Method and device for determining abnormally installed propellers in a drone

Abstract

A method for a drone, comprising: generating control signals for controlling a plurality of motors of the drone, each motor being configured to drive a corresponding one of a plurality of propellers. The plurality of propellers are configured to be respectively mounted on the plurality of motors. The control signals include at least one of an idle control signal or a take-off control signal. The method further comprises: controlling the plurality of motors to operate based on the control signals; when the plurality of motors operate in response to the control signals, obtaining state information of the drone; and determining whether at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally mounted according to the state information.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for determining one or more abnormally mounted propellers in a UAV. Background Art

[0002] To prevent takeoff failure caused by abnormal motor / actuator functions, some UAVs are configured with identifiers on their motors to remind users to correctly mount the corresponding propellers on the motors. For example, circular marks can be printed on some motors of the UAV, and only the propellers with circular marks can be mounted on these motors for correct installation. However, such a configuration only serves as a reminder and largely depends on the user's familiarity with the UAV. The user may still mount the propellers on mismatched motors and cause the UAV to malfunction. The prior art does not provide a strategy for actively detecting whether the propellers are correctly mounted. Therefore, there is a need to develop a technology for intelligently detecting abnormally mounted propellers in a UAV. Summary of the Invention

[0003] According to the present disclosure, there is provided a method for a UAV. The method includes: generating control signals for controlling a plurality of motors of the UAV, each motor being configured to drive a corresponding one of a plurality of propellers. The plurality of propellers are configured to be respectively mounted on the plurality of motors. The control signals include at least one of an idle control signal or a takeoff control signal. The method further includes: controlling the plurality of motors to operate based on the control signals; obtaining state information of the UAV when the plurality of motors respond to the control signals and operate; and determining whether at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally mounted according to the state information.

[0004] Still according to the present disclosure, there is provided an apparatus for a UAV. The apparatus includes a memory and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to: generate control signals for controlling a plurality of motors of the UAV, each motor being configured to drive a corresponding one of a plurality of propellers. The plurality of propellers are configured to be respectively mounted on the plurality of motors. The control signals include at least one of an idle control signal or a takeoff control signal. The processor is further configured to: control the plurality of motors to operate based on the control signals; obtain state information of the UAV when the plurality of motors respond to the control signals and operate; and determine whether at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally mounted according to the state information.

[0005] Still according to the present disclosure, a method for a drone is provided. The method includes: before the drone takes off, generating control signals for controlling a plurality of motors of the drone, each motor being configured to drive a corresponding one of a plurality of propellers. The plurality of propellers are configured to be respectively mounted on the plurality of motors. The method further includes: controlling the plurality of motors to operate based on the control signals; when the plurality of motors operate in response to the control signals, acquiring state information of the drone; and determining whether at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally mounted according to the state information.

[0006] Still according to the present disclosure, a device for a drone is provided. The device includes a memory and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to: before the drone takes off, generate control signals for controlling a plurality of motors of the drone, each motor being configured to drive a corresponding one of a plurality of propellers. The plurality of propellers are configured to be respectively mounted on the plurality of motors. The processor is further configured to: control the plurality of motors to operate based on the control signals; when the plurality of motors operate in response to the control signals, acquire state information of the drone; and determine whether at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally mounted according to the state information. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Figure 1A is a schematic diagram showing an operating environment according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0008] Figure 1B is a schematic block diagram of a drone according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0009] Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram showing a computing device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0010] Figure 3A is a schematic block diagram of another drone according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0011] Figure 3B is a schematic block diagram of another drone according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0012] Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating a process of performing a safety protection measure in a drone according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0013] Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating a process of determining an abnormally mounted propeller according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0014] Figure 6A A diagram illustrating the variation of control signals over time according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0015] Figure 6B A graph showing the change of the horizontal attitude angle over time related to the Figure 6A control signal shown when one or more propellers are abnormally installed;

[0016] Figure 7A A graph showing the change of the control signal recorded in the experiment according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure over time; and

[0017] Figure 7B As an experimental result, it shows: in response to the Figure 7A control signal shown, the change of the horizontal attitude angle over time in various propeller installation cases. Detailed implementation mode

[0018] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are examples for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Where possible, the same reference numerals are used in the drawings to refer to the same or similar components.

[0019] A drone (UAV) includes a plurality of propellers configured to be mounted on corresponding motors. Before operating the drone to move, a user can install / mount a plurality of propellers on the drone. Some or all of the plurality of propellers may be abnormally installed. As described herein, an abnormally installed propeller may refer to: no propeller on the motor, the propeller not being firmly / properly tightened on the corresponding motor, and / or the propeller not being installed in the expected rotation direction / orientation. One or more abnormally installed propellers will damage the operation safety of the drone and impair the user experience. The present disclosure provides a method and device for determining one or more abnormally installed propellers in a drone, thereby promoting the safe operation of the drone and ensuring the safety of the user.

[0020] Figure 1A is a schematic block diagram showing an operating environment according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. As Figure 1AAs shown, the drone 100 can communicate wirelessly with the remote controller 110. The remote controller 110 can be a remote control coupled to the drone 110, or a terminal device having an application (app) that can control the drone 100. For example, the terminal device can be a smartphone, a tablet computer, a gaming device, etc. The drone 102 can carry a camera 1022. The safety information of the drone 100, such as an installation anomaly notification, can be sent to the remote controller 110 and displayed on the screen coupled to the remote controller 110. As used herein, the screen coupled to the remote controller 110 can refer to: the screen embedded in the remote controller 110, and / or the screen of a display device operably connected to the remote controller 110. For example, the display device can be a smartphone or a tablet computer. The drone 100 can receive and execute an operation command (e.g., a takeoff instruction) from the remote controller 110. One or more processors on board and / or external to the drone 100 (e.g., the processor on the drone 100 and / or the processor in the remote controller 110) are configured to: when detecting at least one abnormally installed propeller, for example, by determining whether at least one of a plurality of propellers is abnormally installed, execute safety protection logic on the flight control system of the drone and enter a safety mode.

[0021] Figure 1B is a schematic block diagram of a drone according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. As Figure 1B shown, the drone 100 can include a sensing system 102, a propulsion system 104, a communication circuit 106, and an on-board controller 108.

[0022] The propulsion system 104 can be configured to enable the drone 100 to perform desired movements (e.g., in response to control signals from the on-board controller 108 and / or the remote controller 110), such as taking off from the ground or landing on the ground, ascending / descending to a specific altitude, etc. The propulsion system 104 can include one or more of any suitable propellers, blades, rotors, motors, engines, etc. to enable the drone 100 to move. The communication circuit 106 can be configured to establish wireless communication with the remote controller 110 and perform data transmission. The data transmitted can include sensing data and / or control data. The on-board controller 108 can be configured to control one or more components on the drone 100 (e.g., motors, indicator lights, etc.) (e.g., based on an analysis of sensing data from the sensing system 102) or the operation of an external device communicating with the drone 100.

[0023] The sensing system 102 may include one or more sensors that may sense the spatial position, velocity, and / or acceleration of the drone 100 (e.g., the attitude of the drone 100 with respect to three rotational degrees of freedom such as pitch, yaw, and roll). Examples of sensors may include, but are not limited to: position sensors (e.g., Global Positioning System (GPS) sensors, motion device transmitters that support position triangulation), image sensors (e.g., imaging devices capable of detecting visible light, infrared light, and / or ultraviolet light, such as cameras), distance sensors (e.g., ultrasonic sensors, lidar, time-of-flight cameras), inertial sensors (e.g., accelerometers, gyroscopes, inertial measurement units), altitude sensors, pressure sensors (e.g., barometers), audio sensors (e.g., microphones), or field sensors (e.g., magnetometers, electromagnetic sensors). Any suitable number of sensors and / or combinations of sensors may be included in the sensing system 102. The sensing data collected and / or analyzed by the sensing system 102 may be used to control the spatial position, velocity, and / or orientation of the drone 100 (e.g., by using a suitable processing unit such as the on-board controller 108 and / or the remote control 110).

[0024] Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram showing a computing device 200 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The computing device 200 may be implemented in the drone 100 and / or the remote control 110 and may be configured to execute a method according to the present disclosure for detecting an abnormally installed propeller and for performing safety operation logic. As Figure 2 shown, the computing device 200 includes at least one processor 204, at least one storage medium 202, and at least one transceiver 206. According to the present disclosure, the at least one processor 204, the at least one storage medium 202, and the at least one transceiver 206 may be separate devices, or any two or more of them may be integrated in one device.

[0025] The at least one storage medium 202 may include a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium such as random access memory, read-only memory, flash memory, volatile memory, hard disk memory, or optical media. The at least one storage medium 202 coupled to the at least one processor 204 may be configured to store instructions and / or data. For example, the at least one storage medium 202 may be configured to store data collected by the inertial measurement unit, computer-executable instructions for performing the abnormally installed propeller detection process, and the like.

[0026] At least one processor 204 may include any suitable hardware processor, such as a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a central processing unit, a network processor, a digital signal processor, an application specific integrated circuit, a field programmable gate array, or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components. At least one storage medium 202 stores computer program code that, when executed by at least one processor 204, controls at least one processor 204 and / or at least one transceiver 206 to execute a method for detecting an abnormally installed propeller and / or a method for implementing safety operation logic according to the present disclosure, such as one of the exemplary methods described below. In some embodiments, the computer program code also controls at least one processor 204 to execute some or all of the functions that can be performed by a drone and / or remotely controlled as described above, where each function can be an example of the computing device 200.

[0027] At least one transceiver 206 is controlled by at least one processor 204 to transmit data to and / or receive data from another device. At least one transceiver 206 may include any number of transmitters and / or receivers suitable for wired and / or wireless communication. The transceiver 206 may include one or more antennas for wireless communication on any supported frequency channel.

[0028] In some embodiments, the computing device 200 may further include a display. The display may include one or more screens for displaying the content in the computing device 200 or the content transmitted by another device, for example, displaying a reminder description regarding one or more abnormally installed propellers, displaying a graphical user interface requesting user input of flight control commands, etc. In some embodiments, the display may be a touch screen display configured to receive touch inputs / gestures from the user. In some embodiments, the computing device 200 may include other I / O (input / output) devices, such as a joystick, a control panel, a speaker, an indicator light, etc. In operation, the computing device 200 may execute the method for detecting an abnormally installed propeller disclosed herein.

[0029] Figure 3A is a schematic block diagram of another drone 300 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The drone 300 may be the same as the drone 100 shown in Figure 1A and Figure 1B shown. As Figure 3A shown, the exemplary drone 300 may include a flight control system 302 and a plurality of actuators 304. The flight control system 302 may include a flight sensor 3022, a flight mission management module 3024, and a safety protection module 3026. The flight sensor 3022 may be Figure 1BAt least a portion of the sensing system 102 shown in. The flight sensor 3022 may include sensors such as an inertial measurement unit, a compass, a barometer, etc. The attitude and altitude information of the UAV can be obtained based on the information collected by the flight sensor 3022. The flight mission management module 3024 is configured to manage the flight mission and flight state of the UAV. For example, when receiving an idle control signal, it starts the motor to run at an idle speed, when receiving a takeoff control signal, it starts the takeoff procedure, determines the current flight state of the UAV (e.g., idle, takeoff, in the air), etc. The idle speed described herein refers to: when all propellers are correctly installed, the motor speed that does not generate enough power to lift the UAV into the air. In some embodiments, the flight mission management module 3024 may be executed by Figure 1B the controller 108 shown in.

[0030] Each actuator 304 may include a motor, a propeller, and / or an electronic speed controller (ESC). As used herein, an actuator refers to a component responsible for moving the UAV (e.g., making the UAV take off, fly in the air, and land). The actuator 304 may be Figure 1B at least a portion of the propulsion system 104 shown in. The ESC is configured to receive control signals / commands from the flight control system 302 and control the speed of its corresponding motor based on the received control signals. The ESC can also monitor the state information of the motor (e.g., the speed and current of the motor) and send the state information of the motor to the flight control system 302.

[0031] Figure 3BFIG. 0 is a schematic block diagram of another drone 300 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Each propeller is configured to be mounted on its corresponding motor and generate an upward thrust / force when the motor rotates. A clockwise-rotating propeller (e.g., propeller 3041) refers to a propeller designed to generate an upward force when rotating in the clockwise direction. Similarly, a counterclockwise-rotating propeller (e.g., propeller 3042) is a propeller designed to generate an upward force when rotating in the counterclockwise direction. Generally, to balance the torque of the actuators in the drone, some motors (e.g., motor 3044) are configured to drive their corresponding propellers (e.g., propeller 3042) to rotate in the counterclockwise direction, and some other motors (e.g., motor 3043) are configured to drive their corresponding propellers (e.g., propeller 3041) to rotate in the clockwise direction. Generally, the propellers are mounted on the drone by rotating / tightening the propellers in a predetermined direction (e.g., clockwise or counterclockwise) onto a receiving structure on the drone. As used herein, mounting or tightening in an abnormal or opposite direction means that the propeller is mounted or tightened in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction. That is, when a clockwise-rotating propeller is mounted on a clockwise-rotating motor, it is considered to be properly fixed / installed. If the propeller is mounted in reverse, i.e., the rotation directions of the propeller and its corresponding motor are different, the propeller is considered to be abnormally mounted, and its corresponding motor may drive the propeller to generate a downward force. Generally, motors located in symmetric positions have the same rotation direction, and their propellers should be mounted in the same rotation direction.

[0032] If all propellers are properly installed according to their predetermined rotation directions, the installation mode of the propellers is considered to be the normal mode. If some or all of the propellers are not installed, not firmly / properly tightened, and / or not installed according to the predetermined rotation direction, the installation mode of the propellers is considered to be the abnormal mode. There are various situations where the drone has one or more abnormally installed propellers, including: (1) some propellers are not installed, which usually causes the drone to roll over; (2) adjacent propellers are tightened in a direction opposite to the correct direction (i.e., adjacent propellers are reverse-mounted propellers), which usually causes the drone to roll over; (3) all propellers are installed in the wrong direction, or propellers located in symmetric positions are installed in the wrong direction, which usually causes the drone to rotate slowly and / or the propellers to rotate too fast.

[0033] Multi-rotor drones are prone to failure during takeoff due to anomalies in one or more of their actuators 304. Possible causes include: the user not properly installing one or more propellers, at least one propeller being damaged or broken, at least one propeller not being tightened sufficiently and being thrown off when the motor starts running; at least one electronic speed controller malfunctioning, at least one motor failing, one or more propellers hitting an obstacle / object while rotating, etc. When the takeoff process fails, the drone may flip or rotate, damaging the drone itself and injuring the user. Table 1 describes various damage levels that may be caused by one or more abnormally installed propellers. As used herein, the damage level can be used to describe the degree of damage caused by a particular event to user safety or drone safety.

[0034] Table 1 Damage that may be caused by abnormally installed propellers

[0035]

[0036] In the absence of an anti-misoperation scheme to prevent the user from incorrectly installing the propellers, the damage level tends to be between level 4 and level 6. To prevent possible damage and reduce the damage level caused by incorrectly installed propellers, the drone 300 of the present disclosure further includes a safety protection module 3026, which executes an anti-misoperation scheme that prevents the user from incorrectly installing the propellers and activates a safety mode before substantial damage occurs to the user or the drone, so as to reduce the damage level. The safety protection module 3026 can be configured to receive various information from other components of the drone, such as receiving flight status information (e.g., mission phase description information) from the flight mission management module 3024, receiving sensor data from the flight sensor 2022, receiving actuator 304-related information (e.g., the speed and current of the motor) from the corresponding electronic speed controller, etc. The safety protection module 3026 is also configured to: monitor the safety of the drone based on the received information, judge whether the actuator 304 is operating abnormally (e.g., judge whether the propellers are abnormally installed) based on the received information, and execute a protection strategy in a timely manner when potential or suffered damage is detected, especially when the drone is in an idle state and / or executing a takeoff procedure. When potential or suffered damage is detected, the safety protection module 3026 is also configured to control the drone to enter a safety mode, including: requesting the flight mission management module to abort the current program (e.g., the takeoff program), terminating the operation of the motor, and / or generating a reminder message to be displayed on an interactive user interface (e.g., on the remote controller 110). In some embodiments, the safety protection module 3026 can be executed by Figure 1B the controller 108 shown in

[0037] The safety protection module 3026 can be configured to execute a software anti-misoperation scheme to provide layers of protection for the take-off process of the drone. The protection scheme may include, for example, detecting abnormal propeller installation when the motor is started, and shutting down the drone in time (e.g., shutting down the motor); shutting down the drone when the drone fails to take off; shutting down the drone immediately when the drone is about to flip over to minimize secondary damage; shutting down the drone immediately when an obstacle / object is accidentally hit (e.g., causing the motor to stall) or a flip event has occurred to minimize secondary damage. That is, shutdown protection may occur when the following situations are detected: abnormally installed propellers during the propeller startup phase, take-off failure, flipping, and / or motor stall.

[0038] In some embodiments, the propeller startup process may include a self-tightening step. For example, when the controller of the drone activates the motor corresponding to the propeller, two motor acceleration and deceleration sequences are executed so that the self-tightening propellers can be automatically tightened during these processes. When all propellers are properly installed, the drone can remain stable during the propeller startup process. When a portion of the propellers are not installed or adjacent propellers are installed in reverse, the attitude of the drone can change with changes in the motor speed change. Therefore, based on the correlation between the attitude information of the inertial measurement unit and the accelerator information (e.g., a speed control signal pointing to the actuator 304), the safety protection module 3026 can detect propeller installation abnormalities. In addition, when some propellers are not installed, information from the electric adjustment can indicate that there is no load at the corresponding motor, thereby judging that the propeller installation is abnormal to reduce the damage to level 1.

[0039] In some embodiments, if some propellers are not installed or adjacent propellers are installed in reverse, when the drone is idling or about to take off, the attitude information of the drone can indicate a flip tendency. In the early stages of a flip, the safety protection module 3026 can request an automatic shutdown, thereby reducing the damage from level 6 to level 3-4.

[0040] In some embodiments, if the propellers are in symmetrical positions or all propellers are installed in reverse, the information from the ESC and IMU may not be useful, and the drone may not be able to successfully take off when receiving a takeoff command. Once the takeoff procedure is executed, if the drone does not take off within a preset time period, the safety protection module 3026 can detect the abnormally installed propeller.

[0041] Figure 4 FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing a process 400 of performing safety protection measures in a drone according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The process 400 may be performed by Figure 1A and Figure 1B The drone 100 shown in FIG. 1 and / or Figure 3A The drone 300 shown in (e.g., the security protection module 3026) executes.

[0042] As shown Figure 4 in the figure, determine the current flight mission phase information of the drone (S402). Different flight mission phases may require different safety monitoring strategies / schemes. In some embodiments, the flight mission management module 3024 may send the flight mission phase information to the safety protection module 3026.

[0043] In addition, motor status information and sensor data may be collected (S404). In some embodiments, the motor status information of all motors may be sent by their corresponding electronic speed controllers to the safety protection module 3026. The motor status information may include the motor speed and / or the current flowing through the motor. The sensor data may be collected by the flight sensor 3022 (such as an inertial measurement unit) and may also be sent to the safety protection module 3026. The sensor data may include the attitude information and altitude information of the drone.

[0044] Based on at least one of the sensor data or the motor status information, a safety monitoring scheme corresponding to the current flight mission phase information may be used to detect an operation anomaly (S406). The operation anomaly may be caused by one or more incorrectly installed propellers and other reasons, such as no propeller on the actuator; the propeller of the actuator is installed incorrectly; an obstacle appears near the propeller of the actuator; the actuator motor fails; the electronic speed controller of the actuator fails; due to software problems, an incorrect command from the drone control system; one or more sensors of the drone fail; or incorrect operation by the user. In addition, one or more propellers may be incorrectly installed in different ways. Therefore, different types of operation anomalies occur in different flight mission phases. The drone (e.g., the safety protection module 3026) may store multiple safety monitoring schemes, each scheme corresponding to a flight state phase.

[0045] For example, the takeoff process of the drone can be divided into four phases: Phase 1 is from the moment when the command to start the motor is received to the moment when all motors are started; Phase 2 is from the moment when all motors are started to the moment just before the takeoff command is received (e.g., when the motors are idling); Phase 3 is from the moment when the takeoff command is received (e.g., from the remote control 110 or the flight mission management module 3024) to the moment just before the drone leaves the ground (i.e., when the motors start to accelerate until sufficient upward power is generated to lift the drone off the ground, and the speed is greater than the idling speed); Phase 4 is from the moment when the drone leaves the ground to the moment when the drone reaches the specified altitude. Therefore, in this embodiment, the current flight mission phase information determined in step S402 may be any one of the above four phases. In addition, the safety monitoring schemes (hereinafter referred to as "schemes") corresponding to the above four phases may include the following.

[0046] In the first stage: The solution includes self-diagnosing components and functions related to the takeoff mission. If any abnormality is detected, the motor startup instruction is rejected and the safety mode is entered. Components and functions related to the takeoff mission may include the status of sensors and the status of electronic speed controllers and motors.

[0047] The solution also includes monitoring the motor startup process. When part or all of the motors start abnormally, the safety mode is entered. In one embodiment, a minimum speed is predefined for the motors. When the rotational speed of one or more motors is lower than the minimum speed, it is determined that the motor startup is abnormal. This abnormality may be caused by the propeller mounted on the abnormal motor hitting an object during motor operation. In another embodiment, a maximum speed is predefined for the motors. When the rotational speed of one or more motors is greater than the maximum speed, it is determined that the motor startup is abnormal. This abnormality may be due to no propeller being mounted on the abnormal motor and the motor running under no-load conditions. In another embodiment, a maximum current is predefined for the electronic speed controller. When the current of an electronic speed controller is greater than the predefined maximum current, it is determined that the motor startup is abnormal. This abnormality may be caused by the motor stalling.

[0048] The solution also includes monitoring the global status information of the unmanned aerial vehicle, such as the attitude and altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle. When the global status is abnormal, the safety mode is entered. For example, when the attitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle is not within a reasonable range and there is a tendency to roll over, or when the motors are running at high speed and the unmanned aerial vehicle takes off directly without receiving a takeoff command, it is determined that the global status is abnormal.

[0049] In the second stage: The solution may include self-diagnosing components and functions related to the takeoff mission. If any abnormal status is detected, the motors are turned off and the safety mode is entered.

[0050] The solution also includes generating an excitation signal for the motors, monitoring the status of the actuators and the entire unmanned aerial vehicle, and entering the safety mode when an abnormality occurs. The excitation signal can be understood as a sequence of instructions following a specific rule / law. For example, the excitation signal can be a sequence of instructions with a sawtooth shape and can be input into the actuators. Under the influence of the excitation signal, the motors can experience a slight acceleration and deceleration process without causing the unmanned aerial vehicle to lift off. In some embodiments, the propeller startup and self-tightening process can be achieved in the second stage (e.g., in response to the excitation signal).

[0051] By monitoring the status information of the motors and the global information of the drone, abnormal installation of one or more propellers can be detected. Specifically, as a normal response to the excitation signal, the speed of the motor should increase as the amplitude of the command increases and decrease as the amplitude of the command decreases. When the same excitation signal is applied, the operating information (such as speed and / or current) of motors of the same model should be similar and not exceed a certain threshold. During acceleration and deceleration, the attitude and / or speed of the drone do not indicate a tendency to flip. Monitor the correlation coefficient between the attitude of the drone and the command sequence of the motors. When the correlation coefficient exceeds a preset threshold, it is considered that the drone exhibits a tendency to flip. This method can be used to detect propellers with an installation direction opposite to the expected / correct direction, as well as to detect propellers that are not installed or damaged.

[0052] In the third stage: The solution may include self-diagnosing components and functions related to the takeoff mission and, if any abnormal state is detected, shutting down the motors and entering the safe mode. The solution may also include predefined maximum takeoff durations; if the drone fails to take off after the maximum takeoff duration has elapsed, the takeoff procedure is aborted and the safe mode is entered. Such an abnormality may be caused by all propellers being installed in reverse or propellers in symmetric positions being installed in reverse. The solution may also include monitoring whether the status of the drone is consistent with the control commands, and if not, entering the safe mode. For example, if the current attitude angle of the drone exceeds a preset maximum angle, the current flight speed exceeds a preset maximum speed, or the rate of change of the attitude angle exceeds a preset maximum rate of change of the attitude angle (e.g., the drone may tend to tip over), it is considered abnormal.

[0053] In the fourth stage, the solution may include: determining whether the current status information of the drone is within a preset normal range, and if not, entering the safe mode. The preset normal range may include one or more maximum attitude angles, maximum accelerations, and maximum destination heights. The solution may also include: monitoring environmental factors of the drone and determining that an abnormality has occurred, for example, when the wind intensity exceeds the maximum allowable wind intensity or the control margin of the actuator exceeds the maximum control amount.

[0054] In response to detecting an operation abnormality, the drone can enter the safe mode (S408). The safe mode may include aborting the current flight mission procedure, shutting down the motors, and / or alerting the user about the abnormality through an interactive user interface.

[0055] The method of the present disclosure makes full use of the status information of the mission phases of the drone, the information of the actuators, and the sensor information of the drone itself to comprehensively monitor whether the takeoff process of the drone is normal and take timely protection strategies for possible or already-occurred takeoff abnormalities, thereby enhancing the user experience and reducing equipment losses / damage.

[0056] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing a process 500 for determining an abnormally installed propeller according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The process 500 may be performed by the drone 100 shown in Figure 1A and Figure 1B and / or the drone 300 shown in Figure 3A (e.g., the safety protection module 3026).

[0057] As Figure 5 shown, control signals for a plurality of motors of the drone may be generated (S502). Each of the plurality of motors is configured to drive a corresponding one of the plurality of propellers. The plurality of propellers are configured to be respectively mounted on the plurality of motors. The control signals may be generated before the drone takes off. The control signals may include at least one of an idle control signal or a takeoff control signal. As used herein, an idle control signal refers to a signal that controls the motor to rotate at a speed that does not generate enough power to lift the drone when all propellers are correctly installed. The control signals are intended to provide an active excitation stimulus to the motors, and by analyzing the response of the drone to the stimulus, abnormal propeller installations can be detected. In some embodiments, the control signals may be generated after a drone activation instruction (e.g., starting the motors to run in an idle state) or a takeoff instruction is given by the remote controller 110 based on a user input. In some embodiments, the control signals may be generated in the second stage of the takeoff procedure.

[0058] Based on the control signals, the plurality of motors are controlled to operate (S504). In some embodiments, the plurality of motors may be controlled to operate at the same speed. The speed may be a constant speed, such as an idle speed. Optionally, the speed may be accelerated or decelerated based on the amplitude of the control signal. In other words, the control signals may be configured to control each of the plurality of motors to operate according to the same preset speed change pattern, such as accelerating and decelerating in sequence. In some embodiments, the control signals may be a sawtooth wave signal or a triangular wave signal. In some embodiments, the control signals may control each motor to operate according to a repetitive acceleration and deceleration sequence.

[0059] In addition, when the plurality of motors operate in response to the control signals, state information of the drone is acquired (S506). The state information of the drone may include, for example, speed information of the plurality of motors, current information of the plurality of motors, attitude information of the drone, altitude information of the drone, position information of the drone, etc. The state information of the drone may be collected by various components of the drone, such as an inertial measurement unit sensor, a position sensor, an electronic speed controller of its corresponding motor, etc.

[0060] It is possible to determine whether at least one of the multiple propellers is abnormally installed based on the state information (S508). In one embodiment, when the control signal controls each of the multiple motors to operate at the same constant speed (e.g., idle speed), the speed information of the motors (e.g., the speed information received from multiple electronic speed controllers) can be compared with each other or with a preset threshold. When the speed of one of the multiple motors is equal to or greater than the preset speed threshold, or when the speed of one of the multiple motors is significantly greater than the speeds of other motors, it can be determined that the one motor is not installed with a propeller (e.g., resulting in the motor operating without load and thus showing a higher speed).

[0061] In one embodiment, when the control signal controls each of the multiple motors to operate according to a preset speed change pattern, the attitude change of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) (e.g., received from an inertial measurement unit) is strongly correlated with the speed change, indicating that the UAV tends to flip due to one or more abnormally installed propellers. Optionally, an attitude change of the UAV greater than a preset change threshold may also indicate one or more abnormally installed propellers. In some embodiments, the horizontal attitude angle can be a pitch angle, a yaw angle, a roll angle, or a combination thereof.

[0062] Figure 6A A diagram showing the control signal varying with time according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 6B A diagram showing when one or more propellers are abnormally installed and Figure 6A the horizontal attitude angle varying with time related to the control signal shown in k , the horizontal attitude angle of the UAV is represented by q k , the control signal pointing to the motor is represented by uk, and the sum of the horizontal torques output by all motors is represented by T k . Q k = {q k-N+1 , q k-N+2 ,..., q k-1 , q k} represents the sequence of horizontal attitude angles at the most recent N moments. U k = {u k-N+1 , u k-N+2 ,..., u k-1 , u k} represents the sequence of amplitudes of the control signals pointing to the motors within the most recent N moments. During the process of determining whether one or more propellers are abnormally installed, the control signal (e.g., the sequence of excitation signals / instructions) can be sent to all motors simultaneously. In other words, at the same time stamp, the control signals sent to all motors are the same. The control signal can include amplitudes that increase sequentially and then decrease sequentially. As Figure 6AAs shown, the control signal (e.g., the sampled excitation signal output to the motor) starts from 0, uk gradually increases along the time axis, and reaches the maximum amplitude at time T a and then gradually decreases and reaches the minimum amplitude (e.g., 0) at time T. Such a trend repeats in the next cycle. U max is less than the signal amplitude required for the drone to ascend, to ensure that the excitation and self-diagnosis processes are carried out when the drone is on the ground and the drone will not take off.

[0063] In some embodiments, the drone is a quadcopter. According to the symmetric characteristics of the quadcopter, when all the propellers are properly installed, if each motor receives the same control signal, the sum of their horizontal torques T k tends to zero. In the case of the asymmetry of the drone, a control allocation algorithm can be used to calculate the control signal suitable for each motor, so that the theoretical value of the sum of the horizontal torques generated by all motors is zero. Therefore, when all the propellers are properly installed, the drone will not tend to flip. However, if one or more propellers are not installed correctly (e.g., a counterclockwise rotating propeller is installed on a clockwise rotating motor, or a motor is not installed with a propeller), then under the control of the excitation signal, the combined horizontal torque generated by each motor will no longer tend to be zero. When the combined horizontal torque is large enough, the drone may exhibit obvious shaking motion according to the control signal, that is, the horizontal attitude angle of the drone has obvious fluctuations according to the excitation signal, theoretically as Figure 6B shown. When the correlation between the horizontal attitude and the control signal is substantially greater than the conventional setting, it can be determined that one or more propellers are installed abnormally.

[0064] Based on the above analysis, in some embodiments, before the drone takes off, excitation control signals for all motors with the Figure 6A shown pattern can be generated. Record the time series U k of the control signals at the most recent N moments. The horizontal attitude information at the most recent N recordings forms the time series Q k of the horizontal attitude information. The variance of Q k is calculated and denoted as D(Q k ), and the variance of U k is calculated and denoted as D(U k ). Optionally, D(U k ) is verified to be greater than a preset variance threshold to ensure that the control signal (i.e., the series of excitation signals) is successfully generated. D(Q k ) is compared with the variance threshold. D(Q k ) being greater than the variance threshold indicates that the horizontal attitude change of the drone is large and the drone exhibits obvious shaking.

[0065] In addition, the control signal sequence U kThe covariance with the horizontal attitude angle sequence Q k is denoted as COV(Q k , U k ). The correlation coefficient between the variance of the control signal sequence and the variance of the horizontal attitude angle sequence can be calculated by the following formula:

[0066]

[0067] If ρ k is greater than a preset coefficient threshold, it is determined that the swaying or wobbling of the UAV is strongly correlated with the excitation signal, thereby indicating that one or more propellers are incorrectly installed.

[0068] It can be understood that the correlation coefficient ρ k can be obtained by calculating other types of transformations of the excitation signal Q k and the horizontal attitude angle U k , that is, f(Q k ) and g(U k ), and the installation correctness of the propellers can be obtained by determining whether the correlation coefficient is greater than the corresponding threshold.

[0069] Figure 7A The figure shows a graph of the control signal changing with time recorded in an experiment according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 7B The experimental results are shown, which illustrate: in response to Figure 7A the control signal shown, the change of the horizontal attitude angle with time in various propeller installation cases. As Figure 7B shown, 5 curves showing the change of the horizontal attitude with time (x-axis) are plotted with the same vertical scale. The 5 curves from top to bottom respectively represent the change of the horizontal attitude with time in response to the same excitation signal in the following cases: two adjacent propellers are installed in reverse, two adjacent motors are not installed with propellers, one motor is not installed with a propeller, one motor is installed with a propeller in reverse, and all propellers are correctly installed. Obviously, when all propellers are correctly installed, the horizontal attitude is stable and does not change significantly over time. When one or more propellers are not correctly installed, the horizontal attitude is strongly correlated with the amplitude change of the excitation signal. Therefore, by evaluating the attitude information (such as collected by the inertial measurement unit of the UAV) and the correlation between the attitude information and the excitation signal, abnormal installation of one or more propellers can be detected in time before the UAV takes off.

[0070] In one embodiment, when the control signal controls each of the multiple motors to accelerate to the same speed (e.g., the speed required for takeoff), the state information of the UAV (e.g., altitude information, position information) can indicate whether the UAV has successfully taken off. When the UAV fails to take off (e.g., the altitude or position remains unchanged after a preset duration), it is determined that there is an abnormal propeller installation. In the case where no abnormality is detected when the motors are running at idle speed but the UAV fails to take off, this situation may indicate that the propellers of the motors located at symmetric positions are installed in the incorrect orientation, or the propellers of all the motors among the multiple motors are installed in the incorrect orientation.

[0071] The method of the present disclosure integrates the information of the actuators, the information of the flight sensors, and the information of the flight mission management module, establishes a complete set of protection logics, and further improves the safety of the UAV, especially the safety during the takeoff process. By exciting the motors before the UAV takes off, the monitoring process becomes a proactive process rather than a passive process, and a more comprehensive monitoring of the actuators can be achieved. Based on the state of the electronic speed controllers and the state of the whole machine, the abnormal installation of the propellers can be detected in time before further damage is caused. Different from a single electronic speed controller that only monitors the state of its own motor, the safety protection module can be configured to compare the information of all the electronic speed controllers. Through the comprehensive information of all the electronic speed controllers, the safety protection module can achieve the detection of the differences between different electronic speed controllers and motors, further improving the safety protection. In other words, the abnormal state of the actuators can be detected by evaluating the differences between the feedback information of the electronic speed controllers. In addition, the state information of the UAV (flight phase, attitude, altitude, etc.) is used to evaluate the flipping tendency of the UAV, further improving the safety of the UAV operation. Different actuator monitoring schemes and protection strategies are formulated based on the flight phase information during the takeoff process.

[0072] The method and device of the present disclosure provide an overall protection scheme, which is particularly useful for UAVs without component protection functions (such as the self-detection function of the electronic speed controller, the mechanical anti-misoperation mechanism for propeller installation, etc.). In addition, the method and device of the present disclosure can also provide protection against takeoff failures caused by non-actuator factors (such as reasons for energy loss, sensor failures, etc.).

[0073] The processes shown in the drawings associated with the embodiments of the method can be executed or implemented in any suitable order or sequence, and this order or sequence is not limited to the order and sequence shown in the drawings and described above. For example, depending on the functions involved, two consecutive processes can be executed substantially simultaneously or in parallel at appropriate places to reduce the waiting time and processing time, or executed in the reverse order as shown in the figures.

[0074] In addition, as needed, components associated with the device embodiments in the figures may be coupled in a manner different from that shown in the figures. Certain components may be omitted, and other components may be added.

[0075] By considering the specification and practice of the embodiments of the present disclosure, other embodiments of the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered only as exemplary, and not limit the scope of the present disclosure, the true scope and spirit of which is indicated by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for a drone, comprising: Determining control signals for controlling a plurality of actuators of the drone, each actuator being configured to drive a corresponding one of a plurality of propellers, the plurality of propellers being configured to be mounted on the plurality of actuators, the control signals including at least one of an idle control signal or a takeoff control signal; Controlling the operation of the plurality of actuators based on the control signals; When the plurality of actuators operate in response to the control signals, acquiring state information of the drone; And Determining whether at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally mounted according to the state information; Wherein the state information includes at least one of the following: attitude information of the drone, altitude information of the drone, or position information of the drone; The determining whether at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally mounted includes: determining whether at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally mounted according to the state information of the drone.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Outputting an installation abnormality notification in response to determining that at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally mounted.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein, Outputting the installation abnormality notification includes: Lighting a signal indicator on the drone according to a preset mode.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein Outputting the installation abnormality notification includes: Sending the installation abnormality notification to a control terminal for display, the control terminal being connected to the drone.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Terminating the operation of the plurality of actuators in response to determining that at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally mounted.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The control signals are configured to drive the plurality of actuators to operate at the same speed.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The state information of the drone includes at least one of the following: speed information of the plurality of actuators, current information of the plurality of actuators.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein The abnormal mounting of the propeller includes at least one of the following: One or more of the plurality of actuators do not have a propeller, the propeller mounting orientation of some of the plurality of actuators is incorrect, or the propeller mounting orientation of all of the plurality of actuators is incorrect.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The control signals include a first idle control signal, the first idle control signal controlling each of the plurality of actuators to operate at a constant speed; The state information includes the speed information of the plurality of actuators; And Determining whether at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally mounted includes: determining whether at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally mounted according to the speed information of the plurality of actuators.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein Determining whether at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally mounted includes: In response to determining that the speed of one of the plurality of actuators is equal to or greater than a preset speed threshold, determining that one of the plurality of actuators is not mounted with a propeller.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The control signals include a second idle control signal, the second idle control signal controlling each of the plurality of actuators to operate according to a preset speed change pattern.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein: The preset speed change pattern includes an acceleration and deceleration sequence.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein: The second idling control signal includes at least one of the following: a sawtooth wave signal or a triangular wave signal.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein: The preset speed change pattern includes a plurality of acceleration and deceleration sequences.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein: The attitude information includes at least one of the following: pitch attitude, roll attitude, or yaw attitude.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein, Determining whether at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed includes: Determining a correlation coefficient between the attitude information and the second idling control signal; and When the correlation coefficient is greater than a preset coefficient threshold, determining that at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein, Determining whether at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed includes: Determining an attitude change of the unmanned aerial vehicle according to the attitude information collected when the plurality of actuators operate in response to the second idling control signal; and When the attitude change of the unmanned aerial vehicle is greater than a preset change threshold, determining that at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein The abnormal installation of the propeller includes at least one of the following: One or more of the plurality of actuators do not have a propeller, or the propellers of some of the plurality of actuators are installed in an incorrect orientation.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The control signal includes a takeoff control signal. Determining whether at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed includes: Determining whether the unmanned aerial vehicle has successfully taken off according to the status information; and In response to determining that the unmanned aerial vehicle has failed to take off, determining that at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein The abnormal installation of the propeller includes at least one of the following: The propellers of the actuators located at symmetric positions are installed in an incorrect orientation, or the propellers of all of the plurality of actuators are installed in an incorrect orientation.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein, The status information of the unmanned aerial vehicle includes at least one of the following: the altitude information of the unmanned aerial vehicle, or the position information of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

22. The method according to claim 19, wherein, Determining whether the unmanned aerial vehicle has successfully taken off includes: Determining whether the unmanned aerial vehicle has successfully taken off within a preset time period according to the status information.

23. A device for an unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising: A memory; And A processor coupled to the memory, the processor being configured to: Determine control signals for controlling a plurality of actuators of the unmanned aerial vehicle, each actuator being configured to drive a corresponding one of a plurality of propellers, the plurality of propellers being configured to be installed on the plurality of actuators, the control signal including at least one of an idling control signal or a takeoff control signal; Control the operation of the plurality of actuators based on the control signal; Obtain the status information of the unmanned aerial vehicle when the plurality of actuators operate in response to the control signal; And Determine whether at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed according to the status information; Wherein, the status information includes at least one of the following: the attitude information of the unmanned aerial vehicle, the altitude information of the unmanned aerial vehicle, or the position information of the unmanned aerial vehicle; Determining whether at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed includes: determining whether at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed according to the status information of the drone.

24. The device according to claim 23, wherein, The processor is further configured to: In response to determining that at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed, output an installation abnormality notification.

25. The device according to claim 24, wherein, When outputting the installation abnormality notification, the processor is further configured to: Light up a signal indicator on the drone according to a preset mode.

26. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein, When outputting the installation abnormality notification, the processor is further configured to: Send the installation abnormality notification to a control terminal for display, where the control terminal is connected to the drone.

27. The device according to claim 23, wherein, The processor is further configured to: In response to determining that at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed, terminate the operation of the plurality of actuators.

28. The device according to claim 23, wherein: The control signal is configured to drive the plurality of actuators to operate at the same speed.

29. The device according to claim 23, wherein: The status information of the drone includes at least one of the following: speed information of the plurality of actuators, current information of the plurality of actuators.

30. The apparatus according to claim 23, wherein, The abnormal installation of the propeller includes at least one of the following: One or more of the plurality of actuators do not have a propeller, the propellers of some of the plurality of actuators are installed in the incorrect orientation, or the propellers of all of the plurality of actuators are installed in the incorrect orientation.

31. The device according to claim 23, wherein: The control signal includes a first idle control signal, and the first idle control signal controls each of the plurality of actuators to operate at a constant speed; The status information includes the speed information of the plurality of actuators; And The processor is further configured to: determine whether at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed according to the speed information of the plurality of actuators.

32. The apparatus according to claim 31, wherein, The processor is further configured to: In response to determining that the speed of one of the plurality of actuators is equal to or greater than a preset speed threshold, determine that one of the plurality of actuators is not installed with a propeller.

33. The device according to claim 23, wherein: The control signal includes a second idle control signal, and the second idle control signal controls each of the plurality of actuators to operate according to a preset speed change pattern.

34. The device according to claim 33, wherein: The preset speed change pattern includes an acceleration and deceleration sequence.

35. The device according to claim 34, wherein: The second idle control signal includes at least one of the following: a sawtooth wave signal or a triangular wave signal.

36. The device according to claim 34, wherein: The preset speed change pattern includes a plurality of acceleration and deceleration sequences.

37. The device according to claim 33, wherein: The attitude information includes at least one of the following: pitch attitude, roll attitude, or yaw attitude.

38. The apparatus according to claim 33, wherein, The processor is further configured to: Determine the correlation coefficient between the attitude information and the second idle control signal; and When the correlation coefficient is greater than a preset coefficient threshold, determine that at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed.

39. The apparatus according to claim 33, wherein, The processor is further configured to: Determine the attitude change of the UAV according to the attitude information collected when the plurality of actuators operate in response to the second idle control signal; and When the attitude change of the UAV is greater than a preset change threshold, determine that at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed.

40. The apparatus according to claim 33, wherein, The abnormal installation of the propeller includes at least one of the following: One or more of the plurality of actuators do not have a propeller, or the propellers of some of the plurality of actuators are installed in the incorrect orientation.

41. The apparatus according to claim 23, wherein, The control signal includes a takeoff control signal, and the processor is further configured to: Determine whether the UAV has taken off successfully according to the status information; and In response to determining that the UAV has failed to take off, determine that at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed.

42. The apparatus according to claim 41, wherein The abnormal installation of the propeller includes at least one of the following: The propellers of the actuators located at symmetric positions are installed in the incorrect orientation, or the propellers of all of the plurality of actuators are installed in the incorrect orientation.

43. The apparatus according to claim 41, wherein, The status information of the UAV includes at least one of the following: the altitude information of the UAV, or the position information of the UAV.

44. The device according to claim 41, wherein, When determining whether the UAV has taken off successfully, the processor is further configured to: Determine whether the UAV has taken off successfully within a preset time period according to the status information.

45. A method for a UAV, comprising: Before the UAV takes off, determine control signals for a plurality of actuators for controlling the UAV, each actuator being configured to drive a corresponding one of a plurality of propellers, the plurality of propellers being configured to be respectively installed on the plurality of actuators; Control the plurality of actuators to operate based on the control signals; When the plurality of actuators operate in response to the control signals, obtain the status information of the UAV; And Determine whether at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed according to the status information; Wherein, the status information includes at least one of the following: the attitude information of the UAV, the altitude information of the UAV, or the position information of the UAV; The determining whether at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed includes: determining whether at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed according to the status information of the UAV.

46. The method according to claim 45, further comprising: In response to determining that at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed, output an installation abnormality notification.

47. The method according to claim 46, wherein, Outputting an installation abnormality notification includes: Light up a signal indicator on the UAV according to a preset mode.

48. The method according to claim 46, wherein, Outputting an installation abnormality notification includes: Send the installation abnormality notification to a control terminal for display, the control terminal being connected to the UAV.

49. The method according to claim 45, further comprising: In response to determining that at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed, terminate the operation of the plurality of actuators.

50. The method according to claim 45, wherein: The control signal is configured to drive the plurality of actuators to operate at the same speed.

51. The method according to claim 45, wherein: The status information of the drone includes at least one of the following: the speed information of the plurality of actuators, the current information of the plurality of actuators.

52. The method according to claim 45, wherein The abnormal installation of the propellers includes at least one of the following: One or more of the plurality of actuators do not have propellers, the installation directions of the propellers of some of the plurality of actuators are incorrect, or the installation directions of the propellers of all of the plurality of actuators are incorrect.

53. The method according to claim 45, wherein: The control signal includes a first idle control signal, and the first idle control signal controls each of the plurality of actuators to operate at a constant speed; The status information includes the speed information of the plurality of actuators; And Determining whether at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed includes: determining whether at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed according to the speed information of the plurality of actuators.

54. The method according to claim 53, wherein, Determining whether at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed includes: In response to determining that the speed of one of the plurality of actuators is equal to or greater than a preset speed threshold, determining that one of the plurality of actuators is not installed with a propeller.

55. The method according to claim 45, wherein: The control signal includes a second idle control signal, and the second idle control signal controls each of the plurality of actuators to operate according to a preset speed change pattern.

56. The method according to claim 55, wherein: The preset speed change pattern includes an acceleration and deceleration sequence.

57. The method according to claim 56, wherein: The second idle control signal includes at least one of the following: a sawtooth wave signal or a triangular wave signal.

58. The method according to claim 56, wherein: The preset speed change pattern includes a plurality of acceleration and deceleration sequences.

59. The method according to claim 55, wherein: The attitude information includes at least one of the following: pitch attitude, roll attitude, or yaw attitude.

60. The method according to claim 55, wherein, Determining whether at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed includes: Determining the correlation coefficient between the attitude information and the second idle control signal; and When the correlation coefficient is greater than a preset coefficient threshold, determining that at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed.

61. The method according to claim 55, wherein, Determining whether at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed includes: Determining the attitude change of the drone according to the attitude information collected when the plurality of actuators respond to the second idle control signal; and When the attitude change of the drone is greater than a preset change threshold, determining that at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed.

62. The method according to claim 55, wherein, The abnormal installation of the propellers includes at least one of the following: One or more of the plurality of actuators do not have propellers, or the installation directions of the propellers of some of the plurality of actuators are incorrect.

63. The method according to claim 45, wherein, The control signal includes a takeoff control signal, and determining whether at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed includes: Determining whether the drone has successfully taken off according to the status information; and In response to determining that the drone fails to take off, determining that at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed.

64. The method according to claim 63, wherein, The abnormal installation of the propellers includes at least one of the following: The propellers of the actuators located at symmetric positions are installed in incorrect orientations, or the propellers of all the actuators among the multiple actuators are installed in incorrect orientations.

65. The method according to claim 63, wherein, The status information of the UAV includes at least one of the following: the altitude information of the UAV, or the position information of the UAV.

66. The method according to claim 63, wherein, Determining whether the UAV has taken off successfully includes: Determining whether the UAV has taken off successfully within a preset time period according to the status information.

67. A device applied to a UAV, including: A memory; And A processor coupled to the memory, the processor being configured to: Before the UAV takes off, determine control signals for controlling multiple actuators of the UAV, each actuator being configured to drive a corresponding one of multiple propellers, the multiple propellers being configured to be respectively installed on the multiple actuators; Control the multiple actuators to operate based on the control signals; When the multiple actuators respond to the control signals and operate, obtain the status information of the UAV; And Determine whether at least one of the multiple propellers is abnormally installed according to the status information; Wherein, the status information includes at least one of the following: the attitude information of the UAV, the altitude information of the UAV, or the position information of the UAV; Determining whether at least one of the multiple propellers is abnormally installed includes: determining whether at least one of the multiple propellers is abnormally installed according to the status information of the UAV.

68. The apparatus according to claim 67, wherein, The processor is further configured to: In response to determining that at least one of the multiple propellers is abnormally installed, output an installation abnormality notification.

69. The apparatus according to claim 68, wherein, When outputting the installation abnormality notification, the processor is further configured to: Light up a signal indicator on the UAV according to a preset mode.

70. The apparatus according to claim 68, wherein, When outputting the installation abnormality notification, the processor is further configured to: Send the installation abnormality notification to a control terminal for display, the control terminal being connected to the UAV.

71. The apparatus according to claim 67, wherein, The processor is further configured to: In response to determining that at least one of the multiple propellers is abnormally installed, terminate the operation of the multiple actuators.

72. The device according to claim 67, wherein: The control signals are configured to drive the multiple actuators to operate at the same speed.

73. The device according to claim 67, wherein: The status information of the UAV includes at least one of the following: the speed information of the multiple actuators, the current information of the multiple actuators.

74. The apparatus according to claim 67, wherein, The abnormal installation of the propellers includes at least one of the following: One or more of the multiple actuators have no propellers, the propellers of some of the multiple actuators are installed in incorrect orientations, or the propellers of all the actuators among the multiple actuators are installed in incorrect orientations.

75. The device according to claim 67, wherein: The control signals include first idle control signals, the first idle control signals controlling each of the multiple actuators to operate at a constant speed; The status information includes the speed information of the multiple actuators; And The processor is further configured to: determine whether at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed according to the speed information of the plurality of actuators.

76. The apparatus according to claim 75, wherein, The processor is further configured to: in response to determining that the speed of one of the plurality of actuators is equal to or greater than a preset speed threshold, determine that one of the plurality of actuators is not installed with a propeller.

77. The apparatus according to claim 67, wherein: The control signal includes a second idle control signal, and the second idle control signal controls each of the plurality of actuators to operate according to a preset speed change pattern.

78. The apparatus according to claim 77, wherein: The preset speed change pattern includes an acceleration / deceleration sequence.

79. The apparatus according to claim 78, wherein: The second idle control signal includes at least one of the following: a sawtooth wave signal or a triangular wave signal.

80. The apparatus according to claim 78, wherein: The preset speed change pattern includes a plurality of acceleration / deceleration sequences.

81. The apparatus according to claim 77, wherein: The attitude information includes at least one of the following: pitch attitude, roll attitude, or yaw attitude.

82. The apparatus according to claim 77, wherein, The processor is further configured to: determine a correlation coefficient between the attitude information and the second idle control signal; and when the correlation coefficient is greater than a preset coefficient threshold, determine that at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed.

83. The apparatus according to claim 77, wherein, The processor is further configured to: determine an attitude change of the drone according to the attitude information collected when the plurality of actuators operate in response to the second idle control signal; and when the attitude change of the drone is greater than a preset change threshold, determine that at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed.

84. The apparatus according to claim 77, wherein, The abnormal installation of the propeller includes at least one of the following: one or more of the plurality of actuators do not have a propeller, or the propeller installation directions of some of the plurality of actuators are incorrect.

85. The apparatus according to claim 67, wherein, The control signal includes a takeoff control signal, and the processor is further configured to: determine whether the drone has taken off successfully according to the status information; and in response to determining that the drone fails to take off, determine that at least one of the plurality of propellers is abnormally installed.

86. The apparatus according to claim 85, wherein, The abnormal installation of the propeller includes at least one of the following: the propeller installation directions of the actuators located at symmetric positions are incorrect, or the propeller installation directions of all of the plurality of actuators are incorrect.

87. The apparatus according to claim 85, wherein, The status information of the drone includes at least one of the following: the altitude information of the drone, or the position information of the drone.

88. The apparatus according to claim 85, wherein, When determining whether the drone has taken off successfully, the processor is further configured to: determine whether the drone has taken off successfully within a preset time period according to the status information.

Images