Control device, unmanned aerial vehicle, and method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a control device, an unmanned aerial vehicle, and a method. The control device includes a control unit configured to control an unmanned aerial vehicle that collects collected objects. The control unit obtains information indicating the odor intensity of the collected objects and, based on the information indicating the odor intensity of the collected objects, determines a flight path for the unmanned aerial vehicle after picking up the collected objects at a collection location.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a control device, an unmanned aerial vehicle and a method. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, systems using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) such as drones to deliver and collect items to and from destinations have been proposed. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-203056 describes a system whereby a drone is placed on a balcony of a building such as a multi-family housing complex and retrieves items stored there. Summary of the Invention

[0003] As a technical solution for transporting items using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), one approach is to use them to transport garbage and other collected items placed on balconies of residential complexes to collection points. However, garbage and other collected items sometimes produce unpleasant odors. When using UAVs to collect garbage placed on balconies, it is necessary to consider the impact on residents when UAVs pass near windows or balconies of residential complexes.

[0004] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above circumstances and aims to provide an unmanned aerial vehicle control device, an unmanned aerial vehicle, and a method for collecting collected materials in a manner that makes it difficult for people around to smell the collected materials.

[0005] A control device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a control unit configured to control an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for collecting collected objects. The control unit obtains information indicating the intensity of the odor of the collected objects to be collected and, based on the information indicating the intensity of the odor of the collected objects, determines a flight path for the UAV after picking up the collected objects at a collection location.

[0006] An unmanned aerial vehicle according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a control unit configured to collect objects. The control unit obtains information indicating the intensity of the odor of the objects to be collected and, based on the information indicating the intensity of the odor of the objects, determines a flight path for the unmanned aerial vehicle after picking up the objects at a collection location.

[0007] A method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is performed by a control device controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle configured to collect collected objects. The method includes: obtaining information indicating the intensity of the odor of the collected objects to be collected; and determining a flight path for the unmanned aerial vehicle after picking up the collected objects at a collection location based on the information indicating the intensity of the odor of the collected objects.

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an unmanned aerial vehicle control device, an unmanned aerial vehicle, and a method that can collect collected material in a manner that makes the odor of the collected material difficult for people around to detect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate like elements, and in which:

[0010] Figure 1 This is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a collected object collection system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0011] Figure 2 A diagram showing an example of a flight path of an unmanned aerial vehicle.

[0012] Figure 3 This is a block diagram showing the schematic structure of an unmanned aerial vehicle.

[0013] Figure 4 This is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a control device.

[0014] Figure 5 This is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the control device.

[0015] Figure 6 This is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the control unit of the unmanned aerial vehicle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described.

[0017] (Overview of Embodiments)

[0018] Reference Figure 1 , an overview of a collected object collection system 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is described. The collected object collection system 1 includes an odor sensor 11 and a collected object sensor 12, an unmanned aerial vehicle 20, and a control device 30, which are arranged in a plurality of residences 10 of a building such as a collective residence. The plurality of residences 10 may further include an in-residence sensor 13. The collected object collection system 1 may further include a wind direction sensor 14 arranged near the building. The collected object collection system 1 is a system for collecting collected objects located at collection locations such as balconies of buildings such as collective residences to a collection location using an unmanned aerial vehicle 20. The collected objects located at the collection location include collected objects placed at the collection location, collected objects hung at the collection location, and collected objects stored in a storage box located at the collection location.

[0019] Odor sensors 11 are placed near each collection point and are configured to measure the intensity of the odor of the collected material. Various known odor-measuring sensors can be used as odor sensors 11. Examples of odor sensors 11 include semiconductor odor sensors, crystal oscillator odor sensors, FET biosensors, and membrane-type surface stress sensors.

[0020] The collected object sensor 12 is a sensor that detects whether the collected objects are located at the collection location. The collected object sensor 12 can be, for example, a weight sensor that is placed under a box or the like that stores the collected objects at the collection location.

[0021] The in-home sensor 13 is a sensor installed in addition to the deodorization sensor 11 and the collected material sensor 12 in each residence 10 of a building such as a multi-family housing complex. Each residence 10 includes a living room and a balcony occupied by each resident. In this embodiment, the in-home sensor 13 can detect one or more of the following: information indicating the open or closed state of the windows of the residence 10, information indicating whether there is anyone on the balcony of each residence 10, and information indicating whether there is laundry on the balcony of each residence 10. For example, the in-home sensor 13 that detects information indicating the open or closed state of the windows of the residence 10 can be a sensor that detects the open or closed state of the windows of the residence 10 or a camera that can image the windows, but is not limited to these. Furthermore, the in-home sensor 13 that detects information indicating whether there is anyone on the balcony can be a camera that uses visible light to image the balcony, or an infrared camera that detects infrared light generated by the human body, but is not limited to these.

[0022] The wind direction sensor 14 detects the wind direction around the building where the collected materials are to be collected. Any type of wind direction sensor can be used as long as it detects wind direction. For example, the wind direction sensor 14 can be placed on the roof of a building. Multiple wind direction sensors 14 can be placed around the building to detect wind direction at multiple locations around the building.

[0023] The control device 30 is, for example, an information processing device such as a computer. The control device 30 is capable of communicating with the odor sensor 11, the collected material sensor 12, and the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 in each residence 10 via a network 40, such as the Internet or a mobile communication network. The control device 30 is also capable of communicating with the in-residence sensor 13 and the wind direction sensor 14 via the network 40. In this embodiment, the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 and the control device 30 may be managed by a company that collects collected materials.

[0024] The unmanned aerial vehicle 20 is any aircraft that is not operated by a person. The unmanned aerial vehicle 20 may include, for example, a drone or a multirotor helicopter. The unmanned aerial vehicle 20 is equipped with a camera, etc., as described later. The unmanned aerial vehicle 20 can fly autonomously or in cooperation with the control device 30. The unmanned aerial vehicle 20 can move along a flight path received from the control device 30. Furthermore, when an obstacle is detected using the camera, the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 can autonomously circumvent the obstacle. The unmanned aerial vehicle 20 can autonomously control its position and attitude based on environmental conditions such as wind or rain.

[0025] In this embodiment, the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 is used to collect garbage and other collected materials. The collected materials may include kitchen waste that produces odor. For example, Figure 2 As shown, unmanned aerial vehicle 20 picks up collected materials 71 located at collection points 70A to 70F on the balconies of residences 10A to 10F in a building 50, such as a residential complex, and transports collected materials 71 to a collection site 72 for collected materials 71. Collection site 72 may be located near building 50. From collection site 72, collected materials 71 are loaded onto a vehicle for transporting collected materials 71, such as a garbage collection vehicle or truck, and transported to a waste disposal facility, such as a waste disposal facility, for processing collected materials 71. In the following, residences 10A to 10F and collection points 70A to 70F are sometimes referred to as "residence 10" and "collection site 70," respectively, as appropriate.

[0026] The UAV 20 can sequentially collect the collected objects 71 from the collection points 70 on the balconies of the buildings 50 until the collected objects 71 of all the houses 10 are collected at the collection site 72. The UAV 20 can obtain information about the collection points 70 where the collected objects 71 exist from the control device 30. For example, Figure 2 As shown, collected items 71 remain on balcony C2 of residence 10C. UAV 20 moves from collection location 72 along the outer wall of building 50 to balcony C2 of target residence 10C among the multiple residences 10A to 10F, picks up collected items 71 at collection point 70C on balcony C2, and transports them to collection location 72.

[0027] Here, the UAV 20 can, for example, move along the outer wall of the building 50 by maintaining a certain distance from the outer wall. This certain distance is, for example, 1 meter, but is not limited to this. If the distance between the moving UAV 20 and the outer wall of the building 50 is relatively long, there is a possibility that the interiors of the residences 10A to 10F will be reflected by the UAV 20's cameras through the windows A1 to F1 provided on the outer wall. In contrast, by moving the UAV 20 along the outer wall of the building 50, the possibility of the interiors of the residences 10A to 10F being reflected by the UAV 20's cameras is reduced, thereby protecting the privacy of the residents.

[0028] On the other hand, when the UAV 20 moves along the outer wall of the building 50, the distance between the UAV 20 and the outer wall of the building 50 is relatively short, so there is a possibility that the occupants of the building 50 will feel uncomfortable with the smell of the collected material 71. In contrast, according to this embodiment, as described later, the possibility that the occupants of the building 50 will feel uncomfortable with the smell of the collected material 71 is reduced.

[0029] First, an overview of this embodiment will be described, with details to be provided later. In this embodiment, the control device 30 obtains information from the collected object sensors 12 of each residence 10 via the network 40, indicating whether collected objects 71 are present at collection locations 70 located along the outer wall of a building 50. Furthermore, the control device 30 obtains information from the odor sensor 11 via the network 40 indicating the odor intensity of the collected objects 71. The control device 30 then instructs the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 to pick up the collected objects 71 at the collection location 70 where they are present. Furthermore, based on the information indicating the odor intensity of the collected objects 71, the control device 30 determines a flight path 60b for the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 from the point of picking up the collected objects 71 at the collection location 70 until it returns to the collection location 72. The control device 30 instructs the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 to fly based on the determined flight path 60b. Flight path 60b is the return flight path from the collection location 70 to the collection location 72 within the overall flight path 60 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 20.

[0030] Control device 30 determines flight path 60b such that the stronger the odor of collected material 71, the farther UAV 20 flies from the outer wall of building 50. By flying away from the outer wall of building 50, the odor of collected material 71 is further diffused, thereby reducing the likelihood that residents of residence 10 in building 50 will experience discomfort from the odor of the collected material.

[0031] Furthermore, the control device 30 can take into account detection information from the sensors 13 within the residence when determining the flight path. The control device 30 can determine the flight path so as to avoid the front of the residence 10, where residents are more likely to be affected by odors. For example, if the sensors 13 within the residence detect an open window in the residence 10 or a person on the balcony of the residence 10, and the UAV 20 carrying collected items passes in front of the residence 10, the residents may be annoyed by the smell of the collected items. Furthermore, if there is laundry on the balcony of the residence 10, for example, if the UAV 20 carrying collected items passes in front of the residence 10, the residents may be concerned that the odor will transfer to the laundry. Therefore, the control device 30 can determine the flight path so as to avoid passing in front of the residence 10 or to keep a considerable distance from the residence 10. This improves the technology for controlling the UAV 20 in a manner that can reduce the possibility that residents of the building 50 will be annoyed by the smell of the collected items 71 being transported by the UAV 20.

[0032] For example, in Figure 2In the case where there is a collectible 71 at the collection location 70C of the residence 10C, the UAV 20 can move to the target residence C along the outbound flight path 60a for collecting the collectible 71. On the outbound journey of the UAV 20 to collect the collectible 71, the UAV 20 can also pass in front of any residence 10A to 10F. The outbound flight path 60a can be determined by the control device 30 or can be determined and judged independently by the UAV 20. On the return journey of the UAV 20 after picking up the collectible 71 at the collection location 70C and heading to the collection location 72, the UAV 20 flies according to the flight path 60b determined by the control device 30. For example, when the windows A1 and B1 of the residence 10A and the residence 10B are open, or when there are people on the balconies A2 and B2, the control device 30 determines the flight path 60b that avoids the front of the residences 10A and 10B and returns to the collection location 72. Figure 2 In the case of , the control device 30 selects the flight path 60b that passes in front of the balconies D2 and E2 of the houses 10D and 10E. In this case, the possibility that the residents in the houses 10A and 10B will feel uncomfortable with the smell of the collected objects 71 transported by the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 is reduced.

[0033] Next, the configuration of each component of the collected material collecting system 1 will be described in detail.

[0034] (Structure of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle)

[0035] like Figure 3 As shown, the UAV 20 includes a communication unit 21 , a storage unit 22 , a positioning unit 23 , a detection unit 24 , and a control unit 25 .

[0036] The communication unit 21 includes one or more communication interfaces connected to the network 40. These communication interfaces support, for example, mobile communication standards such as 4G (4th Generation) and 5G (5th Generation), but are not limited to these and may support any communication standard. In this embodiment, the UAV 20 communicates with the control device 30 via the communication unit 21. The communication unit 21 can receive information from the control device 30 about the flight path of the UAV 20 after picking up the collected object.

[0037] The storage unit 22 includes one or more memories. The memories are, for example, semiconductor memories, magnetic memories, or optical memories, but are not limited thereto. Each memory included in the storage unit 22 may function as, for example, a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. The storage unit 22 stores arbitrary information used for the operation of the unmanned aerial vehicle 20. For example, the storage unit 22 may also store system programs, application programs, and embedded software. The information stored in the storage unit 22 may also be updated using, for example, information obtained from the network 40 via the communication unit 21. The storage unit 22 may store information on the location of the collection point 70 of each residence 10 and information on the flight path 60 received from the control device 30.

[0038] The positioning unit 23 includes a receiver corresponding to a satellite positioning system. This receiver corresponds to, for example, the GPS (Global Positioning System), but is not limited thereto and may correspond to any satellite positioning system. Furthermore, the positioning unit 23 includes, for example, a gyroscope sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, and an air pressure sensor. In this embodiment, the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 can use the positioning unit 23 to obtain its position information, its orientation, and its tilt. This position information can include both two-dimensional coordinate data including latitude and longitude, and three-dimensional coordinate data including altitude in addition to latitude and longitude.

[0039] The detection unit 24 includes one or more sensors used to detect obstacles around the UAV 20. In this embodiment, the sensors include cameras, but are not limited to such sensors. For example, the one or more sensors may also include millimeter-wave radar or LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). The output information from the sensors of the detection unit 24 can be used, for example, to enable the UAV 20 to autonomously circumvent surrounding obstacles.

[0040] The detection unit 24 may include other types of sensors for acquiring information about the surroundings of the UAV 20. In one embodiment, the detection unit 24 may include a sensor for detecting the odor of the collected objects 71, in place of or in addition to the odor sensor 11 located in the residence 10. This allows the UAV 20 to detect the intensity of the odor of the collected objects collected at the collection location 70.

[0041] The control unit 25 includes one or more processors, one or more programmable circuits, one or more dedicated circuits, or a combination thereof. The processor is, for example, a general-purpose processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or a dedicated processor dedicated to specific processing, but is not limited to these. The programmable circuit is, for example, an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), but is not limited to this. The dedicated circuit is, for example, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), but is not limited to this. The control unit 25 controls the overall operation of the unmanned aerial vehicle 20. The control unit 25 can move the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 according to the flight path 60 stored in the storage unit 22 using the position information obtained by the positioning unit 23, etc.

[0042] (Structure of control device)

[0043] like Figure 4 As shown, the control device 30 includes a communication unit 31 , a storage unit 32 , and a control unit 33 .

[0044] The communication unit 31 includes one or more communication interfaces connected to the network 40. These communication interfaces may comply with, for example, mobile communication standards, wired LAN (Local Area Network) standards, or wireless LAN standards, but are not limited to these standards and may comply with any communication standard. In this embodiment, the control device 30 communicates with the odor sensor 11, collected material sensor 12, and in-home sensor 13 in each residence 10, as well as the unmanned aerial vehicle 20, via the communication unit 31.

[0045] The storage unit 32 includes one or more memories. Each memory included in the storage unit 32 can function as, for example, a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. The storage unit 32 stores arbitrary information used to control the operation of the device 30. For example, the storage unit 32 can store system programs, application programs, databases, and map information. The information stored in the storage unit 32 can also be updated using information obtained from the network 40 via the communication unit 31, for example.

[0046] In this embodiment, the storage unit 32 stores information related to one or more buildings 50 where collectibles 71 are collected. The information related to the buildings 50 includes arbitrary information used to determine the flight path 60 for the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 to move along the outer wall of the building 50 to the destination residence 10 and collect collectibles 71. For example, the information related to the building 50 includes three-dimensional measurement data of the building 50 and three-dimensional coordinate data indicating the location of the collection point 72 of collectibles 71 associated with the building 50, but is not limited to these.

[0047] The three-dimensional measurement data of the building 50 is, for example, a plurality of three-dimensional coordinate data corresponding to the building 50 (i.e., three-dimensional point cloud data). Each of the plurality of three-dimensional coordinate data is associated with information indicating which of the exterior wall of the building 50, the windows of each residence 10, and the balconies of each residence 10 corresponds to the exterior wall of the building 50. Based on the three-dimensional measurement data of the building 50, the control device 30 can determine the location of the exterior wall of the building 50, the location of each residence 10, the location of the windows of each residence 10, the location of the balconies of each residence 10, and the location of the collection point 70 located within the balconies.

[0048] The control unit 33 includes one or more processors, one or more programmable circuits, one or more dedicated circuits, or a combination thereof. The control unit 33 controls the overall operation of the control device 30. The details of the operation of the control device 30 controlled by the control unit 33 will be described later.

[0049] (Operation flow of the control device)

[0050] Reference Figure 5 , an example of the operation of the control device 30 of this embodiment is described. Figure 5 In the example of FIG, it is assumed that the odor sensor 11 , the collected matter sensor 12 , and the in-house sensor 13 are all present in the house 10 .

[0051] Step S101 : The control unit 33 of the control device 30 acquires information on the building 50 where the collected objects 71 are collected and information on the collection place 72 associated with the building 50 from the storage unit 32 .

[0052] Step S102: The control unit 33 identifies the house 10 where the collected objects 71 are present at the collection point 70 based on information from the collected object sensor 12 of each house 10. In the following steps S103 to S108, the collected objects 71 of each house 10 identified in step S102 are sequentially collected.

[0053] Step S103: The control unit 33 obtains information indicating the odor intensity of the collected material 71 from the odor sensor 11 of the residence 10 identified as containing the collected material 71. The control unit 33 can count the number of times the intensity of the collected material odor exceeds a predetermined threshold value for each collection point 70 of each residence 10, and store the count in the storage unit 32. The information on the number of occurrences stored in the storage unit 32 can be used to alert residents of each residence 10 to reduce the amount of strongly odorous collected material or to request additional fees for the collection of strongly odorous collected material.

[0054] Step S104: The control unit 33 obtains detection information from the in-house sensors 13 of each residence 10. As described above, the detection information may include one or more of information indicating the open or closed status of the windows of each residence 10, information indicating whether anyone is on the balcony of each residence 10, and information indicating whether there is laundry on the balcony of each residence 10. Step S104 is not essential.

[0055] Step S105: The control unit 33 obtains wind direction information from the wind direction sensor 14 installed in the building 50. Step S105 is not essential.

[0056] The order of steps S103 to S105 can be interchanged and can be performed in parallel.

[0057] Step S106: The control unit 33 determines the return flight path 60b of the UAV 20 to the collection site 72 after picking up the collected objects 71. The flight path 60b is determined using the three-dimensional measurement data of the building 50. The method of determining the flight path 60b is described below.

[0058] The control unit 33 can determine the distance from the building 50 based on the intensity of the odor of the collected object 71 obtained in step S103. For example, the control unit 33 can determine the distance from the building 50 to be 1 meter away from the outer wall of the building 50 when the digitized odor intensity is less than a first predetermined value. For example, the control unit 33 can determine the distance from the building 50 to be 3 meters away from the outer wall of the building 50 when the digitized odor intensity is greater than a second predetermined value. The distances of 1 meter and 3 meters are examples. The control unit 33 can set the distance from the outer wall of the building 50 to any value based on the intensity of the odor of the collected object 71.

[0059] Based on the detection information obtained in step S104 from the sensors 13 within each residence 10, the control unit 33 can determine which residences 10's balconies to pass through and which residences 10 to avoid. For example, the control unit 33 can score the degree to which the flight path 60b should not pass through the front of each residence 10, and determine the flight path 60b to pass through the front of residences with low scores. For example, the control unit 33 can assign scores to each residence 10 when a window is open, when someone is on the balcony, or when laundry is on the balcony, thereby reducing the likelihood of selecting the flight path 60b that passes through the front of these residences 10.

[0060] When determining the distance between UAV 20's flight path 60b and the outer wall of building 50, control unit 33 may consider the wind direction information acquired in step S105. Control unit 33 may determine flight path 60b so that when UAV 20 is upwind of the outer wall of building 50, UAV 20 flies farther from the outer wall than when UAV 20 is downwind of the outer wall. For example, control unit 33 may set the distance between UAV 20's flight path 60b and the outer wall to twice the distance in a calm state when UAV 20 is upwind. "Twice" is just an example. Control unit 33 can set any magnification factor. For example, control unit 33 may set the distance between UAV 20's flight path 60b and the outer wall to a relatively short distance, such as 1 meter, when UAV 20 is downwind of the outer wall, regardless of the intensity of the odor of collected material 71.

[0061] Step S107: The control unit 33 transmits the return flight path 60b after picking up the collected object 71, determined in step S106, to the UAV 20 via the communication unit 31, instructing it to collect the collected object 71. The control unit 33 may determine and transmit the outbound flight path 60a to the collection location 70 for the collected object 71 to the UAV 20 using any method. The control unit 33 may autonomously determine the outbound flight path 60a for the UAV 20 to the collection location 70 by transmitting only the location information of the collection location 70 to the UAV 20. After picking up the collected object at the collection location 70, the UAV 20 transports the collected object 71 to the collection site 72 according to the return flight path 60b received from the control unit 30.

[0062] The control unit 33 may cause the UAV 20 to begin its outbound flight to the collection location 70 at any time between steps S102 and S106, rather than after step S106. In this case, the control unit 33 may determine the return flight path 60b based on the latest odor intensity detected by the odor sensor 11, the detection information from the in-house sensor 13, and the wind direction information from the wind direction sensor 14, at the time when the UAV 20 picks up the collected object 71 at the collection location 70.

[0063] Step S108: When the UAV 20 completes transporting the collected objects 71 to the collection site 72, the control unit 33 proceeds to collect the next collected object 71 if any collected objects 71 remain in a certain residence 10 (Step S108: No). In this case, the control unit 33 returns to Step S103 and repeats Steps S103 to S107 for the next collected object 71. When all collected objects 71 have been collected (Step S108: Yes), the control unit 33 ends the process.

[0064] As described above, the control device 30 of this embodiment determines the flight path 60b of the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 for collecting collected material 71 located at collection points 70 in each of a plurality of residences 10 along the outer wall of a building 50. The control device 30 determines the flight path 60b of the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 based on information indicating the intensity of the odor. With this configuration, the control device 30 can fly the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 in a manner that minimizes the discomfort of the odor of the collected material 71 to the residents of the building 50.

[0065] Furthermore, the control device 30 of this embodiment can determine the flight path 60b of the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 by taking into account at least one of the following information: the open or closed state of the windows of the residence 10, the occupancy of the balcony, the presence of laundry, and the wind direction. This can further reduce the likelihood that residents of the building 50 will experience discomfort from the odor of the collected material 71.

[0066] In the above embodiment, the odor sensor 11, the collected object sensor 12, and the in-house sensor 13 are installed in each residence 10. However, the UAV 20 can also obtain information indicating the intensity of odors, the presence of collected objects, the opening and closing of windows, the presence of people on the balcony, and the presence of laundry. For example, the UAV 20 can include a sensor that detects the odor of collected objects. Alternatively, the UAV 20 can use a camera to capture an image of the collection location 70 and use the control unit 25 to perform image processing to determine whether collected objects 71 are present in each residence 10. The UAV 20 can also capture images of the balcony of each residence 10 and use image processing to determine the opening and closing status of windows, the presence of people on the balcony, and the presence of laundry. Furthermore, the UAV 20 can capture images and transmit them to the control device 30. In this case, the image processing is performed by the control unit 33 of the control device 30.

[0067] The wind direction sensor 14 does not need to be located on the building 50. For example, when wind blows, the UAV 20 performs control to maintain its position at a predetermined location. For example, when wind blows, the UAV 20 needs to generate propulsion in the upwind direction to maintain its position. Therefore, the control unit 25 of the UAV 20 can detect the wind direction based on the control information provided by the UAV 20. This allows the control device 30 to obtain wind direction information from the UAV 20.

[0068] (When the UAV determines the flight path)

[0069] The return flight path 60b of the UAV 20 may be determined by the control unit 25 of the UAV 20 instead of the control unit 33 of the control device 30. All or part of the processing performed by the control unit 33 of the control device 30 described in the above embodiment may be executed by the control unit 25 of the UAV 20.

[0070] (Processing flow of the control unit of the unmanned aerial vehicle)

[0071] Reference Figure 6 , an example of the processing flow of the control unit 25 when the control unit 25 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 determines the flight path 60 is described. Figure 6 In the example of Figure 1 The odor sensor 11 and collected object sensor 12 described in

[15] are omitted, and the building 50 does not include a wind direction sensor 14. Information from the in-house sensor 13 is provided to the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 directly or indirectly via the control device 30. Furthermore, the detection unit 24 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 includes an odor sensor that detects the intensity of the odor of the collected objects 71. The control device 30 provides the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 with information related to the building 50 and the collection location 72.

[0072] Step S201 : The control unit 25 of the UAV 20 acquires information on the building 50 where the collected objects 71 are collected and information on the collection location 72 associated with the building 50 , which are stored in the storage unit 32 , from the control device 30 .

[0073] Step S202: The control unit 25 begins searching for collected objects 71 in response to instructions from the operator of the UAV 20. The UAV 20 may sequentially pass in front of each residence 10 to search for the presence of collected objects 71 at collection locations 70. The UAV 20 may analyze images captured by the camera of the detection unit 24 to determine the presence of collected objects 71. Alternatively, the UAV 20 may initially use its camera to capture images of the balconies of each residence 10 to obtain information about all collection locations 70 where collected objects 71 are located.

[0074] Step S203 : When the control unit 25 finds the collected object 71 , it picks up the collected object 71 .

[0075] Step S204: The control unit 25 causes the odor sensor of the detection unit 24 to detect the intensity of the odor of the collected object 71 and obtain information indicating the intensity of the odor.

[0076] Step S205: The control unit 25 obtains detection information from the in-home sensors 13 of each residence 10. As previously described, the detection information may include information indicating the open or closed status of the residence's windows, information indicating whether anyone is on the balcony of each residence 10, and information indicating whether there is laundry on the balcony of each residence 10. Step S205 is not essential.

[0077] Step S206: The control unit 25 identifies the wind direction based on the control information for controlling the position and posture of the aircraft (the UAV 20). Step S206 is not essential.

[0078] Step S207: The control unit 25 determines the return flight path 60b after picking up the collected objects 71 to the collection location 72. The method of determining the flight path 60b is the same as that of step S106.

[0079] Step S208 : The control unit 25 controls the UAV 20 so as to transport the collected objects 71 to the collection location 72 along the flight path 60 b determined in step S207 .

[0080] Step S209: If there are objects 71 that have not yet been collected by the UAV 20 (Step S209: No), the control unit 25 repeats the processes of Steps S203 to S208. The control unit 25 ends the process when the UAV 20 has confirmed the collection locations 70 of all residences 10 and the collection of all objects 71 has been completed (Step S209: Yes).

[0081] When the control unit 25 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 determines the flight path 60b, similarly to the case where the control unit 33 of the control device 30 determines the flight path 60b, the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 can be flown in a manner that makes it less likely for residents of the building 50 to feel unpleasant about the smell of the collected material 71.

[0082] While the present invention has been described based on the accompanying drawings and embodiments, it should be noted that those skilled in the art may make various modifications and variations based on this disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that such modifications and variations are within the scope of the present invention. For example, the functions included in each structural component or step may be rearranged in a logically consistent manner, and multiple structural components or steps may be combined into one or divided.

[0083] For example, in the above embodiment, the structure and operation of the control device 30 can also be distributed among multiple information processing devices that can communicate with each other. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the number of residences 10 located along the outer wall of the building 50 is described as two or more, but the number of residences may also be one. Furthermore, the collection of the collected objects 71 by the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 is not limited to the residences within a single building 50. The unmanned aerial vehicle 20 can collect the collected objects 71 from multiple nearby buildings.

[0084] Alternatively, for example, a general-purpose drone or computer can function as the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 or control device 30 of the above-described embodiment. Specifically, a program describing the processing details for implementing the various functions of the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 or control device 30 of the above-described embodiment is stored in the memory of the general-purpose drone or computer, and the program is read and executed by a processor. Therefore, the invention of this embodiment can also be implemented as a program executable by a processor or as a non-volatile computer-readable medium storing the program.

Claims

1. A control device comprising a control unit, The control unit is configured to control an unmanned aerial vehicle that collects the collected objects. The control unit acquires information indicating the intensity of the odor of the collected object to be collected, and determines a flight path of the unmanned aerial vehicle after picking up the collected object at the collection location based on the information indicating the intensity of the odor of the collected object. The unmanned aerial vehicle is configured to collect the collected objects from the collection location located along the outer wall of a building, and the control unit determines the flight path to be along the outer wall of the building. The control unit determines the flight path such that the stronger the intensity of the odor, the farther the odor flies from the outer wall.

2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein: There are a plurality of houses along the outer wall of the building, and the collection point is located at a balcony disposed along the outer wall of each of the plurality of houses.

3. The control device according to claim 2, wherein: The control unit acquires detection information from sensors disposed in each of the houses, and determines the flight path in consideration of the detection information.

4. The control device according to claim 3, wherein: The detection information includes opening and closing information of windows along the outer walls of the respective houses, and the control unit determines the flight path so as not to fly in front of a house having an open window.

5. The control device according to claim 4, wherein: The detection information includes information on whether there is someone on the balcony of each house, and the control unit determines the flight path so as not to fly in front of the balcony where there is someone.

6. The control device according to claim 4, wherein: The detection information includes information on whether there is laundry on the balcony of each house, and the control unit determines the flight path so as not to fly in front of the balcony where the laundry is located.

7. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The control unit acquires wind direction information and determines the flight path so that the UAV flies farther away from the outer wall when the UAV is located upwind of the outer wall than when the UAV is located downwind of the outer wall.

8. The control device according to claim 7, wherein: The wind direction information is obtained from the unmanned aerial vehicle.

9. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The control unit is configured to acquire information indicating the intensity of the odor of the collected object detected by the odor sensor located at the collection location.

10. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The control unit counts the number of times the intensity of the odor of the collected object is stronger than a predetermined threshold value for each of the collection locations.

11. An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising a control unit, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle is configured to collect objects. The control unit acquires information indicating the intensity of the odor of the collected object, and determines a flight path of the unmanned aerial vehicle after picking up the collected object at the collection location based on the information indicating the intensity of the odor of the collected object. The control unit collects the collected objects from a collection point located along an outer wall of a building, and determines the flight path to be along the outer wall of the building. The control unit determines the flight path such that the stronger the intensity of the odor, the farther the odor flies from the outer wall.

12. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 11, wherein: There are a plurality of houses along the outer wall of the building, and the collection point is located at a balcony disposed along the outer wall of each of the plurality of houses.

13. A method, performed by a control device controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle configured to collect a collection object, wherein: The method includes: obtaining information indicating the intensity of the odor of the collection to be collected; and determining a flight path of the UAV after picking up the collected object at the collection location based on information indicating the intensity of the odor of the collected object, The unmanned aerial vehicle is configured to collect the collected objects from a collection location located along an outer wall of a building, and the control device determines the flight path to be along the outer wall of the building. The flight path is determined such that the stronger the odor, the farther the odor flies from the outer wall.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein There are a plurality of houses along the outer wall of the building, and the collection point is located at a balcony disposed along the outer wall of each of the plurality of houses.

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