Method for testing navigation light through unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

The invention provides a method for testing a navigation light through an unmanned aerial vehicle, and relates to the technical field of ship manufacturing, repairing and detecting. The method comprises the following steps: acquiring a heading direction of a measured ship; adjusting the placing direction of a remote controller of the unmanned aerial vehicle, so that the angle of the remote controller is consistent with the heading value; taking off the unmanned aerial vehicle, and enabling the take-off height of the unmanned aerial vehicle to be consistent with the heights of the left and right sidelights of the tested ship; the flight direction of the unmanned aerial vehicle is adjusted, the unmanned aerial vehicle flies to the preset sea in a certain determined direction, and the position is recorded; the flight direction of the unmanned aerial vehicle is adjusted again, the preset distance in the sea is kept, and the unmanned aerial vehicle flies around the measured ship; meanwhile, the navigation light condition of the tested ship is observed, and the position of each observation point is recorded; and checking the navigation light condition of the tested ship recorded by the unmanned aerial vehicle to complete the navigation light test. The unmanned aerial vehicle is used for detecting the test navigation light, and related cost is saved; the limitation of inspection conditions is eliminated, the inspection time is shortened, and the inspection accuracy and efficiency are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of ship manufacturing, repair and detection, and in particular relates to a method for testing navigation lights of an unmanned aerial vehicle. Background Art

[0002] Currently, at night, the inspected ship is anchored at an anchorage or somewhere else and remains motionless. In an environment where there are no other ships around to interfere with the light source, the inspection assisting ship sails around the inspected ship 1 nautical mile (about 1.852 kilometers) outside the inspected ship, and uses the radar of the inspected ship to determine the direction of the inspection assisting ship. Combined with the report of the navigation lights of the tested ship observed by the personnel on the inspection assisting ship (transmitted to the inspected ship through walkie-talkies or telephones), the inspection results are obtained. Under ideal circumstances, it takes about 2 hours.

[0003] Disadvantages of existing technology:

[0004] 1) The cost of assisting ships is high. In order to complete this test, each newly built ship must send another ship to assist in the inspection. The cost of inspecting the assisting ship is usually around 100,000 yuan per time. If 30 ships are delivered annually, the cost of assisting in the inspection of ships is about 3 million yuan.

[0005] 2) Subject to inspection conditions. The lighting environment and sea conditions of the inspection site must meet the requirements for the inspection. Therefore, the inspected ship and the inspecting ship need to coordinate the window time.

[0006] 3) The inspection time is long and the inspection environment is poor. If there are windy and rough sea conditions, there will be certain safety risks to personnel and property.

[0007] 4) The test results are affected by human factors, and may be inaccurate and require secondary testing.

[0008] Therefore, how to provide a method for testing navigation lights of unmanned aerial vehicles has become a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved in this field. Summary of the invention

[0009] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for testing navigation lights using a drone, which can reduce the testing cost.

[0010] The present invention provides a method for testing navigation lights of an unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:

[0011] Step S1: obtaining the heading direction of the measured ship;

[0012] Step S2: adjusting the placement direction of the remote controller of the drone so that the angle of the remote controller is consistent with the heading direction, that is, consistent with the heading value;

[0013] Step S3: Take off the UAV and make the take-off height of the UAV consistent with the height of the port and starboard lights of the ship under test;

[0014] Step S4: Adjust the flight direction of the drone, fly to a preset nautical mile along a certain direction, and record the location;

[0015] Step S5: Adjust the flight direction of the drone again, keep the preset nautical mile distance and fly around the ship under test; at the same time, observe the navigation lights of the ship under test and record the position of each observation point;

[0016] Step S6: Check the navigation light status of the tested ship recorded by the UAV and complete the navigation light test.

[0017] Optionally, in step S1, the heading direction of the measured ship can be obtained from a radar display screen.

[0018] Optionally, in step S4, the certain determined direction is the heading direction of the measured ship.

[0019] Optionally, in step S4, the preset nautical mile is 1 nautical mile.

[0020] Optionally, in step S4, it further includes:

[0021] Confirm that the drone’s camera image can observe the status of the navigation lights of the ship under test.

[0022] Optionally, in step S5, the navigation lights include a front mast light, a rear mast light, a port light, a starboard light, a stern light, and an out-of-control light.

[0023] Optionally, the drone is equipped with an MSDK function, and the remote controller of the drone has built-in GPS positioning and compass functions.

[0024] Optionally, the remote controller's built-in GPS positioning coordinates and compass function are used to calculate based on the positions of the drone and the remote controller and the value of the remote controller's compass direction. When the remote controller's direction is fixed on the ship and consistent with the ship's direction, this is the real-time angle between the drone and the ship.

[0025] Optionally, the number of observation points is at least 8.

[0026] Optionally, if the detection result of step S6 is unsatisfactory, the method further includes step S7: repeating steps S2 to S5 to complete the detection of the secondary test of the navigation lights.

[0027] The beneficial effects brought by the present invention are as follows:

[0028] It can be seen from the above scheme that the embodiment of the present invention provides a method for testing navigation lights of a drone, which has the following beneficial effects:

[0029] The present application adopts a drone to test the navigation lights. The present application eliminates the need to assist the ship and saves related expenses; eliminates the restrictions on inspection conditions, shortens the inspection time, and ensures the safety of personnel and property; reduces the interference of human factors and increases the accuracy and efficiency of the inspection; and especially greatly reduces the test costs, with good economic effects. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a lighting inspection in a method for testing navigation lights of a drone provided in accordance with an embodiment; DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the present invention clearer, the technical solution in the embodiment of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiment of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiment is a part of the embodiment of the present invention, not all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0032] This application involves the statutory inspection items of ship navigation lights and signal lights, and is a method designed according to the requirements of Articles 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30 and 33 of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, which is the current inspection basis.

[0033] First, prepare the drone. When the ship under test arrives at the designated location, keep the front of the drone remote control aligned with the front of the ship under test. Let the drone fly one circle 1 nautical mile outside the ship under test. The state of the signal light is viewed through the image sent back from the camera by the drone. At the same time, the GPS coordinate signal of the drone is sent back to the remote control of the drone. The software constantly displays the distance and angle between the drone and the remote control, that is, the distance and angle between the drone and the ship under test, and the test results are obtained.

[0034] According to the present invention, a method for testing navigation lights of a drone is provided, the method comprising:

[0035] Step S1: Acquire the heading azimuth of the measured ship; the heading azimuth of the ship can be read from the radar display screen, and in some embodiments, for example, HDG is displayed as 66 degrees.

[0036] Step S2: Adjust the placement direction of the remote controller of the drone so that the angle of the remote controller is consistent with the heading direction of the first step;

[0037] In some specific embodiments, you can choose a drone that supports the MSDK function and the remote controller has its own GPS.

[0038] Positioning and compass functions are combined with maps to complete calculation and display function development.

[0039] By using the remote controller's built-in GPS positioning and compass function, the angle between the drone and the remote controller can be calculated based on the positions of the drone and the remote controller and the compass direction of the remote controller. If the direction of the remote controller is fixed on the boat and consistent with the direction of the boat, this is the real-time angle between the drone and the boat.

[0040] Data collection, as shown in Table 1:

[0041] Table 1

[0042] Serial number Data Source parameter 1 Collection date and time data DATA1 2 Collecting longitude data from drone GPS X1 3 Collect latitude data from drone GPS Y1 4 Collecting drone flight altitude data H1 5 Collecting drone remote controller compass data HDG1 6 Collect the longitude data of the drone remote controller GPS X2 7 Collect latitude data from the GPS of the drone remote controller Y2

[0043] The logical content is shown in Table 2:

[0044] Table 2

[0045]

[0046] The displayed content is shown in Table 3:

[0047] Table 3

[0048] Serial number describe 1 The relative angle between the remote control and the north direction is displayed on the map at all times 2 The distance between the drone and the drone remote controller is displayed on the map at all times 3 Display the relative angle between the drone and the drone remote controller on the map at all times 4 Display the flight altitude of the drone on the map at all times 5 Display date and time on the map

[0049] Step S3: Take off the UAV and make the take-off height of the UAV consistent with the height of the port and starboard lights of the ship under test;

[0050] Step S4: Adjust the flight direction of the drone to a certain direction, which may be the bow of the ship or other directions, and fly to 1 nautical mile; confirm that the camera image of the drone can observe the navigation lights of the ship under test, and record this position.

[0051] Step S5: Adjust the flight direction of the drone, keep a distance of 1 nautical mile and fly around the ship under test, observe the navigation lights of the ship under test, record the position of each observation point, and fill in Table 4; Figure 1 As shown, the observation points include at least 8, and the navigation lights include a front mast light, a rear mast light, a port light, a starboard light, a stern light, and an out-of-control light.

[0052] Step S6: Check the navigation light status of the tested ship recorded by the UAV, that is, check the data in Table 4 to complete the navigation light test.

[0053] Table 4

[0054]

[0055] In some embodiments, if the detection result of step S6 is unsatisfactory, the method further includes step S7: repeating steps S2 to S5 to complete the detection of the secondary test of the navigation lights.

[0056] In summary, the present application adopts a drone to test the navigation lights. The present application cancels the assisting ships and saves related expenses; eliminates the restrictions on inspection conditions, shortens the inspection time, and ensures the safety of personnel and property; reduces the interference of human factors and increases the accuracy and efficiency of inspection; especially greatly reduces the test costs and has good economic effects. If the cost of inspecting and assisting ships is about 100,000 yuan per time and 30 ships are delivered annually, canceling the inspection and assisting ships can save 3 million yuan.

[0057] The above are preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be pointed out that, for ordinary technicians in this technical field, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principles of the present invention. These improvements and modifications should also be regarded as within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for testing navigation lights of an unmanned aerial vehicle, characterized in that: The method comprises: Step S1: obtaining the heading direction of the measured ship; Step S2: adjusting the placement direction of the remote controller of the drone so that the angle of the remote controller is consistent with the heading direction; Step S3: Take off the UAV and make the take-off height of the UAV consistent with the height of the port and starboard lights of the measured ship; Step S4: Adjust the flight direction of the drone, fly to a preset nautical mile along a certain direction, and record the location; Step S5: Adjust the flight direction of the drone again, keep the preset nautical mile distance and fly around the ship under test; at the same time, observe the navigation lights of the ship under test and record the position of each observation point; Step S6: Check the navigation light status of the tested ship recorded by the UAV and complete the navigation light test.

2. The method for testing navigation lights of a UAV according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the step S1, the heading direction of the measured ship can be obtained from the radar display screen.

3. The method for testing navigation lights of a UAV according to claim 2, characterized in that: In the step S4, the certain determined direction is the heading direction of the measured ship.

4. The method for testing navigation lights of a UAV according to claim 3, characterized in that: In the step S4, the preset nautical mile is 1 nautical mile.

5. The method for testing navigation lights of a UAV according to claim 4, characterized in that: In the step S4, it also includes: Confirm that the drone’s camera image can observe the status of the navigation lights of the ship under test.

6. The method for testing navigation lights of a UAV according to claim 5, characterized in that: In step S5, the navigation lights include a front mast light, a rear mast light, a port light, a starboard light, a stern light, and an out-of-control light.

7. The method for testing navigation lights of a UAV according to claim 6, characterized in that: The drone has an MSDK function, and the remote controller of the drone has built-in GPS positioning and compass functions.

8. The method for testing navigation lights of a UAV according to claim 7, characterized in that: The remote controller uses its own GPS positioning coordinates and compass function to calculate based on the positions of the drone and the remote controller and the compass direction of the remote controller. When the direction of the remote controller is fixed on the boat and consistent with the direction of the boat, it is the real-time angle between the drone and the boat.

9. The method for testing navigation lights of a UAV according to claim 8, characterized in that: The number of observation points is at least 8.

10. The method for testing navigation lights of a UAV according to claim 9, characterized in that: If the detection result of step S6 is unsatisfactory, the method further comprises step S7: repeating steps S2 to S5 to complete the detection of the secondary test of the navigation lights.

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