WO2016121072A1 - Flying robot device - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a flying robot device that enables stable continuous flight of a flying robot, that is capable of performing work such as the dispersing of agricultural chemicals from the sky and aerial photography, and in which sudden load variation or the cutting of a power supply cable does not cause a flying robot to crash. The flying robot device 1 is provided with a flying robot 10 and a ground-side power supply device 50 that supplies power to the flying robot 10 via a power transmission cable 30. A robot-side control device 20 converts high voltage V_H supplied from the ground-side power supply device 50 via the cable 30 into low voltage V_L, supplies the result to a motor 14, and controls the output of the motor 14 in accordance with the acting load of the cable 30. The ground-side power supply device 50 controls the high voltage V_H in accordance with the distance between the flying robot 10 and the ground-side power supply device 50. Battery voltage V_B from auxiliary batteries 66a to 66c on the flying robot 10 is supplied to the motor 14 as necessary in response to a decrease or loss of drive current for the motor 14.

Description

Flying robot

The present invention relates to a flying robot apparatus.More specifically, the present invention can continuously fly while feeding power from outside, and can perform unmanned operations such as spraying agrochemicals, aerial photography, and radiation measurement from the air. In addition, the present invention relates to an industrial flying robot apparatus that does not cause a crash even if there is a gust of wind or disconnection of a power supply line.

Conventionally, as a flying robot for performing a predetermined work in the air, forms such as an electric helicopter and an electric airplane are known. However, both of them are an electric motor and a battery (for example, lithium ion) that drives the electric motor.・ Battery), and is configured to work while flying autonomously within the capacity range of the battery. For this reason, the flight time is generally limited to a short time of about 15 to 30 minutes.

Furthermore, if the payload of the flying robot (the weight of the load) increases according to the work, the power consumption required for the flight further increases, so that the flight time is further restricted. For example, if the payload is 15 kg or more, the flight time is 5 minutes or less, and it is practically impossible to use for work. On the other hand, if an attempt is made to extend the flight time while mounting the same payload, the weight of the battery mounted on the flying robot increases, so that the substantial payload decreases by the increased weight. Therefore, in order to put the unmanned work in the air by this kind of flying robot into practical use, it is necessary to eliminate such a difficulty (trade-off) by some measure.

As a prior art related to the present invention, for example, a toy airplane which is disclosed in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Publication No. 11-509758) and can fly by remote control in a closed area such as a room is disclosed. . This toy airplane includes a model airplane and a remote control device connected to the model airplane via a flexible cable. Power is supplied to the electric motor on the model airplane from a power source (battery) built in the remote control device via the cable. The cable is connected near the center of gravity of the model airplane at the bottom. This is because the floating weight of the model airplane is as small as 1.5 g / dm ² or less, and it is not an industrial use but a toy. Also, the power supply is built in the remote control device. It is because it is not installed. Further, the model airplane has a fixed elevator, and the raising and lowering of the model airplane is performed by changing the electric energy supplied to the electric motor. The model rudder is driven (ie, altitude adjustment) by changing the direct current (DC) voltage applied to the induction coil (summary, correspondence between claims 1 to 4 and the detailed description of the invention). Location, see Figures 1-4).

As another conventional technique related to the present invention, there is a remote control helicopter control mechanism disclosed in Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 2-299998). The remote control helicopter control mechanism is a remote control helicopter control mechanism that is remotely controlled by receiving a signal from a transmitter in a receiver mounted on the aircraft, and is a tension rope attached to the helicopter aircraft A reel A and a reel B that winds up a signal transmission cable connecting the transmitter and the receiver. These reels A and B have a reel B feeding amount and a winding amount larger than that of the reel A. The signal transmission cable is guided by the tension rope so as to be sent out and wound up. According to this steering mechanism, it is possible to perform wired control while minimizing the drop in the payload of the helicopter, thereby facilitating and realizing the steering operation of the helicopter (claims and details of the invention). Corresponding part of the description, see FIGS. 1 to 3).

As yet another conventional technique related to the present invention, there is a floating body disclosed in Patent Document 3 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-178592). The floating body includes a trunk portion, a pair of main wings attached to both sides of the trunk portion, a winding shaft provided between the pair of main wings and extending in a flapping direction of the main wings, and the pair of pairs. A main wing is provided with a pair of yarns each having one end connected to the main wing and the other end connected to the take-up shaft, and a main wing power unit attached to the body and rotating a shaft for taking up the yarn. This floating body performs self-exciting flapping motion, is a toy that floats in a room or outdoors, means an object that floats and swims in the air, and does not include helicopters or airplanes. Further, this floating body flies at a low speed of walking speed (3 m / sec) or less against gravity, and the wing surface load with respect to the entire weight is set to 3 newtons / square meter or less. The main wing power unit preferably includes a DC motor and an AC power supply that supplies AC to the DC motor. In this case, the main wing can be caused to flutter smoothly by supplying an AC signal having a low frequency at which the DC motor operates to the DC motor. (See summary, claims 1 and 8, paragraphs 0001, 0006 to 0007, 0012 to 0014, 0049 to 0050, 0067 to 0071, FIGS. 1 to 5, FIGS. 21 to 22, and FIG. 33).

As yet another conventional technique related to the present invention, there is an autonomous control device for a small unmanned helicopter disclosed in Patent Document 4 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-256020). This autonomous control device is a small unmanned helicopter that detects the current position, attitude angle, ground altitude, and nose heading of the small unmanned helicopter, as well as a position or speed target value set from the ground station, and a small unmanned A main calculation unit that calculates the optimum control command value for driving each servo motor that moves the five helms of the helicopter fuselage from the current position and attitude angle of the helicopter, data collection from the sensor, and main calculation unit And a sub-operation unit that converts a calculation result as a numerical value output by the servo motor into a pulse signal that can be received by the servo motor. According to this autonomous control device, it is possible to autonomously control a small unmanned helicopter having a size and weight as large as a radio control helicopter for a hobby toward a set position or speed target value (summary, claim 1, paragraph 005). ~ 0061, see FIG.

Japanese National Patent Publication No. 11-509758 JP-A-2-299998 JP 2009-178592 A JP 2004-256020 A

The difficulty of the conventional flying robot mentioned above, that is, if you try to increase the payload (weight of the load), the power consumption will increase and the flight time will be more constrained, and conversely if you try to extend the flight time, The difficulty of increasing the weight of the battery to be mounted and further reducing the payload is that the power supply to the electric motor on the flying robot is changed from the power supply on the ground side (like the “toy airplane” of Patent Document 1 described above). It is possible to eliminate the problem by carrying out from the battery) via the flexible cable. However, in this case, the power transmission output is less than 100 W, which is insufficient for industrial use. In addition, since the total length of the cable is considerably long, such as several meters to several tens of meters, another problem arises when power is supplied to the electric motor on the flying robot through such a long cable.

The first problem is that a voltage drop occurs due to power supply of several KW or more via a long cable, so that the voltage applied to the electric motor is considerably lower than the power supply voltage (supply voltage) on the ground side. It is to end up. In addition, the amount of voltage drop changes as the cable length varies. If such an unstable voltage is applied to the electric motor, the flight situation of the flying robot may be greatly affected.

The second problem is that it is necessary to adjust the output of the electric motor as the load (load) due to the cable fluctuates. Since part of the cable hangs down from the flying robot during the flight, a part of the weight of the cable (load due to the cable weight) acts on the flying robot. In addition, the load varies with changes in the altitude and horizontal position of the flying robot. Furthermore, when a tensile force acts on the cable due to strong winds or gusts, the load temporarily increases. For this reason, it is necessary to adjust the output of an electric motor in real time with the fluctuation | variation of the load by a cable weight.

The third problem is that if the cable hanging from the flying robot becomes longer, the cable may become entangled due to a sudden change in altitude or horizontal position of the flying robot or a gust of wind, which may cause problems in the subsequent flight of the flying robot. That is. Therefore, it is necessary to take measures against such cable entanglement.

The fourth problem is that the flying robot may crash if the flying robot receives a gust of wind or the power supply cable is disconnected during the flight. Since many of the electric motors that drive the propulsion means (for example, the rotor) of the flying robot are DC brushless motors, a DC-DC converter is often used as a drive power source for the electric motor. The DC-DC converter is a power supply circuit using a switching system in order to reduce the size, and has a negative characteristic. For this reason, it may not be able to cope with sudden load fluctuations, and the output may suddenly become zero. For example, if the output to the electric motor needs to increase rapidly due to a gust of wind during flight, the DC-DC converter may not be able to cope with the load fluctuation, and the output voltage may suddenly become zero. It is. If this happens, the flying robot will crash, so some countermeasure is necessary.

Also, if the cable for supplying power to the flying robot is disconnected for some reason, the flying robot will crash, and some countermeasures are necessary for this.

However, the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 only discloses a configuration for supplying power to an electric motor on a model airplane via a cable, and the first to fourth problems described above are not recognized. There is no disclosure or suggestion of how to deal with.

[Patent Document 2] “Remote Control Helicopter Control Mechanism” discloses a proposal of a measure for avoiding the third problem of cable entanglement. However, in this steering mechanism, the control signal is transmitted by the signal transmission cable connecting the transmitter and the receiver while limiting the flight range of the helicopter by the tension rope, so that the reel A and the reel B are necessary. At the same time, since it is necessary to control the sending and winding of the signal transmission cable by the reel B according to the feeding and winding of the tension rope by the reel A, the configuration and control of the cable entanglement prevention mechanism becomes complicated. There is a difficulty. In Patent Document 2, the first, second, and fourth problems are not recognized, and no countermeasures are disclosed or suggested.

The above-mentioned “floating body” of Patent Document 3 includes an example in which a main wing power device including a DC motor and an AC power supply that supplies AC to the DC motor is used. By supplying an AC signal having a low operating frequency to the DC motor, the main wing is caused to flutter smoothly. The reason for flapping the main wing is that this floating body is a toy that floats in a room or outdoors by causing a pair of main wings to perform self-exciting flapping motion. Therefore, it is clear that it cannot be used as a measure for avoiding the above first to fourth problems. In Patent Document 3, the first to fourth problems described above are not recognized in the first place.

The control device for the small unmanned helicopter of Patent Document 4 realizes autonomous control of the small unmanned helicopter. However, the above-described first to fourth problems are not recognized, and the countermeasures against them are also described. No disclosure or suggestion.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the circumstances as described above, and its main purpose is to stabilize the flight time and payload without being limited due to the capacity of the battery mounted on the flying robot. It is an object to provide an industrial flying robot apparatus capable of continuously flying a flying robot and allowing the flying robot to perform various operations such as spraying of agrochemicals, aerial photography, and radiation measurement from the air. .

Another object of the present invention is to provide an industrial flying robot apparatus that does not cause a flying robot to crash even if a sudden load fluctuation occurs due to a gust of wind or the power supply cable is disconnected. It is to provide.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an industrial flying robot apparatus that can suppress voltage drop and load fluctuation caused by a cable connecting a flying robot and a ground-side power supply device with a simple configuration. It is to provide.

Still another object of the present invention is that a cable connecting the flying robot and the ground-side power supply device may be entangled due to a sudden change in altitude or horizontal position of the flying robot, wind, or the like, which may hinder flight of the flying robot. It is an object of the present invention to provide an industrial flying robot apparatus that can solve the above problem with a simple configuration.

Further objects of the present invention that are not specified here will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

(1) The flying robot apparatus of the present invention
A flying robot,
A ground side power supply for supplying power to the flying robot via a flexible power transmission cable,
The flying robot is
Propulsion means,
An electric motor for driving the propulsion means;
A first control unit that controls an output of the electric motor according to a load of the power transmission cable acting on the flying robot;
A high-voltage / low-voltage converter that converts the high voltage supplied from the ground-side power supply device via the power transmission cable into a low voltage and supplies the electric motor;
A main power supply for supplying the low voltage generated by the high-voltage / low-voltage converter to the electric motor;
A sub power supply for supplying an auxiliary voltage to the electric motor as required;
An auxiliary battery for supplying the auxiliary voltage,
The ground side power supply is
A high-voltage power transmission unit that transmits the high voltage to the high-voltage / low-voltage conversion unit via the power transmission cable;
A second control unit that controls a value of the high voltage transmitted by the high-voltage power transmission unit according to a distance between the flying robot and the ground-side power supply device;
The sub power supply device supplies the auxiliary voltage from the auxiliary battery to the electric motor when the output of the main power supply device decreases or disappears.

In the flying robot device of the present invention, as described above, the high voltage is supplied from the ground-side power supply device to the flying robot via the flexible power transmission cable. Further, the high voltage value of the high-voltage power transmission unit is controlled by the second control unit of the ground-side power supply device according to the distance between the flying robot and the ground-side power supply device. Furthermore, the output of the electric motor is controlled by the first controller of the flying robot in accordance with the load of the power transmission cable acting on the flying robot. For this reason, the influence by the voltage drop resulting from the power transmission cable and the weight or entanglement of the power transmission cable, which the flying robot receives during flight, is reliably suppressed. Therefore, the flight robot can be continuously operated stably without being limited in flight time and payload due to the capacity of the battery mounted on the flight robot, and the pesticide is sprayed on the flight robot from the air. Various operations such as aerial photography and radiation measurement can be performed.

The output of the electric motor is controlled by the first controller according to the load of the power transmission cable acting on the flying robot, and at the same time, the flying robot and the ground-side power supply are controlled by the second controller. The value of the high voltage transmitted by the high-voltage power transmission unit is controlled according to the distance between the devices. For this reason, the voltage drop resulting from the power transmission cable connecting the flying robot and the ground-side power supply device and the load fluctuation of the flying robot can be suppressed with a simple configuration.

Furthermore, in addition to the main power supply device that supplies the low voltage generated by the high-voltage / low-voltage conversion unit to the electric motor, the sub power supply device that supplies the auxiliary voltage from the auxiliary battery to the motor is provided. When the output of the main power supply device decreases or disappears for some reason, the sub power supply device supplies the auxiliary voltage to the electric motor. For this reason, even if a sudden load fluctuation occurs in the flying robot due to a gust of wind or the power supply cable is disconnected, the flying robot does not fall.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to realize a flying robot apparatus that can be immediately put into practical use for industrial use.

(2) In a preferred example of the flying robot device of the present invention, the high voltage transmitted by the high-voltage power transmission unit of the ground side power supply device is a DC voltage. In this example, there is an advantage that a voltage drop generated when the high voltage is transmitted through the power transmission cable is suppressed as compared with the case where the AC voltage is used. Further, there is an advantage that the voltage circuit of the DC voltage can be made smaller than the voltage conversion circuit of the AC voltage.

(3) In another preferred example of the flying robot device of the present invention, the high-voltage / low-voltage converter of the flying robot is a DC-DC converter with variable output. In this example, since the output of the DC-DC converter is variable, there is an advantage that the circuit configuration on the flying robot is simplified.

(4) In still another preferred example of the flying robot device of the present invention, the high-voltage power transmission unit of the ground side power supply device is an AC-DC converter, and the high-voltage / low-voltage conversion unit of the flying robot is a DC-DC converter. It is said. In this example, there is an advantage that the high voltage transmitted by the high-voltage power transmission unit of the ground side power supply device can be generated using a commercial power source.

(5) In still another preferred example of the flying robot device according to the present invention, when a decrease in load capacity of the main power supply device is detected, the sub power supply device is set to the low voltage supplied from the main power supply device. In addition, the auxiliary voltage is supplied from the auxiliary battery to the electric motor. In this example, there is an advantage that the influence on the flight of the flying robot due to the decrease in the load capacity of the main power supply device can be minimized.

(6) In still another preferred example of the flying robot device according to the present invention, when the loss of the output from the main power supply device is detected, the operation of the sub power supply device is stopped and the auxiliary battery is used for the auxiliary power supply. A voltage is directly supplied to the electric motor. In this example, even if the output of the main power supply device is lost due to disconnection of the power transmission cable or the like, there is an advantage that the flying robot can continue to fly without crashing.

(7) In still another preferable example of the flying robot device of the present invention, the auxiliary battery is charged by using the high voltage supplied from the ground-side power supply device via the power transmission cable, thereby causing discharge. The battery pack further includes a charging power supply device that prevents the auxiliary voltage from decreasing. In this example, there is an advantage that it is possible to prevent a situation in which the desired auxiliary voltage cannot be supplied due to spontaneous discharge of the auxiliary battery over time.

(8) In still another preferred example of the flying robot device of the present invention, the flying robot apparatus further includes a cable winder that winds up the surplus portion of the power transmission cable on the ground side, and the transmission and winding of the power transmission cable by the cable winder. Is configured to be automatically adjusted according to the distance between the flying robot and the ground-side power supply. In this example, a sudden change in altitude or horizontal position of the flying robot, wind, and the like cause the power transmission cable connecting the flying robot and the ground-side power supply device to become entangled, resulting in hindrance to the flight of the flying robot. Fear can be eliminated with a simple configuration.

(9) In still another preferable example of the flying robot apparatus of the present invention, the flying robot detects a position of the flying robot during flight, and an output signal of the position detecting sensor is wirelessly transmitted to the ground. A transmission / reception unit that transmits to the side power supply device, and the second control unit of the ground side power supply device receives the output signal to control the value of the high voltage transmitted by the high-voltage power transmission unit. Configured to do. In this example, there is an advantage that the position of the flying robot in flight can be detected easily and reliably, and the second control unit can be accurately controlled based on the detection result.

(10) In still another preferable example of the flying robot apparatus of the present invention, the flying robot apparatus further includes a communication cable (used for transmission / reception of control signals and data communication, and configured from, for example, an optical fiber) connected to the flying robot. The communication cable is integrated (built-in or added) or attached to the power transmission cable. In this example, there is an advantage that communication with the flying robot in flight can be reliably performed while eliminating the adverse effects due to the installation of the communication cable.

(11) In still another preferred example of the flying robot apparatus according to the present invention, the cable winder includes a cable winding motor for feeding and winding the power transmission cable, and the cable winding motor. The sending and winding of the power transmission cable according to is controlled by the second control unit according to the distance between the flying robot and the ground side power supply device. In this example, the structure of the cable winder is a little complicated, but the transmission cable winding and winding control according to the distance between the flying robot and the ground-side power supply device is more accurately performed. There is an advantage that.

(12) In still another preferred example of the flying robot apparatus according to the present invention, the cable winder includes a biasing member (for example, a spring) that biases the power transmission cable in a winding direction thereof. The cable is sent out by pulling out the power transmission cable against the winding force of the biasing member, and the power transmission cable is wound up by the winding force of the biasing member. The In this example, there is an advantage that the transmission and winding control of the power transmission cable according to the distance between the flying robot and the ground side power supply device can be realized with a simple configuration.

(13) In still another preferred example of the flying robot device of the present invention, a PID control method is used in at least one of the first control unit of the flying robot and the second control unit of the ground-side power supply device. . In this example, there is an advantage that the first control unit or the second control unit is easily realized. However, it goes without saying that methods other than the PID control method may be used.

(14) In yet another preferred example of the flying robot apparatus of the present invention, the flying robot apparatus further includes an entanglement preventing member that is installed on the ground side and prevents the entanglement of the cable. In this example, there is an advantage that the cable can be more easily prevented from being entangled with a simple configuration.

(15) In still another preferred example of the flying robot device of the present invention, the flying robot has a configuration of an electric helicopter. In this example, there is an advantage that the advantages of the present invention can be fully utilized.

According to the flying robot device of the present invention, (a) the flying robot can be continuously and stably fly without being limited in flight time and payload due to the capacity of the battery mounted on the flying robot. The flying robot can perform various operations such as spraying agricultural chemicals, aerial photography, radiation measurement, etc. from the air. (B) The flying robot undergoes sudden load fluctuations due to gusts, etc., or the power supply cable is disconnected. The flying robot is not likely to crash. (C) Voltage drop caused by the cable connecting the flying robot and the ground-side power supply and load fluctuation of the flying robot can be suppressed with a simple configuration. (D) The effect that it can be immediately put into practical use for industrial use is obtained.

In addition, a cable winder that winds up excess power cable on the ground side is further provided, and the transmission and winding of the power transmission cable by the cable winder are automatically performed according to the distance between the flying robot and the ground side power supply device. (E) In addition to the effects (a) to (d) above, (e) the flying robot and the ground-side power The effect that the cable that connects the devices is entangled and the flying robot may be hindered by a simple configuration can be further obtained.

It is a conceptual diagram which shows the whole structure of the flying robot apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the whole structure of the flying robot currently used for the flying robot apparatus of FIG. It is a functional block diagram which shows the internal structure of the robot side control apparatus and ground side power supply device which are used for the flying robot apparatus of FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement in flight of the robot side control apparatus used for the flying robot apparatus of FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement in flight of the ground side power supply device used for the flying robot apparatus of FIG. (A) is a front view which shows the detailed structure of the cable winder used for the flying robot apparatus of FIG. 1, (b) is the side view. It is a functional block diagram which shows the internal structure of the robot side control apparatus and ground side power supply device which are used for the flying robot apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. (A) is a front view which shows the detailed structure of the cable winder used for the flying robot apparatus of FIG. 7, (b) is the side view. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the structure of the auxiliary power supply device used for the flying robot apparatus which concerns on 1st and 2nd embodiment of this invention. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the battery voltage fall prevention circuit used for the flying robot apparatus which concerns on 1st and 2nd embodiment of this invention. It is a conceptual diagram which shows operation | movement of the auxiliary power supply device used for the flying robot apparatus which concerns on 1st and 2nd embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of the flying robot apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As can be seen from the figure, the flying robot device 1 includes a flying robot 10, a ground-side power supply device 50 that supplies power to the flying robot 10 via a flexible power transmission cable 30, and the altitude of the flying robot 10. A cable winder 40 that pulls out and winds up the power transmission cable 30 in accordance with a change in position, and a tangle prevention member for preventing the power transmission cable 30 from being tangled during the flight and hindering the flight of the flying robot 10 45. The ground side power supply device 50, the cable winder 40, and the entanglement preventing member 45 are provided on the ground. The flying robot 10 can fly autonomously with electric power supplied from the ground-side power supply device 50 via the power transmission cable 30.

As shown in detail in FIG. 2, the flying robot 10 has a configuration of an electric multi-rotor helicopter having six rotors 13 that are individually driven by an electric motor 14. More specifically, the flying robot 10 is arranged on the substantially cylindrical main body 11 and the substantially cylindrical outer peripheral portion of the main body 11 at equal intervals, and the six robots 10 extending radially from the outer peripheral portion. The arm 12 is provided with a total of six rotors 13 rotatably installed at the distal ends of the arms 12 and a total of six electric motors 14 that individually rotate and drive the rotors 13. All the rotors 13 are directly fixed to the rotating shafts of the corresponding electric motors 14, respectively, and can be driven to rotate by the rotation of the corresponding electric motors 14. All the rotors 13 are arranged in the same plane. Here, the rotor 13 functions as a propulsion unit for the flying robot 10.

In this specification, when distinguishing the six arms 12, as shown in FIG. 2, reference numerals 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e and 12f are used. Similarly, when distinguishing the six rotors 13, the signs 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d, 13e and 13f are used. When distinguishing the six electric motors 14, the signs 14a, 14b, 14c and 14d are used. 14e and 14f are used.

Equipment necessary for various operations such as agricultural chemical spraying, aerial photography, radiation measurement, etc. (working equipment) is mounted on the main body 11 of the flying robot 10 using appropriate members. The work equipment is sent to a desired position and altitude by flying the flying robot 10, and performs a desired work while hovering at that place or flying at a desired altitude.

The electric power required for the flight of the flying robot 10, in other words, the electric power required to rotate the six electric motors 14 that drive all the rotors 13 is not from the battery mounted on the flying robot 10 but on the ground side. It is continuously supplied from the power supply device 50 via the power transmission cable 30. For this reason, mounting of the battery on the flying robot 10 can be omitted. However, in preparation for an emergency situation such as a sudden increase in the load of the flying robot 10 due to a gust of wind, a ground-side power supply device 50 failure, a disconnection of the power transmission cable 30, a failure of equipment on the flying robot 10, or the like. The main body 11 is equipped with an auxiliary battery (described later). This is to prevent an unexpected crash of the flying robot 10.

A robot-side control device 20 having an internal configuration as shown in FIG. 3 is mounted inside the main body 11 of the flying robot 10. The robot-side control device 20 is mechanically and electrically connected to the tip of the power transmission cable 30. The base end of the cable 30 is mechanically and electrically connected to the ground side power supply device 50. A portion on the proximal end side of the cable 30 is wound around the drum 42 (see FIG. 6) of the cable winder 40 provided in the vicinity of the ground-side power supply device 50 in the vicinity of the ground-side power supply device 50. The ground side power supply device 50 is connected. The proximal end of the cable 30 is inserted and engaged with the cable insertion ring 45a of the entanglement prevention member 45 slightly before the cable winder 40, and is wound around the drum 42 behind the cable winding ring 45a. The drawing length of the cable 30 from the drum 42 is adjusted by rotating the drum 42 by the cable winding motor 41 according to the distance from the flying robot 10.

Inside the main body 11, a robot side autonomous control device (not shown) for controlling the autonomous flight of the flying robot 10 is mounted. As a robot side autonomous control apparatus, what is indicated by patent documents 4 mentioned above can be used, for example.

More specifically, the robot-side autonomous control device includes (a) a sensor that detects the current position and attitude angle of the flying robot 10 and (b) six motors that drive the six electric motors 14 of the flying robot 10. (C) a current flight state of the flying robot 10 obtained from the sensor, and a target value set by the ground side autonomous control device (described later) using a predetermined autonomous control algorithm A CPU that independently calculates a control command value so that the electric motor 14 has an optimum rotation speed, (d) a wireless modem that communicates with the ground-side autonomous control device, and (e) a manual operation from a manual control transmitter And a manual steering receiver that receives the steering signal. The CPU monitors the sensor information obtained from the sensor by the ground-side autonomous control device or inputs a target value set by the ground-side autonomous control device, in addition to the main computation unit that performs the computation as described above. For this purpose, a sub-operation unit that controls input / output of signals with the wireless modem is also provided. Examples of the sensor include a GPS sensor that detects the position of the flying robot 10, a three-axis attitude sensor that detects the attitude of the flying robot 10 in three axes, a ground altimeter that measures the altitude of the flying robot 10, A magnetic azimuth meter that measures the azimuth is used. However, the configuration and function of the robot-side autonomous control device are not limited to this.

The robot-side autonomous control device receives four control command values of power, yaw, roll, and pitch from the ground-side autonomous control device, and individually controls the six motor drivers based on the four control command values. The rotational speed of 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d, 14e, and 14f is controlled. Thereby, the flight state of the flying robot 10 can be arbitrarily controlled as follows.

That is, the electric motors 14a, 14c and 14e are rotated clockwise by the respective motor drivers, and the remaining electric motors 14b, 14d and 14f are rotated counterclockwise. Regarding the power, if the number of rotations of the six electric motors 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d, 14e, and 14f is increased simultaneously, the flying robot 10 will rise in a direction perpendicular to itself, and if it simultaneously decreases, it will be perpendicular to itself. Descend in the direction. When a difference is made between the rotational speeds of the electric motors 14b and 14c and the rotational speeds of the electric motors 14e and 14f, the roll angle changes. If the rotational directions are the same and the rotational speeds of the electric motors 14a, 14b and 14f are different from the rotational speeds of the electric motors 14c, 14d and 14e, the pitch angle changes. If a difference is made between the rotational speeds of the electric motors 14a, 14c and 14e and the rotational speeds of the electric motors 14b, 14d and 14f, the yaw angle changes. In this way, an arbitrary flight state can be obtained simply by controlling the rotational speeds of the six electric motors 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d, 14e and 14f.

On the ground side, a ground side autonomous control device (not shown) that is paired with the robot side autonomous control device is prepared. The ground side autonomous control device monitors the autonomous control state of the flying robot 10 and inputs a target value. The wireless side modem communicates with the wireless modem of the robot side autonomous control device, and the robot side autonomous control. A manual steering transmitter for transmitting a manual steering signal to a manual steering receiver of the apparatus. When the robot-side autonomous control device breaks down due to some trouble and autonomous control is not possible, it is automatically switched to the manual control mode, and thereafter it can be controlled by the manual control transmitter. For this reason, it is possible to prevent the flying robot 10 from falling. However, the configuration and function of the ground side autonomous control device are not limited to this.

Next, the cable winder 40 will be described.

The cable winder 40 is provided on the ground side adjacent to the ground-side power supply device 50, and has a function of winding excess of the power transmission cable 30 to prevent the cable 30 from being entangled and a shortage of the cable 30. It has a function of preventing the unnecessary load from acting on the flying robot 10 due to the pulling force of the cable 30. The operation of feeding and winding the cable 30 by the cable winder 40 is controlled by the ground side power supply device 50.

The cable winder 40 has a configuration as shown in FIG. 6 and includes a cable winding motor 41, a drum 42 around which the cable 30 is wound, a stand 43 that supports the cable winding motor 41, and a stand 43 is provided with a cable winding motor 41 and a base 44 on which a drum 42 is installed. The drum 42 is fixed to the rotating shaft 41 a of the cable winding motor 41, and rotates with the rotation of the motor 41. The cable 30 is wound around the drum 42 according to the rotational speed by the forward rotation of the motor 41, and is sent out from the drum 42 according to the rotational speed by the reverse rotation of the motor 41.

The cable winder 40 is provided with an entanglement preventing member 45 for preventing the cable 30 from being entangled. The entanglement preventing member 45 is made of a rigid material (for example, a bar made of metal or synthetic resin) bent in an L shape, and its base end is fixed to the base 44 of the cable winder 40. A cable insertion ring 45 a is formed at the tip of the entanglement preventing member 45. The cable insertion ring 45a is located higher than the drum 42, and holds the cable 30 in a slidable state. This is because the cable 30 is always wound around the drum 42 or pulled out from the drum 42 in substantially the same state so that the cable 30 is not hindered from being taken up and pulled out. Therefore, the entanglement preventing member 45 can be omitted if other measures do not hinder the winding and drawing work of the cable 30.

The portion on the proximal end side of the cable 30 is wound around the drum 42 a plurality of times with a slight slack after passing through the cable insertion ring 45a at the distal end portion of the entanglement preventing member 45. The proximal end of the cable 30 extends to the ground-side power supply device 50 and is mechanically and electrically connected to the ground-side power supply device 50. A portion of the cable 30 on the tip side of the portion wound around the drum 42 extends toward the flying robot 10, and the tip is mechanically and electrically connected to the flying robot 10. The length of the cable 30 drawn from the drum 42 is adjusted according to the distance from the flying robot 10 by rotating the drum 42 by the cable winding motor 41 while the flying robot 10 is flying. The rotation of the cable winding motor 41 is controlled by a ground side power supply device 50 described later.

Next, the ground side power supply device 50 will be described.

The ground-side power supply device 50 has a function of generating a direct current (DC) high voltage V _H and transmitting power to the flying robot 10 via the power transmission cable 30. Also, depending on the distance between the flying robots 10 and ground-side power supply 50 (i.e., voltage drop), while adjusting the value of the transmission to DC high voltage V _H, to adjust the feeding amount and winding amount of the cable 30 It also has a function.

The ground-side power supply device 50 has a configuration as shown in FIG. 3, and includes an output control unit 51, a control calculation unit 52, a transmission / reception unit 53, a power generation unit 54, a high-voltage power transmission unit 55, and an antenna 56. .

The transmission / reception unit 53 receives the position / altitude signal wirelessly transmitted from the transmission / reception unit 25 of the robot-side control device 20 via the antenna 56. The position / altitude signal received in this way is sent to the control calculation unit 52.

The control calculation unit 52 performs a predetermined calculation according to the PID control method based on the position / altitude signal, and calculates the current position of the flying robot 10 and the required length of the power transmission cable 30 at the current altitude. Then, the shortage or excess of the length of the cable 30 is calculated from the comparison with the current length of the cable 30. Information on the shortage and excess of the length of the cable 30 calculated in this way is sent to the output control unit 51 by a control signal. Needless to say, the present invention is not limited to the PID control method, and other control methods can be used.

What is PID control system?
Manipulation amount = P part (proportional term) + I part (integral term) + D part (differential term)
In this method, the operation amount is determined. here,
P part (proportional term) = flying robot weight change rate (kg / s)? Flying robot ascent / descent time (s)? Transmission cable unit weight (kg / m)? Output coefficient Kp
I part (integral term) = integral value of weight change speed (kg / s) of flying robot? Output coefficient Ki
D part (differential term) = differential value of weight change speed (kg / s) of flying robot? Output coefficient Kd
And

The output control unit 51 receives the shortage / excess information of the length of the power transmission cable 30 based on the control signal sent from the control calculation unit 52, and drives the cable winding electric motor 41 based on the information. 42 is rotated forward (direction in which the cable 30 is pulled out) or backward (direction in which the cable 30 is wound up). In this way, the shortage or surplus of the length of the cable 30 at the current position and the current altitude with respect to the length of the cable 30 at the current position and the previous altitude of the flying robot 10 is adjusted.

The power generation unit 54 increases or decreases the value of the AC high voltage V _H to be generated based on the shortage / excess information of the length of the cable 30 sent from the output control unit 51. Then, the DC high voltage V _H adjusted in this way is supplied to the high-voltage power transmission unit 55. By doing so, it is possible to cope with an increase or decrease in voltage drop caused by a shortage or surplus of the length of the cable 30.

Here, as the power generation unit 54, a commercial power source that generates a commercial voltage of alternating current (AC) 100V is used in order to simplify the configuration. However, in consideration of the fact that there are places where commercial power cannot be used, a known generator that generates AC 100 V (or other voltage) may be used.

The high-voltage power transmission unit 55 boosts the original voltage (for example, AC 100 to 200 V) supplied from the power generation unit 54 and converts it to DC to generate a DC high voltage V _H (for example, 250 to 1000 V). Then, the DC high voltage V _H generated in this way is transmitted to the robot-side control device 20 via the power transmission cable 30.

Here, the high voltage power transmission unit 55 is an AC-DC converter. Therefore, it is possible to generate a DC high voltage V _H of high voltage transmission unit 55 power from the commercial power source. At present, some AC-DC converters can generate a DC voltage exceeding 300 V (for example, 380 V) directly from a commercial power supply voltage (AC 100 to 200 V), and it is preferable to use this.

The ground-side power supply device 50 transmits the DC high voltage V _H (for example, 250 to 1000 V) generated by the high-voltage power transmission unit 55 from the commercial power supply voltage (AC100 to 200 V) to the robot-side control device 20 via the power transmission cable 30. Therefore, transmission loss can be greatly suppressed as compared to transmitting AC voltage. In particular, by the DC high voltage V _H to a value exceeding 300 V, it is possible to minimize the transmission loss. In recent years, DC380V has become a standard for high-voltage power supply for servers, so that a known power supply device used for high-voltage power supply for servers can be used as the high-voltage power transmission unit 55 as it is.

When the length of the power transmission cable 30 changes due to the movement of the flying robot 10, the value of the voltage drop due to the cable 30 fluctuates in proportion to this, so that the voltage 30 passes through the cable 30 to the high-voltage / low-voltage converter 21 of the robot controller 20. The voltage value when it reaches (the input voltage value of the high-voltage / low-voltage converter 21) also varies according to the length of the cable 30. Therefore, in order to solve this problem, power is transmitted after adjusting the value of the voltage transmitted by the ground side power supply device 50. Thereby, even if the length of the cable 30 fluctuates, the voltage value when reaching the high voltage / low voltage converter 21 is kept constant.

Next, the robot-side control device 20 mounted on the flying robot 10 will be described.

The robot-side control device 20 is operated by the DC high voltage V _H supplied to the flying robot 10, and individually outputs the six electric motors 14 according to the load of the power transmission cable 30 acting on the flying robot 10. It has a function to control (suppress) the influence of the load of the cable 30 on the flight.

The robot-side control device 20 has a configuration as shown in FIG. 3, and includes a high-voltage / low-voltage conversion unit 21, an output control unit 22, a control calculation unit 23, a position detection unit 24, a transmission / reception unit 25, and an antenna 26. I have.

The high-voltage / low-voltage conversion unit 21 is mechanically and electrically connected to the ground-side power supply device 50 via the power transmission cable 30, and is supplied with a DC high voltage V _H (high-voltage / low-voltage conversion) supplied from the ground-side power supply device 50. The input voltage of the unit 21 is converted into a DC low voltage V _L (eg, DC 40 to 70 V), for example, from DC 250 to 300 V. The DC low voltage V _L generated in this way is supplied to the output control unit 22, the control calculation unit 23, the position detection unit 24, the transmission / reception unit 25, and the antenna 26, and is used as a drive voltage for these circuits. The high-voltage / low-voltage converter 21 itself operates using the DC low voltage _VL thus generated as a driving voltage. Similarly, the robot-side autonomous control apparatus operates with the supply of the DC low voltage _VL as a driving voltage. Therefore, even if the battery is not mounted on the flying robot 10, the flying robot 10 can continuously fly.

The high voltage / low voltage converter 21 is preferably composed of a DC-DC converter whose output is variable voltage control. In this case, since the rotor driving motor 14 is a DC motor, the DC low voltage _VL output from the DC-DC converter can be directly supplied to the rotor driving motor 14. There is an advantage that the configuration becomes simple.

The position detector 24 includes a position / altitude sensor (not shown) mounted on the flying robot 10 and detects the current position and the current altitude of the flying robot 10. As this position / altitude sensor, for example, a GPS sensor that detects the position of the flying robot 10 and a ground altimeter that measures the altitude of the flying robot 10 mounted on the flying robot 10 for autonomous flight can be used. . The position / altitude signal generated by the position detection unit 24 is output to the transmission / reception unit 25 and the control calculation unit 23.

The transmission / reception unit 25 wirelessly transmits the position / altitude signal transmitted from the position detection unit 24 to the ground-side power supply device 50 via the antenna 26. The position / altitude signal is used for controlling the cable winding motor 41 of the cable winder 40 in the ground-side power supply device 50, and the power transmission cable 30 corresponding to the current position and the current altitude of the flying robot 10 is used. It is also used to increase or decrease the value of the DC high voltage V _H transmitted from the ground side power supply device 50 according to the length.

The control calculation unit 23 receives the position / altitude signal sent from the position detection unit 24 according to the same PID control method as the control calculation unit 52 of the ground side power supply device 50, performs a predetermined calculation, and The length of the power transmission cable 30 corresponding to the position and the current altitude is calculated, and the unit weight of the cable 30 is added thereto to calculate the weight of the cable 30. Further, the amount of change (rate of change) of the weight of the cable 30 per unit time is also calculated. The motor control signal calculated in this way is sent to the output control unit 22.

The output control unit 22 increases or decreases the driving force of the electric motor 14 for driving the rotor that needs to be corrected based on the control signal sent from the control calculation unit 23. By doing this, the influence of the weight of the power transmission cable 30 at the current position and current altitude of the flying robot 10 is corrected, and ascending and descending and flying back and forth and left and right are possible as in the case where the cable 30 is not connected. It becomes. For example, when the work is performed while hovering at a fixed position, it may be pulled by the cable 30 and deviated from a predetermined position due to the rising of the flying robot 10 or the application of a pulling force by wind. However, in this embodiment, since the robot-side control device 20 immediately detects this and adjusts the driving force of the motor 14 that needs to be corrected, the flying robot 10 can hold a fixed position.

The output control unit 22 preferably uses, for example, pulse width modulation (PWM) or variable voltage control. This is because the rotor driving electric motor 14 is a DC motor. Here, a PWM control circuit is used. However, the present invention is not limited to these.

Assuming that the payload is 20 kg and the maximum peak power required by a total of six electric motors 14 is 6 kW, the DC high voltage V _H is set to 300 V, the wire of the wire standard AWG 16 is used as the cable 30, and the transmission distance, If the total length of the power transmission cable 30 is 50 m, the DC current flowing through the cable 30 (the output current of the high-voltage / low-voltage conversion unit 21) is 20 A, so that the voltage drop due to power transmission can be 10V. That is, the value of the DC high voltage V _H (the voltage value at the power receiving end) received by the high voltage / low voltage converter 21 of the robot-side controller 20 is maintained at 290V. If even a little more voltage drop due to power transmission can be tolerated, an electric wire thinner than the electric wire of the electric wire standard AWG 16 can be used as the cable 30. Therefore, there is an advantage that the cost and unit weight of the cable 30 can be further reduced.

Further, if the output voltage of the high-voltage / low-voltage converter 21 is controlled so as to compensate for the voltage drop due to power transmission through the power transmission cable 30, that is, the output current of the high-voltage / low-voltage converter 21 (DC current flowing through the cable 30). The voltage drop value represented by the product of the electrical resistance value per unit length of the cable 30 is calculated, and is always added to the input voltage (DC high voltage V _H ) of the high voltage / low voltage converter 21. For example, the voltage drop due to power transmission is compensated and the influence of the voltage drop can be eliminated. In this way, the input voltage (DC high voltage V _H ) can always be kept substantially constant.

Next, the auxiliary power supply device mounted on the flying robot 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. This auxiliary power supply device prevents the flying robot 10 from crashing even if a sudden load fluctuation (overload) occurs in the flying robot 10 due to a gust or the like, or the power transmission cable 30 is disconnected. Is mounted for.

As shown in FIG. 9, each of the six rotor driving electric motors 14 includes a main DC-DC converter (main power supply device) 61, a current measurement sensor 62, a PWM control circuit 63, and a sub DC-DC converter. (Sub-power supply device) 64, first, second and third auxiliary batteries 66 a, 66 b and 66 c, and a charging DC-DC converter (charging power supply device) 67.

The main DC-DC converter 61 receives the supply of the high voltage DC voltage V _H via the power transmission cable 30, generates a predetermined low voltage DC voltage V _L , and supplies it to the PWM control circuit 63. The main DC-DC converter 61 functions as the high-voltage / low-voltage converter 21 of the robot-side control device 20.

The current measurement sensor 62 measures the current (motor drive current) flowing from the main DC-DC converter 61 to the PWM control circuit 63 and sends the measured current value to the sub DC-DC converter 64.

The PWM control circuit 63 controls the driving force (rotation) of the electric motor 14 in accordance with the control signal based on the low voltage DC voltage _VL supplied from the main DC-DC converter 61.

The sub DC-DC converter 64 is connected in parallel to the first to third auxiliary batteries 66a, 66b, and 66c, and a predetermined auxiliary voltage based on the battery voltage V _B supplied from these auxiliary batteries 66a, 66b, and 66c. _A voltage V _A is generated and supplied to the bias point of the PWM control circuit 63.

Charging DC-DC converter 67 is supplied with the high voltage DC voltage _{V H} via the transmission cable 30, the first to third auxiliary battery 66a, 66b, and always charged to 66c, the battery voltage V _B given Keep the value. This is to prevent the battery voltage V _B output from the first to third auxiliary batteries 66a, 66b, 66c from being reduced by natural discharge.

Controller for the main DC-DC converter 68 is supplied with the high voltage DC voltage _{V H} via the transmission cable 30, it generates a predetermined low DC voltage is supplied to the controller 72 through the diode 69. The controller 72 is driven by this low voltage DC voltage.

The control device sub DC-DC converter 70 is connected in parallel to the first to third auxiliary batteries 66a, 66b, 66c, and based on the battery voltage V _B supplied from these auxiliary batteries 66a, 66b, 66c. A predetermined low-voltage DC voltage is generated and supplied to the bias point of the control device 72 via the diode 71. This is to cope with a decrease or disappearance of the low-voltage DC voltage supplied by the main DC-DC converter 68 for the control device.

The control device 72 operates the main DC-DC converter 61, the current measurement sensor 62, the PWM control circuit 63, and the sub DC-DC converter 64 provided for each of the six rotor driving electric motors 14, and a MOSFET 83 to be described later. , 84 and bypass switches 64a, 64b, 64c are controlled. Here, a set of six main DC-DC converters 61, a current measurement sensor 62, a PWM control circuit 63, and a sub DC-DC converter 64 constitutes a motor drive unit 65. The control device 72 operates in accordance with a control signal transmitted from a control PC (personal computer) 90 provided on the ground side by wire or wirelessly.

FIG. 10 shows a circuit (battery voltage drop prevention circuit) that prevents a drop in the battery voltage V _B output from the first auxiliary battery 66a due to natural discharge. Since the second and third auxiliary batteries 66b and 66c have the same circuit configuration, only the first auxiliary battery 66a will be described here.

The charging DC-DC converter 67 is connected to the positive electrode of the cell group 66aa of the first auxiliary battery 66a via the diode 86a and the fuse 87, and is connected to the negative electrode of the cell group 66aa via the charging FET 83 and the current detection resistor 85. It is connected to the. The sub DC-DC converter 64 is connected to the positive electrode of the cell group 66aa of the first auxiliary battery 66a via the fuse 87, and is connected to the negative electrode of the cell group 66aa via the discharge FET 84 and the current detection resistor 85. Yes. Switching operations (ON / OFF) of the power MOSFETs 83 and 84 are performed by a front-end IC (integrated circuit) 82 based on a control signal from a battery control microcomputer (microcomputer) 81. The battery control microcomputer 81 and the front end IC 82 are provided inside the control device 72.

When charging the first auxiliary battery 66a, the battery control microcomputer 81 turns on the charging FET 83 and turns off the discharging FET 84. For this reason, the charging DC-DC converter 67 generates a predetermined DC voltage based on the high-voltage DC voltage V _H sent via the power transmission cable 30, and the cell via the diode 86 a, the fuse 87 and the charging FET 83. Supply to group 66aa. Since the cell group 66aa is always charged in this way, the battery voltage V _B output from the first auxiliary battery 66a is maintained at a predetermined value even if there is a natural discharge.

When discharging the first auxiliary battery 66a, the battery control microcomputer 81 turns off the charging FET 83 and turns on the discharging FET 84. Therefore, the battery voltage V _B output from the first auxiliary battery 66a (cell group 66aa) is supplied to the sub DC-DC converter 64 via the fuse 87 and the discharge FET 84. The sub DC-DC converter 64 generates a predetermined auxiliary voltage V _A based on the battery voltage V _B thus supplied, and supplies it to the bias point of the PWM control circuit 63. The auxiliary voltage V _A thus output is also supplied to the control device sub DC-DC converter 70.

FIG. 11 is a conceptual diagram showing the operation of supplying the battery voltage V _B to each sub DC-DC converter 64 from the first to third auxiliary batteries 66a, 66b, 66c. In FIG. 11, only three sets of the main DC-DC converter 61, the current measurement sensor 62, and the sub DC-DC converter 64 are shown, but this is omitted for the sake of simplicity. Needless to say, the remaining three sets have the same circuit configuration.

The main DC-DC converter 61, the current measurement sensor 62, and the sub DC-DC converter 64 are actually provided in six sets, but since all of them have the same circuit configuration and the same operation, one set is used here. Only the circuit configuration and operation will be described.

A bypass switch 64 a is provided between the input terminal and the output terminal of the sub DC-DC converter 64. This bypasses the sub DC-DC converter 64 as required, and directly outputs the battery voltage V _B , which is the output voltage of the first to third auxiliary batteries 66a, 66b, 66c, with the load, that is, the PWM control circuit 63. This is to supply to the motor 14. The bypass switch 64a is controlled by the control device 72.

The control device 72 constantly monitors the motor drive current (current supplied to the PWM control circuit 63) by each current measuring sensor 62, and the motor drive current is near the load capacity limit of the main DC-DC converter 61. When the predetermined value (90 to 95%) is reached, the sub DC-DC converter 64 is operated to load the battery voltage V _B from the first to third auxiliary batteries 66a, 66b and 66c (PWM control circuit 63 and motor 14). ). As a result, the battery voltage V _B is added to the low voltage DC voltage _VL supplied from the main DC-DC converter 61 to the load, so that it is possible to cope with a sudden increase in the load of the motor 14 due to gusts or the like. It becomes. That is, even when the load of the motor 14 suddenly increases suddenly, the battery voltage V _B is additionally supplied, so that the situation where the output of the main DC-DC converter 61 suddenly becomes zero and falls is ensured. It can be prevented.

Further, when the output of the main DC-DC converter 61 suddenly becomes zero due to disconnection of the power transmission cable 30 or failure of the main DC-DC converter 61, that is, the operation of the main DC-DC converter 61 suddenly stops. In the case where it has occurred, the control device 72 turns on all the bypass switches 64a and simultaneously stops the operations of all the sub DC-DC converters 64. As a result, the battery voltage V _B output from the first to third auxiliary batteries 66a, 66b, 66c is supplied directly to the load, that is, the PWM control circuit 63 and the motor 14. The reason for stopping the passage of the sub DC-DC converter 64 and supplying the battery voltage V _B directly to the PWM control circuit 63 and the motor 14 is to use the battery voltage V _B more efficiently. As a result, power supply to the PWM control circuit 63 and the motor 14 is not interrupted, and the flying robot 10 can continue flying without crashing. For this purpose, the value of the battery voltage V _B is preferably set equal to the value of the low-voltage DC voltage _VL supplied from the main DC-DC converter 61.

Next, the operation of the flying robot apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention having the above configuration will be described.

Flying robot device 1 (working equipment necessary for work mounting already) case of taking off from the ground, first, to start transmission of a predetermined DC high voltage V _H to the flying robots 10 from the ground side power device 50. Next, a desired position and a desired height are specified from a manual control device (not shown), an aerial location where a desired work is to be performed is specified, and the data is sent to the autonomous control device of the flying robot 10. Send. Then, after setting the flying robot 10 to the autonomous flight mode, the rotor driving motor 14 is driven to take off the flying robot 10. Then, the flying robot 10 flies independently to fly to a predetermined location and hover at that position. Thereafter, a desired operation is started while continuing hovering.

While taking off from the take-off to a predetermined location, the power transmission cable 30 is gradually sent out from the cable winder 4 according to the flight of the flying robot 10, and the ground-side power supply device according to the delivery amount of the cable 30 the value of the DC high voltage _{V H} to be transmitted from the power 50 is caused to increase. Even if the position and altitude of the flying robot 30 fluctuate during work, the fluctuation is immediately detected by the position detection unit 24, and the necessary driving force of the rotor driving motor 14 is adjusted and the length of the cable 30 is also adjusted. Is done. When the desired work is completed, the manual control device is operated again, and the flying robot 10 is landed at the place where the flight robot 10 departed by following the reverse process of takeoff. In this way, the high altitude work using the flying robot 10 is completed.

In the flying robot apparatus 10, the robot-side control apparatus 20 operates as shown in FIG. 4 while the flying robot 10 is hovering. That is, when the airframe that has been hovering at a certain position, that is, the flying robot apparatus 10 moves up or down toward a predetermined position to be hovered next (step S1), the control calculation unit 23 senses it and immediately performs the PDI control method. The output of the rotor driving motor 14 is calculated according to (Step S2). Then, the number of rotations of the rotor driving motor 14 of the flying robot 10 is increased or decreased according to the output (step S3). Thereafter, referring to the output of the position sensor (step S5), it is determined whether or not the designated height has been reached (step S4). If the specified height has not yet been reached, the process returns to step S2, and steps S2 to S4 are repeated. When the designated height is reached, the rotational speed of the rotor driving motor 14 is maintained, and the process of FIG. 4 is terminated (step S6).

In the meantime, the ground-side power supply device 50 operates as shown in FIG. That is, when the fuselage, that is, the flying robot apparatus 10 rises or descends from a predetermined position to be hovered next (step S11), the control calculation unit 52 immediately detects it and outputs the output of the rotor driving motor 14 according to the PDI control method. Calculation is performed (step S12). The steps so far are the same as steps S1 and S2 in FIG. And according to the output, the rotation angle (phase) of the cable winding motor 41 of the cable winder 40 is increased or decreased (step S13). Thereafter, referring to the output of the position sensor (step S15), it is determined whether or not the designated height has been reached (step S14). If the specified height has not yet been reached, the process returns to step S12 and steps S12 to S14 are repeated. When the designated height is reached, the rotation angle (phase) of the cable winding motor 41 is maintained, and the process of FIG. 5 is terminated (step S16).

As described above, in the flying robot device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the DC high voltage V _H is supplied from the ground-side power supply device 50 to the flying robot 10 via the flexible power transmission cable 30. Further, the control calculation unit 52 (second control unit) of the ground-side power supply device 50 determines the value of the DC high voltage V _{H by} the high-voltage power transmission unit 55 according to the distance between the flying robot 10 and the ground-side power supply device 50. The feeding amount and winding amount of the cable 30 by the cable winder 40 are controlled. Further, the output of the electric motor 14 is controlled by the control calculation unit 52 (first control unit) of the flying robot 10 according to the load of the cable 30 acting on the flying robot 10. For this reason, the influence by the voltage drop resulting from the cable 30 and the weight or entanglement of the cable 30 which the flying robot 10 receives during the flight is reliably suppressed. Therefore, the flying robot 10 can be continuously and stably fly without being limited in flight time and payload due to the capacity of the battery mounted on the flying robot 10, and agricultural chemicals are sprayed on the flying robot 10 from the air. Various operations such as aerial photography and radiation measurement can be performed.

In addition, the output of the electric motor 14 is controlled by the control calculation unit 52 (first control unit) of the flying robot 10 according to the load of the power transmission cable 30 acting on the flying robot 10. Depending on the distance between the flying robot 10 and the ground side power supply device 50 by the control calculation unit 52 (second control unit), the value of the DC high voltage V _H transmitted by the high voltage power transmission unit 55 and the cable winder 40 The feeding amount and winding amount of the cable 30 are controlled. For this reason, the voltage drop resulting from the cable 30 connecting the flying robot 10 and the ground-side power supply device 50 and the load fluctuation of the flying robot 10 can be suppressed with a simple configuration.

Further, in addition to the main DC-DC converter (main power supply device) 61 that supplies the DC low voltage _VL generated by the high-voltage / low-voltage converter 21 to the electric motor 14, the first to third auxiliary batteries 66, 66b, _A sub DC-DC converter (sub power supply device) 64 for supplying the auxiliary voltage V _A from the motor 66c to the motor 14 is provided, and if the output of the main DC-DC converter 61 decreases or disappears for some reason, the sub DC-DC The converter 64 supplies the auxiliary voltage V _A to the electric motor 14. For this reason, even if a sudden load fluctuation occurs in the flying robot 10 due to a gust or the like, or the power transmission cable 30 is disconnected, the flying robot 10 does not fall.

Further, the control calculation unit 52 (second control unit) of the ground-side power supply device 50 causes the cable winding machine 40 to send out the transmission cable 30 according to the distance between the flying robot 10 and the ground-side power supply device 50 and Since the winding amount is controlled, the cable 30 connecting the flying robot 10 and the ground-side power supply device 50 is entangled due to a sudden change in the altitude or horizontal position of the flying robot 10 or wind, and the flight of the flying robot 10 The possibility of causing troubles can be eliminated with a simple configuration.

Furthermore, since all of the elemental technologies used in the flying robot apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment are known individually, the flying robot apparatus 1 can be put into practical use at an early stage. is there. Then, by continuously supplying power to the flying robot 10 via the power transmission cable 30, for example, continuous flight over one hour or more can be realized while increasing the payload by 20 kg or more. High-definition cameras and ultrasonic diagnostic devices can be mounted on the flying robot 10 to perform early operations that are highly necessary, such as inspecting tunnels and bridges and spraying agricultural chemicals on pine trees and other high trees.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to realize the flying robot apparatus 1 that can be immediately put into practical use for industrial use.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The flying robot apparatus 1a according to the second embodiment includes a robot-side control apparatus 20 and a ground-side power supply apparatus 50a as shown in FIG. 7, and a cable winder 40a as shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 8, the cable winder 40a omits the cable winding motor 41 from the cable winder 40 used in the above-described flying robot apparatus 1 of the first embodiment, and instead winds it. It has a configuration in which a spring 46 is provided. One end of the take-up spring 46 is connected to the drum 42 and the other end is fixed to the stand 43, and always urges the drum 42 in the direction of taking up the power transmission cable 30. Therefore, the transmission of the power transmission cable 30 is performed by pulling out the power transmission cable 30 against the winding force of the winding spring 46, and the winding of the power transmission cable 30 is performed by the winding force of the winding spring 46. Is called. Other configurations and functions are the same as those of the cable winder 40.

As shown in FIG. 7, the ground-side power supply device 50 a sends out and winds up the power transmission cable 30 from the output control unit 51 of the ground-side power supply device 50 used in the flying robot device 1 of the first embodiment described above. This corresponds to the control function except for the control function of the cable winding motor 41. Other configurations and functions are the same as those of the ground-side power supply device 50.

In the second embodiment, an optical fiber 31 as a communication cable is bridged between the flying robot 10 and the ground-side power supply device 50a. The optical fiber 31 is used for transmission / reception of control signals and data communication between the flying robot 10 (robot-side control device 20) and the ground-side power supply device 50a. Since the optical fiber 31 is integrated (built in or added) to the power transmission cable 30, there is no problem in the flight of the flying robot 10.

The flying robot device 1a of the second embodiment has the same configuration and functions as the flying robot device 1 according to the first embodiment described above except for the points described above. The description is omitted.

It is clear that the flying robot apparatus 1a according to the second embodiment of the present invention can obtain the same effect as the flying robot apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment described above. In the case of the flying robot apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment described above, the control of the feeding and winding of the electric cable 30 (and the optical fiber 31) according to the distance between the flying robot 10 and the ground-side power supply apparatus 50a is performed. There is also an effect that it is realized with a simpler configuration.

In the first and second embodiments described above, three auxiliary batteries are installed in the flying robot. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the number of auxiliary batteries can be any number as necessary. It goes without saying that it can be set to.

(Modification)
The first and second embodiments described above show examples embodying the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which the present invention is applied to an electric multirotor helicopter is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention can be applied to any use other than a helicopter, for example, an electric airplane.

The present invention is applied to a field where continuous power supply to the flying robot is required, more specifically, to a field where it is necessary to increase the payload at the same time while ensuring the flight time of the flying robot according to the work. Is possible.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 1a Flying robot apparatus 10 Flying robot 11 Main body 12 Arm 13 Rotor 14, 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d, 14e, 14f Rotor drive electric motor 20 Robot side control device 21 Low voltage conversion unit 22 Output control unit 23 Control calculation unit 24 Position detection unit 25 Transmission / reception unit 26 Antenna 30 Power transmission cable 31 Optical fiber 40, 40a Cable winder 41 Cable winding motor 41a Rotating shaft 42 Drum 43 Stand 44 Base 45 Prevention member 45a Cable insertion ring 46 Winding spring 50 Ground Side power supply device 51, 51a Output control unit 52 Control calculation unit 53 Transmission / reception unit 54 Power generation unit
55 High Voltage Power Transmission Unit 56 Antenna 61 Main DC-DC Converter (Main Power Supply)
62 Current Measurement Sensor 63 PWM Control Circuit 64 Sub DC-DC Converter (Sub Power Supply Device)
64a Bypass switch 65 Motor drive units 66a, 66b, 66c First, second and third auxiliary batteries
66aa, 66Bb, 66Cc Cell 67 DC-DC converter for charging (charging power supply device)
68 Main DC-DC converter 69 for control device, 71 Diode 70 Sub DC-DC converter 72 for control device 72 Control device 81 Battery control microcomputer 82 Front-end IC
83 Charging FET
84 FET for discharge
85 Current detection resistors 86a, 86B, 86C Diode 87 Fuse 90 Control PC

Claims (15)

1. A flying robot,
   A ground side power supply for supplying power to the flying robot via a flexible power transmission cable,
   The flying robot is
   Propulsion means,
   An electric motor for driving the propulsion means;
   A first control unit that controls an output of the electric motor according to a load of the power transmission cable acting on the flying robot;
   A high-voltage / low-voltage converter that converts the high voltage supplied from the ground-side power supply device via the power transmission cable into a low voltage and supplies the electric motor;
   A main power supply for supplying the low voltage generated by the high-voltage / low-voltage converter to the electric motor;
   A sub power supply for supplying an auxiliary voltage to the electric motor as required;
   An auxiliary battery for supplying the auxiliary voltage,
   The ground side power supply is
   A high-voltage power transmission unit that transmits the high voltage to the high-voltage / low-voltage conversion unit via the power transmission cable;
   A second control unit that controls a value of the high voltage transmitted by the high-voltage power transmission unit according to a distance between the flying robot and the ground-side power supply device;
   The sub-power supply device supplies the auxiliary voltage from the auxiliary battery to the electric motor when the output of the main power supply device decreases or disappears.
2. The flying robot device according to claim 1, wherein the high voltage transmitted by the high-voltage power transmission unit of the ground-side power supply device is a DC voltage.
3. 3. The flying robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the high-voltage / low-voltage converter of the flying robot is a variable output DC-DC converter.
4. 3. The flying robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the high-voltage power transmission unit of the ground side power supply device is an AC-DC converter, and the high-voltage / low-voltage conversion unit of the flying robot is a DC-DC converter.
5. When a decrease in load capacity of the main power supply device is detected, the sub power supply device supplies the auxiliary voltage from the auxiliary battery to the electric motor in addition to the low voltage supplied from the main power supply device. The flying robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flying robot apparatus is configured as described above.
6. The configuration is such that when the loss of the output from the main power supply device is detected, the operation of the sub power supply device is stopped and the auxiliary voltage is directly supplied from the auxiliary battery to the electric motor. The flying robot apparatus according to any one of 1 to 5.
7. The battery pack further includes a charging power supply device that prevents the auxiliary voltage from being reduced by discharging by charging the auxiliary battery using the high voltage supplied from the ground-side power supply device via the power transmission cable. The flying robot apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6.
8. It further comprises a cable winder that winds up the excess power cable on the ground side,
   The feeding and winding of the power transmission cable by the cable winder are configured to be automatically adjusted according to the distance between the flying robot and the ground-side power supply device. The flying robot apparatus according to any one of the above.
9. The flying robot includes a position detection sensor that detects a position of the flying robot in flight, and a transmission / reception unit that wirelessly transmits an output signal of the position detection sensor to the ground-side power supply device,
   The first control unit of the ground-side power supply device is configured to receive the output signal and control the value of the high voltage transmitted by the high-voltage power transmission unit. Crab flying robot device.
10. 10. The flying robot apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a communication cable connected to the flying robot, wherein the communication cable is integrated with or attached to the power transmission cable.
11. The cable winder includes a cable winding motor for feeding and winding the power transmission cable;
    9. The flight according to claim 8, wherein sending and winding of the power transmission cable by the cable winding motor is controlled by the second control unit in accordance with a distance between the flying robot and the ground-side power supply device. Robot device.
12. The cable winder includes a biasing member that biases the power transmission cable in the winding direction;
    The sending of the power transmission cable is performed by pulling out the power transmission cable against the winding force of the biasing member, and the winding of the power transmission cable is performed by the winding force of the biasing member. The flying robot apparatus according to claim 8, which is configured.
13. The flying robot device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein a PID control system is used in at least one of the first control unit of the flying robot and the second control unit of the ground-side power supply device.
14. The flying robot device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, further comprising an entanglement preventing member installed on the ground side for preventing the entanglement of the cable.
15. 15. The flying robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flying robot has a configuration of an electric helicopter.

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