first location information detection unit 120 detects location information on a location at which the flight control terminal 100 is currently located. Therefore, the user picks up a specific point selection command through the user interface unit 110 of the flying device control terminal 100 after moving directly to a desired point holding the flight control terminal 100, the desired point You can select as a specific point. However, in this case, there is an inconvenience that the user must move directly to a specific point.

Therefore, when map information of the corresponding area is provided, the user may select specific points by touching specific points on the map displayed on the display unit 150, and the first location information detector 120 may display the display unit ( The location information of the specific points touched on 150 is detected. In this case, since the user does not need to go to a specific point directly, the user can enter a specific point more conveniently.

The controller 140 controls the overall operation of the flight control terminal 100 and generates a command for controlling the flight of the flight device 10. In detail, the controller 140 calculates flight path information using location information of at least one specific point.

In detail, the controller 140 determines a flight area by using location information of at least one specific point, and calculates flight path information so that the flight device 10 may fly within the flight area.

The controller 140 may determine a flight area by using an area based method and a path based method.

The area-based method is a method of determining an inner area of a polygon formed by connecting at least one specific point to each other as a flying area, which is illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10. Therefore, when calculating the flight path by the area-based method, the controller 140 determines the internal area of the polygon formed by connecting at least one specific point to each other as the flight area, the flight apparatus 10 in the flight area Flight route information is calculated to fly.

The path-based method determines a flight area up to an area separated by a transverse width in a left-right direction with respect to a line connecting at least one specific point to each other, which is illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. Therefore, when calculating the flight path by the path-based method, the control unit 140 determines the flight area up to the area separated by the transverse width in the left and right direction with respect to the line connecting at least one specific point to each other, the flight Flight path information is calculated so that the flight device 10 may fly in the area.

The controller 140 may calculate a flight path so that the flight device 10 moves in a zigzag within the determined flight area. At this time, the terminal width of the path moving in the zigzag is determined based on the agricultural material spreading range of the flying device 10. That is, the controller 140 calculates a zigzag-type flight path having a large terminal width when the agricultural material spraying range of the flying device 10 is large, and calculates a zigzag-type flight path having a small terminal width when the spraying range is small. Done.

The controller 140 controls the flying device 10 to return to the current position of the flight control terminal 100 when the flying device 10 has no remaining capacity of agricultural materials while flying along the flight path. Here, agricultural materials means agricultural materials such as fertilizers or pesticides necessary for agriculture.

Specifically, the control unit 140 receives the remaining capacity information of the agricultural material from the flying device 10 through the first communication unit 130. And, if it is determined that there is no remaining capacity of the agricultural materials based on the information on the remaining capacity of agricultural materials, the control unit 140 generates a control command to return the flight device 10 to the current position of the flight control terminal 100 by The first communication unit 130 transmits to the flight device 10. Then, the control unit 140 controls to fly again from the point where the flying device 10 previously flew after the agricultural material is refilled.

Through this, the user can easily refill when the flying device 10 runs out of agricultural materials.

The first communication unit 130 transmits the flight path information calculated by the control unit 140 to the flight device 10 by wire or wirelessly. In addition, the first communication unit 140 receives the remaining capacity information of the agricultural material from the flying device 10. The first communication unit 130 may use Bluetooth and Zigbee as a wireless communication method.

The display unit 150 displays a map of a specific area for the user to set as a flight area. The map information displayed on the display 150 may be map information stored in the storage 160 or map information received from an external device. In addition, the display unit 150 may display the determined flight area and the calculated flight path on a map. In addition, the display unit 150 may display the current location of the flying device 10 and the area where the agricultural materials are sprayed on the map.

The storage unit 160 stores map information, location information on at least one selected specific point, and calculated flight path information.

When the flight control device 100 having the above-described configuration is used, flight path information can be calculated and transmitted to the flight device 10 based on selected specific points.

As shown in FIG. 1, the flight apparatus 10 includes a second communication unit 12, a second position information detection unit 13, an automatic navigation unit 14, an agricultural material storage unit 15, and an agricultural material spraying unit 16. It includes.

The second communication unit 12 receives flight path information from the flight control terminal 100. In addition, the second communication unit 12 transmits the remaining capacity information of the agricultural materials and the current position information of the flying device 10 to the flying device control terminal 100. The second communication unit 12 may use Bluetooth and Zigbee as a wireless communication method. In addition, the second communication unit 12 uses the same communication method as the first communication unit 130.

The second position information detector 13 detects the current position of the flight apparatus 10. And, so that the flight control terminal 100 knows the current position of the flight device 10, the current position information of the detected flight device 10 through the second communication unit 12, the flight control terminal 100 Send it at regular intervals. The second location information detector 13 may include a Global Positioning System (GPS) module.

The automatic navigation unit 14 controls the flight device 10 to automatically fly according to the received flight path information. In addition, the automatic navigation unit 14 controls the flight device 10 to fly to the current position of the flight control terminal 100, when there is no remaining capacity of agricultural materials.

The agricultural material storage unit 15 stores agricultural materials. In addition, the agricultural material storage unit 15 detects the remaining capacity of the agricultural material and transmits to the flight device communication terminal 100 through the second communication unit 12.

The agricultural materials spraying unit 16 sprays the agricultural materials in a predetermined spraying range.

By using the flying device control system having the above-described configuration, the flying device 10 spreads the farming materials while flying along the flight path automatically calculated for the selected area, so that the user spreads the farming materials evenly on the desired area. You can do it.

In general, the unmanned aerial vehicle needs to be adjusted by the user using a radio controller, and therefore, the user must have skilled skills and experience for safe takeoff and landing and uniform spraying of the aircraft. In addition, when the flying device is far from the user's field of view, it becomes difficult to adjust uniformly, so it is difficult to uniformly distribute the agricultural materials.

However, when using the above-described flight control system, even if the user does not adjust directly, the flight path is automatically calculated and the flying device 10 is automatically flying by the automatic navigation unit 14, even if you are an inexperienced user It is easy to spread the agricultural materials by using the flying device.

Hereinafter, a method of controlling a flight apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. 2. 2 is a flowchart provided to explain a method for controlling a flight apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, the flight control device 100 determines whether there is map information stored in the storage unit 160 or map information received from an external device (S210).

If the map information exists (S210-Y), the flight control terminal 100 displays the map on the screen of the display unit 150 (S220). Then, the flight control device 100 receives a selection command for selecting at least one specific point on the displayed map (S225). In this case, the user interface 110 of the flight control terminal 100 may be implemented in the form of a touch screen on the display unit 150. When the touch screen is touched, the flight control terminal 100 recognizes that a selection command for selecting a point corresponding to the touch point as a specific point is input. Therefore, the user can select at least one specific point by touching a desired point on the map displayed on the display unit 150.

On the other hand, if the map information does not exist (S210-N), the flight control terminal 100 receives a selection command for selecting the current location as a specific point (S230). If the specific point selection end command is not input (S235-N), the flight control terminal 100 receives a selection command for continuously selecting the current position as a specific point (S230).

On the other hand, when a specific point selection end command is input (S235-Y), the selection of the specific point is terminated.

In detail, the user interface 110 of the flight control terminal 100 may receive a selection command for a specific point through buttons. In this case, the user interface 110 may include a start point selection button, an intermediate point selection button, and an end point selection button. And, when the start point selection button is pressed, the flight control device 100 selects the current position as the start point of the specific point, and after pressing the intermediate point selection button several times, selects each current position as the specific point, After selecting the end point of a specific point by pressing the end point selection button, a selection end command is input.

Thereafter, the flight control device 100 detects location information on at least one specific point selected using the first location information detector 120 (S240).

Next, the flight control terminal 100 determines whether the current mode is set to generate a flight path in an area-based manner (S250). If the area-based method is set (S250-Y), the flight control device 100 determines the internal area of the polygon formed by connecting at least one specific point as the flight area (S260).

On the other hand, if the path-based method is set (S250-N), the flight control terminal 100 receives the cross-sectional width information of the flight path from the user via the user interface 110 (S270). In addition, the flight control terminal 100 determines a flight area up to an area separated by a transverse width in a left-right direction from a line formed by connecting at least one specific point (S275).

Thereafter, the flight control device 100 calculates flight path information so that the flight device 10 may fly in the flight area (S280). Specifically, the flight control device 100 may calculate a flight path such that the flight device 10 moves in a zigzag within the determined flight area. At this time, the terminal width of the path moving in the zigzag is determined based on the agricultural material spreading range of the flying device 10. That is, the controller 140 calculates a zigzag-type flight path having a large terminal width when the agricultural material spraying range of the flying device 10 is large, and calculates a zigzag-type flight path having a small terminal width when the spraying range is small. Done.

Next, the flight control device 100 transmits the calculated flight path information to the flight device 10 through the first communication unit 130 (S290). Then, the flying device 10 is to spray the agricultural materials while flying along the received flight path.

Using the flying device control method as described above, since the flying device 10 is to spray the agricultural materials while flying along the flight path automatically calculated for the selected area, the user can spray the agricultural materials uniformly to the desired area Will be.

Figure 3 is a front view showing the external form of the flight control terminal 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the flight control terminal 100 may communicate with the user interface 110 including a plurality of buttons, the GPS antenna 125 of the first location information detector 120, and the first communication unit 130. The antenna 135 and the display unit 150 is included. Descriptions overlapping with the description of FIG. 1 are omitted in the description of each configuration of FIG. 3.

The user interface 110 may include a start point select button 111, an intermediate point select button 112, an end point select button 113, a flight path information calculation menu button 114, a mode setting button 115, and flight path information transmission. Button 116.

The start point selection button 111 is a button for receiving a starting point of specific points, the middle point selection button 112 is a button for receiving middle points of specific points, and the end point selection button 113 is an end point of specific points. Button to receive input. The flight path information calculation menu button 114 is a button for inputting a command for calculating flight path information, and the mode setting button 115 is a mode for determining a flight area in a path-based method or a mode for determining a path-based method. A button for setting any one, and the flight path information transmission button 116 is a button for inputting a command for transmitting the calculated flight path information.

By using these buttons, the user can select at least one specific point and can control the flight path of the flight apparatus 10.

Meanwhile, the configuration of the buttons disclosed in FIG. 3 is merely an example. In addition, any button configuration may be applied as long as the user can select a specific point.

4 is a perspective view showing a part of the configuration of the flight device 10, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 4, the case of using the small unmanned helicopter as the flying device 10 is taken as an example. As shown in Figure 4, the flight device 10 can be seen that the automatic navigation unit 14, agricultural material storage unit 15 and the agricultural material spraying unit 16 is included.

Hereinafter, a method of selecting a specific point will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. 5 is a diagram illustrating a case of selecting a specific point using a map displayed on the display unit 150 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates selecting the first point 510, the second point 520, the third point 530, and the fourth point 540 as a specific point. As such, when the map information of the region desired by the user exists, the display unit 150 displays the map on the screen. Accordingly, the user selects four specific points by moving the pointer 500 to sequentially select the first point 510, the second point 520, the third point 530, and the fourth point 540. It becomes possible.

In addition, if the touch screen is supported, the user may touch the four points by sequentially touching the first point 510, the second point 520, the third point 530, and the fourth point 540. You can also choose.

As such, when the map information exists, the map is displayed through the display unit 150 so that the user can easily select at least one specific point.

However, if the area desired by the user is a rural area or a rural area, there is a possibility that the map information does not exist. In such a case, the user may directly move to a specific point by holding the flight control terminal 100 and input a specific point. This will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 6.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a case in which a current position of the flight control terminal 100 is selected as a specific point according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 6, the user selects the fifth point 610, the sixth point 620, the seventh point 630, and the eighth point 640 as a specific point.

As shown in FIG. 6, the user directly lifts the flight control terminal 100 and sequentially moves the fifth point 610, the sixth point 620, the seventh point 630, and the eighth point 640. You can see that you need to go directly to. Specifically, the user presses the start point selection button 111 of the flight control terminal 100 at the fifth point 610. After moving to the sixth point 620, the intermediate point selection button 112 is pressed. Then, after moving to the seventh point 630, the intermediate point selection button 112 is pressed. Finally, after moving to the eighth point 640, the end point selection button 113 is pressed. Then, the flight control terminal 100 recognizes the fifth point 610, the sixth point 620, the seventh point 630, and the eighth point 640 as a specific point and detects each location information. Done.

In this way, it can be confirmed that a specific point can be selected even in an area where the map information does not exist.

Hereinafter, an example of a flight path calculated in a path-based manner will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a flight path generated by a path-based method when two specific points are provided according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 7, it may be confirmed that a rectangular flight area 700 is determined based on the location information and the transverse width 750 of the ninth point 710 and the tenth point 720, which are specific points. have. And, the flight path is determined to fly zigzag within the flight area 700. In addition, the terminal width 740 of the flight path is determined according to the agricultural material spreading range of the flying device 10.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a flight path generated by a path-based method when there are four specific points according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 8, the specific shape is based on the location information and the transverse width of the eleventh point 810, the twelfth point 820, the thirteenth point 830, and the fourteenth point 840. It can be seen that the flight area of 800 is determined. In addition, it can be confirmed that the spraying region 850 to which agricultural material is sprayed by the flying apparatus 10 includes most of the flying region.

As such, when the flight path is calculated using the path-based method, the user may determine the area having a predetermined width as the flight area by inputting a small number of specific points.

Hereinafter, an example of calculating a flight path using an area-based method will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating flight paths generated by an area-based method when there are four specific points according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 9, the flight area 900 is an inner region of the polygon formed by the fifteenth point 910, the sixteenth point 920, the seventeenth point 930, and the eighteenth point 940. You can confirm the decision. In addition, the flight path of the flight device 10 can be confirmed that the flight is calculated to zigzag the interior of the flight area 900.

FIG. 10 is a view illustrating a flight path generated by an area-based method when there are seven specific points according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 10, the flight area 1000 includes a nineteenth point 1010, a twentieth point 1020, a twenty-first point 1030, a twenty-second point 1040, a twenty-third point 1050, and a third point. It can be seen that it is determined as the inner region of the polygon formed by the twenty-fourth point 1060 and the twenty-fifth point 1070. In addition, it may be confirmed that the flight path of the flight device 10 is calculated to fly in the zigzag of the flight area 1000.

By calculating the flight path in the above-described manner, the user can uniformly spread the agricultural materials to the desired area by using the flight device (10).

In the present embodiment, it has been described that the flight device 10 calculates flight path information to move the flight area in a zigzag. However, even if it is not a zigzag path, any path can be calculated as long as it is a path that can evenly distribute agricultural materials to the determined flight area.

In the present embodiment, the flying device 10 has been described as to spray agricultural materials. However, this is only one embodiment, in addition to any of the flying device 10 that is flying a specific area is of course applicable. For example, the flight device 10 includes a camera, and of course, it can be applied to the case of flying to evenly capture a specific area as a whole.

In the present embodiment, the flying device 10 has been described as being an unmanned helicopter, but of course, anything can be applied if the flight is possible. For example, it can be applied to a small drone as well.

In addition, although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described above, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, but the technical field to which the invention belongs without departing from the spirit of the invention claimed in the claims. Of course, various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art, and these modifications should not be individually understood from the technical spirit or the prospect of the present invention.

1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a flight control system, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a flow chart provided to explain a method for controlling a flight apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a front view showing the external form of the flight control terminal, according to an embodiment of the present invention,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a part of the configuration of the flying device, according to an embodiment of the present invention,

5 is a diagram illustrating a case of selecting a specific point using a map displayed on a display unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a case in which a current position of a flight control terminal is selected as a specific point according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.

7 is a view showing a flight path generated by a path-based method when there are two specific points according to an embodiment of the present invention;

8 is a view showing a flight path generated by a path-based method when there are four specific points according to an embodiment of the present invention;

9 is a view showing a flight path generated by a region-based method when four specific points, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a view illustrating a flight path generated by an area-based method when there are seven specific points according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

100: flight device control terminal 110: user interface unit

120: first location information detection unit 130: first communication unit

140: control unit 150: display unit

160: storage unit 10: flight device

12: second communication unit 13: second position information detection unit

14: automatic navigation unit 15: agricultural materials storage unit

16: agricultural material spraying unit

Claims (10)

A user interface to receive a selection command for at least one specific point; A location information detector for detecting location information of at least one specific point input through the user interface unit; A controller configured to calculate flight path information using the location information of the at least one specific point; And a communication unit configured to transmit the calculated flight path information to a flight device. The communication unit, Receive the remaining capacity information of agricultural materials from the flying device, The control unit, And when there is no remaining capacity of agricultural materials during the flight of the flying device along the flight path, the flying device controls to return to the current position of the flying device control terminal. delete delete The method of claim 1, The user interface unit, Receive the width information of the flight path, The control unit, Determining a flight area up to an area separated by the transverse width in left and right directions based on a line connecting the at least one specific point to each other, and calculating flight path information so that the flying device flies within the flight area; Flight control terminal characterized in that. The method of claim 1, The control unit, And determining an internal area of the polygon formed by connecting the at least one specific point to each other as a flight area, and calculating flight path information for the flight device to fly within the flight area. delete delete The method of claim 1, The control unit, The flight device control terminal, characterized in that for calculating the flight path information based on the agricultural material spraying range of the flight device. delete delete

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