Flying vehicle control device

Abstract

To provide a flying vehicle control device that can prevent a reduction in image quality when an object is photographed with a camera mounted on a flying vehicle that flies over a predetermined route.SOLUTION: A control device controls a flying vehicle 11 in which a camera 13 for photographing utility poles 16, 17 is mounted. The control device allows the flying vehicle 11 to autonomously fly according to a predetermined route to allow the flying vehicle 11 to perform approach movement of approaching the utility poles 16, 17 and allow the flying vehicle 11 to perform revolution movement of revolving around the utility poles 16, 17. The control device photographs the utility poles 16, 17 with the camera 13 during the autonomous flying of the flying vehicle 11. The control device controls the camera 13. The camera 13 can change a photographing direction. The control device controls the camera 13 to direct the photographing direction of the camera 13 to the utility poles 16, 17 on the basis of positional information of the flying vehicle 11 and positional information of the utility poles 16, 17.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a control device for an aircraft. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes the photographing of electric wire supports such as steel towers and utility poles by a camera mounted on an aircraft such as a drone. The images photographed in this manner are used, for example, to inspect whether the electric wire supports have any abnormalities. The electric wire supports in this case are the objects photographed by the camera mounted on the aircraft.

[0003] The camera is capable of adjusting a focal position. A control device that controls the flying object flies the flying object autonomously along a predetermined path, thereby flying the flying object near the electric wire support. When the flying object flies near the electric wire support, the control device photographs the electric wire support with a camera mounted on the flying object. When photographing the electric wire support with the camera, the control device adjusts the focal position of the camera. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-219874 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, when an object is photographed by a camera mounted on an aircraft as described above, depending on the relative positions of the camera and the object, a situation may occur in which the shooting direction of the camera is not directed toward the object. Some cameras mounted on aircraft can change their shooting direction. However, while the aircraft is flying, it is difficult to manually operate the shooting direction of the camera so that the shooting direction of the camera faces the object unless the person is skilled in the operation. For this reason, the image quality of the object photographed by the camera depends on the person operating the camera. For this reason, depending on the proficiency of the person operating the camera, the image quality of the object photographed by the camera may be degraded. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] Next, various aspects of the control device for an aircraft that solves the above problems will be described. (Aspect 1) A control device for an aircraft that is applied to an aircraft equipped with a camera for photographing an object, and that causes the aircraft to fly autonomously along a predetermined path, causing the aircraft to perform an approaching movement to bring it closer to the object, and then causing the aircraft to perform an orbiting movement to circle the object, and photographing the object with the camera during the autonomous flight of the aircraft, the control device includes a control unit that controls the camera, the camera being capable of changing the shooting direction, and the control unit controlling the camera so that the shooting direction of the camera is directed toward the object based on position information of the aircraft and position information of the object.

[0007] According to the above configuration, when the flying object is flying autonomously along a predetermined route, the object is photographed by the camera mounted on the flying object. At this time, the camera is controlled by the control unit so that the shooting direction of the camera faces the object based on the position information of the flying object and the position information of the object. In this way, through the control of the camera by the control unit, the shooting direction of the camera mounted on the flying object is made to face the object, so that the image quality when the object is photographed by the camera does not depend on the proficiency of the person operating the camera. Therefore, depending on the proficiency of the person operating the camera, there is no possibility that the image quality when the object is photographed by the camera will be reduced.

[0008] (Aspect 2) The control unit recognizes the object present in the image using a learning model that detects the object based on the image captured by the camera, and corrects the shooting direction of the camera so that the recognized object is positioned at the center of the image captured by the camera (control device for an aircraft described in embodiment 1).

[0009] According to the above configuration, when an object is photographed with a camera mounted on an aircraft, the object can be positioned in the center of the image captured by the camera, making it easier to detect abnormalities in the object based on the image.

[0010] (Aspect 3) The control unit zooms in or out of the camera so that the recognized object becomes a predetermined size within the image captured by the camera (Aspect 2).

[0011] According to the above configuration, when an object is photographed with a camera mounted on an aircraft, the size of the object in the image captured by the camera can be made appropriate, making it easier to detect abnormalities in the object based on the image.

[0012] (Aspect 4) A control device for an aircraft described in (Aspect 2) or (Aspect 3), wherein when the control unit recognizes multiple objects in an image captured by the camera, the control unit determines one of the multiple objects to be recognized, taking into account the size of the multiple objects in the image, their proximity to the center of the image, and their proximity to the bottom edge of the image.

[0013] According to the above configuration, when an object is photographed by a camera mounted on an aircraft, an object next to the object may also be photographed at the same time. In this case, the control unit determines one of the multiple objects in the image to be recognized, taking into account the size of the object in the image photographed by the camera, its proximity to the center of the image, and its proximity to the bottom edge of the image. The larger the object in the image, the more likely it is to be the object to be photographed, the more likely it is to be the object to be photographed in the center of the image, and the more likely it is to be the object to be photographed in the bottom edge of the image. Therefore, by the control unit determining one of the multiple objects in the image to be recognized as the object to be recognized as described above, even if there are multiple objects in the image photographed by the camera, the appropriate one of the multiple objects in the image is recognized as the object.

[0014] (Aspect 5) A control device for an aircraft described in any one of (Aspect 2) to (Aspect 4), wherein the control unit changes the shooting direction of the camera within a specified range to search for the object when the object cannot be recognized in the image captured by the camera.

[0015] According to the above configuration, even if the object cannot be recognized in the image captured by the camera, the possibility of capturing the object by the camera is increased by changing the shooting direction of the camera within a specified range. In other words, since the object is searched for by changing the shooting direction of the camera as described above, the possibility of the object being captured in the image captured by the camera is increased, and the object can be recognized. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a control device for an aircraft. [Diagram 2] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a route for autonomously flying an aircraft. [Diagram 3] 11 is a flowchart showing a control procedure for a camera mounted on an aircraft. [Figure 4] FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. [Figure 17] FIG. [Figure 18] FIG. [Figure 19] FIG. [Figure 20] 1 is a diagram illustrating the control of the camera when the air vehicle is orbiting. [Figure 21] FIG. 2 is a front view showing an image of a utility pole photographed by a camera. [Figure 22] 1 is a schematic diagram showing camera control when the flying object searches for a utility pole during an orbital movement. [Figure 23]1 is a schematic diagram showing camera control when correcting the camera shooting direction during autonomous flight of the aircraft. [Figure 24] 24 is a front view showing an image when the shooting direction of the camera in FIG. 23 is corrected. FIG. [Diagram 25] 24 is a front view showing an image when the shooting direction of the camera in FIG. 23 is corrected. FIG. [Figure 26] 1 is a schematic diagram showing camera control when correcting for camera zoom-in and zoom-out during autonomous flight of the air vehicle. [Figure 27] FIG. 27 is a front view showing an image before correction for the zoom-in of the camera in FIG. 26 is performed. [Figure 28] FIG. 27 is a front view showing the image after correction for the zoom-in of the camera in FIG. 26 has been made. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] Hereinafter, one embodiment of a control device for an aircraft will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 shows a control device 12 that controls an air vehicle 11 such as a drone. The air vehicle 11 is equipped with a camera 13, a communication unit 14, and a global positioning system (GPS) receiver 18. The communication unit 14 is for communicating with the control device 12. The receiver 18 is for acquiring three-dimensional coordinates, which are position information of the air vehicle 11, through the global positioning system.

[0018] The camera 13 is for photographing electric wire supporters such as steel towers and utility poles. That is, the camera 13 photographs electric wire supporters such as steel towers and utility poles. The camera 13 is capable of performing horizontal movement (pan) to change the photographing direction horizontally, and vertical movement (tilt) to change the photographing direction up and down. The camera 13 is also capable of zooming in and out during photographing.

[0019] The control device 12 serves as a control unit that controls the camera 13 mounted on the aircraft 11. The control device 12 is realized by a computer. As the computer, for example, a personal computer such as a desktop type, a notebook type, or a tablet type, or a portable computer such as a smartphone, can be adopted. The control device 12 is equipped with a communication unit 15 that can communicate with the communication unit 14 of the aircraft 11 via wireless communication or the like. As a result, the aircraft 11 and the control device 12 are connected to each other via the communication units 14, 15.

[0020] The control device 12 includes a memory unit 19 for storing various data and the like. The memory unit 19 stores position information of an object photographed by the camera 13 mounted on the flying object 11, i.e., the three-dimensional coordinates of the object. The control device 12 causes the flying object 11 to fly autonomously along a predetermined route as shown in Fig. 2 in order to photograph the object by the camera 13 mounted on the flying object 11. In this embodiment, for example, a plurality of utility poles 16, 17 are regarded as the object.

[0021] <Details of the autonomous flight of Air Vehicle 11> When the flying object 11 is caused to fly autonomously along the above-mentioned path, the position information of the flying object 11, i.e., the three-dimensional coordinates, are input to the control device 12 via the communication units 14 and 15 shown in FIG. 1. Based on the three-dimensional coordinates of the flying object 11, the control device 12 outputs a command signal to the flying object 11 via the communication units 14 and 15 so that the flying object 11 performs autonomous flight along the above-mentioned path. As a result, the control device 12 causes the flying object 11 to perform an approaching movement to approach the utility pole 16 as shown in FIG. 2, and then causes the flying object 11 to perform an orbiting movement to orbit around the utility pole 16. The control device 12 causes the flying object 11 to perform an orbiting movement around the utility pole 16 a predetermined number of times, and then causes the flying object 11 to move closer to the utility pole 17. Furthermore, the control device 12 causes the flying object 11 to perform an orbiting movement around the utility pole 17 a predetermined number of times, and then causes the flying object 11 to return to the starting point of the autonomous flight.

[0022] During the autonomous flight of the flying object 11, the control device 12 outputs a command signal to the camera 13 of the flying object 11 via the communication units 14, 15 to cause the camera 13 to photograph the utility poles 16, 17. As a result, the utility poles 16, 17 are photographed by the camera 13 mounted on the flying object 11. The images thus photographed by the camera 13 are output to the control device 12 via the communication units 14, 15. The control device 12 stores the images photographed by the camera 13 in the memory unit 19. The images thus stored are used to inspect whether the utility poles 16, 17 have any abnormalities.

[0023] In addition, the above route is described as photographing two utility poles 16, 17 with the camera 13 mounted on the aircraft 11, but it may alternatively be configured to photograph only one utility pole, or three or more utility poles.

[0024] <Control of Camera 13> 3 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of the camera 13 by the control device 12. The control device 12 determines whether or not the aircraft 11 is flying autonomously as the process of step 101 (S101) of this flowchart. If it is determined in S101 that the aircraft 11 is flying autonomously, the process proceeds to S102. During the autonomous flight of the aircraft 11, images are taken by the camera 13 mounted on the aircraft 11. On the other hand, if it is determined in S101 that the aircraft 11 is not flying autonomously, the series of processes related to the control of the camera 13 is temporarily terminated.

[0025] In the process of S102, the control device 12 controls the camera 13 so that the shooting direction of the camera 13 faces the utility pole based on the three-dimensional coordinates of the aircraft 11, which are the position information of the aircraft 11, and the three-dimensional coordinates of the utility pole, which are the position coordinates of the utility pole. In the process of the following S103, the control device 12 determines whether the aircraft 11 is moving in an orbit. If it is determined in S103 that the aircraft 11 is moving in an orbit, the process proceeds to S104. On the other hand, if it is determined in S103 that the aircraft 11 is not moving in an orbit, the series of processes shown in FIG. 3 is temporarily terminated.

[0026] In the process of S104, the control device 12 recognizes a utility pole present in the image captured by the camera 13 using a learning model that detects utility poles based on the image captured by the camera 13. In the subsequent process of S105, the control device 12 corrects the shooting direction of the camera 13 so that the recognized utility pole is positioned at the center of the image captured by the camera 13. Furthermore, in the process of S106, the control device 12 corrects the zoom-in or zoom-out of the camera 13 so that the recognized utility pole is at a set size in the image captured by the camera 13. Thereafter, the control device 12 ends the series of processes shown in FIG. 3.

[0027] <Learning model> The learning model used in S104 is machine-learned by supervised learning, and it is possible to adopt, for example, Single Shot MultiBox Detector (SSD), EfficientDet, or CenterNet. When machine-learning the above learning model by supervised learning, image data of a utility pole that has been photographed and labeled is used as training data. Examples of such training data are shown in Figs. 4 to 19. The solid-line rectangular frames in Figs. 4 to 19 indicate labeled utility poles.

[0028] 13 to 15 show image data of utility poles with supports. Image data of such utility poles with supports may not be used as training data. When image data of utility poles with supports is used as training data, only the utility poles excluding the supports may be labeled as shown in Figs. 13 and 15, or the entire utility pole including the supports may be labeled as shown in Fig. 14.

[0029] Figures 18 and 19 show examples of processing image data when labeling utility poles. As shown in Figure 18, when multiple utility poles are present in the image data, it is difficult to determine which utility pole to label, so the following processing is performed. That is, the area surrounded by a dashed line in the image data is enlarged without changing the aspect ratio, and then the utility pole included in the enlarged image data is labeled. Also, as shown in Figure 19, when multiple utility poles are shown in the image data, it is possible to level the utility poles that appear large, and mask the utility poles that appear small, such as the utility pole surrounded by a dashed line, with a color similar to the background.

[0030] By performing deep learning using such a large amount of teacher data, the following neural network is generated as the learning model. That is, as the learning model, a neural network is generated in which an image of a utility pole is input and the recognition result of the utility pole shown in the image is output. The learning model that has been machine-learned is evaluated for suitability, and if it is evaluated as suitable, it is used in S104.

[0031] Next, each of the processes in S102, S104, S105, and S106 in the flowchart of FIG. 3 will be described in detail. <s102> This process is for pointing the shooting direction of the camera 13 mounted on the flying object 11 during autonomous flight toward the utility pole. Through this process, the camera 13 is controlled to perform horizontal and vertical movements as follows, based on the three-dimensional coordinates that are the position information of the flying object 11 and the three-dimensional coordinates that are the position information of the utility pole to be photographed. That is, a horizontal movement is performed to move the shooting direction of the camera 13 horizontally so that the shooting direction of the camera 13 faces the utility pole to be photographed, and a vertical movement is performed to move the shooting direction of the camera 13 up and down.

[0032] 20 shows by a two-dot chain line the shooting direction of camera 13 when flying object 11 is orbiting around utility pole 16. At this time, based on the three-dimensional coordinates representing position P1 of flying object 11 and the three-dimensional coordinates representing position P2 of the top of utility pole 16, the relative height h of position P1 with respect to position P2 and the horizontal distance d between positions P1 and P2 are calculated. Furthermore, based on the height h and the distance d, a tilt angle A1 is calculated as the inclination angle of the shooting direction of camera 13 with respect to the horizontal. Then, camera 13 is moved vertically so that the inclination angle of the shooting direction of camera 13 with respect to the horizontal coincides with tilt angle A1.

[0033] The horizontal movement of camera 13 based on positions P1 and P2 is not performed during the orbital movement of aircraft 11, but is performed while aircraft 11 is approaching utility pole 16. Similar to the above vertical movement, the horizontal movement of camera 13 based on positions P1 and P2 is also performed so that the shooting direction of camera 13 faces the upper part of utility pole 16 based on the three-dimensional coordinates of positions P1 and P2.

[0034] <s104> This process is for recognizing utility poles present in images captured by the camera 13 during the orbital movement of the flying object 11, using the learning model. However, there are cases where multiple utility poles are recognized in the image. In this case, the control device 12 takes into consideration the size of the multiple utility poles in the image, their proximity to the center of the image, and their proximity to the bottom edge of the image, and determines one of the multiple utility poles to be the recognition target.

[0035] FIG. 21 shows an image of a utility pole 16 captured by the camera 13. The distance x shown in FIG. 21 is the distance of the utility pole 16 in the image to the center of the image, and is a value that represents the proximity of the utility pole 16 to the center of the image. Therefore, the smaller the distance X, the closer the utility pole 16 is to the center of the image. The distance y shown in FIG. 21 is the distance of the utility pole 16 in the image to the top edge of the image, and is a value that represents the proximity of the utility pole 16 to the bottom edge of the image. Therefore, the larger the distance y, the closer the utility pole 16 is to the bottom edge of the image. The width w shown in FIG. 21 is the width of the utility pole 16 in the image, and is a value that represents the size of the utility pole 16 in the image. Therefore, the larger the width w, the larger the size of the utility pole 16 in the image.

[0036] When multiple utility poles are recognized in the image, the larger the utility pole, the more likely it is to be the subject to be photographed, the more likely it is to be the subject to be photographed in the center of the image, and the more likely it is to be the subject to be photographed in the vicinity of the bottom edge of the image. Therefore, by setting one of the multiple utility poles in the image as the subject to be recognized as described above, even if there are multiple utility poles in the image captured by camera 13, the appropriate one of the multiple utility poles in the image will be recognized as the subject to be photographed by camera 13.

[0037] There is also a possibility that the utility pole cannot be recognized in the image captured by the camera 13. For example, if the three-dimensional coordinates of the flying object 11 or the utility pole deviate from the actual values, the utility pole may not appear in the image captured by the camera 13 while the flying object 11 is moving around in an orbit. In this case, the utility pole cannot be recognized in the image captured by the camera 13. In such a situation, the control device 12 changes the shooting direction of the camera 13 within a specified range in order to search for the utility pole.

[0038] In detail, the control device 12 sets the inclination angle of the shooting direction of the camera 13 with respect to the horizontal to an initial position of 0° through vertical movement of the camera 13, and then changes it up and down within a determined range as shown by the two-dot chain line in Fig. 22. Note that Fig. 22 shows a state in which the flying object 11 is moving in circles near a utility pole 16. Then, by changing the shooting direction of the camera 13 as described above, the possibility of the camera 13 being able to shoot an image of the utility pole 16 increases. Note that, if the camera 13 is unable to shoot an image of the utility pole 16 even after changing the shooting direction of the camera 13 up and down within a determined range as described above, the shooting direction of the camera 13 may be further changed horizontally within a determined range.

[0039] As described above, the utility pole is searched for by changing the shooting direction of the camera 13. By searching for the utility pole in this manner, the utility pole is more likely to appear in the image captured by the camera 13, and therefore the utility pole can be recognized.

[0040] <s105> This process is intended to correct the shooting direction of camera 13 so that when a utility pole in an image captured by camera 13 is recognized as an object to be photographed, the utility pole is positioned in the center of the image captured by camera 13.

[0041] Such correction of the shooting direction is performed, for example, by moving the camera 13 horizontally so that the shooting direction of the camera 13 moves horizontally as shown by the two-dot chain line in Fig. 23. In more detail, for example, in an image of a utility pole 16 photographed by the camera 13, if the utility pole 16 is horizontally displaced from the center of the image as shown in Figs. 24 and 25, the amount and direction of horizontal movement of the camera 13 for moving the utility pole 16 to the center of the image are determined based on the amount and direction of displacement of the utility pole 16 from the center of the image. Furthermore, by moving the camera 13 horizontally based on the amount and direction of movement, the shooting direction of the camera 13 is corrected so that the utility pole 16 photographed by the camera 13 is positioned at the center of the image.

[0042] The shooting direction of camera 13 may be corrected by vertically moving camera 13 so that the shooting direction of camera 13 moves up and down. That is, when a utility pole is vertically displaced from the center of the image captured by camera 13, the vertical movement amount and movement direction of camera 13 for moving the utility pole to the center of the image are determined based on the amount and direction of displacement of the utility pole from the center of the image. Furthermore, by vertically moving camera 13 based on the amount and direction of movement, the shooting direction of camera 13 is corrected so that the utility pole captured by camera 13 is positioned at the center of the image.

[0043] <s106> This process is intended to correct the zoom-in or zoom-out of camera 13 when a utility pole is recognized in an image captured by camera 13, so that the recognized utility pole is of a specified size in the image captured by camera 13.

[0044] Such correction of the zoom-in or zoom-out of camera 13 is performed as shown by the two-dot chain line in Fig. 26. In detail, for example, if utility pole 16 is smaller than a predetermined size in an image captured by camera 13 as shown in Fig. 27, a correction amount of zoom-in of camera 13 for making the size of utility pole 16 in the image the predetermined size is calculated based on the difference in the size of utility pole 16 from the predetermined size. Furthermore, by zooming in camera 13 based on the correction amount, a correction of zoom-in of camera 13 is performed so that utility pole 16 captured by camera 13 becomes the predetermined size in the image as shown in Fig. 28.

[0045] Note that there may be cases where a zoom-out correction is performed for camera 13. That is, if the utility pole is larger than a predetermined size in the image captured by camera 13, a correction amount for zooming out in camera 13 is calculated based on the difference in the size of the utility pole from the predetermined size. Furthermore, by zooming out camera 13 based on the correction amount, a zoom-out correction for camera 13 is performed so that the utility pole captured by camera 13 becomes the predetermined size in the image.

[0046] Next, the effects of the control device for the flying object 11 of this embodiment will be described. (1) When the flying object 11 is flying autonomously along a predetermined route, a utility pole is photographed by the camera 13 mounted on the flying object 11. At this time, based on the position information of the flying object 11 and the position information of the utility pole, the camera 13 is controlled by the control device 12 so that the shooting direction of the camera 13 faces the utility pole. In this way, through the control of the camera 13 by the control device 12, the shooting direction of the camera 13 mounted on the flying object 11 during flight is made to face the utility pole, so that the image quality when the utility pole is photographed by the camera 13 does not depend on the proficiency of the person operating the camera 13. Therefore, depending on the proficiency of the person operating the camera 13, there is no situation in which the image quality when the utility pole is photographed by the camera 13 deteriorates.

[0047] (2) When a utility pole in an image captured by camera 13 is recognized as an object to be photographed while flying object 11 is orbiting, the shooting direction of camera 13 is corrected so that the utility pole is positioned at the center of the image captured by camera 13. As a result, when a utility pole is photographed by camera 13 mounted on flying object 11, the utility pole can be positioned at the center of the image captured by camera 13, making it easier to detect abnormalities in the utility pole based on the image.

[0048] (3) When a utility pole in an image captured by camera 13 is recognized as an object to be photographed while flying object 11 is moving around, camera 13 is corrected by zooming in or out so that the utility pole is a set size in the image captured by camera 13. As a result, when a utility pole is photographed by camera 13 mounted on flying object 11, the size of the utility pole in the image captured by camera 13 can be made appropriate, making it easier to detect abnormalities in the utility pole based on the image.

[0049] (4) When a utility pole is photographed by the camera 13 mounted on the aircraft 11, a utility pole next to the utility pole may also be photographed at the same time. In this case, the control device 12 determines one of the multiple utility poles in the image photographed by the camera 13 as the target to be recognized, taking into consideration the size of the utility pole in the image photographed by the camera 13, its proximity to the center of the image, and its proximity to the bottom edge of the image. The larger the utility pole in the image, the more likely it is to be the target to be photographed, the more likely it is to be the target to be photographed, and the more likely it is to be the target to be photographed, the closer it is to the center of the image, and the closer it is to the bottom edge of the image. Therefore, by the control device 12 determining one of the multiple utility poles in the image as the target to be recognized as described above, even if there are multiple utility poles in the image photographed by the camera 13, the appropriate utility pole in the image is recognized as the target to be photographed.

[0050] (5) During the orbital movement of the flying object 11, when a utility pole cannot be recognized in the image captured by the camera 13, the shooting direction of the camera 13 is changed within a specified range in order to search for the utility pole. Therefore, even when a utility pole cannot be recognized in the image captured by the camera 13, the shooting direction of the camera 13 is changed within a specified range as described above, thereby increasing the possibility that the utility pole can be captured by the camera 13. In other words, since the utility pole is searched for by changing the shooting direction of the camera 13 as described above, the utility pole is more likely to be captured in the image captured by the camera 13, and the utility pole can be recognized.

[0051] The above embodiment can be modified, for example, as follows: The above embodiment and the following modified examples can be combined with each other to the extent that no technical contradiction occurs. When a utility pole cannot be recognized in the image captured by the camera 13, the search for the utility pole may be performed simply by moving the shooting direction of the camera 13 up and down within a specified range.

[0052] When a utility pole cannot be recognized in an image captured by the camera 13, the search for the utility pole may be performed simply by moving the shooting direction of the camera 13 horizontally within a specified range.

[0053] - It is not necessary to search for the above utility poles. It is not necessarily necessary to perform zoom-in or zoom-out correction of the camera 13 to make the size of the utility pole in the image captured by the camera 13 a specified size.

[0054] It is not necessary to correct the shooting direction of the camera 13 in order to position the utility pole in the center of the image captured by the camera 13. The object photographed by the camera 13 does not necessarily have to be a utility pole, but may be a steel tower, etc. Also, the object photographed by the camera 13 may be an object other than a power pole, a steel tower, or the like that supports electric wires. [Explanation of symbols]

[0055] 11...Flying object 12...Control device 13. Camera 14…Communications Department 15…Communications Department 16…Electric pole 17…Electric pole 18…Receiver 19...Storage section

Claims

1. A control device for an aircraft equipped with a camera for photographing an object, the control device autonomously flies the aircraft along a predetermined route to cause the aircraft to perform an approach movement to bring the aircraft closer to the object, and then causes the aircraft to perform an orbital movement to orbit the object, and photographs the object with the camera during the autonomous flight of the aircraft, A control unit for controlling the camera is provided, The camera is capable of changing the shooting direction, The control unit is a control device for an aircraft that controls the camera so that the shooting direction of the camera is directed toward the object based on position information of the aircraft and position information of the object.

2. 2. The control device of claim 1, wherein the control unit recognizes the object present in the image captured by the camera using a learning model that detects the object based on the image captured by the camera, and corrects the shooting direction of the camera so that the recognized object is positioned at the center of the image captured by the camera.

3. The control device for an aircraft according to claim 2 , wherein the control unit corrects the zoom-in or zoom-out of the camera so that the recognized object has a predetermined size within the image captured by the camera.

4. 4. The control device for an aircraft as described in claim 2 or 3, wherein when the control unit recognizes multiple objects in an image captured by the camera, the control unit determines which of the multiple objects to recognize as the object to be recognized by taking into account the size of the multiple objects in the image, their proximity to the center of the image, and their proximity to the bottom edge of the image.

5. The control device for an aircraft as described in claim 2 or 3, wherein the control unit changes the shooting direction of the camera within a specified range to search for the object when the object cannot be recognized in the image captured by the camera.

Images