A method, system, medium and product for unmanned aerial vehicle community fresh milk autonomous delivery

Abstract

The application provides a fresh milk autonomous delivery method, system, medium and product in a UAV community, and relates to the technical field of automatic control. The method comprises the following steps: confirming whether there is a target UAV in a search area, establishing communication, receiving order information and obtaining control rights if there is a target UAV. The order information includes a delivery address and fresh milk details. Then, a traction path from the search area to the upper air of a delivery operation area is generated, and the UAV is controlled to move to a preset hovering position. After the UAV arrives, the fresh milk receiving port is opened, the traction is stopped, and the control rights are transferred. Finally, the weight sensor confirms that the fresh milk has fallen into the receiving port, the receiving port is closed, the order information is sent to a delivery unmanned vehicle in a connection area, and the final delivery is completed by the unmanned vehicle. Each step is closely connected, the UAV and the unmanned vehicle are cooperated, manual intervention is reduced, the delivery efficiency and accuracy are improved, and the fresh milk is ensured to be delivered in time.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of automatic control technology, and in particular to a method, system, medium and product for autonomous delivery of fresh milk in a drone community. Background Technology

[0002] With the iteration of smart logistics technology and the upgrading of instant retail demand, fresh milk, as a short-shelf-life essential product, faces industry pain points in its last-mile delivery, such as "low efficiency of traditional manpower (80-120 orders per person per day), high quality loss at low temperatures (loss rate exceeding 5% in summer), and frequent delays during morning and evening peak hours (delay rate exceeding 30%)".

[0003] Against this backdrop, many existing solutions have chosen drones as the key to breaking the deadlock. With the advantages of "paths not being restricted by ground traffic and efficiency 1.5 times higher than manpower", drones have become the core technology direction for breaking the bottleneck of last-mile delivery of fresh milk, especially in short-distance transportation from the periphery of the community to the residential area, which can greatly improve delivery efficiency.

[0004] However, existing technologies still have significant shortcomings. Building obstructions and electromagnetic interference frequently occur around communities and residential areas, causing weak or drifting positioning signals that drones rely on, making it impossible to accurately identify the milk receiving port. Furthermore, the receiving ports of community fresh milk delivery systems are typically small, fixed devices, requiring extremely high hovering accuracy from the drones. However, existing drones experience a significant drop in autonomous hovering accuracy under weak signal conditions or environmental interference, causing fresh milk to fail to land accurately at the receiving port, requiring manual secondary processing, which contradicts the original intention of unmanned delivery. Therefore, an efficient and accurate solution is urgently needed to overcome the last 100 meters of challenges facing the fresh milk delivery industry. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a method, system, medium, and product for autonomous delivery of fresh milk within a community using drones, for precise control of drones to deliver fresh milk efficiently and safely within the community.

[0006] Firstly, this application provides a method for autonomous delivery of fresh milk within a community using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), applied to a community fresh milk delivery system located in a designated area outside each community. The method includes: determining whether a target UAV exists within a UAV search area; if so, establishing a communication link with the target UAV via a wireless network, receiving target order information, and acquiring control of the target UAV for wireless traction; the target order information includes at least a delivery address and details of the delivered fresh milk; generating a traction path from the UAV search area to the delivery area, and controlling the target UAV to move to a preset hovering position above the delivery area according to the traction path; opening the fresh milk receiving port, stopping the wireless traction command, and sending a control transfer notification to the target UAV after detecting that the target UAV has arrived at the preset hovering position; and closing the fresh milk receiving port and sending the target order information to a delivery UAV parked in an unmanned vehicle docking area, so that the delivery UAV completes the fresh milk delivery.

[0007] By adopting the above technical solution, the system first confirms the existence of the target drone, establishes communication, and gains control to achieve wireless guidance. A specific path is generated to guide the drone to the delivery area. Upon arrival, the receiving port is opened and control is transferred. After receiving the fresh milk, the interface is closed, and the unmanned vehicle is notified for delivery. Each step is seamlessly integrated, enabling collaboration between the drone and the unmanned vehicle, reducing human intervention, improving delivery efficiency and accuracy, and ensuring timely delivery of fresh milk.

[0008] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, before the step of determining whether a target drone exists in the drone search area, the method further includes: collecting the positioning coordinates of the four vertices of the actual boundary of the drone search area through a positioning device, and recording the positioning coordinates into the regional coordinate database in a clockwise or counterclockwise order to generate the search area boundary coordinates to form a closed search area boundary range; and calculating the search area center coordinates of the drone search area based on the positioning coordinates.

[0009] By adopting the above technical solution, the coordinates of the four vertices of the search area are collected and entered sequentially to generate a closed boundary range, and the center coordinates are also calculated. The clear boundary allows the UAV to search within an accurate range, avoiding misjudgments; the center coordinates provide a benchmark for subsequent UAV guidance, improving the positioning accuracy of the search area, laying the foundation for UAV entry and guidance, and enhancing system stability.

[0010] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the step of determining whether a target drone exists within the drone retrieval area includes: sending a heartbeat packet signal to the drone retrieval area at preset time intervals to retrieve a target drone that has entered the drone retrieval area; the heartbeat packet signal includes a community fresh milk delivery system identifier and a retrieval command; upon receiving a heartbeat response signal from the target drone, extracting the drone device code, positioning information, and flight altitude from the heartbeat response signal; and based on the positioning information, performing a positioning determination on the target drone to determine whether the target drone has entered the drone retrieval area.

[0011] By adopting the above technical solution, the system periodically sends heartbeat packets containing identifiers and instructions to search for drones. Upon receiving a response, it extracts key information and then determines whether the drone is within the search area based on its location information. Periodic searching ensures timely target detection, the extracted information provides a basis for judgment, and accurate judgment ensures interaction only with drones within the search area, improving search efficiency and accuracy.

[0012] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the step of determining whether a target drone has entered the drone retrieval area based on the positioning information includes: obtaining the boundary coordinates of the retrieval area, and constructing an effective determination range of the retrieval area based on the boundary coordinates and a preset boundary threshold, wherein the boundary threshold is a buffer zone that is recessed by a set distance from the boundary of the closed plane inwards into the retrieval area; determining whether the positioning information is within the effective determination range of the retrieval area; if yes, determining that the target drone has entered the drone retrieval area; if the positioning information is between the boundary threshold and the boundary coordinates of the retrieval area, sending a directional guidance signal based on the center coordinates of the retrieval area to the target drone, prompting the target drone to move towards the center of the area; if no, determining that the target drone has not entered the drone retrieval area and terminating subsequent responses.

[0013] By adopting the above technical solution, an effective judgment range with boundary thresholds is constructed, and UAV positioning information is processed according to different cases. If the UAV is within the effective range, it is considered to have entered the system; if it is between the threshold and the boundary, it is guided towards the center; otherwise, it is considered not to have entered. The refined judgment rules reduce boundary misjudgments, guide the UAV towards the center to ensure subsequent operational space, and improve the accuracy and flexibility of the system's UAV position determination.

[0014] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, after the step of determining whether a target drone exists in the drone search area, the method further includes: obtaining the drone equipment code of the target drone; matching the drone equipment code with a preset authorized drone information database to confirm that the target drone is a cooperative delivery carrier recognized by the system; if the matching fails, terminating the establishment of the communication link operation and sending a warning heartbeat packet with a departure instruction to the target drone, the warning heartbeat packet including prompting the target drone to leave the drone search area.

[0015] By employing the aforementioned technical solution, the target drone's code is obtained and matched against the authorized database to confirm the cooperative carrier. If a mismatch occurs, communication is terminated and a warning is issued, prompting the drone to leave. This step filters out legitimate drones, prevents unauthorized drones from accessing the system, ensures system security, avoids resource waste, and ensures that the delivery process is conducted within a controllable scope of cooperation.

[0016] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the step of generating a traction path from the UAV retrieval area to the delivery operation area, and controlling the target UAV to move to a preset hovering position above the delivery operation area according to the traction path, includes: extracting the flight altitude of the target UAV and calculating the adjustment altitude of the target UAV based on a preset standard hovering altitude above the delivery operation area; if the absolute value of the adjustment altitude exceeds a preset adjustment distance, sending an altitude adjustment command to the target UAV to control the target UAV to adjust to the standard hovering altitude to complete altitude calibration; obtaining the center coordinates of the retrieval area and extracting the positioning information of the target UAV; determining a first sub-path from the positioning information to the center coordinates of the retrieval area, the first sub-path being used to guide the UAV to move to the center of the retrieval area first; splicing the first sub-path with a second sub-path to generate the traction path, the second sub-path being a preset standard path from the center coordinates of the retrieval area to the preset hovering position; and controlling the target UAV to move to the preset hovering position according to the traction path.

[0017] By adopting the above technical solution, the drone's flight altitude is first extracted and calibrated to a standard hovering altitude, ensuring altitude uniformity and laying the foundation for subsequent movement. Then, a first sub-path is planned to guide the drone to the center of the search area, followed by splicing it with a pre-set second sub-path (the standard path from the search area center to the hovering position) to form a traction path. The first sub-path allows drones to converge at the center from any location, unifying the starting point; the second sub-path, as a standardized path, avoids redundant calculations and reduces path planning errors. The combination of these two approaches makes drone movement more efficient and orderly, significantly improving traction accuracy and stability.

[0018] In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the step of controlling the target drone to move to the preset hovering position according to the traction path includes: setting a traction checkpoint at intervals of a predetermined traction distance on the traction path, and pre-storing corresponding standard traction coordinates for each traction checkpoint; controlling the target drone to move according to the traction path; when the target drone flies to any of the traction checkpoints, obtaining the current actual coordinates of the target drone; comparing the current actual coordinates with the standard traction coordinates to determine whether it is within a preset traction position offset threshold; if so, controlling the target drone to continue moving; if not, calculating the adjustment direction and distance based on the current actual coordinates and the standard traction coordinates, controlling the target drone to adjust according to the adjustment direction and distance, and then continuing to move along the path.

[0019] By adopting the above technical solution, verification points and standard coordinates are set along the traction path. During drone flight, the actual coordinates are compared with the standard coordinates, and adjustments are made if the actual coordinates exceed a threshold. The verification points monitor positional deviations in real time, allowing for timely adjustments to ensure the drone moves along the correct path, reducing the impact of external interference and improving the accuracy of the traction path and the stability of drone movement.

[0020] In a second aspect, this application provides a community fresh milk delivery system, which includes: one or more processors and a memory; the memory is coupled to the one or more processors, and the memory is used to store computer program code, which includes computer instructions, and the one or more processors call the computer instructions to cause the community fresh milk delivery system to perform the methods described in the first aspect and any possible implementation thereof.

[0021] Thirdly, this application provides a computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed on a community fresh milk delivery system, cause the community fresh milk delivery system to perform the method described in the first aspect and any possible implementation thereof.

[0022] Fourthly, this application provides a computer program product that, when run on a community fresh milk delivery system, causes the community fresh milk delivery system to perform the method described in the first aspect and any possible implementation thereof.

[0023] One or more technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application have at least the following technical effects or advantages:

[0024] 1. By adopting collaborative technologies such as drone retrieval, wireless traction path planning, automatic opening and closing of fresh milk receiving ports, and unmanned vehicle docking, the system effectively solves the problems of poor connection between drones and ground delivery and low efficiency caused by excessive manual intervention in the existing community fresh milk delivery. This is achieved by establishing a communication link to gain control, generating a specific traction path to guide the drone to the delivery area, and notifying the unmanned vehicle to deliver the fresh milk after the handover is completed. This results in seamless collaborative delivery between drones and unmanned vehicles, improving the level of automation and efficiency of delivery.

[0025] 2. By employing a technique of periodically sending heartbeat packets containing system identifiers and retrieval instructions, extracting UAV information upon receiving responses, and determining whether the UAV is within the retrieval area based on positioning information, the system ensures timely detection of target UAVs through periodic retrieval and accurately determines the area affiliation by combining positioning information. This effectively solves the problem of low docking efficiency caused by untimely UAV retrieval and inaccurate area determination in existing technologies. Consequently, it achieves rapid identification and accurate determination of UAVs entering the retrieval area, thus improving the technical effect of system-UAV docking efficiency.

[0026] 3. By employing height calibration and phased path planning (first sub-path guiding to the center of the retrieval area + second sub-path standardization), the UAV is first adjusted to a uniform altitude, and then a traction path is formed by splicing sub-paths. This allows the UAV to converge in an orderly manner from any position and move along the standard path, effectively solving the problem of large traction deviations caused by inconsistent UAV flight altitudes and chaotic path planning in existing technologies. This enables the UAV to reach the hovering position efficiently and accurately, improving the technical effect of traction reliability and accuracy. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for autonomous delivery of fresh milk within a community using drones, as described in this application.

[0028] Figure 2 This is another flowchart illustrating the method for autonomous delivery of fresh milk within a community using drones, as described in this application.

[0029] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the physical device structure of a community fresh milk delivery system in this application embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The terminology used in the following embodiments of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this application. As used in the specification and appended claims of this application, the singular expressions “a,” “an,” “the,” “the,” “the,” and “this” are intended to include the plural expressions as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used in this application refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more of the listed items.

[0031] Hereinafter, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as implying or suggesting relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature, and in the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" means two or more.

[0032] In the initial stages of building a community fresh milk delivery system, or when the location of the drone search area needs to be adjusted, this step can provide the system with accurate boundary range and center coordinates of the search area. This provides the foundational data for subsequent operations such as determining whether a drone has entered the search area and planning its towing path. In real-world scenarios, the location and range of the drone search area need to be pre-defined based on factors such as the surrounding geographical environment of the community and drone flight safety requirements. This step transforms the physical area into coordinate data that the system can recognize, ensuring that the system can accurately manage and control the search area.

[0033] In detail, the first step is to conduct an on-site survey to determine the actual boundaries of the drone search area. Based on the actual conditions of the designated area outside the search zone, a suitable location is selected to delineate the search area. This area should facilitate drone access and identification while avoiding obstacles and hazardous areas. After determining the boundaries, the four vertices constituting these boundaries are selected. These four vertices should accurately reflect the shape and extent of the search area. Typically, the search area is rectangular, and the four vertices are the four corner points of the rectangle.

[0034] Next, use a positioning device to collect the coordinates of these four vertices. During the collection process, ensure the positioning device is in normal working order and has a strong signal to guarantee the accuracy of the collected coordinate information. For each vertex, collect coordinate data multiple times, and then take the average as the final positioning coordinate of that vertex to reduce positioning errors. After collection, enter the coordinates of the four vertices into the regional coordinate database in either clockwise or counterclockwise order. Choosing a uniform order (such as clockwise) ensures that the system can correctly connect the vertices when processing coordinates, forming a closed boundary range. If the order is disordered, it may cause the boundary range to be distorted, failing to accurately reflect the actual search area. When entering the data into the database, the coordinate data needs to be formatted to meet the system's storage requirements, such as uniformly retaining six decimal places.

[0035] After the coordinates are entered into the database, the system automatically generates the boundary coordinates of the search area. By connecting the coordinates of these four vertices, a closed polygon is formed, which represents the closed boundary of the search area. The system can use these boundary coordinates to determine whether any point is within the search area, providing a basis for subsequent detection of whether the target drone has entered the search area.

[0036] After generating the boundary coordinates of the search area, the center coordinates of the search area are calculated based on the positioning coordinates of the four vertices. For a rectangular search area, the center coordinates are typically calculated by taking the average of the longitudes of the four vertices as the center longitude and the average of the latitudes of the four vertices as the center latitude. For example, if the longitudes of the four vertices are L1, L2, L3, and L4, and the latitudes are B1, B2, B3, and B4, then the center longitude L_center = (L1 + L2 + L3 + L4) / 4, and the center latitude B_center = (B1 + B2 + B3 + B4) / 4. If the search area is not a standard rectangle, a geometric center calculation method can also be used, determining the center coordinates through coordinate transformation and geometric operations. The calculated center coordinates of the search area are stored in the system for subsequent operations such as guiding the UAV to move towards the center and planning the path from the center of the search area to the delivery area.

[0037] To facilitate understanding, the method provided in this implementation is described below in conjunction with the above system framework. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for autonomous delivery of fresh milk within a community using drones, as described in this application.

[0038] S101. Determine whether the target drone exists within the drone search area;

[0039] The drone search area refers to the specific spatial range designated by the community fresh milk delivery system outside the community for searching drones that are waiting to be delivered. It is the area where the system and the drones establish initial interaction. The target drone refers to the drone that carries the fresh milk to be delivered and needs to complete the handover with the community fresh milk delivery system. It is usually a drone belonging to a delivery party that cooperates with the system.

[0040] Specifically, this step is performed continuously after the community fresh milk delivery system is launched, throughout the entire fresh milk delivery service period. Its purpose is to promptly detect target drones entering the search area, providing a prerequisite for subsequent communication establishment and order receipt processes. In a real-world scenario, for a drone to deliver fresh milk to the community delivery system, it must first enter the system's designated search area. The system continuously monitors this area to trigger a series of subsequent handover operations, ensuring the smooth operation of the fresh milk delivery process.

[0041] In detail, the system first relies on pre-defined boundary coordinates of the drone search area (generated by collecting boundary vertex coordinates and sequentially entering them into the database) to define the spatial range of the search. Then, the system sends heartbeat signals to the search area at preset time intervals (e.g., every 5 seconds). This signal acts like a "roll call," informing drones within the area that a search is in progress. When a drone enters the search area and receives the heartbeat, it automatically sends back a heartbeat response signal. Upon receiving this response, the system extracts key information: drone equipment code (for identity verification), location information (for determining position), and flight altitude (to assist in subsequent path planning).

[0042] The next step is the core positioning and determination process. The system retrieves the boundary coordinates of the search area from the database and combines them with a preset boundary threshold (e.g., a 2-meter indentation) to construct the effective determination range of the search area. If the drone's positioning information falls within the effective determination range, it indicates that the drone has stably entered the search area, and the system determines that a target drone is present. If the positioning information is between the boundary threshold and the search area boundary, it indicates that the drone is on the edge, and the system sends it a directional guidance signal based on the center coordinates of the search area, prompting the drone to move towards the center to avoid signal instability due to being on the boundary. If the positioning information is outside the search area boundary, it is determined that the drone has not entered, and subsequent responses are terminated to prevent unrelated drones from interfering with system operation.

[0043] Furthermore, to ensure security, in some embodiments, the system also authenticates the drone: matching the extracted drone device code with a pre-defined database of authorized drones. If the match is successful, it confirms the drone as a cooperative delivery vehicle, and the subsequent process continues; if the match fails, it indicates an unauthorized drone, and the system terminates the communication link and sends a warning heartbeat packet with a leave instruction, requiring it to leave the search area to prevent unauthorized devices from entering and causing security risks. Through this series of operations, the system can accurately and securely determine whether a target drone exists within the search area.

[0044] S102. If so, a communication link is established with the target drone via a wireless network, the target order information is received, and control of the target drone is obtained for wireless towing. The target order information includes at least the delivery address and details of the fresh milk products to be delivered.

[0045] After the system determines that an authorized target drone exists within the drone search area, the crucial step is connecting the drone into the search area and its subsequent towing. At this point, the system needs to establish a stable connection with the drone, obtain delivery-related information, and take over flight control to prepare for guiding the drone to the delivery area. In real-world scenarios, this step ensures information exchange and effective command transmission between the system and the drone, which is a prerequisite for transferring fresh milk from the drone to the delivery system.

[0046] In detail, after detecting the presence of a target drone, the system first activates its communication module and sends a connection request to the target drone via a wireless network. The request includes the system's digital certificate and encryption key, used by the drone to verify its identity. Upon receiving the request, the target drone verifies the validity of the system certificate. If the verification is successful, it sends a response signal containing its own certificate back to the system. The system also verifies the drone's certificate. After both parties complete two-way authentication, an encrypted communication link is established to prevent data from being stolen or tampered with during transmission.

[0047] After the communication link is established, the system sends an order information retrieval command to the target drone. Upon receiving the command, the target drone retrieves the target order information related to this delivery from its stored task data and transmits it to the system via an encrypted link. The system then parses and verifies the information, focusing on whether the delivery address is within the system's service area and whether the fresh milk product details are complete (e.g., whether key information such as quantity and specifications are missing). If the information is incomplete, the system sends a request for supplementary information to the drone; if the information is correct, it is stored in the order database in preparation for subsequent transmission to the delivery drone.

[0048] While acquiring order information, the system sends a control request command to the target drone. This command includes preliminary planning information for the traction path and safety control parameters (such as maximum flight speed and permissible altitude deviation range). Upon receiving the request, the target drone checks its own status (such as battery level and the presence of fault codes). If the status is normal, it deactivates autonomous flight mode and sends a control transfer confirmation signal to the system (including the drone's current flight parameters, such as speed, altitude, and remaining battery power). Upon receiving the confirmation signal, the system formally acquires control and begins controlling the drone via wireless traction commands—sending instructions for direction adjustment, speed control, and altitude calibration based on real-time location data to ensure the drone moves along the system-planned path.

[0049] Throughout the process, the system needs to monitor the stability of the communication link in real time. If a signal interruption occurs, it will immediately attempt to reconnect and send a temporary hovering command to the drone to prevent it from going out of control. If multiple reconnection attempts fail, an emergency mechanism will be activated, sending a control recovery command to the drone to allow it to return autonomously. At the same time, strict verification of order information is required to prevent subsequent delivery errors due to incorrect information.

[0050] S103. Generate a traction path from the UAV retrieval area to the delivery operation area, and control the target UAV to move to a preset hovering position above the delivery operation area according to the traction path.

[0051] The system needs to plan the optimal path based on the drone's current status and target location, and control the drone to fly along the path in real time to provide location assurance for subsequent fresh milk delivery. Details will be described in subsequent steps S201 to S206, and will not be repeated here.

[0052] S104. When the target drone is detected to have arrived at the preset hovering position, the fresh milk receiving port is opened, the wireless traction command is stopped, and a control transfer notification is sent to the target drone.

[0053] In real-world scenarios, drones must hover precisely in a preset position to ensure that fresh milk falls accurately into the receiving port during delivery. Therefore, the system must first confirm the position before performing operations such as opening the receiving port and transferring control to avoid delivery failure or equipment damage due to positional deviation.

[0054] In detail, the system first confirms whether the drone has reached the preset hovering position through a dual detection mechanism. The first step is positioning data detection: the system receives GPS or BeiDou positioning data sent by the drone in real time, compares its latitude and longitude with the latitude and longitude of the preset hovering position, and simultaneously compares the flight altitude with the standard hovering altitude. If the latitude and longitude deviation is less than 0.3 meters for three consecutive times (each time with an interval of 0.5 seconds), and the altitude deviation is less than 0.2 meters, the position is initially determined to be up to standard. The second step is visual-assisted detection: a high-definition camera is installed above the delivery area. The system uses image recognition technology to capture the drone's outline and determine whether it is in the center area of ​​the camera's image (this area corresponds to the preset hovering position). If the drone is identified as being in the center area in two consecutive frames, the position is further confirmed to be correct. Only when both detections pass does the system finally determine that the drone has reached the preset hovering position.

[0055] After confirming the location, the system immediately sends an opening command to the control unit of the milk receiving port. The control unit of the milk receiving port typically consists of a servo motor and a position sensor. Upon receiving the command, the control unit drives the servo motor to move the flip or sliding cover of the receiving port—if it's a flip-top structure, the motor rotates the cover 90 degrees around its axis to the fully open state; if it's a sliding cover structure, the motor moves the cover horizontally to a position completely offset from the receiving port. Simultaneously, the position sensor provides real-time feedback on the opening status of the receiving port. If the system receives an "open in place" signal within 2 seconds, it confirms that the receiving port has opened successfully; if no signal is received within the time limit, the system will resend the opening command and simultaneously send a fault warning to the backend, prompting staff to check the mechanical structure of the receiving port.

[0056] At the same moment the receiver port activation command is sent, the system stops generating and sending wireless traction commands. Previously, to control the drone's movement along the path, the system would send 10 traction sub-commands per second. After stopping transmission, the drone, having lost external control signals, will automatically switch to temporary hovering mode, maintaining its current position and altitude using its own attitude sensors to avoid deviating from the preset hovering position due to inertia. The system will record the time point when the traction command stops, serving as a time reference for subsequent processes.

[0057] Subsequently, the system sends a control transfer notification to the target drone via the established encrypted communication link. This notification contains three core pieces of information: first, the system's digital signature, used by the drone to verify the notification's legitimacy; second, the control transfer time window (e.g., valid within 5 seconds) to prevent misuse after delayed interception; and third, the initial parameters for the drone to resume autonomous flight (e.g., hovering stability threshold, surrounding obstacle warning range). Upon receiving the notification, the drone first verifies the validity of the digital signature. If the verification is successful and within the time window, it deactivates the remote control mode, activates the autonomous flight system, regains control of its flight status, and sends a confirmation signal to the system stating "Control received." Upon receiving this signal, the system completes the control transfer process, at which point the drone can prepare to perform fresh milk delivery operations (e.g., opening the cargo door) according to its own program.

[0058] Throughout the process, the system needs to continuously monitor the status of the communication link. If no confirmation signal is received from the drone within 1 second after the transfer of control, the system will resend the transfer of control notification and appropriately extend the time window to 8 seconds. If no feedback is received after 3 consecutive transmissions, the system will activate the emergency procedure and send a "forced hover" command to the drone to prevent it from losing control due to unclear ownership.

[0059] S105. When the weight sensor detects that fresh milk has fallen in, the fresh milk receiving port is closed, and the target order information is sent to the delivery unmanned vehicle parked in the unmanned vehicle docking area so that the delivery unmanned vehicle can complete the fresh milk delivery.

[0060] Among them, the weight sensor refers to the sensing device installed inside the fresh milk receiving port or at the bottom of the receiving compartment to detect whether fresh milk has fallen in. It usually adopts the strain gauge or piezoelectric principle and can convert pressure signals into electrical signals. The fresh milk receiving port is the device in the community fresh milk delivery system that receives fresh milk delivered by drones. When closed, it can prevent external dust and rainwater from entering the receiving compartment.

[0061] In real-world scenarios, the system can only close the receiving port and trigger the subsequent unmanned vehicle delivery process after confirming that the fresh milk has successfully fallen into the receiving port. This ensures that the fresh milk is not lost or damaged during the handover process, while also preventing the unmanned vehicle from running empty or mis-delivering orders.

[0062] In detail, the system first monitors the weight changes in the receiving compartment in real time using weight sensors. The weight sensors are pre-set with a "trigger threshold," determined by subtracting sensor error (e.g., ±5 grams) from the minimum weight of a typical single serving of fresh milk (e.g., approximately 270 grams for 250ml of packaged milk). For example, this threshold might be set to 260 grams. Before delivery by the drone, the weight detected by the sensors in the receiving compartment is the "empty weight" (e.g., the receiving compartment itself weighs 500 grams), and the system records this value as a baseline. When the drone opens its cargo door to release the fresh milk, the total weight of the receiving compartment increases after the milk falls into it. The weight sensors transmit this real-time weight data to the system control unit. The control unit subtracts the empty weight from the current total weight to obtain the "new weight." If the new weight is greater than or equal to the trigger threshold, and this state lasts for 0.5 seconds (to avoid misjudgment due to instantaneous impact during the milk's descent), the system determines that the milk has successfully fallen into the receiving port.

[0063] If the sensor detects fresh milk falling in, the system immediately sends a closing command to the control unit at the milk receiving port. Upon receiving the command, the control unit drives a servo motor or pneumatic device to move in the opposite direction—for a flip-top structure, the motor rotates the flip-top from the open state back to the closed state until it is completely in contact with the sealing strip at the edge of the receiving port; for a sliding cap structure, the motor moves the sliding cap back to cover the receiving port. Simultaneously, the position sensor at the receiving port will provide feedback on the closed status. If the system receives a "closed in place" signal within 3 seconds, it confirms that the receiving port has been successfully closed; if no signal is received within the time limit, the system will first send a retry closing command. If this also fails, it will send a "receiving port closure failure" alarm to the backend and activate a backup plan (such as controlling the temperature control device inside the receiving compartment to prevent the fresh milk from spoiling if the receiving port is not closed).

[0064] Simultaneously with sending the receiver port closure command, the system begins preparing and sending the target order information to the delivery drone. First, the system retrieves the target order information from the order database and performs format conversion—the delivery drone's information receiving module typically only supports specific formats. The system splits the text fields in the order information according to a preset format and standardizes numerical fields such as quantity and specifications in the fresh milk product details to ensure accurate parsing by the drone. Second, the system scans nearby delivery drones in standby mode using a dedicated wireless communication module in the drone docking area, obtaining their device number, current battery level, remaining cargo space, and other status information. It then selects the drone with "battery level ≥ 50% and remaining space ≥ the volume of fresh milk in this order" as the target delivery vehicle.

[0065] Subsequently, the system encrypts the converted target order information and sends it to the target delivery vehicle. After receiving the order information, the target delivery vehicle first decrypts the information and then verifies the integrity of the information. If the verification passes, it will send a signal to the system that "the order information has been received and confirmed". After receiving the confirmation signal, the system records the sending time of the order information and the target delivery vehicle number, thus completing the information transmission process.

[0066] In this embodiment, key designs such as timed heartbeat packet retrieval, two-way encrypted authentication, altitude calibration and verification point deviation adjustment, dual hovering detection, and weight sensor confirmation of handover enable seamless integration between drones and community fresh milk delivery systems and unmanned delivery vehicles. This effectively solves the problems of low efficiency, high fresh milk loss, and frequent delays caused by drone positioning drift, insufficient hovering accuracy, excessive manual intervention, and delivery connection gaps in existing community fresh milk delivery systems. As a result, it achieves full automation of the fresh milk process from air transportation to ground-based last-mile delivery, reduces manual intervention, improves delivery efficiency and accuracy, ensures timely and safe delivery of fresh milk, and breaks through the "last 100 meters" bottleneck in fresh milk delivery.

[0067] Based on the above, the following is a more detailed description of the process provided in this implementation. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 2 This is another flowchart illustrating the method for autonomous delivery of fresh milk within a drone community in this application embodiment.

[0068] S201. Extract the flight altitude of the target UAV and calculate the adjustment altitude of the target UAV based on the preset hovering standard altitude above the delivery operation area.

[0069] Before the community fresh milk delivery system generates a traction path, and after gaining control of the target drone, the purpose is to calculate and adjust the altitude to determine whether the drone's current altitude meets the requirements for subsequent flight and delivery, providing data for any necessary altitude adjustments. In real-world scenarios, the drone's flight altitude may change due to obstacle avoidance, flight plan, and other factors during its journey from the departure point to the retrieval area. The delivery area has strict requirements for the drone's hovering altitude (which must precisely match the fresh milk receiving port). Therefore, it is essential to first determine the deviation between the current altitude and the standard altitude to ensure the rationality of the subsequent traction path planning and the accuracy of the delivery.

[0070] In detail, the system first receives real-time flight status data from the target drone via a communication link, including its real-time altitude information. The system extracts the current flight altitude from this data, for example, 13 meters. Next, the system retrieves the pre-stored standard hovering altitude above the delivery area from the database, assuming this standard altitude is 10 meters. Then, the system calculates the altitude using the preset formula "Adjustment Altitude = Current Flight Altitude - Standard Hovering Altitude," i.e., 13 meters - 10 meters = 3 meters, resulting in an adjustment altitude of 3 meters. This calculation clearly shows the difference between the target drone's current altitude and the standard altitude, providing a direct basis for determining whether altitude adjustment is necessary. If the absolute value of the adjustment altitude is small, it indicates that the drone's current altitude basically meets the requirements and may not require adjustment; if the absolute value is large, altitude calibration is necessary to avoid difficulties in subsequent traction path planning or milk delivery failure due to excessive altitude deviation (e.g., the milk cannot accurately fall into the receiving port).

[0071] S202. If the absolute value of the adjusted height exceeds the preset adjustment distance, a height adjustment command is sent to the target drone to control the target drone to adjust to the hovering standard height in order to complete the height calibration.

[0072] In real-world scenarios, if the drone's altitude deviation is too large, it may require adjustments to both altitude and horizontal direction during traction path planning, increasing path complexity. It may even prevent fresh milk from accurately falling into the receiving port during delivery due to an unsuitable altitude. Therefore, altitude calibration is necessary to ensure that the drone's altitude meets the standard.

[0073] In detail, after calculating the adjustment height, the system first calculates its absolute value. For example, when the adjustment height is 3 meters, the absolute value is 3 meters; when the adjustment height is -4 meters, the absolute value is 4 meters. Then, the system compares this absolute value with a preset adjustment distance (e.g., 2 meters). If the absolute value of the adjustment height exceeds the preset adjustment distance (e.g., 3 meters > 2 meters or 4 meters > 2 meters), the system determines that the drone's altitude needs to be adjusted. At this time, the system generates an altitude adjustment command, which contains a clear adjustment direction and target altitude: if the adjustment height is positive (current altitude is higher than the standard altitude), the adjustment direction is "descend," and the target altitude is the hovering standard altitude; if the adjustment height is negative (current altitude is lower than the standard altitude), the adjustment direction is "ascend," and the target altitude is also the hovering standard altitude. For example, when the adjustment height is 3 meters, the command might be "descend to 10 meters"; when the adjustment height is -4 meters, the command might be "ascend to 10 meters."

[0074] The system sends altitude adjustment commands to the target drone via the established communication link. Upon receiving the command, the target drone parses the command content and activates its own altitude control system. It adjusts the propeller speed to ascend or descend: increasing propeller speed to generate more lift when ascent and decreasing propeller speed to reduce lift when descent. During the adjustment process, the drone continuously reports its altitude to the system, which monitors the drone's altitude changes to determine if it is gradually approaching the hovering standard altitude. When the deviation between the drone's altitude and the hovering standard altitude is less than or equal to a preset adjustment distance (e.g., 2 meters) and remains stable (e.g., the altitude deviation is within 1 meter for three consecutive reports), the system determines that altitude calibration is complete, stops sending altitude adjustment commands, and the drone maintains its hovering standard altitude.

[0075] S203. Obtain the center coordinates of the search area and extract the positioning information of the target UAV;

[0076] The system first retrieves the pre-stored center coordinates of the UAV search area from the regional coordinate database. These center coordinates are obtained during the system initialization phase by calculating the average of the coordinates of the four vertices of the search area boundary.

[0077] Meanwhile, the system receives real-time positioning data from the target drone via a communication link. This positioning data is acquired by the drone's positioning module, encrypted, and then transmitted to the system. The system decrypts and parses the data to extract the longitude and latitude information, i.e., the target drone's current positioning information. For example, the parsed positioning information (E116.35°, N39.95°) indicates that the drone is currently located in the southwest region of the search area.

[0078] S204. Determine the first sub-path from the positioning information to the center coordinates of the search area. The first sub-path is used to guide the UAV to move to the center of the search area first.

[0079] In real-world scenarios, the locations of drones entering the search area may be scattered across different regions. If they are directly planned from their respective locations to the preset hovering positions, it would result in diverse and overly complex paths. However, by first guiding all drones to the center of the search area via a first sub-path and then having them fly together along a second sub-path, path planning can be simplified, efficiency improved, and the risk of collision reduced.

[0080] In detail, the system first determines the starting point (the UAV's current location information) and ending point (the center coordinates of the search area) of the first sub-path. For example, the starting point coordinates are (E116.35°, N39.95°), and the ending point coordinates are (E116.4°, N40.0°). Then, based on these two coordinates, the system uses a path planning algorithm (such as Dijkstra's algorithm or A* algorithm) to generate the first sub-path. During the planning process, the system considers environmental factors within the search area, such as the presence of temporary obstacles (e.g., other UAVs to be processed, low-flying birds), ground facilities (e.g., streetlights, fences), etc. By querying the obstacle database of the search area, the system ensures that the planned path avoids these obstacles.

[0081] The core of path planning algorithms is finding the path with the minimum cost between the starting point and the ending point. Here, "cost" typically considers both flight distance and safety—the shorter the distance and the more obstacles avoided, the lower the cost. For example, the algorithm first generates multiple potential paths between the starting and ending points, calculates the total length of each path and the probability of passing through obstacle areas, and selects the path with the shortest total length that avoids all known obstacles as the first sub-path. The generated path is then decomposed into multiple consecutive coordinate points (e.g., one point every 5 meters), forming a coordinate sequence.

[0082] The system also verifies the feasibility of the generated first sub-path. For example, it checks whether the path is entirely within the drone's search area (to prevent the drone from flying out of the search area), whether the turning angle of the path is within the drone's physical performance range (e.g., maximum turning angle ≤ 30°), and whether the total path length is reasonable (to avoid unnecessary detours). If the verification passes, the path is determined as the final first sub-path; if the verification fails (e.g., the path partially exceeds the search area), the system will re-invoke the path planning algorithm, adjust the parameters (e.g., increase obstacle weights), and plan again until a path that meets the requirements is generated.

[0083] S205. The first sub-path and the second sub-path are spliced ​​together to generate the traction path. The second sub-path is a preset standard path from the center coordinates of the search area to the preset hovering position.

[0084] After determining the first sub-path, before controlling the drone to move along the path, the two path segments can be spliced ​​into a complete traction path, providing continuous navigation guidance for the drone from its current position to a preset hovering position. In a real-world scenario, the first sub-path solves the problem of the drone moving from a random initial position to the center of the search area, while the second sub-path solves the problem of standardized movement from the center to the preset hovering position. The traction path formed by splicing these two sub-paths integrates the advantages of both, ensuring both the flexibility of the starting point and the efficiency and safety of the latter half of the path.

[0085] In detail, the system first obtains the coordinate sequence of the first sub-path and the second sub-path. The coordinate sequence of the first sub-path starts from the current positioning information of the UAV and ends at the center coordinates of the search area, for example, [(A1, B1), (A2, B2), ..., (An, Bn)], where (An, Bn) is the center coordinate of the search area; the coordinate sequence of the second sub-path starts from the center coordinates of the search area and ends at the preset hovering position coordinates, for example, [(An, Bn), (C1, D1), (C2, D2), ..., (Cm, Dm)], where (Cm, Dm) is the preset hovering position coordinates.

[0086] Next, the system performs a stitching process on the two paths. Since the endpoint of the first sub-path and the starting point of the second sub-path are both at the center coordinates of the search area (An, Bn), stitching simply involves appending the coordinate sequence of the second sub-path (excluding duplicate starting points) to the coordinate sequence of the first sub-path. The resulting traction path coordinate sequence is [(A1, B1), (A2, B2), ..., (An, Bn), (C1, D1), (C2, D2), ..., (Cm, Dm)]. This stitching method ensures the continuity of the path, allowing the UAV to seamlessly transition from the last point of the first sub-path (the center of the search area) to the first point of the second sub-path, avoiding path breaks or jumps.

[0087] The system performs integrity and continuity checks on the spliced ​​traction path. The integrity check confirms that the starting point of the traction path is the drone's current location, the ending point is the preset hovering position, and all necessary intermediate coordinate points are included. The continuity check calculates whether the distance between adjacent coordinate points is within a reasonable range (e.g., the distance between adjacent points does not exceed 10 meters to ensure the drone can turn and move smoothly), and whether the direction changes of the path are smooth (e.g., the angle between two adjacent path segments does not exceed 45° to avoid sharp turns by the drone). If problems are found during the check (e.g., duplicate coordinate points, excessively large distances between adjacent points), the system will optimize the path, such as deleting duplicate points or inserting intermediate points between excessively distant adjacent points, until the traction path meets the requirements.

[0088] In addition, the system compares the traction path with real-time obstacle information (such as whether there are temporary obstacles between the retrieval area and the delivery area). If a segment of the path is found to pass through an obstacle area, the system will make local adjustments to that segment (such as bypassing the obstacle) and then reassemble it to ensure the safety of the traction path. Through the above process, the system generates a complete, continuous, and safe traction path, providing accurate guidance for subsequent drone movement.

[0089] S206. Control the target drone to move to the preset hovering position along the traction path.

[0090] In real-world scenarios, by precisely controlling the drone to fly along the traction path, it can be ensured that the drone avoids obstacles, moves along the predetermined route, and ultimately arrives at the hovering position accurately, providing location assurance for the smooth delivery of fresh milk.

[0091] In detail, the system first loads the sequence of coordinate points along the traction path into the control module. The control module then reads each coordinate point sequentially as the UAV's interim target position. Based on the current target position and the UAV's real-time position, the system calculates the required flight direction and distance adjustments. The flight direction is determined by the azimuth angle between the two points; the flight distance is calculated as the straight-line distance between the two points. Simultaneously, the system calculates the time required to reach the next target position based on the safe speed set during path planning and generates flight commands containing direction, distance, and speed.

[0092] The system sends flight commands to the target UAV via a communication link. Upon receiving the commands, the UAV adjusts its flight attitude and propeller speed, flying in the direction and at the speed specified in the commands. During flight, the UAV reports its real-time position and flight status to the system every 0.1 seconds. The system compares the UAV's real-time position with the current target position in real time to determine if it is approaching the target location. Once the UAV reaches the current target location, the system control module reads the next coordinate point as the new target location, repeating the process of calculating commands, sending commands, and monitoring positions, guiding the UAV along the traction path to sequentially pass through all coordinate points.

[0093] Throughout the operation, the system continuously monitors the drone's battery level, flight attitude, and surrounding environment. If low battery, abnormal attitude, or sudden obstacle encounter is detected, the system immediately sends a hover command to pause movement until the issue is resolved before resuming control. If the issue cannot be resolved, an emergency return-to-home procedure is initiated to ensure the safety of the drone and the milk. Once the drone reaches the last coordinate point of the towing path (the preset hovering position) and its position is stable, the system stops sending flight commands, completing this step of the control process.

[0094] In this embodiment, by employing the technical means of first calculating and adjusting the altitude based on the actual flight altitude and hovering standard altitude of the UAV and calibrating it as needed, then planning and guiding the UAV to the center of the retrieval area via a first sub-path, then splicing it with a second sub-path from the center of the retrieval area to the hovering position to form a traction path, and finally setting traction checkpoints to compare coordinates in real time and correct deviations, it is possible to ensure that the UAV's flight altitude is uniform, its movement trajectory is accurate, and it can be dynamically corrected. This effectively solves the problems of inconsistent UAV altitudes, disordered path planning, and easy deviation due to interference in the prior art, which make it difficult to accurately reach the hovering position. Thus, it achieves efficient and stable traction of the UAV from the retrieval area to the preset hovering position above the delivery operation area, providing key positional assurance for the accurate delivery of fresh milk.

[0095] In some embodiments, during the process of controlling the drone to move along the traction path, the system tracks the drone's current position in real time and determines whether it is close to a certain traction verification point. The determination method is to calculate the straight-line distance between the drone's real-time coordinates and the standard coordinates of each verification point. When the distance is less than a preset "verification trigger distance" (e.g., 2 meters), it is determined that the drone has flown to the vicinity of the verification point, triggering the position verification process.

[0096] At this point, the system obtains the current actual coordinates of the UAV through the communication link. These coordinates are measured in real time by the UAV's GPS / BeiDou module and transmitted to the system after encryption. The system retrieves the standard towing coordinates corresponding to the verification point from the "verification point-standard coordinates" mapping table and calculates the deviation distance between the current actual coordinates and the standard coordinates using the geographic coordinate distance calculation formula.

[0097] If the deviation is within the threshold, the system will not intervene further and will continue to send instructions to the drone to move along the next path (e.g., to the next verification point), and the drone will continue to move while maintaining its current flight state. If the deviation exceeds the threshold (e.g., the calculated deviation distance is 0.8 meters), the system will initiate a position correction process: First, it will calculate the adjustment direction using the azimuth angle—using the standard traction coordinates as a reference, it will calculate the azimuth of the current actual coordinates relative to the standard coordinates, meaning the drone needs to adjust in the opposite direction to return to the standard coordinates; second, it will use the deviation distance as the adjustment distance; finally, the system will generate a correction instruction containing the adjustment direction and distance and send it to the drone. After receiving the correction instruction, the drone will pause its movement along the original path and perform the adjustment operation: it will change its flight direction by adjusting the propeller speed difference, moving in the direction and distance required by the instruction until its own positioning module detects that the deviation between the current coordinates and the standard traction coordinates is less than the threshold and sends a "adjustment complete" signal to the system. After receiving the signal, the system will resume sending instructions to move along the original traction path and control the drone to continue to the next verification point.

[0098] Throughout the process, the system records the deviation data and correction results at each verification point, forming a flight log for subsequent optimization of the path planning algorithm or adjustment of the UAV control parameters. If the deviation at three consecutive verification points exceeds the threshold, the system will determine that the UAV may have a hardware failure (such as a positioning module malfunction or motor imbalance), send an emergency hover command, and trigger a manual intervention alarm to prevent safety accidents.

[0099] The community fresh milk delivery system in the embodiments of this invention is described below from the perspective of hardware processing. Please refer to [link / reference needed]. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the physical device structure of a community fresh milk delivery system in this application embodiment.

[0100] It should be noted that, Figure 3The structure of the community fresh milk delivery system shown is merely an example and should not impose any limitations on the functionality and scope of use of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0101] like Figure 3 As shown, the community fresh milk delivery system includes a Central Processing Unit (CPU) 301, which can perform various appropriate actions and processes based on programs stored in Read-Only Memory (ROM) 302 or programs loaded from storage section 308 into Random Access Memory (RAM) 303, such as performing the methods described in the above embodiments. The RAM 303 also stores various programs and data required for system operation. The CPU 301, ROM 302, and RAM 303 are interconnected via a bus 304. An Input / Output (I / O) interface 305 is also connected to the bus 304.

[0102] The following components are connected to I / O interface 305: input section 306 including audio input devices, push-button switches, etc.; output section 307 including a liquid crystal display (LCD) and audio output devices, indicator lights, etc.; storage section 308 including a hard disk, etc.; and communication section 309 including a network interface card such as a LAN (Local Area Network) card, modem, etc. Communication section 309 performs communication processing via a network such as the Internet. Drive 310 is also connected to I / O interface 305 as needed. Removable media 311, such as a disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, semiconductor memory, etc., are installed on drive 310 as needed so that computer programs read from them can be installed into storage section 308 as needed.

[0103] In particular, according to embodiments of the present invention, the processes described above with reference to the flowcharts can be implemented as computer software programs. For example, embodiments of the present invention include a computer program product comprising a computer program carried on a computer-readable medium, the computer program containing computer programs for performing the methods shown in the flowcharts. In such embodiments, the computer program can be downloaded and installed from a network via communication section 309, and / or installed from removable medium 311. When the computer program is executed by central processing unit (CPU) 301, it performs the various functions defined in the present invention.

[0104] It should be noted that specific examples of computer-readable storage media may include, but are not limited to: electrical connections having one or more wires, portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), flash memory, optical fiber, portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination thereof. In this invention, a computer-readable storage medium can be any tangible medium containing or storing a program that can be used by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0105] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. Each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, program segment, or portion of code, which contains one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions indicated in the blocks may occur in a different order than those shown in the drawings.

[0106] Specifically, the community fresh milk delivery system of this embodiment includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores a computer program. When the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements the drone-based autonomous delivery method for fresh milk within the community provided in the above embodiment.

[0107] In another aspect, the present invention also provides a computer-readable storage medium, which may be included in the community fresh milk delivery system described in the above embodiments; or it may exist independently and not assembled into the community fresh milk delivery system. The storage medium carries one or more computer programs, which, when executed by a processor of the community fresh milk delivery system, enable the community fresh milk delivery system to implement the drone-based autonomous delivery method for fresh milk within a community provided in the above embodiments.

[0108] The above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit it. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

[0109] As used in the above embodiments, depending on the context, the term "when..." can be interpreted as meaning "if...", "after...", "in response to determining...", or "in response to detecting...". Similarly, depending on the context, the phrase "when determining..." or "if (the stated condition or event) is interpreted as meaning "if determining...", "in response to determining...", "when (the stated condition or event) is detected", or "in response to detecting (the stated condition or event)".

[0110] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the processes in the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. This program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and when executed, it can include the processes described in the above method embodiments. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as ROM or random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

Claims

1. A method for autonomous delivery of fresh milk within a community using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), applied to a community fresh milk delivery system, characterized in that: The community fresh milk delivery system is set up in designated areas outside each residential community, and the method includes: Determine if the target drone exists within the drone search area; If so, a communication link is established with the target drone via a wireless network to receive the target order information and obtain control of the target drone for wireless towing. The target order information includes at least the delivery address and details of the fresh milk product being delivered. Generate a traction path from the UAV retrieval area to the delivery operation area, and control the target UAV to move to a preset hovering position above the delivery operation area according to the traction path; Once the target drone is detected to have reached the preset hovering position, the fresh milk receiving port is opened, the wireless traction command is stopped, and a control transfer notification is sent to the target drone. Once the weight sensor detects that fresh milk has fallen in, the milk receiving port is closed, and the target order information is sent to the delivery unmanned vehicle parked in the unmanned vehicle docking area, so that the delivery unmanned vehicle can complete the delivery of fresh milk. The step of generating a traction path from the UAV retrieval area to the delivery operation area, and controlling the target UAV to move to a preset hovering position above the delivery operation area according to the traction path, includes: Extract the flight altitude of the target drone, and calculate the adjustment altitude of the target drone based on the preset hovering standard altitude above the delivery operation area; If the absolute value of the adjusted height exceeds the preset adjustment distance, a height adjustment command is sent to the target drone to control the target drone to adjust to the hovering standard height in order to complete the height calibration; Obtain the center coordinates of the search area and extract the positioning information of the target UAV; Determine a first sub-path from the positioning information to the center coordinates of the retrieval area, the first sub-path being used to guide the drone to move to the center of the retrieval area first; The first sub-path and the second sub-path are concatenated to generate the traction path, wherein the second sub-path is a preset standard path from the center coordinates of the search area to the preset hovering position; The target drone is manipulated to move to the preset hovering position along the traction path.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before the step of determining whether a target drone exists within the drone search area, the method further includes: The positioning coordinates of the four vertices of the actual boundary of the UAV search area are collected by the positioning device, and the positioning coordinates are entered into the regional coordinate database in clockwise or counterclockwise order to generate the boundary coordinates of the search area, so as to form a closed search area boundary range. Based on the positioning coordinates, calculate the center coordinates of the UAV search area.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining whether a target drone exists within the drone search area includes: A heartbeat signal is sent to the drone search area at preset time intervals to retrieve target drones that have entered the drone search area. The heartbeat signal includes the community fresh milk delivery system identifier and search instructions. Upon receiving the heartbeat response signal from the target UAV, the UAV device code, positioning information, and flight altitude are extracted from the heartbeat response signal. Based on the location information, the target drone is located to determine whether it has entered the drone search area.

4. The method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The step of determining the location of the target drone based on the positioning information to ascertain whether the target drone has entered the drone retrieval area includes: Obtain the boundary coordinates of the search area, and construct the effective judgment range of the search area based on the boundary coordinates of the search area and a preset boundary threshold. The boundary threshold is a buffer zone that is recessed by a set distance from the boundary of the closed plane to the inside of the search area. Determine whether the location information is within the valid determination range of the search area; If so, it is determined that the target drone has entered the drone search area; If the positioning information is between the boundary threshold and the boundary coordinates of the retrieval area, then a directional guidance signal based on the center coordinates of the retrieval area is sent to the target UAV, prompting the target UAV to move towards the center of the area; If not, it is determined that the target drone has not entered the drone search area, and subsequent responses are terminated.

5. The method according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that, After the step of determining whether the target drone exists within the drone search area, the method further includes: Obtain the drone equipment code of the target drone; The drone equipment code is matched with a preset database of authorized drones to confirm that the target drone is a cooperative delivery vehicle recognized by the system. If a match fails, the communication link establishment operation is terminated, and a warning heartbeat packet with a leave instruction is sent to the target drone. The warning heartbeat packet includes a prompt that the target drone leaves the drone search area.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of maneuvering the target drone to the preset hovering position along the traction path includes: Along the traction path, a traction check point is set at every set traction distance, and the corresponding standard traction coordinates are pre-stored for each traction check point. Control the target UAV to move along the traction path; When the target UAV flies to any of the traction verification points, the current actual coordinates of the target UAV are obtained; The current actual coordinates are compared with the standard traction coordinates to determine whether they are within the preset traction position offset threshold. If so, then control the target drone to continue moving; If not, then based on the current actual coordinates, calculate the adjustment direction and distance with the standard traction coordinates, control the target UAV to adjust according to the adjustment direction and distance, and then continue to move along the path.

7. A community fresh milk delivery system, characterized in that, The community fresh milk delivery system includes: one or more processors and a memory; the memory is coupled to the one or more processors, the memory is used to store computer program code, the computer program code including computer instructions, and the one or more processors call the computer instructions to cause the community fresh milk delivery system to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-6.

8. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions, characterized in that, When the instruction is executed on the community fresh milk delivery system, the community fresh milk delivery system performs the method as described in any one of claims 1-6.

9. A computer program product, characterized in that, When the computer program product is run on the community fresh milk delivery system, it causes the community fresh milk delivery system to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-6.

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