Stable landing device for Drone on Ship, and Method thereof

Abstract

A stable drone landing device and method on a ship according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a communication unit that receives position information of a gyro sensor (D) mounted on a drone and a gyro sensor (S) mounted on a ship from the drone and the ship, respectively, and receives a landing signal from the drone; a motion platform that adjusts the inclination of a landing part and the fixing force between the drone and the landing part during takeoff and landing so that the drone lands stably on the ship according to a control signal, and a control unit that outputs a control signal to control the motion platform so that the matching error is within a preset range when the position value of the gyro sensor (D) and the position value of the gyro sensor (S) do not match. By doing so, it is possible to perform stable landing and charging on a ship based on the position information of the ship and the drone, and to enable stable landing of the drone on a ship that is shaking due to waves, thereby making it possible to significantly increase the mission utility of the drone at sea.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a stable drone landing device on a ship and a method thereof, utilizing position information of a drone and a ship. Background Technology

[0002] A drone is an unmanned aircraft that can be controlled by radio waves. It is equipped with cameras, sensors, and communication systems, and varies in weight and size from 25g to 1,200kg. Although drones were originally created for military use, their applications have recently expanded to aerial photography and delivery. Furthermore, they have been reborn as affordable "kidult" products, ushering in an era where individuals can purchase drones without hesitation.

[0003] Drones are being utilized in various fields, such as spraying pesticides, measuring air quality, and for military purposes, and their utility is increasing day by day. However, landing on ships during maritime missions is unstable due to external environmental factors such as waves and wind.

[0004] FIG. 1 illustrates a drone landing balance maintenance device for navigational aids disclosed in a prior art patent document.

[0005] The drone landing balance maintenance technology for navigational aids disclosed in the prior patent is configured to allow a drone located on top of a navigational aid to take off and land by installing a wireless charging pad capable of charging the drone battery without a connection jack on a flat landing pad, and by mounting a gyroscope sensor and a BLDC (Brushless Direct Current) motor on the Roll axis and Pitch axis respectively throughout the landing pad, thereby enabling the horizontal balance of the landing pad to be maintained by controlling the motor based on data from the gyroscope sensor.

[0006] Furthermore, it supports wireless charging via a mounted wireless charging pad after the drone lands, and receives magnitude values ​​from gyroscope sensor data and current data from the wireless charging pad to observe wave height and wind speed conditions in the surrounding sea, as well as monitor the drone's landing and charging status. It includes a configuration that identifies the pre-takeoff and landing environment using gyroscope data and monitors the progress of charging and the success of landing using the wireless charging pad's current data.

[0007] In addition, even if navigational aids on the water surface shake, the horizontal and balanced position of the landing pad can be maintained using a 2-axis gimbal based on gyroscope data, thereby enabling the establishment of a stable landing environment.

[0008] Referring to FIG. 1, the navigational aid body (B) is installed around a shipping lane, port, bay, strait, or reef where there is heavy ship traffic, to ensure safe navigation and position verification of the ship when the ship is navigating or entering or leaving the coast; a drone landing platform (S) is located on the top of the navigational aid body (B) and acts as a support to enable the landing and takeoff of a drone (10); and a 2-axis gimbal (80) is located between the top of the navigational aid body (B) and the drone landing platform (S) to support the drone landing platform (S) and control it to maintain horizontal balance.

[0009] It includes a ROLL BLDC motor (60) for controlling the Roll axis of a 2-axis gimbal (80), a PITCH BLDC motor (70) for controlling the Pitch axis, and a gyroscope sensor (30) for sensing data regarding horizontal balance to control the ROLL BLDC motor (60) and the PITCH BLDC motor (70) to maintain the horizontal balance of the drone landing platform (S) when the navigational aid body (B) loses its horizontal balance due to external environmental changes such as wind and waves.

[0010] It includes a wireless charging pad (20) configured in the center of the upper surface of the drone landing pad (S) to support wireless charging of the drone (10), a battery (50) configured in the navigational aid body (B) to store and supply power for wireless charging of the drone through the wireless charging pad (20), and a solar cell (40) to support charging of the battery (50).

[0011] Measurement data values ​​generated from the gyroscope sensor (30) and the ammeter of the wireless charging pad (20) are transmitted to an external monitoring device via the WCDMA network of the navigational aid RTU currently in use, and the external monitoring device provides information to the user regarding the sea wave height and wind speed conditions, pre-takeoff and landing environment, whether the drone has landed and whether it has been charged, based on the transmitted data values ​​from the gyroscope sensor and ammeter.

[0012] The drone (10) supports wireless charging with a wireless charging pad (20) after landing on a drone landing platform (S), receives the magnitude value of the gyroscope sensor (30) data and the current data value of the wireless charging pad (20) to observe the wave height and wind speed conditions of the sea, and includes an external monitoring device for monitoring whether the drone (10) has landed and whether it is being charged.

[0013] In the case of the aforementioned prior patent, stable landing and charging on a ship are impossible, and handling of bouncing caused by waves is inadequate. Furthermore, it is insufficient for handling the attitude of a drone exposed to external environments such as wind, and detailed movements are lacking due to the use of a 2-axis gimbal.

[0014] In particular, landing on a ship during a mission at sea is unstable due to external environmental factors such as waves and wind, and returning to land for recharging during a mission is inefficient. Prior art literature

[0015] Republic of Korea Registered Patent No. 10-2129905 The problem to be solved

[0016] The objective of the present invention is to provide a drone landing device and a method capable of stably landing and charging on a ship using location information of the drone and the ship. means of solving the problem

[0017] A stable drone landing device according to one embodiment of the present invention may include: a communication unit that receives position information of a gyro sensor (D) mounted on a drone and a gyro sensor (S) mounted on a ship from the drone and the ship, respectively, and receives a landing signal from the drone; a motion platform that adjusts the tilt of a landing part and the fixing force between the drone and the landing part during takeoff and landing so that the drone lands stably on the ship according to a control signal; and a control unit that outputs the control signal to control the motion platform so that the matching error is within a preset range when the position value of the gyro sensor (D) and the position value of the gyro sensor (S) do not match.

[0018] As an example of an embodiment, the stable drone landing device may further include an input unit that receives an input signal from a user.

[0019] As an example of an embodiment, it is possible to further include a sensor unit capable of detecting the attitude of the drone and the motion platform.

[0020] As an example of one embodiment, the motion platform may include: a landing pad positioned on the upper side where the leg portion of the drone is placed; an actuator positioned on the lower side of the landing pad that adjusts the position of the motion platform according to the control signal so that the position value of the drone and the position value of the landing pad are the same; and an air suspension positioned on the lower side of the actuator that reduces shock or vibration during the take-off and landing of the drone and dampens the bounce of the vessel caused by wave height.

[0021] As an example embodiment, the landing pad may include an electromagnet portion provided on a portion of the upper side of the landing pad to adjust the fixing force with the leg portion of the drone landed on the landing pad depending on whether or not current is supplied; and a wireless charging portion that supplies or cuts off current to the electromagnet portion according to the control signal.

[0022] As an example of an embodiment, the control unit can set the reference position value to 0 when controlling the attitude of the motion platform based on the position value of the gyroscope sensor (D) and the position value of the gyroscope sensor (S).

[0023] As an example of an embodiment, the control unit can control the attitude of the motion platform by adding the position value of the gyroscope sensor (D) to the reference position value and subtracting the position value of the gyroscope sensor (S).

[0024] As an example of an embodiment, the control unit can continue attitude control of the motion platform until the drone lands stably.

[0025] A stable drone landing method according to an embodiment of the present invention may include: a step of receiving a landing signal from a drone; a step of receiving position values ​​from a gyroscope sensor (S) of a ship and a gyroscope sensor (D) of the drone, respectively, to control the attitude of a motion platform; a step of comparing the position values ​​of the gyroscope sensor (S) and the gyroscope sensor (D) respectively when the drone lands on the ship, and correcting the landing attitude position value of the drone so that the comparison value of the position values ​​is within a preset error range so that the drone lands stably; and a step of supplying current to an electromagnet part formed on the upper part of the motion platform when the landing of the drone is detected, thereby detachably coupling the leg part of the drone and the electromagnet part.

[0026] As an example of an embodiment, in the step of correcting the landing attitude position value, it is possible to set the reference position value to 0 when the control unit controls the attitude of the motion platform based on the position value of the gyro sensor (D) and the position value of the gyro sensor (S).

[0027] As an example of an embodiment, the control unit can control the attitude of the motion platform by adding the position value of the gyroscope sensor (D) to the reference position value and subtracting the position value of the gyroscope sensor (S).

[0028] As an example of an embodiment, in the combining step, it is possible to transmit the result of the normal landing of the drone and verify the wireless charging of the drone. Effects of the invention

[0029] A stable drone landing device and method on a ship according to one embodiment of the present invention makes it possible to stably land and charge on a ship based on location information of the ship and the drone.

[0030] In addition, the stable drone landing device and method on a ship according to one embodiment of the present invention enables stable landing of a drone on a ship swaying due to waves, thereby significantly increasing the mission utility of the drone at sea. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0031] Figure 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a drone landing balance maintenance device for navigational aids according to the prior art. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a stable drone landing device on a ship according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a stable drone landing method on a ship according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 4(A) and (B) are a cross-sectional view and a perspective view, respectively, of a motion platform to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the electromagnet part and wireless charging part mounted on the landing pad shown in FIG. 4(A). FIG. 6 is a control flowchart of a stable drone landing method on a ship according to an embodiment of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0032] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. The advantages and features of the present invention, and the methods for achieving them, will become clear by referring to the embodiments described below in detail together with the attached drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below but can be implemented in various different forms. These embodiments are provided merely to ensure that the disclosure of the present invention is complete and to fully inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the invention, and the present invention is defined only by the scope of the claims. Throughout the specification, the same reference numerals refer to the same components.

[0033] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used in this specification (including technical and scientific terms) may be used in a meaning that is commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Additionally, terms defined in commonly used dictionaries are not to be interpreted ideally or excessively unless explicitly and specifically defined otherwise.

[0034] In this specification, terms such as "first," "second," etc. are used to distinguish one component from another, and the scope of rights shall not be limited by these terms. For example, the first component may be named the second component, and similarly, the second component may be named the first component.

[0035] In this specification, identification symbols (e.g., a, b, c, etc.) for each step are used for convenience of explanation and do not indicate the order of the steps; the steps may occur differently from the specified order unless the context clearly indicates a specific order. That is, the steps may occur in the same order as specified, may be performed substantially simultaneously, or may be performed in the reverse order.

[0036] In this specification, expressions such as “have,” “may have,” “include,” or “may include” indicate the presence of such features (e.g., numerical values, functions, operations, or components such as parts) and do not exclude the presence of additional features.

[0037] Additionally, the term “part” as used in this specification refers to software or hardware components such as field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) or ASICs, and the “part” performs certain roles. However, the “part” is not limited to software or hardware. The “part” may be configured to reside in an addressable storage medium or may be configured to run one or more processors. Thus, by example, the “part” includes components such as software components, object-oriented software components, class components, and task components, as well as processes, functions, attributes, procedures, subroutines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuits, data structures, and variables. The functions provided within the components and “parts” may be combined into a smaller number of components and “parts” or further separated into additional components and “parts.”

[0038] Hereinafter, a stable landing device and method on a ship according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the related drawings.

[0039] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a stable drone landing device on a ship according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a stable drone landing method on a ship according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] FIGS. 4(A) and (B) are a cross-sectional view and a perspective view, respectively, of a motion platform to which the present invention is applied, FIG. 5 is a plan view of an electromagnet unit and a wireless charging unit mounted on a landing pad shown in FIG. 4(A), and FIG. 6 is a control flowchart of a stable drone landing method on a ship according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, a stable drone landing device (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention may include: a communication unit (130) that receives position information of a gyro sensor (D) mounted on a drone and a gyro sensor (S) mounted on a ship from the drone and the ship, and receives a landing signal from the drone; a motion platform (150) that adjusts the tilt of the landing part and the fixing force between the drone and the landing part during takeoff and landing so that the drone lands stably on the ship according to a control signal; and a control unit (140) that outputs the control signal to control the motion platform so that the matching error is within a preset range when the position value of the gyro sensor (D) and the position value of the gyro sensor (S) do not match.

[0042] A stable drone landing device (100) may additionally include an input unit (120) for receiving an input signal from a user and a sensor unit (110) capable of detecting the attitude of the drone and the motion platform, optionally either or all thereof depending on the usage environment or user requirements.

[0043] The motion platform (150) may include a landing pad (151) positioned on the upper side where the leg portion of the drone is placed, an actuator (152) positioned on the lower side of the landing pad (151) that adjusts the position of the motion platform (150) so that the position value of the drone and the position value of the landing pad (151) are the same according to the control signal, and an air suspension (153) positioned on the lower side of the actuator (152) that reduces shock or vibration during the take-off and landing of the drone and dampens the bounce caused by the wave height of the vessel.

[0044] The landing pad (151) may be provided on a portion of the upper side of the landing pad (151) and may include an electromagnet part (1511) that adjusts the fixing force with the leg portion of the drone landed on the landing pad (151) depending on whether or not current is supplied, and a wireless charging part (1512) that supplies or cuts off current to the electromagnet part (1511) according to the control signal.

[0045] The control unit (140) can set the reference position value to 0 when controlling the posture of the motion platform (150) based on the position value of the gyroscope sensor (D) and the position value of the gyroscope sensor (S).

[0046] The control unit (140) can control the attitude of the motion platform (150) by adding the position value of the gyroscope sensor (D) to the reference position value and subtracting the position value of the gyroscope sensor (S), and can continue to control the attitude of the motion platform (150) until the drone lands stably.

[0047] Referring to FIGS. 3 to 5, the motion platform (150) applied to the drone landing device (100) on a ship according to one embodiment of the present invention is composed of a landing pad (151), an actuator (152), and an air suspension (153).

[0048] When the communication unit (130) receives a landing signal of the drone (S110), the control unit (140) operates the motion platform (150) (S120). The communication unit (130) receives position values ​​(Roll, Yaw, Pitch values) of the ship's gyro sensor (S) (S130), and based on this, the control unit (140) controls the suspension (153) of the motion platform (150) (S140).

[0049] The control unit (140) continuously corrects the position value for the optimal landing attitude by comparing the value of the drone gyro sensor (D) and the value of the ship gyro sensor (S) during the landing flight of the drone. (S150)

[0050] When the sensor unit (110) detects the landing of the drone (S160), the control unit (140) controls the electromagnet unit (1511) of the landing pad (151) to generate magnetic force so that it is strongly coupled to the leg of the drone (S170).

[0051] When the sensor unit (110) checks the wireless charging status of the drone, the communication unit (130) transmits the normal landing result. (S180)

[0052] Mounted on ships and drones for stable landings at sea The motion platform (150) and the air suspension (153) operate through the input and communication of the gyroscope sensor.

[0053] To explain the control or driving relationship between the motion platform (150) and the air suspension (153) in more detail, when the drone sends a landing signal, the communication unit (130) receives the roll, yaw, and pitch values ​​of the ship's gyro sensor (S), and the control unit (140) controls the actuator (153).

[0054] The bounce of the ship caused by waves is reduced using air suspension (153).

[0055] The control unit (140) compares the value of the drone gyroscope sensor (D) and the value of the ship gyroscope sensor (S) during the landing flight of the drone to continuously correct the actuator position value for the optimal landing attitude of the drone.

[0056] When the control unit (140) detects the landing of the drone, the landing pad (151) is attached to the drone leg part, which is made of metal or magnetism, by a magnetic field formed by the electromagnet unit (1511). The communication unit (130) transmits a normal landing result when the operation of the drone's wireless charging is confirmed.

[0057] The landing pad (151) enables stable landing of the drone on a ship that is shaking due to waves, allowing for charging on the ship and significantly increasing the utility of the drone's mission at sea.

[0058] In applying a stable drone landing device and method on a ship according to one embodiment of the present invention, the ship includes a gyroscope sensor (S), and the drone also includes a gyroscope sensor (D). In addition, for the drone to land and charge safely on the ship, it is preferable that the landing pad (151) of the drone's leg part be made of metal or a magnetic object.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 4, a landing pad (151) on which a drone lands is attached to the upper part of the motion platform (150), and an air suspension (153) is attached to the lower part.

[0060] The landing pad (151) is configured to include an electromagnet part (1511) and a wireless charging part (1512) that supplies current to it in order to maintain a stable landing state when the drone lands using magnetic force.

[0061] The air suspension (153) dampens the bounce caused by waves on the ship, and also dampens vibrations and shocks during takeoff and landing of the drone, thereby ensuring that the drone maintains a stable landing state and does not interfere with the charging state.

[0062] After the drone lands on the landing pad (151), current is passed through the electromagnet part (1511) so that the drone leg part and the landing pad (151) are attached through magnetism, enabling a stable landing. The electromagnet part (1511) cuts off the current and loses its magnetism when the drone takeoff signal is received.

[0063] When the communication unit (130) receives roll, yaw, and pitch values, which are gyro sensor values ​​of the drone and the ship, the control unit (140) performs position control for the optimal landing attitude of the drone based on those values ​​through the actuator (152).

[0064] The sensor unit (110) includes a gyro sensor (D) of the drone and a gyro sensor (S) of the ship, and can detect the attitude of the drone (10) and the motion platform (150).

[0065] The control unit (140) may be mounted inside the motion platform (150). The input unit (120) is responsible for receiving input signals from a user and may be placed on a part of the outer surface of the motion platform (150). The communication unit (130) is responsible for receiving signals and communicating with external devices (drone, ship, etc.) and may be placed inside or outside the motion platform (150).

[0066] The roll, yaw, and pitch values ​​of the drone and the ship are received through the sensor unit (110) via the input unit (120), and the position value of the actuator (152) of the motion platform (150) can be adjusted via the control unit (140).

[0067] That is, the control unit (140) can transmit and receive signals with the input unit (120), the communication unit (130), and the sensor unit (110). The control unit (140) is connected to the motion platform (150), the landing pad (151), and the air suspension (153) to receive the input signal from the sensor unit (110) and provide operation commands.

[0068] Referring to FIG. 6, a stable landing device on a ship according to an embodiment of the present invention describes in detail the sequence for controlling position values ​​for an optimal landing attitude by utilizing gyro sensor values ​​of a ship and a drone.

[0069] The reference input (Ref Input) value is initially set to a state where Roll, Yaw, and Pitch values ​​are 0 (a state horizontal to the ground).

[0070] Since the above reference input value must be the same as the drone's position (Roll, Yaw, Pitch), the drone's gyroscope sensor value is added to the reference input (Ref Input) value (+), and since it must operate opposite to the ship's position to be horizontal with respect to the ground, the ship's gyroscope sensor value is subtracted (-).

[0071] The calculated value is controlled through the controller of the control unit (140) to operate the actuator (152) of the motion platform (150), thereby allowing the motion platform (150) to have a position value for an optimal landing posture.

[0072] The corresponding output feedback loop continues until the drone's landing is complete.

[0073] A drone landing device on a ship according to one embodiment of the present invention described above enables stable drone landing and charging by receiving and controlling the roll, yaw, pitch, and bounce of the ship and the drone even in an unstable state caused by external environments such as waves and wind.

[0074] Furthermore, the drone landing device on a ship according to one embodiment of the present invention can assist in the performance of industrial / military drone missions at sea and can be utilized in unmanned aerial vehicles for maritime mission purposes. Explanation of the symbols

[0075] 110 : Sensor part 120 : Input section 130 : Communications Department 140 : Control unit 150 : Motion Platform 151 : Landing Pad 152 : Actuator 153 : Air Suspension 1511 : Electromagnet part 1512 : Wireless charging part

Claims

Claim 1 A communication unit that receives position information of a gyroscope sensor (D) mounted on a drone and a gyroscope sensor (S) mounted on a ship from the drone and the ship, respectively, and receives a landing signal from the drone; a motion platform that adjusts the inclination of the landing part and the fixing force between the drone and the landing part during takeoff and landing so that the drone lands stably on the ship according to a control signal; The control unit outputs the control signal to control the motion platform so that the matching error is within a preset range when the position value of the gyro sensor (D) and the position value of the gyro sensor (S) do not match, wherein the motion platform includes a landing pad on which the leg portion of the drone is placed, an actuator disposed below the landing pad to adjust the position of the motion platform according to the control signal so that the position value of the drone and the position value of the landing pad are identical, and an air suspension disposed below the actuator to dampen the bounce generated by the height of the waves of the vessel, wherein the control unit controls the air suspension based on the Roll, Yaw, and Pitch values ​​of the gyro sensor (S) mounted on the vessel when the landing signal is received through the communication unit, and the control unit controls the attitude of the motion platform based on the position value of the gyro sensor (D) and the position value of the gyro sensor (S). A stable drone landing device characterized by setting a state where Roll, Yaw, and Pitch values ​​are 0 as a reference position value, calculating a calculated value by adding the position value of the gyro sensor (D) to the reference position value and subtracting the position value of the gyro sensor (S), operating the actuator according to the calculated value to control the motion platform to have a position value for the optimal landing attitude of the drone, and performing an output value feedback loop until the landing of the drone is completed. Claim 2 A stable drone landing device according to claim 1, further comprising an input unit that receives an input signal from a user. Claim 3 delete Claim 4 A stable drone landing device according to claim 1, comprising: an electromagnet part provided on a portion of the upper side of the landing pad to adjust the fixing force with the leg portion of the drone landed on the landing pad depending on whether or not current is supplied; and a wireless charging part that supplies or cuts off current to the electromagnet part according to the control signal. Claim 5 delete Claim 6 delete Claim 7 delete Claim 8 A stable drone landing device according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor unit capable of detecting the attitude of the drone and the motion platform. Claim 9 delete Claim 10 delete Claim 11 delete Claim 12 delete

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