UAV control method, control device, medium, equipment and UAV

Abstract

The present application provides a control method, control device, medium, equipment and drone for a drone, the method comprising: during vertical movement of the drone to a target position, determining the obstacle type based on obstacle information detected in the vertical movement direction, the obstacle type including a suspended obstacle; when the obstacle type is determined to be a suspended obstacle, controlling the drone to move to the target position based on the position information of the suspended obstacle and the size of the space above or below the suspended obstacle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of drones, and more specifically, to a drone control method, a drone control device, a medium, a device, and a drone. Background Art

[0002] As drone technology matures, it can be widely used in various fields. For example, drones for plant protection are used in agricultural and forestry plant protection operations. Unmanned drones are not only used for spraying pesticides, but also for spreading fertilizer, seeds, and feed, meeting the diverse needs of farmers and improving production efficiency.

[0003] During the operation of drones used to protect agricultural and forestry plants, the working altitude of the drones is relatively low, so the drones may rise or descend at a high frequency. There will be more obstacles in the low-altitude working environment, which makes the drones prone to collision risks. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the purpose of this application is to provide a drone control method, control device, medium, equipment and drone, which are used to solve the problem of high collision risk of drones in the existing technology.

[0005] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a method for controlling a drone, the method comprising:

[0006] During vertical movement of the UAV to a target location, determining obstacle types based on obstacle information detected in the vertical movement direction, wherein the obstacle types include suspended obstacles;

[0007] When the obstacle type is determined to be a suspended obstacle, the drone is controlled to move to the target location based on the location information of the suspended obstacle and the size of the space above or below the suspended obstacle. Optionally, the obstacle information includes: echo data obtained by the reflection of the signal emitted by the millimeter-wave radar on the drone from the obstacle;

[0008] The determining the obstacle type based on obstacle information detected in the vertical moving direction includes:

[0009] When it is determined based on the echo data processing that there are two obstacles spaced apart in the vertical moving direction, the obstacle closer to the UAV is determined to be a suspended obstacle.

[0010] Optionally, controlling the drone to move to the target location based on the location information of the suspended obstacle and the size of the space above or below the suspended obstacle includes:

[0011] When the target position is below the suspended obstacle, determining whether the distance between the suspended obstacle and the object below it is greater than a first difference between the sum of the flight altitude corresponding to the target position and a preset safety altitude value and the height of the object below;

[0012] When it is determined that the distance between the suspended obstacle and the object below it is greater than the first difference, the drone is controlled to pass over the suspended obstacle and descend to the flight altitude, and then move horizontally to the target position.

[0013] Optionally, controlling the drone to move to the target location based on the location information of the suspended obstacle and the size of the space above or below the suspended obstacle further includes:

[0014] When it is determined that the distance between the suspended obstacle and the object below it is less than or equal to the first difference, updating the target position, and controlling the drone to descend to the updated target position after passing over the suspended obstacle;

[0015] The updated target position is staggered with the suspended obstacle and is located before the target position in the horizontal flight direction of the UAV.

[0016] Optionally, controlling the drone to move to the target location based on the location information of the suspended obstacle and the size of the space above or below the suspended obstacle includes:

[0017] When the target position is above the suspended obstacle, determining whether the height of the space above the suspended obstacle is greater than a second difference value obtained by subtracting the height of the suspended obstacle from the sum of the flight altitude corresponding to the target position and a preset safety altitude value;

[0018] When it is determined that the height of the space above the suspended obstacle is greater than the second difference, the drone is controlled to fly over the suspended obstacle and rise to the flight altitude, and then moves horizontally to the target position.

[0019] Optionally, controlling the drone to move to the target location based on the location information of the suspended obstacle and the size of the space above or below the suspended obstacle further includes:

[0020] When it is determined that the height of the space above the suspended obstacle is less than or equal to the second difference, the target position is updated, and the drone is controlled to bypass the suspended obstacle and then rise to the updated target position;

[0021] The updated target position is staggered with the suspended obstacle and is located before the target position in the horizontal flight direction of the UAV.

[0022] Optionally, the control method further includes:

[0023] When it is determined that the obstacle type is a non-suspended obstacle, the target position is updated and the drone is controlled to move to the updated target position, wherein the updated target position is staggered with the non-suspended obstacle and is located before the target position in the horizontal flight direction of the drone.

[0024] Optionally, the obstacle information includes: echo data obtained by reflecting a signal emitted by a millimeter-wave radar on the UAV from an obstacle;

[0025] The determining the obstacle type based on obstacle information detected in the vertical moving direction includes:

[0026] When it is determined based on the echo data processing that there are multiple continuous obstacles in the vertical moving direction, it is determined that the current obstacle is a non-suspended obstacle.

[0027] Optionally, the control method further includes:

[0028] Upon detecting a landing event of the UAV, obtaining ground information of a landing area of ​​the UAV;

[0029] If it is determined according to the ground information that the landing area meets the landing requirements, controlling the UAV to land in the landing area;

[0030] If it is determined based on the ground information that the landing area does not meet the landing requirements, the UAV is controlled to suspend landing or re-determine the landing area.

[0031] Optionally, the control method further includes:

[0032] After the drone is controlled to pause landing for more than a preset time, if the flatness information of the landing area still does not meet the landing requirements, the landing area is re-determined.

[0033] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a control device for a drone, the control device comprising:

[0034] a detection module, configured to determine the type of obstacle based on obstacle information detected in the vertical movement direction during vertical movement of the UAV to a target position, wherein the obstacle type includes a suspended obstacle;

[0035] The movement module is used to control the UAV to move to the target position according to the position information of the suspended obstacle and the size of the space above or below the suspended obstacle when it is determined that the obstacle type is a suspended obstacle.

[0036] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which implements the control method of the drone when the computer program is executed by a processor.

[0037] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a drone control device, comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores machine-executable instructions that can be executed by the processor, and the processor can execute the machine-executable instructions to implement the drone control method.

[0038] In a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a drone, comprising: a body; a power device installed on the body for providing power for the drone; and a drone control device, the drone control device comprising a processor and a memory, the memory storing machine-executable instructions that can be executed by the processor, and the processor executing the machine-executable instructions to implement the drone control method.

[0039] The control method of the drone provided in an embodiment of the present application first determines the obstacle type based on obstacle information detected in the vertical movement direction during the vertical movement of the drone to a target position, and the obstacle type includes a suspended obstacle. Then, when the obstacle type is determined to be a suspended obstacle, the drone is controlled to move to the target position based on the position information of the suspended obstacle and the size of the space above or below the suspended obstacle.

[0040] In some embodiments, after determining that there is an obstacle during the vertical movement of the drone, the obstacle type will be further determined. When it is determined that the obstacle is a suspended obstacle, the drone will be controlled to bypass the suspended obstacle and move to the target position based on the obstacle's location information and the size of the space above or below the suspended obstacle. This reduces the chances of collisions between the drone and obstacles, avoids safety accidents involving the drone, reduces the chances of the drone not operating at the target position, and improves the operation coverage rate.

[0041] In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, preferred embodiments are given below and described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the embodiments. It should be understood that the following drawings only show certain embodiments of the present application and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other relevant drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0043] Figure 1 A flowchart of a method for controlling a drone provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0044] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of an obstacle provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0045] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a detour route provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0046] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a millimeter-wave radar for a drone provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0047] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a first type of suspended obstacle provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0048] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a second type of suspended obstacle provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0049] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of a control device for a drone provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0050] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the structure of a computer device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0051] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the structure of a drone provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0052] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of a third type of suspended obstacle provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0053] Figure 11 A schematic diagram of a fourth type of suspended obstacle provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0054] Figure 12 A schematic diagram of a first non-suspended obstacle provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0055] Figure 13 A schematic diagram of an echo signal of a suspended obstacle provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0056] Figure 14 A schematic diagram of a second non-suspended obstacle provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0057] Figure 15 A schematic diagram of an echo signal of a non-suspended obstacle provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0058] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present application clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the present application generally described and shown in the drawings here can be arranged and designed in various different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present application provided in the drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the application for protection, but merely represents the selected embodiments of the present application. Based on the embodiments of the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without making creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0059] The embodiment of the present application provides a flowchart of the steps of a method for controlling a drone. The embodiment of the present invention is applicable to the case where the drone moves vertically. The vertical movement of the drone includes the ascent and descent of the drone. The method can be executed by the control device of the drone in the embodiment of the present invention. The device can be implemented in software and / or hardware and integrated into the drone, such as Figure 1 As shown, the method specifically includes the following steps:

[0060] S101, during vertical movement of the UAV to a target position, determining an obstacle type based on obstacle information detected in the vertical movement direction, wherein the obstacle type includes a suspended obstacle;

[0061] S102: When it is determined that the obstacle type is a suspended obstacle, the drone is controlled to move to the target location according to the position information of the suspended obstacle and the size of the space above or below the suspended obstacle.

[0062] In the above step 101, the vertical movement of the drone can be the drone moving upward (for example, the drone taking off) or the drone moving downward (for example, the drone landing). The target position is a pre-set position that the drone needs to go to, and can be a position on the pre-set movement trajectory of the drone and that the drone has not yet arrived at, such as the operating position that the drone needs to go to. The obstacle information may include echo data obtained by the signal emitted by the millimeter-wave radar on the drone and reflected by the obstacle, and may also include image data obtained by the image acquisition device on the drone. Obstacle types include suspended obstacles and non-suspended obstacles. The obstacle type can be predicted by a learning recognition model based on the image data obtained by the image acquisition device, or it can be obtained by analyzing the echo data received by the millimeter radar.

[0063] This application describes in detail the method of determining the obstacle type based on the echo data received by the millimeter radar. That is, the above step S101 includes:

[0064] Step 1011: When it is determined based on the echo data processing that there are two obstacles spaced apart in the vertical moving direction, the obstacle closer to the UAV is determined to be a suspended obstacle.

[0065] Step 1012: When it is determined based on the echo data processing that there are multiple continuous obstacles in the vertical moving direction, determine that the current obstacle is a non-suspended obstacle.

[0066] In the above step 1011, the suspended obstacle is the obstacle closest to the drone when two spaced objects (i.e., obstacles) are detected using echo data. A corresponding distance energy spectrum can be obtained based on echo data processing. In the distance energy spectrum, if there is energy higher than the radar noise floor or a set signal threshold curve, it is considered that there is an obstacle at the distance corresponding to the energy. If there are two energy waves separated by a certain distance and higher than the radar noise floor in the distance energy spectrum, it can be considered that the two obstacles corresponding to the two energy waves are spaced apart. Thus, the obstacle closer to the drone can be considered a suspended obstacle, for example, Figure 2 As shown in the figure, obstacle 1 (the area indicated by "obstacle" in the figure) and obstacle 2 (the area indicated by "ground" in the figure) are set just below the drone at intervals. The echo signal received by the millimeter-wave radar set in the drone is as shown in the figure. Figure 13 As shown, the relationship between the distance and energy corresponding to the echo signal is shown (wherein the two peaks higher than the radar noise floor can be understood as the location of the obstacle and the location of the ground).

[0067] In the above step 1012, the non-overhanging obstacle is the obstacle closest to the drone when multiple consecutive objects (i.e. obstacles) are detected using echo data. If energy signals higher than the radar noise floor can be detected within a continuous distance, it means that the obstacle under the drone is a non-overhanging obstacle, such as Figure 14 As shown, obstacle 3 ("trees" in the figure) is directly below the drone. At this time, after the echo signal received by the drone's millimeter-wave radar is processed, the relationship between the distance and energy is as follows: Figure 15 As shown, the locations of the echo signals that are higher than the radar noise floor are the locations of the obstacles and the ground.

[0068] It can be seen that obstacles are objects that can block the movement of drones, such as wires, trees, and the ground.

[0069] In step S102, the position information of the suspended obstacle can be obtained by analyzing the image captured by the drone's image acquisition device. For example, the image can be used to determine the position information of the side of the suspended obstacle closest to the drone, and then the size of the suspended obstacle and the size of the space above or below the suspended obstacle in the image can be predicted. The position information of the suspended obstacle and the size of the space above or below the suspended obstacle can also be determined based on the echo data obtained by the reflection of the signal emitted by the millimeter-wave radar on the drone from the obstacle. For example, the echo data can be used to determine the distance between the suspended obstacle and its adjacent obstacles, that is, the size of the space above or below the suspended obstacle. The position information of the suspended obstacle can be determined using the echo data of the signal emitted by the millimeter-wave radar at each position within the scanning area.

[0070] In specific implementation, when the obstacle type is determined to be a suspended obstacle, the position information of the suspended obstacle and the size of the space above or below the suspended obstacle can be further determined. If it is determined that the size of the space above or below the suspended obstacle meets the flight requirements of the drone, a detour route for the drone to circumvent the suspended obstacle will be determined based on the position information of the suspended obstacle. The drone will then circumvent the suspended obstacle according to the detour route and move to the target location.

[0071] When the UAV moves vertically to the target position but does not find any obstacles, it can move to the target position along the pre-set moving trajectory. However, when it moves to a certain position along the moving trajectory, the UAV will find obstacles, such as Figure 2 The suspended obstacle shown in Figure 3 As shown, a detour route for bypassing suspended obstacles, namely route C, can be further planned based on the moving trajectory, namely route A, so that the starting position a and the end position b of the detour route are both located on the initial moving trajectory. After determining the detour route for the drone to bypass the suspended obstacle, the drone will move according to the detour route, bypass the obstacle and return to the moving trajectory again.

[0072] In the drone control method provided in an embodiment of the present invention, after determining that an obstacle exists during the vertical movement of the drone through the above two steps, the next step is to determine the obstacle type. If the obstacle is determined to be a suspended obstacle, the drone is controlled to bypass the suspended obstacle and move to the target location based on the obstacle's location information and the size of the space above or below the suspended obstacle. This reduces the risk of collisions between the drone and obstacles, avoids safety accidents involving the drone, and reduces the number of drones not operating at the target location, thereby improving operational coverage. In this application, the millimeter-wave radar can be installed on the top and / or bottom of the drone so that the millimeter-wave radar can scan for obstacles in the vertical direction of the drone. Alternatively, when it is necessary to install millimeter-wave radars on both the top and bottom of the drone, the two millimeter-wave radars can be combined into one omnidirectional radar and installed in an unobstructed position on the drone. It can be understood that the omnidirectional radar can be installed in front of or behind the drone and will not be blocked by the drone body and unable to detect obstacles above or below the drone.

[0073] Take the installation of millimeter wave radar on the bottom of the drone as an example. Figure 4 As shown, the scanning range of the radar sensor arranged at the bottom of the UAV is a preset angle range, and the preset angle range can be set to an angle range of -30° to 30° with respect to the vertical direction.

[0074] To further ensure the safety of the drone during operation or obstacle avoidance, when the target position is the drone's operating position and the target position is below a suspended obstacle, it is possible to further determine whether the operating space below the suspended obstacle can ensure the drone's flight safety. Based on this, step S102 may include:

[0075] Step 1021: When the target position is below the suspended obstacle, determine whether the distance between the suspended obstacle and the object below it is greater than a first difference between the sum of the flight altitude corresponding to the target position and a preset safety altitude value and the height of the object below it;

[0076] Step 1022: When it is determined that the distance between the suspended obstacle and the object below it is greater than the first difference, the drone is controlled to pass over the suspended obstacle and descend to the flight altitude, and then move horizontally to the target position.

[0077] In the above step 1021, the flight altitude corresponding to the target position is the height of the target position from the ground. When the target position is below a suspended obstacle, the preset safety height value is the safe operating space above and below the target position required for the UAV to operate at the target position. For example, the range of 1 meter above the target position is the safe operating space of the UAV, and 1 meter is the preset safety height mentioned above. The preset safety height value can be set according to actual needs.

[0078] In a specific implementation, when the target location is below a suspended obstacle, the distances of the suspended obstacle and the object below it from the drone can be determined through echo data processing. Therefore, the distance corresponding to the object below can be subtracted from the distance corresponding to the suspended obstacle to obtain the distance between the suspended obstacle and the object below it. Then, it is sufficient to determine whether the distance between the suspended obstacle and the object below it can meet the required clearance for the drone to pass through. In other words, whether the distance between the suspended obstacle and the object below it can meet the clearance required by the drone's required flight altitude and a preset safety altitude value. The required height for this clearance is the first difference between the sum of the target location's flight altitude and the preset safety altitude value and the height of the object below.

[0079] In step 1022, if the distance between the overhead obstacle and the object below it is determined to be greater than the first difference calculated above, indicating that the overhead obstacle will not affect the drone's operations, the drone will be controlled to first descend to the flight altitude of the target location along the determined detour route, and then move horizontally to the target location based on the detour route. In this way, whether the overhead obstacle affects the drone's operational safety is determined. Only if the overhead obstacle does not affect the drone's operational safety will the drone be controlled to continue operating at the target location. This can reduce the risk of collision with the drone while also ensuring the drone's operational coverage.

[0080] For example, Figure 5As shown, the ground is the object below the suspended obstacle. The height of the suspended obstacle from the ground is H1, and the height of the target position is E1. The preset safe height is h1. If H1 > (E1 + h1), the drone can safely operate after bypassing the suspended obstacle. The reason for not subtracting E1 + h1 from the ground height can be understood as follows: because the object below the suspended obstacle is the ground, and the height of the target position E1 is relative to the ground, there is no need to make a subtraction. If there is another obstacle between the suspended obstacle and the ground, and the target position is between the suspended obstacle and the other obstacle, the object below the suspended obstacle becomes the other obstacle. In this case, a subtraction is required to calculate the distance between the suspended obstacle and the other obstacle. However, if the target position is lower than the other obstacle, the other obstacle and the suspended obstacle can be combined into a single suspended obstacle for processing. The processing principle is the same as above and is not repeated here.

[0081] In addition to the above step 1022, in which it is determined that the distance between the suspended obstacle and the object below it is greater than the first difference, there may also be a situation where the distance between the suspended obstacle and the object below it is less than or equal to the first difference. Based on this, step S102 may further include:

[0082] Step 1023: When it is determined that the distance between the suspended obstacle and the object below it is less than or equal to the first difference, the target position is updated, and the UAV is controlled to descend to the updated target position after passing over the suspended obstacle; wherein the updated target position is staggered with the suspended obstacle and is located before the target position in the horizontal flight direction of the UAV.

[0083] In the above step 1023, the updated target position is offset from the suspended obstacle and is located before the target position in the horizontal flight direction of the UAV, that is, the flight altitude of the updated target position is the same as the flight altitude of the historical target position, and is a position that the UAV has pre-set and needs to operate but has not yet been operated. There are no obstacles within the safety range of the updated target position (that is, the preset range around the updated target position as the center).

[0084] In a specific implementation, if it is determined that the distance between the suspended obstacle and the object below it is less than or equal to the first difference calculated above, it means that the suspended obstacle will affect the operation of the drone (for example, the drone collides with the suspended obstacle). Then, the drone will be controlled to bypass the obstacle and first descend to the flight altitude of the historical target position. Then, based on the position of the suspended obstacle, the drone will fly horizontally in the horizontal direction to bypass the obstacle and move horizontally to a position that has not been operated, that is, the updated target position. In this way, it is determined whether the suspended obstacle has an impact on the safety of the drone's operation. If the suspended obstacle has an impact on the safety of the drone's operation, the operation position below the suspended obstacle will be directly abandoned, which can reduce the risk of collision of the drone.

[0085] For example, Figure 6 As shown in the figure, the ground is the object below the suspended obstacle. The height of the suspended obstacle from the ground is H2, the height of the target position is E2, and the preset safety height value is h2. If H2≤(E2+h2), it means that the drone cannot operate safely after bypassing the obstacle and needs to re-determine a new target position. For example, the re-determined target position can be shown as G1 in the figure, with the same height of E2 but can bypass the suspended obstacle.

[0086] When the target position of the UAV is above a suspended obstacle, to ensure the flight safety of the UAV, it may be further determined whether the space above the suspended obstacle meets the UAV's operating requirements. Based on this, step S102 may include:

[0087] Step 1024: When the target position is above the suspended obstacle, determine whether the height of the space above the suspended obstacle is greater than a second difference between the sum of the flight altitude corresponding to the target position and a preset safety altitude value and the height of the suspended obstacle.

[0088] Step 1025: When it is determined that the height of the space above the suspended obstacle is greater than the second difference, the drone is controlled to fly over the suspended obstacle and rise to the flight altitude, and then move horizontally to the target position.

[0089] In the above step 1024, the flight altitude corresponding to the target position is the height of the target position from the ground. When the target position is above a suspended obstacle, the preset safety height value is the safe operating space above the target position required for the UAV to operate at the target position. For example, the safe operating space of the UAV is within 1 meter above the target position, and 1 meter is the preset safety height mentioned above.

[0090] In a specific implementation, when the target location is above an overhead obstacle, the distances of the obstacle and the object above it from the drone can be determined through echo data processing. Therefore, the distance between the obstacle and the object above it can be subtracted from the distance corresponding to the object above it. The distance between the obstacle and the object above it can be determined. Then, it is sufficient to determine whether the distance between the obstacle and the object above it can accommodate the required clearance for the drone to pass through. Specifically, the required clearance is the difference between the height of the obstacle and the target location, minus the height of the obstacle.

[0091] In step 1022, if the distance between the overhead obstacle and the object above it is determined to be greater than the second difference calculated above, indicating that the overhead obstacle will not affect the drone's operations, the drone will be controlled to ascend along the determined detour route to the flight altitude of the target location, and then move horizontally to the target location based on the detour route. In this way, whether the overhead obstacle affects the drone's operational safety is determined. Only if the overhead obstacle does not affect the drone's operational safety will the drone be controlled to continue operating at the target location. This reduces the risk of collision with the drone while ensuring the drone's operational coverage.

[0092] For example, Figure 10 As shown in the figure, the roof is the object above the suspended obstacle. The height of the roof from the ground is I3, the height of the suspended obstacle from the ground is H3, the height of the target position is E3, and the preset safety height value is h3. If (I3-H3)>(E3+h3-H3), it means that the drone can operate safely after bypassing the suspended obstacle.

[0093] In addition to the above step 1025, in which it is determined that the distance between the suspended obstacle and the object above it is greater than the second difference, there may also be a situation where the distance between the suspended obstacle and the object above it is less than or equal to the second difference. Based on this, step S102 may further include:

[0094] Step 1026: When it is determined that the height of the space above the suspended obstacle is less than or equal to the second difference, the target position is updated, and the UAV is controlled to bypass the suspended obstacle and rise to the updated target position; wherein the updated target position is staggered with the suspended obstacle and is located before the target position in the horizontal flight direction of the UAV.

[0095] In the above step 1026, the updated target position is offset from the suspended obstacle and is located before the target position in the horizontal flight direction of the UAV, that is, the flight altitude of the updated target position is the same as the flight altitude of the historical target position, and is a position that the UAV has pre-set and needs to operate but has not yet been operated. There are no obstacles within the safety range of the updated target position (that is, the preset range around the updated target position as the center).

[0096] In a specific implementation, if it is determined that the distance between the suspended obstacle and the object above it is less than or equal to the second difference calculated above, it means that the suspended obstacle will affect the operation of the drone (for example, the drone collides with the suspended obstacle). Then, the drone will be controlled to bypass the obstacle and first descend to the flight altitude of the historical target position. Then, based on the position of the suspended obstacle, the drone will fly horizontally in the horizontal direction to bypass the obstacle and move horizontally to a position that has not been operated, that is, the updated target position. In this way, it is determined whether the suspended obstacle has an impact on the safety of the drone's operation. If the suspended obstacle has an impact on the safety of the drone's operation, the operation position above the suspended obstacle will be directly abandoned, which can reduce the risk of collision of the drone.

[0097] For example, Figure 11 As shown in the figure, the roof is the object above the suspended obstacle. The height of the roof from the ground is I4, the height of the suspended obstacle from the ground is H4, the height of the target position is E4, and the preset safety height value is h4. If (I4-H4)≤(E4+h4-H4), it means that the drone cannot bypass the suspended obstacle and perform safe operations. It is necessary to re-determine a new target position. For example, the re-determined target position can be shown as G2 in the figure. The height is also E4, but it can bypass the suspended obstacle and the object above the suspended obstacle.

[0098] When the obstacle type is determined to be a non-overhanging obstacle, it means that the target position is completely blocked by the non-overhanging obstacle and the drone cannot move around the obstacle to the target position. Therefore, a new target position needs to be re-determined. Based on this, the control method provided by this application also includes:

[0099] Step 103: When it is determined that the obstacle type is a non-suspended obstacle, the target position is updated and the UAV is controlled to move to the updated target position, wherein the updated target position is staggered with the non-suspended obstacle and is located before the target position in the horizontal flight direction of the UAV.

[0100] In step 103, the updated target position is offset from the suspended obstacle and is located before the target position in the horizontal flight direction of the drone. That is, the flight altitude of the updated target position is the same as the flight altitude of the historical target position and is within the drone's pre-set location where the operation is to be performed but has not yet been performed. There are no obstacles within the safety range of the updated target position (i.e., the preset range around the updated target position). When the obstacle type is determined to be a non-suspended obstacle, it is also necessary to obtain the location information of the non-suspended obstacle to determine which part of the location is blocked by the non-suspended obstacle. Then, based on the location blocked by the non-suspended obstacle, the target position is re-determined, and a new movement route is planned based on the newly determined target position. Because the drone's flight altitude is pre-set, the flight altitude of the re-determined target position can be consistent with the flight altitude of the historical target position. Therefore, according to the new movement route, the drone will first move to the same flight altitude as the historical target position, and then move horizontally around the non-suspended obstacle to the location that has not yet been operated, that is, the updated target position. In this way, it is determined whether the suspended obstacle affects the safety of the drone's operation. If the suspended obstacle affects the safety of the drone's operation, the operating position below the suspended obstacle will be directly abandoned, which can reduce the risk of collision of the drone.

[0101] For example, Figure 12 As shown in the figure, the historical target location is point J, which is covered by trees. Trees are non-overhanging obstacles. Based on the spatial location of the trees, a point K with the same flight altitude as point J and not yet operated by the drone is determined. Point K is the updated target location. Of course, if the flight altitude at point K is pre-planned to be different from that of point J, point K can be reached according to the pre-planned flight altitude. In other words, the flight altitude at point K does not necessarily have to be the same as the flight altitude at point J and can be adjusted according to actual conditions.

[0102] In the solution of the present application, when an obstacle is detected as a suspended obstacle, the drone is controlled to issue a first prompt message; when an obstacle is detected as a non-suspended obstacle, the drone is controlled to issue a second prompt message. The first prompt message and the second prompt message are provided in different ways. The different prompt methods allow the personnel controlling the drone to promptly understand the type of obstacle encountered by the drone. The above-mentioned first prompt message and second prompt message can be issued by the drone or by the remote control that controls the drone. The first prompt message and the second prompt message can be issued in any one or more of the following ways: light, voice, vibration, etc.

[0103] When a drone landing event is detected, the target location is also the drone's landing location. Therefore, in order to ensure the drone's safe landing, the control method of this application further includes:

[0104] Step 401: upon detecting a landing event of a UAV, obtaining ground information of the landing area of ​​the UAV;

[0105] Step 402: If it is determined based on the ground information that the landing area meets the landing requirements, the UAV is controlled to land in the landing area;

[0106] Step 403: If it is determined based on the ground information that the landing area does not meet the landing requirements, the UAV is controlled to suspend landing or re-determine the landing area.

[0107] In step 401, ground information can be determined based on the echo signal from the radar sensor scanning the landing area. The ground information includes either or both of the following: flatness information and hardness information. Flatness information is used to characterize the flatness of the landing area. The flatness of the ground is calculated based on the height of the drone above the ground detected by the millimeter-wave radar at multiple points within the landing area. Hardness information can be used to characterize the hardness of the landing area. Different materials have different reflectivities to the millimeter-wave radar's transmitted signals, resulting in different reflection intensities of the echo signals received by the millimeter-wave radar.

[0108] In the above step 402, if the flatness information of the landing area meets the flatness requirement and the hardness information meets the hardness requirement, it means that the landing area can support the landing of the drone, and the drone can be controlled to land in the landing area.

[0109] In step 403, if the flatness information of the landing area does not meet the flatness requirements and / or the hardness information does not meet the hardness requirements, the landing area cannot support the drone landing and it is necessary to suspend the landing or reselect the landing area to ensure the drone can land safely. The flatness information of the landing area may not meet the flatness requirements because the landing area itself is uneven or because the drone suddenly intrudes into other objects in the landing area during the landing process, causing the flatness information to not meet the flatness requirements.

[0110] When the drone is in the process of tentative landing, if the drone is constantly suspended, a large amount of power will be consumed. In order to ensure that the drone can land in the landing area more safely, it is necessary to promptly release the suspended movement of the drone. That is, the control method of the present application also includes:

[0111] Step 501: After the drone is controlled to pause landing for a period exceeding a preset time, if the flatness information of the landing area still does not meet the landing requirements, the landing area is re-determined.

[0112] In the above step 501, the preset duration may be manually preset, such as 30 seconds.

[0113] In specific implementations, when the drone is controlled to pause in step 403, the duration of the pause is counted. If the pause duration does not reach the preset duration and the flatness of the landing area is detected to have met the landing requirements again, the drone will continue to land in the landing area. If the pause duration exceeds the preset duration and the flatness of the landing area still does not meet the landing requirements, landing in the landing area at this time may reduce the safety of the drone. Therefore, in order to ensure a safe landing as soon as possible, the landing area needs to be re-determined.

[0114] Based on the control method of the drone mentioned above, the embodiment of the present application provides a control device for the drone, such as Figure 7 As shown, the control device includes:

[0115] A detection module 701 is configured to determine the obstacle type based on obstacle information detected in the vertical movement direction during vertical movement of the UAV to a target location, wherein the obstacle type includes a suspended obstacle;

[0116] The movement module 702 is configured to control the UAV to move to the target location according to the location information of the suspended obstacle and the size of the space above or below the suspended obstacle when determining that the obstacle type is a suspended obstacle.

[0117] Optionally, the obstacle information includes: echo data obtained by reflecting a signal emitted by a millimeter-wave radar on the drone from an obstacle; and the detection module includes:

[0118] The first determining unit is configured to determine that an obstacle closer to the UAV is a suspended obstacle when it is determined based on the echo data processing that there are two obstacles spaced apart in the vertical moving direction.

[0119] Optionally, the mobile module includes:

[0120] a second determining unit, configured to determine, when the target position is below the suspended obstacle, whether the distance between the suspended obstacle and the object below it is greater than a first difference between the sum of the flight altitude corresponding to the target position and a preset safety altitude value and the height of the object below;

[0121] The first moving unit is configured to control the UAV to fly over the suspended obstacle and descend to the flight altitude, and then move horizontally to the target position when it is determined that the distance between the suspended obstacle and the object below the obstacle is greater than the first difference.

[0122] Optionally, the mobile module further includes:

[0123] The first updating unit is configured to update the target position when it is determined that the distance between the suspended obstacle and the object below it is less than or equal to the first difference, and control the UAV to descend to the updated target position after passing over the suspended obstacle; wherein the updated target position is staggered with the suspended obstacle and is located before the target position in the horizontal flight direction of the UAV.

[0124] Optionally, the mobile module includes:

[0125] a third determining unit configured to, when the target position is above the suspended obstacle, determine whether the height of the space above the suspended obstacle is greater than a second difference value obtained by subtracting the height of the suspended obstacle from the sum of the flight altitude corresponding to the target position and a preset safety altitude value;

[0126] The second moving unit is used to control the UAV to fly over the suspended obstacle and rise to the flight altitude, and then move horizontally to the target position when it is determined that the height of the space above the suspended obstacle is greater than the second difference.

[0127] Optionally, the mobile module further includes:

[0128] The second updating unit is used to update the target position when it is determined that the height of the space above the suspended obstacle is less than or equal to the second difference, and control the UAV to bypass the suspended obstacle and rise to the updated target position; wherein the updated target position is staggered with the suspended obstacle and is located before the target position in the horizontal flight direction of the UAV.

[0129] Optionally, the control device further includes:

[0130] An updating module is used to update the target position when it is determined that the obstacle type is a non-suspended obstacle, and control the drone to move to the updated target position, wherein the updated target position is staggered with the non-suspended obstacle and is located before the target position in the horizontal flight direction of the drone.

[0131] Optionally, the obstacle information includes: echo data obtained by reflecting a signal emitted by a millimeter-wave radar on the drone from an obstacle; and the detection module includes:

[0132] The fourth determining unit is configured to determine that the current obstacle is a non-suspended obstacle when it is determined based on the echo data processing that there are multiple continuous obstacles in the vertical moving direction.

[0133] Corresponding to Figure 1 The control method of the drone in the present application embodiment also provides a computer device 400, such as Figure 8 As shown, the device includes a memory 401, a processor 402, and a computer program stored in the memory 401 and executable on the processor 402, wherein the control method of the drone is implemented when the processor 402 executes the computer program.

[0134] Specifically, the above-mentioned memory 401 and processor 402 can be general-purpose memories and processors, which are not specifically limited here. When the processor 402 runs the computer program stored in the memory 401, it can execute the above-mentioned drone control method, solving the problem of the risk of collision of drones in the existing technology.

[0135] Corresponding to Figure 1 The control method of the drone in the embodiment of the present application also provides a computer-readable storage medium, which stores a computer program, and when the computer program is executed by the processor, the steps of the control method of the drone are executed.

[0136] Specifically, the storage medium can be a general storage medium, such as a mobile disk, a hard disk, etc. When the computer program on the storage medium is run, it can execute the above-mentioned drone control method, which solves the problem that drones in the prior art are prone to collision risks. After determining that there is an obstacle during the vertical movement of the drone, the present application will further determine the obstacle type of the obstacle. When it is determined that the obstacle is a suspended obstacle, the drone will be controlled to bypass the suspended obstacle and move to the target position based on the position information of the obstacle and the size of the space above or below the suspended obstacle, reducing the collision between the drone and the obstacle, avoiding safety accidents of the drone, and reducing the situation where the drone does not operate at the target position, thereby improving the operation coverage rate.

[0137] The structural block diagram of the drone provided in the embodiment of the present application is as follows: Figure 9As shown. The drone 100 includes: a body 110, a power device 120, and a drone control device 130. The power device 120 is installed on the body and is used to provide power for the drone to fly, wherein the power device may include at least one of components such as an electric motor, a power supply, and a propeller. The drone control device 130 is communicatively connected to the power device 120 and is used to control the flight of the drone 100 along the route. In some possible embodiments, the drone control device 130 may be a drone flight controller. When used to control the flight of the drone 100, the drone control device 130 can implement the flight control method disclosed in the above embodiment. The specific implementation method and principle are consistent with the above embodiment and will not be repeated here.

[0138] In the embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed methods and devices can be implemented in other ways. The device embodiments described above are merely schematic. For example, the division of the units is only a logical function division. There may be other division methods in actual implementation. For example, multiple units or components can be combined or integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. Another point is that the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed can be through some communication interface, indirect coupling or communication connection of devices or units, which can be electrical, mechanical or other forms.

[0139] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of these units may be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0140] In addition, each functional unit in the embodiments provided in the present application may be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit may exist physically separately, or two or more units may be integrated into one unit.

[0141] If the functions are implemented in the form of software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present application, or the part that contributes to the prior art or the part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. The computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions for enabling a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the method described in each embodiment of the present application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media that can store program codes, such as a USB flash drive, a mobile hard disk, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a magnetic disk or an optical disk.

[0142] It should be noted that similar numbers and letters represent similar items in the following figures. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures. In addition, the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. are only used to distinguish the description and are not to be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0143] Finally, it should be noted that the above-described embodiments are only specific implementation methods of the present application, which are used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them. The scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the above-described embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that any person skilled in the art can modify or easily conceive of changes to the technical solutions described in the above-described embodiments within the technical scope disclosed in the present application, or perform equivalent replacements for some of the technical features thereof. However, these modifications, changes, or replacements do not deviate from the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application. They should all be included in the scope of protection of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present application shall be subject to the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a drone, characterized in that: The control method includes: During vertical movement of the UAV to a target location, determining obstacle types based on obstacle information detected in the vertical movement direction, wherein the obstacle types include suspended obstacles; When it is determined that the obstacle type is a suspended obstacle, controlling the drone to move to the target location according to the position information of the suspended obstacle and the size of the space above or below the suspended obstacle; The controlling the drone to move to the target position according to the position information of the suspended obstacle and the size of the space above or below the suspended obstacle includes: When the target position is below the suspended obstacle, determining whether the distance between the suspended obstacle and the object below it is greater than a first difference between the sum of the flight altitude corresponding to the target position and a preset safety altitude value and the height of the object below; When it is determined that the distance between the suspended obstacle and the object below it is greater than the first difference, the drone is controlled to pass over the suspended obstacle and descend to the flight altitude, and then move horizontally to the target position.

2. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The obstacle information includes: echo data obtained by the reflection of the signal emitted by the millimeter-wave radar on the UAV from the obstacle; The determining the obstacle type based on obstacle information detected in the vertical moving direction includes: When it is determined based on the echo data processing that there are two obstacles spaced apart in the vertical moving direction, the obstacle closer to the UAV is determined to be a suspended obstacle.

3. The control method according to claim 1, wherein: The method of controlling the drone to move to the target location based on the position information of the suspended obstacle and the size of the space above or below the suspended obstacle further includes: When it is determined that the distance between the suspended obstacle and the object below it is less than or equal to the first difference, updating the target position, and controlling the drone to descend to the updated target position after passing over the suspended obstacle; The updated target position is staggered with the suspended obstacle and is located before the target position in the horizontal flight direction of the UAV.

4. The control method according to any one of claims 2 to 3, characterized in that: The controlling the drone to move to the target position according to the position information of the suspended obstacle and the size of the space above or below the suspended obstacle includes: When the target position is above the suspended obstacle, determining whether the height of the space above the suspended obstacle is greater than a second difference value obtained by subtracting the height of the suspended obstacle from the sum of the flight altitude corresponding to the target position and a preset safety altitude value; When it is determined that the height of the space above the suspended obstacle is greater than the second difference, the drone is controlled to fly over the suspended obstacle and rise to the flight altitude, and then moves horizontally to the target position.

5. The control method according to claim 4, characterized in that: The method of controlling the drone to move to the target location based on the position information of the suspended obstacle and the size of the space above or below the suspended obstacle further includes: When it is determined that the height of the space above the suspended obstacle is less than or equal to the second difference, the target position is updated, and the drone is controlled to bypass the suspended obstacle and then rise to the updated target position; The updated target position is staggered with the suspended obstacle and is located before the target position in the horizontal flight direction of the UAV.

6. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control method further includes: When it is determined that the obstacle type is a non-suspended obstacle, the target position is updated and the drone is controlled to move to the updated target position, wherein the updated target position is staggered with the non-suspended obstacle and is located before the target position in the horizontal flight direction of the drone.

7. The control method according to claim 6, characterized in that: The obstacle information includes: echo data obtained by the reflection of the signal emitted by the millimeter-wave radar on the UAV from the obstacle; The determining the obstacle type based on obstacle information detected in the vertical moving direction includes: When it is determined based on the echo data processing that there are multiple continuous obstacles in the vertical moving direction, it is determined that the current obstacle is a non-suspended obstacle.

8. The control method according to claim 6, characterized in that: The control method further includes: Upon detecting a landing event of the UAV, obtaining ground information of a landing area of ​​the UAV; If it is determined according to the ground information that the landing area meets the landing requirements, controlling the UAV to land in the landing area; If it is determined based on the ground information that the landing area does not meet the landing requirements, the UAV is controlled to suspend landing or re-determine the landing area.

9. The control method according to claim 8, characterized in that: The control method further includes: After the drone is controlled to pause landing for more than a preset time, if the flatness information of the landing area still does not meet the landing requirements, the landing area is re-determined.

10. A control device for a drone, characterized in that: The control device comprises: a detection module, configured to determine the type of obstacle based on obstacle information detected in the vertical movement direction during vertical movement of the UAV to a target position, wherein the obstacle type includes a suspended obstacle; a movement module, configured to control the UAV to move to the target location based on the location information of the suspended obstacle and the size of the space above or below the suspended obstacle when the obstacle type is determined to be a suspended obstacle; A movement module, configured to control the drone to move to the target location based on the location information of the suspended obstacle and the size of the space above or below the suspended obstacle, comprising: When the target position is below the suspended obstacle, determining whether the distance between the suspended obstacle and the object below it is greater than a first difference between the sum of the flight altitude corresponding to the target position and a preset safety altitude value and the height of the object below; When it is determined that the distance between the suspended obstacle and the object below it is greater than the first difference, the drone is controlled to pass over the suspended obstacle and descend to the flight altitude, and then move horizontally to the target position.

11. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that: When the computer program is executed by a processor, the control method of the drone according to any one of claims 1 to 9 is implemented.

12. A drone control device, characterized in that: The method comprises a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores machine-executable instructions that can be executed by the processor, and the processor can execute the machine-executable instructions to implement the control method of the drone according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

13. A drone, characterized in that: include: A body; a power device installed on the body, used to provide power for the drone; and a drone control device, the drone control device including a processor and a memory, the memory storing machine-executable instructions that can be executed by the processor, and the processor executing the machine-executable instructions to implement the drone control method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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