A global path planning method for UAV inspection of power transmission lines based on the fast travel method

Abstract

This invention relates to a global path planning method for UAV inspection of power transmission lines based on the Fast Movement Method (FMM). This method utilizes the Fast Movement Method (FMM), which offers advantages such as high efficiency and flexibility in global path planning for UAV power transmission line inspection, enabling it to quickly find the globally optimal path from the starting point to the destination. In power transmission line inspection, this means that the UAV can complete the entire inspection task with the shortest path and lowest cost, thereby effectively improving inspection efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) inspection path planning, specifically involving a global path planning method for UAV inspection of power transmission lines based on the rapid travel method. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous development of power systems, transmission lines, as crucial channels for power transmission, directly impact the reliable operation of the entire power grid through their safety and stability. However, traditional transmission line inspection methods primarily rely on manual labor, which is not only inefficient but also poses significant safety challenges to inspection personnel in complex terrain and adverse weather conditions. Therefore, improving the efficiency and safety of transmission line inspections has become a pressing issue for the power industry.

[0003] Against this backdrop, drone inspection technology has emerged. By introducing advanced drone technology, intelligent inspection of power transmission lines can be achieved. Drone inspection boasts advantages such as high precision and high reliability. Equipped with various sensors and image recognition technology, drones can accurately identify faults and potential hazards in power transmission lines. Drone inspection not only significantly improves inspection efficiency and reduces labor costs, but also ensures the normal operation of inspection work in complex environments and severe weather, thereby ensuring the safe and stable operation of power transmission lines. In the future, with continuous technological advancements and deepening applications, drone inspection will become the mainstream method for power transmission line inspection, providing strong support for the safe and efficient operation of the power industry.

[0004] Path planning is crucial for the normal operation of inspection drones, and calculating feasible paths is a prerequisite for drones to perform various tasks. The complex environment of power transmission lines places higher demands on the performance of path planning algorithms for drones. Global path planning algorithms can help drones cope with complex and ever-changing inspection environments, improve their autonomy and intelligence, and provide strong support for the automation and intelligent development of the power and industrial sectors. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a global path planning method for UAV inspection of power transmission lines based on the rapid travel method. This method can take into account various obstacles and environmental conditions on the power transmission lines, thereby ensuring that the UAV can complete the task safely and efficiently.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is: a global path planning method for UAV inspection of power transmission lines based on the Fast Journey Method (FMM). The Fast Journey Method is used in the global path planning of UAV inspection of power transmission lines to quickly find the globally optimal path from the starting point to the end point, so that the UAV can complete the entire inspection task with the shortest path and the lowest cost.

[0007] In one embodiment of the present invention, the Fast Marching Method (FMM) defines three sets of grid cells to assist in calculating the discrete solution T at grid cell g. g The three grid cell sets are represented as G. A Set, G T Sets and G F Set; the execution process of the Fast Marching Method (FMM) includes two steps: initialization and looping; during the calculation process, when The solution at point g is denoted as the temporary solution T. g This value may be updated during the calculation process; if g∈G A Then the solution at point g is updated to the final solution T. g .

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, the specific steps of the method are as follows:

[0009] (1) Initialization: When planning a global path within the obstacle grid map, the obstacle grid cell g o This area is designated as a no-drone inspection zone, therefore g o Directly insert G A Set, and let the solution at that point be T. go =∞; For free raster cells, all source raster cells g s Put G in T Set, and let g s The temporary solution at point T is go =0; When performing path planning, the raster cell containing the starting or target location is set as the source raster cell; All other free raster cells g in the raster map, except the source raster cell, are placed into G. F Let T be the temporary solution at point g. g =∞;

[0010] (2) Loop: First select G T The raster cell g with the minimum T solution within the set m and from G T Set moved to G A Set; then for g m All non-G A The neighboring grid cells g within the set are updated, including the solution at g and the set type; possible new solutions are determined by the following formula.

[0011]

[0012] in, For two with T gm The candidate solutions are directly related to the solution;

[0013] From the perspective of time cost, the Eikonal equation can be expressed as follows:

[0014]

[0015] In the formula, τ g The time cost at grid cell g is τ. g =1 / F g F g For speed, at this time, Tg m g i The formula for calculating the solution is:

[0016]

[0017] In the formula, This represents the solution at the grid cell; when g i ∈G A hour, otherwise, Regarding the set type of g, if g∈G F Then remove it from G F Move to G T Inside; continuously execute the loop steps until all raster cells g satisfy g∈G A ;

[0018] During the Fast Marching Method (FMM) calculation of the solution, it always occurs at G... T The search is conducted within the set to find the raster cell with the minimum solution T, therefore T gm The value must be the shortest time to reach the destination, and G T Other raster cells with larger T solutions within the set and G F Further grid cells within the set will not affect T. gm value.

[0019] In one embodiment of the present invention, in step (1), the source grid cell is set as one or more.

[0020] The present invention also provides a global path planning system for UAV inspection of power transmission lines based on the fast travel method, including a memory, a processor, and computer program instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor. When the processor executes the computer program instructions, it can implement the steps described above.

[0021] The present invention also provides a computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer program instructions that can be executed by a processor, wherein when the processor executes the computer program instructions, it can implement the steps of the method described above.

[0022] Compared to existing technologies, this invention offers the following advantages: The Fast Journey Method (FMM) used in this invention provides high efficiency and flexibility in global path planning for UAV power line inspection, enabling the rapid finding of the globally optimal path from start to finish. In power line inspection, this means that the UAV can complete the entire inspection task with the shortest path and lowest cost, thereby effectively improving inspection efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the Fast Marching Method (FMM) algorithm used in this invention. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The technical solution of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0025] It should be noted that the following detailed descriptions are exemplary and intended to provide further explanation of this application. Unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains.

[0026] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to this application. As used herein, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, it should be understood that when the terms "comprising" and / or "including" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0027] This invention provides a global path planning method for UAV inspection of power transmission lines based on the Fast Path Method (FMM). The Fast Path Method is used in the global path planning of UAV inspection of power transmission lines to quickly find the globally optimal path from the starting point to the destination, so that the UAV can complete the entire inspection task with the shortest path and the lowest cost.

[0028] The following is the specific implementation process of this example.

[0029] 1. Rapid movement method

[0030] Fast Movement Method (FMM) is a path planning method based on the Eikonal equation. This equation, derived from Maxwell's equations of electromagnetism, establishes a connection between physical optics and geometric optics, and describes a light wavefront at position g with velocity F. g The propagation scenario. It is generally assumed that the path of light propagation is the shortest path. The general form of the Eikonal equation is expressed as:

[0031]

[0032] In the formula, T g F is the shortest time required for the wave crest to reach point g from the boundary T=0. g >0 represents the velocity that depends only on the position g. This equation shows that the gradient arriving at the time surface is inversely proportional to the velocity of the light wavefront.

[0033] The discrete multidimensional approximation of the Eikonal equation, and its corresponding 2D form, can be expressed as follows:

[0034]

[0035] In the formula, F i,j g represents the grid cell. i,j =The velocity of (i,j) and Let these represent the one-sided deviation operators in the ±x and ±y directions, respectively.

[0036]

[0037] In the formula, Δx and Δy are the grid spacing in the x and y directions, respectively, and T i,j This indicates that the grid cell g i,j Arrival time at the location.

[0038]

[0039] Substituting into equation (2), the Eikonal equation in discrete 2D space becomes

[0040]

[0041] When the wave crest propagates along directions other than x and y, due to F i,j Therefore, when the wave crest passes through grid cell (i,j), T must be greater than T. x T>T y Therefore, formula (5) can be further simplified to

[0042]

[0043] For raster maps, after normalizing Δx and Δy, equation (6) can be transformed into a regular quadratic equation.

[0044]

[0045] At this point, the T value is determined.

[0046]

[0047] When the wave crest propagates along directions other than x and y, the value of T is

[0048]

[0049] FMM defines three sets of grid cells to assist in calculating the discrete solution T at grid cell g. g The three grid cell sets are represented as G. A Set, G T Sets and G F Set. The execution process of FMM consists of two steps: initialization and looping. During the computation, when The solution at point g is denoted as the temporary solution T. g This value may be updated during the calculation process; if g∈G A Then the solution at point g is updated to the final solution T. g .

[0050] 2. Detailed calculation process and flowchart of the rapid travel method (e.g.) Figure 1 (As shown)

[0051] The detailed calculation process for the rapid travel method is as follows:

[0052] (1) Initialization: When planning a global path within the obstacle grid map, the obstacle grid cell g o This area is designated as a no-drone inspection zone, therefore g can be used. o Directly insert G A Set, and let the solution at that point be T. go =∞. For free raster cells, all source raster cells g s Put G in T Set, and let g s The temporary solution at point T is go = 0. A single source raster cell can be set. During path planning, the raster cell containing the starting or target location is typically set as the source raster cell. All other free raster cells g within the raster map are placed into G. F Let T be the temporary solution at point g. g =∞.

[0053] (2) Loop: First select G T The raster cell g with the minimum T solution within the set m and from G T Set moved to G A Set. Then for g m All non-G A The neighboring grid cells g within the set are updated, including the solution at g and the set type. Possible new solutions T g It can be determined by equation (10)

[0054]

[0055] in, For two with T gm Solve for candidate solutions that are directly related to the solution. Considering the time cost...

[0056] The Eikonal equation can be expressed in the form of:

[0057]

[0058] In the formula, τ g The time cost at grid cell g is τ. g =1 / F g .at this time, The formula for calculating the solution is:

[0059]

[0060] In the formula, This represents the solution at the raster cell. When g... i ∈G A hour, otherwise, Regarding the set type of g, if g∈G F Then remove it from G F Move to G T Inside. Continuously execute the loop steps until all raster cells g satisfy g∈G A .

[0061] During the FMM solution calculation process, it is always in G T The search is conducted within the set to find the raster cell with the minimum solution T, therefore T gm The value must be the shortest time to reach the destination, and G T Other raster cells with larger T solutions within the set and G F Further grid cells within the set will not affect this value.

[0062] The present invention also provides a global path planning system for UAV inspection of power transmission lines based on the fast travel method, including a memory, a processor, and computer program instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor. When the processor executes the computer program instructions, it can implement the steps described above.

[0063] The present invention also provides a computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer program instructions that can be executed by a processor, wherein when the processor executes the computer program instructions, it can implement the steps of the method described above.

[0064] Those skilled in the art will understand that embodiments of this application can be provided as methods, systems, or computer program products. Therefore, this application can take the form of a completely hardware embodiment, a completely software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, this application can take the form of a computer program product embodied on one or more computer-usable storage media (including but not limited to disk storage, CD-ROM, optical storage, etc.) containing computer-usable program code.

[0065] This application is described with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of this application. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, embedded processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, generate instructions for implementing the flowchart... Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 A device that provides the functions specified in one or more boxes.

[0066] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing device to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable storage medium produce an article of manufacture including instruction means, which are implemented in a process Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The function specified in one or more boxes.

[0067] These computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing equipment to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable equipment to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby providing instructions that execute on the computer or other programmable equipment for implementing the process. Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The steps of the function specified in one or more boxes.

[0068] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention in any other way. Any person skilled in the art may make changes or modifications to the above-disclosed technical content to create equivalent embodiments. However, any simple modifications, equivalent changes, and modifications made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention shall still fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A global path planning method for UAV inspection of power transmission lines based on the fast travel method, characterized in that, The Fast Journey Method (FMM) is used for global path planning in UAV power line inspection to quickly find the globally optimal path from the starting point to the destination, enabling the UAV to complete the entire inspection task with the shortest path and lowest cost. The Fast Journey Method (FMM) defines three grid cell sets to assist in calculating the discrete solution T at grid cell g. g The three grid cell sets are represented as G. A Set, G T Sets and G F gather; The execution process of the Fast Marching Method (FMM) includes two steps: initialization and looping; during the computation, when The solution at point g is denoted as the temporary solution T. g ', which may be updated during the calculation process; if g∈G A Then the solution at point g is updated to the final solution T. g The specific steps for implementing this method are as follows: (1) Initialization: When planning a global path within the obstacle grid map, the obstacle grid cell g o This area is designated as a no-drone inspection zone, therefore g o Directly insert G A Set, and let the solution at that point be T. go =∞; For free raster cells, all source raster cells g s Put G in T Set, and let g s The temporary solution at point T is go =0; When performing path planning, the raster cell containing the starting or target location is set as the source raster cell; All other free raster cells g in the raster map, except the source raster cell, are placed into G. F Let T be the temporary solution at point g. g =∞; (2) Loop: First select G T The raster cell g with the minimum T solution within the set m and from G T Set moved to G A Set; then for g m All non-G A The neighboring grid cells g within the set are updated, including the solution at g and the set type; possible new solutions are determined by the following formula. in, For two with T gm The candidate solutions are directly related to the solution; From the perspective of time cost, the Eikonal equation can be expressed as follows: In the formula, τ g The time cost at grid cell g is τ. g =1 / F g F g For speed, at this time, The formula for calculating the solution is: In the formula, This represents the solution at the grid cell; when g i ∈G A hour, otherwise, Regarding the set type of g, if g∈G F Then remove it from G F Move to G T Inside; continuously execute the loop steps until all raster cells g satisfy g∈G A ; During the Fast Marching Method (FMM) calculation of the solution, it always occurs at G... T The search is conducted within the set to find the raster cell with the minimum solution T, therefore T gm The value must be the shortest time to reach the destination, and G T Other T-solution large raster cells within the set and G F Further grid cells within the set will not affect T. gm value.

2. The global path planning method for UAV inspection of power transmission lines based on the fast travel method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step (1), the source raster cells are set to one or more.

3. A global path planning system for UAV inspection of power transmission lines based on the fast travel method, characterized in that, It includes a memory, a processor, and computer program instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor, which, when executed by the processor, enable the implementation of the steps of the method as described in any one of claims 1-2.

4. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer program instructions executable by a processor, wherein when the processor executes the computer program instructions, it is able to implement the steps of the method as described in any one of claims 1-2.

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