High-reliability unmanned aerial vehicle system

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of unmanned aerial vehicles, and discloses a high-reliability unmanned aerial vehicle system which is characterized in that the unmanned aerial vehicle system comprises a working system and at least one backup system; the working system comprises a first flight control unit; the first flight control unit is used for monitoring the working state of each unit in the working system; when the unmanned aerial vehicle is in a normal working state, the working system operates normally, and state information of the working system is sent to a watchdog of the backup system; the backup system comprises a watchdog; if the state information of the working system meets the abnormal condition, the backup system is started to replace the working system to enable the unmanned aerial vehicle to continue working. By designing the unmanned aerial vehicle system comprising the working system and the backup system, the backup system immediately takes over the control right of the unmanned aerial vehicle when the working system is abnormal or has a fault, so that the unmanned aerial vehicle can continuously and safely run to improve the reliability of the unmanned aerial vehicle in a key application scene.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and in particular to a high-reliability UAV system. Background Art

[0002] The current drone industry is developing rapidly and has been widely used in all walks of life, improving the efficiency and production level of the industry.

[0003] In some special industry applications, such as railway track inspection, subway channel inspection, indoor production line inspection, etc., drones often fail to perform tasks normally or crash due to mechanical failure, electronic component failure, battery problems, etc. However, the crash of drones may cause serious safety accidents. For this, the current technology lacks effective measures to completely eliminate the risk of drone crashes in these high-risk environments. Summary of the invention

[0004] In view of this, the present invention provides a highly reliable drone system to solve the existing drone failure and fall problems in sensitive locations such as railway tracks and subway tracks.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a highly reliable UAV system, wherein the UAV system includes a working system and at least one backup system; the working system includes a first flight control unit; the first flight control unit is used to monitor the working status of each unit in the working system;

[0006] When the drone is in normal working state, the working system operates normally and sends the status information of the working system to the watchdog of the backup system; the backup system includes a watchdog; if the status information of the working system meets the abnormal conditions, the backup system starts and replaces the working system to enable the drone to continue working.

[0007] The high-reliability drone system provided by the embodiment of the present invention is designed to include a working system and a backup system. When an abnormality or failure occurs in the working system, the backup system can immediately take over the control of the drone, thereby ensuring that the drone can continue to operate safely, thereby improving the reliability of the drone in key application scenarios.

[0008] In an optional implementation, the backup system includes a second flight control unit; the second flight control unit is used to monitor the working status of each unit in the backup system;

[0009] When the drone is in normal working condition, the second flight control unit is in silent state.

[0010] The high-reliability UAV system provided by the embodiment of the present invention can ensure that when the flight control unit of the working system fails or becomes abnormal, the flight control unit of the backup system can immediately take over the control task, thereby ensuring the stable operation and safe landing / return of the UAV, by equipping the working system and the backup system with flight control units.

[0011] In an optional embodiment, the working system further includes a first battery pack and a first power unit; the backup system further includes a second battery pack and a second power unit;

[0012] When the drone is in a normal working state, the first flight control unit is used to dispatch at least one of the first battery pack and the second battery pack, and at least one of the first power unit and the second power unit.

[0013] The high-reliability drone system provided by the embodiment of the present invention can make the battery pack and the power unit backup each other by scheduling the first battery pack and the second battery pack through the first flight control unit, thereby ensuring the stability and continuity of the power supply during the flight of the drone. That is, if a battery pack fails or is low on power, it can be immediately switched to another battery pack to prevent the drone from falling due to power problems.

[0014] In an optional implementation, the working system further includes a first wireless communication unit; and the backup system further includes a second wireless communication unit.

[0015] The highly reliable UAV system provided by the embodiment of the present invention can ensure that a stable communication connection can be maintained when any system is activated by equipping the working system and the backup system with wireless communication units, namely, the first wireless communication unit and the second wireless communication unit. If the wireless communication unit of the working system fails, the wireless communication unit of the backup system can immediately take over the communication task to ensure that the communication between the UAV and the ground station is not interrupted.

[0016] In an optional embodiment, the abnormal condition includes that the received status information includes fault information of at least one of the first battery pack, the second battery pack, the first power unit, the second power unit, the first flight control unit and the first wireless communication unit.

[0017] The high-reliability drone system provided by the embodiment of the present invention can more comprehensively monitor the operating status of the drone system by incorporating fault information of multiple key components, such as a battery pack, a power unit, a flight control unit, and a wireless communication unit, into the judgment range of abnormal conditions.

[0018] In an optional implementation, the abnormal condition includes:

[0019] The status information corresponding to the working system was not received within the specified time.

[0020] The highly reliable drone system provided by the embodiment of the present invention sets a preset time length. When the backup system does not receive the status information of the working system within the preset time length, it indicates that the working system has a fault or an abnormality. This mechanism can ensure that the backup system responds in a timely manner, avoid potential risks caused by waiting too long, and improve the response speed and reliability of the entire drone system.

[0021] In an optional implementation, when the power level of the second battery pack in the backup system is lower than a first threshold, the first battery pack is used to power the backup system.

[0022] The high-reliability drone system provided by the embodiment of the present invention allows the battery pack of the working system to power the backup system when necessary, thereby ensuring that the backup system has sufficient power to fully take over the drone when activation is required, thereby improving the reliability and safety of the system and reducing potential risks.

[0023] In an optional implementation, when the power level of the first battery pack in the working system is lower than a second threshold, the second battery pack is used to power the working system.

[0024] The highly reliable drone system provided by the embodiment of the present invention improves the overall endurance and safety of the system by allowing the battery pack of the backup system to power the working system to support the drone to continue to perform the mission or return safely.

[0025] In an optional implementation, when the backup system is started, the second flight control module in the backup system is also used to control the UAV to land or return at a designated location.

[0026] The highly reliable drone system provided by the embodiment of the present invention can enable the backup system to start and take over in time when the drone encounters a failure or abnormal situation to ensure that the drone does not fall due to loss of control. At the same time, the drone can be controlled by the second flight control module to perform specific emergency operations, such as landing or returning.

[0027] In an optional implementation, when the backup system is started and the UAV is in the process of returning, the second flight control module is also used to control the second wireless communication unit to communicate with the server corresponding to the UAV.

[0028] The highly reliable drone system provided by the embodiment of the present invention can communicate with the server through the second wireless communication unit when the drone switches to the backup system due to a fault and starts the return program, and can transmit key information such as the drone's position, speed, and remaining power in real time. This helps the server monitor the drone's return status, discover and handle any potential problems in a timely manner, and ensure that the drone can return to the designated location safely and accurately.

[0029] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a computer device, comprising: a memory and a processor, the memory and the processor being communicatively connected to each other, the memory storing computer instructions, and the processor being able to execute the computer instructions through the high-reliability UAV system of the first aspect mentioned above.

[0030] In a third aspect, the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium having computer instructions stored thereon, the computer instructions being used to be executed on the high-reliability UAV system of the first aspect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] In order to more clearly illustrate the specific implementation methods of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the specific implementation methods or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some implementation methods of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0032] Figure 1 is a system schematic diagram of a high-reliability UAV system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of a computer device according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solution in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0035] The current drone industry is developing rapidly and has been widely used in all walks of life, improving the efficiency and production level of the industry.

[0036] However, the inventors have found that in some special industry applications, such as railway track inspection, subway passage inspection, indoor production line inspection and other fields, drones often fail to perform tasks normally or crash due to mechanical failure, electronic component failure, battery problems, etc., and there is a lack of effective measures to eliminate the risk of drones falling in these high-risk environments.

[0037] Based on this, the present invention provides an embodiment of a high-reliability drone system. Figure 1is a system schematic diagram of a high-reliability UAV system according to an embodiment of the present invention, such as Figure 1 As shown, the UAV system includes a working system and at least one backup system; the working system includes a first flight control unit; the first flight control unit is used to monitor the working status of each unit in the working system;

[0038] When the drone is in normal working state, the working system operates normally and sends the status information of the working system to the watchdog of the backup system; the backup system includes a watchdog; if the status information of the working system meets the abnormal conditions, the backup system starts and replaces the working system to enable the drone to continue working.

[0039] Specifically, the system provided by the embodiment of the present invention is designed with two complete subsystems, namely a working system and a backup system. The working system includes a first flight control unit, which is equivalent to the "brain" of the working system and is used to control the flight navigation and attitude of the UAV. It is also responsible for monitoring the working status of the remaining units in the working system. By collecting and analyzing the status information of these units in real time, the first flight control unit can accurately judge the current operating status of the UAV to ensure the smooth progress of the flight mission.

[0040] When the drone is in normal working state, the working system is operating normally, and the working system is fully responsible for the flight control and mission execution of the drone, while reporting its own status information to the watchdog of the backup system in real time. At this time, the backup system is in a silent state, only receiving the status information reported by the working system, and does not participate in the actual control of the drone.

[0041] However, once the status information reported by the working system meets the abnormal conditions, the backup system will be immediately activated and enter the emergency state. At this time, the backup system will replace the working system to enable the drone to continue working. In other words, the system ensures that when the working system of the drone is abnormal or fails, the backup system takes over the control of the drone, thereby improving the reliability of the drone in key application scenarios.

[0042] In some optional embodiments, the backup system includes a second flight control unit; the second flight control unit is used to monitor the working status of each unit in the backup system;

[0043] When the drone is in normal working condition, the second flight control unit is in silent state.

[0044] In the specific implementation, the drone system includes a working system and at least one backup system. The working system is the main force for daily operation and is equipped with a first flight control unit. The backup system is used as an emergency backup and also includes the complete components required for drone operation and is equipped with a second flight control unit. However, when the drone is in normal working condition, the second flight control unit does not participate in flight control, but is in a silent state and only receives status information from the working system. This design not only avoids unnecessary resource consumption, but also ensures the rapid response capability of the backup system in emergency situations.

[0045] In some optional embodiments, the working system further includes a first battery pack and a first power unit; the backup system further includes a second battery pack and a second power unit;

[0046] When the drone is in a normal working state, the first flight control unit is used to dispatch at least one of the first battery pack and the second battery pack, and at least one of the first power unit and the second power unit.

[0047] In an optional embodiment, the working system of the UAV system not only includes the first flight control unit, but also is equipped with a first battery pack and a first power unit. At the same time, the backup system also has complete components required for the operation of the UAV, including a second flight control unit, a second battery pack, and a second power unit. When the UAV is working normally, the second flight control unit of the backup system is in a silent state, and only receives status information reported from the first flight control unit of the working system, and monitors in real time through the watchdog module in the backup system. Once an abnormal condition is detected, the watchdog will immediately trigger the startup process of the backup system.

[0048] During normal operation of the drone, the first flight control unit is also used to schedule at least one of the first battery pack and the second battery pack, and at least one of the first power unit and the second power unit. This scheduling strategy not only improves the utilization efficiency of the battery pack and the power unit, but also ensures that the drone can quickly switch to the backup power source or power source when facing low battery power or power failure, thereby maintaining the drone's continuous operation capability.

[0049] In some optional embodiments, the working system further includes a first wireless communication unit, and the backup system further includes a second wireless communication unit. The backup system, as an emergency guarantee, also includes corresponding components such as a second flight control unit, a second battery pack, a second power module, and a second wireless communication unit.

[0050] In the UAV system, the working system is the main operating unit, including key components such as the first flight control unit, the first battery pack, the first power module, and the first wireless communication unit. The backup system is an emergency guarantee, and also includes corresponding components such as the second flight control unit, the second battery pack, the second power module, and the second wireless communication unit.

[0051] During the normal operation of the working system, in order to further improve the reliability of the system, the working system is also equipped with a first wireless communication unit for communicating with the ground station or other drones, transmitting flight data, receiving instructions, etc. The backup system, as an emergency guarantee, also includes key components such as the second flight control unit and the second wireless communication unit. After the backup system is activated, the second flight control unit will quickly take over the control of the drone, and the second wireless communication unit will also be activated to ensure that the communication between the drone and the ground station is not interrupted.

[0052] In some optional embodiments, the abnormal condition includes that the received status information includes fault information of at least one of the first battery pack, the second battery pack, the first power unit, the second power unit, the first flight control unit and the first wireless communication unit.

[0053] The drone system of the present invention can intelligently identify a variety of fault conditions. When the status information reported by the working system contains fault information of at least one of the first battery pack, the second battery pack, the first power unit, the second power unit, the first flight control unit or the first wireless communication unit, the backup system will be activated. These fault information may include but are not limited to low battery power, overheating of the power module, abnormal calculation of the flight control unit, loss of signal of the wireless communication unit, etc. For example, when the power of the first battery pack is lower than a preset threshold, or the output power of the first power unit drops significantly, these status information will be captured by the first flight control unit and reported to the watchdog of the backup system as abnormal conditions.

[0054] In some optional embodiments, the abnormal conditions include:

[0055] The status information corresponding to the working system was not received within the specified time.

[0056] In some optional embodiments, the abnormal conditions are further refined to cover more situations that may cause drone failures. For example, if the working system fails to send status information to the backup system within a specified period of time, this will be considered an abnormal condition. This "timeout failure" situation may mean that the working system has failed or cannot continue to work normally for some reason. At this time, the backup system will be immediately activated to replace the working system to continue to work on the drone.

[0057] In some optional implementations, when the power level of the second battery pack in the backup system is lower than a first threshold, the first battery pack is used to power the backup system.

[0058] In this embodiment, through the clever arrangement of the battery pack design, the first battery pack of the working system not only provides power support for the working system, but also can serve as a backup power supply to power the backup system. When the power of the second battery pack in the backup system is lower than the preset first threshold, the first battery pack will automatically start the power supply mode to ensure that the backup system can continue to operate. This design not only improves the endurance of the drone, but also enhances the reliability of the backup system at critical moments.

[0059] In some optional implementations, when the power level of the first battery pack in the working system is lower than a second threshold, the second battery pack is used to power the working system.

[0060] In this embodiment, the first battery pack of the working system not only provides power support for the working system, but also can serve as a backup power supply to power the backup system. At the same time, when the power of the second battery pack of the backup system is sufficient and the power of the first battery pack of the working system is lower than the second threshold, the second battery pack provides power to other components of the backup system, ensuring that the working system can continue to operate.

[0061] In some optional embodiments, when the backup system is started, the second flight control module in the backup system is also used to control the drone to land or return at a specified location.

[0062] When the drone is in normal working state, the first flight control unit of the working system is used to fully control the flight mission of the drone and monitor the working status of key components such as the first battery pack, the first power unit, and the first communication unit in the working system in real time. Once any abnormality is detected, such as low battery power, overheating of the power module, or interruption of wireless communication signals, the first flight control unit will immediately send these status information to the watchdog of the backup system.

[0063] As the core monitoring component of the backup system, the watchdog can analyze the status information reported by the working system in real time and determine whether there are any abnormal conditions. Once it is confirmed that the working system has a fault or has not reported status information for a timeout, the watchdog will immediately trigger the startup mechanism of the backup system.

[0064] After the backup system is started, the second flight control module inside it will take over the control of the drone. During this process, the second flight control module will quickly activate all components of the backup system, including the second battery pack, the second power unit, and the second wireless communication unit, and give them the highest priority to ensure that the drone can continue to operate stably.

[0065] The backup system's second flight control module also has intelligent decision-making capabilities and can select the best landing or return plan based on the current flight environment and the status of the drone.

[0066] Optionally, in an emergency, the second flight control module will give priority to controlling the drone to land in a safe place to avoid possible collision or falling risks. In an optional implementation, the drone will also return to the take-off point according to a preset return route.

[0067] In some optional implementations, when the backup system is started and the drone is in the process of returning, the second flight control module is also used to control the second wireless communication unit to communicate with the server corresponding to the drone.

[0068] When the backup system starts and takes over the drone, the second flight control module will immediately activate the second wireless communication unit to ensure that it is in normal working condition. Then, the second flight control module will intelligently plan the best return plan based on the current location of the drone, the remaining power and the preset return route.

[0069] During the return flight, in order to ensure real-time communication between the drone and the ground control station or server, the second flight control module will control the second wireless communication unit to continuously send the drone's status information, including key data such as position, speed, altitude and battery power.

[0070] Optionally, after the backup system is started and takes over control of the drone, the drone can choose to communicate with the corresponding server through the first wireless communication unit or the second wireless communication unit. These two wireless communication units not only have independent hardware and signal processing capabilities, but also support different communication methods and communication frequency bands. In extreme cases, even if one of the wireless communication units or communication frequency bands is interfered with or fails, the other unit or frequency band can still maintain smooth communication.

[0071] Preferably, during the return process, the drone can intelligently select the best communication method and frequency band based on the current location, remaining power, preset return route and other information. For example, in an area with less signal interference, the drone can choose to use the first wireless communication unit and the corresponding communication frequency band for communication; while in an area with greater signal interference, the drone can choose to switch to the second wireless communication unit and another frequency band to ensure the stability and continuity of communication.

[0072] The embodiment of the present invention also provides a computer device, see Figure 2 , Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a computer device provided by an optional embodiment of the present invention, such as Figure 2As shown, the computer device includes: one or more processors 10, a memory 20, and interfaces for connecting various components, including high-speed interfaces and low-speed interfaces. Various components are connected to each other using different buses for communication, and can be installed on a common mainboard or installed in other ways as needed. The processor can process the instructions executed in the computer device, including instructions stored in or on the memory to display the graphical information of the GUI on an external input / output device (such as, a display device coupled to the interface). In some optional embodiments, if necessary, multiple processors and / or multiple buses can be used together with multiple memories and multiple memories. Similarly, multiple computer devices can be connected, and each device provides some necessary operations (for example, as a server array, a group of blade servers, or a multi-processor system). Figure 2 A processor 10 is taken as an example.

[0073] The processor 10 may be a central processing unit, a network processor or a combination thereof. The processor 10 may further include a hardware chip. The hardware chip may be a dedicated integrated circuit, a programmable logic device or a combination thereof. The programmable logic device may be a complex programmable logic device, a field programmable gate array, a general purpose array logic or any combination thereof.

[0074] The memory 20 stores instructions executable by at least one processor 10, so that the at least one processor 10 executes the method shown in the above embodiment.

[0075] The memory 20 may include a program storage area and a data storage area, wherein the program storage area may store an operating system, an application required for at least one function; the data storage area may store data created according to the use of the computer device, etc. In addition, the memory 20 may include a high-speed random access memory, and may also include a non-transient memory, such as at least one disk storage device, a flash memory device, or other non-transient solid-state storage device. In some optional embodiments, the memory 20 may optionally include a memory remotely arranged relative to the processor 10, and these remote memories may be connected to the computer device via a network. Examples of the above-mentioned network include, but are not limited to, the Internet, an intranet, a local area network, a mobile communication network, and combinations thereof.

[0076] The memory 20 may include a volatile memory, such as a random access memory; the memory may also include a non-volatile memory, such as a flash memory, a hard disk or a solid state drive; the memory 20 may also include a combination of the above types of memory.

[0077] The computer device further comprises a communication interface 30 for the computer device to communicate with other devices or a communication network.

[0078] The embodiment of the present invention also provides a computer-readable storage medium. The method according to the embodiment of the present invention can be implemented in hardware, firmware, or can be implemented as a computer code that can be recorded in a storage medium, or can be implemented as a computer code that is originally stored in a remote storage medium or a non-temporary machine-readable storage medium and will be stored in a local storage medium through a network download, so that the method described herein can be stored in such software processing on a storage medium using a general-purpose computer, a dedicated processor, or programmable or dedicated hardware. Among them, the storage medium can be a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a read-only storage memory, a random access memory, a flash memory, a hard disk or a solid-state hard disk, etc.; further, the storage medium can also include a combination of the above types of memories. It can be understood that a computer, a processor, a microprocessor controller, or programmable hardware includes a storage component that can store or receive software or computer code. When the software or computer code is accessed and executed by a computer, a processor, or hardware, the method shown in the above embodiment is implemented.

[0079] A part of the present invention may be applied as a computer program product, such as a computer program instruction, which, when executed by a computer, can call or provide the method and / or technical solution according to the present invention through the operation of the computer. Those skilled in the art should understand that the existence of the computer program instruction in a computer-readable medium includes, but is not limited to, a source file, an executable file, an installation package file, etc., and accordingly, the way in which the computer program instruction is executed by the computer includes, but is not limited to: the computer directly executes the instruction, or the computer compiles the instruction and then executes the corresponding compiled program, or the computer reads and executes the instruction, or the computer reads and installs the instruction and then executes the corresponding installed program. Here, the computer-readable medium may be any available computer-readable storage medium or communication medium accessible to the computer.

[0080] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art may make various modifications and variations without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and such modifications and variations are all within the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A high reliability UAV system, characterized in that: The drone system includes a working system and at least one backup system; the working system includes a first flight control unit; the first flight control unit is used to monitor the working status of each unit in the working system; When the drone is in normal working state, the working system operates normally and sends the status information of the working system to the watchdog of the backup system; the backup system includes a watchdog; if the status information of the working system meets the abnormal conditions, the backup system is started to replace the working system so that the drone continues to work.

2. The drone system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The backup system includes a second flight control unit; the second flight control unit is used to monitor the working status of each unit in the backup system; When the drone is in a normal working state, the second flight control unit is in a silent state.

3. The drone system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The working system further comprises a first battery pack and a first power unit; the backup system further comprises a second battery pack and a second power unit; When the drone is in a normal working state, the first flight control unit is used to dispatch at least one of the first battery pack and the second battery pack, and at least one of the first power unit and the second power unit.

4. The drone system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The working system also includes a first wireless communication unit; the backup system also includes a second wireless communication unit.

5. The drone system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The abnormal condition includes the received status information including fault information of at least one of the first battery pack, the second battery pack, the first power unit, the second power unit, the first flight control unit and the first wireless communication unit.

6. The drone system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The abnormal conditions include: The status information corresponding to the working system was not received within the specified time.

7. The drone system according to claim 3, characterized in that: When the power of the second battery pack in the backup system is lower than a first threshold, the first battery pack is used to supply power to the backup system.

8. The drone system according to claim 3, characterized in that: When the power of the first battery pack in the working system is lower than a second threshold, the second battery pack is used to supply power to the working system.

9. The UAV system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: When the backup system is started, the second flight control module in the backup system is also used to control the drone to land or return at a designated location.

10. The drone system according to claim 6, characterized in that: When the backup system is started and the UAV is in the process of returning, the second flight control module is also used to control the second wireless communication unit to communicate with the server corresponding to the UAV.

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