Drone fire extinguishing device

Abstract

The unmanned aerial vehicle fire extinguishing device 1 includes: an unmanned aerial vehicle portion 11 that is flyable and has a storage battery 11i; a water storage tank upper portion 12 that is connected to the unmanned aerial vehicle portion 11; and a hose connection pipe 15a that is connected to a water power generation portion 12d provided in the water storage tank upper portion 12 and having a water wheel 121d and a water flow hose 4 or a connection hose that supplies water to the water storage tank upper portion 12. During flight, the water power generation portion 12d is caused to generate power by driving the water wheel 121d to rotate using the flow of water supplied from the hose connected to the hose connection pipe 15a, and the generated power is stored in the storage battery 11i.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a fire extinguishing device for drones. Background Technology

[0002] For example, a drone system is known to utilize drones to transport liquids (e.g., water, fire extinguishing liquid) from a distance to a location where they are needed, for purposes such as extinguishing wildfires. A drone system is known to include: a delivery pipe for transporting liquids or gases; a pump device positioned at a distance and supplying liquids or gases to the delivery pipe; a top drone maintaining a nozzle connected to the front end of the delivery pipe; multiple pump drones positioned along the middle of the delivery pipe and embedded to increase the pressure of the liquid or gas flowing in the delivery pipe; and a power supply device that supplies power to the top drones and pump drones via power cables. The delivery pipe is formed by multiple pipes connected via pumps of the pump drones. Each pump drone includes a pump drone body and a connecting mechanism that allows the pumps to be tilted and / or rotatably connected relative to the pump drone body. The connecting mechanism includes a connecting shaft fixed to the pump and a rotating component rotatably supporting the pump about the connecting shaft, the rotating component being rotatably supported on the pump drone body.

[0003] Existing technical documents Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-131960 Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent No. 6987446 Summary of the Invention

[0004] When a drone is powered by an electrical cable, the cable becomes a burden. Furthermore, the drone's flight range is limited by the cable length.

[0005] In addition, if a battery-powered drone runs out of power, it may crash if it does not return.

[0006] In one respect, the purpose of this invention is to charge the battery during flight.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a drone fire extinguishing device. The drone fire extinguishing device includes: a drone unit capable of flight and equipped with a battery; a water storage unit connected to the drone unit; a power generation unit disposed inside the water storage unit and equipped with a water turbine; and a connecting part connected to a hose supplying fire extinguishing liquid to the water storage unit. During flight, the flow of the fire extinguishing liquid supplied through the hose connected to the connecting part causes the water turbine to rotate, generating electricity, which is then stored in the battery.

[0008] In one method, the battery can be charged during flight.

[0009] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are preferred embodiments of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0010] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating the implementation of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) firefighting system.

[0011] Figure 2 This is a diagram illustrating the structure of the drone fire extinguishing device 1.

[0012] Figure 3 It is a diagram illustrating the water flow path.

[0013] Figure 4 This is a diagram illustrating the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) unit in the implementation method.

[0014] Figure 5 This is a plan view (schematic diagram) of the upper and lower parts of the water storage tank in the embodiment.

[0015] Figure 6 This is a diagram illustrating the operation of the lower part of the water storage system in the implementation method.

[0016] Figure 7 This diagram illustrates the connection method between the connecting hose and the hose connector. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The following describes the implementation details of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) device with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0018] The positions, sizes, shapes, and extents of the components shown in the following figures and other accompanying drawings are sometimes for ease of understanding and do not necessarily represent actual positions, sizes, shapes, or extents. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the positions, sizes, shapes, and extents shown in the accompanying drawings and other accompanying drawings.

[0019] In implementation, elements expressed in the singular form include the plural form unless otherwise stated herein.

[0020] Implementation Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating the drone firefighting system in the implementation method.

[0021] The drone fire suppression system 100 of the implementation method includes multiple drone fire suppression devices 1, pump truck 2 and pump 3.

[0022] Pump truck 2 and pump 3 pressurize the water (fire extinguishing liquid) obtained from water sources (lakes, rivers, reservoirs, etc.) and supply it to the drone fire extinguishing device 1 through water hose 4.

[0023] The drone fire extinguishing device 1 is capable of flying in the air and discharging its stored water at the fire extinguishing destination. In addition, the drone fire extinguishing device 1 can also connect to other drone fire extinguishing devices 1 via its own connecting hose 10 and supply water to other drone fire extinguishing devices 1 through the connecting hose 10.

[0024] The drone fire extinguishing device 1 can be in the following four states.

[0025] standby mode Standby status refers to the standby state of the drone base 5 when no fire has occurred. Figure 1 The drone fire extinguishing device 1 in standby mode is shown as drone fire extinguishing device 1a.

[0026] Water discharge state The term "water release status" refers to the situation where water is released into the air above the location of a fire. Figure 1 The drone fire extinguishing device 1 in the water-releasing state is referred to as drone fire extinguishing device 1b.

[0027] Connection status The "connected state" refers to a state in which, for example, the drone fire extinguishing device 1b cannot reach its destination due to the distance from the fire source, relying solely on the length of the water hose 4. This connected state involves supplying water to the drone fire extinguishing device 1b using the connecting hose 10, enabling it to function as an intermediate connecting device with only water supply capabilities, so that the drone fire extinguishing device 1b can be positioned above the fire source. Figure 1 The drone fire extinguishing device 1 in the connected state is shown as drone fire extinguishing device 1c.

[0028] Connect to water discharge state The connected water-discharge state combines both water-discharge and connected states. When in the connected water-discharge state, the drone fire extinguishing device 1 supplies water to other drone fire extinguishing devices 1 using its own connecting hose 10, while simultaneously discharging water above the fire source. Figure 1 The drone fire extinguishing device 1 connected to the water discharge state is shown as drone fire extinguishing device 1d. Furthermore, in the following description, the side of the drone fire extinguishing device 1 closest to the pump truck 2 or pump 3 that pressurizes the water is referred to as the base side, and the side of the drone fire extinguishing device 1 closest to the fire source is referred to as the tip side. Figure 1 In the diagram, when viewed from the connected state of the drone fire extinguishing device 1c, the drone fire extinguishing device 1b in the water-discharging state is the tip side. Furthermore, when viewed from the connected water-discharging state of the drone fire extinguishing device 1d, the connected drone fire extinguishing device 1c is the base side.

[0029] In vast fire scenes such as mountains and forests, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) firefighting devices collect water, store it, desalinate it at the destination, and then return to collect more. However, the water storage capacity of these UAV firefighting devices may sometimes be insufficient. To achieve the same functionality as fire trucks, a large number of UAV firefighting devices would be needed.

[0030] For unmanned firefighting devices to fly for extended periods, the capacity of the driving battery needs to be increased, which also increases the overall weight of the device, thus limiting the extension of flight time and distance. Furthermore, the time required for a single charge also increases. While there are drones that use gasoline engines, if a drone flying over a forest fire site is equipped with a gasoline tank, there is a risk of the gasoline igniting due to high temperatures or sparks, making it less than ideal.

[0031] The drone fire extinguishing device 1 of this embodiment includes a hydroelectric generator and a battery. Firefighters first manually connect a water hose 4, extending from the pump truck 2 or the booster pump 3, to the drone fire extinguishing device 1 to deliver water. The water pressure then activates the hydroelectric generator within the drone fire extinguishing device 1, continuously charging the battery. Therefore, as long as the water flow rate and duration are ensured, the battery can continuously store enough electricity to power the drone fire extinguishing device 1. Furthermore, by continuously supplying water to the drone fire extinguishing device 1 from the pump truck 2 or the booster pump 3 via the water hose 4, the flow of extinguishing water discharged by the drone fire extinguishing device 1 will not be interrupted, thereby extending the flight time and distance until the fire is completely extinguished.

[0032] Figure 2 This is a diagram illustrating the structure of the drone fire extinguishing device 1.

[0033] The drone fire extinguishing device 1 includes a flyable drone part 11, an upper part 12 of a water storage tank, and a lower part 13 of a water storage tank.

[0034] The upper part 12 of the water storage tank is fixed to the rotating cylindrical water flow path 14. The lower part 13 of the water storage tank is fixed to the fixed cylindrical water flow path 15.

[0035] Figure 3 It is a diagram illustrating the water flow path.

[0036] The lower part of the rotating cylindrical water flow path 14 and the upper part of the fixed cylindrical water flow path 15 are connected in a non-contact structure via a free-wheel type upper and lower dividing device 16. Water will not leak from this connection point. With this structure, even if the upper part 12 of the water storage tank is rotating, the lower part 13 of the water storage tank can be prevented from rotating.

[0037] The free-wheel type upper and lower dividing device 16 is configured as a free wheel relative to the fixed cylindrical water flow path 15 (in this embodiment, it is free in the clockwise direction), so it can rotate clockwise without resistance.

[0038] A flexible hose connecting pipe 15a is connected to the fixed cylindrical water flow channel 15. This flexible hose connecting pipe 15a can be connected to the water flow hose 4 or the connecting hose 10 of other drone fire extinguishing devices 1.

[0039] A water flow branch 15b is provided on the fixed cylindrical water flow path 15. Water flowing into the fixed cylindrical water flow path 15 from the flexible hose connection pipe 15a is diverted through the water flow branch 15b and guided to the upper part 12 and the lower part 13 of the water storage tank.

[0040] Figure 4 This is a diagram illustrating the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) unit in the implementation method.

[0041] The rotor 11a and the fixed part 11b of the UAV part 11 are connected by the UAV fixed shaft 11c.

[0042] Rotor 11a generates buoyancy.

[0043] The fixed part 11b is equipped with a UAV control unit 11d and a communication module 11e.

[0044] The drone control unit 11d includes a Raspberry Pi 5. The drone control unit 11d controls the overall operation of the drone fire extinguishing device 1. For example, the drone control unit 11d controls the flight of the drone fire extinguishing device 1. Furthermore, it can send commands to various components according to an AI-powered automatic flight program, enabling the drone fire extinguishing device 1 to achieve autonomous flight.

[0045] The communication module 11e is connected to the network 50. The UAV control unit 11d can send and receive data with a management terminal device (not shown) via the communication module 11e at specific times. Depending on the operator's operation of the management terminal device, the UAV fire extinguishing device 1 can send various acquired information to the management terminal device, or send instructions from the management terminal device to various parts of the UAV fire extinguishing device 1. The communication method is not particularly limited; for example, it can be communication via Wi-Fi or satellite internet service. Furthermore, the timing of communication is not particularly limited; it can be real-time communication or communication at specific times.

[0046] The UAV control unit 11d is connected to various accessories via interface 107.

[0047] As accessories, examples include a GPS module (Global Positioning System) 11f, a wind direction and force sensor 11g, and an external temperature sensor 11h. The GPS module 11f can be either a serial connection type or a USB connection type.

[0048] The UAV control unit 11d continuously acquires location information using the GPS module 11f during flight.

[0049] The 11g wind direction and wind speed sensor is used to obtain wind direction and wind speed.

[0050] The external temperature sensor acquires the temperature near the sensor in 11 hours.

[0051] Since the GPS module 11f can accurately determine the coordinates of the fire scene, the drone fire extinguishing device 1 can be deployed to the airspace above the fire source in a short time through the automatic flight program of the drone control unit 11d.

[0052] In addition, the drone fire extinguishing device 1 is equipped with a battery 11i that powers flight and various control units.

[0053] Back to Figure 2 Please provide an explanation.

[0054] The upper part 12 of the water storage tank includes an upper water storage tank body 12a, a hose storage part 12b, a pressurizing solenoid valve 12c, and a hydroelectric power generation part 12d.

[0055] In the embodiment, the upper water storage tank body 12a is a hollow box.

[0056] Figure 5 This is a plan view (schematic diagram) of the upper and lower parts of the water storage tank in the embodiment.

[0057] The upper water storage tank body 12a includes an upper panel 121a. Water spray holes 122a are provided on the circumference of the upper panel 121a, allowing water to be sprayed from inside the upper water storage tank body 12a towards the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) unit 11. The upper water storage tank body 12a is rotatably mounted relative to the lower part 13 of the water storage tank. The upper water storage tank body 12a is capable of storing incoming water.

[0058] The aforementioned connecting hose 10 is housed in the hose storage section 12b. Specifically, the upper water tank body 12a functions as the hose reel body, and the connecting hose 10 is wound around the upper water tank body 12a. Figure 5 The diagram shows the end of the cover on the outside of the hose storage section 12b and the inner winding section. The diagram of the connecting hose 10 is omitted.

[0059] Back to Figure 2 Please provide an explanation.

[0060] A pressure-increasing solenoid valve 12c is connected to the end of the connecting hose 10. The pressure-increasing solenoid valve 12c is used to detect the water pressure inside the upper water storage tank body 12a. In addition, according to the instructions of the UAV control unit 11d, the pressure-increasing solenoid valve 12c pressurizes the water stored in the upper water storage tank body 12a and then flows it into the connecting hose 10.

[0061] The hydroelectric power generation unit 12d includes a water turbine 121d and a generator (not shown) connected to the water turbine 121d. Water diverted through the water flow branch 15b impacts the water turbine 121d, causing it to rotate, which in turn rotates the generator. This generates electricity. The generated electrical energy is stored in a battery 11i.

[0062] The lower part 13 of the water storage tank is an example of a water discharge section. The lower part 13 of the water storage tank has an outer water storage tank 13a, an inner water storage tank 13b, a lower heat source sensing sensor 13c, a side heat source sensing sensor 13d, a monitoring camera 13e, and a water discharge adjustment section 13f.

[0063] The outer water storage tank 13a and the inner water storage tank 13b each have multiple drain holes. The lower part 13 of the water storage tank has a double-tank structure, that is, by rotating, the drain holes of the outer water storage tank 13a and the inner water storage tank 13b are aligned to drain water.

[0064] The lower heat source sensing sensor 13c is installed at the bottom of the outer water storage tank 13b. The lower heat source sensing sensor 13c is used to detect heat sources (ignition sources). The lower heat source sensing sensor 13c is equipped with a heat-resistant and waterproof protective cover 131c.

[0065] A side heat source sensing sensor 13d is disposed on the side of the outer water storage tank 13a. The side heat source sensing sensor 13d is used to detect heat sources (ignition sources). A heat-resistant and waterproof protective cover 131d is installed on the side heat source sensing sensor 13d.

[0066] Surveillance camera 13e captures images of the area surrounding the drone fire extinguishing device 1.

[0067] The water discharge regulating unit 13f is used to regulate the amount of water discharged from the lower part 13 of the water storage tank.

[0068] Figure 6 This is a diagram illustrating the operation of the lower part of the water storage unit in the implementation method.

[0069] Let the inner diameter of the outer water storage tank 13a be R1 and the inner diameter of the inner water storage tank 13b be R2, then it can be expressed as R1-R2>0. That is, the outer water storage tank 13a is one size larger than the inner water storage tank 13b, and the inner water storage tank 13b is housed inside the outer water storage tank 13a.

[0070] The rotation angle of the inner water storage tank 13b can be represented by (360 / n / 2) ≥ rotation angle ≥ 0. That is, the inner water storage tank 13b rotates and reverses within the range satisfying the above formula. Here, n represents the number of rows of drain holes provided on the outer water storage tank 13a and the inner water storage tank 13b. Figure 6In the diagram, columns are indicated by dashed lines. The number of columns of drain holes on the outer water storage tank 13a and the inner water storage tank 13b, as well as the position and spacing of the drain holes in each column, are the same.

[0071] Figure 6 In the middle, the upper right part represents the lower part 13 of the water storage tank when the rotation angle is (360 / n / 2). At this time, the drain holes of the two water tanks will block each other and be in a water-stopped state. Figure 6 In the middle, the lower right part represents the lower part 13 of the water storage tank when the rotation angle is 0. At this time, the positions of the drain holes of the two water tanks are completely aligned, and the drainage volume reaches its maximum. By adjusting this rotation angle, the drainage volume of the drainage volume regulating unit 13f can be adjusted. The outer water storage tank 13a, the inner water storage tank 13b, and the drainage volume regulating unit 13f together constitute the main part of the control mechanism for controlling the drainage volume.

[0072] Next, an example of the operation of the drone fire extinguishing device 1 in the embodiment will be described.

[0073] Action Example 1 Action Example 1 illustrates the use of a drone fire extinguishing device 1 for firefighting. The following steps are for illustrative purposes only. The actions and sequence are only one example; some actions may be omitted or others may be added.

[0074] Step S1: With the front end of the water hose 4 extending from the pump truck 2 or the booster pump 3 connected to the end of the hose connecting pipe 15a, activate the drone fire extinguishing device 1 and make it fly towards the fire source. At the start of flight, the drain holes of the two water tanks at the bottom of the water storage tank 13 are mutually blocked to stop the water flow.

[0075] Step S2: During flight, water is delivered from pump truck 2 or booster pump 3. Water flowing in from hose connection pipe 15a is split at water flow branch 15b to the upper part 12 and the lower part 13 of water storage tank.

[0076] Step S3: The water flow into the upper water storage tank 12a drives the water turbine 121d to rotate, thereby enabling the hydroelectric power generation unit 12d to generate electricity. The generated electrical energy is stored in the battery 11i, which is used for the flight of the drone fire extinguishing device 1 and the continuous operation of other electrical equipment.

[0077] Step S4: On the other hand, the water flowing into the lower part 13 of the water storage tank will fall to the bottom of the inner water storage tank 13b and gradually fill the inner water storage tank 13b. Soon, as the water level rises, after the inner water storage tank 13b is filled with water, it will continue to fill the upper water storage tank body 12a. The water pressure near the upper part of the upper water storage tank body 12a will rise sharply, and water will be forcefully sprayed out from the spray hole 122a to form a fountain. The fountain sprays onto various equipment installed on the fixed part 11b and the rotor 11a, which can cool the vortex of hot air rising from the fire scene and prevent various equipment and rotor 11a from being damaged by high temperature. In addition, when the upper water storage tank body 12a is full of water, the pressure solenoid valve 12c will detect the water pressure when full.

[0078] Step S5: The UAV control unit 11d can confirm the location of the fire source through the lower heat source sensing sensor 13c, the side heat source sensing sensor 13d, and the monitoring camera 13e. After reaching the airspace above the fire source, the UAV control unit 11d will activate the water discharge adjustment unit 13f and set the rotation angle to 0. As a result, the water discharge holes of the two water tanks are completely aligned, reaching the maximum water discharge. The water stored in the inner water storage tank 13b will flow from the water discharge holes to the fire source, pouring down like rain to extinguish the fire.

[0079] Step S6: When the UAV control unit 11d confirms that the fire source has been extinguished through the lower heat source sensing sensor 13c, the side heat source sensing sensor 13d, and the monitoring camera 13e, it sends an extinguishing completion signal to the management terminal device through the communication module 11e. Upon receiving the extinguishing completion signal, the UAV fire extinguishing device 1 stops supplying water from the pump truck 2 and the booster pump 3, and returns to the UAV base 5 in a state where the upper part 12 and the lower part 13 of the water storage tank are empty and light.

[0080] Action Example 2 Action Example 2 is an example of using multiple drone fire extinguishing devices 1 to extinguish a fire.

[0081] Step S11: When using multiple drone fire extinguishing devices 1 for fire extinguishing, connect the front end of the water hose 4 extending from the pump truck 2 or the booster pump 3 to the end of the hose connection pipe 15a of the drone fire extinguishing device 1 on the base side. Then, connect the connecting hose 10 of the drone fire extinguishing device 1 on the base side to the end of the hose connection pipe 15a of the drone fire extinguishing device 1 on the front side, and start flying. At the start of flight, the connecting hose 10 can remain in the hose storage section 12b or be pulled out from the hose storage section 12b.

[0082] The following basic actions are the same as those in action example 1.

[0083] The connecting hose 10 remains stored in the hose storage section 12b, and then the flight begins. Afterwards, when the two drone fire extinguishing devices 1 separate, the connecting hose 10 of the drone fire extinguishing device 1 on the base side is pulled by the drone fire extinguishing device 1 on the front side. At this time, the upper water tank body 12a, the hose storage section 12b, and the rotating cylindrical water flow path 14 of the drone fire extinguishing device 1 on the base side are integrated, and the free wheel-type upper and lower dividing device 16 built into the rotating cylindrical water flow path 14 forms a free wheel relative to the fixed cylindrical water flow path 15 (clockwise free in the description). Therefore, the upper water tank body 12a can rotate to the right without resistance, and the connecting hose 10 is rolled out and extends forward continuously.

[0084] When the pressure solenoid valve 12c of the drone fire extinguishing device 1 at the base detects the water pressure in the upper water storage tank body 12a and determines that the upper water storage tank body 12a is full, the pressure solenoid valve 12c will pressurize the water stored in the upper water storage tank body 12a according to the instruction of the drone control unit 11d, and make it flow into the connecting hose 10. The water passing through the connecting hose 10 will flow from the hose connecting pipe 15a of the drone fire extinguishing device 1 at the front end into the fixed cylindrical water passage 15.

[0085] When multiple drone fire suppression devices 1 are connected, the optimal configuration for each device—whether it is in the water-discharging state, the connected state, or the connected-and-discharging state—is related to the location of the fire source and is therefore calculated and determined by the automatic flight program of the drone control unit 11d. A fire suppression system based on drone fire suppression devices 1, targeting large-scale forest and mountain fires, can reduce the number of direct firefighting operations by firefighters, thereby correspondingly improving the protection of human lives. Of course, it can also be used for large-scale residential fires or large factory fires.

[0086] When connected, if the lower part 13 of the water tank of the drone fire extinguishing device 1 is placed on the top branch of an unburned tree and suspended there, the consumption of the battery 11d can be suppressed. Similarly, if the connecting hose 10 is hung on the branch of an unburned tree, the weight exerted by the connecting hose 10 on the front and rear ends of the drone fire extinguishing device 1 can be reduced. At the same time, if the connecting hose 10 is kept close to horizontal, the water flow will be smoother.

[0087] The method of using unburned branches is as follows: unburned branches are detected by the lower heat source sensing sensor 13c, the side heat source sensing sensor 13d and the monitoring camera 13e, the position of the branches is detected by the GPS module 11f, and then the connecting hose 10 is moved to the detected position by the AI ​​automatic flight program of the drone control unit 11d.

[0088] In addition, during flight, the connecting hose 10 can be connected to other drone fire extinguishing devices 1, or the connected connecting hose 10 can be detached.

[0089] For example, one could imagine a scenario where, after a firefighting operation is completed, the connecting hose 10 is wrapped around the connected drone firefighting device 1 while it is being retrieved.

[0090] If the freewheel is locked, the connecting hose 10 can be wound into the hose storage section 12b and stored by rotating the upper water tank body 12a of the drone fire extinguishing device 1 and the drone part 11 counterclockwise together. At the same time, the drone fire extinguishing device 1 on the front side also approaches during flight.

[0091] Next, the installation and disassembly methods for the connecting hose and hose connector will be explained.

[0092] Figure 7 This diagram illustrates the connection method of the connecting hose and the hose connector.

[0093] A connecting protrusion 10a is provided at the front end of the connecting hose 10. Additionally, a connecting recess 151a is provided at the base end of the hose connecting tube 15a. The connecting protrusion 10a can be inserted into the connecting recess 151a, and connection and disconnection are achieved by a twisting action.

[0094] The connecting protrusion 10a has a connecting guide rod 10a1 and an anti-detachment ball 10a2.

[0095] As shown in the enlarged view, the connecting guide rod 10a1 is inserted into the connecting guide opening 151a2 of the L-shaped connecting guide 151a1 provided on the connecting recess 151a. After advancing a distance a, it rotates 90 degrees to the right, and then rotates a distance b before stopping. At this time, the lengths c and d satisfy the relationship c > d, thus increasing the tightness between the connecting protrusion 10a and the connecting recess 151a, and the anti-detachment ball 10a2 further stabilizes the tight state. The connecting guide rod 10a1 is also provided on the opposite side at 180 degrees, but the connection method is the same.

[0096] To further separate the connection, simply perform the reverse operation. When the connecting hose 10 is fully rolled up, the connecting protrusion 10a and the connected connecting recess 151a of the connecting hose 10 can be separated by the twisting action of the drone fire extinguishing device 1 of the connected object.

[0097] All of the drone's actions in the air are controlled by the programmed drone control unit 11d, as well as the monitoring camera 13e, the lower thermal sensing sensor 13c, and the side thermal source sensing sensor 13d. Therefore, the connection between the drone fire extinguishing devices 1 does not require manual operation, and firefighters can avoid performing dangerous operations at the fire scene.

[0098] in addition, Figure 7 The method of connecting the connecting hose 10 and the hose connecting pipe 15a is described in the document, and the method of connecting the water hose 4 and the hose connecting pipe 15a is the same.

[0099] As described above, according to the embodiment of the drone fire extinguishing system 100, the drone fire extinguishing device 1 includes: a drone unit 11 equipped with a battery 11i; a water storage tank upper part 12 connected to the drone unit 11; and a hose connecting pipe 15a disposed within the water storage tank upper part 12 for connecting a water flow hose 4 or a connecting hose 10. The water flow hose 4 or the connecting hose 10 supplies water to the hydroelectric power generation unit 12d equipped with a water turbine 121d and the water storage tank upper part 12. During flight, the water turbine 121d is rotated according to the flow momentum of the water supplied by the hose connected to the hose connecting pipe 15a, thereby driving the hydroelectric power generation unit 12d to generate electricity, and storing the generated electrical energy in the battery 11i. Therefore, since the battery can be charged during flight, long-term flight or fire extinguishing activities are possible.

[0100] In recent years, forest fires have become increasingly frequent around the world. Once a forest fire breaks out, if the ignition point cannot be extinguished quickly, sparks can be blown by the wind to various parts of the forest, causing further fires. In recent years, more than 8 million hectares of forest have been burned globally each year, nearly doubling the burned area compared to 20 years ago. Global warming is said to be one of the reasons for the frequent forest fires, but if this is the case, reducing the burned area in the short term will likely be very difficult.

[0101] Since there are no effective methods to prevent forest fires, once a forest fire occurs, the only option, despite outdated methods, is to deploy as many fire trucks and firefighters as possible to the fire scene to spray large amounts of water. Furthermore, although helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft are used to repeatedly spray large amounts of water from above the forest fire scene, the number of aircraft cannot be easily increased due to the potential for collisions when multiple aircraft are in flight. The main difficulties in fighting forest fires are as follows:

[0102] (Difficulty 1) First, if the fire scene is scattered in various places, the danger to the lives of firefighters will increase.

[0103] (Difficulty 2) Second, because it is difficult to stably and adequately supply water for firefighting, it is impossible to continuously release water to the fire source for a long time.

[0104] (Difficulty 3) Third, due to difficulties 1 and 2, if embers fly at the fire scene, it will be impossible to quickly extinguish new fire sources. After any fire breaks out, how to carry out firefighting operations as quickly as possible is a race against time.

[0105] The drone fire extinguishing device 1 in this embodiment can solve the three difficulties mentioned above simultaneously by utilizing drones. Although some fire extinguishing devices that utilize drones already exist, the drone fire extinguishing device 1 is superior to other devices in the following aspects.

[0106] During drone flight, the drone fire extinguishing device 1 can operate in three states: stand-alone water discharge, connected, and connected water discharge. In water discharge mode, water can be continuously discharged from above the fire source; in connected mode, it acts as an intermediate connector for extending the fire extinguishing hose and can only utilize the water flow function.

[0107] In actual mountain and forest fires, fire sources are scattered in various locations, making it difficult to achieve good results using traditional linear arrays of drones for water dispensing. However, if the drone fire extinguishing device 1 is used as a connector, drones in water dispensing or connected water dispensing states can be arranged in a sawtooth pattern above multiple fire sites to address large-scale and frequent fires. The optimal configuration of the drone fire extinguishing device 1 at the fire site, as well as the optimal combination of water dispensing, connected, and connected water dispensing states, can be fully automated through the built-in GPS module 11f and drone control unit 11d of all drone fire extinguishing devices 1. Therefore, firefighters do not need to approach the scattered fire sources, which is also superior from the perspective of ensuring personnel safety.

[0108] To operate a drone, it must be powered either by a power line from a distant source or by a battery. If a power line is used, it needs to be integrated into the fire hose, either internally or externally, increasing the hose's weight and reducing operational efficiency. Furthermore, unexpected situations may occur at a fire scene; if the power supply is cut off, the drone's power supply will be interrupted, and the drone may crash to the ground. On the other hand, relying solely on the drone's built-in battery for extended flight requires a large-capacity battery, increasing weight and necessitating a larger drone, thus increasing cost. Moreover, even with a large battery capacity, flight time is limited; once the battery is depleted, it must return to a charging base, interrupting firefighting operations. To avoid this, the number of drones must be increased, but this significantly increases costs. In contrast, the drone firefighting device 1 is equipped with a hydroelectric generator 12d. The water flowing from the water hose 4 and connecting hose 10 can be used both for firefighting and to power the turbine 121d of the hydroelectric generator 12d. The electricity generated by the hydroelectric generator 12d continuously charges the battery 11e, so there is no limit to the flight time of the drone fire extinguishing device 1 while the turbine 121d is rotating. In other words, there is no limit to the time for fire extinguishing and water release.

[0109] The above description of the drone fire extinguishing device of the present invention is based on the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the composition of each component can be replaced with any structure having the same function. In addition, the present invention may also include other arbitrary structures or processes.

[0110] The above description is only for illustrating the principles of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention can be modified and varied in many ways by those skilled in the art, and is not limited to the specific structures and application examples shown and described above. All corresponding modifications and equivalents are considered to be within the scope of protection of the present invention, as determined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0111] Furthermore, the aforementioned processing functions can be implemented via a computer. In this case, a program containing the processing content of the UAV control unit 11d will be provided. By executing this program on the computer, the aforementioned processing functions can be implemented on the computer. The program containing the processing content can be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. Computer-readable recording media include magnetic storage devices, optical discs, magneto-optical recording media, semiconductor memory, etc. Magnetic storage devices include hard disk drives, floppy disks (FD), magnetic tapes, etc. Optical discs include DVDs, DVD-RAM, CD-ROM / RW, etc. Magneto-optical recording media include MO (Magneto-Optical disk, MO magneto-optical drive), etc.

[0112] When distributing the program, for example, portable recording media such as DVDs and CD-ROMs containing the program might be sold. Alternatively, the program can be stored on the storage device of a server computer and then transferred from the server computer to other computers via a network.

[0113] The computer executing the program stores the program, either recorded on a removable storage medium or transferred from a server computer, in its own storage device. The computer then reads the program from its own storage device and executes it. Alternatively, the computer can directly read the program from the removable storage medium and execute it. Furthermore, the computer can also sequentially receive programs transmitted from a server computer connected via a network and execute them.

[0114] In addition, at least some of the above processing functions can also be implemented by electronic circuits such as DSP (Digital Signal Processor), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), and PLD (Programmable Logic Device).

[0115] Symbol Explanation 1, 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) firefighting equipment; 10. Connecting hoses; 10a Connecting convex part; 10a1 Combined with guide rod; 11. Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Department; 11a Rotor; 11b Fixing part; 11c UAV fixed axis; 11d Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Control Unit; 11e communication module; 11f GPS module; 11g wind direction and wind speed sensor; 11h external temperature sensor; 11i battery; 12. Upper part of the water storage tank; 12a Upper water storage tank body; 121a Upper panel; 121b Spray nozzle; 12b Hose storage section; 12c Pressure solenoid valve; 12d Hydropower Department; 121d water turbine; 13. Lower part of the water storage tank; 13a Outer water storage tank; 13b Inner water storage tank; 13c Below the heat source sensing sensor; 13D lateral heat source sensing sensor; 13e surveillance camera; 13f Water discharge regulating section; 14. Rotary cylindrical water flow path; 15. Fixed cylindrical waterway; 15a Flexible hose connection tube; 151a Connecting recess; 15b Branch of water flow; 16. Freewheel type upper and lower splitting device; 2. Pump truck; 3. Pressure pump; 4. Water hose; 5. Drone base; 100 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Firefighting System.

Claims

1. A drone fire extinguishing device, characterized in that, have: The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) unit is capable of flight and is equipped with a battery. Water storage unit, which is connected to the UAV unit; A power generation unit, which is located inside the water storage unit and includes a water turbine; The connecting part is used to connect a hose for supplying fire extinguishing liquid to the water storage unit. During flight, the drone fire extinguishing device uses the flow of fire extinguishing liquid supplied by the hose connected to the connection to drive the water turbine to rotate, thereby generating electricity and storing the generated electrical energy in the battery.

2. The drone fire extinguishing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also has: The water discharge section is connected to the water storage section and includes its housing and a control mechanism for controlling the amount of extinguishing liquid discharged. The housing has multiple openings for discharging the extinguishing liquid.

3. The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) fire extinguishing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also has: Connecting hoses; One end of the connecting hose draws in the fire extinguishing liquid stored in the water storage compartment, and the other end is connected to the connecting part of other drone fire extinguishing devices, so that the drawn-in fire extinguishing liquid is discharged into the water storage compartment of other drone fire extinguishing devices.

4. The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) fire extinguishing device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The connecting hose is wound around the water storage section, and the hose is released or rewound by rotating the water storage section.

5. The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) fire extinguishing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, From a top-down perspective, the UAV is positioned inside the water storage unit; The surface of the water storage unit on the UAV side is provided with spray holes that can spray fire extinguishing liquid from inside the water storage unit.

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