WO2021192233A1 - Liquid-dispersing drone and drone control method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a scheme for managing a chemical agent used for aerial application. Provided is a drone that disperses a liquid, comprising a main body, a plurality of rotors for causing the main body to fly, a control unit that controls flight, a tank containing the liquid, a supply port that receives a supply of the liquid to the tank, a discharge nozzle that disperses the liquid contained in the tank, and a flowpath valve configured to receive a supply of the liquid in a case where a predetermined replenisher nozzle and the supply port are connected or in a case where either one of the replenisher nozzle or the supply port is inserted into the other.

Description

Drones that spray liquids and drone control methods

The present invention relates to a drone for spraying a liquid substance and a method for controlling the drone.

As a background technology in this technical field, there is Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-64544 (Patent Document 1). In this gazette, "the aerial sprayer 11 (unmanned aerial vehicle system 10) is a ground station 12 that is wired to at least one of one or more drones (unmanned aerial vehicles) 14 and one or more drones 14. The drone 14 includes a drone-side cable 86 connected to the station 12 or another drone 14, and a drone-side cable mechanism 108 for feeding or pulling in the drone-side cable 86. " (See summary).

JP-A-2019-64544

The above-mentioned Patent Document 1 describes a drone for spraying a spraying agent. However, Patent Document 1 has a configuration in which power can be constantly supplied and fuel can be replenished from the station, and the chemicals used for the spray flight have not been sufficiently controlled.
Therefore, the present invention provides a mechanism for managing the drug used for the spray flight.

In order to solve the above problems, for example, the configuration described in the claims is adopted.
The present application includes a plurality of means for solving the above problems, and one example thereof is a drone for spraying a liquid substance, which comprises a main body, a plurality of rotary wings for flying the main body, and flight. A control unit for controlling, a tank for accommodating a liquid substance, a supply port for receiving the replenishment of the liquid substance to the tank, a discharge nozzle for spraying the liquid substance contained in the tank, and a predetermined replenisher nozzle. A flow valve that enables reception of replenishment of the liquid substance when the replenishment port is combined with the replenishment port, or when one of the replenisher nozzle and the replenishment port is inserted into the other. And.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a mechanism for managing a drug used for a spray flight.
Issues, configurations and effects other than those described above will be clarified by the description of the following embodiments.

This is an example of a plan view of a drone. This is an example of a front view of a drone. This is an example of the right side view of the drone. This is an example of the rear view of the drone. This is an example of a perspective view of a drone. This is an example of a block diagram showing the control function of the drone. This is an example of a connection configuration diagram of the entire drone management system 700. This is an example of the field information display screen 800 displayed on the mobile terminal 701. This is an example of the drone operation screen 900 displayed on the mobile terminal 701. This is an example of the hardware configuration of the mobile terminal 701. This is an example of the hardware configuration of the management server 702. This is an example of the hardware configuration of the management terminal 703. This is an example of field management information 1300. This is an example of device management information 1400. This is an example of user management information 1500. This is an example of drug management information 1600. This is an example of energy management information 1700. This is an example of flight path management information 1800. This is an example of schedule management information 1900. It is an example of the figure explaining the structure which replenishes a liquid substance from the replenisher 2000 to the medicine tank 104 by the replenisher nozzle. It is an example of the figure explaining the outline of the lid 2003 provided in the replenisher 2000. It is an example of the figure explaining the function and structure of the flow path valve 2240. This is an example of the liquid monitoring flow 2300 of the replenisher. This is an example of the opening / closing processing flow 2400 of the flow path valve 2240. This is an example of the spray flight determination processing flow 2500 of the drone 100. This is an example of another spray flight determination processing flow 2600.

Hereinafter, examples will be described with reference to the drawings.
Drones are an example of agricultural machinery. In the present specification, the drone is regardless of the power means (electric power, prime mover, etc.) and the maneuvering method (wireless or wired, autonomous flight type, manual maneuvering type, etc.). It refers to all air vehicles with multiple rotor blades.

FIG. 1 is an example of a plan view of the drone.
FIG. 2 is an example of a front view of the drone.
FIG. 3 is an example of a right side view of the drone.
FIG. 4 is an example of a rear view of the drone.
FIG. 5 is an example of a perspective view of the drone.

Rotors 101-1a, 101-1b, 101-2a, 101-2b, 101-3a, 101-3b, 101-4a, 101-4b (also called rotors) are means for flying the drone 100. Eight aircraft (four sets of two-stage rotor blades) are provided in consideration of the balance between flight stability, aircraft size, and power consumption. Each rotor 101 is arranged on all sides of the main body 110 by an arm protruding from the main body 110 of the drone 100. That is, the rotor blades 101-1a and 101-1b are on the left rear side in the traveling direction, the rotor blades 101-2a and 101-2b are on the left front side, the rotor blades 101-3a and 101-3b are on the right rear side, and the rotor blades 101- are on the right front side. 4a and 101-4b are arranged respectively. In addition, the drone 100 has the traveling direction facing downward on the paper in FIG. Rod-shaped legs 107-1, 107-2, 107-3, and 107-4 extend downward from the rotation axis of the rotary blade 101, respectively.

The motors 102-1a, 102-1b, 102-2a, 102-2b, 102-3a, 102-3b, 102-4a, 102-4b are the rotary blades 101-1a, 101-1b, 101-2a, 101-. It is a means for rotating 2b, 101-3a, 101-3b, 101-4a, 101-4b (typically an electric motor, but may be a motor or the like), and 1 for one rotary blade. The machine is provided. The motor 102 is an example of a propulsion device. The upper and lower rotor blades (for example, 101-1a and 101-1b) in one set and the corresponding motors (for example, 102-1a and 102-1b) have axes for the stability of drone flight and the like. They are on the same straight line and rotate in opposite directions.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the radial member for supporting the propeller guard provided so that the rotor does not interfere with foreign matter has a wobble-like structure rather than a horizontal structure. This is to encourage the member to buckle outside the rotor in the event of a collision and prevent it from interfering with the rotor.

The drug nozzles 103-1, 103-2, 103-3, 103-4 are means for spraying the drug downward, and are provided with four machines. In addition, in this specification, a drug is a liquid, powder or fine particles sprayed in a field such as a pesticide, a herbicide, a liquid fertilizer, an insecticide, a seed, and water.

The drug tank 104 is a tank for storing the sprayed drug, and is provided at a position close to the center of gravity of the drone 100 and at a position lower than the center of gravity from the viewpoint of weight balance. The drug hoses 105-1, 105-2, 105-3 and 105-4 connect the drug tank 104 and the drug nozzles 103-1, 103-2, 103-3 and 103-4. The drug hose is made of a hard material and may also serve to support the drug nozzle. The pump 106 is a means for discharging the drug from the nozzle.

FIG. 6 is an example of a block diagram showing the control function of the drone.
The flight controller 501 is a component that controls the entire drone, and may be an embedded computer including a CPU, memory, related software, and the like. The flight controller 501 uses motors 102-1a and 102-1b via control means such as ESC (Electronic Speed Control) based on the input information received from the mobile terminal 701 and the input information obtained from various sensors described later. , 102-2a, 102-2b, 102-3a, 102-3b, 104-a, 104-b to control the flight of the drone 100. The actual rotation speeds of the motors 102-1a, 102-1b, 102-2a, 102-2b, 102-3a, 102-3b, 104-a, 104-b are fed back to the flight controller 501, and normal rotation is performed. It is configured so that it can be monitored. Alternatively, the rotary blade 101 may be provided with an optical sensor or the like so that the rotation of the rotary blade 101 is fed back to the flight controller 501.

The software used by the flight controller 501 can be rewritten through a storage medium or the like for function expansion / change, problem correction, etc., or through communication means such as Wi-Fi communication or USB. In this case, protection is performed by encryption, checksum, electronic signature, virus check software, etc. so that rewriting by unauthorized software is not performed. In addition, a part of the calculation process used by the flight controller 501 for control may be executed by another computer located on the mobile terminal 701, the management server 702, or somewhere else. Due to the high importance of the flight controller 501, some or all of its components may be duplicated.

The flight controller 501 communicates with the mobile terminal 701 via the Wi-Fi slave unit function 503 and further via the base station 710, receives necessary commands from the mobile terminal 701, and receives necessary information from the mobile terminal. It can be sent to 701. In this case, the communication may be encrypted to prevent fraudulent acts such as interception, spoofing, and device hijacking. The base station 710 also has a function of an RTK-GPS base station in addition to a communication function by Wi-Fi. By combining the signal from the RTK base station and the signal from the GPS positioning satellite, the flight controller 501 can measure the absolute position of the drone 100 with an accuracy of about several centimeters. Since the flight controller 501 is so important, it may be duplicated / multiplexed, and each redundant flight controller 501 should use a different satellite in order to cope with the failure of a specific GPS satellite. It may be controlled. The communication between the flight controller 501, the base station 710, and the mobile terminal 701 may use a mobile network such as LTE instead of Wi-Fi.

The 6-axis gyro sensor 505 measures the acceleration of the drone aircraft in three directions orthogonal to each other. In addition, the velocity is calculated by integrating the acceleration. The 6-axis gyro sensor 505 measures the change in the attitude angle of the drone aircraft in the above-mentioned three directions, that is, the angular velocity. The geomagnetic sensor 506 measures the direction of the drone body by measuring the geomagnetism. The barometric pressure sensor 507 can also measure barometric pressure and indirectly measure the altitude of the drone. The laser sensor 508 measures the distance between the drone body and the ground surface by utilizing the reflection of the laser light, and may be an IR (infrared) laser.

Sonar 509 measures the distance between the drone aircraft and the surface of the earth using the reflection of sound waves such as ultrasonic waves. These sensors may be selected according to the cost target and performance requirements of the drone. Further, a gyro sensor (angular velocity sensor) for measuring the inclination of the airframe, a wind power sensor for measuring the wind power, and the like may be added. Further, these sensors may be duplicated or multiplexed. If there are multiple sensors for the same purpose, the flight controller 501 may use only one of them, and if it fails, it may switch to an alternative sensor for use. Alternatively, a plurality of sensors may be used at the same time, and if the measurement results do not match, it may be considered that a failure has occurred.

The flow rate sensor 510 measures the flow rate of the drug, and is provided at a plurality of locations on the route from the drug tank 104 to the drug nozzle 103. The liquid drainage sensor 511 is a sensor that detects that the amount of the drug has fallen below a predetermined amount. The multispectral camera 512 is a means of photographing the field 720 and acquiring data for image analysis. The obstacle detection camera 513 is a camera for detecting an obstacle, and is a device different from the multispectral camera 512 because the image characteristics and the lens orientation are different from those of the multispectral camera 512.

Switch 514 is a means for the user of the drone 100 to make various settings. The obstacle contact sensor 515 is a sensor for detecting that the drone 100, particularly its rotor or propeller guard portion, has come into contact with an intruder such as an electric wire, a building, a human body, a standing tree, a bird, or another drone. .. The obstacle contact sensor 515 may be replaced by a 6-axis gyro sensor 505. The cover sensor 516 is a sensor that detects that the operation panel of the drone 100 and the cover for internal maintenance are in the open state.

The drug injection port sensor 517 is a sensor that detects that the injection port of the drug tank 104 is in an open state. These sensors may be selected according to the cost target and performance requirements of the drone, and may be duplicated or multiplexed. Further, a sensor may be provided at a base station 710, a mobile terminal 701, or another place outside the drone 100, and the read information may be transmitted to the drone 100. For example, a wind power sensor may be provided in the base station 710 to transmit information on the wind power and the wind direction to the drone 100 via Wi-Fi communication.

The flight controller 501 transmits a control signal to the pump 106 to adjust the drug discharge amount and stop the drug discharge. The current state of the pump 106 (for example, the number of revolutions) is fed back to the flight controller 501.

LED107 is a display means for notifying the operator of the drone of the state of the drone. Display means such as a liquid crystal display may be used in place of or in addition to the LED. The buzzer 518 is an output means for notifying the state of the drone (particularly the error state) by an audio signal. The Wi-Fi slave unit function 519 is an optional component for communicating with an external computer or the like for transferring software, for example, in addition to the mobile terminal 701. In place of or in addition to the Wi-Fi slave function, other wireless communication means such as infrared communication, Bluetooth®, ZigBee®, NFC, or wired communication means such as USB connection. You may use it. Further, communication between each device of the flight controller 501, the mobile terminal 701, and the base station 710 can be communicated with each other by a mobile communication system such as 3G, 4G, and LTE instead of the Wi-Fi slave unit function. May be good.

The speaker 520 is an output means for notifying the state of the drone (particularly the error state) by means of recorded human voice, synthetic voice, or the like. Since it may be difficult to see the visual display of the drone 100 in flight depending on the weather conditions, it is effective to convey the situation by voice in such a case. The warning light 521 is a display means such as a strobe light for notifying the state of the drone (particularly the error state). These input / output means may be selected according to the cost target and performance requirements of the drone, and may be duplicated or multiplexed.

FIG. 7 is an example of a connection configuration diagram of the entire drone management system 700.
The drone management system 700 includes a drone 100, a mobile terminal 701, a management terminal 703, and a base station 710, each of which is connected to the management server 702 via a network. The network may be wired or wireless, and each terminal can send and receive information via the network.
The drone 100 and the mobile terminal 701 can communicate with each other in the field 720 via the base station 710, and the drone 100 performs a drug spraying flight.

The network may be a network that communicates according to one communication standard, or may be a network that is a combination of a plurality of communication standard networks. For example, the drone 100 and the mobile terminal 701 may be network-connected by Wi-Fi provided by the base station 710, respectively, or the drone 100 and the mobile terminal 701 may be network-connected by a mobile communication network such as LTE, respectively. Further, the drone 100 may be connected by Wi-Fi provided by the base station 710, and the base station 710 and the mobile terminal 701 may be connected by a mobile communication network.

The mobile terminal 701 transmits a command to the drone 100 by the operation of the user, and also displays information received from the drone 100 (for example, position, drug amount, remaining battery level, camera image, etc.). For example, it is realized by a mobile information device such as a tablet terminal or a smartphone. The drone 100 performs autonomous flight according to an instruction from the management server 702, but the mobile terminal 701 can perform a manual operation during basic operations such as takeoff and return, and in an emergency. The mobile terminal 701 is connected to the base station 710, and can communicate with the management terminal 703 via the base station 710 or directly.

The management server 702 is, for example, a server arranged on the cloud, calculates the spray flight route of the drone 100 based on the field management information 1300, and controls the independent flight of the drone 100. In addition, it is possible to collect information acquired from a camera mounted on the drone 100 and various sensors, and perform various analyzes such as the state of fields and crops.
The management terminal 703 is a terminal that operates the management server 702, and makes various settings for the management server 702. It is also possible to control the drone 100 and the mobile terminal 701.

The base station 710 is a device installed in the field 720 that provides a master unit function for Wi-Fi communication, and also functions as an RTK-GPS base station, so that the accurate position of the drone 100 can be provided. (The base unit function of Wi-Fi communication and the RTK-GPS base station may be independent devices). Further, the base station 710 can communicate with the management server 702 using a mobile communication network such as 3G, 4G, and LTE.

Each terminal of the drone management system 700 and the management server 702 may be a mobile terminal (mobile terminal) such as a smartphone, a tablet, a mobile phone, or a personal digital assistant (PDA), or may be a glasses type, a wristwatch type, a clothing type, or the like. It may be a wearable terminal of. It may also be a stationary or portable computer, or a server located in the cloud or on a network. Further, the function may be a VR (Virtual Reality) terminal, an AR terminal, or an MR (Mixed Reality) terminal. Alternatively, it may be a combination of these plurality of terminals. For example, a combination of one smartphone and one wearable terminal can logically function as one terminal. Further, it may be an information processing terminal other than these.

Each terminal and management server 702 of the drone management system 700 has a processor (control unit) that executes an operating system, an application, a program, etc., a main storage device such as a RAM (RandomAccessMemory), and an IC card or a hard disk drive. , SSD (Solid State Drive), auxiliary storage devices such as flash memory, communication control units such as network cards, wireless communication modules, mobile communication modules, and motion detection by touch panel, keyboard, mouse, voice input, and camera unit imaging. It is equipped with an input device such as an input device and an output device such as a monitor or a display. The output device may be a device or a terminal for transmitting information for output to an external monitor, display, printer, device, or the like.

Various programs and applications (modules) are stored in the main memory, and each functional element of the entire system is realized by executing these programs and applications by the processor. In addition, each of these modules may be implemented by hardware by integrating them. Further, each module may be an independent program or application, but may be implemented in the form of a part of a subprogram or a function in one integrated program or application.

In this specification, each module is described as a subject (subject) that performs processing, but in reality, a processor that processes various programs, applications, and the like (module) executes processing.
Various databases (DBs) are stored in the auxiliary storage device. A "database" is a functional element (storage unit) that stores a data set so that it can handle arbitrary data operations (for example, extraction, addition, deletion, overwriting, etc.) from a processor or an external computer. The method of implementing the database is not limited, and may be, for example, a database management system, table calculation software, or a text file such as XML or JSON.
The mobile terminal 701 may be referred to as an information processing device, and the management server 702 may be referred to as an information processing device.

FIG. 8 is an example of the field information display screen 800 displayed on the mobile terminal 701.
The screen display module 1011 of the mobile terminal 701 acquires the map information 1200 and the field management information 1300 stored in the mobile terminal 701, generates the field information display screen 800, and outputs the field information display screen 800 to the output device 1005 such as a screen.
The screen display module 1011 may be configured to acquire the map information 1200 or 1200 and the field management information 1300 stored in the management server 702 via the network to generate the field information display screen 800.

A map 801 is displayed on the back of the field information display screen 800, indicating that the information is registered in the fields 802, 803, and 804 in which the field information is stored in the field management information 1300. Anchor 805 is displayed.
The field is a rice field, a field, or the like that is the target of chemical spraying by the drone 100. In reality, the topography of the field is complicated, and the topographic map may not be available in advance, or the topographic map and the situation at the site may be inconsistent. Usually, the fields are adjacent to houses, hospitals, schools, other crop fields, roads, railroads, etc. In addition, there may be intruders such as buildings and electric wires in the field. The field is an example of a target area for chemical spraying.

When the screen display module 1011 receives the selection of the field 802 from the user via the input device 1004 by tapping the screen or the like, the screen display module 1011 acquires the information corresponding to the field 802 from the field management information 1300 and displays it in the field information display area 810. do. Further, the screen display module 1011 displays a highlight indicating that the field 802 is selected, such as changing the periphery of the selected field 802 to a thick line of a bright color.

In the field information display area 810, information acquired from the field management information 1300, such as the field name 811, the address 812, the area 813, and the planted crop name 814, is displayed.
Information related to the spraying of the drug is displayed in the spraying information display area 820. The drug to be sprayed changes depending on the crop name 814 and the spraying time, and the drug information to be sprayed in the near future is acquired from the drug management information 1600 and displayed.
In the spray information display area 820, information related to the spraying of the drug acquired or calculated by the spray-related information management module 1114 of the management server 702, for example, the drug name, the spray amount, the dilution amount, and the energy amount required for the spray flight in the field. Etc. are displayed.
In the state 830, information such as "surveyed" or "with flight path" is displayed as the current state for the selected field 802.
Information on the latest spray flight date and time is displayed in the latest flight date and time 840.
The flight status display field 850 displays the current status of the drone's spray flight.

The compass 861 indicates the orientation displayed on the map 801.
When the field-wide display button 862 is selected, the screen display module 1011 changes the display scale so that the selected field fills the screen.
When the current location movement button 863 is selected, the screen display module 1011 changes the display so that the current location acquired by the GPS of the mobile terminal 701 becomes the center of the screen.
When the schedule display button 870 is selected, the screen display module 1011 displays the drug spraying schedule for the day.

FIG. 9 is an example of the drone operation screen 900 displayed on the mobile terminal 701.
The drone battery display 901 shows the current remaining battery level of the drone.
At the drone position 902, the current position information of the drone 100 is displayed.
The spray flight progress information 912 displays the progress information of the current spray flight. For example, the progress of the flight route of the spray flight, the remaining amount of the sprayed drug, the remaining amount of the battery, etc. are displayed.
In the flight status display column 921, the current status of the spray flight of the drone 100 is displayed.
In the message display field 922, a message indicating the communication content with the drone 100, the flight status, and the like is displayed.

The altitude change buttons 923 and 924 are buttons for changing the flight altitude of the drone 100. Press minus to lower altitude and plus to raise altitude.
The emergency stop button 925 is a button for urgently stopping the flying drone 100, and in addition to a temporary stop for hovering on the spot, an option for returning to the flight start point, an option for urgently stopping the motor on the spot, etc. Can also be displayed.
In the example of the drone operation screen 900, the field 930 to be sprayed with the chemical is displayed on the map, and the flight path 931 of the spray flight on the field 930 is displayed. The drone 100 sequentially flies at the designated flight coordinates according to the flight path management information 1800 stored in the mobile terminal 701 or the management server 702.

When an operation that requires an operation on the drone 100, such as the altitude change buttons 923 and 924 and the emergency stop button 925, is received, the drone operation module 1012 transmits information such as commands corresponding to these operations to the drone 100. The drone 100 can be operated.
The next spray schedule display button 940 is a button for displaying the schedule of the next spray flight of the currently executed spray flight. When this button is pressed, information about the next spray flight obtained from the schedule management information 1900 is displayed.

FIG. 10 is an example of the hardware configuration of the mobile terminal 701.
The mobile terminal 701 is, for example, a terminal such as a tablet, a smartphone, or a head-mounted display.
Programs and applications such as a screen display module 1011 and a drone operation module 1012 and a schedule management module 1013 are stored in the main storage device 1001, and each of the mobile terminals 701 is executed by the processor 1003 by executing these programs and applications. Functional elements are realized.
The screen display module 1011 displays the field information display screen 800 and the drone operation screen 900 on an output device 1005 such as a display panel.

When the drone operation module 1012 receives operations such as the altitude change buttons 923 and 924 and the emergency stop button 925 by the user, the drone operation module 1012 transmits information such as commands corresponding to these operations to the drone 100 to perform the drone flight. Manipulate.
The schedule management module 1013 manages the schedule of each spray flight when the spray flights are continuously performed in a plurality of fields.
The auxiliary storage device 1002 stores various information such as map information 1200, field management information 1300, device management information 1400, user management information 1500, drug management information 1600, energy management information 1700, flight route management information 1800, and schedule management information 1900. Remember.

FIG. 11 is an example of the hardware configuration of the management server 702.
The management server 702 is composed of, for example, a server arranged on the cloud.
The main storage device 1101 stores a screen output module 1111, a flight management module 1112, a user / equipment management module 1113, a spray-related information management module 1114, a flight route management module 1115, and a schedule management module 1116. Each functional element of the management server 702 is realized by executing the application or the application by the processor 1103.
The screen output module 1111 extracts and generates information for displaying the field information display screen 800 and the drone operation screen 900, and transmits the information to the mobile terminal 701. The screen information itself may be generated and displayed on the mobile terminal 701 or the like.
The flight management module 1112 manages the spray flight of the drone 100 based on the information such as the field management information 1300 and the flight route management information 1800.

The user / device management module 1113 registers and manages information about a user who uses the drone 100 in the user management information 1500.
The spraying-related information management module 1114 manages the amount of chemicals required for the spraying flight, the amount of chemicals, the amount of dilution, the amount of water required for dilution, the amount of energy such as the number of batteries, and the like.
The flight route management module 1115 calculates the flight route of the spray flight of the drone 100 based on the field management information 1300.
The schedule management module 1116 generates and manages schedules for spray flights across multiple fields and multiple days. The generated drug application schedule is stored in the schedule management information 1900.

The auxiliary storage device 1102 stores various information such as map information 1200, field management information 1300, device management information 1400, user management information 1500, drug management information 1600, energy management information 1700, flight route management information 1800, and schedule management information 1900. Remember.
Although the same information is stored in the mobile terminal 701 and the management server 702, the respective information may be synchronized with each other, or either information may be simply copied. Further, some or all of the information may be stored in the management server 702, and the information may be downloaded from the management server 702 from the mobile terminal 701 as needed.

FIG. 12 is an example of the hardware configuration of the management terminal 703.
The management terminal 703 is, for example, a terminal such as a desktop PC, a notebook PC, or a tablet.
Programs and applications such as the drone setting module 1211 and the management server setting module 1212 are stored in the main storage device 1201, and each functional element of the management terminal 703 is realized by executing these programs and applications by the processor 1203. Will be done.
The drone setting module 1211 performs various operations and settings such as spray flight setting and initial setting of the drone 100.
The management server setting module 1212 makes various settings such as initial settings of the management server 702.
The auxiliary storage device 1202 stores various information such as drone setting information 1221 and management server setting information 1222.

FIG. 13 is an example of field management information 1300.
The field management information 1300 stores various information about the field to which the chemicals are sprayed, and stores information such as the field ID, the field name, the field position, the field peripheral coordinates, the field area, and the planted crop. The field management information 1300 may be simply referred to as field information.
The field ID is identification information that uniquely identifies the field.
The field position 1311 indicates the position coordinates of the field, and has, for example, information on the latitude and longitude of the center of the field.
The field circumference coordinates 1312 indicate the coordinates around the field, and in the case of a quadrangular field, for example, the position coordinates of the four corners. The sample value GC007 indicates a link to information in which the position coordinates are continuously stored separated by commas or the like.
The field area 1313 is the total area of the field corresponding to the field ID.
The planted crop 1314 stores information for identifying the crop or the like planted in the field.

FIG. 14 is an example of the device management information 1400.
The device management information 1400 stores information for managing the drone 100, and stores information such as a device ID, a device name, a model number, specifications, a user, energy, and flight time.
The device ID is identification information that uniquely identifies the drone 100.
The user is information on the user who is currently using the drone 100, and stores the user ID of the user management information 1500.
The energy 1411 is information on energy that can be mounted on the drone 100, and stores the energy ID of the energy management information 1700.
The flightable time 1412 indicates the flightable time due to the energy that can be mounted on the drone 100. For example, information such as being able to fly for 15 minutes with a set of two batteries is stored.

FIG. 15 is an example of user management information 1500.
The user management information 1500 stores information on the user who operates the drone 100, and stores information such as a user ID, a user display ID, a name, an e-mail address, a date of birth, and a gender.
The user ID is identification information that uniquely identifies the user.
The user display ID is user information displayed on the mobile terminal 701 or the like, and is, for example, a nickname registered by the user.

FIG. 16 is an example of drug management information 1600.
The drug management information 1600 stores information on the drug to be sprayed, and stores the drug ID, drug name, product number, specifications, dilution rate, spray amount, and the like.
The drug ID is identification information that uniquely identifies the drug.
The drug name 1602 indicates the name of a liquid, powder or fine particle product to be sprayed in a field such as a pesticide, a herbicide, a liquid fertilizer, an insecticide, or a seed.

The specification 1603 stores information such as a method of using the drug, a method of diluting the drug, a target crop, and a method of spraying, and the drug is diluted or sprayed according to the contents described in the specification 1603.
The dilution ratio 1604 stores the ratio of diluting the drug, for example, the ratio of drug to water, the amount of drug and water used for dilution, and the like.
The spraying amount 1605 stores the sprayed amount of the diluted and diluted drug (spraying drug). For example, it has been shown to spray 10 L of spraying agent per ha.

FIG. 17 is an example of energy management information 1700.
The energy management information 1700 stores information on energy such as a battery required for the flight of the drone 100, and stores information such as an energy ID, an energy name, a model number, a type, and specifications.
The energy ID is identification information that uniquely identifies the energy.
The type indicates the type of energy, and for example, a battery, gasoline, jet fuel, or the like is stored.

FIG. 18 is an example of flight path management information 1800.
The flight route management information 1800 stores information indicating the flight route of the drone 100, and stores the route ID, the target ID, the route coordinates, the total route distance, and the like.
The route ID is identification information that uniquely identifies the flight route.
The target ID is information that identifies the field on which the flight route is calculated, the movement route between the fields, and the like. For example, farm003 indicates that the subject is in the field, and route002 indicates that the subject is a movement route outside the field.
The route coordinate 1811 is a link to information indicating the route coordinate of the flight, and the route coordinate of the flight is represented by, for example, a combination of a plurality of continuous position coordinates. As the position coordinates, a combination of latitude and longitude, a combination of latitude, longitude and altitude, etc. can be considered.
The total route distance 1812 indicates the total distance of the route when the entire flight route from the start of the flight to the schedule is flown.

FIG. 19 is an example of schedule management information 1900.
The schedule management information 1900 is information that defines a schedule for a spray flight over a plurality of fields, and stores information such as a schedule ID, a schedule name, a date and time, a start place, and a schedule.
The schedule 1901 stores information that identifies the fields on which the spray flight is to be performed, the movement route between the fields, and the like. For example, in the example of the sample value, after flying two fields specified by farm006 and farm005, after flying the movement route indicated by route001, flying the field specified by farm003, and others specified by other001. It is a schedule to fly the field specified by farm002 after the event (for example, lunch time) has passed.

The spraying-related information 1902 stores the total drug spraying amount, dilution amount, energy amount, etc. of the entire schedule. The amount of chemicals sprayed, the amount of dilution, the amount of energy, etc. for each field may be stored.
The method for defining the schedule is an example, and other schedule management methods may be used.

Generally, the drug in the mixed solution often precipitates over time after mixing the drug and water, so when spraying a liquid containing the drug with a drone, spray the drug and water immediately before the flight. After mixing in and replenishing the tank, a spray flight is often performed.
However, in this case, the mixing and replenishment of the drug and water is left to the user, and the spraying drug used for the spraying flight is sufficiently managed, such as whether the correct drug is selected and the mixing ratio is correct. There wasn't.

In addition, if the spraying drug used for the spraying flight is not controlled and it is possible to replace or inject a drug other than the drug permitted in advance, for example, the following problems may occur. ..
First, the quality of the harvested crops deteriorates due to the fact that the spraying is performed in a way that deviates from the amount and type of spraying chemicals that should be protected to ensure that the quality of the harvested crops is above the prescribed quality. There is a risk of doing so. Also, for the same reason, there is a risk of contaminating the soil in the field where the chemicals are sprayed.
Secondly, there is a risk that the spray drone cannot be abused to prevent terrorist acts of spraying chemical liquids such as poisons using the drone. In order to prevent such acts of terrorism, it is necessary to manage the liquids contained in the tank of the spray drone so that chemical liquids such as poisons cannot be loaded.

FIG. 20 is an example of a diagram illustrating a configuration in which a liquid substance is replenished from the replenisher 2000 to the drug tank 104 by the replenisher nozzle.
Further, FIG. 21 is an example of a diagram illustrating an outline of the lid 2003 provided in the replenisher 2000.
The replenisher 2000 includes a water container 2001 for accommodating water and a drug container 2002 for storing a drug, and the spray drug is prepared by mixing these in a mixing container 2005 portion and diluting the drug.
The sprayed drug is replenished from the replenisher 2000 to the replenishment port 2040 and stored in the drug tank 104. The contained liquid is discharged from each drug nozzle (discharge nozzle) 103-1, 103-2, 103-3, 103-4 and sprayed. Liquids include pesticides, herbicides, liquid fertilizers, pesticides, water and the like.

The water container 2001 and the drug container 2002 are provided with a lid 2003, and only the administrator holding the key 2101 can open the lid 2003. The key 2101 is not limited to a physical key, but may be an electronic key for entering a personal identification number, or the key can be opened by performing authentication such as reading the administrator's ID card by the reader 2004 provided in the replenisher 2000. It may be a mechanism. Various authentications are performed by the management controller 2007 included in the replenisher 2000.

Further, the lid 2003 may be opened by reading the identification information such as the bar code for identifying the water or the drug contained in the water container 2001 or the drug container 2002 with a reader 2004 such as a camera. ..
For example, the label, bottle shape, barcode, etc. of the drug bottle are registered in the management controller 2007 or the management server 702, and the drug bottle is authenticated and authenticated by reading a part or all of these information with the reader 2004. The lid 2003 of the drug container 2002 can be opened only when the above is performed correctly, and the drug can be replenished from the drug bottle.
By performing such certification, only the reliably identified water or drug is replenished to the water container 2001 or the drug container 2002.

The water container 2001 and the drug container 2002 include a pH sensor, a compound analysis sensor using an IMS method (ion mobility spectrum method), a volatility detection sensor, a viscosity detection sensor, a laser transmission detection sensor, and a water volume. Various sensors such as sensors can be provided.
The management controller 2007 monitors the characteristics of the liquids contained in the water container 2001 and the drug container 2002 based on the measured values from these sensors, and the replenished water or the drug is the controlled correct water or the drug. Always monitor for drugs.

FIG. 23 is an example of the liquid substance monitoring flow 2300 of the replenisher.
The management controller 2007 detects that the amount of water or the liquid of the medicine has increased based on the measured values of the water amount sensors provided in the water container 2001 and the medicine container 2002 of the replenisher 2000 (step 2310).
When the amount of liquid has increased, the management controller 2007 determines whether or not the condition of the liquid material managed as the liquid material contained in the water container 2001 and the drug container 2002 is satisfied (step). 2320).

If the condition of the liquid material to be controlled is water container 2001, for example, water should be contained, but it has the same characteristics as this water, or from the characteristics of water. It has characteristics within a predetermined range in consideration of errors and the like.
If the condition of the liquid substance to be managed is the drug container 2002, it has the same characteristics as the drug stored in the drug container 2002 managed by, for example, the management server 702 or the management controller 2007 of the replenisher 2000. That is, or that it has characteristics within a predetermined range in consideration of errors and the like from the characteristics of the drug.

Here, the characteristics of the liquid material include, for example, the pH of the liquid material detected by the pH sensor, the ion mobility and the ion mass detected by the compound analysis sensor using the IMS method (ion mobility spectrum method), and the like. The spectrum and the like, volatile gas detected by the volatile detection sensor, viscosity detected by the viscosity detection sensor, transparency detected by the transparency detection sensor by a laser, and the like can be considered.
The predetermined range may be a range in which it can be specified that the liquids are the same even if measurement errors, slight alterations, dilutions, etc. are taken into consideration, for example, within an error of 5%.

When the conditions for these liquids are satisfied, it can be determined that the same liquids as water and chemicals managed by the management server 702 and the management controller 2007 of the replenisher 2000 are replenished and the liquid amount is increased.
On the other hand, if the conditions for these liquid substances are not satisfied (No in step 2320), it is determined that a liquid substance or compound such as an unexpected drug or poison may have been replenished or mixed, and the management controller 2007 determines. After outputting an alert to the management server 702 and the management terminal 703, the supply of the spraying drug from the replenisher nozzle 2010 to the drug tank 104 is stopped (step 2340).

The management controller 2007 continues to monitor the liquid matter of the replenisher 2000 until it receives the management end instruction (step 2330).
The acquisition of information from various sensors in FIG. 23 and the determination of whether or not the liquid is managed can be realized by the management controller 2007 executing information processing by software.
In this case, the management controller 2007 can be realized, for example, by a microcomputer or the like that stores a program that performs information acquisition and determination processing as shown in FIG. 23.

Returning to FIG. 20, the calibration of the replenisher 2000 will be described.
The mixing container 2005 is a portion in which the water contained in the water container 2001 and the drug contained in the drug container 2002 are mixed and diluted to prepare a sprayed drug and stored. The management controller 2007 mixes water and the drug based on the dilution rate input by the user and the dilution rate set by the management server 702 and the management terminal 703.
The mixed spraying agent is sucked up by the pump and the valve 2006, and is replenished from the replenisher nozzle 2010 to the replenishment port 2040.

The user who replenishes the sprayed drug replenishes the sprayed drug by pulling the lever 2020 of the replenisher nozzle 2010, and when the lever 2020 is returned, the replenishment is stopped. Instead of the lever 2020, a replenishment button or switch may be provided. Further, the replenishment amount may be managed by the management controller 2007, and the replenishment may be automatically started when the replenisher nozzle 2010 is inserted into the replenishment port 2040 and authenticated.

The replenishment port 2040 of the drug tank 104 is provided with a flow path valve 2240 described later, and when the replenisher nozzle 2010 is inserted into the replenishment port 2040 and physically and / or electronically authenticated, the flow path valve 2240 is opened. Can be opened and replenished with sprayed medication.
The flow path valve control unit 2060 performs electronic authentication and controls the opening and closing of the flow path valve 2240. Further, the open / closed state of the flow path valve 2240 and the open / close information such as the open / close history are acquired and stored. It also detects abnormalities such as failure and destruction of various sensors 2070.

The drug tank 104 includes a pH sensor, a compound analysis sensor using an IMS method (ion mobility spectrum method), a volatility detection sensor, a viscosity detection sensor, a laser permeability detection sensor, a water volume sensor, and some or all of them. Sensor 2070 is provided to detect the characteristics of the contained liquid.
The replenisher nozzle 2010 is provided with a replenisher side authentication unit 2030, and the opening / closing of the flow path valve 2240 is controlled by performing authentication with the tank side authentication unit 2050 provided in the drug tank 104.

FIG. 22 is an example of a diagram illustrating the function and structure of the flow path valve 2240.
A flow path valve 2240 is provided in the replenishment port 2040 portion of the drug tank 104, and has a mechanism for accepting only the insertion of the replenisher nozzle 2010 that has a predetermined shape and is compatible with the replenishment port 2040.
The replenisher nozzle cross section 2220 shows an example of a cross section of the nozzle tip 2203 of the replenisher nozzle 2010, and the replenishment port cross section 2230 shows an example of a cross section of the replenishment port 2040.
The replenishment port 2040 is provided with a convex portion 2231 toward the inside, and has a structure in which a nozzle having a normal circular cross section is caught in the convex portion and cannot be inserted or is difficult to insert.

On the other hand, the nozzle tip 2203 of the replenisher nozzle 2010 has a shape that fits into a cross-sectional shape having a convex portion of the replenishment port. That is, the nozzle port 2222 has a recess 2221 inside.
The convex portion and the concave portion of the supply port 2040 and the nozzle tip 2203 are not limited to the structure of the example shown in FIG. 22, and may have a different fitting structure. Further, contrary to the example of FIG. 22, the supply port 2040 may have a concave portion and the nozzle tip 2203 may have a convex portion.

The flow path valve 2240 is opened by fitting the replenisher nozzle 2010 to the replenishment port 2040. The replenishment palate 2245 of the flow path valve 2240 injects an unspecified drug or other liquid into the drug tank 104. It is a lid that prevents the replenisher nozzle 2010 from being fitted, and by fitting the replenisher nozzle 2010 into the replenishment port 2040 and pushing it all the way in, the spring 2243 is pushed down, and by conducting with the flow path 2244, the replenishment port lid 2245 is opened.

Note that the structure may be such that the replenisher nozzle 2010 is not inserted into the replenishment port 2040, but conversely the replenishment port 2040 is inserted into the replenisher nozzle 2010. Further, the flow path valve 2240 may be provided not on the replenishment port 2040 side but on the replenisher nozzle 2010 side, or may be a structure in which the flow path valves are provided on both sides to operate in cooperation with each other. I do not care. When the flow path valve 2240 is provided only on the replenisher nozzle 2010 side, the structure of the flow path valve 2240 becomes unnecessary for the drone 100, the weight can be reduced, and the continuous flight time of the drone 100 can be extended.

Even if the insertion relationship between the replenisher nozzle 2010 and the replenishment port 2040 is reversed, the replenishment port 2040 has a concave or convex shape in the cross section, and the replenisher nozzle 2010 has a shape that fits into that shape. Then, the flow path valve 2240 can be opened by fitting the replenisher nozzle 2010 and the replenishment port 2040.
Further, not only one of the replenisher nozzle 2010 and the replenishment port 2040 may be inserted into the other, but also the replenisher nozzle 2010 and the replenishment port 2040 may be combined to operate. For example, the replenisher nozzle 2010 and the replenishment port 2040 each have a structure like a flange joint, and the respective flange portions may be mechanically and electrically connected to connect the pipes.

Further, the flow path valve 2240 may be opened by rotating the replenisher nozzle 2010 after being inserted into the replenishment port 2040.
For example, by providing a hooking portion 2242 on the replenishment palate 2245, inserting the replenisher nozzle 2010 into the replenishment port 2040, and then rotating it clockwise, for example, the hooking portion of the nozzle tip 2203 and the hooking portion 2242 of the replenishment palate 2245 come into contact with each other. In contact, the supply palate 2245 rotates together. Next, the replenishment palate 2245 rotates to conduct the flow path 2244, and the flow path valve 2240 is opened.
With such a structure, after the replenisher nozzle is inserted into the replenishment port, the flow path valve is not opened unless it is further rotated, and the replenishment palate 2245 is simply inserted into the replenishment port 2040. Is not released, so it is possible to prevent the mixing of unspecified liquid substances and the like.

It is possible to take the same configuration even if the insertion relationship between the replenisher nozzle 2010 and the replenishment port 2040 is reversed, and after the replenisher nozzle 2010 and the replenishment port 2040 are combined, or with the replenisher nozzle 2010. After one of the replenishment ports 2040 is inserted into the other, the flow path valve 2240 may be opened when one of the replenisher nozzle 2010 and the replenishment port 2040 is rotated relative to the other. can.
On the contrary, after one of the replenisher nozzle 2010 and the replenishment port 2040 is rotated relative to the other, the replenisher nozzle 2010 and the replenishment port 2040 are further combined, or the replenisher nozzle 2010 and the replenishment port 2040 are further connected. The flow path valve 2240 may be opened by inserting one of them into the other.

Further, the flow path valve 2240 may be composed of a solenoid valve such as a solenoid valve, and the flow path valve 2240 may be opened by performing electronic or electrical authentication.
That is, when the replenisher nozzle 2010 and the replenishment port 2040 are combined, or when one of the replenisher nozzle 2010 and the replenishment port 2040 is inserted into the other, the replenisher side authentication unit and the tank side authentication of the replenisher nozzle 2010 Authentication can be performed by electrically connecting to the unit.
For example, when the replenisher nozzle 2010 is inserted into the replenishment port 2040 and then rotated, it is arranged at the tank side authentication terminal 2241 arranged at the tip of the convex portion 2231 of the replenishment port 2040 and the rotation receiver 2202 of the replenisher nozzle 2010. The flow path valve control unit 2060 of the drug tank 104 authenticates the replenisher nozzle 2010 by electrically connecting to the replenisher side authentication terminal 2201.

Further, for example, an authentication chip is embedded in the replenisher side authentication terminal 2201, and when it comes into contact with the tank side authentication terminal 2241, the authentication information is read from the authentication chip, and the flow path valve control unit 2060 reads the authentication information to electronically authenticate. To execute.
When the authentication is performed, the flow path valve control unit 2060 energizes the electromagnet provided in the lower part of the shaft 2246 of the replenishment palate 2245 to generate a magnetic force, and opens the replenishment palate 2245.

Further, the replenisher side authentication terminal 2201 is connected to the replenisher side authentication unit 2030 of the replenisher nozzle 2010, and the tank side authentication terminal 2241 is connected to the tank side authentication unit 2050 of the drug tank 104. The authentication may be performed by electrically connecting the replenisher side authentication unit 2030 and the tank side authentication unit 2050 when they come into contact with each other.

Moreover, not only the electrical connection but also the authentication by wireless communication may be used.
For example, when the replenisher nozzle 2010 and the replenishment port 2040 are combined, or when one of the replenisher nozzle 2010 and the replenishment port 2040 is inserted into the other, the tank side authentication unit 2050 is wirelessly communicated with the replenisher side authentication unit. Authentication is performed by communicating with 2030, and when authenticated, the flow path valve control unit 2060 opens the flow path valve 2240.
In this case, since the tank side authentication unit 2050 and the replenisher side authentication unit 2030 are very close to each other, it is preferable to perform authentication by non-contact short-range wireless communication.
Further, either one of the tank-side authentication unit 2050 and the replenisher-side authentication unit 2030 may have a function of an authentication device, and the other may be configured by a chip storing authentication information.

The structure of FIG. 22 is an example, and the authentication by cooperation between the replenisher nozzle 2010 and the replenishment port 2040 and the opening / closing process of the flow path valve 2240 are not limited to the structure and configuration of FIG. Any configuration may be used as long as the valve 2240 can be opened and closed. Further, all or some of these configurations may be configured to open and close the flow path valve 2240.

The replenishment port 2040 has a concave or convex shape in the cross section, and the replenisher nozzle 2010 has a shape that fits in that shape. The road valve 2240 is opened.
The flow path valve 2240 is opened by being rotated after the replenisher nozzle 2010 and the replenishment port 2040 are combined, or after one of the replenisher nozzle 2010 and the replenishment port 2040 is inserted into the other.
After one of the replenisher nozzle 2010 and the replenishment port 2040 is rotated relative to the other, the replenisher nozzle 2010 and the replenishment port 2040 are combined, or one of the replenisher nozzle 2010 and the replenishment port 2040 is the other. By being inserted into, the flow path valve 2240 is opened.
-A tank-side authentication unit 2050 that performs authentication in cooperation with the replenisher-side authentication unit 2030 provided in the replenisher nozzle 2010 or the replenisher 2000 is provided, and the tank-side authentication unit 2050 certifies the replenisher-side authentication unit 2030. In some cases, the flow path valve 2240 is opened.
-When the replenisher nozzle 2010 and the replenishment port 2040 are combined, or when one of the replenisher nozzle 2010 and the replenishment port 2040 is inserted into the other, the replenisher side authentication unit 2030 and the tank side authentication of the replenisher nozzle 2010 Authentication is performed by electrically connecting to the unit 2050.
When the replenisher nozzle 2010 and the replenishment port 2040 are combined, or when one of the replenisher nozzle 2010 and the replenishment port 2040 is inserted into the other, the tank side authentication unit 2050 communicates with the replenisher side authentication unit 2030. Authenticate by communicating with.

FIG. 24 is an example of the opening / closing processing flow 2400 of the flow path valve 2240.
The replenisher nozzle 2010 is inserted into the replenishment port 2040 by the user (step 2410).
The flow path valve control unit 2060 determines whether the replenisher nozzle 2010 is correctly inserted (step 2420), and if it is not inserted correctly, keeps the flow path valve 2240 closed without opening (step 2450).

When the replenisher nozzle 2010 is correctly inserted into the replenishment port 2040, the flow path valve control unit 2060 determines whether the replenisher nozzle 2010 has been certified (step 2430).
If the replenisher nozzle 2010 is not certified, the flow path valve 2240 is not opened and remains closed (step 2450).
The flow path valve control unit 2060 opens the flow path valve 2240 when the replenisher nozzle 2010 is certified (step 2440).

The flow path valve control unit 2060 on the drug tank 104 side is configured to authenticate the replenisher nozzle 2010, but conversely, the control unit and the authentication unit provided on the replenisher nozzle 2010 side are on the drug tank 104 side. The tank side authentication unit 2050 and the flow path valve control unit 2060 may be authenticated. Further, the medicine tank 104 side and the replenisher nozzle 2010 side may be configured to mutually authenticate each other.

The insertion determination of these nozzles and the authentication of the nozzles may be executed by the flow path valve control unit 2060 by information processing by software, or the insertion, rotation, authentication, etc. of the replenisher nozzle 2010 may be electrically measured. Or, it may be configured to be judged and authenticated by energization.
When the information processing is performed by software, the flow path valve control unit 2060 can be realized by, for example, a microcomputer storing a program for performing determination and authentication processing as shown in the opening / closing processing flow 2400.

FIG. 25 is an example of the spray flight determination processing flow 2500 of the drone 100.
Up to now, the configuration of the replenishment port 2040 that receives the replenishment of the sprayed drug only from the replenisher nozzle 2010 specified in advance has been described.
However, even if such strict drug replenishment management is performed, there is a possibility that a hole may be formed in the drug tank 104 and a liquid substance such as a toxic substance or a compound may be mixed. It is also conceivable that the flow path valve 2240 may be destroyed and an unspecified liquid substance or compound may be mixed.

Therefore, in the spray flight determination processing flow 2500 of FIG. 25, when the flight instruction of the drone 100 is received, it is determined and satisfied whether or not the above-mentioned abnormal state has not occurred and the flight enablement condition is satisfied. Allows spray flights only to.
The flight controller 501 receives a spray flight instruction from the user, the management server 702, or the management terminal 703 (step 2510).
The flight controller 501 determines whether or not the amount of liquid in the medicine tank has increased from the previous flight by the liquid amount sensor provided in the medicine tank 104 (step 2520), and if not, the previous flight. It is determined that the flight is a continuous flight from the above flight, and the spray flight is started (step 2540).

When the amount of liquid has increased, the flight controller 501 determines whether or not the spraying flight enable condition is satisfied (step 2530).
If the conditions are met, the flight controller 501 initiates a spray flight (step 2540). On the other hand, if the conditions are not met, the flight controller 501 stops the spraying flight (step 2550). That is, the flight of the drone 100 is prohibited, the flight of the drone 100 in flight is stopped, or the flight is permitted but the spraying of liquids is prohibited by closing the discharge nozzle, or the spraying of the drone 100 during spraying is prohibited. Stop, or stop both flying and spraying.

Whether or not the flight enable condition is satisfied is assumed to be determined under the conditions listed below, for example.
-The flight condition is not satisfied when the flow path valve control unit 2060 has an abnormality detection function of the flow path valve 2240 and the flow path valve control unit 2060 detects an abnormality such as a failure or destruction of the flow path valve 2240. And.
The flow path valve control unit 2060 acquires and stores opening / closing information indicating the opening / closing status of the flow path valve 2240, and there is no information indicating that the flow path valve 2240 has been opened in the opening / closing information, and the drug tank 104 If the amount of liquid inside is increasing, the flight conditions shall not be met.

In addition to this, when the sprayed medicine is replenished from the replenisher 2000, the replenishment information regarding the replenishment of the liquid material is received from the replenisher 2000, the management server 702, and the management terminal 703, and stored in the tank side authentication unit 2050. It can also be configured to authenticate before the spray flight. In addition to the tank-side authentication unit 2050, the drug tank 104 may be provided with an independent storage unit.
When the flight controller 501 does not have information indicating that the stored liquid material has been replenished in the replenishment information from the tank side authentication unit 2050, and the amount of liquid material in the drug tank 104 is increasing. In addition, it is assumed that the flight conditions are not met.

Alternatively, the communication control unit of the drone 100 communicates with the replenisher 2000, acquires the replenishment information of the liquid substance stored in the replenisher 2000 when the sprayed drug is replenished from the replenisher 2000, and the liquid substance is added to this replenishment information. If there is no information indicating that the replenishment has been made and the amount of liquid in the drug tank 104 is increasing, the flight condition is not satisfied.
The drug tank 104 may be detachable from the main body of the drone 100.
In this case, the drone 100 is provided with a communication unit that communicates with the removable drug tank 104, and when the drug tank 104 is attached to the main body, this communication unit communicates with the drug tank 104, and the drug tank 104 communicates with the drug tank 104. The replenishment information before being mounted on the drone 100 is acquired from the tank side authentication unit 2050 or an independent tank storage unit.
Alternatively, if a communication unit that communicates with the replenisher is provided and the drug tank 104 is attached to the main body, the communication unit communicates with the replenisher 2000 and replenishment information before the drug tank 104 is attached to the drone 100. Is obtained from the replenisher 2000.

In this case, for example, the trigger for acquiring the replenishment information from the replenisher 2000 by the communication control unit of the drone 100 can be the timing when it is detected that the drug tank 104 is attached to the main body of the drone 100.
The increase in the amount of liquid in the drug tank 104 can be calculated based on the information acquired from the water level sensor provided in the drug tank 104, or when the drone 100 flies. It is also possible to calculate based on the information on the propulsive force of the rotor blades.

FIG. 26 is an example of another spray flight determination processing flow 2600.
In this determination process, when the flight instruction of the drone 100 is received, if the sprayed drug in the drug tank 104 acquired by various sensors 2070 is different from the characteristics of the liquid substance managed in advance, some foreign matter is present. Judging that there is a possibility that is mixed in, the spray flight is prohibited.

The flight controller 501 receives a spray flight instruction from the user, the management server 702, or the management terminal 703 (step 2610).
The flight controller 501 acquires characteristic information of the liquid substance in the drug tank 104 by various sensors 2070 provided in the drug tank 104 (step 2620).
The flight controller 501 determines whether or not the acquired characteristic information of the liquid matter satisfies the flight enablement condition (step 2630).
The various sensors 2070 include a pH sensor, a compound analysis sensor using an IMS method (ion mobility spectrum method), a volatility detection sensor, a viscosity detection sensor, a laser transmission detection sensor, or a combination thereof. Is assumed.

If the conditions are met, the flight controller 501 initiates a spray flight (step 2640). On the other hand, if the conditions are not met, the flight controller 501 stops the spraying flight (step 2650). That is, the flight of the drone 100 is prohibited, the flight of the drone 100 in flight is stopped, or the flight is permitted but the spraying of liquids is prohibited by closing the discharge nozzle, etc., and spraying when spraying is in progress. Or stop both flight and spraying, and so on.
The flight conditions are, for example, that the sprayed drug in the drug tank 104 has the same properties as the properties of the liquid substance that is controlled in advance, or that the sprayed drug has almost the same properties, that is, spraying. It has characteristics within a predetermined range that can be identified as the same liquid substance in consideration of measurement error, change in liquid substance, evaporation, etc. (hereinafter, error, etc.) from the characteristics of the drug.

Therefore, when the sprayed drug is replenished from the replenisher 2000, it has the same characteristics as the sprayed drug managed by the replenisher 2000, or it is determined by considering an error or the like from the characteristics of the sprayed drug. It is determined whether or not the characteristics are within the range of.
The characteristics of the controlled liquid material are, for example, the characteristics of the sprayed medicine contained in the medicine tank 104 managed by the replenisher 2000, the management server 702, the management controller 2007 of the replenisher 2000, and the like.

Here, the characteristics of the liquid material include, for example, the pH of the liquid material detected by the pH sensor, the ion mobility and the ion mass detected by the compound analysis sensor using the IMS method (ion mobility spectrum method), and the like. The spectrum and the like, volatile gas detected by the volatile detection sensor, viscosity detected by the viscosity detection sensor, transparency detected by the transparency detection sensor by a laser, and the like can be considered.
The predetermined range may be a range in which it can be specified that the liquids are the same even if measurement errors, slight alterations, dilutions, etc. are taken into consideration, for example, within an error of 5%.

The communication unit such as the Wi-Fi slave unit function 503 of the drone 100 receives the liquid substance information regarding the characteristics of the liquid substance contained in the replenisher 2000 from the management server 702, the management terminal 703, or the replenisher 2000, and makes a flight. The controller 501 can set the flight enable condition by setting the liquid substance information as a characteristic of the liquid substance which is a reference for determining whether or not the flight is possible.
Separately, the replenisher 2000 and the drone 100 are associated with each other, and by setting information on the characteristics of the liquid material contained in the replenisher 2000 as the characteristics of the liquid material that serves as a reference for determining whether or not to fly. , Flight conditions can be set.

For added safety, the flight controller 501 stops the flight of the drone 100 or sprays the liquid when the communication unit cannot receive the liquid information from the management server 702, the management terminal 703, or the replenisher 2000. May be stopped.
Further, when the flight controller 501 detects an abnormality such as a failure or destruction of various sensors 2070, the flight of the drone 100 may be stopped or the spraying of the liquid substance may be stopped.
Further, when the flight controller 501 cannot acquire information on the characteristics of the liquid material from the various sensors 2070, the flight of the drone 100 may be stopped, the spraying of the liquid material may be stopped, or the like.

The acquisition of information from the various sensors 2070 in FIGS. 25 and 26, the determination of flight conditions, the execution and stop processing of the spray flight can be realized by the flight controller 501 executing information processing by software. ..
In this case, the flight controller 501 can be realized, for example, by a microcomputer or the like that stores a program that performs information acquisition and determination processing as shown in FIGS. 25 and 26.
When the flight controller 501 stops the spraying of the liquid material, the flight controller 501 stops the spraying of the liquid material by, for example, closing the discharge nozzle or stopping the driving of the pump for discharging. It can be performed.

The flight controller 501 executes the acquisition of information on the characteristics of the liquid material as described above, the processing of comparison with the conditions, the processing of flight control such as flight start and flight stop, and the like. It may be realized by a built-in hardware chip, or it may be realized by executing a control program for executing each such process by a general-purpose microcontroller or the like.

According to the configuration described in this embodiment, it is possible to provide a mechanism for managing the drug used for the spray flight. In addition, it is possible to prevent uncontrolled liquid substances, compounds, and the like from being mixed into the drug tank 104. In addition, even if an unspecified liquid or compound is mixed in the chemical tank 104, the spraying flight of the drone 100 is stopped to prevent unexpected damage to agricultural products, human bodies, buildings, etc. can do.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and includes various modifications. For example, the above-described embodiment has been described in detail in order to explain the present invention in an easy-to-understand manner, and is not necessarily limited to those having all the described configurations. Further, it is possible to replace a part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, and it is also possible to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment. Further, it is possible to add / delete / replace a part of the configuration of each embodiment with another configuration.

Further, each of the above configurations, functions, processing units, processing means, etc. may be realized by hardware by designing a part or all of them by, for example, an integrated circuit. Further, each of the above configurations, functions, and the like may be realized by software by the processor interpreting and executing a program that realizes each function. Information such as programs, tables, and files that realize each function can be stored in a memory, a hard disk, a recording device such as an SSD (Solid State Drive), or a recording medium such as an IC card, an SD card, or a DVD.

In addition, the control lines and information lines indicate those that are considered necessary for explanation, and do not necessarily indicate all the control lines and information lines in the product. In practice, it can be considered that almost all configurations are interconnected.
It should be noted that the above-described embodiment discloses at least the configuration described in the claims.

100 ... Drone, 104 ... Drug tank, 701 ... Mobile terminal, 702 ... Management server, 703 ... Management terminal, 710 ... Base station, 2000 ... Replenisher, 2010 ... Replenisher nozzle, 2040 ... Replenishment port

Claims (16)

1. A drone that sprays liquids
   With the main body
   With a plurality of rotors for flying the main body,
   A control unit that controls flight,
   A tank that houses the liquid and
   A supply port that receives the supply of the liquid to the tank, and
   A discharge nozzle for spraying the liquid contained in the tank and
   A flow path valve that enables reception of replenishment of the liquid when a predetermined replenisher nozzle and the replenishment port are combined, or when one of the replenisher nozzle and the replenishment port is inserted into the other.
   Drone equipped with.
2. The replenishment port has a concave or convex shape in a cross section, and the replenisher nozzle has a shape that fits in that shape. By fitting the replenisher nozzle to the replenishment port, the flow The drone according to claim 1, wherein the road valve is opened.
3. After the replenisher nozzle and the replenishment port are combined, or after one of the replenisher nozzle and the replenishment port is inserted into the other, the replenisher nozzle and one of the replenishment ports are further relative to the other. The drone according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the flow path valve is opened by being rotated.
4. After one of the replenisher nozzle and the replenishment port is rotated relative to the other, the replenisher nozzle and the replenishment port are further combined, or one of the replenisher nozzle and the replenishment port is connected to the other. The drone according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the flow path valve is opened by being inserted.
5. A tank-side authentication unit that performs authentication in cooperation with the replenisher-side authentication unit provided on at least one of the replenisher nozzle or the replenisher is provided.
   The drone according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the flow path valve is opened when the tank-side authentication unit authenticates the replenisher-side authentication unit.
6. The tank-side authentication unit is provided in the supply port.
   When the replenisher nozzle and the replenishment port are combined, or when one of the replenisher nozzle and the replenishment port is inserted into the other, the replenisher side authentication unit and the tank side authentication of the replenisher nozzle are performed. The drone according to claim 5, wherein the unit is electrically connected to perform authentication.
7. When the replenisher nozzle and the replenishment port are combined, or when one of the replenisher nozzle and the replenishment port is inserted into the other, the tank side authentication unit communicates with the replenisher side authentication unit by wireless communication. The drone according to claim 5 or 6, which authenticates by communicating.
8. The flow path valve is provided with an abnormality detection unit.
   When the abnormality detection unit detects an abnormality in the flow path valve, the control unit prohibits the flight of the drone, stops the flight of the drone during flight, and prohibits the spraying of the liquid substance by the drone. The drone according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein spraying is stopped by the drone during spraying.
9. An opening / closing information acquisition unit that acquires opening / closing information of the flow path valve,
   A liquid amount information acquisition unit that acquires liquid amount information of the liquid substance in the tank, and
   With
   The control when there is no information indicating that the flow path valve has been opened in the opening / closing information and the amount of the liquid in the tank acquired by the liquid amount information acquisition unit is increasing. Claim 1 in which the unit at least prohibits the flight of the drone, stops the flight of the drone in flight, prohibits the spraying of the liquid substance by the drone, and stops the spraying by the drone during spraying. The drone according to any one of 8 to 8.
10. A liquid amount information acquisition unit for acquiring liquid amount information of the liquid substance in the tank is provided.
    The liquid substance replenishment information acquired from the replenisher does not include information indicating that the liquid substance has been replenished in the tank, and the liquid substance in the tank acquired by the liquid amount information acquisition unit. When the amount of liquid is increasing, the control unit prohibits the flight of the drone, stops the flight of the drone in flight, prohibits the spraying of the liquid substance by the drone, and causes the drone during spraying. The drone according to any one of claims 1 to 8, which performs at least one of the suspension of spraying.
11. It is equipped with a communication unit that communicates with the tank.
    The tank includes a tank storage unit that stores the replenishment information.
    The tank is removable from the main body and
    The tenth aspect of the present invention, wherein when the tank is mounted on the main body, the communication unit communicates with the tank and acquires the replenishment information before the tank is mounted on the drone from the tank storage unit. Drone.
12. It is equipped with a communication unit that communicates with the replenisher.
    The tank is removable from the main body and
    The tenth aspect of the present invention, wherein when the tank is mounted on the main body, the communication unit communicates with the replenisher to acquire the replenishment information before the tank is mounted on the drone from the replenisher. Drone.
13. The liquid amount information acquisition unit is based on at least one of the information acquired from the water level sensor provided in the tank and the information regarding the propulsive force by the rotor when the drone flies. The drone according to any one of claims 8 to 12, which calculates the liquid amount of the liquid substance.
14. The drone according to any one of claims 7 to 13, wherein the control unit stops spraying the liquid substance by closing the discharge nozzle.
15. It is a control method for drones that spray liquids.
    The drone
    With the main body
    With a plurality of rotors for flying the main body,
    A control unit that controls flight,
    A tank that houses the liquid and
    A supply port that receives the supply of the liquid to the tank, and
    A discharge nozzle for spraying the liquid contained in the tank and
    A flow path valve that enables reception of replenishment of the liquid when a predetermined replenisher nozzle and the replenishment port are combined, or when one of the replenisher nozzle and the replenishment port is inserted into the other.
    With
    The control unit
    Obtaining the opening / closing information of the flow path valve,
    Obtaining the liquid amount information of the liquid substance in the tank,
    The drone when there is no information indicating that the flow path valve has been opened in the opening / closing information and the amount of the liquid in the tank acquired by the liquid amount information acquisition unit is increasing. A method for controlling a drone that prohibits the flight of the drone, stops the flight of the drone in flight, prohibits the spraying of the liquid substance by the drone, and stops the spraying of the liquid substance by the drone during spraying.
16. A drone control program that sprays liquids
    The drone
    With the main body
    With a plurality of rotors for flying the main body,
    A control unit that controls flight,
    A tank that houses the liquid and
    A supply port that receives the supply of the liquid to the tank, and
    A discharge nozzle for spraying the liquid contained in the tank and
    A flow path valve that enables reception of replenishment of the liquid when a predetermined replenisher nozzle and the replenishment port are combined, or when one of the replenisher nozzle and the replenishment port is inserted into the other.
    With
    In the control unit
    The step of acquiring the opening / closing information of the flow path valve and
    The step of acquiring the liquid amount information of the liquid substance in the tank, and
    The drone when there is no information indicating that the flow path valve has been opened in the opening / closing information and the amount of the liquid in the tank acquired by the liquid amount information acquisition unit is increasing. The step of prohibiting the flight of the drone, stopping the flight of the drone in flight, prohibiting the spraying of the liquid substance by the drone, and stopping the spraying of the liquid substance by the drone during spraying.
    A control program for executing.
    
    

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