Unmanned aerial vehicle parking apron box control method, device, system and storage medium

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of unmanned aerial vehicle, and particularly relates to a method, device and system for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle apron box and a storage medium. The method comprises: a box control panel acquiring a hovering detection signal output by a box top infrared sensor, a light curtain shielding signal output by an in-box safety grating, and a control instruction frame received through a LoRa communication module; the box control panel triggering a safety decision logic according to the hovering detection signal or the control instruction frame; when a hatch opening condition is met, the box control panel drives a hatch motor to perform a hatch opening operation and sends a state reporting frame; the box control panel continuously monitors the light curtain shielding signal and generates a hatch closing trigger signal; and the box control panel drives the hatch motor to close the hatch and sends a state reporting frame in response to the hatch closing trigger signal. The present application realizes high-reliability state control and safety interlocking management of the unmanned aerial vehicle apron box through fusion sensing of double-layer heterogeneous sensors and a dual-mode triggering mechanism.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, specifically to a UAV landing pad control method, device, system, and storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] The automated operation of drones has become a development trend in fields such as logistics and distribution, infrastructure inspection, public safety monitoring, and agricultural plant protection. As drone applications evolve from single-unit, line-of-sight, and short-term operations to fleet-based, beyond-line-of-sight, and all-weather operations, the supporting ground support systems, especially automated recovery, storage, charging, and dispatch facilities, have become key bottlenecks restricting large-scale deployment and operational efficiency.

[0003] Traditional drone operations rely on manual recovery by pilots or precise landings in fixed open areas using differential GPS or visual recognition. These methods have inherent limitations: high labor costs; significant susceptibility to weather and environmental conditions; inability to achieve intensive and orderly drone storage and management; and risks to equipment safety and battery life due to drone exposure outdoors. Therefore, enclosed intelligent helipad systems that provide shelter, charging, and automated management for drones have emerged.

[0004] Currently, the industry has proposed various drone landing pad or hangar solutions. Open-type automatic charging landing pads focus on precise landing guidance and automatic charging, and communication typically uses WiFi or cellular networks; enclosed parking cabinets with basic sensors introduce a cabinet structure and simple presence detection sensors to achieve basic door closing functions; intelligent hangars based on single communication triggers emphasize the linkage between cloud scheduling and hangar execution, but the control protocol is relatively simple.

[0005] However, existing technologies for the automated recovery, storage, and release of drones suffer from the following technical drawbacks: Firstly, environmental perception is limited to a single dimension, leading to unreliable status assessments and potential safety risks. Most solutions rely on a single type of sensor to determine drone presence, and this simple presence / absence of signal is prone to misjudgment due to incomplete obstruction, foreign object interference, or drone tilt. Secondly, the control logic is simplistic, lacking a multi-source information-based safety interlocking mechanism. Multiple key state variables, such as hovering requests, cabin status, and door position, are not integrated into a unified decision-making logic for interlocking decisions. Thirdly, the triggering and communication modes are limited, resulting in insufficient system flexibility and robustness. The system heavily relies on centralized scheduling from cloud commands to the hangar, making it highly dependent on a continuous and stable wide-area network. Fourthly, state management is crude, lacking efficient and standardized collaborative communication protocols. Internal state definitions are simple, and there is a lack of efficient and low-overhead methods to reliably synchronize the state to other necessary nodes in the network in real time. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention provides a method, device, system, and storage medium for controlling UAV landing pad enclosures. The aim is to construct a highly reliable, secure, flexible, and easily integrated intelligent UAV landing pad enclosure control solution through dual-layer heterogeneous sensor fusion sensing, local intelligent safety adjudication, dual-mode communication triggering, and standardized state protocols.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: On one hand, embodiments of the present invention provide a method for controlling a drone landing pad enclosure, the method comprising the following steps: The enclosure control board acquires the hover detection signal output by the infrared sensor on the top of the enclosure, the light curtain blocking signal output by the safety light curtain inside the enclosure, and the control command frame received through the LoRa communication module. The enclosure control board maintains the occupancy status variable and the door status variable. The enclosure control board triggers safety decision logic based on the hover detection signal or the control command frame, and determines whether the hatch opening conditions are met based on the current values ​​of the occupancy status variable and the hatch status variable. When the hatch opening conditions are met, the enclosure control board generates a motor drive signal and sends it to the hatch motor. The hatch motor performs the hatch opening action, and the enclosure control board updates the hatch status variable and sends a status reporting frame through the LoRa communication module. The control board of the enclosure continuously monitors the light curtain occlusion signal, determines whether the drone has completed the operation of entering or leaving the enclosure based on the light curtain occlusion signal, and generates a door closing trigger signal. In response to the hatch closing trigger signal, the enclosure control board generates a motor drive signal and sends it to the hatch motor. The hatch motor performs the hatch closing action. The enclosure control board updates the hatch status variable and the occupancy status variable, and sends a status reporting frame through the LoRa communication module.

[0008] Optionally, the enclosure control board triggers safety decision logic based on the hover detection signal or the control command frame, and determines whether the hatch opening conditions are met based on the current values ​​of the occupancy status variable and the hatch status variable, including: When the enclosure control board detects that the hover detection signal changes from a no-signal state to a signal state, it determines that the local sensing mode is triggered. The enclosure control board reads the current values ​​of the occupancy status variable and the hatch status variable, and determines whether the occupancy status variable is equal to the first value representing the vacant state and whether the hatch status variable is equal to the second value representing the closed state. When the occupancy status variable is equal to the first value and the hatch status variable is equal to the second value, it is determined that the hatch opening condition is met. When the enclosure control board receives a control command frame through the LoRa communication module and parses out the hatch opening command, it determines that the remote command mode is triggered. The enclosure control board reads the current value of the occupancy status variable and determines whether the occupancy status variable is equal to the third value representing the occupancy status. When the occupancy status variable is equal to the third value, it is determined that the hatch opening condition is met.

[0009] Optionally, the method further includes: When the enclosure control board determines in the local sensing mode that the occupancy status variable is not equal to the first value or the hatch status variable is not equal to the second value, the enclosure control board refuses to perform the hatch opening action and sends a status reporting frame containing the current occupancy status variable and the hatch status variable through the LoRa communication module. When the enclosure control board determines in the remote command mode that the occupancy status variable is not equal to the third value, the enclosure control board refuses to execute the hatch opening action and sends a status reporting frame containing the current occupancy status variable and the hatch status variable through the LoRa communication module.

[0010] Optionally, the enclosure control board continuously monitors the light curtain occlusion signal, determines whether the UAV has completed the enclosure parking or exiting operation based on the light curtain occlusion signal, and generates a door closing trigger signal, including: After the hatch opening action is completed, the container control board starts the container entry monitoring timer and continuously reads the light curtain occlusion signal. When the light curtain occlusion signal continuously indicates that the light curtain is occluded for a first preset time, the container control board determines that the UAV has completed the container entry and parking and generates the first hatch closing trigger signal. When the timer for monitoring the container enters reaches the second preset duration and the light curtain blocking signal does not continuously indicate that the light curtain is blocked, the container control board determines that the container entry operation has timed out and generates a second door closing trigger signal. After the hatch opening action is completed in the remote command mode, the container control board continuously reads the light curtain occlusion signal. When the light curtain occlusion signal changes from indicating that the light curtain is occluded to indicating that the light curtain is not occluded, the container control board determines that the UAV has completed the departure operation and generates a third hatch closing trigger signal.

[0011] Optionally, the container control panel updates the hatch status variable and the occupancy status variable, including: When the container control board responds to the first door closing trigger signal and executes the door closing action, the container control board updates the door status variable to a second value representing the closed state and updates the occupancy status variable to a third value representing the occupancy state. When the container control board responds to the second door closing trigger signal and performs the door closing action, the container control board updates the door status variable to the second value and updates the occupied status variable to the first value representing the vacant state. When the container control board responds to the third door closing trigger signal and performs the door closing action, the container control board updates the door status variable to the second value and updates the occupancy status variable to the first value.

[0012] Optionally, the control command frame is sent by a LoRa gateway or a drone. The control command frame includes a frame header field, a container number field, and a control command field. The frame header field is used to identify the frame type as a control command frame, the container number field is used to identify the target container, and the control command field is used to identify an opening command or a closing command. The status reporting frame includes a frame header field, a container number field, an occupancy status field, and a hatch status field. The frame header field is used to identify the frame type as a status reporting frame. The container number field is used to identify the container. The occupancy status field carries the current value of the occupancy status variable, and the hatch status field carries the current value of the hatch status variable.

[0013] Optionally, the method further includes: When the enclosure control board detects a change in the value of the occupancy status variable or the hatch status variable, it actively sends the status reporting frame through the LoRa communication module. When the enclosure control board receives a status query request sent by an external device through the LoRa communication module, it sends a status reporting frame containing the current occupancy status variable and the door status variable through the LoRa communication module. The enclosure control board periodically sends the status reporting frames through the LoRa communication module according to a preset cycle.

[0014] On the other hand, embodiments of the present invention provide a UAV landing pad enclosure control system, comprising: At least one processor; At least one memory for storing at least one program; When the at least one program is executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor performs the method described above.

[0015] On the other hand, embodiments of the present invention provide a computer-readable storage medium storing a processor-executable program, which, when executed by a processor, is used to perform the above-described method.

[0016] On the other hand, embodiments of the present invention provide a control device for a drone landing pad enclosure, comprising: The infrared sensor on the top of the container is used to detect hovering events of drones within a preset range directly above the container and output a hovering detection signal. The safety light curtain inside the enclosure is used to monitor the state of the light curtain plane formed in the safe parking space inside the enclosure being blocked, and outputs a light curtain blocking signal. The LoRa communication module is used to receive control command frames and send status report frames. Door motor, used to perform the opening or closing action of the hatch; The enclosure control board is connected to the infrared sensor on the top of the enclosure, the safety light curtain inside the enclosure, the LoRa communication module, and the door motor, respectively. The enclosure control board is configured to perform the above-described method.

[0017] The embodiments of the present invention have the following beneficial effects: This invention combines a dual-layer heterogeneous sensor—an infrared sensor on the top of the container and a safety light curtain inside the container—to form two perception layers with different spatial locations and logical functions. The sensor on the top of the container acts as a trigger to initiate the process, while the light curtain inside the container acts as a confirmer of safe completion and a basis for maintaining the status. This allows for accurate judgment of the entire process of the UAV from requesting, entering, stopping, to leaving, thus preventing safety accidents such as pinching or accidentally closing the hatch caused by misjudgment from the source.

[0018] This invention designs a safety decision logic that runs on a local control board. This logic takes the occupancy status and hatch status maintained internally as its core and performs permission checks on all trigger requests. In local sensing mode, hatch opening is only permitted when the container is empty and the hatch is closed. In remote command mode, hatch opening is only permitted when the container is occupied. This achieves multi-condition interlocking, ensuring that all operations are performed under the premise of conforming to the physical state, thus forming an inherently safe control closed loop.

[0019] This invention supports a dual-mode triggering mechanism of local sensing and remote command. It supports both scheduling commands sent by a remote gateway and autonomous homing commands triggered directly by the drone hovering at close range. This breaks the single dependence on the cloud network. Even in the event of a temporary network interruption, the drone can still trigger autonomous homing by hovering, ensuring the availability of core functions and enhancing the robustness and operational flexibility of the system.

[0020] This invention defines a simplified and efficient binary communication frame format, separates status reporting from control commands, and makes the core status of the container a mandatory field. The container control board actively reports when the status changes, enabling the central dispatch system to grasp the status of the entire network resources in real time and accurately, realize efficient and optimal scheduling of UAVs, and improve the collaborative management efficiency of multi-container clusters.

[0021] This invention implements a multi-scenario hatch closing trigger mechanism based on light curtain occlusion signals. It ensures that the drone has come to a complete stop through continuous occlusion detection and anti-shake confirmation, protects the cabin safety through a timeout detection mechanism, and confirms that the drone has completely left by detecting changes in the occlusion state. This forms a closed-loop control process from "request-entry-stopping-departure", which significantly improves the reliability and safety of the system.

[0022] This invention implements a state variable update mechanism that precisely corresponds to the trigger signal, ensuring that the state variables always remain consistent with the physical reality, providing a reliable data foundation for subsequent safety decisions, and enabling the scheduling system to grasp the accurate resource status in real time.

[0023] This invention organically combines three state synchronization mechanisms: event-driven, query-response, and periodic reporting. While ensuring real-time status, it also takes into account communication efficiency and system reliability, enabling the central scheduling system to build a complete and accurate container resource view.

[0024] This invention achieves a modular and standardized hardware device design. The spatial separation layout of the dual-layer heterogeneous sensors avoids the risk of misjudgment caused by a single sensor. The LoRa communication module enables low-power, long-distance wireless data transmission, making the device easy to deploy, expand and maintain, and suitable for large-scale applications in various scenarios. Attached Figure Description

[0025] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0026] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the UAV landing pad control method in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is an overall architecture block diagram of the UAV landing pad box control device in this embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 This is a timing diagram of the local sensing trigger mode in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a timing diagram of the remote command triggering mode in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating the local sensing trigger mode in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the remote command triggering mode in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The following will provide a clear and complete description of the concept, specific structure, and technical effects of the present invention in conjunction with embodiments and accompanying drawings, so as to fully understand the purpose, solution, and effects of the present invention. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other.

[0028] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention. In the following description, when referring to the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with the embodiments of this invention; they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of the embodiments of this invention as detailed in the appended claims.

[0029] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this invention have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used in this invention is for descriptive purposes only and is not intended to limit the invention.

[0030] refer to Figure 1 ,like Figure 1 The image shows a method for controlling a drone landing pad enclosure according to an embodiment of the present invention. The method includes the following steps: S100, the enclosure control board acquires the hover detection signal output by the infrared sensor on the top of the enclosure, the light curtain blocking signal output by the safety light curtain inside the enclosure, and the control command frame received through the LoRa communication module. The enclosure control board maintains the occupancy status variable and the door status variable. S200, the enclosure control board triggers safety decision logic based on the hover detection signal or the control command frame, and determines whether the hatch opening conditions are met based on the current values ​​of the occupancy status variable and the hatch status variable; S300, when the hatch opening conditions are met, the housing control board generates a motor drive signal and sends it to the hatch motor. The hatch motor performs the hatch opening action. The housing control board updates the hatch status variable and sends a status reporting frame through the LoRa communication module. S400, the housing control board continuously monitors the light curtain occlusion signal, determines whether the UAV has completed the parking or departure operation based on the light curtain occlusion signal, and generates a door closing trigger signal; S500, in response to the hatch closing trigger signal, the enclosure control board generates a motor drive signal and sends it to the hatch motor. The hatch motor performs the hatch closing action. The enclosure control board updates the hatch status variable and the occupancy status variable, and sends a status reporting frame through the LoRa communication module.

[0031] This invention provides a method, device, system, and storage medium for controlling UAV landing pad enclosures. By combining a dual-layer heterogeneous sensor system—an infrared sensor on the top of the enclosure and a safety light curtain inside—it achieves precise perception of various subtle states of the UAV, such as hovering requests, entry / departure, safe parking completion, and complete clearing. Through safety adjudication logic running on a local control board, it implements multi-condition interlocking control based on occupancy and door status, ensuring the safety of door opening and closing operations. A dual-mode triggering mechanism supporting both local sensing and remote command modes enhances the system's robustness and responsiveness in complex network environments. By defining a standardized binary communication protocol, it achieves real-time and reliable synchronization of enclosure status, enabling individual enclosures to integrate as intelligent nodes into larger IoT scheduling systems.

[0032] The core of this embodiment lies in constructing a UAV landing pad enclosure control system that integrates environmental perception, intelligent decision-making, and dual-mode communication. This system uses the landing pad control board as its processing core. By receiving physical signals from the infrared sensor on the top of the enclosure and the safety light curtain inside, and combining these with external commands received via a LoRa module or serial port, it drives the door motor and indicator lights, achieving full automation of the UAV recovery and release process.

[0033] like Figure 2 As shown, the system hardware architecture of this embodiment includes: The top infrared sensor is used to detect drone hovering events within a preset range directly above the container. The safety light curtain inside the enclosure is used to monitor whether the light curtain plane formed in the safe parking space inside the enclosure is blocked. The LoRa communication module is used for wireless communication with the LoRa gateway or drone; the door motor is used to perform the opening and closing actions of the door. The enclosure control board, as the processing core of the system, is connected to the aforementioned components to execute safety decision-making logic and status management.

[0034] In some embodiments, the enclosure control board triggers safety decision logic based on the hover detection signal or the control command frame, and determines whether the hatch opening conditions are met based on the current values ​​of the occupancy status variable and the hatch status variable, including: S210, when the housing control board detects that the hovering detection signal changes from a no-signal state to a signal state, it determines that the local sensing mode is triggered. The housing control board reads the current values ​​of the occupancy status variable and the hatch status variable, and determines whether the occupancy status variable is equal to the first value representing the vacant state and whether the hatch status variable is equal to the second value representing the closed state. When the occupancy status variable is equal to the first value and the hatch status variable is equal to the second value, it determines that the hatch opening condition is met. S220, when the enclosure control board receives a control command frame through the LoRa communication module and parses out the hatch opening command, it determines that the remote command mode is triggered. The enclosure control board reads the current value of the occupancy status variable and determines whether the occupancy status variable is equal to the third value representing the occupancy status. When the occupancy status variable is equal to the third value, it determines that the hatch opening condition is met.

[0035] Through the above embodiments, this invention implements a safety decision-making logic under a dual-mode triggering mechanism. In local sensing mode, by simultaneously checking that the occupancy status is vacant and the hatch status is closed, it ensures that the hovering request of the drone will only be responded to when the container is truly empty and the hatch is safely closed, avoiding the risk of misoperation caused by the container being occupied or the hatch not being closed. In remote command mode, by checking that the occupancy status is occupied, it ensures that the release command will only be responded to when there is actually a drone inside the container, preventing the safety hazard of accidentally opening an empty container. This interlocking decision-making mechanism based on state variables enables the system to make correct control decisions based on the actual physical state, significantly improving the inherent safety of the system.

[0036] In some embodiments, the method further includes: S230, when the enclosure control board determines in the local sensing mode that the occupancy status variable is not equal to the first value or the hatch status variable is not equal to the second value, the enclosure control board refuses to perform the hatch opening action and sends a status reporting frame containing the current occupancy status variable and the hatch status variable through the LoRa communication module; S240, when the enclosure control board determines in the remote command mode that the occupancy status variable is not equal to the third value, the enclosure control board refuses to execute the hatch opening action and sends a status reporting frame containing the current occupancy status variable and the hatch status variable through the LoRa communication module.

[0037] Through the above embodiments, this invention implements a security rejection and status feedback mechanism when the decision fails. In local sensing mode, if the container is occupied or the hatch is not closed, the system refuses to open the hatch and reports the current status, enabling the scheduling system to promptly understand the reason for the container's unavailability and guide the drone to another available container. In remote command mode, if the container is vacant, the system similarly refuses to open the hatch and reports the status, indicating that no drone can be released. This rejection-feedback mechanism ensures that the system maintains a safe state under any abnormal circumstances, while providing real-time and accurate status information to the upper-level scheduling system, facilitating global resource optimization scheduling and improving the collaborative management efficiency of multi-container clusters.

[0038] In some embodiments, the enclosure control board continuously monitors the light curtain occlusion signal, determines whether the drone has completed the enclosure parking or exiting operation based on the light curtain occlusion signal, and generates a door closing trigger signal, including: S410, after the hatch opening action is completed, the container control board starts the container entry monitoring timer and continuously reads the light curtain occlusion signal. When the light curtain occlusion signal continuously indicates that the light curtain is occluded for a first preset time, the container control board determines that the UAV has completed the container entry and parking and generates the first hatch closing trigger signal. S420, when the timer for monitoring the entry into the container reaches the second preset duration and the light curtain blocking signal does not continuously indicate that the light curtain is blocked, the container control board determines that the entry operation has timed out and generates a second door closing trigger signal. S430, after the hatch opening action in the remote command mode is completed, the container control board continuously reads the light curtain occlusion signal. When the light curtain occlusion signal changes from a state indicating that the light curtain is occluded to a state indicating that the light curtain is not occluded, the container control board determines that the UAV has completed the departure operation and generates a third hatch closing trigger signal.

[0039] Through the above embodiments, this invention implements a multi-scenario hatch closing trigger mechanism based on light curtain occlusion signals. In the container entry scenario, continuous occlusion detection and anti-shake confirmation ensure that the hatch closes only after the drone has come to a complete stop, avoiding misjudgments caused by incomplete occlusion or momentary interference. A timeout detection mechanism automatically closes the hatch if the drone fails to enter the container on time, ensuring container safety. In the container exit scenario, the hatch closes only after detecting a change from occlusion to no occlusion and confirming that the drone has completely left, preventing the risk of pinching injuries. This refined state detection and triggering mechanism enables the system to accurately distinguish between entering / leaving and fully parked / emptied states, forming a closed-loop control process from request, entry, stabilization to departure, significantly improving the system's reliability and safety.

[0040] In some embodiments, the enclosure control panel updates the hatch status variable and the occupancy status variable, including: S510, when the container control board responds to the first door closing trigger signal and performs the door closing action, the container control board updates the door state variable to a second value representing the closed state and updates the occupancy state variable to a third value representing the occupancy state. S520, when the container control board responds to the second door closing trigger signal and performs the door closing action, the container control board updates the door status variable to the second value and updates the occupied status variable to the first value representing the vacant state. S530, when the container control board responds to the third door closing trigger signal and performs the door closing action, the container control board updates the door status variable to the second value and updates the occupancy status variable to the first value.

[0041] Through the above embodiments, this invention implements a state variable update mechanism that precisely corresponds to the trigger signal. For successful container entry, the occupied state is updated to occupied, accurately reflecting the physical state of the drone already parked inside the container. For container entry timeout scenarios, the occupied state is kept empty to avoid incorrectly marking the container as occupied. For successful container exit scenarios, the occupied state is updated to empty, allowing the container to immediately serve the next drone. This precise state mapping ensures that the state variables always remain consistent with the physical reality, providing a reliable data foundation for subsequent safety decisions. Simultaneously, it enables the scheduling system to accurately grasp the resource status in real time, achieving efficient and optimal drone scheduling.

[0042] In some embodiments, the control command frame is sent by a LoRa gateway or a drone. The control command frame includes a frame header field, a container number field, and a control command field. The frame header field is used to identify the frame type as a control command frame, the container number field is used to identify the target container, and the control command field is used to identify an opening command or a closing command. The status reporting frame includes a frame header field, a container number field, an occupancy status field, and a hatch status field. The frame header field is used to identify the frame type as a status reporting frame. The container number field is used to identify the container. The occupancy status field carries the current value of the occupancy status variable, and the hatch status field carries the current value of the hatch status variable.

[0043] Through the above embodiments, this invention achieves a simplified and standardized binary communication protocol. Control command frames, through three fields—frame header, container number, and control command—enable precise control of a specific container. Status reporting frames, through four fields—frame header, container number, occupancy status, and door status—completely and efficiently synchronize the core status of the container to other nodes in the network. This protocol design features low overhead, high reliability, and easy scalability. The adoption of LoRa communication technology further reduces power consumption and cost, enabling containers to integrate as intelligent nodes into large-scale IoT scheduling systems. This achieves status visibility and efficient collaboration, laying the communication foundation for large-scale commercial deployment scenarios such as urban "last mile logistics."

[0044] In some embodiments, the method further includes: S610, when the enclosure control board detects a change in the value of the occupancy status variable or the hatch status variable, it actively sends the status reporting frame through the LoRa communication module. S620, when the enclosure control board receives a status query request sent by an external device through the LoRa communication module, it sends a status reporting frame containing the current occupancy status variable and the door status variable through the LoRa communication module. S630, the enclosure control board periodically sends the status reporting frame through the LoRa communication module according to a preset cycle.

[0045] Through the above embodiments, this invention organically combines three state synchronization mechanisms: event-driven, query-response, and periodic reporting. The event-driven mechanism ensures real-time reporting of state changes, enabling the scheduling system to instantly perceive resource changes; the query-response mechanism supports on-demand state retrieval, satisfying the proactive query needs of upper-layer systems; and the periodic reporting mechanism acts as a heartbeat keep-alive, promptly detecting node failures in the event of network anomalies. This multi-mechanism integration design ensures real-time state performance while also considering communication efficiency and system reliability. It enables the central scheduling system to construct a complete and accurate container resource view, achieving efficient matching and optimal scheduling between UAVs and helipads, significantly improving the collaborative management efficiency and overall operational effectiveness of multi-container clusters.

[0046] refer to Figure 3 , Figure 3The sequence of events in the local sensing trigger mode is demonstrated. The trigger event is when the drone flies directly above the target enclosure and hovers. This physical event is detected by the infrared sensor on the top of the enclosure, which generates a trigger signal. The enclosure control board monitors the sensor signal in real time. Upon detecting the hovering event, it immediately initiates the local safety adjudication logic. The adjudication logic judges based on two core states of the current enclosure: whether the occupancy status is vacant and whether the hatch status is closed. The adjudication is only successful if both conditions are met simultaneously. After the adjudication is successful, the control board executes the hatch opening action, drives the hatch to open, and actively reports the status to the gateway via the LoRa link, informing the system that the enclosure has entered the receiving state. The drone lands inside the enclosure, and its fuselage continuously blocks the safety light curtain inside the enclosure. The control board detects the continuous blocking signal of the light curtain, determines that the drone has safely landed, and then executes automatic hatch closing. After the hatch closes, the control board updates the internal status to occupancy and reports the status again, completing the closed loop of the entire homing process.

[0047] refer to Figure 4 , Figure 4 The timing flow of the remote command triggering mode is demonstrated. This mode is triggered by an external device sending control command frames via LoRa communication. Although the command frames sent by the gateway and the drone have the same format, the system automatically identifies the intent based on the source of the command and executes different safety adjudication logics. For paths initiated by the gateway, the intent is to release the drone already stored in the container. The safety adjudication logic checks whether the container is occupied. Only when there is a drone in the container is the opening command allowed to be executed. After opening, the system waits for the drone to fly away. After confirming that it has completely left through the safety light barrier, the system automatically closes and updates the status to empty. For paths initiated by the drone, the intent is to request entry into an empty container. The safety adjudication logic checks whether the container is empty. Only when the container is empty is the opening command allowed to be executed. After opening, the system waits for the drone to land in the container. After confirming that it has completely entered and is properly parked through the safety light barrier, the system automatically closes and updates the status to occupied.

[0048] refer to Figure 5 , Figure 5The detailed process of the local sensing trigger mode is demonstrated. After the system powers on, the infrared sensor on the top of the enclosure enters a continuous detection state, and the control board cyclically detects the sensor signals, waiting for a drone hovering event. When the infrared sensor on the top of the enclosure detects a drone hovering directly above, the trigger signal changes, and the control board immediately reads the current occupancy status of the enclosure and the door status, executes the safety adjudication logic, and determines whether the occupancy status is empty and the door status is closed simultaneously. Only when both conditions are met is the adjudication successful. After the adjudication is successful, the hatch opening action is executed, driving the door motor to open the hatch, updating the door status to open, actively reporting the current status to the gateway via the LoRa module, and entering a waiting state to continuously monitor the safety light curtain signal inside the enclosure. If the safety light curtain is continuously blocked for more than the anti-shake confirmation time, it is determined that the drone has stopped, the hatch closing action is executed, the status is updated to occupied, the indicator light outside the enclosure is switched to red, and the final status is reported. If no drone is detected entering within the specified time, it is determined that the reception timeout has occurred, the hatch closing action is executed, the status is restored to empty, the indicator light turns green, and the status report indicates that the reception timeout has occurred.

[0049] refer to Figure 6 , Figure 6 The detailed process of the remote command triggering mode is demonstrated. The control board continuously monitors communication data from the LoRa module. When a data frame is received, it first parses the frame header bytes to determine if it is a control command frame. If the frame header is correct, it continues to check if the container number matches its own. It then parses the control command bytes to distinguish between opening and closing commands. For the opening command, the control board checks if the container is currently occupied. If the check passes, it executes the opening action, updates the door status to open, reports the current status, switches the indicator light to a red flashing mode, and enters a waiting state, continuously monitoring the safety light curtain signal inside the container. When the safety light curtain changes from obstructed to unobstructed, it determines that the drone has completely left, automatically executes the closing action, updates the status to vacant, the indicator light turns green, and reports the final status. If the container is vacant, it refuses to execute the opening action and reports the current vacant status.

[0050] Specifically, all communication data is transmitted in binary data frame format. Status reporting frames are generated by the enclosure control board when status changes, at regular intervals, or in response to queries. The data flow is from the control board kernel, the control board's LoRa module, the gateway / UAV's LoRa module, to the gateway / UAV processor. The frame structure includes a frame header, enclosure number, occupancy status, and door status. The frame header is fixed at 0x60, identifying it as a status reporting frame; the enclosure number 0x01 represents enclosure 1, 0x02 represents enclosure 2, and can be extended to 0xFF; the occupancy status 0x00 indicates vacant, 0x01 indicates occupied; the door status 0x00 indicates the door is closed, 0x01 indicates the door is open. Control command frames are generated by the application processor on the LoRa gateway or UAV, intended to control a specific enclosure. The data flow is from the gateway / UAV processor, its LoRa module, the enclosure control board's LoRa module, to the control board kernel. The frame structure includes a frame header, enclosure number, and control command. The frame header is fixed at 0x61, indicating that this is a control command frame; the container number specifies the target container; control command 0x00 indicates closing the hatch, and 0x01 indicates opening the hatch.

[0051] This invention also provides a UAV landing pad enclosure control system, comprising: at least one processor; at least one memory for storing at least one program; and when the at least one program is executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor implements the above-described method.

[0052] The content of the above method embodiments is applicable to this embodiment. The specific functions implemented in this embodiment are the same as those in the above method embodiments, and the beneficial effects achieved are also the same as those achieved in the above method embodiments. Therefore, they will not be repeated here.

[0053] refer to Figure 2 This invention also provides a control device for a drone landing pad enclosure, comprising: The infrared sensor on the top of the container is used to detect hovering events of drones within a preset range directly above the container and output a hovering detection signal. The safety light curtain inside the enclosure is used to monitor the state of the light curtain plane formed in the safe parking space inside the enclosure being blocked, and outputs a light curtain blocking signal. The LoRa communication module is used to receive control command frames and send status report frames. Door motor, used to perform the opening or closing action of the hatch; The enclosure control board is connected to the infrared sensor on the top of the enclosure, the safety light curtain inside the enclosure, the LoRa communication module, and the door motor, respectively. The enclosure control board is configured to perform any of the methods described above.

[0054] This invention implements the hardware architecture design of a drone landing pad control device. An infrared sensor is deployed on the top of the enclosure to detect drone hovering requests, forming the first perception layer. An internal safety light curtain is deployed in the safe parking space inside the enclosure to confirm the drone's presence, forming the second perception layer. This spatially separated layout of the two heterogeneous sensors allows the system to distinguish between hovering requests and full entry, avoiding the risk of misjudgment caused by a single sensor. A LoRa communication module enables low-power, long-range wireless data transmission, allowing the enclosure to maintain reliable communication with gateways or drones in complex environments. The door motor, driven by the enclosure control board, performs door opening and closing actions, enabling automatic drone recovery and release. The enclosure control board, as the core processing unit, integrates safety adjudication logic and state management algorithms, achieving closed-loop control of perception, decision-making, and execution. This modular and standardized hardware design makes the device easy to deploy, expand, and maintain, suitable for large-scale applications in various scenarios such as urban logistics distribution, infrastructure inspection, and agricultural plant protection.

[0055] This invention also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the above-described method.

[0056] It is understood that the content of the above method embodiments is applicable to this storage medium embodiment. The specific functions implemented in this storage medium embodiment are the same as those in the above method embodiments, and the beneficial effects achieved are also the same as those achieved in the above method embodiments.

[0057] This invention also provides a computer program product, including a computer program or computer instructions, which are stored in a memory. A processor of a computer device reads the computer program or computer instructions from the memory and executes the computer program or computer instructions, causing the computer device to perform the above-described method.

[0058] It is understood that the content of the above method embodiments is applicable to the embodiments of this program product. The specific functions implemented by the embodiments of this program product are the same as those of the above method embodiments, and the beneficial effects achieved are also the same as those achieved by the above method embodiments.

[0059] Memory, as a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, can be used to store non-transitory software programs and non-transitory computer-executable programs. Furthermore, memory may include high-speed random access memory, and may also include non-transitory memory, such as at least one disk storage device, flash memory device, or other non-transitory solid-state storage device. In some embodiments, memory may optionally include memory remotely located relative to the processor, and these remote memories can be connected to the processor via a network. Examples of such networks include, but are not limited to, the Internet, intranets, local area networks, mobile communication networks, and combinations thereof.

[0060] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that all or some of the steps and systems in the methods disclosed above can be implemented as software, firmware, hardware, and suitable combinations thereof. Some or all of the physical components can be implemented as software executed by a processor, such as a central processing unit, digital signal processor, or microprocessor, or as hardware, or as an integrated circuit, such as an application-specific integrated circuit. Such software can be distributed on a computer-readable medium, which can include computer storage media (or non-transitory media) and communication media (or transient media). As is known to those skilled in the art, the term computer storage media includes volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storing information (such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data). Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technologies, CD-ROM, digital versatile disc (DVD) or other optical disc storage, magnetic cartridges, magnetic tape, disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to store desired information and is accessible to a computer. Furthermore, as is known to those skilled in the art, communication media typically include computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in modulated data signals such as carrier waves or other transmission mechanisms, and may include any information delivery medium.

[0061] The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a UAV landing pad enclosure, characterized in that, The method includes the following steps: The enclosure control board acquires the hover detection signal output by the infrared sensor on the top of the enclosure, the light curtain blocking signal output by the safety light curtain inside the enclosure, and the control command frame received through the LoRa communication module. The enclosure control board maintains the occupancy status variable and the door status variable. The enclosure control board triggers safety decision logic based on the hover detection signal or the control command frame, and determines whether the hatch opening conditions are met based on the current values ​​of the occupancy status variable and the hatch status variable. When the hatch opening conditions are met, the enclosure control board generates a motor drive signal and sends it to the hatch motor. The hatch motor performs the hatch opening action, and the enclosure control board updates the hatch status variable and sends a status reporting frame through the LoRa communication module. The control board of the enclosure continuously monitors the light curtain occlusion signal, determines whether the drone has completed the operation of entering or leaving the enclosure based on the light curtain occlusion signal, and generates a door closing trigger signal. In response to the hatch closing trigger signal, the enclosure control board generates a motor drive signal and sends it to the hatch motor. The hatch motor performs the hatch closing action. The enclosure control board updates the hatch status variable and the occupancy status variable, and sends a status reporting frame through the LoRa communication module.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The enclosure control board triggers safety decision logic based on the hover detection signal or the control command frame, and determines whether the hatch opening conditions are met based on the current values ​​of the occupancy status variable and the hatch status variable, including: When the enclosure control board detects that the hover detection signal changes from a no-signal state to a signal state, it determines that the local sensing mode is triggered. The enclosure control board reads the current values ​​of the occupancy status variable and the hatch status variable, and determines whether the occupancy status variable is equal to the first value representing the vacant state and whether the hatch status variable is equal to the second value representing the closed state. When the occupancy status variable is equal to the first value and the hatch status variable is equal to the second value, it is determined that the hatch opening condition is met. When the enclosure control board receives a control command frame through the LoRa communication module and parses out the hatch opening command, it determines that the remote command mode is triggered. The enclosure control board reads the current value of the occupancy status variable and determines whether the occupancy status variable is equal to the third value representing the occupancy status. When the occupancy status variable is equal to the third value, it is determined that the hatch opening condition is met.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The method further includes: When the enclosure control board determines in the local sensing mode that the occupancy status variable is not equal to the first value or the hatch status variable is not equal to the second value, the enclosure control board refuses to perform the hatch opening action and sends a status reporting frame containing the current occupancy status variable and the hatch status variable through the LoRa communication module. When the enclosure control board determines in the remote command mode that the occupancy status variable is not equal to the third value, the enclosure control board refuses to execute the hatch opening action and sends a status reporting frame containing the current occupancy status variable and the hatch status variable through the LoRa communication module.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control board of the enclosure continuously monitors the light curtain occlusion signal, determines whether the drone has completed the entry and parking or exit operation based on the light curtain occlusion signal, and generates a door closing trigger signal, including: After the hatch opening action is completed, the container control board starts the container entry monitoring timer and continuously reads the light curtain occlusion signal. When the light curtain occlusion signal continuously indicates that the light curtain is occluded for a first preset time, the container control board determines that the UAV has completed the container entry and parking and generates the first hatch closing trigger signal. When the timer for monitoring the container enters reaches the second preset duration and the light curtain blocking signal does not continuously indicate that the light curtain is blocked, the container control board determines that the container entry operation has timed out and generates a second door closing trigger signal. After the hatch opening action is completed in the remote command mode, the container control board continuously reads the light curtain occlusion signal. When the light curtain occlusion signal changes from indicating that the light curtain is occluded to indicating that the light curtain is not occluded, the container control board determines that the UAV has completed the departure operation and generates a third hatch closing trigger signal.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The container control panel updates the hatch status variable and the occupancy status variable, including: When the container control board responds to the first door closing trigger signal and executes the door closing action, the container control board updates the door status variable to a second value representing the closed state and updates the occupancy status variable to a third value representing the occupancy state. When the container control board responds to the second door closing trigger signal and performs the door closing action, the container control board updates the door status variable to the second value and updates the occupied status variable to the first value representing the vacant state. When the container control board responds to the third door closing trigger signal and performs the door closing action, the container control board updates the door status variable to the second value and updates the occupancy status variable to the first value.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control command frame is sent by the LoRa gateway or the drone. The control command frame includes a frame header field, a container number field, and a control command field. The frame header field is used to identify the frame type as a control command frame, the container number field is used to identify the target container, and the control command field is used to identify the hatch opening command or hatch closing command. The status reporting frame includes a frame header field, a container number field, an occupancy status field, and a hatch status field. The frame header field is used to identify the frame type as a status reporting frame. The container number field is used to identify the container. The occupancy status field carries the current value of the occupancy status variable, and the hatch status field carries the current value of the hatch status variable.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: When the enclosure control board detects a change in the value of the occupancy status variable or the hatch status variable, it actively sends the status reporting frame through the LoRa communication module. When the enclosure control board receives a status query request sent by an external device through the LoRa communication module, it sends a status reporting frame containing the current occupancy status variable and the door status variable through the LoRa communication module. The enclosure control board periodically sends the status reporting frames through the LoRa communication module according to a preset cycle.

8. A control system for a drone landing pad enclosure, characterized in that, include: At least one processor; At least one memory for storing at least one program; When the at least one program is executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor performs the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the method of any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. A control device for a drone landing pad enclosure, characterized in that, include: The infrared sensor on the top of the container is used to detect hovering events of drones within a preset range directly above the container and output a hovering detection signal. The safety light curtain inside the enclosure is used to monitor the state of the light curtain plane formed in the safe parking space inside the enclosure being blocked, and outputs a light curtain blocking signal. The LoRa communication module is used to receive control command frames and send status report frames. Door motor, used to perform the opening or closing action of the hatch; The enclosure control board is connected to the infrared sensor on the top of the enclosure, the safety light curtain inside the enclosure, the LoRa communication module, and the door motor, respectively. The enclosure control board is configured to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

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