Transportation method for unmanned aerial vehicle to safely and downwards pass through overhead power line

By determining the safe distance and adjusting the operating parameters in a simulated environment, and using balloons and cables to form a safety zone, the problem of distance control between drones and high-voltage towers was solved, and safe transportation under power lines was achieved, reducing risks and costs.

CN120722908APending Publication Date: 2025-09-30SINOHYDRO BUREAU 12 CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202410357321.0
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-03-27
Publication Date
2025-09-30

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

When transporting construction materials and equipment, drones find it difficult to effectively maintain a safe distance from high-voltage towers, leading to potential risks to high-voltage lines.

Method used

By recording the location and voltage data of high-voltage towers, determining the safe distance, and adjusting the drone operating parameters in a simulated environment, balloons and cables are used to form safe zones and no-fly zones, and drone test flights and parameter optimization are conducted to ultimately achieve safe transportation under power lines.

Benefits of technology

It ensures the safety and accuracy of drones during transportation, protects the safety of high-voltage power lines and towers, reduces operating costs, and improves flight stability and controllability.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The invention discloses a transportation method for an unmanned aerial vehicle to safely pass through an overhead power line. The method comprises the following steps: acquiring data of a high-voltage electric tower on a photovoltaic material transportation route of the unmanned aerial vehicle; the operation parameters of the unmanned aerial vehicle are adjusted according to the factors of the high-voltage electric tower, the field environment and the product specification; arranging a test flight place for simulating a high-voltage electric tower and a high-voltage electric wire to simulate left, right and upper flight boundaries during transportation of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and setting a safe area and a no-fly area in the boundaries; controlling the test flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle and continuously adjusting the operation parameters until the unmanned aerial vehicle is completely located in the safety area when crossing the simulated high-voltage line, and obtaining the operation parameters of safe crossing of the unmanned aerial vehicle; and the obtained operation parameters are used for real unmanned aerial vehicle underneath passing power line transportation work. According to the method, the flight safety of the unmanned aerial vehicle can be ensured, the safety of the high-voltage electric wire and the high-voltage electric tower is protected, and the accuracy of threading work is ensured.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flight control, and in particular to a method for transporting a UAV safely passing under an overhead power line. Background Art

[0002] During the construction of photovoltaic fields, in order to protect mountain vegetation and the ecological environment, existing technologies use drones to transport construction materials and equipment to the photovoltaic fields on the hillsides, replacing the traditional method of building transportation roads on the mountains.

[0003] In practice, since some hillsides are often dotted with high-voltage power towers, drones will pass over them during transport, potentially impacting both the drone and the towers. Therefore, drones must adhere to flight regulations and maintain a safe distance from high-voltage power lines. However, due to factors like wind, drones can fluctuate in flight, fluctuating their distance from power lines. This makes it impossible to fully control the flight path, creating a potential risk to the power lines during transport.

[0004] Therefore, designing a transportation method for drones to safely pass under overhead power lines is an urgent problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides a transportation method for a drone to safely pass under overhead power lines, so that the drone can safely pass under the power lines when transporting materials and equipment.

[0006] A method for transporting a drone safely under an overhead power line comprises the following steps:

[0007] 1) Record the high-voltage towers that the drone passes along the route of transporting photovoltaic materials, and collect the location, height, and voltage data of the corresponding high-voltage towers;

[0008] 2) Based on the voltage values ​​of high-voltage towers and the drone usage specifications, determine the safe distance L1 between the drone and high-voltage power lines, and the safe distance L2 between the drone and high-voltage towers;

[0009] 3) Adjust the values ​​of safety distances L1 and L2 according to the UAV product specifications, and adjust the UAV operating parameters according to the on-site environment; enter the operating parameters into the UAV operating platform;

[0010] 4) Selecting an unobstructed open space on a hillside as a test flight site and simulating a high-voltage power line. The test flight site is located in the same or similar environment as the high-voltage power tower. A first balloon and a second balloon are suspended on the test flight site. The first balloon and the second balloon are fixedly connected to the ground via a first cable and a second cable, respectively. The first cable and the second cable serve as the left and right boundary lines, respectively. A third cable is connected between the two balloons as the upper boundary line.

[0011] 5) Based on the safety distances L1 and L2, plan the no-fly zone and safe zone when the drone passes under the third cable;

[0012] 6) Use a drone to carry a heavy object for simulated operation at the test flight site, and control the drone to pass through the third cable between the two balloons;

[0013] 7) Retrieve operation results and analyze UAV flight trajectory data;

[0014] 8) If the flight trajectory exceeds the safety zone and falls into the no-fly zone, the operating parameters of the drone during transportation will be adjusted according to the on-site conditions. The adjusted operating parameters will be input into the drone operating platform and steps 6) to 7) will be repeated until the flight trajectory is completely within the safety zone;

[0015] 9) When all flight trajectories are within the safety zone, the drone will be used to transport power lines based on the obtained operating parameters.

[0016] A further technical solution is: in step 3), the operating parameters are adjusted according to the on-site wind speed, temperature and altitude.

[0017] A further technical solution is: the heights of the first and second cables are obtained according to the heights of the high-voltage towers, and the height of the lowest point of the third cable is obtained according to the height of the lowest point of the high-voltage wires.

[0018] A further technical solution is: the distance between the upper boundary of the safety zone and the lowest point of the third cable is set as the safety distance L1, the distance between the left boundary of the safety zone and the first cable, and the distance between the right boundary of the safety zone and the second cable are both the safety distance L2.

[0019] A further technical solution is: a first reinforcement cable and a second reinforcement cable connected to the ground are respectively provided at the bottom ends of the first balloon and the second balloon, the shape of the first reinforcement cable, the line connecting the first cable and the ground is a right triangle, and the shape of the second reinforcement cable, the line connecting the second cable and the ground is a right triangle.

[0020] A further technical solution is that ground spikes are provided at the bottom ends of the first cable and the second cable, and the ground spikes extend into the ground for fixation.

[0021] A further technical solution is that the weight of the heavy objects carried by the drone is obtained based on the average value of the transported materials.

[0022] Beneficial effects of the present invention:

[0023] The present invention collects data such as the height and voltage of the high-voltage power lines to be passed, arranges a simulation field in a site with the same or similar high-voltage tower environment, arranges a first cable and a second cable as the left and right boundary lines to simulate the high-voltage towers on the left and right sides, and arranges the first cable as the upper boundary line to simulate the high-voltage power lines. A safe zone and a no-fly zone are set within the area formed by the left boundary line, the right boundary line, the upper boundary line, and the ground. A drone is then controlled to carry a heavy object for a test flight, thereby continuously adjusting the test to obtain operating parameters. Safe transportation is then performed based on the operating parameters, thereby solving the problem of safe transportation of drones under power lines. The method of the present invention is low-cost and easy to operate. It does not harm the drone during simulated flight and can provide safe operating parameters for the drone's actual flight, ensuring the drone's flight safety while protecting the safety of the high-voltage power lines and high-voltage towers and ensuring the accuracy of the threading work. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Figure 1 It is a flow chart of a method for transporting a drone safely under an overhead power line;

[0025] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the on-site layout of the flight test site of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the planning of the safety zone and the no-fly zone of the present invention.

[0027] In the picture:

[0028] 1. Test flight site, 2. First balloon, 3. Second balloon, 4. First cable, 5. Second cable, 6. Third cable, 7. First reinforced cable, 8. Second reinforced cable, 9. Safety zone, 10. No-fly zone. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are simplified schematic diagrams that illustrate the basic structure of the present invention in a schematic manner, and thus only show components related to the present invention.

[0030] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center", "up", "down", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the invention.

[0031] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they may refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention in specific contexts.

[0032] Reference Figure 1-Figure 3 A method for safely transporting a drone under an overhead power line comprises the following steps:

[0033] 1) Record the high-voltage towers that the drone passes along the route of transporting photovoltaic materials, and collect the location, height, and voltage data of the corresponding high-voltage towers;

[0034] 2) Based on the voltage values ​​of high-voltage towers and the drone usage specifications, determine the safe distance L1 between the drone and high-voltage power lines, and the safe distance L2 between the drone and high-voltage towers;

[0035] 3) Adjust the values ​​of safety distances L1 and L2 according to the UAV product specifications and the impact of the on-site environment, and adjust the operating parameters according to the on-site environment; input the operating parameters into the UAV operating platform;

[0036] 4) If Figure 2 As shown, an unobstructed open space on a hillside is selected as a test flight site 1 and simulates a high-voltage power line. The test flight site 1 is located in the same or similar environment as the high-voltage power tower. A first balloon 2 and a second balloon 3 are suspended on the open space of the test flight site 1. The first balloon 2 and the second balloon 3 are fixedly connected to the ground via a first cable 4 and a second cable 5, respectively. The first cable 4 and the second cable 5 serve as the left boundary line and the right boundary line, respectively. A third cable 6 is connected between the two balloons as the upper boundary line.

[0037] 5) Based on the safety distances L1 and L2, a no-fly zone 10 and a safe zone 9 are planned for the drone when passing under the third cable 6. The no-fly zone 10 is an area where drones are prohibited from entering, and the safe zone 9 is an area suitable for drones to fly safely.

[0038] 6) Using a drone to carry a heavy object for a simulated flight at the test flight site 1, the drone is controlled to pass through the third cable 6 between the two balloons;

[0039] 7) Retrieve operation results and analyze UAV flight trajectory data;

[0040] 8) If the flight trajectory exceeds the safety zone 9 and falls within the no-fly zone 10, the operating parameters of the drone during transportation are adjusted according to the on-site conditions, the adjusted operating parameters are input into the drone operating platform, and steps 6) to 7) are repeated until the flight trajectory is completely within the safety zone 9;

[0041] 9) When the flight trajectory is entirely within the safety zone 9, the UAV is operated to pass under the power line for transportation based on the obtained operating parameters.

[0042] In step 3), adjust the operating parameters based on the wind speed, temperature, and altitude of the on-site environment, adjusting the operating parameter boundaries up and down. For example, if the on-site wind speed is level 4 and the temperature is 20°C, you can adjust it to wind speed 3-5 and temperature 15-25°C to adapt to more variable on-site conditions.

[0043] The height of the first cable 4 and the second cable 5 is obtained according to the height of the high-voltage tower, and the height of the lowest point of the third cable 6 is obtained according to the height of the lowest point of the high-voltage wire. Figure 3 As shown, the distance between the upper boundary of the safety zone 9 and the lowest point of the third cable 6 is set as the safety distance L1, and the distance between the left boundary of the safety zone 9 and the first cable 4 and the distance between the right boundary of the safety zone 9 and the second cable 5 are both the safety distance L2.

[0044] A first reinforcement cable 7 and a second reinforcement cable 8 are attached to the ground at the bottom ends of the first and second balloons 2 and 3, respectively. The lines connecting the first and second reinforcement cables 7, 4, and the ground form a right triangle, while the lines connecting the second and second reinforcement cables 8, 5, and the ground also form a right triangle, enhancing overall stability. Ground spikes are inserted into the ground at the bottom ends of the first and second reinforcement cables 7 and 8.

[0045] The bottom ends of the first cable 4 and the second cable 5 are provided with ground spikes, which extend into the ground for fixation.

[0046] Specifically, the first balloon 2 and the second balloon 3 are hydrogen balloons or helium balloons.

[0047] The weight of the drone's payload is determined based on the average weight of the transported materials. Based on the above-described ideal embodiments of the present invention, and in light of the above description, relevant personnel are fully capable of making various changes and modifications without departing from the technical spirit of this invention. The technical scope of this invention is not limited to the contents of the specification; its technical scope must be determined in accordance with the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for transporting a drone safely under an overhead power line, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: 1) Record the high-voltage towers that the drone passes along the route of transporting photovoltaic materials, and collect the location, height, and voltage data of the corresponding high-voltage towers; 2) Based on the voltage values ​​of high-voltage towers and the drone usage specifications, determine the safe distance L1 between the drone and high-voltage power lines, and the safe distance L2 between the drone and high-voltage towers; 3) Adjust the values ​​of safety distances L1 and L2 according to the UAV product specifications, and adjust the UAV operating parameters according to the on-site environment; enter the operating parameters into the UAV operating platform; 4) Selecting an unobstructed open space on a hillside as a test flight site. The test flight site is located in the same or similar environment as the high-voltage power tower. A first balloon and a second balloon are suspended on the test flight site. The first balloon and the second balloon are fixedly connected to the ground via a first cable and a second cable, respectively. The first cable and the second cable serve as the left and right boundary lines, respectively. A third cable is connected between the two balloons as the upper boundary line. 5) Based on the safety distances L1 and L2, plan the no-fly zone and safe zone when the drone passes under the third cable; 6) Use a drone to carry a heavy object for simulated operation at the test flight site, and control the drone to pass through the third cable between the two balloons; 7) Retrieve operation results and analyze UAV flight trajectory data; 8) If the flight trajectory exceeds the safety zone and falls into the no-fly zone, the operating parameters of the drone during transportation will be adjusted according to the on-site conditions. The adjusted operating parameters will be input into the drone operating platform and steps 6) to 7) will be repeated until the flight trajectory is completely within the safety zone; 9) When all flight trajectories are within the safety zone, the drone will be used to transport power lines based on the obtained operating parameters.

2. The method for transporting a drone safely under an overhead power line according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step 3), the operating parameters are adjusted according to the on-site wind speed, temperature, and altitude.

3. The method for transporting a drone safely under an overhead power line according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heights of the first and second cables are determined based on the heights of the high-voltage towers, and the height of the lowest point of the third cable is determined based on the height of the lowest point of the high-voltage wires.

4. The method for transporting a drone safely under an overhead power line according to claim 3, characterized in that: The distance between the upper boundary of the safety zone and the lowest point of the third cable is set as the safety distance L1, the distance between the left boundary of the safety zone and the first cable, and the distance between the right boundary of the safety zone and the second cable are both the safety distance L2.

5. The method for transporting a drone safely under an overhead power line according to claim 1, characterized in that: A first reinforcement cable and a second reinforcement cable connected to the ground are respectively provided at the bottom ends of the first balloon and the second balloon. The shape of the first reinforcement cable and the line connecting the first cable and the ground is a right triangle, and the shape of the second reinforcement cable and the line connecting the second cable and the ground is a right triangle.

6. The method for transporting a drone safely under an overhead power line according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom ends of the first cable and the second cable are provided with ground spikes, which extend into the ground for fixation.

7. The method for transporting a drone safely under an overhead power line according to claim 1, characterized in that: The weight of the load carried by the drone is obtained based on the average value of the transported materials.