Flight Route Generation Device and Flight Route Generation Method

Abstract

The present application discloses a flight route generation device and a flight route generation method. The flight route generation device is configured to generate a plurality of flight routes for an aircraft to fly over a plurality of work areas during a single flight. The flight route generation device includes: an acquisition unit configured to acquire work area information and inter-region information, the work area information being used to specify a plurality of work areas expected to be used for a plurality of operations to be performed by the aircraft during its flight, the inter-region information being used to determine a plurality of inter-region flight routes along which the aircraft is allowed to fly over the plurality of work areas; and a generator configured to generate a plurality of intra-region flight routes for the aircraft to fly over the plurality of work areas based on the work area information, and generate a plurality of inter-region flight routes based on the inter-region information to prevent the aircraft from entering a no-fly zone.

Description

[0001] Cross - reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2021 - 010637, filed on January 26, 2021, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical field

[0003] The present invention generally relates to a flight route generation device and a flight route generation method, which are configured to generate a flight route (or flight path) along which an aircraft is planned to fly. Background art

[0004] In recent years, aircraft designed to fly along a pre - generated flight route have become widespread in the world. As a method of setting a flight route, engineers have developed a technique that autonomously generates a flight route for taking aerial photographs in a flight area set by a surveyor (see Patent Document 1, i.e., Japanese Patent Application Laid - Open No. 2018 - 146546). Patent Document 1 discloses an information processing system designed to measure the geographical location (e.g., longitude, latitude, and altitude) of an aerial photograph signal on the ground reflected in an aerial photograph.

[0005] The technique of Patent Document 1 allows an aircraft to fly over a single flight area during one flight. When a user prefers the aircraft to fly over multiple flight areas during one flight, the user can conceive of setting a large flight area including multiple flight areas. However, when any of the multiple flight areas included in the large flight area approaches an airspace (such as a third - party land) where it is prohibited for any object to fly over, the user may face legal risks due to the aircraft inadvertently entering the no - fly zone.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and thus the present invention aims to provide a flight route generation device and a flight route generation method that are configured to prevent an aircraft from entering a no - fly zone and generate a flight route that allows the aircraft to fly over multiple flight areas during one flight. Summary of the invention

[0007] In a first aspect of the present invention, a flight route generation device includes: an acquisition unit configured to acquire work area information and inter-region information, the work area information being used to specify a plurality of work areas expected to be used for a plurality of operations to be performed by an aircraft during its flight, the inter-region information being used to determine a plurality of inter-region flight routes along which the aircraft is allowed to fly over the plurality of work areas; and a generator configured to generate a plurality of intra-region flight routes for the aircraft to fly over the plurality of work areas based on the work area information, and to generate a plurality of inter-region flight routes based on the inter-region information.

[0008] In the above, the acquisition unit may acquire inter-region information indicating an order of operations to be performed by the aircraft when flying over the plurality of work areas, wherein the generator may generate a plurality of inter-region flight routes for the aircraft to move over the plurality of work areas according to the order of operations. In addition, the acquisition unit may acquire inter-region information indicating at least one via-point through which the aircraft passes when flying over the plurality of work areas, wherein the generator may generate an inter-region flight route passing through the via-point based on the inter-region information.

[0009] When the aircraft moves between a first work area and a second work area among the plurality of work areas, the generator may generate an inter-region flight route for the aircraft to move from the first work area to the second work area and a return route for the aircraft to return from the second work area to the first work area.

[0010] In addition, the acquisition unit may acquire inter-region information indicating a quasi-fly zone located between the plurality of work areas, wherein the generator may generate an inter-region flight route passing through the quasi-fly zone based on the inter-region information. Optionally, the acquisition unit may acquire inter-region information indicating a no-fly zone where the aircraft is prohibited from flying, the no-fly zone being located between the plurality of work areas, wherein the generator may generate an inter-region flight route that does not pass through the no-fly zone.

[0011] In addition, when the aircraft moves between a first work area and a second work area among the plurality of work areas, the acquisition unit may acquire: first information indicating a first operation start point for starting a first operation and a first operation end point for completing the first operation in the first work area, and second information indicating a second operation start point for starting a second operation and a second operation end point for completing the second operation in the second work area, wherein the generator may generate an inter-region flight route connecting between the first operation end point and the second operation start point.

[0012] The acquisition unit may acquire work condition information indicating a work condition of the aircraft performing operations for each of the plurality of work areas, wherein the generator may generate an intra-region flight route for each work area based on the work condition information.

[0013] In a second aspect of the present invention, a flight route generation method is implemented as follows: obtaining work area information and inter-region information, where the work area information is used to specify a plurality of work areas expected to be used for a plurality of operations to be performed by an aircraft during its flight, and the inter-region information is used to determine a plurality of inter-region flight routes, and the aircraft is allowed to fly over a plurality of work areas along the plurality of inter-region flight routes; generating a plurality of intra-region flight routes for the aircraft to fly over the plurality of work areas based on the work area information; and generating a plurality of inter-region flight routes based on the inter-region information.

[0014] In a third aspect of the present invention, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium has a stored program that causes a computer to implement the flight route generation method by obtaining work area information and inter-region information, where the work area information is used to specify a plurality of work areas expected to be used for a plurality of operations to be performed by an aircraft during its flight, and the inter-region information is used to determine a plurality of inter-region flight routes, and the aircraft is allowed to fly over a plurality of work areas along the plurality of inter-region flight routes; generating a plurality of intra-region flight routes for the aircraft to fly over the plurality of work areas based on the work area information; and generating a plurality of inter-region flight routes based on the inter-region information.

[0015] According to the present invention, the following advantageous effects can be achieved: while preventing the aircraft from entering a no-fly zone, generating a flight route for the aircraft to fly over a plurality of flight regions during a single flight. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing an overview of a flight route generation system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 2 A block diagram showing the configuration of a flight route input terminal.

[0018] Figure 3 A screenshot of a work area manually specified by a user and displayed on the flight route input terminal.

[0019] Figure 4 A block diagram showing the configuration of a flight route generation device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing an exemplary method of using the flight route generation device to generate intra-region flight routes and inter-region flight routes.

[0021] Figure 6 A schematic diagram showing an exemplary method of using the flight route generation device to generate a return route.

[0022] Figure 7A block diagram showing the configuration of an operation terminal.

[0023] Figure 8 A block diagram showing the configuration of an aircraft.

[0024] Figure 9 A sequence diagram showing a program for generating a flight route according to a flight route generation system.

[0025] Figure 10 A schematic diagram showing an exemplary method of how to generate an inter - area flight route using a flight route generation device according to a variation of an exemplary embodiment. Detailed Description

[0026] The present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, where components that are the same or similar to those shown in the respective drawings will be denoted by the same reference numerals; thus, their repeated description will be omitted here.

[0027] 1. Outline of the Flight Route Generation System

[0028] Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing the outline of a flight route generation system S according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 Briefly shown is the configuration of a flight route generation system S, which includes a flight route input terminal 100, a flight route generation device 200, an operation terminal 300, and an aircraft 400.

[0029] The flight route input terminal 100 is configured to communicate with the flight route generation device 200 via radio communication. For example, the flight route input terminal 100 is a tablet terminal. The flight route input terminal 100 receives user input for specifying a plurality of work areas (or work regions) to be operated during the flight of the aircraft 400. Work areas are provided for the user to perform activities such as taking aerial photos of a certain range of the ground using the aircraft 400 and spraying pesticides on a farm. In addition, the flight route input terminal 100 receives user input for identifying an inter - area route that allows the aircraft 400 to move between the plurality of work areas.

[0030] The flight route generation device 200 is configured to generate a flight route along which the aircraft 400 flies. The flight route includes an intra - area flight route where the aircraft 400 flies over the work area and an inter - area flight route that extends over the plurality of work areas.

[0031] The operation terminal 300 is configured to communicate with the flight route generation device 200 and the aircraft 400 via radio communication. For example, the operation terminal 300 is a desktop terminal. For example, the aircraft 400 is a drone. The aircraft 400 is designed to fly along a pre-determined flight route. The aircraft 400 is designed to perform a predetermined activity during its flight. For example, the aircraft 400 can spray pesticides in the air above a farm or take pictures of buildings or agricultural products on the ground.

[0032] Hereinafter, reference will be made to Figure 1 the processing flow performed by the flight route generation system S. The flight route input terminal 100 transmits the work area information indicating the work area specified by the user operation and the inter-area information identifying the inter-area route to the flight route generation device 200 (see Figure 1 (1) of

[0033] The flight route generation device 200 is configured to generate an intra-area flight route based on the work area information obtained from the flight route input terminal 100. In addition, the flight route generation device 200 is configured to generate an inter-area flight route based on the inter-area information obtained from the flight route input terminal 100. The flight route generation device 200 is configured to: transmit the flight route information indicating the flight route such as the intra-area flight route and the inter-area flight route to the operation terminal 300 (see Figure 1 (2) of

[0034] The operation terminal 300 is configured to display the flight route indicated by the flight route information received from the flight route generation device 200 on the screen. The operation terminal 300 can input a user operation for editing or defining the flight route. When the user confirms the operation that defines the flight route on the screen, the operation terminal 300 transmits the flight route information indicating the flight route defined by the user or the edited flight route edited by the user to the aircraft 400 (see Figure 1 (3) in

[0035] As described above, the flight route generation device 200 is configured to generate in-region flight routes and inter-region flight routes. The aircraft 400 can fly over each work area along the in-region flight routes, and the aircraft 400 can move over multiple work areas along the inter-region flight routes. According to the flight route generation device 200, in-region flight routes for each work area and inter-region flight routes for multiple work areas can be generated, and the aircraft 400 can fly over multiple work areas along the inter-region flight routes in one flight. At this time, the flight route generation device 200 can generate inter-region flight routes based on inter-region information; thus, when the aircraft 400 moves over multiple work areas, it is possible to prevent the aircraft 400 from entering a no-fly zone or restricted airspace such as a third party's territory.

[0036] 2. Structure of the flight route input terminal 100

[0037] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the structure of the flight route input terminal 100. The flight route input terminal 100 includes a touch panel 11, a communication unit 12, a storage unit 13, and a control unit 14. The touch panel 11 is configured to detect a user touch or user operation applied to a display surface for displaying an image and / or characters. The communication unit 12 is a communication module that allows the flight route input terminal 100 to communicate with the flight route generation device 200 via a network.

[0038] The storage unit 13 is composed of storage media such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory). The storage unit 13 is configured to store programs to be executed by the control unit 14. For example, the control unit 14 is composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The control unit 14 can implement a prescribed function by executing the programs stored on the storage unit 13 to implement an operation reception unit 141 and a communication control unit 142.

[0039] The operation reception unit 141 is configured to receive a user operation via the touch panel 11. That is, the operation reception unit 141 is configured to receive a user operation to specify multiple work areas related to activities to be performed by the aircraft 400 during its flight. Figure 3 Shows an example of a screenshot for receiving a user operation to specify a work area. Figure 3 Shows a map covering the vicinity of a location related to a prescribed activity to be performed by the aircraft 400 during its flight. Figure 3 The screenshot of is used to specify work areas A1 and A2 using the operation reception unit 141. Specifically, the operation reception unit 141 receives a user operation to specify the vertices of a polygon showing the boundaries of work areas A1 and A2 (see the black dot symbols in Figure 3 .

[0040] InFigure 3 In this case, the operation receiving unit 141 receives a user operation to specify a first operation start point S1 where the aircraft 400 starts a first operation and a first operation end point G1 where the first operation ends in a work area A1 specified by the user. In addition, the operation receiving unit 141 receives a user operation to specify a second operation start point S2 where the aircraft 400 starts a second operation and a second operation end point G2 where the second operation ends in a work area A2 specified by the user.

[0041] The operation receiving unit 141 receives a user operation for identifying an inter-region flight route when the aircraft 400 moves between the work area A1 and the work area A2. For example, the operation receiving unit 141 receives a user operation for identifying a passing point (see the star-shaped symbol in Figure 3 ) that the aircraft 400 passes through on the inter-region flight route. The operation receiving unit 141 generates inter-region information representing the user operation for specifying the inter-region flight route.

[0042] In this regard, the inter-region information does not have to be limited to the passing points drawn on the inter-region flight route. For example, the inter-region information can identify a no-fly zone B located between the work areas A1 and A2, where the no-fly zone B prohibits the aircraft 400 from flying over. Optionally, the inter-region information can identify a quasi-fly zone or a quasi-fly area that is located between the work areas A1 and A2 and allows the aircraft 400 to fly over. The operation receiving unit 141 generates the inter-region information and outputs it to the communication control unit 142.

[0043] The operation receiving unit 141 receives a user operation to specify the working conditions of an activity to be performed by the aircraft 400 during the flight of the aircraft 400. For example, when the work of taking aerial photos of the ground is assigned to the aircraft 400, various working conditions can be mentioned, such as the imaging angle of the imaging device, the overlap ratio representing the longitudinal overlap between the imaging angles along the traveling direction of the aircraft 400, and the side lap ratio of the lateral overlap between the imaging angles along the lateral / width direction of the aircraft 400. When the work of spraying pesticides is assigned to the aircraft 400, the type and spraying method of the pesticides can be mentioned as the working conditions.

[0044] The operation receiving unit 141 receives the work area information, the inter-region information, and the working condition information representing the received work area and outputs them to the communication control unit 142.

[0045] The communication control unit 142 is configured to communicate with the flight route generation device 200 via the communication unit 12. The communication control unit 142 is configured to transmit the work area information, the inter-region information, and the working status information to the flight route generation device 200. The communication control unit 142 is configured to transmit the information indicating the operation start point and the operation end point to the flight route generation device 200.

[0046] 3. Structure of the flight route generation device 200

[0047] Figure 4 FIG. is a block diagram showing the structure of the flight route generation device 200. The flight route generation device 200 includes a communication unit 21, a storage unit 22, and a control unit 23. The control unit 23 includes an acquisition unit 231, a generator 232, and a communication control unit 233.

[0048] The communication unit 21 is an interface configured to communicate with the flight route input terminal 100 and the operation terminal 300 via a network. The storage unit 22 is composed of storage media such as ROM and RAM. The storage unit 22 is configured to store programs to be executed by the control unit 23. For example, the control unit 23 is composed of a CPU. The control unit 23 can implement the functions of the acquisition unit 231, the generator 232, and the communication control unit 233 by executing the programs stored on the storage unit 22.

[0049] The acquisition unit 231 is configured to acquire various types of information from the flight route input terminal 100 via the communication unit 21. Specifically, the acquisition unit 231 is configured to acquire the work area information for specifying a plurality of work areas used for the aircraft 400 to perform various activities during its flight. In addition, the acquisition unit 231 is configured to acquire the inter-region information for identifying the inter-region flight route along which the aircraft 400 moves over the plurality of work areas. For example, the acquisition unit 231 can acquire the inter-region information indicating the position of at least one passing point located between the plurality of work areas. Optionally, the acquisition unit 231 can acquire from the flight route input terminal 100 the inter-region information indicating a no-fly zone where the aircraft 400 is prohibited from flying, and the no-fly zone is located between the plurality of work areas. In addition, the acquisition unit 231 can acquire from the flight route input terminal 100 the inter-region information indicating a quasi-fly zone located between the plurality of work areas.

[0050] In addition, the acquisition unit 231 can acquire inter-region information representing a no-fly zone or inter-region information representing a flyable zone from an external device (not shown). The no-fly zone is located between multiple work areas and prohibits the aircraft 400 from flying over, and the flyable zone is located between multiple work areas and allows the aircraft 400 to fly over. In this regard, the external device is configured to store a map database for storing inter-region information representing a no-fly zone or a flyable zone associated with position information representing the position of a flyable zone, etc. The acquisition unit 231 transmits the position information representing the flight start point where the aircraft 400 starts flying in the air to the external device. The external device identifies, in the map database, the inter-region information associated with the position information, and the inter-region information represents a position drawn within a predetermined range starting from the flight start point indicated by the received position information. For example, the predetermined range can be defined as the range of the distance that the aircraft 400 can reach in one flight. The predetermined range can be preset by the user. The acquisition unit 231 can acquire the identified inter-region information from the external device.

[0051] The acquisition unit 231 is configured to acquire working condition information representing the working condition of the activities to be performed by the aircraft 400 during its flight. In addition, the acquisition unit 231 can acquire information representing the operation start point and the operation end point for each work area. For example, the acquisition unit 231 can acquire information representing a first operation start point S1 for starting a first operation and a first operation end point G1 for ending the first operation in the first work area A1 within the multiple work areas A1, A2. In addition, the acquisition unit 231 can acquire information representing a second operation start point S2 for starting a second operation and a second operation end point G2 for ending the second operation in the second work area A2 within the multiple work areas A1, A2. The acquisition unit 231 can output the work area information, the inter-region information, the working condition information, and the information representing the operation start point and the operation end point to the generator 232.

[0052] 4. Generation of Intra-region Routes and Inter-region Routes

[0053] Based on the work area information acquired by the acquisition unit 231, the generator 232 is configured to generate multiple intra-region flight routes along which the aircraft 400 flies over multiple work areas. Based on the inter-region information acquired by the acquisition unit 231, the generator 232 is configured to generate an inter-region flight route along which the aircraft 400 flies over multiple work areas.

[0054] Figure 5 FIG. is a schematic diagram showing an exemplary method of using the generator 232 of the control unit 23 included in the flight route generation device 200 to generate intra-region flight routes and inter-region flight routes. Figure 5It relates to an exemplary operation of an aircraft 400 taking aerial photographs in a work area during flight in the air. A generator 232 is configured to generate a flight route within the area (see the thin arrows drawn in Figure 5 , and control the aircraft 400 to fly within the work areas A1 and A2 specified by the work area information along the flight route within the area. Specifically, the generator 232 generates a flight route within the area from a first operation start point S1 to a first operation end point G1 in the first work area A1 according to the information acquired by the acquisition unit 231.

[0055] At this time, the generator 232 is configured to generate a flight route within the area based on the working condition information acquired by the acquisition unit 231. For example, when the task of taking aerial photographs in the work area A1 on the ground using an imaging device is assigned to the aircraft 400, the generator 232 generates a flight route within the area such that the side lap ratio between each imaging view can be adjusted to a specified value described in the working condition information. Similarly, the generator 232 is configured to generate a flight route within the area (see the bold arrows in Figure 5 ), and the aircraft 400 can fly along this flight route within the area in the work area A2 in the direction from a second operation start point S2 to a second operation end point G2.

[0056] The generator 232 is configured to generate an inter-area flight route, and the aircraft 400 moves along this inter-area flight route in the direction from the work area A1 to the work area A2. The generator 232 generates an inter-area flight route connecting the first operation end point G1 in the work area A1 and the second operation start point S2 in the work area A2. At this time, the generator 232 generates an inter-area flight route passing through a via point (see the star symbol in Figure 5 ) located between the work areas A1 and A2, and this via point is indicated by the inter-area information.

[0057] As shown in Figure 5 , a no-fly zone B is located between the work area A1 and the work area A2. Regarding this, the generator 232 can generate an inter-area flight route bypassing the no-fly zone B by generating an inter-area flight route passing through the via point identified by the user.

[0058] When the acquisition unit 231 acquires inter-area information indicating a no-fly zone B located between the work areas A1 and A2 and prohibiting the aircraft 400 from flying over, the generator 232 can generate an inter-area flight route indicating that the aircraft 400 does not pass through the no-fly zone B. When the acquisition unit 231 acquires inter-area information indicating a flyable zone allowing the aircraft 400 to fly over the work areas A1 and A2, the generator 232 can generate an inter-area flight route indicating that the aircraft 400 passes through the flyable zone indicated by the inter-area information.

[0059] Optionally, the generator 232 may generate an inter-region flight route based on the inter-region information representing both the waypoints and the no-fly zones (or fly-allowed zones). For example, the generator 232 may generate an inter-region flight route indicating that the aircraft 400 passes through the waypoints but does not pass through the no-fly zones. Similarly, the generator 232 may generate an inter-region flight route based on the inter-region information representing both the waypoints and the fly-allowed zones. For example, the generator 232 may generate an inter-region flight route indicating that the aircraft 400 passes through the waypoints and passes through the fly-allowed zones.

[0060] 5. Generation of Return Route

[0061] In addition to generating the inter-region flight route that moves the aircraft 400 from the first working area A1 to the second working area A2, the generator 232 may also generate a return route that enables the aircraft 400 to return from the second working area A2 to the first working area A1 after completing the second operation in the second working area A2. Figure 6 An example of the return route generated by the generator 232 is shown. That is, the generator 232 may generate a return route that enables the aircraft 400 to return from the second operation end point G2 of the second working area A2 to the first operation start point S1 of the first working area A1. According to the return route, the aircraft 400 is controlled to return from the second operation end point G2 to the second operation start point S2 of the second working area A2 via the shortest route.

[0062] According to the return route, the aircraft 400 then moves in a reverse flight route that is opposite to the inter-region flight route along which the aircraft 400 moves from the first working area A1 to the second working area A2. As a result, the aircraft 400 will return from the second operation start point S2 of the second working area A2 to the first operation end point G1 of the first working area A1. According to the return route, the aircraft 400 finally returns from the first operation end point G1 in the first working area A1 to the first operation start point S1 via the shortest route. When the first operation start point S1 is not the flight start position, the generator 232 may generate another return route to enable the aircraft 400 to return from the first operation start point S1 to its flight start position.

[0063] In the above, the generator 232 does not have to be configured to generate a return route for the aircraft 400 to move in a reverse flight route that is opposite to the inter-region flight route from the first operation end point G1 to the second operation start point S2. For example, the generator 232 may generate a return route that is different from the inter-region flight route but passes through the same waypoints included in the inter-region flight route from the first operation end point G1 to the second operation start point S2 (see Figure 6the star symbol in). Optionally, the generator 232 may generate a return route along which the aircraft 400 moves from the second operation start point S2 to the first operation end point G1, but the return route passes through waypoints different from those included in the waypoints of the inter-area flight route in the area from the first operation end point G1 to the second operation start point S2.

[0064] The communication control unit 233 is configured to communicate with the operation terminal 300 via the communication unit 21. The communication control unit 233 is configured to transmit flight route information including the intra-area flight route and the inter-area flight route to the operation terminal 300. In addition, the communication control unit 33 is configured to transmit the operation status information acquired by the acquisition unit 231 to the operation terminal 300. In addition, the communication control unit 233 is configured to transmit information indicating the operation start point and the operation end point for each work area to the operation terminal 300.

[0065] 6. Structure of the operation terminal 300

[0066] Figure 7 The structure of the operation terminal 300 is shown. The operation terminal 300 includes a communication unit 31, a display unit 32, a touch panel 33, a storage unit 34, and a control unit 35. The control unit 35 includes a communication control unit 351, a display control unit 352, an operation reception unit 353, and a flight management unit 354.

[0067] The communication unit 31 is an interface configured to communicate with the flight route generation device 200 and the aircraft 400 via a network. In an exemplary embodiment, for example, the communication unit 31 is configured to communicate with the aircraft 400 via a repeater device (or relay station). The display unit 32 is configured to display images and characters on the screen. The touch panel 33 is configured to detect user operations applied to the screen of the display unit 32.

[0068] The storage unit 34 is composed of a storage medium including a ROM, a RAM, etc. The storage unit 34 is configured to store programs to be executed by the control unit 35. For example, the control unit 35 is composed of a CPU. The control unit 35 can implement the functions of the communication control unit 351, the display control unit 352, the operation reception unit 353, and the flight management unit 354 by executing the programs stored on the storage unit 34.

[0069] The communication control unit 352 is configured to communicate with the flight route generation device 200 via the communication unit 31. The communication control unit 351 is configured to receive the working condition information and the flight route information generated by the flight route generation device 200. The communication control unit 351 is configured to receive the information indicating the operation start point and the operation end point for each work area. The flight control unit 351 can receive the flight route information output to the display control unit 352, the operation receiving unit 353, and the flight management unit 354. In addition, the communication control unit 351 can receive the operation condition information and output it to the flight management unit 354.

[0070] The display control unit 352 is configured to display various information on the screen of the display unit 32. For example, the display control unit 352 can display the flight route represented by the flight route information received by the communication control unit 351 on the screen of the display unit 32. The display control unit 352 can display buttons (such as the OK button) that can be operated by the user to define the flight route and another button that allows the user to edit the flight route.

[0071] The operation receiving unit 353 is configured to receive user operations via the touch panel 33. The operation receiving unit 353 can receive user operations for defining the flight route indicated by the flight route information or user operations for editing the flight route. In addition, the operation receiving unit 353 can receive user operations indicating the completion of editing the flight route.

[0072] The operation receiving unit 353 can receive user operations indicating the flight start time of the aircraft 400. Then, the operation receiving unit 353 can output the time information indicating the flight start time and the flight route information indicating the defined flight route (or the flight route edited when edited by the user operation) to the flight management unit 354.

[0073] The flight management unit 354 is configured to communicate with the aircraft 400 via the communication unit 31. The flight management unit 354 is configured to transmit the flight route information to the aircraft 400. The flight management unit 354 is configured to transmit the working condition information received by the communication control unit 351 to the aircraft 400. In addition, the flight management unit 354 is configured to transmit the time information to the aircraft 400. In addition, the flight management unit 354 is configured to transmit the information indicating the operation start point and the operation end point for each work area to the aircraft 400.

[0074] 7. Structure of the aircraft 400

[0075] Figure 8A block diagram showing the configuration of the aircraft 400. The aircraft 400 includes a communication unit 41, a flight mechanism 42, an imaging device 43, a storage unit 44, and a control unit 45. The control unit 45 includes a communication control unit 451, a flight control unit 452, and an operation processing unit 453.

[0076] The communication unit 41 is a communication module configured to perform wireless communication with the operation terminal 300 via a repeater device. For example, the flight mechanism 42 includes motors configured to rotate a plurality of rotors. The imaging device 43 is configured to take pictures of the image below the aircraft 400 during flight.

[0077] The storage unit 44 is composed of storage media including ROM, RAM, etc. The storage unit 44 is configured to store programs to be executed by the control unit 45. For example, the control unit 45 is composed of a CPU. The control unit 45 can implement the functions of the communication control unit 451, the flight control unit 452, and the operation processing unit 453 by executing the programs stored in the storage unit 44.

[0078] The communication control unit 451 is configured to communicate with the operation terminal 300 via the communication unit 41. The communication control unit 451 is configured to receive flight route information and working condition information. The communication control unit 451 is configured to receive time information indicating the flight start time. The communication control unit 451 is configured to receive information indicating the operation start point and the operation end point for each work area. The communication control unit 451 can receive the flight route information and the time information and output them to the flight control unit 42. In addition, the communication control unit 451 can receive the flight route information and the working condition information and output the flight route information and the working condition information to the operation processing unit 453. In addition, the communication control unit 451 can transmit information indicating the flight condition (such as the battery level of the aircraft 400) to the operation terminal 300, and the operation terminal 300 then displays the battery level on the screen of the display unit 32.

[0079] The flight control unit 452 is configured to control the aircraft 400 to fly in the air by generating control signals for driving the flight mechanism 42. The flight control unit 452 controls the aircraft 400 to start flying at the flight start time indicated by the time information. The flight control unit 452 controls the aircraft 400 to fly along flight routes such as in-region flight routes, inter-region flight routes, and return routes included in the flight route information received by the communication control unit 451. Specifically, the flight control unit 452 can control the aircraft 400 to fly along in-region flight routes in each work area. In addition, the flight control unit 452 can control the aircraft 400 to fly along inter-region flight routes over multiple work areas. In addition, the flight control unit 452 can control the aircraft 400 to fly along the return route from the operation end point of the work area (where the operation processing unit 453 has performed the final operation) to the flight start position.

[0080] The operation processing unit 453 is configured to perform a predetermined operation during the flight of the aircraft 400 under the control of the flight control unit 452. For example, the operation processing unit 453 can control the imaging device 43 to take a photo of the image below the aircraft 400 during the flight of the aircraft 400. The operation processing unit 453 is configured to identify the current position of the aircraft 400 using a GPS (Global Positioning System) sensor (not shown), wherein the operation processing unit 543 starts the specified operation when the aircraft 400 reaches the operation start point and then completes the specified operation when the aircraft 400 reaches the operation end point. For example, the operation processing unit 453 can also control the imaging device 43 to take a photo of the image below the aircraft 400 in an imaging cycle in which the overlap rate of each imaging view becomes equal to a specified value indicated by the working condition information.

[0081] 8. Program for generating flight routes

[0082] Figure 9 To show a sequence diagram of the program for generating a flight route by the flight route generation system S (see a series of steps S11 to S15). For example, this program starts when power is applied to the flight route input terminal 100. The operation receiving unit 141 of the flight route input terminal 100 can receive a user operation for specifying multiple work areas through which the aircraft 400 is to perform a specified operation during its flight. In addition, the operation receiving unit 141 can receive a user operation for specifying the working condition of the specified operation to be performed by the aircraft 400 during the flight of the aircraft 400. In addition, the operation receiving unit 141 can receive a user operation for determining the inter-region flight route for the aircraft 400 to move over multiple work areas.

[0083] The communication control unit 142 of the flight route input terminal 100 transmits the work area information representing the work area, the inter-region information representing the user operation for identifying the inter-region route, and the work condition information representing the work condition to be achieved by the aircraft 400 during its flight to the flight route generation device 200. The generator 232 of the flight route generation device 200 can generate flight routes, such as intra-region flight routes and inter-region flight routes (S11).

[0084] The communication control unit 233 of the flight route generation device 200 transmits the flight route information representing the flight route generated by the generator 232 to the operation terminal 300. In addition, the communication control unit 233 transmits the work condition information acquired by the acquisition unit 231 to the operation terminal 300.

[0085] The operation receiving unit 353 of the operation terminal 300 receives the user operation for defining or editing the flight route included in the flight route information. In addition, the operation receiving unit 353 receives the user operation for specifying the flight start time of the aircraft 400. The flight management unit 354 determines whether the operation receiving unit 353 has received the user operation for defining the flight route (S12). When it is determined that the operation receiving unit 353 has received the user operation for defining the flight route (i.e., Yes in S12), the flight management unit 354 transmits the flight route information representing the defined flight route, the work condition information representing the work condition, and the time information representing the flight start time of the aircraft 400 to the repeater device. The repeater device relays and transmits the flight route information, the work condition information, and the time information to the aircraft 400.

[0086] The flight control unit 452 of the aircraft 400 controls the aircraft 400 to start flying at the flight start time indicated by the time information received by the communication control unit 451 (S13). In this regard, considering safety standards, the flight control unit 452 does not have to start the flight of the aircraft 400 immediately after the flight start time. For example, the flight control unit 452 can be set to a standby state ready to start flying at the flight start time. Subsequently, in a situation where the communication control unit 451 receives a flight start command indicating that the aircraft 400 starts flying in the air from the operation terminal 300 in the standby state, the flight control unit 452 can start flying. When the aircraft 400 reaches the operation start point in the work area according to the work condition information, the operation processing unit 453 starts to perform the specified operation indicated by the work condition information by using the aircraft 400 (S14). When the aircraft 400 reaches the operation end point in the work area, the operation processing unit 453 completes the specified operation (S15). Thus, the flight route generation system S exits the above processing. When it is determined in step S12 that the operation receiving unit 353 has not received a user operation defining the flight route (i.e., NO in S12), the flight management unit 354 can repeat step S12.

[0087] 9. Variation

[0088] The exemplary embodiment relates to a situation in which the acquisition unit 231 of the flight route generation device 200 is configured to acquire inter-region information indicating waypoints that should be passed when the aircraft 400 moves over multiple work areas; however, the present invention is not necessarily limited to this situation. The acquisition unit 232 can acquire inter-region information indicating the order of operations to be performed by the aircraft 400 over multiple work areas. For example, the operation receiving unit 141 of the flight route input terminal 100 can generate inter-region information when receiving a user operation for specifying the order of operations to be performed by the aircraft 400.

[0089] The generator 232 of the flight route generation device 200 can generate multiple inter-region routes for the aircraft 400 to move over multiple work areas to achieve the order of operations indicated by the inter-region information acquired by the acquisition unit 231. Figure 10 Schematic diagram showing an exemplary method of how the generator 232 of the flight route generation device 200 generates an inter-region route according to a variation of the exemplary embodiment. Figure 10 A map showing the neighborhood including multiple work areas A1 to A4, and the order in which the aircraft 400 should achieve operations over these multiple work areas A1 to A4. Figure 10 Shows multiple work areas A1 to A4 and a no-fly zone B where the aircraft 400 is prohibited from flying.

[0090] Figure 10Shows the operation start point S1 and operation end point G1 of the work area A1, the operation start point S2 and operation end point G2 of the work area A2, the operation start point S3 and operation end point G3 of the work area A3, and the operation start point S4 and operation end point G4 of the work area A4. In Figure 10 it, the thin solid arrows show the in-area flight routes in the work areas A1 to A4, and the thick arrows show the inter-area flight routes over the work areas A1 to A4.

[0091] Figure 10 Shows an exemplary situation in which the acquisition unit 231 of the flight route generation device 200 has acquired inter-area information indicating that the aircraft 400 performs a series of operations in the order of the work areas A1, A2, A3, and A4. At this time, the generator 232 of the flight route generation device 200 generates an inter-area flight route from the work area A1 to the work area A2, an inter-area flight route from the work area A2 to the work area A3, and an inter-area flight route from the work area A3 to the work area A4 as shown by the thick arrows in Figure 10 it.

[0092] If the generator 232 generates an inter-area flight route directly from the work area A1 to the work area A4 (see the thick dashed arrow in Figure 10 it), the flight route generation device 200 encounters the problem that the generator 232 may have generated an unacceptable inter-area flight route passing through the no-fly zone B. In this variant, the flight route generation device 200 is designed to generate a series of inter-area flight routes that cause the aircraft 400 to fly over the multiple work areas A1 to A4 in the order specified by the user, where the generator 232 is configured to generate a series of inter-area flight routes that bypass the no-fly zone B.

[0093] For example, a program implementing the flight route generation method of the exemplary embodiment will be provided as a WEB application to be executed by the flight route generation device 200. The flight route generated by this application is displayed on the screen of the operation terminal 300 through a WEB browser. In this regard, the program implementing the flight route generation method of the exemplary embodiment can be provided as an application to be executed by the flight route input terminal 100 or the operation terminal 300.

[0094] As described above, the foregoing embodiments are designed to provide the flight route input terminal 100 and the operation terminal 300 as separate devices; however, this is not a limitation in the present invention. That is, a single device integrating the flight route input terminal 100 and the operation terminal 300 may be provided. Optionally, a single device integrating at least two or more of the flight route input terminal 100, the flight route generation device 200, and the operation terminal 300 may be provided. In addition, the present embodiment is not necessarily limited to the foregoing embodiment in which the flight route generation device 200 and the repeater device are provided as separate devices. For example, a single device integrating the flight route generation device 200 and the repeater device may be provided.

[0095] 10. Beneficial effects of the flight route generation device 200

[0096] In the flight route generation device 200, the generator 232 is configured to generate an in-region flight route for the aircraft 400 to fly in multiple work areas and an inter-region flight route for the aircraft 100 to fly over multiple work areas. That is, the generator 232 is capable of generating multiple in-region flight routes and multiple inter-region flight routes for the aircraft 400 to fly over multiple work areas in a single flight. At this time, the generator 232 is configured to generate the inter-region flight route based on the inter-region information acquired by the acquisition unit 231, and thus it is possible to prevent the aircraft 400 from inadvertently entering a no-fly zone such as a third-party territory when the aircraft 400 flies over multiple work areas. In this regard, the present invention can contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) initiated by the United Nations (UN), particularly Goal 9: "Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure".

[0097] In the foregoing, the present invention has been described through the foregoing embodiments (e.g., exemplary embodiments and their variations), wherein the technical scope of the present invention is not necessarily limited to the foregoing embodiments; therefore, it is feasible to create and introduce any other variations and modifications within the subject matter of the present invention. For example, a part or all of the foregoing devices may be physically or functionally dispersed or integrated in any unit of the components. In addition, the present invention may include any new examples generated by arbitrarily combining the foregoing embodiments. It can be said that the new examples generated by the combination of the foregoing embodiments will provide the same beneficial effects as the exemplary embodiments.

[0098] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated above, it should be understood that they are examples of the present invention and should not be considered as limitations of the present invention. Additions, deletions, substitutions, and other modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not considered to be limited by the foregoing description and is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A flight route generation device, comprising: An acquisition unit configured to acquire work area information and inter-region information, where the work area information is used to specify a plurality of work areas expected to be used for a plurality of operations to be performed by an aircraft during the flight of the aircraft, the inter-region information is used to determine a plurality of inter-region flight routes, the aircraft is allowed to fly over the plurality of work areas along the plurality of inter-region flight routes, and represents at least one via point passed through when the aircraft flies over the plurality of work areas; And A generator configured to generate a plurality of intra-region flight routes for the aircraft to fly through the plurality of work areas based on the work area information, and generate the plurality of inter-region flight routes based on the inter-region information, the plurality of inter-region flight routes including an inter-region flight route for the aircraft to move from a first work area through the via point to a second work area, and generate a return route for the aircraft to return from the second work area to the first work area, wherein the acquisition unit acquires second information, the second information represents a second operation start point for starting a second operation and a second operation end point for completing the second operation in the second work area, the second operation end point indicates a position different from the second operation start point, and the generator generates the return route, the return route includes a route moving on the reverse route of the inter-region flight route passing through the via point; and the shortest route from the second operation end point to the second operation start point in the second work area.

2. The flight route generation device according to claim 1, wherein, The acquisition unit is configured to acquire inter-region information representing the order of operations to be performed by the aircraft when flying through the plurality of work areas, wherein the generator is configured to generate a plurality of inter-region flight routes for the aircraft to move over the plurality of work areas according to the order of the operations.

3. The flight route generation device according to claim 1, wherein, The acquisition unit is configured to acquire inter-region information representing the at least one via point identified by the user.

4. The flight route generation device according to claim 1, wherein, The acquisition unit is configured to acquire inter-region information representing a quasi-fly zone located between the plurality of work areas, and wherein the generator is configured to generate an inter-region flight route passing through the quasi-fly zone based on the inter-region information.

5. The flight route generation device according to claim 1, wherein, The acquisition unit is configured to acquire inter-region information representing a no-fly zone for prohibiting the aircraft from flying through, the no-fly zone is located between the plurality of work areas, and wherein the generator is configured to generate an inter-region flight route that does not pass through the no-fly zone.

6. The flight route generation device according to claim 1, wherein, When the aircraft moves between the first work area and the second work area among the multiple work areas, the acquisition unit is configured to acquire first information and second information identified by a user, the first information indicating a first operation start point for starting a first operation and a first operation end point for completing the first operation in the first work area, the first operation end point indicating a position different from the first operation start point, and wherein the generator is configured to generate an inter-area flight route from the first operation end point in the first work area to a second operation start point in the second work area, the second work area being different from the first work area.

7. The flight route generation device according to claim 1, wherein, The acquisition unit is configured to acquire working condition information indicating a working condition of the aircraft performing an operation for each of the multiple work areas, and wherein the generator is configured to generate an intra-area flight route for each work area based on the working condition information.

8. A flight route generation method, comprising: acquiring work area information and inter-area information, the work area information being used to specify multiple work areas expected to be used for multiple operations to be performed by an aircraft during flight of the aircraft, the inter-area information being used to determine multiple inter-area flight routes along which the aircraft is allowed to fly over the multiple work areas and representing at least one via point passed through when the aircraft flies over the multiple work areas; generating multiple intra-area flight routes for the aircraft to fly through the multiple work areas based on the work area information; generating the multiple inter-area flight routes based on the inter-area information, the multiple inter-area flight routes including an inter-area flight route for the aircraft to move from a first work area through the via point to a second work area; and generating a return route for the aircraft to return from the second work area to the first work area, wherein the acquisition includes acquiring second information, the second information indicating a second operation start point for starting a second operation and a second operation end point for completing the second operation in the second work area, the second operation end point indicating a position different from the second operation start point, and generating the return route includes generating a return route that includes a route moving on a reverse route of the inter-area flight route passing through the via point; and the shortest route from the second operation end point to the second operation start point in the second work area.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a stored program to cause a computer to implement a flight route generation method, the flight route generation method comprising: Obtain workspace information and inter-region information, where the workspace information is used to specify multiple workspaces expected to be used for multiple operations to be performed by the aircraft during the flight of the aircraft, the inter-region information is used to determine multiple inter-region flight routes, the aircraft is allowed to fly over the multiple workspaces along the multiple inter-region flight routes, and represents at least one waypoint passed through when the aircraft flies over the multiple workspaces; Generate multiple intra-region flight routes for the aircraft to fly through the multiple workspaces based on the workspace information; Generate the multiple inter-region flight routes based on the inter-region information, the multiple inter-region flight routes including an inter-region flight route for the aircraft to move from a first workspace through the waypoint to a second workspace; and Generate a return route for the aircraft to return from the second workspace to the first workspace, where the obtaining includes obtaining second information, the second information representing a second operation start point for starting a second operation and a second operation end point for completing the second operation in the second workspace, the second operation end point indicating a position different from the second operation start point, and generating the return route includes generating a return route that includes a route moving on the reverse route of the inter-region flight route passing through the waypoint; and the shortest route from the second operation end point to the second operation start point in the second workspace.

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