A method, device, system and storage medium for controlling the winding and unwinding of a drone cable

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of unmanned aerial vehicle cable's control method, device, system and storage medium of paying out, and the application belongs to unmanned aerial vehicle technical field.The method includes: by the communication line core, the motion data of unmanned aerial vehicle is acquired;According to the motion data, the paying-out control instruction of ground station is generated, to control the ground station according to paying-out expected speed and carry out paying-out;The measured speed of paying-out of the ground station is acquired, in the case where the measured speed of paying-out and the paying-out expected speed are different, flight speed adjustment instruction is generated;The flight speed adjustment instruction is sent to unmanned aerial vehicle by the communication line core, to control the flight speed of the unmanned aerial vehicle.This technical solution can communicate based on communication line core, solve communication delay problem, and the two-way feedback of unmanned aerial vehicle and ground station makes the speed of ground station paying-out more conform to the flight demand of unmanned aerial vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, specifically relating to a method, device, system, and storage medium for controlling the retraction and deployment of UAV cables. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of technology, drone technology has become increasingly mature. The application scenarios for tethered drones are also becoming more and more widespread. However, in the process of application, there are some problems with the tethering and retrieving mechanism of tethered drones.

[0003] Most existing tethered drone cable deployment and retrieval technologies employ a motor torque mode, where operators adjust the motor torque via a control device to achieve semi-automatic cable deployment and retrieval. Others utilize interaction with the drone, acquiring its flight speed to calculate the appropriate deployment and retrieval speeds, thus achieving automatic deployment and retrieval. However, due to communication delays, there is a lag in the transmission of drone speed information to the ground station, causing the ground station's control of the motors to delay cable deployment or retrieval from keeping pace with the aircraft's speed changes.

[0004] Therefore, how to solve the communication delay during the cable reeling and laying process, and the mismatch between the cable reeling and laying speed of the ground station and the flight speed of the tethered UAV, are problems that urgently need to be solved by those in the field. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a method, device, system, and storage medium for controlling the deployment and retraction of a drone cable. It uses communication cores for communication, solving the communication delay problem. Furthermore, based on the motion data fed back by the drone, the ground-based deployment and retraction system detects and adjusts its speed. The drone also controls its ascent and descent speed based on the status of the deployment and retraction system, realizing two-way feedback between the drone and the ground station.

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a method for controlling the retraction and extension of a drone cable, the method comprising:

[0007] The motion data of the UAV is acquired through the communication core; wherein, the motion data includes the ascent speed and ascent acceleration during the ascent process, or the descent speed and descent acceleration during the descent process.

[0008] Based on the motion data, a cable reel control command is generated for the ground station to control the ground station to reel in and launch the cable at the expected speed.

[0009] The measured speed of the take-up and release line at the ground station is obtained. If the measured speed of the take-up and release line is different from the expected speed of the take-up and release line, a flight speed adjustment command is generated.

[0010] The flight speed adjustment command is sent to the drone through the communication core to control the drone's flight speed.

[0011] Furthermore, based on the motion data, a cable reel-in / deel-out control command is generated for the ground station to control the ground station to reel in / deel in the cable at the expected speed, including:

[0012] If the descent acceleration exceeds the first acceleration threshold, an acceleration command is generated for the take-up motor speed of the ground station to control the ground station to take up the line at the accelerated take-up motor speed.

[0013] If the upward acceleration during the ascent exceeds the second acceleration threshold, an acceleration command is generated for the wire-laying motor speed at the ground station to control the ground station to lay wire at the accelerated wire-laying motor speed.

[0014] Furthermore, the method is characterized by further comprising:

[0015] If the UAV descends from a height higher than the preset altitude and reaches a range adjacent to the preset altitude, a take-up and release control command is generated for the ground station to control the take-up motor speed of the ground station to switch from the current speed to the target speed; wherein the target speed is less than the current speed.

[0016] Furthermore, the process of determining the target rotational speed includes:

[0017] Obtain the specified flight speed of the UAV below the preset altitude;

[0018] The target rotational speed of the ground station's take-up motor is determined based on the specified flight speed.

[0019] Furthermore, the method also includes:

[0020] Obtain the input current and actual speed of the take-up motor or the release motor of the ground station;

[0021] If the input current does not match the actual rotational speed, it is determined that the ground station has a motor wire jamming fault.

[0022] The drone is given a deceleration command via a wireless communication interface to reduce its flight speed.

[0023] Furthermore, after determining that the ground station has a motor wire jamming fault, the method further includes:

[0024] Generate alarm information for motor wire jamming fault.

[0025] Furthermore, the power supply core of the cable is used to supply power from the ground station to the drone.

[0026] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a retraction and extension control device for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) cables, the device comprising:

[0027] The motion data acquisition module is used to acquire motion data of the UAV through the communication core; wherein, the motion data includes the ascent speed and ascent acceleration during the ascent process, or the descent speed and descent acceleration during the descent process.

[0028] The take-up and release speed control module is used to generate take-up and release control commands to the ground station based on the motion data, so as to control the ground station to take up and release the line at the expected speed.

[0029] The adjustment command generation module is used to obtain the measured speed of the take-up and release line at the ground station, and generate a flight speed adjustment command when the measured speed of the take-up and release line is different from the expected speed of the take-up and release line.

[0030] The flight speed control module is used to send flight speed adjustment commands to the UAV via the communication core to control the flight speed of the UAV.

[0031] Furthermore, the take-up and release line speed control module includes:

[0032] The take-up motor speed control unit is used to generate an acceleration command for the take-up motor speed of the ground station if the descent acceleration during the descent process exceeds a first acceleration threshold, so as to control the ground station to take up the line according to the accelerated take-up motor speed.

[0033] The line-laying motor speed control unit is used to generate an acceleration command for the line-laying motor speed of the ground station if the upward acceleration during the ascent process exceeds a second acceleration threshold, so as to control the ground station to lay the line according to the accelerated line-laying motor speed.

[0034] Furthermore, the device also includes:

[0035] The target rotation speed determination module is used to generate a take-up and release control command for the ground station if the UAV descends from a height higher than a preset altitude and reaches a range adjacent to the preset altitude, so as to control the take-up motor speed of the ground station to switch from the current speed to the target speed; wherein the target speed is less than the current speed.

[0036] Furthermore, the target speed determination module includes:

[0037] A flight speed acquisition unit is used to acquire a specified flight speed of the UAV below a preset altitude;

[0038] The target rotation speed determination unit is used to determine the target rotation speed of the take-up motor of the ground station based on the specified flight speed.

[0039] Furthermore, the device also includes:

[0040] The motor data acquisition module is used to acquire the input current and actual speed of the take-up motor or the release motor of the ground station;

[0041] The wire jamming fault determination module is used to determine that the ground station has a motor wire jamming fault if the input current does not match the actual speed.

[0042] The flight speed reduction module is used to send a deceleration command to the UAV via a wireless communication interface to reduce the flight speed of the UAV.

[0043] Furthermore, the device also includes:

[0044] The alarm information generation module is used to generate alarm information for motor wire jamming faults.

[0045] Furthermore, the power supply core of the cable is used to supply power from the ground station to the drone.

[0046] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide an electronic device including a processor, a memory, and a program or instructions stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the program or instructions, when executed by the processor, implement the steps of the method described in the first aspect.

[0047] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a readable storage medium on which a program or instructions are stored, which, when executed by a processor, implement the steps of the method described in the first aspect.

[0048] Fifthly, embodiments of this application provide a chip, the chip including a processor and a communication interface, the communication interface being coupled to the processor, the processor being used to run programs or instructions to implement the method as described in the first aspect.

[0049] In this embodiment, motion data of the UAV is acquired through the communication cable core. This motion data includes the ascent speed and acceleration during ascent, or the descent speed and acceleration during descent. Based on the motion data, a cable reel-in / deel-out control command is generated for the ground station to control the ground station to reel in and out the cable at the expected speed. The actual cable reel-in / deel-out speed of the ground station is acquired. If the actual speed differs from the expected speed, a flight speed adjustment command is generated. This flight speed adjustment command is sent to the UAV through the communication cable core to control the UAV's flight speed. This method of controlling the reel-in / deel-out of the UAV cable solves the communication delay problem. Furthermore, the two-way feedback between the UAV and the ground station ensures that the ground station's cable reel-in / deel-out speed better matches the UAV's flight requirements. Attached Figure Description

[0050] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the method for controlling the retraction and extension of a drone cable provided in Embodiment 1 of this application;

[0051] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the method for controlling the retraction and extension of a drone cable according to Embodiment 2 of this application;

[0052] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the method for controlling the retraction and extension of a drone cable according to Embodiment 3 of this application;

[0053] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the method for controlling the retraction and extension of a drone cable according to Embodiment 4 of this application;

[0054] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the drone cable retraction and extension control device provided in Embodiment 5 of this application;

[0055] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the drone cable retraction and deployment control system provided in Embodiment Six of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0056] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, specific embodiments of this application will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely for explaining this application and not for limiting it. It should also be noted that, for ease of description, only the parts relevant to this application are shown in the drawings, not all of them. Before discussing exemplary embodiments in more detail, it should be mentioned that some exemplary embodiments are described as processes or methods depicted as flowcharts. Although the flowcharts describe operations (or steps) as sequential processes, many of these operations can be performed in parallel, concurrently, or simultaneously. Furthermore, the order of the operations can be rearranged. The process can be terminated when its operation is completed, but may also have additional steps not included in the drawings. The process can correspond to a method, function, procedure, subroutine, subprogram, etc.

[0057] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0058] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and not to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such use of data can be interchanged where appropriate so that embodiments of this application can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein, and the objects distinguished by "first," "second," etc., are generally of the same class and the number of objects is not limited; for example, a first object can be one or more. Furthermore, in the specification and claims, "and / or" indicates at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0059] The following description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, details the method, apparatus, system, and storage medium for controlling the retraction and deployment of UAV cables provided in this application, through specific embodiments and application scenarios.

[0060] Example 1

[0061] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the drone cable retraction and deployment control method provided in Embodiment 1 of this application. The method is applied to a drone cable retraction and deployment control system; the drone cable retraction and deployment control system includes a drone and a ground station, and a cable connecting the drone and the ground station; wherein the cable includes a power supply core and a communication core.

[0062] like Figure 1As shown, the specific steps include the following:

[0063] S101, acquire the motion data of the UAV through the communication core; wherein, the motion data includes the ascent speed and ascent acceleration during the ascent process, or the descent speed and descent acceleration during the descent process.

[0064] First, this solution can be used in scenarios where tethered drones are in operation. Specifically, the application field of the tethered drone will be determined by changing the mounted accessories to achieve different functions. For example, in addition to power supply, the tether cable is also equipped with a 4G / 5G transmission cable, which can connect to various precision equipment for signal transmission between the air and the ground. For example, it can be equipped with a high-precision 30x zoom lens for high-altitude reconnaissance, a loudspeaker for communication, and an infrared temperature control camera for environmental measurement.

[0065] Based on the above usage scenarios, it is understandable that the executing entity of this application can be a smart chip with computing capabilities, which can be installed on a drone or a ground station. In this solution, the drone can be a tethered drone. Specifically, a tethered drone can be a device that combines a drone and a tethered integrated cable. By transmitting power and signals through the cable, the tethered drone can achieve 24-hour uninterrupted hovering, possessing the characteristics and advantages of long-term aerial operation and large data transmission bandwidth. The tethered drone system consists of a drone, a tethered cable, and a ground take-off and landing platform. The tethered cable is a cable connecting the drone end and the ground end, including a communication core and a power supply core. Among them, the communication core can be a data transmission medium made of optical fiber, which uses light as a carrier to transmit data.

[0066] The main reason for choosing optical fiber as the communication method in this solution is that, compared with other transmission methods, optical fiber has a wide transmission bandwidth, high anti-interference ability, and low signal attenuation, which can solve the delay problem of UAV during the cable laying and retrieval process.

[0067] Motion data can include the drone's direction and magnitude of motion. Specifically, motion data can include ascent speed and acceleration during ascent, and descent speed and acceleration during descent. Velocity is a physical quantity representing the speed and direction of the drone's motion. The direction of velocity is the direction of the object's motion; ascent speed can be represented by a positive value, and descent speed by a negative value. Acceleration is a physical quantity representing how quickly the drone's velocity changes; its direction is the direction of the change in velocity. For example, if the velocity is constantly increasing, the directions of velocity and acceleration are the same; if the velocity is constantly decreasing, the directions of velocity and acceleration are opposite.

[0068] Acquiring drone motion data can involve obtaining the drone's own motion measurements and then transmitting the data to a ground station via a communication cable. The ground station can then retrieve the motion data. Specifically, speed can be obtained by measuring altitude and time. Altitude can be measured using an ultrasonic sensor to determine the distance to the ground, or it can be measured using a speed sensor.

[0069] The sensors in the drone capture the current displacement and time differences at preset time intervals, and then calculate the relevant velocity using Δv = Δx / Δt. The drone's motion data needs real-time feedback; therefore, the preset measurement time interval should not be too long. However, considering energy consumption, the measurement time interval does not need to be absolute. Specifically, it can be set by the operator, for example, setting a measurement every 0.3-0.5 milliseconds. Accelerometers can be used to acquire acceleration. Accelerometers are used to ensure linear acceleration in both horizontal and vertical directions. The relevant data can be used to calculate the rate of change of speed, direction, and drone altitude. Accelerometers can also be used to detect vibrations experienced by the drone. The acceleration can also be determined by calculating the ratio of the increment of two velocities to time using a smart chip. Specifically, the physical quantity of acceleration is calculated using a = Δv / Δt.

[0070] S102, Based on the motion data, generate a line take-up and release control command for the ground station to control the ground station to take up and release the line at the expected speed.

[0071] In this solution, the ground station can be a device installed on the ground and connected to the tethered drone via a tether cable. Specifically, the ground station equipment includes a computer, a tether cable retraction and deployment device, a tether power supply box, a generator, and a portable operating terminal. When the data processing module receives motion data, it can generate corresponding control commands based on the motion data. By using the values ​​of speed and acceleration, it calculates whether to perform a retraction or deployment operation, and calculates the required retraction / deployment speed per second. For example, it detects the sign of the speed and acceleration values ​​to determine the direction. If both speed and acceleration are positive, the direction of motion is determined to be upward, thus requiring accelerated deployment; conversely, if it is descending and accelerating downward, then accelerated retraction is required. If speed and acceleration are in opposite directions, if the speed is upward, it indicates deceleration during ascent, requiring deceleration during deployment; conversely, if the speed is downward, it indicates deceleration during descent, requiring deceleration during retraction.

[0072] Instructions can be directives and commands to control the machine's operation. Cable reel-in / deel-out control instructions can transmit commands to the cable reel-in / deel-out device, enabling it to perform cable reel-in or cable release operations, and controlling the speed of reel-in / deel-out. The expected speed can be the speed transmitted by the cable reel-in / deel-out control instructions. This is obtained by calculating and predicting the required displacement of the UAV per unit time, then dividing by the time.

[0073] S103, obtain the measured speed of the take-up and release line at the ground station, and generate a flight speed adjustment command if the measured speed of the take-up and release line is different from the expected speed of the take-up and release line.

[0074] In this solution, the measured speed of the cable reel-in / reel-out can be obtained by real-time monitoring of the rotation amount per unit time in the cable reel-in / reel-out device, divided by the time. The data processing module compares the expected speed with the measured speed; if they differ, a flight speed adjustment command is generated. Specifically, within a controllable time range, the acceleration required for the drone to reach the measured speed is calculated. For example, if the expected reel-in speed is 5 m / s and the measured speed is 3 m / s, and the drone's current speed is 5 m / s, considering calculation and transmission time, the drone needs to change from 5 m / s to 3 m / s within two seconds, requiring an acceleration of -1 m / s. 2 .

[0075] S104, the flight speed adjustment command is sent to the UAV through the communication core to control the flight speed of the UAV.

[0076] In this solution, the flight speed adjustment command is a command to adjust the speed and acceleration of the drone. This command is transmitted to the drone via the communication cable, changing the drone's acceleration to control it and ensure it reaches the desired flight speed within a predetermined time. The flight speed here can refer to the drone's ascent and descent rates during flight. When the drone receives the flight speed adjustment command, it will adjust its speed accordingly. Specifically, the rotors on the drone's fuselage provide its own power. The drone controls the rotor speed to achieve lift or descent. By changing the magnitude and direction of the force, the magnitude of acceleration can be changed, thereby adjusting the speed.

[0077] Based on the above technical solutions, optionally, the power supply core of the cable is used to provide power from the ground station to the UAV.

[0078] In this solution, the power source can be the drone's power source. Specifically, the tethered power box at the ground station converts AC power into DC power, and then transmits the power to the input terminal of the drone's onboard power module via a tethered transmission cable. The power is then converted into high-voltage DC required by the onboard power system, continuously supplying power to the drone and enabling long-duration aerial operations.

[0079] In this embodiment, the ground station provides power to the drone. Compared to the drone's own battery, the power provided by the ground station is greater, resulting in faster charging. Drones with their own batteries will stop working when the batteries run out, but if the ground station provides power, the flight time will be significantly improved.

[0080] In this embodiment, motion data of the UAV is acquired through the communication cable core. This motion data includes the ascent speed and acceleration during ascent, or the descent speed and acceleration during descent. Based on the motion data, a cable reel-in / deel-out control command is generated for the ground station to control the ground station to reel in and out the cable at the expected speed. The actual cable reel-in / deel-out speed of the ground station is acquired. If the actual speed differs from the expected speed, a flight speed adjustment command is generated. This flight speed adjustment command is sent to the UAV through the communication cable core to control the UAV's flight speed. This method for controlling the reel-in / deel-out of the UAV cable solves the communication delay problem. Furthermore, the two-way feedback between the UAV and the ground station ensures that the ground station's cable reel-in / deel-out speed better matches the UAV's flight requirements.

[0081] Example 2

[0082] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) cable reeling and deployment control method provided in Embodiment 2 of this application. This solution makes a further improvement on the above embodiment, specifically: based on the motion data, generating a cable reeling and deployment control command for the ground station to control the ground station to reel in and deploy the cable at the expected speed, including: if the descent acceleration during the descent process exceeds a first acceleration threshold, generating an acceleration command for the reeling motor speed of the ground station to control the ground station to reel in the cable at the accelerated reeling motor speed; if the ascent acceleration during the ascent process exceeds a second acceleration threshold, generating an acceleration command for the deployment motor speed of the ground station to control the ground station to deploy the cable at the accelerated deployment motor speed.

[0083] like Figure 2 As shown, the specific steps include the following:

[0084] S201, acquire the motion data of the UAV through the communication core; wherein, the motion data includes the ascent speed and ascent acceleration during the ascent process, or the descent speed and descent acceleration during the descent process.

[0085] S202, if the descent acceleration during the descent process exceeds the first acceleration threshold, an acceleration command is generated for the take-up motor speed of the ground station to control the ground station to take up the line at the accelerated take-up motor speed.

[0086] In this scheme, the first acceleration threshold can be a preset maximum acceleration value during descent. Specifically, the drone can descend at a constant speed (zero acceleration), decelerate (acceleration less than zero), or accelerate (acceleration greater than zero). Taking acceleration as an example, the threshold acceleration is 2 m / s². If the drone accelerates beyond the threshold range, it will reel in the line at the previously preset speed. If the drone detects that its acceleration exceeds the threshold, it will generate an acceleration command. Specifically, the acceleration command can be generated by the drone's built-in smart chip and transmitted to the computer via a communication cable. The computer receives the command from the drone and controls the speed of the take-up motor. The take-up motor can be a device used with a wire drawing machine to reel in the line after it has been shaped to the desired diameter. Typically, the acceleration command is a command from the drone to the ground station requesting control of the take-up motor speed. For example, the drone's current acceleration is 5 m / s². 2 The computation module calculates a mapping relationship between the drone's acceleration and the line retrieval speed, generating a mapping function. By dividing the drone's displacement per unit time by the line length, the average speed the retrieval motor should reach is calculated. Therefore, the drone's command can be to make the retrieval motor reach this average speed value.

[0087] S203, if the upward acceleration during the ascent process exceeds the second acceleration threshold, an acceleration command is generated for the wire-laying motor speed of the ground station to control the ground station to lay wire at the accelerated wire-laying motor speed.

[0088] In this scheme, the second acceleration threshold can be a preset maximum acceleration value during ascent. Specifically, the drone can ascend at a constant speed, i.e., the acceleration is zero; it can also decelerate, i.e., the acceleration is less than zero; or it can accelerate, i.e., the acceleration is greater than zero. Taking the acceleration state as an example, the threshold acceleration is 3 m / s². 2 If the drone accelerates beyond a threshold range, it will continue to lay the wire at the previously preset speed. If the drone detects that its acceleration exceeds the threshold, it will generate an acceleration command. Specifically, this command can be transmitted via the drone's built-in computing module and then via a communication cable to a computer. The computer then controls the speed of the wire-laying motor based on the command sent by the drone. The wire-laying motor can be an auxiliary device for wires and cables, used in conjunction with a stranding machine, to lay the wire. Typically, the acceleration command is a message from the drone to the ground station requesting control of the wire-laying motor's speed. For example, the drone's current acceleration is 5 m / s². 2Specifically, the computation module calculates a mapping relationship between the drone's acceleration and the line-laying speed, generating a function. By dividing the drone's displacement per unit time by the length of the line laid, the average speed that the line-laying motor should reach is calculated. The drone's command can then be to make the line-laying motor reach the average speed value.

[0089] S204: Obtain the measured speed of the take-up and release line at the ground station; if the measured speed of the take-up and release line differs from the expected speed of the take-up and release line, generate a flight speed adjustment command.

[0090] S205, the flight speed adjustment command is sent to the UAV through the communication core to control the flight speed of the UAV.

[0091] In this embodiment, the above embodiment is improved as follows: if the descent acceleration during the descent process exceeds a first acceleration threshold, an acceleration command is generated for the take-up motor speed at the ground station to control the ground station to take up the cable at the accelerated take-up motor speed; if the ascent acceleration during the ascent process exceeds a second acceleration threshold, an acceleration command is generated for the release motor speed at the ground station to control the ground station to release the cable at the accelerated release motor speed. By generating acceleration commands and sending them to the ground station, the speeds of the take-up and release motors at the ground station are adjusted, further avoiding the problem of optical fiber breakage due to untimely cable take-up and release.

[0092] Example 3

[0093] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) cable retraction and deployment control method provided in Embodiment 3 of this application. This solution makes a further improvement to the above embodiment, specifically: if the UAV descends from a height higher than a preset altitude and reaches a proximity range to the preset altitude, a cable retraction and deployment control command is generated for the ground station to control the retraction motor speed of the ground station to switch from the current speed to a target speed; wherein the target speed is lower than the current speed.

[0094] like Figure 3 As shown, the specific steps include the following:

[0095] S301, the motion data of the UAV is acquired through the communication core; wherein, the motion data includes the ascent speed and ascent acceleration during the ascent process, or the descent speed and descent acceleration during the descent process.

[0096] S302, Based on the motion data, generate a line take-up and release control command for the ground station to control the ground station to take up and release the line at the expected speed.

[0097] S303: Obtain the measured speed of the take-up and release line at the ground station; if the measured speed of the take-up and release line differs from the expected speed of the take-up and release line, generate a flight speed adjustment command.

[0098] S304, the flight speed adjustment command is sent to the UAV through the communication core to control the flight speed of the UAV.

[0099] S305, if the UAV descends from a height higher than the preset altitude and reaches a range adjacent to the preset altitude, a cable reel-in / deel-out control command is generated for the ground station to control the speed of the cable reel-in motor at the ground station to switch from the current speed to the target speed; wherein the target speed is lower than the current speed. This step can be performed before or after any of the above steps, and is not limited here.

[0100] In this scheme, the preset altitude can be a height threshold calculated through multiple measurements. Specifically, during the drone's descent, to reduce flight time, the drone will accelerate its descent, and the line reel motor will also accelerate its reel reel. When the drone reaches the vicinity of the preset altitude, to ensure a smooth landing, the drone begins to decelerate, at which point the line reel motor should also reduce its reel speed accordingly. The drone's barometer detects the relevant altitude and compares it with the preset altitude. If it is within the vicinity of the preset altitude, a control command is generated and transmitted to the ground station's computer via the communication cable. The vicinity can be a specified distance above or below the preset altitude. For example, if the preset altitude is set to 30 meters, the vicinity can be 5 meters above and below the preset altitude. When the drone descends to 35 meters, it can send a control command to the ground station, and a command should also be sent from above 25 meters. The line reel control command can be a command instructing the computer to control the speed of the line reel motor. Specifically, the target speed is obtained by dividing the length of the cable to be retrieved during the drone's deceleration descent by the unit time. The computer controls the line reel motor to switch the current speed to the target speed. The current rotational speed can be the speed of the reel motor when the drone is above the nearby range, while the target rotational speed is the speed at which the drone decelerates and descends when it is within or below the nearby range, thus controlling the reel speed. Because the transition from the current rotational speed to the target rotational speed involves the drone's deceleration, the reel speed should also decrease; therefore, the target rotational speed is lower than the current rotational speed.

[0101] In this solution, based on the above-mentioned technical solutions, optionally, the process of determining the target rotational speed includes:

[0102] Obtain the specified flight speed of the drone below a preset altitude.

[0103] The target rotational speed of the ground station's take-up motor is determined based on the specified flight speed.

[0104] In this scheme, the specified flight speed can be the speed at which the drone descends below a preset altitude. Specifically, the drone will stop decelerating when it reaches a certain speed, thus maintaining a constant speed. Alternatively, the drone can continuously decelerate during its descent, reaching zero speed upon reaching the ground. In this case, the specified flight speed can be the average speed of the drone during descent. The drone can obtain its flight speed during flight using a barometer and timer, or it can obtain it using a dedicated ultrasonic velocimeter or a micro-differential pressure anemometer. After obtaining the specified flight speed, the information is transmitted to a computer via a communication cable. The computer then calculates the target rotational speed of the take-up motor using a mapping function between flight speed and take-up speed. For example, if the specified flight speed is 5 m / s, the calculated target rotational speed is 3 m / s.

[0105] In this embodiment, the above embodiment is improved as follows: if the UAV descends from a height higher than a preset altitude and reaches a proximity range to the preset altitude, a cable retraction control command is generated for the ground station to control the speed of the cable retraction motor at the ground station to switch from the current speed to a target speed; wherein the target speed is lower than the current speed. By increasing the speed of the cable retraction motor in advance through the control algorithm, the problem of dragging on the ground due to insufficient cable retraction is solved, and the problem of inertial pulling on the aircraft due to insufficient cable retraction speed is also effectively improved.

[0106] Example 4

[0107] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) cable retraction and deployment control method provided in Embodiment 3 of this application. This solution makes further improvements to the above embodiment, specifically: acquiring the input current and actual rotational speed of the retraction or deployment motor of the ground station; if the input current and the actual rotational speed do not match, determining that the ground station has a motor cable jamming fault; and issuing a deceleration command to the UAV via a wireless communication interface to reduce the UAV's flight speed.

[0108] like Figure 4 As shown, the specific steps include the following:

[0109] S401, acquire the motion data of the UAV through the communication core; wherein, the motion data includes the ascent speed and ascent acceleration during the ascent process, or the descent speed and descent acceleration during the descent process.

[0110] S402, Based on the motion data, generate a line take-up and release control command for the ground station to control the ground station to take up and release the line at the expected speed.

[0111] S403, acquire the measured speed of the take-up and release line at the ground station, and generate a flight speed adjustment command if the measured speed of the take-up and release line differs from the expected speed of the take-up and release line.

[0112] S404, the flight speed adjustment command is sent to the UAV through the communication core to control the flight speed of the UAV.

[0113] S405, obtain the input current and actual speed of the take-up motor or the release motor of the ground station; this step, along with S406 and S407, can be performed before or after any of the above steps, and no further restrictions are imposed here.

[0114] In this scheme, the input current can be the current input from the power supply to the motor. The speeds of the take-up and pay-off motors are related to the input current. Specifically, n = U - (IR + L*di / dt) / Kφ, where U is the armature voltage, I is the current, R is the armature circuit resistance, φ is the excitation flux, and k is the induced electromotive force constant. The method to obtain the input current and actual speed can be to set up a motor test bench, including a dynamometer and a power analyzer. The dynamometer can adjust the load and measure the output power. The power analyzer can measure the input power, and then the computer calculates the input current. The dynamometer consists of three parts: a hysteresis brake, a torque sensor, and a tachometer; the hysteresis brake and the torque sensor or tachometer form a closed-loop system, enabling closed-loop control of speed and torque.

[0115] S406, if the input current does not match the actual speed, then it is determined that the ground station has a motor wire jamming fault.

[0116] In this solution, the input current and actual rotational speed data are sent to the computer. The computer substitutes the input current into the aforementioned rotational speed formula and compares it with the actual rotational speed value. For example, if the actual rotational speed is found to be lower than the expected speed after substituting the input current into the formula, the reason may be due to a decrease in rotational speed caused by cable jamming. Cable jamming can be caused by a mismatch between the cable retrieval speed and the drone's flight speed, resulting in the cable piling up on the ground. During the motor retrieval process, the coiled cable can become stuck and prevent further retrieval.

[0117] S407 sends a deceleration command to the drone via a wireless communication interface to reduce the drone's flight speed.

[0118] In this solution, if a cable jamming fault is detected, it's because the drone's descent speed exceeds the motor's cable reeling speed. However, because the motor is jammed, increasing the drone's descent speed would lead to a dangerous accident, so the drone's speed is reduced. Specifically, the computer calculates the drone's required speed based on the cable stuck on the ground and the current reeling motor speed. Within a unit of time, the drone's acceleration is determined by its current speed and the required speed. The computer transmits the acceleration information to the wireless communication cable via a wireless communication interface. Upon receiving the acceleration information, the drone adjusts its propeller speed to achieve the new acceleration.

[0119] Based on the above technical solutions, optionally, after determining that the ground station has a motor wire jamming fault, the method further includes:

[0120] Generate alarm information for motor wire jamming fault.

[0121] In this solution, the fault alarm information can be generated by the computer after determining that the input current and the actual speed are mismatched. The alarm information can be displayed on the computer screen or emitted as an alarm sound by the alarm module.

[0122] In this embodiment, an alarm message is generated when the motor gets stuck in the wire. Generating an alarm message facilitates timely fault detection. This detection can be achieved either through automatic computer intervention or by human intervention. This solves the problem of cable breakage caused by delayed handling of motor wire jamming.

[0123] In this embodiment, the above embodiment is improved as follows: The input current and actual speed of the take-up or release motor of the ground station are obtained; if the input current and the actual speed do not match, it is determined that the ground station has a motor cable jamming fault; a deceleration command is sent to the UAV via a wireless communication interface to reduce the UAV's flight speed. By comparing the matching degree between the input current and the actual speed, an alarm message can be generated if a cable jamming fault occurs, allowing the UAV's take-up and release system to be resolved immediately when a fault occurs, avoiding cable breakage due to cable jamming.

[0124] Example 5

[0125] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the drone cable retraction and extension control device provided in Embodiment 5 of this application.

[0126] like Figure 5 As shown, it specifically includes the following:

[0127] The motion data acquisition module 501 is used to acquire motion data of the UAV through the communication core; wherein, the motion data includes the ascent speed and ascent acceleration during the ascent process, or the descent speed and descent acceleration during the descent process.

[0128] The take-up and release speed control module 502 is used to generate take-up and release control commands to the ground station based on the motion data, so as to control the ground station to take up and release the line at the expected take-up and release speed.

[0129] The adjustment command generation module 503 is used to obtain the measured speed of the take-up and release line at the ground station, and generate a flight speed adjustment command when the measured speed of the take-up and release line is different from the expected speed of the take-up and release line.

[0130] The flight speed control module 504 is used to send the flight speed adjustment command to the UAV through the communication core to control the flight speed of the UAV.

[0131] Furthermore, the take-up and release line speed control module includes:

[0132] The take-up motor speed control unit is used to generate an acceleration command for the take-up motor speed of the ground station if the descent acceleration during the descent process exceeds a first acceleration threshold, so as to control the ground station to take up the line according to the accelerated take-up motor speed.

[0133] The line-laying motor speed control unit is used to generate an acceleration command for the line-laying motor speed of the ground station if the upward acceleration during the ascent process exceeds a second acceleration threshold, so as to control the ground station to lay the line according to the accelerated line-laying motor speed.

[0134] Furthermore, the device also includes:

[0135] The target rotation speed determination module is used to generate a take-up and release control command for the ground station if the UAV descends from a height higher than a preset altitude and reaches a range adjacent to the preset altitude, so as to control the take-up motor speed of the ground station to switch from the current speed to the target speed; wherein the target speed is less than the current speed.

[0136] Furthermore, the target speed determination module includes:

[0137] A flight speed acquisition unit is used to acquire a specified flight speed of the UAV below a preset altitude;

[0138] The target rotation speed determination unit is used to determine the target rotation speed of the take-up motor of the ground station based on the specified flight speed.

[0139] Furthermore, the device also includes:

[0140] The motor data acquisition module is used to acquire the input current and actual speed of the take-up motor or the release motor of the ground station;

[0141] The wire jamming fault determination module is used to determine that the ground station has a motor wire jamming fault if the input current does not match the actual speed.

[0142] The flight speed reduction module is used to send a deceleration command to the UAV via a wireless communication interface to reduce the flight speed of the UAV.

[0143] Furthermore, the device also includes:

[0144] The alarm information generation module is used to generate alarm information for motor wire jamming faults.

[0145] Furthermore, the power supply core of the cable is used to supply power from the ground station to the drone.

[0146] In this embodiment, a motion data acquisition module is used to acquire motion data of the UAV via the communication cable; wherein the motion data includes the ascent speed and ascent acceleration during ascent, or the descent speed and descent acceleration during descent; a line take-up and release speed control module is used to generate line take-up and release control commands to the ground station based on the motion data, so as to control the ground station to take up and release the line at the expected speed; an adjustment command generation module is used to acquire the measured line take-up and release speed of the ground station, and generate a flight speed adjustment command when the measured line take-up and release speed is different from the expected line take-up and release speed; a flight speed control module is used to send the flight speed adjustment command to the UAV via the communication cable to control the flight speed of the UAV. Communication can be based on the communication cable, solving the communication delay problem, and the two-way feedback between the UAV and the ground station makes the line take-up and release speed of the ground station more in line with the flight requirements of the UAV.

[0147] The drone cable retraction and deployment control device in this application embodiment can be a device, or a component, integrated circuit, or chip in a terminal. The device can be a mobile electronic device or a non-mobile electronic device. For example, mobile electronic devices can be mobile phones, tablets, laptops, PDAs, in-vehicle electronic devices, wearable devices, ultra-mobile personal computers (UMPCs), netbooks, or personal digital assistants (PDAs), etc., while non-mobile electronic devices can be servers, network-attached storage (NAS), personal computers (PCs), televisions (TVs), ATMs, or self-service machines, etc. This application embodiment does not impose specific limitations.

[0148] The drone cable retraction and deployment control device in this application embodiment can be a device with an operating system. This operating system can be Android, iOS, or other possible operating systems; this application embodiment does not specifically limit it.

[0149] The drone cable retraction and extension control device provided in this application embodiment can realize the various processes of the above embodiments, and will not be described again here to avoid repetition.

[0150] Example 6

[0151] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the drone cable retraction and deployment control system provided in Embodiment Six of this application. Figure 6 As shown in the figure, this application embodiment also provides a drone cable retraction and deployment control system, including a drone 601 and a ground station 602, and a cable 603 connecting the drone and the ground station; wherein, the cable includes a power supply core and a communication core; and further includes a microcontroller 604, which is used to implement the steps of the drone cable retraction and deployment control method described in the above embodiments.

[0152] Example 7

[0153] This application also provides a readable storage medium storing a program or instructions. When executed by a processor, the program or instructions implement the steps of the drone cable retraction and extension control method described in the above embodiments. When executed by a processor, the program or instructions implement the various processes of the above drone cable retraction and extension control method embodiments and achieve the same technical effects. To avoid repetition, further details are omitted here.

[0154] The processor is the processor in the electronic device described in the above embodiments. The readable storage medium includes computer-readable storage media, such as computer read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disk, or optical disk.

[0155] Example 8

[0156] This application embodiment also provides a chip, which includes a processor and a communication interface. The communication interface and the processor are coupled. The processor is used to run programs or instructions to implement the various processes of the above-described drone cable retraction and extension control method embodiment, and can achieve the same technical effect. To avoid repetition, it will not be described again here.

[0157] It should be understood that the chip mentioned in the embodiments of this application may also be referred to as a system-on-a-chip, system chip, chip system, or system-on-a-chip, etc.

[0158] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element. Furthermore, it should be noted that the scope of the methods and apparatuses in the embodiments of this application is not limited to performing functions in the order shown or discussed, but may also include performing functions substantially simultaneously or in the reverse order, depending on the functions involved. For example, the described methods may be performed in a different order than described, and various steps may be added, omitted, or combined. Additionally, features described with reference to certain examples may be combined in other examples.

[0159] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by means of software plus necessary general-purpose hardware platforms. Of course, they can also be implemented by hardware, but in many cases the former is a better implementation method. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a computer software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium (such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk) and includes several instructions to cause a terminal (which may be a mobile phone, computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in the various embodiments of this application.

[0160] The embodiments of this application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and all of these forms are within the protection scope of this application.

[0161] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment and the technical principles employed in this application. This application is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, and various obvious changes, readjustments, and substitutions that can be made by those skilled in the art will not depart from the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, although this application has been described in detail through the above embodiments, this application is not limited to the above embodiments, and may include more other equivalent embodiments without departing from the concept of this application, the scope of which is determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the winding and unwinding of a cable of an unmanned aerial vehicle, characterized in that, The method is applied to a cable winding and unwinding control system of a UAV; the cable winding and unwinding control system of the UAV comprises a UAV and a ground station, and a cable connecting the UAV and the ground station; wherein the cable comprises a power line core and a communication line core; the method comprises: acquiring motion data of the UAV through the communication line core; wherein the motion data comprises an ascending speed and an ascending acceleration in an ascending process, or a descending speed and a descending acceleration in a descending process; if the descending acceleration in the descending process exceeds a first acceleration threshold, generating a winding motor rotating speed acceleration instruction for the ground station to control the ground station to wind the cable at an accelerated winding motor rotating speed; if the ascending acceleration in the ascending process exceeds a second acceleration threshold, generating an unwinding motor rotating speed acceleration instruction for the ground station to control the ground station to unwind the cable at an accelerated unwinding motor rotating speed; acquiring a winding and unwinding actual speed of the ground station, and generating a flight speed adjustment instruction in a case where the winding and unwinding actual speed is different from a winding and unwinding expected speed; sending the flight speed adjustment instruction to the UAV through the communication line core to control a flight speed of the UAV.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The method further comprises: if the UAV descends from a height higher than a preset height and reaches a preset height adjacent range, generating a winding and unwinding control instruction for the ground station to control a winding motor rotating speed of the ground station to switch from a current rotating speed to a target rotating speed; wherein the target rotating speed is less than the current rotating speed.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, The target rotating speed determination process comprises: acquiring a specified flight speed of the UAV below the preset height; determining the target rotating speed of the winding motor of the ground station according to the specified flight speed.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, The method further comprises: acquiring an input current and an actual rotating speed of the winding motor or the unwinding motor of the ground station; if the input current and the actual rotating speed do not match, determining that the ground station has a motor cable jamming fault; sending a speed reduction instruction to the UAV through a wireless communication interface to reduce the flight speed of the UAV.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein, After determining that the ground station has the motor cable jamming fault, the method further comprises: generating a motor cable jamming fault alarm information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein, The power line core of the cable is used to provide power supply from the ground station to the UAV.

7. A device for controlling the retraction and extension of a cable of an unmanned aerial vehicle, characterized in that, The device is configured in a cable winding and unwinding control system of a UAV; the cable winding and unwinding control system of the UAV comprises a UAV and a ground station, and a cable connecting the UAV and the ground station; wherein the cable comprises a power line core and a communication line core; the device comprises: a motion data acquisition module, configured to acquire motion data of the UAV through the communication line core; wherein the motion data comprises an ascending speed and an ascending acceleration in an ascending process, or a descending speed and a descending acceleration in a descending process; The take-up and pay-out speed control module is configured to generate a take-up motor rotation speed acceleration instruction for the ground station to control the ground station to take up the cable at an accelerated take-up motor rotation speed if a descent acceleration of the descent process exceeds a first acceleration threshold, and generate a pay-out motor rotation speed acceleration instruction for the ground station to control the ground station to pay out the cable at an accelerated pay-out motor rotation speed if an ascent acceleration of the ascent process exceeds a second acceleration threshold. The adjustment instruction generation module is configured to acquire a take-up and pay-out measured speed of the ground station, and generate a flight speed adjustment instruction if the take-up and pay-out measured speed is different from the take-up and pay-out expected speed. The flight speed control module is configured to send the flight speed adjustment instruction to the unmanned aerial vehicle through the communication cable core to control a flight speed of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

8. A cable retraction and deployment control system for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), characterized in that, The unmanned aerial vehicle cable control method comprises the steps of: connecting an unmanned aerial vehicle and a ground station through a cable; wherein the cable comprises a power cable core and a communication cable core; and implementing the steps of the unmanned aerial vehicle cable control method according to any one of claims 1-6 by using a microcontroller.

9. A readable storage medium, characterized by, The program or instruction is stored on the readable storage medium, and the program or instruction is executed by a processor to implement the steps of the unmanned aerial vehicle cable control method according to any one of claims 1-6.

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