Methane detection unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

The methane detection unmanned aerial vehicle comprises an unmanned aerial vehicle body, a control box is fixedly installed at the bottom of the unmanned aerial vehicle body through bolts, and a methane detection module is installed at the bottom of the control box; the methane detection module comprises a three-axis holder and a dual-light pod which are hinged to each other, the three-axis holder is connected with the methane detection module, and a methane detector and a high-definition camera are embedded in the dual-light pod; the system further comprises a control circuit module, a satellite positioning module, an external communication module and an unmanned aerial vehicle communication cloud module. The control circuit module is in signal connection with the unmanned aerial vehicle body and the high-definition camera; the satellite positioning module is used for positioning real-time position coordinates of the unmanned aerial vehicle body; the external communication module is in signal connection with the high-definition camera and the unmanned aerial vehicle body; the unmanned aerial vehicle communication cloud module is in signal connection with the unmanned aerial vehicle body and the ground control station. According to the utility model, the technical problem that the detection cost is further increased because the complexity of large chelles mounted on an unmanned aerial vehicle becomes high in the prior art is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model belongs to the technical field of methane detection equipment, and specifically relates to a methane detection drone. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous development of science and technology, drones have been widely used in many fields. However, the existing drones have relatively simple functions and can only perform simple shooting or reconnaissance tasks, mainly targeting specific scenes such as mines and natural gas pipelines.

[0003] Methane is a flammable and explosive gas. If the concentration is too high, it may cause safety accidents. Therefore, real-time detection and monitoring of methane is essential. However, most of the current drones do not have the methane detection function and need to be mounted with other equipment for detection. With the increasing demand of operators, more equipment needs to be mounted. Simple mounting can no longer meet the needs. The mounted equipment also requires multi-faceted operations, which is extremely complex and undoubtedly increases the detection cost. In addition, the signals between the devices are not interoperable, and all information cannot be shared in real time. It is difficult to integrate into accurate data, which may lead to misjudgment by the operator, resulting in useless work. Therefore, a methane detection drone is designed. Utility Model Content

[0004] The utility model aims to provide a methane detection drone, which solves the technical problem in the prior art that the drone carries too much detection equipment, which further increases the complexity of its chelicerae and increases the detection cost.

[0005] The technical solution adopted by the utility model is that a methane detection drone comprises a drone body, a control box is fixedly connected to the bottom of the drone body by bolts, and a methane detection module is installed at the bottom of the control box;

[0006] The methane detection module includes a three-axis gimbal and a dual-light pod that are articulated with each other. The three-axis gimbal is connected to the methane detection module, and the dual-light pod is embedded with a methane detector and a high-definition camera.

[0007] It also includes a control circuit module, a satellite positioning module, an external communication module and a UAV communication cloud module;

[0008] The control circuit module is connected to the drone body and the high-definition camera signal;

[0009] The satellite positioning module is used to locate the real-time position coordinates of the drone body;

[0010] The external communication module is connected to the HD camera and the drone body signal respectively;

[0011] The UAV communication cloud module is connected to the UAV body and the ground control station signal respectively.

[0012] The utility model is also characterized in that:

[0013] The control circuit module includes a photo control module and a flight control module. The photo control module is installed in the high-definition camera and is connected to the methane detector and the high-definition camera signals respectively; the flight control module is installed in the drone body and is connected to the drone body signals.

[0014] The side wall of the dual-light pod is equipped with multiple signal output interfaces, including network interface, TTL interface, CAN interface and SBUS interface;

[0015] The network port is connected to the drone body and the ground control station signal respectively;

[0016] The TTL interface is connected to the methane detector signal;

[0017] The CAN interface is connected to the photo control module and the high-definition camera signal respectively;

[0018] The SBUS interface is connected to the three-axis gimbal signal.

[0019] The TTL signal output by the methane detection module is compatible with both the TTL interface and the CAN interface.

[0020] The methane detection drone also includes an OSD circuit, and the satellite positioning module is connected to the high-definition camera through the OSD circuit.

[0021] The three-axis gimbal is driven by three brushless motors.

[0022] The resolution of the HD camera is 4096x2160.

[0023] A storage module is also provided inside the high-definition camera.

[0024] A shock-absorbing module is installed on the outer wall of the three-axis gimbal.

[0025] The engagement distance of the dual-light pod is ≤1mm.

[0026] The beneficial effects of the utility model are:

[0027] Compared with the prior art, the utility model integrates the methane detection module and the high-definition camera into the three-axis gimbal of the drone, realizing the modular application of drone methane detection and photography; the methane detector can be folded during takeoff and landing to prevent damage; the photos will display the positioning information of the drone body according to the data of the satellite positioning module, which is convenient for later abnormal inspection and positioning; the built-in storage module saves videos and photos with positioning information, which is convenient for subsequent inspection; when a methane leak is detected, it automatically alarms and sends the leak coordinates and photos, improving automation and response capabilities; at the same time, the methane concentration and positioning coordinates are sent to the background to form a leak map, improving the speed and accuracy of disposal. In summary, the utility model has multi-module integration, high compatibility, and extremely light mounting volume. The device volume and weight are only 45% of the existing technical solutions, becoming a detection device to improve efficiency, solving the technical problem in the prior art that the complexity of the large chelicerae of the drone due to the excessive mounting of detection equipment further increases the detection cost. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the utility model;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the methane detection module in the utility model;

[0030] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the disassembled structure of the three-axis gimbal and the dual-light pod in the utility model;

[0031] Figure 4 It is a structural schematic diagram of the dual-light pod in the utility model;

[0032] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the explosion structure of the dual-light pod in the utility model;

[0033] In the figure, 1. UAV body, 2. bolts, 3. control box, 4. methane detection module, 5. three-axis gimbal, 6. dual-light pod, 7. methane detector, 8. high-definition camera, 9. control circuit module, 10. signal output interface, 11. network port, 12. TTL interface, 13. CAN interface, 14. SBUS interface, 15. storage module, 16. shock absorption module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] The utility model is further explained below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods.

[0035] Example 1

[0036] like Figure 1-5As shown, the utility model provides a methane detection drone, including a drone body 1. The drone is an unmanned aircraft controlled by a radio remote control device and a self-contained program control device. It has functions such as long cruising, small size, the ability to hover and take photos, and equipped with obstacle avoidance radar. It can play a role in various fields according to usage requirements. Therefore, in this field, a laser methane detector 7 is installed on the drone body 1, so that the drone body 1 can realize automatic methane detection on the ground during the inspection process. A control box 3 is fixedly installed at the bottom of the drone body 1 by bolts 2, and a methane detection module 4 is installed at the bottom of the control box 3;

[0037] The methane detection module 4 includes a three-axis gimbal 5 and a dual-light pod 6 which are articulated with each other. The three-axis gimbal 5 is connected to the methane detection module 4, and the dual-light pod 6 is embedded with a methane detector 7 and a high-definition camera 8;

[0038] The three-axis gimbal 5 is used to adjust the shooting and detection direction; the methane detector 7 is used to detect the leakage or accumulation of methane; the high-definition camera 8 is used to monitor and shoot the ground environment;

[0039] The three-axis gimbal 5 is a common load-bearing mounting component, which is composed of three rotating shafts controlled by a brushless motor. It can be controlled by two signals, SBUS and TLL, which are the roll axis, pitch axis, and yaw axis, respectively. The rotation angle ranges of the three axes are perpendicular to the horizontal ground: ±60°, -90 to 0 degrees, and ±90°, respectively; among them, the pitch axis will drive the dual-light pod 6 to rotate downward from the horizontal state, toward the ground, so as to detect methane below. It is known that the drone body 1 will cause the surrounding sand and gravel to splash when taking off. If the dual-light pod 6 rotates downward at this time, it is very easy to be damaged by sand and gravel, so it is set The three-axis gimbal 5 will be restored to the default angle of 0 degrees after power-on or before power-off, that is, horizontal to the ground. In this way, the above phenomenon can be avoided. After taking off to a certain height, the three-axis gimbal 5 will be adjusted to a direction perpendicular to the ground, which is convenient for accurately scanning methane leakage along the flight route; the jitter of the three axes of the pod gimbal is ≤±0.05 degrees, and then by controlling these three axes, the three-axis gimbal 5 can maintain a specific angle and work stably, thereby controlling and stabilizing the operating state of the methane detection module 4, and further ensuring the accuracy of its detection data.

[0040] The laser methane detector 7 is mainly used to detect methane leakage or accumulation. After detecting methane leakage, it actively sends a methane drone leakage alarm signal to the ground station to remind the backstage operator and quickly specify a treatment plan to improve the speed and accuracy of methane leakage treatment. In this embodiment, the laser methane detector 7 and the high-definition camera 8 are integrated into the three-axis gimbal 5. Through the modular application of the laser methane detector 7 and the high-definition camera 8, automatic methane detection, positioning and photo storage on the ground are realized. In the later stage, only the detection signal and photos need to be transmitted to the ground station through the signal line, which effectively improves the detection efficiency; and compared with the same type and function product solutions on the market, the volume and weight are reduced by at least 55%, so as to extend the detection time and flight time. Based on the above content, the high-definition camera 8 is installed on the front right side of the dual-light pod 6, and is arranged in parallel with the laser methane detector 7, with a parallelism of ≤0.5 degrees. The parallelism close to 0 can make the horizontal recording error of the high-definition camera 8 close to 0, further increasing the methane detection accuracy.

[0041] The dual-light pod 6 is composed of two parts, upper and lower, which are fixedly connected by screw holes and nuts. The whole body is integrally formed, and each structure is fastened without empty space. There is no abnormal sound, no noise, and no deformation during operation. The engagement distance between the upper and lower parts is less than 1mm, which can not only prevent the intrusion of solid foreign objects with a diameter greater than 1mm, but also prevent the intrusion of tools, wires and similar small foreign objects with a diameter or thickness greater than 1.0mm and contact with the internal parts of the electrical appliance, causing a short circuit inside the pod, resulting in the failure of the methane detection function. On this basis, the utility model also performs waterproof treatment on the dual-light pod 6, which can not only prevent rain, but also prevent water sprayed in a direction less than 60 degrees from the vertical horizontal from intruding into the electrical appliance, avoiding short circuits in the pod. With reference to the above content, all module components in the dual-light pod 6 are also led out from the upper control box 3, and plugs and sockets with a pin pitch of 1.25mm or 2.54mm are used to effectively prevent the intrusion of foreign objects and sprayed water, resulting in the failure of the control circuit.

[0042] It also includes a control circuit module 9, a satellite positioning module, an external communication module and a drone communication cloud module;

[0043] The control circuit module 9 is connected to the drone body 1 and the high-definition camera 8 by signal; it is used to control the operation of the high-definition camera 8 and the drone body 1;

[0044] The satellite positioning module is used to locate the real-time position coordinates of the drone body 1 ; it can be installed on the drone body 1 or the dual-light pod 6 .

[0045] The external communication module is respectively connected to the high-definition camera 8 and the drone body 1 by signal; the external communication module is installed in the dual-light pod 6, and is used to transmit the methane leakage situation and the images taken by the high-definition camera 8 to the drone body 1; when the high-definition camera 8 stores the taken photos and videos, the external communication module will also transmit the above content to the drone body 1, and the collected information and images will be transmitted back to the ground control station through the drone communication cloud module, and the positioning information will be processed by the background of the ground, so that the positioning information point is reflected on the known area map, and according to the gas concentration generated by the methane detector 7, a methane gas concentration gradient distribution map is formed on the 4K display screen for viewing by the operator, which greatly improves the automation of inspection, reduces the workload of personnel, and improves the response capability.

[0046] The UAV communication cloud module is respectively connected to the UAV body 1 and the ground control station by signal. The UAV communication cloud module is installed in the dual-optical pod 6 and is used to transmit images and videos to the ground control station.

[0047] The utility model integrates the laser methane detection module 4 and the high-definition camera 8 into the three-axis gimbal 5 of the drone, realizing the modular application of drone methane detection and photography; the methane detector 7 can be folded up during takeoff and landing to prevent damage; the photos will display the positioning information of the drone body 1 according to the data of the satellite positioning module, which is convenient for later abnormal inspection and positioning; the built-in storage module saves videos and photos with positioning information, which is convenient for subsequent inspection; when a methane leak is detected, it automatically alarms and sends the leak coordinates and photos, improving automation and response capabilities; at the same time, the methane concentration and positioning coordinates are sent to the background to form a leak map, improving the speed and accuracy of disposal. In summary, this product uses multi-module integration, has extremely high compatibility, and has an extremely light mounting volume. The device volume and weight are only 45% of other solutions, making it a detection device that improves efficiency.

[0048] Furthermore, the control circuit module 9 includes a photo control module and a flight control module. The photo control module is installed in the high-definition camera 8 and is respectively connected to the methane detector 7 and the high-definition camera 8 by signal; it is used to drive the high-definition camera 8 to perform shooting according to the output signal of the methane detector 7; the flight control module is installed in the drone body 1, and the flight control module is connected to the drone body 1 by signal, and is used to control the flight speed of the drone body 1.

[0049] Furthermore, the side wall of the dual-optical pod 6 is provided with a plurality of signal output interfaces 10, and the plurality of signal output interfaces 10 include a network port 11, a TTL interface 12, a CAN interface 13 and an SBUS interface 14;

[0050] The network port 11 is respectively connected to the drone body 1 and the ground control station signal; it is used for receiving and displaying the high-definition video generated after the drone body 1 is detected by the ground station;

[0051] The TTL interface 12 is connected to the methane detector 7 signal; it is used to output the detection data generated by the methane detector 7;

[0052] The CAN interface 13 is respectively connected to the photo control module and the high-definition camera 8 by signal;

[0053] The SBUS interface 14 is connected to the three-axis gimbal 5 by signal.

[0054] The CAN interface 13 and the SBUS interface 14 are used to receive the signal outputs of the photographing control module and the methane detection module 4 , and control the high-definition camera 8 and the three-axis gimbal 5 .

[0055] Furthermore, the TTL signal output by the methane detection module 4 is adapted to both the TTL interface 12 and the CAN interface 13 .

[0056] The flight control module is connected to the control circuit module 9 by telecommunication, and is mainly used to control the flight altitude and speed of the drone body 1. Since the original flight speed is fixed, it can efficiently scan the ground. After detecting a methane leak, if the original flight speed is still used, the high-definition camera 8 may not be able to capture clear photos, and the operator cannot accurately determine the specific location of the picture. Therefore, the flight control module and the photo control module are driven in parallel. When a methane leak is detected, the TTL interface 12 sends a signal. At this time, the control circuit module 9 reads the identification signal and sends an instruction. The photo control module receives the instruction to drive the high-definition camera 8 to continuously take photos. At the same time, the flight control module receives the instruction to drive the drone body 1 to slow down the flight speed and cooperate with the high-definition camera 8 to take photos, so as to obtain clearer and more accurate photos.

[0057] The TTL signal output by the methane detection module 4 can be adapted to the TTL interface 12 and the CAN interface 13 at the same time, and then adapted to the two required flight conditions of "leakage and no leakage". One path is directly led out of the TTL interface 12 from the dual-optical pod 6, and the other path is converted by the CAN board and then led out of the CAN interface 13 from the dual-optical pod 6.

[0058] Example 2

[0059] On the basis of Example 1, the methane detection drone further includes an OSD circuit, and the satellite positioning module is connected to the high-definition camera 8 through the OSD circuit.

[0060] The methane detector 7 and the high-definition camera 8 are integrated into the three-axis gimbal 5 to realize the modular application of the laser methane detector 7 and the high-definition camera 8 in the unmanned aerial vehicle, so that the laser methane detector 7 can realize automatic methane detection on the ground during the inspection process. Based on the above content, this embodiment also adds a satellite positioning module GPS in the dual-light pod 6. The weight of the satellite positioning module GPS is ≤20 grams, and it can search for three satellite signals of Beidou, GPS, and GLONASS. The highest positioning accuracy is ≤2-5 meters, and the positioning refresh rate is ≥5HZ. The satellite positioning module is used in conjunction with the unmanned aerial vehicle body 1 to form a high, medium, low altitude, multi-level, and multi-directional three-dimensional aerial reconnaissance and surveillance network, which can make the information on methane leakage more accurate and reliable.

[0061] Specifically, the satellite positioning module is connected to the high-definition camera 8 through the OSD circuit. The main function of the OSD circuit is to control the position of the screen and provide a built-in font display. That is, when the high-definition camera 8 takes photos and photographs of the methane leakage site, the satellite positioning module will transmit the location coordinates of the drone body 1 at this time, that is, the longitude and latitude and the altitude to the high-definition camera 8 through the OSD circuit, so that the 4K photos and videos stored in the TF card are displayed with the OSD information of the longitude and latitude and the altitude, realizing the overlay display function of the longitude and latitude, making the recorded location of the methane leakage point more accurate.

[0062] Furthermore, the three-axis gimbal 5 is driven by three brushless motors.

[0063] Furthermore, the pixel of the high-definition camera 8 is 4096x2160. That is, the generated photos and videos can be 4K ultra-high-definition resolution, avoiding missed detection due to the low resolution of the real-time image sent back by the drone body 1 for methane detection data.

[0064] Furthermore, a storage module 15 is also provided in the high-definition camera 8. It is used to store the videos and images taken. The storage module 15 is installed in the high-definition camera 8 and is used to store the videos and images taken. Specifically, a TF card slot is set in the high-definition camera 8, which supports a memory card of ≥128G, can record 4K videos, and can output 1080p or 720P videos through the network port 11; and then when the laser methane detector 7 detects a methane leak, it will send out an alarm signal and take a photo of the leaking ground. The real-time positioning information of the drone body 1 will be displayed on the photo, which is convenient for the subsequent operator to check the abnormal vegetation along the line again and accurately locate and eliminate the abnormality.

[0065] The specific operation is as follows: during the normal inspection process of the methane detector 7, when a methane leak is found, a signal will be sent through the TTL interface 12. At this time, the control circuit module 9 reads the identification signal and sends an instruction. The photo control module receives the instruction and drives the high-definition camera 8 to take photos continuously at a frequency of 1 photo per second. The photos are stored in the TF card until the laser methane detector 7 can no longer detect methane leaks and the photo taking stops automatically.

[0066] Among them, the specific parameters of the high-definition camera 8 are: focal length 3-5mm, viewing angle 45-60 degrees, imaging distance 2 meters to infinity, CMOS size ≥1 / 2 inch, resolution ≥3840X2160, JPG format; maximum video resolution 3840X2160, 30 frames / second, MP4 format.

[0067] Example 3

[0068] On the basis of Example 1, a shock absorbing module 16 is installed on the outer wall of the three-axis gimbal 5. The shock absorbing module 16 is installed on the three-axis gimbal 5 to reduce the vibration of the methane detection module 4 during flight. A shockproof module is arranged on the top of the dual-light pod 6, which can be any one of a shock absorbing spring and a spring, including but not limited to the above two settings. By setting the shockproof module, the vibration of the laser methane detection module 4 during flight is reduced, and the operational stability and service life of the dual-light pod 6 are further guaranteed.

[0069] The engagement distance of the dual-light pod 6 is ≤1 mm.

[0070] In summary, the dual-light pod 6 in the utility model not only has multiple signal output interfaces 10: TTL interface 12, CAN interface 13, SBUS interface 14 and network port 11, including but not limited to the above interfaces, but can be added according to actual needs, and is mostly used to connect the flight control module of the drone body 1, the communication module of the drone body 1, control the angle of the pod and take photos and videos, and realize the control of the three-axis gimbal 5 and the instant return of information and images collected by the laser methane detector 7. It also has multiple built-in modules: methane detection module 4, control circuit module 9, satellite positioning module, external communication module, drone communication cloud module, photo control module and flight control module, including but not limited to the above modules, multi-module integration, with extremely light mounting volume and multi-compatibility. In addition, the total size of the entire pod is ≤150X150X100mm, and the internal module installation design is compact, which can effectively reduce wind resistance, thereby reducing the flight resistance of the mounted methane detection module 4 to the drone body 1.

[0071] The specific detection process of the utility model is as follows:

[0072] 1. The drone body 1 flies to scan the ground methane leakage in real time;

[0073] 11. If there is no leakage, the high-definition camera 8 starts to store the captured video, which plays a role of real-time monitoring;

[0074] 12. If a leak occurs, the methane detector 7 first sends out a methane leak alarm signal;

[0075] The flight control module receives the command to drive the drone body 1 to slow down the flight speed, and at the same time starts the high-definition camera 8 to take intensive photos of the leaking ground, and displays the longitude and latitude information provided by the satellite positioning module in the image information and stores it in the TF card;

[0076] At the same time, the external communication module transmits the collected information and images with real-time positioning to the drone body 1, and the drone body 1 transmits the above information to the ground control station via the drone communication cloud module. The background then processes the above information into a methane gas concentration gradient distribution map and displays it on a 4K display screen for the operator to view and process.

Claims

1. Methane detection drone, characterized by: The invention comprises an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) body (1), a control box (3) being fixedly connected to the bottom of the UAV body (1) by bolts (2), and a methane detection module (4) being installed at the bottom of the control box (3); the methane detection module (4) comprising a three-axis gimbal (5) and a dual-light pod (6) which are hinged to each other, the three-axis gimbal (5) being connected to the methane detection module (4), and the dual-light pod (6) being embedded with a methane detector (7) and a high-definition camera (8); and further comprising a control circuit module (9), a satellite positioning module, an external communication module and an UAV communication cloud module; the control circuit module (9) being signal-connected to the UAV body (1) and the high-definition camera (8); the satellite positioning module being used to locate the real-time position coordinates of the UAV body (1); the external communication module being signal-connected to the high-definition camera (8) and the UAV body (1); and the UAV communication cloud module being signal-connected to the UAV body (1) and a ground control station.

2. The methane detection drone according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control circuit module (9) comprises a photographing control module and a flight control module. The photographing control module is installed in the high-definition camera (8) and is respectively connected to the methane detector (7) and the high-definition camera (8) by signals. The flight control module is installed in the drone body (1) and is connected to the drone body (1) by signals.

3. The methane detection drone according to claim 2, characterized in that: The side wall of the dual-light pod (6) is provided with a plurality of signal output interfaces (10), and the plurality of signal output interfaces (10) include a network port (11), a TTL interface (12), a CAN interface (13) and an SBUS interface (14); The network port (11) is respectively connected to the drone body (1) and the ground control station signal; The TTL interface (12) is connected to the signal of the methane detector (7); The CAN interface (13) is respectively connected to the photo taking control module and the high definition camera (8) by signals; The SBUS interface (14) is connected to the three-axis pan / tilt platform (5) by signal.

4. The methane detection drone according to claim 3, characterized in that: The TTL signal output by the methane detection module (4) is adapted to both the TTL interface (12) and the CAN interface (13).

5. The methane detection drone according to claim 1, characterized in that: The methane detection drone also includes an OSD circuit, and the satellite positioning module is connected to the high-definition camera (8) via the OSD circuit.

6. The methane detection drone according to claim 1, characterized in that: The three-axis pan-tilt platform (5) is driven by three brushless motors.

7. The methane detection drone according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pixel of the high-definition camera (8) is 4096x2160.

8. The methane detection drone according to claim 7, characterized in that: A storage module (15) is also provided inside the high-definition camera (8).

9. The methane detection drone according to claim 1, characterized in that: A shock absorbing module (16) is installed on the outer wall of the three-axis pan-tilt platform (5).

10. The methane detection drone according to claim 1, characterized in that: The engagement distance of the dual-light pod (6) is ≤1 mm.

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