Unmanned aerial vehicle battery replacement method and system

[0087] Example one:

[0088] The first embodiment of the present application provides a method for replacing a drone battery, which is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0089] See figure 1 This figure is a flowchart of a method for replacing a drone battery provided in Embodiment 1 of the application.

[0090] The method described in this embodiment is applied to a tram swap, and the method includes the following steps:

[0091] S101: Receive a first battery swap request, first location information, and a first meeting location sent by a drone; the first location information includes the current location of the drone.

[0092] The method provided in the embodiments of this application can be applied to the trolley swapping vehicles, which can be fuel vehicles, new energy vehicles, etc. The trolley swapping vehicles can also have automatic driving capabilities, remote control capabilities, etc. The trolley swapping vehicles can work in areas covered by traffic roads, or Possess a certain off-road ability, which is not specifically limited in this application.

[0093] UAVs to which the method provided in the embodiments of this application can be applied can be multi-rotor UAVs, fixed-wing UAVs, unmanned helicopters, or other types of UAVs. UAVs may also have autonomous planning and navigation Ability and remote control capability.

[0094] The first location information contains the current location of the drone, which can be obtained by the positioning system on the drone. In a possible implementation, the first location information is the current longitude and latitude coordinates of the drone. When flying, the first position information is constantly changing.

[0095] The first rendezvous position is the position determined by the drone to rendezvous with the trolley. The drone can be based on the first position information, the second position information sent by the trolley (including the current position of the trolley), and the second position sent by the trolley. The meeting position is determined by the navigation and path planning algorithm.

[0096] The drone can maintain information communication with the trolley at all times, but this will cause a waste of battery power. In a possible implementation, when the drone battery is fully charged, the drone and the trolley do not exchange information. It can save battery power; when the drone battery is insufficient and needs to be replaced, the drone first sends the first battery swap request to the battery swap car. The first battery swap request is used to trigger the information exchange with the battery swap car. The electricity request may also include the remaining power information of the spent battery on the drone, and then the drone starts to send the first position information and the first meeting position to the electric car in real time.

[0097] S102: Determine a second rendezvous position according to the first position information, the first rendezvous position and the second position information, and send the second position information and the second rendezvous position to the drone; The second location information includes the current location of the tram.

[0098] The second location information includes the current location of the trolley, which can be obtained by the positioning system on the trolley. In a possible implementation, the second location information is the current longitude and latitude coordinates of the trolley. Second, the location information is constantly changing.

[0099] The second rendezvous position is the position determined by the trolley to rendezvous with the drone. The trolley can be based on the second position information, the first position information sent by the drone (including the current position of the drone) and the drone sent The first meeting position is determined by the navigation and path planning algorithm.

[0100] S103: When the second rendezvous position and the first rendezvous position and the second rendezvous position are within a preset deviation range, fix the drone in a preset landing area and perform a second operation to replace the Describes the dead battery on the drone.

[0101] It should be noted that the first rendezvous location information and the second rendezvous location information are determined by the drone and the electric car respectively, and there may be a certain deviation between the two. There is mutual feedback between the first rendezvous position information and the second rendezvous position information, that is, the trolley changer continuously receives the first rendezvous position information sent by the drone and adjusts the second rendezvous position information, and the drone continuously receives the trolley changer The second rendezvous position information is sent and the second rendezvous position information is adjusted. As the drone and the tram changer continue to approach, the deviation between the first position information and the second position information becomes more and more Finally, when the first meeting position and the second meeting position are within the preset deviation range, the drone will land in the preset landing area and perform the second operation to replace the dead battery.

[0102] In the embodiments of this application, the GNSS RTK (Global Navigation Satellite System Real-time kinematic) technology is used to accurately land the drone on the trolley.

[0103] It should be noted that the terms "first", "second" and other words in the embodiments of the present application only have a distinguishing function for the convenience of description, and are not a limitation of the present application.

[0104] The method provided in the first embodiment of this application can realize the autonomous battery replacement of the drone through the cooperative operation of the drone and the electric vehicle. On the one hand, for the electric vehicle, the first battery replacement request and the first battery replacement request sent by the drone are first received. One position information and the first rendezvous position; then determine the second rendezvous position according to the first position information, the first rendezvous position and the second position information and send the second position information and the second rendezvous position to the drone; when the battery is replaced The drone needs to be accurately fixed in the preset landing area, and through real-time interaction with the drone, there is mutual feedback between the first position information and the second position information. With the constant approach of the trolley, the deviation between the first position information and the second position information is getting smaller and smaller. When the first meeting position and the second meeting position are within the preset deviation range, the drone Fixed in the preset landing area and performed a second operation to replace the dead battery on the drone. On the other hand, for drones, first send the first battery swap request and first position information to the battery swap car and receive the second position information and the second meeting position sent by the battery swap car; then according to the first position information, the second The location information and the second rendezvous position determine the first rendezvous position and send the first rendezvous position to the trolley; when the battery is replaced, the drone is required to accurately land on the trolley, and the position information is exchanged with the trolley in real time to make the first There is mutual feedback between the position information and the second position information. As the drone and the electric car are getting closer, the deviation between the first position information and the second position information is getting smaller and smaller. Finally, when the first meeting When the position and the second meeting position are within the preset deviation range, the drone will land in the preset landing area and perform the first operation to replace the dead battery. Applying the method provided by the embodiments of this application, the electric vehicle is exchanged for the UAV, which avoids the need to reserve enough power for the UAV to return home when the UAV is manually exchanged in the prior art, which will shorten the effective working time of the UAV. It can effectively extend the battery's actual power supply time for drone operations, thereby increasing the drone's endurance.

[0105] Embodiment two:

[0106] The embodiment of this application also provides another method for replacing the drone battery. The difference from the first embodiment is that this embodiment also specifically includes the working process of the drone during the battery replacement process of the drone. Detailed description in conjunction with the drawings.

[0107] See figure 2 This figure is a flowchart of another method for replacing a drone battery provided in the second embodiment of the application.

[0108] S201: The drone sends the first battery swap request, the first location information, and the first meeting location to the battery swap vehicle.

[0109] The UAV can maintain information communication with the trolley at all times, but this will waste battery power and shorten the life of the UAV. Therefore, when the UAV battery is fully charged, the UAV and the trolley will not exchange information; When the battery level of the drone is lower than the preset limit and the battery needs to be replaced, the drone first sends the first battery swap request to the battery swap car. The first battery swap request is used to trigger information exchange with the battery swap car, and then no one The machine began to send the first location information and the first meeting location to the trolley in real time.

[0110] In addition, the drone can continuously send the first battery swap request to the battery swap car, or send the first battery swap request to the battery swap car at a preset cycle, or send the first battery swap request a preset number of times to the battery swap car. Stop sending the first battery swap request to save power.

[0111] In a possible implementation manner, the first battery swap request includes information about the remaining power of the spent battery on the drone.

[0112] S202: After receiving the first power-swapping request sent by the drone, the electric-swapping car starts to detect the first location information and the first meeting position sent by the receiving drone.

[0113] S203: The tram changer determines the second meeting position according to the second position information and the first position information sent by the drone and the first meeting position.

[0114] Further, the determination of the second rendezvous position when changing the tram specifically includes the following steps:

[0115] S203a: Acquire second map information of the area where the drone is located according to the first location information and the second location information.

[0116] See also Figure 4 This figure is a schematic diagram of the scene of the method for replacing the drone battery provided in the second embodiment of the application.

[0117] Since the movement of the tram is often restricted by geographical conditions, such as road conditions and obstacles, etc., in order to receive the drone, it first needs to obtain the second map information of the area where the two are located, such as Figure 4 The part in the solid line box.

[0118] Further, the second map information includes road information of the area and current road condition information of the area, and can reflect the traffic condition of the area.

[0119] S203b: Determine the second meeting location according to the first location information, the second location information, and the second map information.

[0120] The second rendezvous position is the position determined by the trolley to rendezvous with the drone. The trolley can be based on the second position information, the first position information sent by the drone (including the current position of the drone) and the drone sent The first meeting position, the second meeting position is determined through navigation and path planning algorithms, see the detailed diagram Figure 4 As shown, and can plan a driving route for the tram to reach the second meeting position, see Figure 4 Route 2.

[0121] S204: The tram changer sends the second location information and the second meeting location to the drone.

[0122] S205: The drone receives the second location information and the second rendezvous location sent by the trolley, and determines the first rendezvous location according to the first location information, the second location information, and the second rendezvous location.

[0123] Further, when the drone determines the first meeting position, it includes:

[0124] S205a: Acquire first map information of the area where the trolley is shared according to the first location information and the second location information.

[0125] Still see Figure 4 As shown in the schematic diagram of the scene, the movement of the trolley is often restricted by geographical conditions, such as road conditions and obstacles. In order for the UAV to land on the trolley, it first needs to obtain the first place in the area where the two are located. One map information, such as Figure 4 The part in the dotted box. It should be noted that the first map information and the second map information in the embodiment of this application are obtained by the drone and the trolley respectively. In another possible implementation manner, the first map information can be obtained by the drone. Transmit to the trolley; in another possible implementation, the second map information can be obtained by the trolley and then transmitted to the UAV.

[0126] Further, the first map information includes road information of the area and current road condition information of the area, and can reflect the traffic condition of the area.

[0127] S205b: Determine the first meeting location according to the first location information, second location information, and first map information.

[0128] The first rendezvous position is the position determined by the drone to rendezvous with the trolley. The drone can be based on the first position information, the second position information sent by the trolley (including the current position of the trolley), and the second position sent by the trolley. The meeting location, the first meeting location is determined through navigation and path planning algorithms. For specific diagrams, see Figure 4 As shown, and can plan the driving route of the drone to the first meeting position, see Figure 4 Route 1.

[0129] S206: The drone sends the first position information and the first meeting position to the tram.

[0130] S207: Repeat S203-S206 until the drone reaches the first rendezvous position, the trolley switch reaches the second rendezvous position, and the first rendezvous position and the second rendezvous position are within the preset deviation range.

[0131] When the battery is replaced, the drone is required to accurately land on the trolley. Through real-time position information interaction with the trolley, there is mutual feedback between the first position information and the second position information. The divergence between the first position information and the second position information is getting smaller and smaller.

[0132] S208: The drone lands in the preset landing area and performs the first operation, and the trolley changer fixes the drone in the preset landing area and performs the second operation to replace the dead battery on the drone.

[0133] The trolley has a storage device and an escapement device. The preset landing area is the working area of ​​the storage device. When the drone lands in the preset landing area, the trolley uses the escapement device to fix the drone in the preset landing area. That is fixed on the storage device.

[0134] The first operation includes:

[0135] S208a 1 : Send a second battery swap request to the battery swap car.

[0136] The second operation includes an instruction to start battery replacement, and the battery replacement instruction is used to wake up the battery replacement car to perform the battery replacement action.

[0137] The second operation includes:

[0138] S208b 1 : Receive the second battery swap request sent by the drone.

[0139] S208b 2 : Replace the dead battery on the drone with a fully charged battery and store the dead battery.

[0140] Further, in order to shorten the efficiency of UAV battery replacement, the rapid disassembly and installation of the battery can be realized through the principle of magnetic attraction. The outer surface of the fully charged battery and the drained battery have magnets. The principle of magnetic attraction guides the body to be energized and excited, and the outer surface Batteries with magnets produce attraction or repulsion forces.

[0141] Further, the first operation also includes:

[0142] S208a 2 : Use the principle of magnetic attraction to control the separation of the dead battery from the fuselage.

[0143] Specifically, in one possible implementation mode, the conductor on the trolley can be energized and excited to attract the spent battery on the drone, and then the spent battery can be unloaded from the drone; in another Among the possible implementations, the current direction of the conductor used to adsorb the battery on the drone can be changed, and then the attraction to the battery can be changed to a repulsive force, so that the battery can be separated from the fuselage; the above two implementations can also be used In combination, even if the drone repels the battery, changing the electric car attracts the battery to control the battery from being separated from the fuselage.

[0144] S208a 3 : When the fully charged battery is installed in the battery holder, the fully charged battery is fixed by the principle of magnetic attraction.

[0145] When the fully charged battery is installed in the battery holder, the drone is powered on, so that the conductor used to absorb the battery on the drone is excited, generating an attraction to the fully charged battery, and the fully charged battery is attached to the battery seat.

[0146] Further, S208b 2 Replacing the dead battery on the drone with a fully charged battery is specifically:

[0147] The trolley car uses the principle of magnetic attraction to remove the spent battery from the battery holder of the drone and install the fully charged battery in the battery holder of the drone.

[0148] S209: The drone sends a take-off instruction to the tram.

[0149] S210: The waiting tram will release the drone after receiving the take-off instruction sent by the drone.

[0150] S211: The swap car charges the spent battery through the on-board DC-DC DC-DC converter.

[0151] A charging device may be provided on the electric changer for charging the battery replaced from the drone.

[0152] It should be noted that the above steps are only for convenience of explanation, and do not constitute a limitation to the method described in this application. Other different implementations can also be obtained by making appropriate adjustments to the above steps. For example, S211 can be advanced to S208. After that, before S211.

[0153] The method provided by the embodiment of the present application replaces the power of the drone by changing the electric vehicle, which avoids the need to reserve enough power for the drone to return home when manually changing the power in the prior art, which may shorten the effective working time of the drone. Effectively extend the battery's actual power supply time for drone operations, thereby increasing the drone's endurance time. At the same time, using the principle of magnetic attraction can quickly realize the removal and installation of the drone battery, which shortens the time for the drone battery replacement. Improved work efficiency.

[0154] Embodiment three:

[0155] Based on the drone battery replacement method provided in the above-mentioned embodiments, the third embodiment of the present application also provides a drone battery replacement system, which can be applied to drones and electric vehicles, which will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0156] See Figure 4 , This figure is a schematic diagram of a battery replacement system for drones applied to a battery replacement vehicle provided in the third embodiment of the application.

[0157] When the system provided in this embodiment of the present application is applied to a battery swapping car, it includes: a second communication module 301, a second positioning module 302, and a second control module 303.

[0158] The second communication module 301 is configured to receive the first battery swap request, the first location information, and the first meeting location sent by the drone, where the first location information includes the current location of the drone.

[0159] The first battery swap request includes the remaining power information of the dead battery on the drone.

[0160] The second positioning module 302 is configured to determine a second meeting position according to the first position information, the first meeting position and the second position information, where the second position information includes the current position of the trolley car.

[0161] The second communication module 301 is also used to send second location information and a second meeting location to the drone.

[0162] Further, the second communication module 301 is specifically used for:

[0163] After receiving the first battery swap request sent by the drone, start to receive the first location information and the first meeting location sent by the drone.

[0164] The second control module 303 is used to fix the drone in the preset landing area and perform the second operation to replace the unmanned aircraft when the first meeting position and the second meeting position are within the preset deviation range at the second meeting position The dead battery on board.

[0165] Further, the second control module 303 fixes the drone in the preset landing area by controlling the escapement device.

[0166] Further, the second positioning module 302 includes: a second acquiring sub-module and a second positioning sub-module.

[0167] The second acquisition sub-module is used for acquiring second map information of the area where the drone is located according to the first location information and the second location information.

[0168] The second map information includes road information of the area and current road condition information of the area.

[0169] The second positioning sub-module is used to determine the second meeting position according to the first position information, the second position information and the second map information.

[0170] Further, the second control module 303 includes: a second battery replacement sub-module.

[0171] The second communication module 301 is also configured to receive a second power swap request sent by the drone, where the second power swap request includes a power swap start instruction.

[0172] The second battery replacement sub-module is used to replace the dead battery on the drone with a fully charged battery and store the dead battery.

[0173] Further, the outer surfaces of the fully charged battery and the dead battery have magnets, and the second battery replacement submodule is specifically used for:

[0174] The dead battery is removed from the battery holder of the drone by the principle of magnetic attraction and the fully charged battery is installed in the battery holder of the drone.

[0175] Further, the second control module 303 further includes: a charging sub-module.

[0176] The charging sub-module is used to charge the spent battery through the on-board DC-DC DC-DC converter.

[0177] Further, after the battery of the drone is replaced, the second control module 303 is also used to:

[0178] After the second communication module receives the take-off instruction sent by the drone, the drone is released.

[0179] See Figure 5 This figure is a schematic diagram of a battery replacement system for drones applied to drones according to the third embodiment of the application.

[0180] When the system provided in this embodiment of the application is applied to a drone, it includes: a first communication module 401, a first positioning module 402, and a first control module 403.

[0181] The first communication module 401 is configured to send a first battery swap request and first position information to the battery swap car and receive the second position information and the second meeting position sent by the battery swap car.

[0182] Further, the first communication module 401 is also used to send the first meeting position to the trolley bus.

[0183] The first positioning module 402 is configured to determine the first meeting position according to the first position information, the second position information, and the second meeting position.

[0184] Further, the first positioning module 402 includes: a first acquiring subunit and a first positioning subunit.

[0185] The first acquiring subunit is used to acquire first map information of the area where the trolley is common according to the first location information and the second location information.

[0186] The first positioning subunit is configured to determine the first meeting position according to the first position information, the second position information and the first map information.

[0187] Further, the first map information includes road information of the area and current road condition information of the area.

[0188] The first control module 403 is used to land in the preset landing area and perform the first operation to replace the dead battery when the drone reaches the first meeting position and the first meeting position and the second meeting position are within the preset deviation range .

[0189] Further, the first communication module 401 is also used to send a second battery swap request to the battery swap car.

[0190] Further, the outer surface of the exhausted battery and the fully charged battery on the battery changer has magnets, and the first control module further includes: a first battery replacement submodule.

[0191] The first battery replacement sub-module is used to control the detachment of the dead battery from the body through the principle of magnetic attraction, and is also used to adsorb and fix the fully charged battery through the principle of magnetic attraction after the fully charged battery is installed in the battery holder.

[0192] Further, after the battery replacement on the drone is completed, the first communication module 401 is also used to send a take-off instruction to the electric vehicle.

[0193] The system provided by the embodiment of the present application replaces the power of the drone by changing the electric vehicle, avoiding the need to reserve enough power for the drone to return home when manually changing the power in the prior art, which will shorten the effective working time of the drone. Effectively prolong the battery's actual power supply time for drone operations, thereby increasing the drone's endurance time. At the same time, using the principle of magnetic attraction can quickly realize the removal and installation of the drone battery, which shortens the time for the drone battery replacement. Improved work efficiency.