A drone-borne cargo monitoring system

Abstract

This utility model discloses an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-borne cargo monitoring system, including a rigid platform, a UAV swarm, a fully automatic tracking total station, a GPS, a dual-axis tilt sensor, and an ultrasonic ranging sensor. The rigid platform is an equilateral triangle. The UAV swarm is used to suspend the rigid platform. The fully automatic tracking total station is fixedly positioned at the midpoint of one side of the rigid platform, and a GPS is positioned at the midpoint of each of the other two sides. The dual-axis tilt sensor is fixedly positioned at the center of the rigid platform, and the ultrasonic ranging sensor is fixedly positioned at each corner of the rigid platform. After the UAV swarm suspends the rigid platform and flies to an angled position above the offshore structure, it hovers and uses the fully automatic tracking total station to measure the horizontal angle, vertical angle, and slant distance of the offshore structure, which is then uploaded to a host computer. The host computer calculates the three-dimensional coordinates of the fully automatic tracking total station based on the GPS coordinate data, and further calculates the three-dimensional coordinates of the center point of the offshore structure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, and in particular to a UAV cargo monitoring system. Background Technology

[0002] Offshore steel cylinders are a type of large-scale marine steel structure that is highly efficient, reliable, and multifunctional, and they have shown great advantages, especially in the rapid construction of offshore dikes and artificial islands.

[0003] Offshore steel cylinders are typically several meters above sea level. Traditionally, positioning is achieved using a nearby positioning vessel. However, during offshore engineering monitoring, a monitoring vessel is usually brought close to the object being measured, and sensors are manually deployed on the object for monitoring, which poses certain safety risks. Alternatively, the monitoring device can be placed on the monitoring vessel, but sometimes the object being measured is much higher than the vessel, creating blind spots in the monitoring. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) cargo monitoring system to address the technical deficiencies in existing technologies.

[0005] The technical solution adopted to achieve the purpose of this utility model is:

[0006] This utility model designs a UAV-borne cargo monitoring system, which includes a rigid platform, a UAV swarm, a fully automatic tracking total station, a GPS, a dual-axis tilt sensor, and an ultrasonic ranging sensor. The rigid platform is an equilateral triangle. The UAV swarm is used to suspend the rigid platform, and the number of UAVs in the swarm is the same as the number of corner points of the rigid platform. The fully automatic tracking total station is fixedly installed at the midpoint of one side of the rigid platform, and a GPS is installed at the midpoint of each of the other two sides of the rigid platform. The dual-axis tilt sensor is fixedly installed at the center of the rigid platform, and the ultrasonic ranging sensor is fixedly installed at each corner point of the rigid platform.

[0007] In the above technical solution, the rigid platform is made of carbon fiber material.

[0008] In the above technical solution, the GPS and the fully automatic tracking total station are on the same plane.

[0009] In the above technical solution, a backsight reflector is attached to the base of one of the GPS units to serve as the backsight point for the fully automatic tracking total station.

[0010] In the above technical solution, the marine structure is a steel cylinder, and a cross is placed 10 to 15 cm below the opening of the steel cylinder, with a reflective sheet attached to the center of the cross.

[0011] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are:

[0012] 1. This utility model utilizes the characteristics of high-altitude operation of UAVs to achieve the positioning of offshore structures (such as offshore steel cylinders) by deploying a fully automatic tracking total station, GPS positioning sensor, ultrasonic ranging sensor, and dual-axis tilt sensor on a rigid platform. This avoids blind spots in monitoring, reduces personnel risks, and is especially suitable for rapid measurement in complex sea areas.

[0013] 2. This utility model adopts a rigid platform made of carbon fiber composite material, which is lightweight and highly rigid, making it suitable for drone lifting scenarios. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) cargo monitoring system of this utility model.

[0015] Figure 2 The diagram shows the distribution of the GPS and fully automatic tracking total station on the rigid platform of the UAV cargo monitoring system of this utility model.

[0016] In the diagram: 1-rigid platform, 2-UAV, 3-fully automatic tracking total station, 4-GPS, 5-dual-axis tilt sensor, 6-ultrasonic ranging sensor, 7-steel cylinder, 8-cross, 9-reflector. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0018] This utility model designs an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) cargo monitoring system, referring to... Figure 1 The system includes a rigid platform 1, a drone swarm, a fully automatic tracking total station 3, a GPS 4, a dual-axis tilt sensor 5, and an ultrasonic ranging sensor 6. The drone swarm is used to suspend the rigid platform 1. The number of drones 2 in the drone swarm is the same as the number of corner points of the rigid platform 1. The rigid platform 1 is an equilateral triangle. The fully automatic tracking total station 3 is fixedly set at the midpoint of one side of the rigid platform 1. A GPS 4 is set at the midpoint of each of the other two sides of the rigid platform 1. A backsight reflector is attached to the base of one of the GPS 4s to serve as the backsight point of the fully automatic tracking total station 3. The dual-axis tilt sensor 5 is fixedly set at the center of the rigid platform 1. The ultrasonic ranging sensor 6 is fixedly set at each corner point of the rigid platform 1.

[0019] Furthermore, the rigid platform 1 is made of carbon fiber composite material, which is lightweight and highly rigid, making it suitable for drone-borne applications; the GPS4 uses RTK differential technology, which makes the GPS4 coordinates more accurate and provides a reliable reference for the fully automatic tracking total station 3 measurement.

[0020] The method for locating offshore structures based on the above-mentioned UAV-borne cargo monitoring system is as follows:

[0021] First, three drones 2 are used to suspend a rigid triangular platform 1. After the drone cluster flies to the upper part of the steel cylinder 7, the drone hovering mode is activated.

[0022] Secondly, the flight altitude of each UAV 2 is adjusted using data from ultrasonic ranging sensors 6 located at the three corners of the rigid platform 1, thereby adjusting the tilt of the rigid platform 1 to keep it level. Then, the tilt angle data of the rigid platform 1 is measured using a dual-axis tilt sensor 5 fixed at the center of the rigid platform 1, further calibrating the levelness of the rigid platform 1. The GPS data and the data from the fully automatic tracking total station 3 are synchronized via a hardware synchronization clock or software settings. Before measuring the data of the steel cylinder 7, the GPS 4 with a backsight reflector on its base confirms the backsight azimuth of the fully automatic tracking total station 3, completing the orientation and providing a directional reference for subsequent measurements.

[0023] Finally, the horizontal angle β, vertical angle (zenith distance) α, and slant distance S of the center point P of the reflector 9 on the cross 8 inside the steel cylinder 7 are measured using a fully automatic tracking total station 3, while simultaneously reading the coordinate data from two GPS devices 4. Since the coordinate data of the fully automatic tracking total station 3 changes in real time as the UAV 2 flies, this embodiment uses the coordinate data measured by the GPS 4 and the horizontal angle β, vertical angle (zenith distance) α, and slant distance S of the steel cylinder 7 measured by the fully automatic tracking total station 3, which are simultaneously uploaded to the host computer. The host computer then calculates the coordinates of the fully automatic tracking total station 3 based on the coordinate data from the two GPS devices 4, and thus calculates the three-dimensional coordinates of the center point P of the cross 8 inside the steel cylinder 7.

[0024] Reference Figure 2 Let the rigid platform 1 of the equilateral triangle be △ABC, and the fully automatic tracking total station 3 be located at the midpoint M of side AB. c (x c ,y c Define two GPS devices as GPS. i and GPS j The GPS i Located at the midpoint of side BC, M a (x a ,y a GPS j Located at the midpoint M of edge CAb (x b ,y b The triangle is in a counter-clockwise direction, M c In vector Left side.

[0025] The GPS i and GPS j The midpoint M of the side is located a M b vector (d) x ,d y The formula for calculating ) is:

[0026]

[0027] In the formula, (x a ,y a ,z a ) and (x b ,y b ,z b GPS respectively i and GPS j The three-dimensional coordinates.

[0028] The three-dimensional coordinates (x) of the fully automatic tracking total station 3 c ,y c ,z c The formula for calculating ) is:

[0029]

[0030] In the formula, (d x ,d y GPS i and GPS j The midpoint M of the side is located a M b The vector, (x a ,y a ,z a GPS i The three-dimensional coordinates, (x b ,y b ,z b GPS j The three-dimensional coordinates are given. z is the elevation difference between GPS 4 and the fully automatic tracking total station 3; in this invention, the two GPS 4 units and the fully automatic tracking total station are on the same plane, therefore the elevation difference z is 0.

[0031] Based on the three-dimensional coordinates (x, y) of the fully automatic tracking total station 3 c ,y c ,z cUsing the horizontal angle β, vertical angle (zenith distance) α, and slope distance S of the steel cylinder measured by the fully automatic tracking total station 3, the three-dimensional coordinates (x, y, y) of the center point P of the cross 8 inside the steel cylinder 7 are calculated. p ,y p ,z p ):

[0032]

[0033] In the formula, (x p ,y p ,z p Let (x, y) be the three-dimensional coordinates of the center point P of the steel cylinder 7. c ,y c ,z c ) represents the three-dimensional coordinates of the fully automatic tracking total station 3, β represents the horizontal angle of the center point P of the steel cylinder 7, α represents the vertical angle (zenith distance) of the center point P of the steel cylinder 7, and S represents the slope distance of the center point P of the steel cylinder 7.

[0034] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model. It should be noted that, for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of the present utility model, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial cargo monitoring system, comprising: The system includes a rigid platform, a drone swarm, a fully automatic tracking total station, a GPS, a dual-axis tilt sensor, and an ultrasonic ranging sensor. The rigid platform is an equilateral triangle. The drone swarm is used to suspend the rigid platform, and the number of drones in the swarm is the same as the number of corner points on the rigid platform. The fully automatic tracking total station is fixedly located at the midpoint of one side of the rigid platform, and a GPS is located at the midpoint of each of the other two sides of the rigid platform. The dual-axis tilt sensor is fixedly located at the center of the rigid platform, and the ultrasonic ranging sensor is fixedly located at each corner point of the rigid platform.

2. The UAV cargo monitoring system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rigid platform is made of carbon fiber.

3. The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) cargo monitoring system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The GPS and the fully automatic tracking total station are on the same plane.

4. The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) cargo monitoring system according to claim 1, characterized in that, A backsight reflector is attached to the base of one of the GPS units to serve as the backsight point for the fully automatic tracking total station.

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