Unmanned aerial vehicles

Abstract

The aircraft (100) comprises: a plurality of propellers (2); a plurality of motors (3) for driving the plurality of propellers (2); a device body (20) comprising a control device (21) for controlling the plurality of motors (3) and a wireless device (23) for performing at least one of signal transmission and signal reception; a cargo container (40) for storing cargo; and a pontoon (11). When the aircraft (100) is placed on water, the water surface will not at least reach the height of the wireless device (23) due to the buoyancy of the pontoon (11) and the buoyancy corresponding to the volume of the cargo container (40).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to an unmanned aerial vehicle for transporting goods. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, the use of unmanned aerial vehicles that can take off and land in a vertical direction has become more and more widespread, and they are called drones. One of the fields of use of unmanned aerial vehicles is cargo transportation. For example, the use of unmanned aerial vehicles to transport cargo to isolated islands is currently being studied. In the case of such transportation using unmanned aerial vehicles, there is a possibility that the unmanned aerial vehicle will land on the sea during flight. In order to prevent the unmanned aerial vehicle from being submerged when landing on the water, it is effective to provide a pontoon on the unmanned aerial vehicle. The unmanned aerial vehicles disclosed in the following patent documents 1 and 2 are not used for transporting cargo, but have pontoons.

[0003] Background Art Literature

[0004] Patent Literature

[0005] Patent Document 1: International Publication No. 2018 / 042610

[0006] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2015-117003 Summary of the invention

[0007] [Problems to be solved by the invention]

[0008] The weight of the unmanned aerial vehicle for transporting cargo is relatively large, so in order to prevent the aircraft from being submerged in water, the size of the pontoon needs to be increased. However, if the size of the pontoon is increased to obtain sufficient buoyancy, the pontoon will cause greater air resistance during flight.

[0009] [Technical means to solve the problem]

[0010] (1) The unmanned aerial vehicle of the present invention comprises: a plurality of propellers; a plurality of motors, each of which drives the plurality of propellers; a device body, including a control device for controlling the plurality of motors, and a wireless device for performing at least one of signal transmission and signal reception; a cargo container for storing cargo; and a pontoon. When the unmanned aerial vehicle is placed on water, the water surface will not at least reach the height of the wireless device due to the buoyancy of the pontoon and the buoyancy corresponding to the volume of the cargo container.

[0011] According to this structure, not only the buoyancy of the pontoon but also the buoyancy of the cargo container is utilized, so that the pontoon can be miniaturized. As a result, the air resistance generated by the pontoon during flight can be reduced. In addition, even if the unmanned aerial vehicle falls onto the water surface, the wireless device can still operate, so the risk of the user losing the unmanned aerial vehicle can be reduced.

[0012] (2) In the unmanned aerial vehicle of (1), when the unmanned aerial vehicle is placed on water in a state where the buoyancy of the pontoon is in effect and the buoyancy corresponding to the volume of the cargo container is not in effect, the water surface can reach the height of at least one of the battery, the motor, and the device body. In other words, a pontoon of a smaller size can be used to allow the water surface to reach the height of the at least one component. In this way, the flight resistance generated by the pontoon can be further reduced.

[0013] (3) In the unmanned aerial vehicle of (1) or (2), the cargo container has a bottom wall portion constituting the bottom surface of the cargo container, and a plurality of wall portions constituting a plurality of surfaces other than the bottom surface. At least the plurality of wall portions can be constructed to be liquid-tight. Thus, when the unmanned aerial vehicle falls onto the water surface, buoyancy corresponding to the volume of the cargo container can be obtained.

[0014] (4) In the unmanned aerial vehicle of any one of (1) to (3), at least a portion of the pontoon may be located higher than a horizontal plane including the bottom surface of the cargo container. Thus, the height of the pontoon is close to the center of gravity height of the aircraft 100, thereby improving the posture stability of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

[0015] (5) In the UAV of any one of (1) to (4), the pontoon may intersect a horizontal plane including the center of gravity of the UAV. Thus, the height of the pontoon is close to the center of gravity of the UAV 100, thereby improving the posture stability of the UAV.

[0016] (6) In the unmanned aerial vehicle of any one of (1) to (5), when the unmanned aerial vehicle is viewed from above, the device body is surrounded by the plurality of propellers, and when the unmanned aerial vehicle is viewed from above, the position of the floating boat can be separated from the device body in the horizontal direction. This can improve the posture stability of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

[0017] (7) In the unmanned aerial vehicle of any one of (1) to (5), the distance from the center of the unmanned aerial vehicle to the floating boat when viewed from above may be smaller than the distance from the center of the unmanned aerial vehicle to the centers of the plurality of propellers when viewed from above. This prevents the floating boat from affecting the air flow formed by the rotation of the propellers.

[0018] (8) The unmanned aerial vehicle of any one of (1) to (7) may further include a support frame, and when the unmanned aerial vehicle lands, the support frame contacts the ground to support the unmanned aerial vehicle. The pontoon may be mounted on the support frame. Thus, the mounting structure of the pontoon can be simplified.

[0019] (9) In the unmanned aerial vehicle of (8), the pontoon may be located at the lower end of the support frame. Thus, when the unmanned aerial vehicle lands, the pontoon contacts the ground and can function as a cushioning member.

[0020] (10) In the unmanned aerial vehicle of (8), the pontoon may be located at a position higher than the lower end of the support frame. This ensures that there is a sufficient distance between the ground and the cargo container when the unmanned aerial vehicle lands. In addition, the position of the pontoon can be made close to the center of gravity height of the unmanned aerial vehicle. As a result, the posture stability of the unmanned aerial vehicle on water can be improved.

[0021] (11) In the unmanned aerial vehicle of any one of (1) to (10), the size of each of the plurality of pontoons in the vertical direction may be smaller than the size of each of the plurality of pontoons in the front-rear direction and the size of each of the plurality of pontoons in the left-right direction. This can reduce the air resistance generated by the pontoons during flight.

[0022] (12) The unmanned aerial vehicle of any one of (1) to (11) may further include a deployable parachute, so that the posture of the unmanned aerial vehicle can be stabilized when the unmanned aerial vehicle descends. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Figure 1 It is a top view showing an example of the unmanned aerial vehicle proposed by the present invention.

[0024] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A side view of the unmanned aerial vehicle is shown.

[0025] Figure 3 This is a block diagram showing the structure of an unmanned aerial vehicle.

[0026] Figure 4 It is a side view showing a state where a door constituting a bottom wall portion of the cargo container is opened.

[0027] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing a situation where an unmanned aerial vehicle is tilted due to the influence of sea waves.

[0028] Figure 6 It is a side view showing a variation of the position of the floating boat.

[0029] Figure 7 It is a diagram showing another variation of the position of the floating boat.

[0030] Figure 8 It is a diagram showing an example of changes in the position of the floating boat and the shape of the cargo container.

[0031] Fig. 9 is a diagram showing an example of an unmanned aerial vehicle with a parachute. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The following is a description of the implementation of the unmanned aerial vehicle proposed by the present invention. Figure 1 The unmanned aerial vehicle 100 shown in the figure will be described.

[0033] Below, we will Figure 2 The Z1 direction and Z2 direction shown in the figure are referred to as the upper direction and the lower direction, respectively. Figure 2 The Y1 direction and the Y2 direction shown in FIG. 1 are referred to as the front and rear directions, respectively. Figure 1 The X1 direction and the X2 direction shown are referred to as the right direction and the left direction, respectively. The direction along the plane formed by X1-X2 and Y1-Y2 is referred to as the horizontal direction.

[0034] [Overall Summary]

[0035] The unmanned aerial vehicle 100 is an aerial vehicle used to transport goods (hereinafter, the unmanned aerial vehicle 100 is referred to as an aerial vehicle). For example, the aerial vehicle 100 transports various commodities such as daily necessities, food, electronic equipment, and books. The aerial vehicle 100 is used, for example, to transport goods to an isolated island across the sea. The aerial vehicle 100 may be a device that is remotely controlled by wireless means, or may be a device that autonomously flies after specifying a target location (landing location).

[0036] Aircraft 100 is a multi-rotor aircraft capable of taking off and landing in a vertical direction. Figure 1 As shown, the aircraft 100 has a plurality of propellers 2 and a plurality of motors 3 for rotating the propellers 2 respectively (see Figure 2 ). The aircraft 100 has six propellers 2, but the number of propellers 2 is not limited to six, and may be, for example, three to five, or seven or more. In addition, in the aircraft 100, the motor 3 is disposed directly below the center of the propeller 2, but the position of the motor 3 may not be directly below the propeller 2. The aircraft 100 has a device body 20 at its center. The propellers 2 and the motor 3 are arranged at equal intervals in a circumferential direction centered on the device body 20.

[0037] Aircraft 100 has one or more batteries 9 . Figure 1 In the figure, the aircraft 100 has two batteries 9. Unlike the aircraft 100, the number of batteries 9 may be one or more than three. The motor 3 is driven by the power supplied from the battery 9. The battery 9 is arranged at the center of the aircraft 100. The battery 9 is supported by a support frame 30 arranged at the center of the aircraft 100.

[0038] like Figure 1As shown, the aircraft 100 has a plurality of support arms 7 extending in the horizontal direction from the device body 20. Each support arm 7 supports the motor 3 at a position away from the device body 20. Each support arm 7 may also have an extension portion 7a further extending from the position of the motor 3. In addition, the extension portion 7a may also support a protective cable 8 that surrounds the plurality of propellers 2 as a whole at its end.

[0039] [Device body]

[0040] like Figure 3 As shown in FIG. 1 , the device body 20 includes a control device 21, a motor drive device 22, a wireless device 23, and a sensor group 24. The device body 20 includes a housing 20a (see FIG. 1 ) for housing the control device 21 and the wireless device 23. Figure 2 ). In addition, the device body 20 may include a battery for storing power supplied to the control device 21 in addition to the battery 9 for driving the motor 3.

[0041] The sensor group 24 includes, for example, a three-axis gyro sensor, a three-axis acceleration sensor, and the like. The three-axis gyro sensor outputs, for example, signals corresponding to the pitch angle, roll angle, and yaw angle of the aircraft 100. The three-axis acceleration sensor outputs signals corresponding to the acceleration of the aircraft 100 in the front-back direction, the acceleration in the left-right direction, and the acceleration in the up-down direction. The types of sensors included in the sensor group 24 are not limited thereto. For example, the sensor group 24 may also include a geomagnetic sensor that outputs a signal corresponding to the direction of the aircraft 100.

[0042] The wireless device 23 is a device responsible for at least one of signal transmission or signal reception. In this specification, the wireless device 23 represents a receiver and a transmitter respectively. The wireless device 23 includes, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver. In addition, the wireless device 23 includes, for example, a beacon transmitter that transmits a beacon, which is a signal containing its own location information. In addition, the wireless device 23 may also include a receiver that receives instructions from an external operation input device (not shown) and a transmitter that transmits the status of the aircraft 100 to the external operation input device. The external operation input device is, for example, a personal computer or a dedicated input device operated by the user of the aircraft 100 (the operator who monitors the flight). The wireless device 23 outputs the content of the received signal to the control device 21, or transmits a signal obtained from the control device 21. The aircraft 100 may also have an antenna 23a connected to the wireless device 23. The antenna 23a is, for example, installed on the upper part of the device body 20 (refer to Figure 2 ).

[0043] The motor drive device 22 receives power from the battery 9 and supplies the motor 3 with power corresponding to the command value received from the control device 21. The motor 3 rotates at a corresponding speed according to the power (voltage) supplied from the motor drive device 22. In addition, the aircraft 100 has a motor drive device 22 for each of the plurality of motors 3. Figure 3 In FIG. 2 , two motor drive devices 22 are shown as an example.

[0044] The control device 21 includes a storage device and a microprocessor that executes the program stored in the storage device. The control device 21 controls the motor 3 based on the signal (information) input from the sensor group 24 and the signal (information) input from the wireless device 23. The control device 21 controls the rotation speed of the plurality of motors 3 based on the signal input from the sensor group 24, thereby controlling the posture (pitch angle, roll angle, yaw angle) and movement (forward, backward, ascending, descending, moving to the left, moving to the right) of the aircraft 100. In addition, the control device 21 can also determine whether the aircraft 100 has landed on the water or landed. Furthermore, when it is determined that the aircraft 100 has landed on the water or landed, the control device 21 can also send this information through the wireless device 23.

[0045] [Support frame]

[0046] like Figure 2 As shown, the aircraft 100 has a support frame 30. The support frame 30 includes, for example, a frame upper portion 30U that supports the device body 20 and the battery 9, and a frame lower portion 30L that extends downward from the frame upper portion 30U. The frame upper portion 30U includes two horizontal rods 31 ( Figure 1 ). A plurality of cross bars are arranged between the two horizontal bars 31, and the device body 20 and the battery 9 are mounted on the plurality of bars.

[0047] like Figure 2 As shown, the frame lower portion 30L has a plurality of legs 32 extending downward from the horizontal rod 31. The frame lower portion 30L has, for example, four legs 32 (see Figure 1 The frame lower portion 30L has a plurality of lower end rods 33 extending in the horizontal direction and connected to the lower ends of the plurality of legs 32. The lower end of the frame lower portion 30L (i.e., the lower end rod 33) is located below the lower end of the cargo container 40 described below, supports the aircraft 100 on the ground when the aircraft 100 lands, and prevents the cargo container 40 from contacting the ground.

[0048] The structure of the support frame 30 is not limited to the example of the aircraft 100. For example, the support frame 30 may include a plate-shaped support base on which the battery 9 and the device body 20 are mounted, and the legs 32 may extend downward from the support base.

[0049] [Cargo container]

[0050] The aircraft 100 has a cargo container 40 for accommodating cargo G (see Figure 2 ). The cargo container 40 is, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped. Figure 4 As shown, it has a bottom wall portion 41, a front wall portion 40a, a rear wall portion 40b, a right side wall portion 40c, a left side wall portion, and an upper wall portion 40e. Figure 4 As shown, for example, the bottom wall portion 41 includes doors 41a and 41b that can be opened and closed. According to this structure, when the aircraft 100 lands, the doors 41a and 41b are opened downward to allow the cargo G to fall. It is desirable that when the doors 41a and 41b of the cargo container 40 are opened downward, the lower end of the support frame 30 (more specifically, the lower end rod 33) is located below the lower ends of the doors 41a and 41b.

[0051] The aircraft 100 may also include an actuator for opening and closing the doors 41a and 41b. Furthermore, the control device 21 may drive the actuator to open the doors 41a and 41b when the aircraft 100 lands. The positions of the doors 41a and 41b are not limited to the bottom wall 41. For example, the doors 41a and 41b may also be provided on the front wall 40a, the side wall 40c, and the rear wall 40b.

[0052] The cargo container 40 is mounted on the support frame 30 . For example, the cargo container 40 is mounted on the lower side of the frame upper portion 30U. And, the cargo container 40 is located inside the plurality of legs 32 . The device body 20 is located on the upper side of the cargo container 40 .

[0053] The cargo container 40 is constructed to be liquid-tight. That is, the cargo container 40 is constructed so that external moisture does not penetrate into the interior of the cargo container 40. Ideally, when the doors 41a and 41b are closed, the cargo container 40 is constructed to be liquid-tight as a whole. For example, the front wall 40a, the rear wall 40b, the right side wall 40c, the left side wall and the upper wall 40e are integrally formed using resin. As another example, when the front wall 40a, the rear wall 40b, the right side wall 40c, the left side wall 40d, and the upper wall 40e are plates such as metal, resin, carbon, etc., two adjacent wall portions are connected to each other to prevent moisture from penetrating. In addition, gaskets (sealing components) are provided at the edges of the two doors 41a and 41b to prevent moisture from penetrating from the gap between the two doors 41a and 41b. Furthermore, gaskets (sealing members) are also provided on the edges of the doors 41a and 41b and the edges of the surrounding walls 40a, 40b, and 40c to prevent moisture from penetrating through the gaps between these edges.

[0054] By making the cargo container 40 liquid-tight, as described below, the buoyancy of the cargo container 40 can be obtained when the aircraft 100 lands on water. In addition, the bottom wall portion 41 of the cargo container 40 is not necessarily sealed. In this case, if the cargo container 40 lands on water in a horizontal position, since the air inside the cargo container 40 remains inside the cargo container 40, it is possible to suppress the penetration of water into the cargo container 40. As a result, the buoyancy of the cargo container 40 can be obtained.

[0055] [Floating boat]

[0056] The aircraft 100 has a pontoon 11 for generating buoyancy when the aircraft 100 lands on water. The pontoon 11 is, for example, a resin foam, a bag or a box filled with gas. The resin foam includes expanded polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride foam (PVC foam), and the like.

[0057] The aircraft 100 has a plurality of floating boats 11 that are separated from each other. Figure 1 As shown, the aircraft 100 has four pontoons 11. The four pontoons 11 are arranged so as to surround the device body 20 when the aircraft 100 is viewed from above. In addition, the number of pontoons 11 may be one. In this case, the pontoon 11 may be formed in a ring shape surrounding the device body 20 when the aircraft 100 is viewed from above. In addition, the number of pontoons 11 may be five or more.

[0058] It is desirable that each pontoon 11 is thin. Figure 4 As shown, it is desirable that the dimension Fw1 of the floating boat 11 in the vertical direction is smaller than the dimension Fw2 in the front-rear direction and the dimension Fw3 in the left-right direction (see Figure 1 ). Thus, the air resistance generated by the floating boat 11 during flight can be reduced.

[0059] The shape of the pontoon 11 is not limited to the example of the aircraft 100. For example, the pontoon 11 may also be cylindrical. In another example, the pontoon 11 may also be an air bag. That is, when the control device 21 detects that the aircraft 100 has landed on water, the gas generating device (inflator) may be ignited, and the bag of the pontoon 11 may be inflated by the gas generated by the gas generating device.

[0060] [Buoyancy of floating boat and cargo container]

[0061] As described above, the cargo container 40 is constructed to be liquid-tight. Therefore, the cargo container 40 generates buoyancy on and in the water. When the aircraft 100 is placed on the water, the water surface H1 (refer to Figure 2) does not reach the height of the wireless device 23 built into the device body 20. In other words, the size and number of the pontoons 11, the volume of the cargo container 40, and the weight of the aircraft 100 are set so that the water surface H1 does not reach the height of the wireless device 23. It is desirable to set the size and number of the pontoons 11, the volume of the cargo container 40, and the weight of the aircraft 100 so that the water surface H1 does not reach the height of the device body 20. In addition, "when the aircraft 100 is placed on the water" in this description means "when the aircraft 100 in a state where no cargo is loaded in the cargo container 40 is placed in fresh water without waves."

[0062] Thus, even when the aircraft 100 falls on the water, the wireless device 23 can still operate, so the risk of the user losing the aircraft 100 can be reduced. For example, the GPS receiver constituting the wireless device 23 receives a GPS signal, and the position of the aircraft 100 can be calculated based on the GPS signal. Then, the beacon transmitter constituting the wireless device 23 can transmit a beacon containing the position information. The user (operator who monitors the flight of the aircraft 100) can identify the position of the aircraft 100 based on the beacon and recover the aircraft 100.

[0063] Furthermore, since the buoyancy of not only the pontoon 11 but also the buoyancy of the cargo container 40 is utilized, it is possible to downsize the pontoon 11. As a result, it is possible to reduce the air resistance generated by the pontoon 11 during flight.

[0064] Ideally, when the aircraft 100 is placed on water, the water surface H1 does not reach the lower surface 20b of the housing 20a of the device body 20 (see FIG. 2 ) due to the buoyancy of the floating boat 11 and the buoyancy corresponding to the volume of the cargo container 40. Figure 2 ) in height. In this way, it is further ensured that the user can recover the aircraft 100. In addition, the housing 20a of the device body 20 or the electrical parts in the housing 20a may be given a waterproof function.

[0065] The parts constituting the device body 20 do not necessarily need to be housed in the common housing 20a. For example, the housing housing the motor drive device 22 may be separated from the housing housing the control device 21 and the wireless device 23. In addition, the housing housing the control device 21 may be separated from the housing housing the wireless device 23. In this case, it is desirable that the water surface H1 does not reach the lower surface of the housing housing the electrical parts necessary for the user to recover the aircraft 100, that is, the electrical parts necessary for the position of the specific aircraft 100. For example, it is desirable that the water surface does not reach the housing housing the wireless device 23, or the housing housing the wireless device 23 and the control device 21.

[0066] When the aircraft 100 is placed on water, the water surface H1 may not reach the height of any of the device body 20, the motor 3, and the battery 9 due to the buoyancy of the plurality of floats 11 and the buoyancy corresponding to the volume of the cargo container 40. In other words, the size and number of the floats 11, the volume of the cargo container 40, and the weight of the aircraft 100 may be set so that the water surface H1 does not reach the height of any of the device body 20, the motor 3, and the battery 9. In this way, the user can use the aircraft 100 again after recovering it from the water.

[0067] The maximum load weight of the cargo container 40 may be specified. In this case, when the aircraft 100 is placed in fresh water with the cargo of the maximum load weight contained in the cargo container 40, the water surface H1 may not reach the height of the wireless device 23 due to the buoyancy of the plurality of floats 11 and the buoyancy corresponding to the volume of the cargo container 40. In this way, the recovery of the aircraft 100 can be further ensured. More preferably, when the aircraft 100 is placed in fresh water with the cargo of the maximum load weight contained in the cargo container 40, the water surface H1 may not reach the height of the device body 20 due to the buoyancy of the plurality of floats 11 and the buoyancy corresponding to the volume of the cargo container 40.

[0068] It is also possible that when the aircraft 100 is placed on water in a state where the buoyancy of the pontoon 11 is in effect but the buoyancy corresponding to the volume of the cargo container 40 is not in effect, the water surface H1 reaches the height of at least one of the battery 9, the motor 3, and the device body 20. In other words, a smaller pontoon 11 can be used, or the number of pontoons 11 can be limited to allow the water surface H1 to reach the height of the at least one component. In this way, the air resistance generated by the pontoon 11 during flight can be reduced. In addition, the "state where the buoyancy corresponding to the volume of the cargo container 40 is not in effect" in this description refers to a state where water penetrates into the cargo container 40 because the doors 41a and 41b are opened, for example.

[0069] like Figure 2 As shown, in the aircraft 100, among the battery 9, the motor 3, and the device body 20, the battery 9 is located at the lowest position. Therefore, when the aircraft 100 is placed on water in a state where the buoyancy corresponding to the volume of the cargo container 40 does not work, for example, the water surface H1 reaches the height of the battery 9. The motor 3 is located in a horizontal direction relative to the device body 20, and the position of the lower surface of the device body 20 (the lower surface 20b of the housing 20a) is lower than the lower end of the motor 3. It is also possible that when the aircraft 100 is placed on water in a state where the buoyancy corresponding to the volume of the cargo container 40 does not work, the water surface H1 reaches the height of the lower surface of the device body 20 (the lower surface 20b of the housing 20a). In addition, the height relationship between the battery 9, the motor 3, and the device body 20 is not limited to the example of the aircraft 100. For example, the position of the device body 20 may be higher than the motor 3.

[0070] [Position of pontoon]

[0071] Figure 5 1 is a schematic diagram showing a situation where the aircraft 100 is tilted by the influence of sea waves, and the antenna 23a is omitted. The aircraft 100 is tilted by an angle θ relative to a straight line V1 along the vertical direction. In addition, in this figure, point P1 is the center of gravity of the aircraft 100, and point P2 is the intersection of a plane H2 passing through the centers of the plurality of floating boats 11 and a center line C1 of the aircraft 100.

[0072] When the aircraft 100 is tilted by waves, if the following relational expression (1) is satisfied, the aircraft 100 can return to a horizontal posture.

[0073] X×Mg×tanθ<Y×F…(1)

[0074] The meanings of the letters in equation (1) are as follows.

[0075] X: The distance from the center of gravity P1 to the intersection point P2

[0076] M: weight of the UAV

[0077] g: acceleration due to gravity

[0078] θ: the inclination of the aircraft 100 relative to the vertical direction

[0079] Y: distance from intersection point P2 to floating boat 11

[0080] F: buoyancy of pontoon 11

[0081] That is, if the moment generated by the buoyancy F of the floating boat 11 is greater than the moment generated by the weight M of the aircraft 100, the aircraft 100 will not fall over and can restore the horizontal posture. In order to make the relationship (1) hold, it is ideal that the distance X from the center of gravity P1 to the intersection point P2 is small, and the distance Y from the intersection point P2 to the floating boat 11 is large. In other words, it is ideal that the height of the floating boat 11 is close to the height of the center of gravity P1, and the distance Y from the center line C1 to the floating boat 11 in the horizontal direction is large.

[0082] [Position of the floating boat in the vertical direction]

[0083] The position of the floating boat 11 is lower than the height of the device body 20 . Figure 2 In the example shown, the entire floating boat 11 is lower than the bottom surface (bottom wall portion 41) of the cargo container 40. Figure 2 Unlike the example of FIG. 1 , a portion of the floating boat 11 is positioned higher than the bottom surface (bottom wall portion 41) of the cargo container 40. Figure 6As shown in FIG. 1 , the position of the floating boat 11 may be determined in such a way that the horizontal plane H3 including the bottom surface of the cargo container 40 intersects with the floating boat 11. In other words, the position of the upper part of the floating boat 11 may be higher than the horizontal plane H3, but the position of the lower part of the floating boat 11 may be lower than the horizontal plane H3. By configuring the floating boat 11 in this way, for example, Figure 2 Compared with the example of FIG. 1 , the position of the pontoon 11 is closer to the height of the center of gravity P1. As a result, the posture stability of the aircraft 100 after landing on the water can be improved.

[0084] like Figure 2 and Figure 6 As shown, the pontoon 11 is, for example, mounted on the support frame 30. In the example of these figures, the pontoon 11 is mounted on the lower end rod 33 and is located at the lower end of the support frame 30. By configuring the pontoon 11 in this way, when the aircraft 100 lands, the pontoon 11 touches the ground. As a result, the pontoon 11 can function as a buffer material for buffering the collision between the aircraft 100 and the ground. In the case where the pontoon 11 is also used as a buffer material, in order to ensure the strength of the pontoon 11 to withstand the collision with the ground, the material of the pontoon 11 is preferably a resin foam.

[0085] The position of the floating boat 11 is not limited to Figure 2 and Figure 6 For example, in Figure 7 In the aircraft 100A shown, the pontoons 11 are higher than the height of the bottom wall 41 of the cargo container 40 (horizontal plane H3). The plurality of pontoons 11 are located in a horizontal direction relative to the cargo container 40. By arranging the pontoons 11 in this way, the height of the pontoons 11 is closer to the height of the center of gravity P1 of the aircraft 100. As a result, the posture stability of the aircraft 100 can be further improved. As another example, the pontoons 11 may be located at the same level as the horizontal plane H4 (see Figure 7 ) intersects, and the horizontal plane H4 is a plane passing through the middle position between the upper end of the device body 20 and the lower end (bottom wall portion 41) of the cargo container 40. As another example, the floating boat 11 may also intersect with the horizontal plane H5 (refer to Figure 7 )cross.

[0086] Figure 7 In the aircraft 100A shown, the pontoon 11 is installed at a position higher than the lower end (lower end rod 33) of the support frame 30. For example, the pontoon 11 is installed in the middle of the foot 32 of the support frame 30. On the other hand, the lower end (lower end rod 33) of the support frame 30 can be located below the horizontal plane H3 including the bottom surface (bottom wall portion 41) of the cargo container 40. As a result, it is easy to position the pontoon 11 close to the height of the center of gravity P1 of the aircraft 100A. In addition, it is possible to ensure a sufficient distance between the ground and the cargo container 40 when the aircraft 100A lands.

[0087] [Horizontal position of the pontoon]

[0088] like Figure 1 As shown, when the aircraft 100 is viewed from above, the pontoon 11 is separated from the device body 20 in the horizontal direction. That is, when the aircraft 100 is viewed from above, the pontoon 11 has no portion overlapping with the device body 20. In addition, the distance L1 from the center line C1 of the aircraft 100 viewed from above to the center of the pontoon 11 is smaller than the distance L2 from the center line C1 of the aircraft 100 viewed from above to the center of the propeller 2. By arranging the pontoon 11 in this way, it is possible to prevent the pontoon 11 from affecting the air flow formed by the rotation of the propeller 2.

[0089] Figure 1 In the example shown, when looking down at the aircraft 100, the floating boat 11 partially overlaps with the trajectory of the rotating propeller 2. Figure 1 Unlike the example shown, the pontoons 11 do not overlap the path of the rotating propellers 2 when looking down at the aircraft 100 .

[0090] In another example, the pontoon 11 may be located directly below the rotation center of the propeller 2 and the motor 3. That is, when the aircraft 100 is viewed from above, the pontoon 11 and the motor 3 may overlap. In this case, it is desirable that the shape of the pontoon 11 does not hinder the air flow formed by the drive of the propeller 2. For example, it is desirable that the pontoon 11 is slender in the vertical direction. In addition, the diameter of the pontoon 11 may gradually decrease downward. As another example, the distance L1 from the center line C1 of the aircraft 100 viewed from above (see FIG. 1 ) to the pontoon 11 is L2. Figure 1 ) may also be greater than the distance L2 from the center line C1 to the center of the motor 3. In this case, the floating boat 11 and the supporting frame 30 may also be installed on a different component.

[0091] The plurality of floating boats 11 are arranged around a center line C1 in the vertical direction. For example, the plurality of floating boats 11 are arranged so that the distance between two adjacent floating boats 11 is the same. Figure 1 In the figure, the plurality of floating boats 11 are collectively denoted by reference numerals 11A, 11B, 11C, and 11D. As shown in the figure, the distance between the floating boats 11A and 11B may be the same as the distance between the floating boats 11A and 11D, and the distance between the floating boats 11C and 11D.

[0092] On the other hand, the position of the floating boat 11 may be determined by taking into consideration the shape of the cargo container 40. For example, Figure 8In the aircraft 100B shown, the dimension W1 of the cargo container 40 in the front-to-back direction is larger than the dimension W2 in the left-to-right direction. In this case, when the aircraft 100 lands on water, the moment generated by the buoyancy of the cargo container 40 around the center line C2 in the left-to-right direction is larger than the moment generated by the buoyancy of the cargo container 40 around the center line C3 in the front-to-back direction. Therefore, the distance L5 from the center line C3 in the front-to-back direction to the pontoon 11 may also be larger than the distance L6 from the center line C2 in the left-to-right direction to the pontoon 11.

[0093] [parachute]

[0094] like Fig. 9 As shown, the aircraft 100C may also have a deployable parachute 14. If the parachute 14 is used, for example, the impact when the aircraft 100 collides with the ground or the water surface can be cushioned. In addition, the posture of the aircraft 100 when falling can be made close to horizontal. As a result, for example, even if the bottom wall 41 of the cargo container 40 and the plates (front wall 40a, rear wall 40b, right side wall 40c, left side wall) around it are not sealed, the air inside the cargo container 40 will remain inside the cargo container 40, so that the cargo container 40 can function as a floating boat. For example, when the cargo delivery is completed and the aircraft 100C returns, if the cargo container 40 is opened, the bottom wall 41 and the plates around it are no longer sealed. In this case, by using the parachute 14, the aircraft 100 can also land or land on the water in a horizontal posture.

[0095] [Summarize]

[0096] As described above, the aircraft 100, 100A, 100B, 100C includes: a plurality of propellers 2; a plurality of motors 3, each of which drives the plurality of propellers 2; a device body 20, including a control device 21 for controlling the plurality of motors 3, and a wireless device 23 for performing at least one of signal transmission and signal reception; a cargo container 40 for storing cargo; and a pontoon 11. When the aircraft 100 is placed on water, the water surface does not at least reach the height of the wireless device 23 due to the buoyancy of the pontoon 11 and the buoyancy corresponding to the volume of the cargo container 40. According to this structure, not only the buoyancy of the pontoon 11 but also the buoyancy of the cargo container 40 is utilized, so that the pontoon 11 can be miniaturized. As a result, the air resistance generated by the pontoon 11 during flight can be reduced. In addition, even if the aircraft 100, 100A, 100B, 100C falls on the water surface, the wireless device 23 can still work, so the risk of the user losing the aircraft can be reduced.

[0097] In addition, the aircraft of the present invention is not limited to the aircraft 100, 100A, 100B, 100C, and can be modified appropriately. For example, the shape and size of the cargo container 40, the number of propellers 2, and the shape and number of the pontoons 11 can be modified appropriately.

[0098] [Explanation of symbols]

[0099] 2: Propeller

[0100] 3: Motor

[0101] 7: Support arm

[0102] 7a: Extension

[0103] 8: Protection cable

[0104] 9:Battery

[0105] 11: Floating boat

[0106] 14: Parachute

[0107] 20: Device body

[0108] 20a: Shell

[0109] 20b: Lower surface

[0110] 21: Control device

[0111] 22: Motor drive device

[0112] 23: Wireless Device

[0113] 23a: Antenna

[0114] 24: Sensor Group

[0115] 30: Support frame

[0116] 30L: Lower part of the frame

[0117] 30U: Upper part of the frame

[0118] 31: Horizontal bar

[0119] 32: Feet

[0120] 33: Lower end rod

[0121] 40: Cargo container

[0122] 40a: Anterior wall

[0123] 40b: rear wall

[0124] 40c: right side wall

[0125] 40e:Upper wall part

[0126] 41: Bottom wall

[0127] 41a,41b: Door

[0128] 100,100A,100B,100C:Unmanned aerial vehicle.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle having: Multiple propellers; A plurality of motors, respectively driving the plurality of propellers; A device body, comprising a control device for controlling the plurality of motors, and a wireless device for performing at least one of signal transmission and signal reception; a cargo container, located at the lower side of the device body, for receiving cargo; and floating boat; and When the UAV is placed on water, the water surface will not at least reach the height of the wireless device due to the buoyancy of the pontoon and the buoyancy corresponding to the volume of the cargo container; The cargo container has a door that can be opened and closed.

2. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a battery for storing power supplied to the plurality of motors, When the unmanned aerial vehicle is placed on water in a state where the buoyancy of the floating boat is in effect and the buoyancy corresponding to the volume of the cargo container is not in effect, the water surface reaches the height of at least one of the battery, the motor and the device body.

3. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein The cargo container includes a bottom wall portion constituting a bottom surface of the cargo container and a plurality of wall portions constituting a plurality of surfaces other than the bottom surface. At least the plurality of wall portions are configured to be liquid-tight.

4. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein At least a portion of the pontoon is positioned above a horizontal plane containing a bottom surface of the cargo container.

5. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein The pontoon intersects a horizontal plane containing the center of gravity of the UAV.

6. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein When looking down at the unmanned aerial vehicle, the device body is surrounded by the plurality of propellers. When looking down at the UAV, the position of the floating boat is separated from the device body in the horizontal direction.

7. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein The distance from the center of the UAV to the floating boat when viewed from above is smaller than the distance from the center of the UAV to the centers of the plurality of propellers when viewed from above.

8. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein A support frame is also provided, and when the unmanned aerial vehicle lands, the support frame contacts the ground to support the unmanned aerial vehicle, The pontoon is mounted on the support frame.

9. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 8, wherein The pontoon is located at the lower end of the support frame.

10. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 8, wherein The floating boat is located at a position higher than the lower end of the supporting frame.

11. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein The size of each of the plurality of floating boats in the up-down direction is smaller than the size of each of the plurality of floating boats in the front-back direction and the left-right direction.

12. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein It also has a deployable parachute.

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