Control methods, devices, equipment and storage media for inspection systems

Abstract

This application discloses a control method, device, equipment, and storage medium for an inspection system. The scheme involves setting up an unmanned vehicle (UAV) that moves alongside a drone. The system acquires the drone's current battery level and its current first current position, the UAV's current second current position, and the target inspection position on the inspection route. Based on the current battery level, the first current position, the second current position, and the target inspection position, the system determines the predicted position of the UAV at a target time. The target time is the moment when the drone completes its target inspection task at the target inspection position. Based on the first current position, the target inspection position, and the predicted position, the system determines whether the current battery level is sufficient to support the drone's return to the UAV after completing the target inspection task. If so, the system instructs the drone to perform the target inspection task at the target inspection position. Through the collaborative work of the drone and the UAV, overhead line inspection is achieved without human intervention.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) control technology, specifically to a control method, device, equipment, and storage medium for an inspection system. Background Technology

[0002] Drone-based overhead line inspection is a method that utilizes advanced drone technology to conduct regular inspections and maintenance of overhead lines in fields such as power and communications. This method greatly improves inspection efficiency, reduces the safety risks that may be encountered during manual inspections, and can more accurately identify potential problems on the lines through high-definition cameras and other sensors.

[0003] However, limited by battery life and wireless signal coverage, drones cannot independently undertake overhead power line inspection tasks. Currently, most commercial drones have flight times ranging from 30 minutes to 1 hour, limiting the distance covered in a single flight. Furthermore, to ensure high-quality data transmission, the wireless connection between the drone and the ground control station needs to be maintained within a certain distance to avoid signal attenuation or interruption. Therefore, to address these limitations, in practice, a ground vehicle is usually used to assist the drone in its operations.

[0004] While ground vehicle support significantly enhances the flexibility and safety of drone inspection operations, this arrangement also introduces additional costs. Besides the initial investment in specialized equipment (such as vehicle-mounted relay systems and remote control devices), there are also fuel and labor costs incurred during operation. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, this application aims to provide a control method, device, equipment and storage medium for an inspection system, which can realize the safe inspection of overhead lines based on the collaborative work of drones and unmanned vehicles without human intervention. This not only reduces inspection costs but also improves the level of automation in inspection.

[0006] According to a first aspect of this application, a control method for an inspection system is provided. The inspection system includes an unmanned vehicle (UAV) and a drone performing an inspection task; the UAV is used to accompany the drone and provide power to the drone; the method includes:

[0007] The current battery level and current first current position of the drone, the current second current position of the unmanned vehicle, and the target inspection position on the inspection route are obtained.

[0008] Based on the second current position and the target inspection position, the predicted position of the unmanned vehicle at the target time is determined; the target time is the time when the unmanned vehicle completes the target inspection task at the target inspection position.

[0009] Based on the first current position, the target inspection position, and the predicted position, determine whether the current battery level is sufficient to support the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task;

[0010] If the current battery level is sufficient to allow the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task, a first instruction is generated; the first instruction is used to instruct the drone to perform a target inspection task at the target inspection location.

[0011] Optionally, before determining the predicted location of the unmanned vehicle at the target time, the method further includes:

[0012] The flight speed of the UAV and the inspection time required for the UAV to perform the target inspection task at the target inspection location are obtained.

[0013] Based on the flight speed, the first current position, and the target inspection position, calculate the first flight time required for the UAV to reach the target inspection position;

[0014] The target time is calculated based on the first flight time and the inspection time.

[0015] Optionally, determining whether the current battery level is sufficient to allow the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task, based on the first current position, the target inspection position, and the predicted position, includes:

[0016] Obtain the power consumption of the drone per unit time;

[0017] Based on the flight speed, the target inspection location, and the predicted location, calculate the second flight time required for the UAV to return to the unmanned vehicle;

[0018] Based on the inspection time, the first flight time, the second flight time, and the power consumption per unit time, calculate the total power required for the UAV to complete the target inspection task and return to the unmanned vehicle;

[0019] Based on the current battery level and the total battery level, determine whether the current battery level is sufficient to support the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task.

[0020] Optionally, the unmanned vehicle is used to move toward the drone after the target time;

[0021] The step of calculating the second flight time required for the UAV to return to the unmanned vehicle based on the flight speed, the target inspection position, and the predicted position includes:

[0022] Based on the target inspection location and the predicted location, determine the rendezvous point of the UAV and the unmanned vehicle;

[0023] The second flight time is calculated based on the target inspection location, the rendezvous point, and the flight speed.

[0024] Optionally, determining the predicted position of the unmanned vehicle at the target time based on the second current position and the target inspection position includes:

[0025] Generate a tracking motion plan for the unmanned vehicle to move from the second current position to the target inspection position or to track the movement of the drone;

[0026] Based on the target time and the tracking motion plan, the predicted position of the unmanned vehicle at the target time is determined.

[0027] Optionally, obtaining the flight speed of the drone includes:

[0028] Obtain the preset speed of the drone and the current wind speed;

[0029] The flight speed of the drone is obtained by correcting the preset speed based on the wind speed.

[0030] Optionally, obtaining the power consumption per unit time of the drone includes:

[0031] The historical power consumption data of several historical inspection tasks of the UAV are statistically analyzed to obtain the power consumption of the UAV per unit time; the historical power consumption data of the historical inspection tasks includes the task duration and power consumption of the historical inspection tasks.

[0032] Optionally, determining whether the current battery level is sufficient to allow the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task includes:

[0033] Based on the standard temperature and current temperature of the battery at the drone, as well as the temperature correction factor, the current battery level is corrected to obtain the corrected current battery level.

[0034] Determine whether the current battery level after the correction is sufficient to support the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task.

[0035] According to a second aspect of this application, a control device for an inspection system is provided, the inspection system including an unmanned vehicle and a drone performing an inspection task; the unmanned vehicle is used to accompany the drone and provide power to the drone; the device includes:

[0036] The acquisition module is used to acquire the current battery level and current first current position of the drone, the current second current position of the unmanned vehicle, and the target inspection position on the inspection route;

[0037] The location determination module is used to determine the predicted location of the unmanned vehicle at the target time based on the second current location and the target inspection location; the target time is the time when the unmanned vehicle completes the target inspection task at the target inspection location;

[0038] The judgment module is used to determine, based on the first current position, the target inspection position, and the predicted position, whether the current battery level is sufficient to support the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task;

[0039] The instruction module is used to generate a first instruction if the current battery level is sufficient to support the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task; the first instruction is used to instruct the drone to perform a target inspection task at the target inspection location.

[0040] According to a third aspect of this application, an electronic device is provided, comprising: a processor; a memory for storing processor-executable instructions; the processor being configured to perform the method described in any of the above embodiments.

[0041] According to a fourth aspect of this application, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, the storage medium storing a computer program for performing the methods described in any of the above embodiments.

[0042] This application provides a control method, apparatus, device, and storage medium for an inspection system. In this scheme, an unmanned vehicle (UAV) is used to accompany a drone. The system acquires the drone's current battery level and its first current position, the UAV's second current position, and the target inspection position on the inspection route. Based on the current battery level, the first current position, the second current position, and the target inspection position, the predicted position of the UAV at a target time is determined. The target time is the moment when the drone completes the target inspection task at the target inspection position. Based on the first current position, the target inspection position, and the predicted position, it is determined whether the current battery level is sufficient to support the drone's return to the UAV after completing the target inspection task. If so, the system instructs the drone to perform the target inspection task at the target inspection position. Through the collaborative work of the drone and the UAV, overhead line inspection can be achieved without human intervention. Attached Figure Description

[0043] Figure 1 The diagram shown is a schematic representation of an implementation environment provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0044] Figure 2The diagram shown is a flowchart illustrating the control method of an inspection system provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0045] Figure 3 The diagram shown is a block diagram of the control device of an inspection system provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0046] Figure 4 The diagram shown is a structural block diagram of an electronic device provided in one embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0047] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0048] Application Overview

[0049] Currently, drones face two main challenges when performing overhead power line inspection tasks: limitations in battery life and wireless signal coverage. These limitations prevent drones from completing long-distance inspection missions independently, as they need to return to their starting point before running out of power, and the limited wireless signal coverage also restricts the drone's flight distance and communication capabilities.

[0050] To overcome these limitations, the industry has proposed two solutions: deploying dedicated inspection vehicles and establishing multiple drone airports. Inspection vehicles can move with drones, providing necessary power support and communication relay, but this method requires additional equipment and personnel, increasing costs. Establishing multiple drone airports can provide mid-journey charging and maintenance services for drones, but also requires significant investment and maintenance costs. While both methods can achieve drone inspection of overhead power lines to some extent, both are costly.

[0051] To address the aforementioned issues, this application employs a mobile unmanned vehicle (UAV) that accompanies the drone. The UAV serves as a mobile charging station and data relay station for the drone, ensuring that the drone will not crash or interrupt its inspection due to insufficient power during missions, while also guaranteeing the stability and real-time nature of data transmission. Thus, when the drone has sufficient power to complete the overhead line inspection task and safely returns to the UAV, it can be dispatched to perform overhead line inspections. Through the collaborative work of the drone and the UAV, overhead line inspections can be safely achieved without human intervention, reducing inspection costs and improving the level of automation.

[0052] After introducing the basic principles of this application, various non-limiting embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0053] Exemplary System

[0054] Figure 1 The diagram illustrates an implementation environment provided in this application embodiment. This implementation environment includes a drone 110, an unmanned vehicle 120, and a computing device 130. The drone 110 is used to perform inspection tasks and collect inspection data. The drone 110 can be connected to the unmanned vehicle 120 via a communication network. The computing device 130 can also be connected to the unmanned vehicle 120 via a communication network. The computing device 130 can obtain inspection data from the drone 110 through the unmanned vehicle 120. Optionally, the communication network can be a wired network or a wireless network.

[0055] The UAV 110 can be equipped with high-precision equipment such as high-definition cameras, infrared thermal imagers, and multispectral sensors to conduct detailed observation and data collection on targets such as overhead lines and power poles, and transmit the collected inspection data to the unmanned vehicle 120 in real time.

[0056] As a mobile drone airport, the unmanned vehicle 120 not only provides power support and maintenance for the drone 110, but also acts as a relay station to enhance the communication connection between the drone and the computing device 130. The unmanned vehicle 120 can move on the ground to adapt to different inspection needs, ensuring that the drone 110 can obtain continuous communication and power support when performing tasks.

[0057] The computing device 130 may be a general-purpose computer or a computer device composed of dedicated integrated circuits, etc., and this application embodiment does not limit this. For example, the computing device 130 may be a mobile terminal device such as a tablet computer, or it may be a personal computer (PC), such as a laptop computer and a desktop computer, etc. Those skilled in the art will know that the number of the above-mentioned computing devices 130 may be one or more, and their types may be the same or different. For example, there may be one computing device 130, or there may be dozens or hundreds of computing devices 130, or more. This application embodiment does not limit the number and type of computing devices 130.

[0058] Exemplary methods

[0059] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the control method of an inspection system provided in one embodiment of this application. Figure 2The method described is executed by a drone, an unmanned vehicle, or a computing device connected to the drone or unmanned vehicle via data connection; this application embodiment does not limit this. The inspection system includes an unmanned vehicle and a drone for performing inspection tasks; the unmanned vehicle is used to accompany the drone and to increase the drone's battery power.

[0060] like Figure 2 As shown, the method includes the following:

[0061] Step S210: Obtain the current battery level and current first current position of the drone, the current second current position of the unmanned vehicle, and the target inspection position on the inspection route.

[0062] In this application embodiment, the drone is formally referred to as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), which means an unmanned aircraft controlled by radio remote control equipment and its own program control device, or an aircraft that is fully or intermittently operated autonomously by an onboard computer. Drones are actually a general term for unmanned aerial vehicles, including unmanned fixed-wing aircraft, unmanned vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, unmanned airships, unmanned helicopters, unmanned multi-rotor aircraft, unmanned paragliders, etc.

[0063] In this embodiment of the application, the drone may be equipped with inspection equipment such as a high-definition camera, an infrared thermal imager, and a multispectral sensor, for inspecting inspection points and collecting data.

[0064] In this embodiment, the unmanned vehicle, also known as an autonomous vehicle, driverless vehicle, computer-driven vehicle, or wheeled mobile robot, is an intelligent vehicle that primarily relies on an in-vehicle computer system to achieve driverless operation. It can perceive its surroundings through various sensors (such as cameras, lidar, millimeter-wave radar, GPS, and inertial sensors), identify the vehicle's environment and status, and autonomously analyze and judge based on the acquired environmental information (including road information, traffic information, vehicle position, and obstacle information), thereby autonomously controlling the vehicle's movement and ultimately achieving driverless operation.

[0065] In this embodiment, the unmanned vehicle can provide additional power to the drone, and the method of providing additional power may include at least one of charging via power cord, wireless charging, and battery replacement. The unmanned vehicle may be equipped with a drone airport for charging or replacing the drone's battery; the drone airport may include, in addition to the airport cabin, upper cover door, lifting platform, and mechanical structure for fixing the drone, an automatic charging system, an automatic battery swapping system, etc.

[0066] In this embodiment of the application, the unmanned vehicle can be used to move toward the drone after takeoff and before landing to reduce the distance between the two, thereby reducing the probability of the drone crashing due to insufficient power and communication failure.

[0067] In this embodiment of the application, the line to be inspected can be a line that needs to be inspected, such as overhead lines, underground pipelines, railways, or pressure pipelines such as oil pipelines, gas pipelines, and heating pipelines.

[0068] In this embodiment, the inspection point location can be a location on the line to be inspected, dividing the line to be inspected into multiple task segments. For example, poles and towers on overhead lines and railways, equipment locations, intersections, and branching points on underground pipelines and pressure pipelines.

[0069] In this embodiment, the target inspection location can be the next inspection point that the drone is inspecting or is currently inspecting. Specifically, the target inspection location can be the inspection point on the inspection route that has not yet been inspected and is closest to the drone.

[0070] Step S220: Determine the predicted position of the unmanned vehicle at the target time based on the second current position and the target inspection position; the target time is the time when the unmanned vehicle completes the target inspection task at the target inspection position.

[0071] In this embodiment of the application, the predicted location may refer to the location of the unmanned vehicle when the unmanned vehicle completes the target inspection task at the target inspection location.

[0072] In this embodiment of the application, the target inspection task is the inspection task that needs to be carried out at the target inspection location, such as the inspection task for poles and towers on overhead lines and railways.

[0073] In this embodiment of the application, the target time is the time when the UAV completes the target inspection task at the target inspection location, which can be determined based on the time required for the UAV to fly to the target inspection location and complete the target inspection task.

[0074] Step S230: Based on the first current position, the target inspection position, and the predicted position, determine whether the current battery level is sufficient to support the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task.

[0075] In this embodiment of the application, determining whether the current battery level is sufficient to support the drone's return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task, based on the first current position, the target inspection position, and the predicted position, includes: calculating the total battery level required for the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task, based on the first current position, the target inspection position, and the predicted position; and determining whether the current battery level is sufficient to support the drone's return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task, based on the current battery level and the total battery level.

[0076] It should be noted that the drone is not required to return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task, but rather it must have the capability to return to the drone after completing the target inspection task.

[0077] Step S240: If the current battery level is sufficient to support the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task, a first instruction is generated; the first instruction is used to instruct the drone to perform a target inspection task at the target inspection location.

[0078] In this embodiment of the application, the process of determining whether the current battery level is sufficient to support the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task can be repeated multiple times before the drone goes to the target inspection location, during the process of going to the target inspection location, and during the process of performing the target inspection task at the target inspection location.

[0079] In this embodiment of the application, if the current power is insufficient to support the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task, a second instruction is generated; the first instruction is used to instruct the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle.

[0080] In this embodiment, an unmanned vehicle (UAV) is used to accompany the drone. The system acquires the drone's current battery level and its first current position, the UAV's second current position, and the target inspection location on the inspection route. Based on the current battery level, the first current position, the second current position, and the target inspection location, the predicted position of the UAV at a target time is determined. The target time is the moment when the drone completes its target inspection task at the target inspection location. Based on the first current position, the target inspection location, and the predicted position, it is determined whether the current battery level is sufficient to allow the drone to return to the UAV after completing the target inspection task. If the current battery level is sufficient, the system instructs the drone to perform the target inspection task at the target inspection location. By cooperating with the UAV, the system ensures that the drone will not crash or interrupt the inspection due to insufficient battery power during task execution. This allows for safe overhead line inspection without human intervention, reducing inspection costs and improving the level of automation.

[0081] based on Figure 2 In addition to the method described in the embodiments of this specification, some specific implementation schemes of the method are also provided, which will be described below.

[0082] Optionally, before determining the predicted location of the unmanned vehicle at the target time, the method further includes:

[0083] The flight speed of the UAV and the inspection time required for the UAV to perform the target inspection task at the target inspection location are obtained.

[0084] Based on the flight speed, the first current position, and the target inspection position, calculate the first flight time required for the UAV to reach the target inspection position;

[0085] The target time is calculated based on the first flight time and the inspection time.

[0086] In this embodiment, the inspection time can refer to the time required for the UAV to perform the target inspection task at the target inspection location. The inspection time can be determined according to the type of the target inspection task. For example, if the target inspection task is to inspect the towers of overhead lines, the time required to photograph and inspect each tower is roughly the same, thus the inspection time required for tower inspection can be estimated.

[0087] In this embodiment, the first flight time is the flight time required for the UAV to travel to the target inspection location. Calculating the first flight time may include: calculating a first flight distance required for the UAV to travel to the target inspection location based on the first current location and the target inspection location; and calculating the quotient of the first flight distance and the flight speed to obtain the first flight time.

[0088] In this embodiment of the application, the process of the drone moving to the target inspection location can be either to take pictures of the inspection route according to the inspection requirements, or it can be a simple movement process.

[0089] In this embodiment of the application, the target time can be the time after the first flight time and the inspection time, starting from the current time.

[0090] In this embodiment of the application, the first flight time required for the UAV to reach the target inspection location is calculated based on the flight speed, the first current location, and the target inspection location; the target time is accurately calculated based on the first flight time and the inspection time, which helps to accurately infer the predicted location of the UAV at the target time and prevent the UAV from crashing unexpectedly due to insufficient power.

[0091] Optionally, determining whether the current battery level is sufficient to allow the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task, based on the first current position, the target inspection position, and the predicted position, includes:

[0092] Obtain the power consumption of the drone per unit time;

[0093] Based on the flight speed, the target inspection location, and the predicted location, calculate the second flight time required for the UAV to return to the unmanned vehicle;

[0094] Based on the inspection time, the first flight time, the second flight time, and the power consumption per unit time, calculate the total power required for the UAV to complete the target inspection task and return to the unmanned vehicle;

[0095] Based on the current battery level and the total battery level, determine whether the current battery level is sufficient to support the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task.

[0096] In this embodiment, the power consumption per unit time can be the power consumption of the drone per unit time. If the power consumption rate of the drone is similar during movement and inspection, the power consumption per unit time in each process can be considered the same.

[0097] In this embodiment, the second flight time is the flight time required for the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle. If the unmanned vehicle waits for the drone to return while it is in place, calculating the first flight time may include: calculating the second flight distance required for the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle based on the second current position and the target inspection position; and calculating the quotient of the second flight distance and the flight speed to obtain the second flight time.

[0098] In some cases, if the unmanned vehicle has already reached the target inspection position at the target time, that is, the target inspection position coincides with the predicted position, then the second flight time can be approximately zero.

[0099] In this embodiment, the total power consumption is the amount of power required for the UAV to complete the target inspection task and return to the unmanned vehicle. If the total time required for the UAV to complete the target inspection task and return to the unmanned vehicle (the sum of the inspection time, the first flight time, and the second flight time) is considered, then the total power consumption is the product of the total time and the power consumption per unit time.

[0100] In this embodiment, if the current battery level is greater than the total battery level, and if the current battery level minus the reserved battery level is still greater than the total battery level, then the current battery level is deemed sufficient to support the drone's return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task. Conversely, if the current battery level is less than the reserved battery level, then the current battery level is deemed insufficient to support the drone's return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task.

[0101] In this embodiment, a first flight time required for the drone to reach the target inspection location and a second flight time required for the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle are calculated. Then, using the inspection time, the first flight time, the second flight time, and the power consumption per unit time, the total power required for the drone to complete the target inspection task and return to the unmanned vehicle is calculated. This accurately determines whether the current power level is sufficient to support the drone's return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task, preventing accidental crashes due to insufficient power.

[0102] Optionally, the unmanned vehicle is used to move towards the drone after the target time; calculating the second flight time required for the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle based on the flight speed, the target inspection position, and the predicted position includes:

[0103] Based on the target inspection location and the predicted location, determine the rendezvous point of the UAV and the unmanned vehicle;

[0104] The second flight time is calculated based on the target inspection location, the rendezvous point, and the flight speed.

[0105] In this embodiment of the application, the meeting point is the location where the drone and the unmanned vehicle meet.

[0106] In this embodiment of the application, the second flight time is the flight time required for the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle.

[0107] In this embodiment of the application, when the drone returns to the unmanned vehicle, the unmanned vehicle can wait in place, and in this case, the rendezvous point is the predicted location.

[0108] In this embodiment of the application, when the drone returns to the unmanned vehicle, the unmanned vehicle can also move toward the drone to reduce the drone's flight distance.

[0109] For example, determining the rendezvous point of the UAV and the unmanned vehicle based on the target inspection location and the predicted location includes: with the goal of minimizing the second flight time, generating a rendezvous motion plan for the UAV and the unmanned vehicle to move towards each other based on the target inspection location and the predicted location, and obtaining the rendezvous point.

[0110] In this embodiment of the application, calculating the second flight time may include: calculating the distance between the target inspection location and the rendezvous point to obtain the second flight distance required for the UAV to return to the unmanned vehicle; and calculating the quotient of the second flight distance and the flight speed to obtain the second flight time.

[0111] In this embodiment, the meeting point of the UAV and the unmanned vehicle is determined based on the target inspection location and the predicted location; then, the second flight time is calculated based on the target inspection location, the meeting point, and the flight speed. Accurately calculating the second flight time for the UAV to return to the unmanned vehicle when they are traveling towards each other helps to accurately determine whether the UAV can return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task, preventing accidental crashes due to insufficient battery power.

[0112] Optionally, determining the predicted position of the unmanned vehicle at the target time based on the second current position and the target inspection position includes:

[0113] Generate a tracking motion plan for the unmanned vehicle to move from the second current position to the target inspection position or to track the movement of the drone;

[0114] Based on the target time and the tracking motion plan, the predicted position of the unmanned vehicle at the target time is determined.

[0115] In this embodiment, the tracking motion planning is used to instruct the unmanned vehicle to move from the second current position to the target inspection position. The tracking motion planning includes at least path planning and may also include trajectory planning. The tracking motion planning may also be used to limit the maximum distance between the unmanned vehicle and the drone. The endpoint of the tracking motion planning may be the nearest accessible location for the unmanned vehicle to the target inspection position.

[0116] In this embodiment of the application, the predicted position can be the position of the unmanned vehicle at the target time if the unmanned vehicle moves according to the tracking motion plan.

[0117] In this embodiment of the application, by generating a tracking motion plan for the unmanned vehicle to move from the second current position to the target inspection position or to track the movement of the drone, the predicted position of the unmanned vehicle at the target time can be accurately estimated. This helps to accurately determine whether the drone can return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task, and prevents the drone from crashing unexpectedly due to insufficient power.

[0118] Optionally, obtaining the flight speed of the drone includes:

[0119] Obtain the preset speed of the drone and the current wind speed;

[0120] The flight speed of the drone is obtained by correcting the preset speed based on the wind speed.

[0121] In this embodiment, the preset speed can be a preset movement speed of the drone, such as the drone's maximum endurance speed or maximum range speed. The maximum endurance speed (ME speed) is the flight speed corresponding to the longest possible flight time for the drone, i.e., the flight speed at which the drone consumes the least amount of power per unit time. The maximum range speed (MR speed)...

[0122] (speed) is the flight speed of the drone when the flight distance is the longest, that is, the flight speed at which the power consumption per unit distance is the lowest.

[0123] In this embodiment, the wind speed can be determined by an anemometer on the unmanned vehicle. The wind speed may include the velocity and direction of the wind.

[0124] In this embodiment of the application, the step of correcting the preset speed based on the wind speed to obtain the flight speed of the UAV includes: performing speed synthesis based on the preset speed and the wind speed to obtain the flight speed of the UAV.

[0125] In this embodiment, the speed synthesis may further include: segmenting the UAV's flight path based on the flight direction; and performing speed correction on each segment of the flight path to obtain the UAV's flight speed in each segment. In the absence of obstacles, the UAV's flight path may include at least: a first path for the UAV to move from its current location to the target inspection location, and a second flight path for the UAV to return from the target inspection location to the unmanned vehicle.

[0126] Optionally, obtaining the power consumption per unit time of the drone includes:

[0127] The historical power consumption data of several historical inspection tasks of the UAV are statistically analyzed to obtain the power consumption of the UAV per unit time; the historical power consumption data of the historical inspection tasks includes the task duration and power consumption of the historical inspection tasks.

[0128] In this embodiment of the application, the historical inspection tasks can be a specified number of historical inspection tasks that are most recent (latest) to the current time, or they can be historical inspection tasks that are no more than a preset time (within one day, within 3 hours, or within 1 hour) from the current time.

[0129] In practical applications, the operating environment of drones generally does not change abruptly, and the inspection tasks they perform are also similar; the closest to the current moment

[0130] The power consumption per unit time obtained by analyzing the historical power consumption data of the most recent inspection missions is closer to the actual power consumption of the drone. This helps to accurately determine whether the drone can return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection mission, thus preventing the drone from crashing due to insufficient power.

[0131] Optionally, determining whether the current battery level is sufficient to allow the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task includes:

[0132] Based on the standard temperature and current temperature of the battery at the drone, as well as the temperature correction factor, the current battery level is corrected to obtain the corrected current battery level.

[0133] Determine whether the current battery level after the correction is sufficient to support the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task.

[0134] In this embodiment of the application, the current power level is corrected based on the following formula: Eactual=E×(1+α(T-T0)), where Eactual is the corrected current power level; T is the current temperature (unit: °C), T0 is the standard temperature (e.g., 25 °C), and α is the temperature correction coefficient, which can be obtained experimentally.

[0135] In practical applications, cold weather may cause a decline in drone battery performance, leading to inaccurate battery level displays. In this embodiment, the drone's current battery level is corrected based on the current temperature. The corrected battery level is then used to determine whether the drone can return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task. This improves the reliability of the judgment and prevents accidental crashes due to insufficient battery power.

[0136] Optionally, the drone is a rotary-wing drone; determining the predicted position of the unmanned vehicle at the target time based on the second current position and the target inspection position includes:

[0137] The predicted position is obtained by determining the accessible position of the unmanned vehicle that is closest to the target inspection position;

[0138] Generate a tracking motion plan for the unmanned vehicle to move from the second current position to the predicted position, and obtain the target time; the target time is the time when the unmanned vehicle arrives at the predicted position.

[0139] Before generating the first instruction, the method further includes:

[0140] Based on the target time and the inspection time required for the UAV to perform the target inspection task, calculate the first flight time required for the UAV to reach the target inspection location.

[0141] Based on the first flight time, the first current position, and the target inspection position, the target flight speed of the UAV during its journey to the target inspection position is determined; the first instruction is also used to instruct the UAV to travel to the target inspection position at the target flight speed.

[0142] In practical applications, the power consumption per unit time of a rotary-wing drone initially decreases with increasing speed until it reaches the power consumption per unit time corresponding to the sustained flight speed, and then continuously increases with increasing speed. That is, the power consumption per unit time at the sustained flight speed is less than the power consumption per unit time during hovering; and the power consumption per unit time at the sustained flight speed is less than the power consumption per unit time at the long-range flight speed.

[0143] Furthermore, the drone's moving speed (average speed or long-range speed) is generally greater than that of the unmanned vehicle (UAV); the distance between the drone and the UAV must also be less than their maximum communication distance. Therefore, the movement of the drone and the UAV requires coordinated control, meaning that at the target time, the drone completes the target inspection task at the target inspection location, while the UAV arrives at the target inspection location (the target inspection location coincides with the predicted location). The drone's total flight time (including inspection time, first flight time, and second flight time) depends on the time required for the slower UAV to travel to the target inspection location. If the drone's total flight time cannot be shortened, it can be approximately assumed that the total battery power required for the drone to complete the target inspection task and return to the UAV is proportional to the drone's flight speed. To maximize the drone's inspection efficiency, its moving speed can be set as close as possible to the long-range speed.

[0144] Determining the target flight speed of the UAV during its journey to the target inspection location based on the first flight time, the first current location, and the target inspection location includes:

[0145] Based on the first current position and the target inspection position, calculate the first distance between the UAV and the target inspection position;

[0146] The first flight speed of the UAV is obtained by calculating the quotient of the first distance and the first flight time;

[0147] If the first flight speed is greater than the long-range speed of the UAV, then the long-range speed is determined as the target flight speed;

[0148] If the first flight speed is between the long-endurance speed and the long-range speed of the UAV, then the first flight speed is determined as the target flight speed;

[0149] If the first flight speed is not greater than the long-endurance speed of the UAV, then the long-endurance speed is determined as the target flight speed.

[0150] In this embodiment, the case where the first flight speed is greater than the drone's long-range speed essentially means that the unmanned vehicle is moving at a relatively high speed; that is, the unmanned vehicle arrives at the target inspection position before the target time. In this case, determining the long-range speed as the target flight speed helps to increase the drone's range (maximum flight distance), thereby improving the drone's inspection efficiency.

[0151] In this embodiment, the case where the first flight speed is less than the drone's endurance speed essentially represents a case where the unmanned vehicle's movement speed is relatively slow; that is, the unmanned vehicle cannot reach the target inspection location before the target time. In this case, setting the endurance speed as the target flight speed allows the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle to perform the next inspection task, even if the drone returns to the unmanned vehicle, by reducing power consumption per unit time. This reduces the total power required for the drone to complete the target inspection task and return to the unmanned vehicle, thereby helping to increase the drone's loiter time (maximum flight time) and thus improve the drone's inspection efficiency.

[0152] In this embodiment of the application, if the first flight speed is between the long-range flight speed and the long-range flight speed of the UAV, the first flight speed is determined as the target flight speed, so that the UAV completes the target inspection task at the target inspection location at the target time, and the unmanned vehicle arrives at the target inspection location at the same time, thereby taking into account the flight speed of the UAV and the power consumption per unit time, thereby improving the inspection efficiency of the UAV.

[0153] Optionally, based on the first current location, the target inspection location, and the predicted location, determining whether the current battery level is sufficient to support the drone's return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task includes:

[0154] The power consumption per unit time corresponding to the target flight speed and the travel time required for the unmanned vehicle to reach the target inspection location are obtained.

[0155] Based on the target inspection location and the predicted location, calculate the second flight time required for the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle;

[0156] Based on the travel time and the power consumption per unit time, calculate the total power required for the UAV to complete the target inspection task and return to the unmanned vehicle;

[0157] Based on the current battery level and the total battery level, determine whether the current battery level is sufficient to support the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task.

[0158] Exemplary device

[0159] The apparatus embodiments of this application can be used to execute the method embodiments of this application. For details not disclosed in the apparatus embodiments of this application, please refer to the method embodiments of this application.

[0160] Figure 3 The diagram shown is a block diagram of a control device for an inspection system according to an embodiment of this application. The inspection system includes an unmanned vehicle (UAV) and a drone performing the inspection task; the UAV accompanies the drone and provides power to the drone; as shown... Figure 3 As shown, the device 300 includes:

[0161] The acquisition module 310 is used to acquire the current battery level and current first current position of the drone, the current second current position of the unmanned vehicle, and the target inspection position on the inspection route;

[0162] The location determination module 320 is used to determine the predicted location of the unmanned vehicle at a target time based on the second current location and the target inspection location; the target time is the time when the unmanned vehicle completes the target inspection task at the target inspection location;

[0163] The judgment module 330 is used to determine, based on the first current position, the target inspection position, and the predicted position, whether the current battery power is sufficient to support the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task;

[0164] The instruction module 340 is used to generate a first instruction if the current battery level is sufficient to support the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task; the first instruction is used to instruct the drone to perform a target inspection task at the target inspection location.

[0165] Optionally, the acquisition module 310 is also used to acquire the flight speed of the UAV and the inspection time required for the UAV to perform the target inspection task at the target inspection location.

[0166] The device 300 further includes:

[0167] The flight time calculation module is used to calculate the first flight time required for the UAV to travel to the target inspection location based on the flight speed, the first current position, and the target inspection location;

[0168] The target time calculation module is used to calculate the target time based on the first flight time and the inspection time.

[0169] Optionally, the determination module 330 includes:

[0170] A power consumption acquisition unit is used to acquire the power consumption of the drone per unit time;

[0171] The flight time calculation unit is used to calculate the second flight time required for the UAV to return to the unmanned vehicle based on the flight speed, the target inspection position, and the predicted position;

[0172] The total power calculation unit is used to calculate the total power required for the UAV to complete the target inspection task and return to the unmanned vehicle based on the inspection time, the first flight time, the second flight time and the power consumption per unit time.

[0173] The judgment unit is used to determine, based on the current battery level and the total battery level, whether the current battery level is sufficient to support the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task.

[0174] Optionally, the unmanned vehicle is used to move toward the drone after the target time;

[0175] The flight time calculation unit is specifically used for:

[0176] Based on the target inspection location and the predicted location, determine the rendezvous point of the UAV and the unmanned vehicle;

[0177] The second flight time is calculated based on the target inspection location, the rendezvous point, and the flight speed.

[0178] Optionally, the position determination module 320 is specifically used for:

[0179] Generate a tracking motion plan for the unmanned vehicle to move from the second current position to the target inspection position or to track the movement of the drone;

[0180] Based on the target time and the tracking motion plan, the predicted position of the unmanned vehicle at the target time is determined.

[0181] Optionally, the acquisition module 310 is further configured to:

[0182] Obtain the preset speed of the drone and the current wind speed;

[0183] The flight speed of the drone is obtained by correcting the preset speed based on the wind speed.

[0184] Optionally, the power consumption acquisition unit is specifically used for:

[0185] The historical power consumption data of several historical inspection tasks of the UAV are statistically analyzed to obtain the power consumption of the UAV per unit time; the historical power consumption data of the historical inspection tasks includes the task duration and power consumption of the historical inspection tasks.

[0186] Optionally, the determination module 330 is specifically used for:

[0187] Based on the standard temperature and current temperature of the battery at the drone, as well as the temperature correction factor, the current battery level is corrected to obtain the corrected current battery level.

[0188] Determine whether the current battery level after the correction is sufficient to support the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task.

[0189] Exemplary electronic devices

[0190] Below, for reference Figure 4 This describes an electronic device according to embodiments of the present application. Figure 4 A block diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of this application is illustrated.

[0191] like Figure 4 As shown, the electronic device 400 includes one or more processors 410 and memory 420.

[0192] The processor 410 may be a central processing unit (CPU) or other form of processing unit with data processing capabilities and / or instruction execution capabilities, and may control other components in the electronic device 400 to perform desired functions.

[0193] The memory 420 may include one or more computer program products, which may include various forms of computer-readable storage media, such as volatile memory and / or non-volatile memory. The volatile memory may include, for example, random access memory (RAM) and / or cache memory. The non-volatile memory may include, for example, read-only memory (ROM), hard disk, flash memory, etc. One or more computer program instructions may be stored on the computer-readable storage medium, and the processor 410 may execute the program instructions to implement the control methods of the inspection systems of the various embodiments of this application described above, and / or other desired functions. Various contents, such as category correspondence, may also be stored in the computer-readable storage medium.

[0194] In one example, the electronic device 400 may also include an input device 430 and an output device 440, which are interconnected via a bus system and / or other forms of connection mechanism (not shown).

[0195] In addition, the input device 430 may also include, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, etc. The output device 440 can output various information to the outside. The output device 440 may include, for example, a monitor, a speaker, a printer, and a communication network and its connected remote output devices, etc.

[0196] Of course, for the sake of simplicity, Figure 4 Only some of the components of the electronic device 400 relevant to this application are shown in this illustration; components such as buses, input / output interfaces, etc., are omitted. In addition, the electronic device 400 may include any other suitable components depending on the specific application.

[0197] Exemplary computer program products and computer-readable storage media

[0198] In addition to the methods and devices described above, embodiments of this application may also be computer program products, which include computer program instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps in the control methods of the inspection system according to various embodiments of this application as described in the "Exemplary Methods" section of this specification.

[0199] The computer program product can be written in any combination of one or more programming languages ​​to perform the operations of the embodiments of this application. The programming languages ​​include object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java and C++, as well as conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as C or similar languages. The program code can be executed entirely on the user's computing device, partially on the user's computing device, as a standalone software package, partially on the user's computing device and partially on a remote computing device, or entirely on a remote computing device or server.

[0200] Furthermore, embodiments of this application may also be computer-readable storage media storing computer program instructions thereon, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps in the control method of the inspection system according to various embodiments of this application described in the "Exemplary Methods" section of this specification.

[0201] The computer-readable storage medium may be any combination of one or more readable media. A readable medium may be a readable signal medium or a readable storage medium. A readable storage medium may, for example, include, but is not limited to, electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, apparatuses, or devices, or any combination thereof. More specific examples of readable storage media (a non-exhaustive list) include: electrical connections having one or more wires, portable disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fibers, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination thereof.

[0202] The basic principles of this application have been described above with reference to specific embodiments. However, it should be noted that the advantages, benefits, and effects mentioned in this application are merely examples and not limitations, and should not be considered as essential features of each embodiment of this application. Furthermore, the specific details disclosed above are for illustrative and facilitative purposes only, and are not limitations. These details do not limit the application to the necessity of employing the aforementioned specific details for implementation.

[0203] The block diagrams of devices, apparatuses, devices, and systems involved in this application are merely illustrative examples and are not intended to require or imply that they must be connected, arranged, or configured in the manner shown in the block diagrams. As those skilled in the art will recognize, these devices, apparatuses, devices, and systems can be connected, arranged, and configured in any manner. Words such as “comprising,” “including,” “having,” etc., are open-ended terms meaning “including but not limited to,” and are used interchangeably with them. The terms “or” and “and” as used herein refer to the terms “and / or,” and are used interchangeably with them unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The term “such as” as used herein refers to the phrase “such as but not limited to,” and is used interchangeably with it.

[0204] It should also be noted that in the apparatus, equipment, and methods of this application, the components or steps can be disassembled and / or recombined. These disassemblies and / or recombinations should be considered as equivalent solutions of this application.

[0205] The above description of the disclosed aspects is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use this application. Various modifications to these aspects will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein can be applied to other aspects without departing from the scope of this application. Therefore, this application is not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but rather to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

[0206] It should be understood that the qualifiers “first,” “second,” “third,” “fourth,” “fifth,” and “sixth” used in the description of the embodiments of this application are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0207] The above description has been given for purposes of illustration and description. Furthermore, this description is not intended to limit the embodiments of this application to the forms disclosed herein. Although numerous exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those skilled in the art will recognize certain variations, modifications, alterations, additions, and sub-combinations thereof.

Claims

1. A control method for an inspection system, characterized in that, The inspection system includes an unmanned vehicle and a drone that performs the inspection task; the unmanned vehicle is used to accompany the drone and provide power to the drone; the method includes: The current battery level and current first current position of the drone are obtained, the current second current position of the unmanned vehicle is obtained, and the target inspection position on the inspection route is obtained. The target inspection position is the inspection point on the inspection route that has not yet been inspected and is closest to the drone. The inspection point divides the inspection route into multiple task segments. Based on the second current position and the target inspection position, the predicted position of the unmanned vehicle at the target time is determined; the target time is the time when the unmanned vehicle completes the target inspection task at the target inspection position. Based on the first current position, the target inspection position, and the predicted position, determine whether the current battery level is sufficient to support the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task; If the current battery level is sufficient to allow the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task, a first instruction is generated; the first instruction is used to instruct the drone to perform a target inspection task at the target inspection location.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before determining the predicted location of the unmanned vehicle at the target time, the method further includes: The flight speed of the UAV and the inspection time required for the UAV to perform the target inspection task at the target inspection location are obtained. Based on the flight speed, the first current position, and the target inspection position, calculate the first flight time required for the UAV to reach the target inspection position; The target time is calculated based on the first flight time and the inspection time.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The step of determining whether the current battery level is sufficient to support the drone's return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task, based on the first current position, the target inspection position, and the predicted position, includes: Obtain the power consumption of the drone per unit time; Based on the flight speed, the target inspection location, and the predicted location, calculate the second flight time required for the UAV to return to the unmanned vehicle; Based on the inspection time, the first flight time, the second flight time, and the power consumption per unit time, calculate the total power required for the UAV to complete the target inspection task and return to the unmanned vehicle; Based on the current battery level and the total battery level, determine whether the current battery level is sufficient to support the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The unmanned vehicle is used to move toward the drone after the target time; The step of calculating the second flight time required for the UAV to return to the unmanned vehicle based on the flight speed, the target inspection position, and the predicted position includes: Based on the target inspection location and the predicted location, determine the rendezvous point of the UAV and the unmanned vehicle; The second flight time is calculated based on the target inspection location, the rendezvous point, and the flight speed.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining the predicted position of the unmanned vehicle at the target time based on the second current position and the target inspection position includes: Generate a tracking motion plan for the unmanned vehicle to move from the second current position to the target inspection position or to track the movement of the drone; Based on the target time and the tracking motion plan, the predicted position of the unmanned vehicle at the target time is determined.

6. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The process of obtaining the flight speed of the drone includes: Obtain the preset speed of the drone and the current wind speed; The flight speed of the drone is obtained by correcting the preset speed based on the wind speed.

7. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The step of obtaining the power consumption per unit time of the drone includes: The historical power consumption data of several historical inspection tasks of the UAV are statistically analyzed to obtain the power consumption of the UAV per unit time; the historical power consumption data of the historical inspection tasks includes the task duration and power consumption of the historical inspection tasks.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining whether the current battery level is sufficient to allow the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task includes: Based on the standard temperature and current temperature of the battery at the drone, as well as the temperature correction factor, the current battery level is corrected to obtain the corrected current battery level. Determine whether the current battery level after the correction is sufficient to support the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task.

9. A control device for an inspection system, characterized in that, The inspection system includes an unmanned vehicle and a drone that performs the inspection task; the unmanned vehicle is used to accompany the drone and provide power to the drone; the device includes: The acquisition module is used to acquire the current battery level and current first current position of the drone, the current second current position of the drone, and the target inspection position on the inspection route. The target inspection position is the inspection point on the inspection route that has not yet been inspected and is closest to the drone. The inspection point divides the inspection route into multiple task segments. The location determination module is used to determine the predicted location of the unmanned vehicle at the target time based on the second current location and the target inspection location; the target time is the time when the unmanned vehicle completes the target inspection task at the target inspection location; The judgment module is used to determine, based on the first current position, the target inspection position, and the predicted position, whether the current battery level is sufficient to support the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task; The instruction module is used to generate a first instruction if the current battery level is sufficient to support the drone to return to the unmanned vehicle after completing the target inspection task; the first instruction is used to instruct the drone to perform a target inspection task at the target inspection location.

10. An electronic device, characterized in that, include: processor; Memory used to store the processor's executable instructions; The processor is configured to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

11. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores computer program instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

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