UAV flight path setting method and device

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a method for generating a flight path reflecting the airspace of a drone in a flight path setting device includes: receiving flight data collected by the drone from the drone; comparing the received flight data with the pre-planned flight path of the drone, and calculating a path error score, wherein the path error score represents the degree to which the drone deviates from the pre-planned flight path; adjusting the set airspace of the drone based on the path error score; and generating a new flight path for the drone based on the adjusted airspace of the drone.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2019-0168918 filed on December 17, 2019 and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0176804 filed on December 16, 2020, the entire contents of the specifications and drawings of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] The present invention relates to a technology for setting a flight path for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), and more particularly, to a method and device for setting a flight path for an UAV, which allocates the airspace of the UAV based on the flight error of the UAV analyzed through flight data. Background Art

[0003] Currently, the development of multi-purpose drones is underway. For example, drones for video shooting, agriculture, delivery, and air quality measurement have been developed, and some of these drones are already being used in real-world applications.

[0004] Furthermore, technologies are emerging that utilize mobile communication networks to remotely adjust and control drones. Additionally, drones are currently adjusted using short-range wireless communications such as Bluetooth. However, in order to remotely adjust and control drones at greater distances, technologies are emerging that utilize mobile communication networks to control drones. The following patent documents disclose drone control systems and methods utilizing LTE networks.

[0005] Furthermore, with the increasing use of drones for delivery and other purposes, technologies are emerging to prevent drone collisions. To prevent collisions, drone flight plans are managed on a central server and adjusted to prevent drones from flying the same route at the same time.

[0006] However, the central server only considers the drone's flight path and flight time to determine whether a drone collision has occurred, without considering the drone's flight characteristics. Furthermore, existing drone control technologies do not consider the airspace that drones maintain during flight.

[0007] Therefore, there is a need for a technology that can more effectively control the flight path of a drone by considering the flight characteristics and airspace of the drone.

[0008] Prior art documents

[0009] Patent document: Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2018-0061514. Summary of the Invention

[0010] Technical issues

[0011] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method and device for setting a drone flight path, analyze the drone's flight errors, and selectively expand or reduce the drone's airspace based on the analysis results, thereby more effectively managing the route.

[0012] Other purposes and advantages of the present invention will be understood through the following description and become more apparent through the embodiments of the present invention. In addition, it is easy to know that the purposes and advantages of the present invention can be achieved by the means presented in the claims and their combinations.

[0013] Technical Solutions

[0014] In one embodiment, a method for setting a flight path reflecting the airspace of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on a flight path setting device includes: receiving flight data collected by the UAV from the UAV; comparing the received flight data with a pre-planned flight path of the UAV to calculate a path error score, wherein the path error score represents a degree of deviation from the pre-planned flight path; adjusting the set airspace of the UAV based on the path error score; and generating a new flight path for the UAV based on the adjusted airspace and destination of the UAV.

[0015] In the step of adjusting the airspace, when the path error score is less than or equal to a first score, the set airspace of the drone can be reduced; when the path error score is greater than the first score and less than or equal to a second score, the set airspace of the drone can be maintained; when the path error score is greater than the second score, the set airspace of the drone can be expanded.

[0016] In the step of calculating the path error score, the received flight data can be compared with the pre-planned flight path, and the path error score can be calculated using one or more of the total number of deviations, the total time of deviations, or the total distance of deviations of the UAV from the pre-planned flight path.

[0017] In the step of calculating the path error score, the received flight data and the pre-planned flight path can be compared, and the path error score can be calculated using the area and time of deviation of the UAV from the pre-planned flight path.

[0018] The deviated area may be an area of ​​a two-dimensional reference, or may be the sum of the deviated area on the latitude / longitude plane, the deviated area on the longitude / altitude plane, and the deviated area on the latitude / altitude plane.

[0019] The pre-planned flight path includes the set airspace. In the step of calculating the path error score, the set airspace of the UAV and the received flight data can be compared to calculate the path error score.

[0020] The calculation step and the adjustment step may be performed repeatedly each time the UAV flies, or may be performed repeatedly at a certain time period using the flight data of the UAV.

[0021] The method may further include: confirming a wind speed generated on the flight path; and applying a meteorological weighting value inversely proportional to the strength of the confirmed wind speed to the path error score to compensate the path error score.

[0022] The method may further include compensating the path error score based on a GPS error rate.

[0023] Generating a new flight path for the drone may include: receiving the departure point, destination, and flight time of the drone, confirming the flight paths of other drones planned to fly during the flight time; and generating a flight path from the departure point to the destination so that the adjusted airspace of the drone does not pass through the airspace of the other drones.

[0024] The method may further include differentially charging the drone for service usage based on the size of the airspace allocated to the drone.

[0025] According to one embodiment, a flight path setting device sets a flight path that reflects the airspace of a drone, and the device includes: a data collection unit for receiving flight data collected by the drone from the drone; an error analysis unit for comparing the received flight data with the pre-planned flight path of the drone and calculating a path error score, wherein the path error score represents the degree to which the drone deviates from the pre-planned flight path; an airspace setting unit for adjusting the set airspace of the drone based on the path error score; and a flight path generation unit for generating a new flight path for the drone based on the adjusted airspace of the drone and the destination of the drone.

[0026] The airspace setting unit can reduce the airspace of the drone when the path error score is less than or equal to a first score; maintain the airspace of the drone when the path error score is greater than the first score and less than or equal to a second score; and expand the airspace of the drone when the path error score is greater than the second score.

[0027] The error analysis unit can compare the received flight data with the pre-planned flight path, and calculate the path error score using one or more of the total number of times the drone deviates from the pre-planned flight path, the total time of deviation, or the total distance of deviation.

[0028] The error analysis unit may compare the received flight data with the pre-planned flight path, and calculate the path error score using the area and time of deviation of the UAV from the pre-planned flight path.

[0029] The deviated area is a two-dimensional reference area, which may be the sum of the deviated area on the latitude / longitude plane, the deviated area on the longitude / altitude plane, and the deviated area on the latitude / altitude plane.

[0030] The pre-planned flight path includes the set airspace, and the error analysis unit can compare the set airspace of the UAV with the received flight data to calculate the path error score.

[0031] The error analysis unit and the airspace setting unit may calculate a path error score each time the drone flies or at a certain time period to adjust the airspace of the drone.

[0032] The error analysis unit confirms the wind speed generated in the flight path and applies a meteorological weighting value inversely proportional to the strength of the confirmed wind speed to the path error score to compensate the path error score.

[0033] The error analysis section compensates the path error score based on a GPS error rate.

[0034] The flight path generation unit receives the departure point, destination and flight time of the drone, confirms the flight paths of other drones planned to fly during the flight time, and generates a flight path from the departure point to the destination so that the adjusted airspace of the drone does not pass through the airspace of the other drones.

[0035] The apparatus may further include a service charging unit configured to charge differential service usage fees for the drone according to the size of the airspace allocated to the drone.

[0036] Effects of the Invention

[0037] The advantage of the present invention is that by collecting and analyzing the flight data of the drone, the flight errors of the drone, such as the number of deviations from the flight path, the deviation time, the deviation distance and the deviation area of ​​the drone, can be analyzed. Based on the analysis results, the airspace of the drone can be selectively expanded or reduced, thereby managing the route more effectively.

[0038] Furthermore, the present invention has the advantage of compensating for the flight error of the UAV by reflecting the meteorological conditions and GPS errors, thereby more accurately analyzing the flight error of the UAV.

[0039] Furthermore, the present invention also has the following effect, namely, by considering the flight characteristics of the drone, a wider airspace is set for drones that cannot accurately fly along the specified path, and a narrower airspace is set for drones that fly along a more accurate path, thereby actively allocating airspace according to the flight characteristics of the drone.

[0040] Furthermore, the present invention allocates a relatively small airspace to UAVs with good performance, allocates a relatively larger airspace to UAVs with poor performance, and charges differential service usage fees, thereby increasing the income of airspace management staff and allowing more UAVs with excellent performance to fly in a limited space. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] The following drawings in the specification are used to illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention, and together with the specific contents for implementing the present invention, enable the technical concept of the present invention to be understood, but it should not be understood that the present invention is limited to the matters recorded in such drawings.

[0042] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a system environment to which a flight path setting device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

[0043] Figure 2 1 is a diagram showing the structure of a flight path setting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating flight path information according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Figures 4a to 4d 2 is a diagram illustrating a method for calculating an area where a drone deviates from an airspace according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] Figure 5 FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an actual flight position of a drone according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] Figure 6 It is a diagram showing airspaces of different sizes.

[0048] Figure 7The present invention is a flowchart illustrating a method for analyzing flight data received from a UAV to calculate a path error score of the UAV in a flight path setting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] Figure 8 The present invention is a flowchart illustrating a method for analyzing flight data received from a UAV to calculate a path error score of the UAV in a flight path setting device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] Figure 9 The flowchart shows a method for generating a flight path by reflecting an airspace in a flight path setting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] Figure 10 is a diagram showing the structure of a flight path device according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] The above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages will become more apparent through the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to readily implement the technical concepts of the present invention. Furthermore, when describing the present invention, any detailed description of known techniques related to the present invention will be omitted if it is deemed that such a detailed description would unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention. Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0053] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a system environment in which a flight path setting device is applied according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 As shown, the flight path setting device 200 according to one embodiment of the present invention communicates with the drone 100 via a network 300. The network 300 includes a mobile communication network, a wired communication network, a local area network, etc., which are well-known conventional technologies for the present invention, and thus a detailed description thereof is omitted.

[0054] The drone 100, as an unmanned aerial vehicle, is equipped with a mobile communication module and a GPS receiver capable of communicating with the network 300. Furthermore, the drone 100 can automatically fly to the destination along a moving path. The drone 100 receives a flight path including GPS coordinates of latitude / longitude in sequence and altitude from the departure point to the destination from the flight path setting device 200, and automatically flies by comparing the flight path with the current position. Preferably, the flight path can also include time. In this case, the flight path data can be composed of (x, y, z, t). Among them, (x, y) is latitude / longitude, z is altitude, and t is time.

[0055] Furthermore, the drone 100 can receive control instructions from a drone operating device (not shown) and execute actions based on the control instructions. Furthermore, after the drone 100 begins flight, it uses a GPS receiver to continuously measure its current position (i.e., GPS coordinates of latitude / longitude, altitude) at regular intervals, and then sends the flight data of the measured position recorded in time to the flight path setting device 200 until the flight ends. Altitude can be measured by a GPS receiver or by a dedicated altitude measurement sensor. Furthermore, the drone 100 confirms its current position and the position on the flight path. If it is determined that it has deviated from the flight path, it re-enters the flight path and flies along the planned path.

[0056] The flight path setting device 200 analyzes flight data received from drones 100 to determine the flight errors of drones 100. It then sets the airspace of each drone 100 based on the errors. This airspace represents the spatial region in the sky where drones 100 can move without being intruded upon by other drones 100. Based on this drone-specific airspace, the flight path setting device 200 can set the flight path of each drone so that the drones' airspaces do not overlap.

[0057] Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the structure of a flight path setting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 As shown, the flight path setting device 200 includes a data collection unit 210, an error analysis unit 220, an airspace setting unit 230, a flight path generation unit 240, and a database 250. These components can be implemented by combining hardware and software. Furthermore, the flight path setting device 200 can include one or more processors and memory, with the data collection unit 210, error analysis unit 220, airspace setting unit 230, and flight path generation unit 240 stored in the memory in the form of programs executed by the processors. The flight path setting device 200 can be installed in a cloud computing system, in which case the data collection unit 210, error analysis unit 220, airspace setting unit 230, and flight path generation unit 240 are implemented in the cloud computing system in the form of virtual machines.

[0058] The database 250 is a storage device such as a memory or a disk device, which is used to store the flight data of the drone 100. In addition, the database 250 can store the airspace set for the drone. In addition, the database 250 can store coordinate information for prohibited flight areas. The prohibited flight areas may include areas where high-rise buildings are located, military areas, confidential areas, hazardous material storage areas, etc. In addition, the database 250 stores flight path information for the drone 100. The flight path information records the GPS coordinates of the latitude / longitude of the plan representing the moving path from the departure point to the destination, the altitude, and the flight time. For example, the flight path information, as a collection of points in the sky space, can represent each point with (latitude, longitude, altitude, time).

[0059] Figure 3 is a diagram showing flight path information according to an embodiment of the present invention, with reference to Figure 3 , the drone 100 is assigned flight path information with the first point as the starting point and the nth point as the destination. Each point is represented by (latitude, longitude, altitude, time). For example, the first point is represented by (X0, Y0, Z0, T0), the second point is represented by (X1, Y1, Z1, T1), the third point is represented by (X2, Y2, Z2, T2), and the fourth point is represented by (X n-1 , Y n-1 , Z n-1 , T n-1 The drone 100 flies at the (X, Y, Z) coordinates corresponding to the (latitude, longitude, altitude) at each point in time T.

[0060] The data collection unit 210 receives flight data from the drone 100 and stores the data in the database 250. The flight data includes time, latitude / longitude GPS coordinates, and altitude indicating the actual flight path of the drone 100.

[0061] The error analysis unit 220 compares the flight path provided to the drone 100 with the flight data received from the drone 100, analyzes the difference between the planned flight path and the actual flight path, and calculates a score for the path error that indicates the extent to which the drone 100 deviates from the flight path.

[0062] In one embodiment, the error analysis unit 220 compares the planned GPS coordinates and altitude included in the flight path provided to the drone 100 with the GPS coordinates and altitude of the actual movement included in the flight data to determine the total number of times the drone 100 deviated from the planned flight path, the total distance the drone deviated from the planned flight path, and the total time the drone 100 deviated from the planned flight path. The time the drone 100 deviated from the planned flight path can be calculated by the interval between the times the drone 100 deviated from the planned flight path. The error analysis unit 220 calculates a flight path error score by combining the total number of times the drone 100 deviated from the planned flight path, the total distance the drone deviated from the planned flight path, and the total time the drone 100 deviated from the planned flight path. The total number of deviations, the total distance of the deviations, and the total time of the deviations can each be weighted using a predefined value. The error analysis unit 220 calculates a flight path error score (hereinafter referred to as the "path error score") by summing the weighted total number of deviations, the total distance of the deviations, and the total time of the deviations. Preferably, the error analysis unit 220 can calculate the total number of deviations, the total distance of deviations, and the total time of deviations of the drone 100 in the airspace based on the flight path of the drone 100 generated by the flight path generation unit 240 and the airspace of the drone 100 set by the airspace setting unit 230.

[0063] In another embodiment, the error analysis unit 220 compares the planned GPS coordinates and altitude included in the flight path provided to the drone 100 with the GPS coordinates and altitude of the actual movement included in the flight data, respectively, to determine the time and area of ​​the deviation from the planned flight path. The deviation time and area are used to calculate a score for the flight path error. The error analysis unit 220 calculates the area of ​​a two-dimensional reference as the deviation area. The two-dimensional reference area can be defined as the sum of the deviation area A on the latitude / longitude xy plane, the deviation area B on the latitude / altitude xz plane, and the deviation area C on the longitude / altitude yz plane, calculated using latitude, longitude, and altitude. Preferably, the error analysis unit 220 calculates the area and time of the deviation from the airspace of the drone 100 based on the flight path generated by the flight path generation unit 240 and the airspace of the drone 100 set by the airspace setting unit 230.

[0064] Figures 4a to 4d 2 is a diagram illustrating a method for calculating an area where a drone deviates from an airspace according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0065] Figure 4aIt is a diagram showing the sky space, with latitude represented by the x-axis, longitude represented by the y-axis, and altitude represented by the z-axis. Figure 4a Reference numeral 410 in the figure represents the planned flight path of drone 100, and reference numeral 420 represents the actual flight path of drone 100. In this case, planned flight path 410 represents the airspace of drone 100 and can be a three-dimensional cylinder or a four-dimensional quadrangular prism. However, in this embodiment, it is represented using line segments for ease of explanation. The deviation area can be defined as the sum of the deviation area A on the latitude / longitude xy plane, the deviation area B on the latitude / altitude xz plane, and the deviation area C on the longitude / altitude yz plane.

[0066] Figure 4b The planned flight path 410a and the actual flight path 420a of the drone 100 on the xy plane of latitude / longitude are shown. Figure 4a The planned flight path 410 and actual flight path 420 of drone 100 are projected onto the xy plane. When drone 100 deviates from planned flight path 410a at time t1 and reenters planned flight path 410a at time t2, the area between planned flight path 410a and actual flight path 420a on the xy plane during the deviation time t2-t1 is the deviation area A. Preferably, deviation area A can be calculated as the sum of small rectangles 430a, each measuring one second, within the deviation period. However, this is merely an example, and the unit time can be adjusted.

[0067] Figure 4c The planned flight path 410b and the actual flight path 420b of the drone 100 on the xz plane of latitude / altitude are shown. Figure 4a The planned flight path 410 and actual flight path 420 of drone 100 are projected onto the xz plane. When drone 100 deviates from planned flight path 410b at time t1 and reenters planned flight path 410b at time t2, the area between planned flight path 410b and actual flight path 420b on the xz plane during the deviation time t2-t1 is the deviation area B. Preferably, deviation area B can be calculated as the sum of small rectangles 430b, each measuring one second, within the deviation period. However, this is merely an example, and the unit time can be adjusted.

[0068] Figure 4d The planned flight path 410c and the actual flight path 420c of the drone 100 on the xz plane of latitude / altitude are shown. Figure 4aThe planned flight path 410 and actual flight path 420 of drone 100 are projected onto the yz plane. When drone 100 deviates from planned flight path 410b at time t1 and reenters planned flight path 410b at time t2, the area between planned flight path 410c and actual flight path 420c on the yz plane during the deviation time t2-t1 is the deviation area C. Preferably, deviation area C can be calculated as the sum of small rectangles 430c, each measuring one second, within the deviation period. However, this is merely an example, and the unit time can be adjusted.

[0069] As a reference Figures 4a to 4d To illustrate the method, the error analysis unit 220 calculates the deviation time T (= t2 - t1) and the deviation area (A+B+C), and then calculates the flight path error score S using the following formula 1.

[0070] (Formula 1)

[0071] S = α × T + β × (A + B + C)

[0072] α and β are weighted values, and their values ​​are greater than 0. A weight greater than 1 is applied to relatively important factors, while a weight less than 1 is applied to relatively unimportant factors. For example, α can be 0.8, and β can be 1.2. Alternatively, if time and deviation area are considered the same factor, α and β can both be 1.

[0073] In another embodiment, the error analysis unit 220 may calculate a flight path error score by taking into account the total number of times the drone 100 deviates from the planned flight path, the total distance the drone 100 deviates from the planned flight path, the total time the drone 100 deviates from the planned flight path, and the total area of ​​deviation. As shown in Equation 2 below, the error analysis unit 220 may apply weighted values ​​to the total number of deviations, the total distance of deviations, the total time of deviations, and the total area of ​​deviations to calculate the flight path error score.

[0074] (Formula 2)

[0075] S = α × number of times + β × area + γ × time + δ × distance

[0076] Here, α, β, γ, and δ are weighting values, all greater than 0. Relatively important factors are weighted with values ​​greater than 1, while less important factors are weighted with values ​​less than 1. For example, even if the total deviation area of ​​the first drone is the same as the total deviation area of ​​the second drone, if the total deviation time of the first drone is less than that of the second drone, the first drone's flight performance can be considered inferior to that of the second drone. In other words, the second drone can be considered to be better able to fly within the planned airspace than the first drone. Therefore, in this case, the value of β can be set to be smaller than the value of γ, so that time has a greater impact on the error score. In this way, the weighting values ​​can be adjusted appropriately according to the situation.

[0077] When calculating the path error score, the error analysis unit 220 can normalize the total number of deviations, the total distance of deviations, the total time of deviations, and the total area of ​​deviations to calculate the path error score. The normalization method is explained below using the total number of deviations as an example. The error analysis unit 220 accumulates and stores the number of deviations of all drones 100 compared to the planned flight path, and performs Z-Score normalization (Normalization) on them, thereby setting the number of deviations in the lower 5% (i.e., Z-scores) as the minimum number of deviations, and setting the number of deviations in the upper 5% (i.e., Z-scores) as the maximum number of deviations. Among them, the upper and lower percentages (%) are examples, and the upper and lower % can be set by the controller according to the operating conditions of the drone 100, and changed according to the control conditions. Z-Score normalization is performed using a normal distribution with a mean of 0 and a standard deviation of 1. As described above, the minimum number of deviations A is set. min and the maximum number of deviations A max After that, the total number of deviations of the specific UAV 100 on the specific flight path is calculated, and the total number of deviations is normalized by Z-Score to calculate the Z score A in Furthermore, as shown in the following formula 3, the error analysis unit 220 can calculate the maximum-minimum normalized value A of the total number of deviations: n The following maximum-minimum normalized value A n The value range is between 0 and 100.

[0078] (Formula 3)

[0079] A n =(A in -A min )×100 / (A max -A min )

[0080] Among them, A in The value is greater than A max , then A maxTo calculate, A in The value is less than A min , then A min To calculate.

[0081] By using the method described above, the maximum-minimum normalized values ​​of the factors for the total number of deviations, total deviation distance, total deviation time, and total deviation area are calculated. The value range of each factor is between 0 and 100. Therefore, by applying weighted values ​​to the maximum-minimum normalized values ​​of each factor and summing them up, the final path error score can be calculated.

[0082] The error analysis unit 220 determines the wind speed present along the flight path during drone 100 flight and, based on the wind speed intensity, further applies a meteorological weighting value based on the wind speed to the path error score to compensate for the path error score. The path error score is compensated by multiplying the path error score by the meteorological weighting value. The meteorological weighting value can be applied to the path error score so that the stronger the wind speed, the smaller the path error score. Furthermore, when wind speeds are high, the number of times the drone 100 deviates from the flight path is higher due to the external environment (i.e., wind) rather than the drone's performance. Therefore, when analyzing flight data from a drone 100 operating in a strong wind environment, the number of path deviations for that drone 100 is analyzed relatively more, ultimately resulting in a higher path error score. In other words, even for the same drone 100, operating in a strong wind environment will result in a higher path error score; conversely, operating in a weak wind environment will result in a lower path error score. Thus, the error analysis unit 220 can determine the wind speed during the flight of the drone 100 and apply a meteorological weighting value inversely proportional to the wind speed to the path error score. This compensates for the path error score, minimizing fluctuations in the path error score due to the external wind speed, and objectively calculating the error score based on the flight performance of the drone 100. Specifically, the error analysis unit 220 applies a meteorological weighting value inversely proportional to the wind speed to the path error score to offset the increase in the path error score with wind speed in strong wind conditions. For example, when there is little wind (i.e., below a certain threshold), the meteorological weighting value can be set to "1" to use the path error score directly. When the wind speed is above a certain level, a meteorological weighting value less than "1" can be applied to the path error score to reduce the error score proportionally to the wind speed, given that the drone 100 often deviates from the planned path depending on the wind speed.

[0083] Furthermore, the error analysis unit 220 may also apply the GPS error rate to the path error score to compensate for the path error score. For example, if the GPS error rate is 2%, 2% of the path error score is added to the path error score for compensation. Preferably, the error analysis unit 220 may also compensate for the path error score by simultaneously factoring in the GPS error rate and the wind speed.

[0084] The airspace setting unit 230 assigns an airspace to the drone 100. As described above, airspace refers to a region of space in the sky where a drone 100 can move without being intruded upon by other drones 100 during flight. During the first flight of a drone 100, the airspace setting unit 230 uses flight data collected over a predetermined period of time to assign a reference airspace based on the maximum deviation radius from the planned flight path. Figure 5 1 is a diagram showing the actual flight position of a drone according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing the planned flight position and the actual flight position of the drone 100 when the drone 100 is observed in the direction in which the drone 100 is flying. Figure 5 In the figure, point 510 at the center is the planned flight position of the drone 100, and the remaining points are the actual flight positions of the drone 100. Based on the planned flight position 510 of the drone, the distance r to the farthest actual flight position can be determined as the radius of the initial reference airspace of the drone 100.

[0085] After allocating the initial reference airspace to the drone 100, the airspace setting unit 230 may periodically readjust the airspace of the drone 100 based on the error score calculated by the error analysis unit 200. Preferably, the airspace setting unit 230 may readjust the previous airspace each time the drone 100 flies using flight data from previous flights, or may collect flight data and readjust the previous airspace at regular intervals (e.g., once a month).

[0086] The airspace setting unit 230 can refer to Table 1 below to confirm the degree of expansion or reduction of the flight airspace corresponding to the drone path error score, and maintain, expand or reduce the current airspace of the drone 100 based on the change, thereby setting the airspace of the drone 100.

[0087] Table 1 below shows a table that maps the path error score to the airspace change state of the drone. The airspace setting unit 230 can set the airspace of the drone 100 by referring to Table 1 below.

[0088] Table 1

[0089] Error score S Flight level Airspace changes S≤10 1 Reduce airspace to 90% 10<S≤20 2 Maintain airspace 20<S≤30 3 Expand airspace to 110% 30<S≤40 4 Expand airspace by 120% 40<S≤50 5 Expand airspace by 130%

[0090] Taking Table 1 as an example, when the path error score calculated by the error analysis unit 220 is less than or equal to 10, the airspace setting unit 230 can determine that the drone's flight level is "1," thereby reducing the drone 100's airspace to 90% of the currently set drone 100's airspace. Furthermore, when the path error score calculated by the error analysis unit 220 is greater than 10 and less than or equal to 20, the airspace setting unit 230 can determine that the drone's flight level is "2," thereby maintaining the set drone 100's airspace. When the path error score is greater than 20 and less than or equal to 30 (i.e., the drone's flight level is "3"), the airspace setting unit 230 can expand the drone 100's airspace to 110% of the set drone 100's airspace. The airspace setting unit 230 can expand the airspace of the drone 100 so that the set airspace of the drone 100 is expanded to 120% when the path error score calculated by the error analysis unit 220 is greater than 30 and less than or equal to 40 (i.e., the flight level of the drone is "4"); when the path error score is greater than 40 and less than or equal to 50 (i.e., the flight level of the drone is "5"), the airspace of the drone 100 is expanded so that the set airspace of the drone 100 is expanded to 130.

[0091] As described with reference to FIG. 4 , the airspace may be cylindrical or rectangular pipe-shaped, but is not limited thereto.

[0092] Figure 6 is a diagram showing airspaces of different sizes. Figure 6 , the airspace of the drone 100 is allocated with a width of W1 by default based on the flight path. Alternatively, as described above, the flight data of the drone 100 collected over a certain period of time can be used to allocate the maximum error radius based on the flight path as the width of the airspace. When the drone 100 often deviates from the planned flight path, the airspace of the drone 100 can be allocated with an airspace of W2 with a width greater than W1. Conversely, when the drone 100 rarely deviates from the planned flight path, the airspace of the drone 100 can be allocated with an airspace of W3 with a width less than W1. The airspace of the drone 100 will not shrink or expand indefinitely, and a lower limit value of the airspace that will not shrink further and an upper limit value of the airspace that will not expand further can be pre-set.

[0093] The flight path generator 240 receives the departure and destination information of the drone 100, as well as the flight time, and generates a flight path from the departure point to the destination based on the received information. In this case, the flight path generator 240 may identify prohibited flight zones stored in the database 250 and generate a flight path with continuous coordinates from the departure point to the destination that does not pass through the prohibited flight zones. Furthermore, the flight path generator 240 may identify flight plans of other drones with the same flight time, as well as the flight paths and airspaces of these other drones 100, in the database 250, and generate the flight path so that the airspace of the drone 100 to be flown does not intrude into the airspace of other drones. In other words, the flight path generator 240 generates the flight path so that the airspace of the drone 100 to be flown does not overlap with the airspace of other drones in the same flight plan. Preferably, the flight path of the drone 100 is generated so that the distance between the airspace of the drone 100 to be flown and the airspace of other drones is greater than or equal to a certain distance.

[0094] For example, the airspace of the planned flight drone 100 at time T0 is centered on the flight coordinates (X0, Y0, Z0) and has a W O When the airspace of other UAVs at the same time T0 is a circle with a distance W'0 as the radius and the airspace of the other UAVs is a circle with a distance W'0 as the radius and the flight coordinates (X'0, Y'0, Z'0) as the center, the flight path of the planned UAV 100 is generated so that the two circles do not overlap or the distance between the two circles is greater than or equal to the predetermined critical distance q.

[0095] Figure 7 The flowchart shows a method for analyzing flight data received from a UAV to calculate a path error score of the UAV in a flight path setting device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0096] refer to Figure 7 After receiving the flight path with the continuous coordinates from the departure point to the destination from the flight path setting device 200, the drone 100 flies along the flight path. Figure 9The processor generates a flight path that ensures a safe flight path for drone 100, ensuring it does not overlap with the airspace of other drones. The processor provides this information to drone 100, which then automatically flies by comparing the coordinates and altitude included in the flight path with the coordinates and altitude currently measured by the GPS receiver. Once a drone 100 begins flight, it uses the GPS receiver to collect GPS coordinates of latitude and longitude, as well as altitude. The generated flight data includes the time of collection, the collected GPS coordinates of latitude and longitude, and altitude, and is sent to flight path setting device 200.

[0097] Thus, the data collection unit 210 of the flight path setting device 200 receives the flight data from the drone 100 and stores it in the database 250 (S701). Next, the error analysis unit 220 compares the flight path provided to the drone 100 by the flight path generation unit 240 with the flight data received from the drone 100, analyzing the error between the planned flight path and the actual flight path. Specifically, the error analysis unit 220 compares the GPS coordinates and altitude included in the flight path provided to the drone 100 with the GPS coordinates and altitude of the actual movement included in the flight data, and determines the total number of times the drone 100 deviated from the planned flight path, the total distance the drone deviated from the planned flight path, and the total time the drone 100 deviated from the planned flight path (S703, S705, S707). In one embodiment, the error analysis unit 220 can calculate the number of deviations, the deviation distance, and the deviation time based on the drone 100's set airspace.

[0098] The error analysis unit 220 calculates a flight path error score (S709) by combining the total number of times the drone 100 deviates from the planned flight path, the total distance the drone deviates from the planned flight path, and the total time the drone 100 deviates from the planned flight path. Predefined weighting values ​​may be applied to each of the total number of deviations, the total distance of the deviations, and the total time of the deviations. The error analysis unit 220 may calculate the flight path error score by summing the total number of deviations, the total distance of the deviations, and the total time of the deviations with the weighted values. Alternatively, the error analysis unit 220 may calculate the path error score using only a portion of the total number of deviations, the total distance of the deviations, and the total time of the deviations, rather than using all of them. Preferably, the error analysis unit 220 may calculate the maximum-minimum normalized values ​​for each of the total number of deviations, the total distance of the deviations, and the total time of the deviations, and apply the weighted values ​​to the maximum-minimum normalized values ​​to calculate the path error score.

[0099] The error analysis unit 220 then works in conjunction with the weather bureau server to determine the wind speed along the flight path of the drone 100 during flight. Based on the strength of the wind speed, the error analysis unit 220 selectively compensates the path error score, reducing or maintaining the path error score (S711). As described above, the error analysis unit 220 applies a meteorological weighting value inversely proportional to the wind speed to the path error score, thereby selectively compensating the path error score and offsetting the effect of external environmental variables (i.e., wind speed) on the path error score. The stronger the wind speed, the lower the path error score.

[0100] Next, the airspace setting unit 230 sets the airspace of the drone 100 based on the calculated error score, either by keeping the airspace of the drone 100 consistent with the current state, or by expanding or reducing the airspace (S713). Specifically, if the calculated error score is less than or equal to a first score, the airspace setting unit 230 reduces the airspace of the drone 100 by a predetermined ratio. If the calculated error score is greater than the first score and less than or equal to a second score, the airspace of the drone 100 remains in its previous state. Furthermore, if the calculated error score is greater than the second score, the airspace setting unit 230 expands the airspace of the drone 100 by a predetermined ratio.

[0101] In addition, the set airspace of the drone 100 can be used as a reference when setting the airspace of other drones having the same model as the drone 100.

[0102] Furthermore, when the error analysis unit 220 has calculated the path error scores multiple times, the airspace setting unit 230 confirms the average value of the path error scores and maintains the current airspace of the drone 100 or expands or reduces the airspace of the drone 100 based on the average value of the path error scores.

[0103] Figure 8 The present invention is a flowchart illustrating a method for analyzing flight data received from a UAV to calculate a path error score of the UAV in a flight path setting device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0104] refer to Figure 8 After receiving the flight path with the continuous coordinates from the departure point to the destination from the flight path setting device 200, the drone 100 flies along the flight path. Figure 9The processor shown generates a flight path that ensures a safe flight path for the drone, ensuring it does not overlap with the airspace of other drones. The processor then provides the flight path to the drone 100, which then automatically flies by comparing the coordinates and altitude included in the flight path with the coordinates and altitude currently measured by the GPS receiver. Once the drone 100 begins flight, it uses the GPS receiver to collect GPS coordinates of latitude and longitude, as well as altitude. The generated flight data includes the time of collection, the collected GPS coordinates of latitude and longitude, and altitude, and is sent to the flight path setting device 200.

[0105] Thus, the data collection unit 210 of the flight path setting device 200 receives the flight data from the drone 100 and stores it in the database 250 (S801). Next, the error analysis unit 220 compares the flight path provided to the drone 100 by the flight path generation unit 240 with the flight data received from the drone 100, thereby analyzing the error between the planned flight path and the actual flight path. Specifically, the error analysis unit 220 compares the GPS coordinates and altitude included in the flight path provided to the drone 100 with the GPS coordinates and altitude of the actual movement included in the flight data, thereby respectively confirming the time and area of ​​deviation of the drone 100 from the planned flight path (S803, S805). In one embodiment, the error analysis unit 220 can calculate the deviation time and deviation area based on the set airspace of the drone 100. The error analysis unit 220 calculates the area of ​​the two-dimensional reference as the deviation area. The two-dimensional reference area can be defined as the sum of the deviation area A on the latitude / longitude xy plane, the deviation area B on the latitude / altitude xz plane, and the deviation area C on the longitude / altitude yz plane. Preferably, the error analysis unit 220 calculates the area and time of deviation of the drone 100 from the airspace based on the flight path of the drone 100 generated by the flight path generation unit 240 and the airspace of the drone 100 set by the airspace setting unit 230.

[0106] The error analysis unit 220 calculates a path error score by integrating the time and area of ​​deviation from the planned flight path of the drone 100 (S807). Predefined weighting values ​​may be applied to the deviation time and area, and the error analysis unit 220 calculates the path error score by summing the weighted deviation time and area. Preferably, the error analysis unit 220 may calculate the maximum-minimum normalized value for each of the deviation time and area, and apply the weighting value to the maximum-minimum normalized value to calculate the path error score.

[0107] The error analysis unit 220 then works in conjunction with the weather bureau server to determine the wind speed along the flight path of the drone 100 during flight. Based on the strength of the wind speed, the error analysis unit 220 selectively compensates the path error score to reduce or maintain the path error score (S809). As described above, the error analysis unit 220 selectively compensates the path error score by applying a meteorological weighting value inversely proportional to the strength of the wind speed to the path error score, thereby offsetting the external environmental variable (i.e., wind speed) from being reflected in the path error score. The meteorological weighting value applied to the path error score decreases as the wind speed increases.

[0108] Next, the airspace setting unit 230 sets the airspace of the drone 100 based on the calculated error score, either by keeping the airspace of the drone 100 consistent with the current state, or by expanding or reducing the airspace (S811). Specifically, when the calculated error score is less than or equal to a first score, the airspace setting unit 230 reduces the airspace of the drone 100 by a predetermined ratio. When the calculated error score is greater than the first score and less than or equal to a second score, the airspace of the drone 100 remains in its previous state. Furthermore, when the calculated error score is greater than the second score, the airspace setting unit 230 expands the airspace of the drone 100 by a predetermined ratio.

[0109] exist Figure 7 as well as Figure 8 , and in other embodiments, the error analysis unit 220 may take into account the total number of times the drone 100 deviates from the planned flight path, the total distance the drone 100 deviates from the planned flight path, the total time the drone 100 deviates from the planned flight path, and the total area of ​​deviation from the planned flight path to calculate the flight path error score. The error analysis unit 220 may apply weighted values ​​to the total number of deviations, the total distance of deviations, the total time of deviations, and the total area of ​​deviations to calculate the flight path error.

[0110] In reference Figure 7 and Figure 8 In this embodiment, the error analysis unit 220 determines the wind speed present along the flight path of the drone 100 during flight and, based on the strength of the wind speed, applies a meteorological weighting value based on the wind speed to the path error score to compensate for the path error score. In other embodiments, the error analysis unit 220 may also apply the GPS error rate to the path error score to compensate for the path error score. For example, if the GPS error rate is 2%, 2% of the path error score is added to the path error score for compensation. Alternatively, both the GPS error rate and wind speed may be considered simultaneously.

[0111] And, in reference Figure 7 and Figure 8 In an embodiment, when the airspace of the drone 100 is readjusted based on the path error score, the initial reference airspace of the drone can utilize the flight data of the drone 100 collected within a predetermined period of time, and the maximum error radius of the drone 100 deviating from the flight path when the planned flight path is used as a reference is set as the initial reference airspace.

[0112] Figure 9 The flowchart shows a method for generating a flight path by reflecting an airspace in a flight path setting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0113] refer to Figure 9 The flight path generator 240 receives the departure location information, destination information, and flight time of the drone 100 from the drone operator (S901). The flight path generator 240 then checks the prohibited flight areas stored in the database 250 and checks the flight paths of other drones that flew at the same time as the flight time of the drone 100 (S903).

[0114] The flight path generator 240 then checks the airspace of the currently set drone 100 and the airspaces of other drones (S905). Furthermore, the flight path generator 240 generates a flight path that records continuous latitude / longitude GPS coordinates and altitude from the departure point to the destination. This flight path avoids the prohibited flight area and does not overlap with the airspace of other drones flying at the same time (S907). In other words, the flight path generator 240 generates the flight path so that the drone 100's airspace does not pass through (avoid) dangerous areas and the airspaces of other drones 100 with confirmed flight plans.

[0115] Next, the flight path generator 240 stores the generated flight path and the identification information of the drone 100 in the database 250 , and provides the flight path to the drone 100 to guide the drone 100 to fly along the flight path ( S909 ).

[0116] Figure 10 1 is a diagram showing the structure of a flight path device according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 The flight path device of the embodiment described has Figure 2 The components with the same reference numerals in FIG. 1 perform the same functions and actions in this embodiment. Figure 10 As shown, the flight path setting device 200 further includes a service charging unit 1010 .

[0117] The service charging unit 1010 may charge the owner of the drone 100 a service usage fee for using the airspace of the drone 100 and store the fee information in the database 250. The service charging unit 1010 may charge the owner of the drone 100 a different service usage fee based on the size of the airspace allocated to the drone 100.

[0118] The service charging unit 1010 may charge a base fee when allocating a predetermined base airspace to a drone 100. If the size of the airspace allocated to the drone 100 changes compared to the base airspace, the service fee may be increased by adding a surcharge to the base fee, or reduced by applying a discount to the base fee. The base airspace may be the same for all drones 100, or may vary depending on the size or type of drone 100. If the base airspace varies depending on the size or type of drone 100, the base fee may also vary for each base airspace.

[0119] Table 2 below shows an example of a flexible service fee system based on airspace size. According to Table 2, a base fee is charged when the base airspace is allocated (i.e., when the airspace remains). If the size of the airspace allocated to drone 100 is reduced to 90% of the base airspace, a 20% discount is applied to the base fee. Conversely, if the size of the allocated airspace increases, an additional fee is added. For example, if the size of the airspace allocated to drone 100 is increased to 110% of the base airspace, a 5% additional fee is added to the base fee.

[0120]

Table 2

[0121] Error score S Flight level Airspace changes Service usage fee S≤10 1 Reduce airspace to 90% 20% reduction in base fees 10<S≤20 2 Maintain airspace Basic Fees 20<S≤30 3 Expand airspace to 110% An additional 5% of the basic fee 30<S≤40 4 Expand airspace by 120% An additional 10% of the basic fee 40<S≤50 5 Expand airspace by 130% Additional 20% of the basic fee

[0122] When collecting service usage fees, the service charging unit 1010 may differentiate between service usage fees based not only on the size of the airspace but also on the flight distance of the drone 100. The service charging unit 1010 may increase the service usage fee as the flight distance increases and decrease it as the flight distance decreases. Therefore, for the same allocated airspace size, the service usage fee increases with increasing flight distance and decreases with decreasing flight distance.

[0123] According to the reference Figure 10This embodiment allows more drones 100 to be deployed within a limited space, increasing the revenue of airspace management personnel. Specifically, for drones 100 with excessive flight errors and assigned larger airspaces, their poor performance reduces the available airspace for other drones, making it reasonable to charge them higher service fees. Conversely, for drones 100 with fewer flight errors and assigned smaller airspaces, their superior performance ensures sufficient airspace for other drones, making it reasonable to charge them lower service fees. By charging lower service fees for high-performing drones compared to low-performing ones, this encourages the development of high-performing drones 100, allowing more drones to fly within a narrower space.

[0124] Although this specification includes many features, such features should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention or the scope of the claims. Furthermore, features described in individual embodiments of this specification may be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, multiple features described in a single embodiment of this specification may be implemented individually in multiple embodiments or in appropriate combinations.

[0125] Although operations are described in a particular order in the accompanying drawings, such operations should not be understood as being performed in the particular order shown in the drawings, or as requiring all operations to be performed in a continuous series or to obtain the desired result. In certain circumstances, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. In addition, it should be understood that the division of the constituent elements of the various systems in the above-described embodiments does not require such division in all embodiments. The constituent elements of the above-described programs and systems are typically implemented as components in a single software product or multiple software products.

[0126] The method described above can be implemented as a program and stored in a computer-readable form in a recording medium (CD-ROM, RAM, ROM, floppy disk, hard disk, optical magnetic disk, etc.) Those skilled in the art can easily perform such a process, so detailed description is omitted.

[0127] The present invention described above is susceptible to various substitutions, modifications, and changes for those skilled in the art without departing from the technical concept of the present invention, and is therefore not limited to the above-described embodiments and drawings.

Claims

1. A flight path setting method, wherein a flight path setting device sets a flight path reflecting the airspace of an unmanned aerial vehicle, the method comprising: receiving, from the drone, flight data collected by the drone; comparing the received flight data with a pre-planned flight path of the UAV and calculating a path error score, wherein the path error score indicates the extent to which the UAV deviates from the pre-planned flight path; adjusting a size of a set airspace for the UAV based on the path error score; as well as Based on the adjusted airspace and destination of the drone, a new flight path for the drone is generated.

2. The flight path setting method according to claim 1, wherein: In the step of adjusting the airspace, When the path error score is less than or equal to a first score, reducing the set airspace of the drone; when the path error score is greater than the first score and less than or equal to a second score, maintaining the set airspace of the drone; When the path error score is greater than a second score, the set airspace of the UAV is expanded.

3. The flight path setting method according to claim 1, wherein: In the step of calculating the path error score, The received flight data is compared with the pre-planned flight path, and the path error score is calculated using one or more of the total number of times the drone deviates from the pre-planned flight path, the total time of deviation, or the total distance of deviation.

4. The flight path setting method according to claim 1, wherein: In the step of calculating the path error score, The received flight data is compared with the pre-planned flight path, and the path error score is calculated using the area and time of deviation of the UAV from the pre-planned flight path.

5. The flight path setting method according to claim 4, characterized in that: The deviated area is an area of ​​a two-dimensional reference, and the deviated area is the sum of the deviated area on the latitude / longitude plane, the deviated area on the longitude / altitude plane, and the deviated area on the latitude / altitude plane.

6. The flight path setting method according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that: The pre-planned flight path includes the set airspace, In the step of calculating the path error, The set airspace of the UAV is compared with the received flight data to calculate the path error score.

7. The flight path setting method according to claim 1, wherein: The calculation step and the adjustment step are repeatedly performed each time the UAV flies, or are repeatedly performed at a certain time period using the flight data of the UAV.

8. The flight path setting method according to claim 1, wherein: Also includes: confirming the wind speed generated along the flight path; The path error score is compensated by applying a meteorological weighting value inversely proportional to the determined strength of the wind speed to the path error score.

9. The flight path setting method according to claim 1, wherein: Also includes: The path error score is compensated based on the GPS error rate.

10. The flight path setting method according to claim 1, wherein: Generating a new flight path for the drone includes: receiving the departure location, destination, and flight time of the drone, and confirming the flight paths of other drones scheduled to fly during the flight time; and A flight path is generated from the departure point to the destination so that the adjusted airspace of the UAV does not pass through the airspace of the other UAVs.

11. The flight path setting method according to claim 1, wherein: Also includes: The drone is charged differentially for service usage based on the size of the airspace allocated to the drone.

12. A flight path setting device for setting a flight path reflecting the airspace of an unmanned aerial vehicle, the device comprising: a data collection unit, configured to receive flight data collected by the drone from the drone; an error analysis unit, configured to compare the received flight data with a pre-planned flight path of the UAV and calculate a path error score, wherein the path error score indicates the extent to which the UAV deviates from the pre-planned flight path; an airspace setting unit, configured to adjust a size of a set airspace of the UAV based on the path error score; The flight path generating unit is used to generate a new flight path for the UAV based on the adjusted airspace of the UAV and the destination of the UAV.

13. The flight path setting device according to claim 12, wherein: The airspace setting unit reduces the airspace of the drone when the path error score is less than or equal to a first score; and maintains the airspace of the drone when the path error score is greater than the first score and less than or equal to a second score; When the path error score is greater than a second score, the airspace of the UAV is expanded.

14. The flight path setting device according to claim 12, wherein: The error analysis unit compares the received flight data with the pre-planned flight path, and calculates the path error score using one or more of the total number of times the drone deviates from the pre-planned flight path, the total time of deviation, or the total distance of deviation.

15. The flight path setting device according to claim 12, wherein: The error analysis unit compares the received flight data with the pre-planned flight path, and calculates the path error score using the area and time of deviation of the UAV from the pre-planned flight path.

16. The flight path setting device according to claim 15, characterized in that: The deviation area is an area of ​​a two-dimensional reference, and the deviation area is the sum of the deviation area on the latitude / longitude plane, the deviation area on the longitude / altitude plane, and the deviation area on the latitude / altitude plane.

17. The flight path setting device according to any one of claims 14 to 16, characterized in that: The pre-planned flight path includes the set airspace, The error analysis unit compares the set airspace of the drone with the received flight data to calculate the path error score.

18. The flight path setting device according to claim 12, wherein: The error analysis unit and the airspace setting unit calculate a path error score each time the drone flies or at a certain time period to adjust the airspace of the drone.

19. The flight path setting device according to claim 12, wherein: The error analysis unit confirms a wind speed generated on the flight path and compensates the path error score by applying a meteorological weighting value inversely proportional to the strength of the confirmed wind speed to the path error score.

20. The flight path setting device according to claim 12, wherein: The error analysis section compensates the path error score based on a GPS error rate.

21. The flight path setting device according to claim 12, wherein: The flight path generation unit receives the departure point, destination and flight time of the drone, confirms the flight paths of other drones planned to fly during the flight time, and generates a flight path from the departure point to the destination so that the adjusted airspace of the drone does not pass through the airspace of the other drones.

22. The flight path setting device according to claim 12, wherein: Also includes: The service charging unit is used to charge differential service usage fees for the drone according to the size of the airspace allocated to the drone.

Images