A multi-point measuring device based on an unmanned total station

Abstract

A kind of multi-point measuring device based on unmanned total station, including unmanned aerial vehicle with total station, unmanned aerial vehicle is equipped with installation platform in middle, installation platform is equipped with camera device, total station and continuous leveling station building device;The continuous leveling station building device includes electric control system and upper control platform and lower control platform, and is equipped with driving device between upper control platform and lower control platform, to drive the leveling of upper control platform, and upper control platform is connected with total station;The unmanned aerial vehicle according to planned path multi-point is landed in turn, and electric control system automatically controls total station to complete single-point static measurement each time landing.The utility model uses unmanned total station to complete the accurate measurement work of total station static multi-point by continuous leveling station building device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of surveying and mapping technology, and more specifically, to a multi-point surveying device based on an unmanned total station. Background Technology

[0002] In the construction of key buildings, measuring the absolute coordinates of critical structural points with millimeter-level accuracy is a core step in assessing structural safety and construction quality. Existing 3D modeling technologies, such as 3D laser scanning or photogrammetry, typically only achieve centimeter-level accuracy, which is insufficient for ultra-high precision measurements. While traditional high-precision measurement methods using total stations can achieve millimeter-level accuracy, their performance is highly dependent on the precise leveling of the instrument itself; even a slight deviation in the leveling process can lead to unacceptable errors in the measurement results. Furthermore, traditional manual operation methods have significant drawbacks, including low measurement efficiency, limitations imposed by complex terrain conditions, and safety risks to operators. Although UAV-mounted total stations are available for surveying, these systems still require full manual intervention and cannot achieve continuous automatic multi-point measurement. This results in cumbersome procedures and difficulty in ensuring measurement consistency and reliability in scenarios requiring multi-point measurements. Therefore, existing technologies urgently need improvement to address these issues. Utility Model Content

[0003] The purpose of this application is to provide a multi-point measurement device based on an unmanned total station, which realizes automatic leveling and continuous multi-point measurement by the UAV, improves measurement efficiency and reliability, reduces manual intervention, and enhances adaptability in complex terrain conditions.

[0004] This application provides a multi-point measurement device based on an unmanned total station, including an installation platform on which a camera device, a total station, and a continuous leveling and station-building device are installed; the continuous leveling and station-building device includes an electronic control system, an upper control platform, and a lower control platform, with a drive device between the upper and lower control platforms to drive the upper control platform to level, and the upper control platform is connected to the total station; the UAV lands sequentially at multiple points according to a planned path, and the electronic control system automatically controls the total station to complete a single-point static measurement each time it lands.

[0005] Furthermore, this application also proposes that the upper part of the mounting platform is connected to the lower control platform, and the lower part of the mounting platform is connected to the camera device and the drone smooth landing device. The drone smooth landing device includes multiple outwardly tilted tripods, the top of the tripods is connected to the mounting platform by a rotating hinge, the bottom of the tripods is a landing cone with a sharp corner, and a shock absorber is installed between the landing cone and the tripods.

[0006] Furthermore, this application also proposes that the driving device includes three hydraulic rods distributed at different angles and a hydraulic control device for controlling the spatial state of the hydraulic rods; both ends of the hydraulic rods are provided with driving push rods, and the ends of the driving push rods are connected to universal hinge assemblies. The universal hinge assembly includes two cross shaft assemblies, which are connected by a connecting ring. The cross shaft assembly includes a cross shaft and a U-shaped adjusting arm. The cross shaft includes a longitudinal shaft and a transverse shaft that intersect each other. The top of the U-shaped adjusting arm is provided with a connecting hole. The two arms of the U-shaped adjusting arm are connected to the two ends of the transverse shaft by retaining rings. The two ends of the longitudinal shaft are connected to the upper mounting holes on both sides of the connecting ring. The lower side of the upper mounting holes on both sides of the connecting ring is provided with a lower mounting hole, which is connected to another cross shaft assembly.

[0007] Furthermore, this application also proposes that one end of the hydraulic rod is connected to the upper control platform, and the other end is connected to the upper control platform. The other end of the hydraulic rod is connected to the upper control platform, and the other end is connected to the upper control platform. The other end is connected to the lower control platform, and the other end is connected to the upper control platform. The hydraulic rod is controlled by universal joint assemblies at both ends to maintain its spatial state. The hydraulic rod is connected to a displacement sensor.

[0008] Furthermore, this application also proposes that the hydraulic rod is connected to a hydraulic control device via an oil pipe joint. The hydraulic control device includes an oil pump driven by a motor, the oil pump is connected to an oil tank and a solenoid valve. There are three solenoid valves, each connected to a hydraulic rod via an independent oil circuit through a connecting block, which independently control the movement of the hydraulic rod's drive rod.

[0009] Furthermore, this application also proposes that the upper control platform is connected to a tilt sensor.

[0010] Furthermore, this application also proposes that the total station includes a connecting plate and interconnected total station controller, wide-angle camera module, total station telescope, and telephoto camera module; the connecting plate is connected to the upper control platform.

[0011] Furthermore, this application also proposes a UAV control section and a static measurement process:

[0012] The drone control system includes:

[0013] ① Landing: The UAV flies to the top of the measuring point and executes a slow vertical descent procedure. When all the landing gear ends stably touch the ground and (as determined by onboard IMU data monitoring) the aircraft attitude tends to stabilize, the flight control system determines that the landing is successful.

[0014] ② Attitude confirmation and mode switching: The flight control system automatically switches from "flight mode" to "measurement standby mode". The system reads the current roll and pitch angle data of the IMU to record the initial landing attitude and monitor the system health status.

[0015] ③ Process handover: The flight control system directly issues the command signal "Landing ready, leveling permitted". The continuous leveling station immediately powers on and starts, beginning dynamic leveling work based on the tilt sensor;

[0016] The dynamic leveling work includes:

[0017] ① Initial state: After the drone has landed and come to a complete stop. At this time, the drive rod of the hydraulic rod is at the midpoint of its stroke;

[0018] ② Leveling / Lifting Start: Start the oil pump. The operator sends the target commands: one is the "automatic leveling" command, setting the target posture to horizontal; the other is the "lifting" command, setting the target height.

[0019] ③ Motion calculation: The electronic control system reads the current value of the tilt sensor and calculates the target length that the drive rods of the three hydraulic rods need to reach in order to achieve the target posture;

[0020] ④ Drive and closed-loop control: The electronic control system compares the actual length fed back by the displacement sensors of the three hydraulic rods with the calculated target length to obtain the position error, and adjusts the displacement of the three hydraulic rods according to the position error;

[0021] ⑤ Leveling completed and rigidity maintained: When the tilt sensor enters the allowable error range, the leveling process ends and the static measurement process begins;

[0022] The static measurement process includes

[0023] ① Station Establishment: The location where the total station rests is designated as the station point. The resection principle is used to calculate the station coordinates in real time. The specific steps are as follows: Enter "Resection" or "Free Station Establishment" mode in the total station. Aim the total station telescope at control point A used for resection to obtain the point number and coordinates (X, Y, Z) of point A. Record the horizontal angle, vertical angle, and slope distance of control point A. Then, rotate the telescope to precisely aim at control point B. Similarly, input the coordinates of control point B to obtain its horizontal angle, vertical angle, and slope distance. After observing at least two points, the total station's built-in program uses the least squares method to automatically calculate and display the three-dimensional coordinates (X, Y, Z) of the station point. After station establishment, aim the total station telescope at a known point not involved in the resection calculation for accuracy verification, i.e., measure the coordinates of that point. Compare the measured values ​​with the known values. If the error meets the measurement requirements, the station is successfully established.

[0024] ② Target measurement: After the station is successfully established, the total station will observe each target point in sequence according to the preset measurement point list;

[0025] ③ Site relocation and relay measurement: After completing the current measurement task, the UAV autonomously flies to the next preset measurement point. Then, the process of "leveling → site establishment → measurement → verification" is repeated.

[0026] ④ Data Processing and Result Generation: Joint adjustment and systematic error correction are performed on all station observation data to output three-dimensional point location results with millimeter-level accuracy in a unified coordinate system. All measurement data and analysis results are automatically uploaded to the ground control center, from which structured reports and accuracy distribution maps are generated.

[0027] Furthermore, this application proposes that after a successful station observation, the system sequentially observes each target point according to a preset list of measurement points. The specific steps are as follows: the total station uses a wide-angle camera module combined with a target recognition algorithm to locate the approximate direction of the target. Then, the total station's built-in motor drives the total station telescope to rotate, completing the approximate aiming at the target. After the target is approximated by the telephoto lens, the total station system's telephoto camera module is used to capture a high-magnification image of the target. The telephoto pixel coordinates of the target's center are then obtained through the following processing flow:

[0028] 1. Image grayscale conversion;

[0029] 2. Enhance grayscale image contrast through piecewise linear transformation;

[0030] III. Image binarization;

[0031] IV. The image is smoothed using a Gaussian filtering algorithm;

[0032] V. Edge detection in images using the Canny operator;

[0033] VI. Vectorization of boundary point pixel coordinates;

[0034] VII. Noise Removal;

[0035] 8. Use the random sampling consensus algorithm to perform center fitting on the boundary vector points;

[0036] 9. Output the fitted center coordinates, calculate the offset between the center of the total station telescope (27) and the center of the target under test on the telephoto image, drive the total station telescope (27) to rotate until the two centers coincide, and complete the precise aiming of the target under test; then enter the total station to perform measurement and read the three-dimensional coordinates (X,Y,Z) of the target under test.

[0037] As can be seen from the above, the multi-point measurement device based on an unmanned total station provided in this application achieves automatic leveling and static measurement by using an unmanned aerial vehicle to automatically plan the path for multi-point landing and a continuous leveling and station building device. This solves the problems of strong dependence on leveling, low efficiency and excessive manual intervention in traditional measurement. It realizes automatic leveling and continuous multi-point measurement, thus improving measurement efficiency and reliability. Attached Figure Description

[0038] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0039] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a multi-point measuring device based on an unmanned total station according to the present invention;

[0040] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the continuous leveling and station building device in this utility model;

[0041] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the hydraulic control device in this utility model;

[0042] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the installation structure of the hydraulic control device and hydraulic rod in this utility model;

[0043] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the hydraulic rod of this utility model;

[0044] Figure 6 for Figure 5 Enlarged structural diagram at point A in the middle;

[0045] Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the total station in this utility model;

[0046] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the tripod in this utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0047] The following will refer to the appendix to this application. Figure 1-8 The technical solutions in this application are clearly and completely described herein. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. The components of this application described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of this application provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed application, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0048] It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following figures indicate similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures. Furthermore, in the description of this application, terms such as "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0049] This application proposes a multi-point measurement device based on an unmanned total station, including a drone 3 equipped with a total station. The drone 3 has an installation platform 7 in the middle, and the installation platform 7 is equipped with a camera device 5, a total station 1, and a continuous leveling and station building device 8. The continuous leveling and station building device 8 includes an electronic control system 4, an upper control platform 2, and a lower control platform 12. A drive device for driving the upper control platform 2 to level is provided between the upper control platform 2 and the lower control platform. The upper control platform 2 is connected to the total station 1. The drone 3 lands sequentially at multiple points according to a planned path. Each time it lands, the electronic control system 4 automatically controls the total station 1 to complete a single-point static measurement.

[0050] The continuous leveling station device 8 can be understood as an automated device for dynamically adjusting the attitude of a total station. Specifically, it can be achieved through a mechanical leveling mechanism, such as using a gear and rack transmission structure in conjunction with an angle sensor for leveling operations, or using a pneumatic adjustment device combined with a pressure feedback system to maintain a horizontal state. Furthermore, the electrical control system 4 can use an embedded controller as the core processing unit, which receives attitude sensor signals and outputs control commands to drive the leveling device. As a preferred embodiment, the device can also integrate a wireless communication module for real-time transmission of leveling status data.

[0051] In practical applications, the drive device can consist of a stepper motor and a lead screw assembly. The stepper motor rotates to drive the lead screw, achieving linear motion and thus adjusting the posture of the upper control platform 2. Alternatively, the drive device can also use a linear motor for direct drive, achieving precise position adjustment by controlling the magnitude and direction of the current. Both of these methods can meet the requirements for accuracy and response speed during leveling.

[0052] The innovation of this application lies in using a drone as a mobile platform, combined with an automated leveling and measurement system, to solve the problems of high dependence on leveling, low efficiency, and difficulty in continuous multi-point mapping of total stations under traditional manual operation modes. Specifically, the drone automatically flies to different measurement points according to a preset path, avoiding the limitations imposed by terrain obstacles on human operation and significantly reducing safety risks. At the same time, the continuous leveling and station-building device can automatically complete the leveling operation each time it lands, ensuring that the total station is always in a level state, realizing efficient and safe multi-point millimeter-level measurement in complex environments.

[0053] The working principle of this application embodiment is as follows: A multi-point measurement device based on an unmanned total station achieves automated multi-point continuous measurement through an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) 3 equipped with a total station. The mounting platform 7 in the middle of the UAV 3 provides a stable support foundation for the measurement equipment, ensuring the stability of the overall structure during flight and landing. The camera device 5, the total station 1, and the continuous leveling and station-building device 8 integrated on the mounting platform 7 work together to complete the measurement task. Specifically, the camera device 5 assists in target identification and positioning, the total station 1 is responsible for performing millimeter-level precision measurement tasks, and the continuous leveling and station-building device 8 is the core component, used to realize the automatic leveling function of the total station 1.

[0054] The continuous leveling station setup device 8 includes an electronic control system 4, an upper control platform 2, and a lower control platform 12. A drive device is provided between the upper control platform 2 and the lower control platform 12 to dynamically adjust their relative positions. Furthermore, the drive device drives the upper control platform 2 to perform leveling operations according to the instructions of the electronic control system 4, thereby compensating for attitude deviations caused by uneven ground during the landing of the UAV 3. Thus, the upper control platform 2 always remains level and provides a precise reference plane for the total station 1 connected to it, ensuring that measurement accuracy is not affected by the tilt of the aircraft.

[0055] The drone 3 flies sequentially to multiple measurement points and lands according to a preset path. Each time it lands, the electronic control system 4 automatically triggers the single-point static measurement process of the total station 1. Specifically, after the drone 3 lands and stabilizes, the electronic control system 4 monitors its attitude in real time and initiates a leveling procedure to bring the total station 1 to a precisely level state. Subsequently, the total station 1 completes the static measurement of the current measurement point according to the preset measurement task. This process requires no manual intervention, significantly improving measurement efficiency while avoiding problems caused by terrain limitations or personnel safety risks in traditional manual operation modes.

[0056] Through the synergistic operation of the above technical solutions, the device achieves efficient and safe multi-point millimeter-level measurement in complex environments, solving the problems of low efficiency, terrain limitations and personnel safety risks caused by the reliance on manual precision leveling of traditional total stations. It also overcomes the technical bottleneck that existing UAV-borne total stations cannot achieve continuous automatic mapping of multiple points.

[0057] This application further proposes that the upper side of the mounting platform 7 is connected to the lower control platform 12, and the lower side of the mounting platform 7 is connected to the camera device 5 and the drone smooth landing device. The drone smooth landing device includes multiple outwardly tilted tripods 6. The top of the tripods is connected to the mounting platform 7 through a rotating hinge 24, and the bottom of the tripods is a landing cone 26 with a sharp corner. A shock absorber 25 is installed between the landing cone 26 and the tripods 6.

[0058] Specifically, the mounting platform 7 refers to the core support structure used to support the total station 1, camera device 5, and other measurement-related components. It can be made of high-strength aluminum alloy or carbon fiber composite material to provide sufficient rigidity and stability. The tripod 6 can be understood as a rod-like structure with a supporting function. Its outward tilting design expands the width of the support base, thereby adapting to complex terrain and dispersing landing impact forces. Its purpose is to prevent the aircraft from tipping over and improve landing stability. In practical applications, the rotating hinge 24 is a connector that allows the tripod 6 to freely adjust its angle within a certain range. It can achieve dynamic angle adjustment through a built-in damping mechanism, aiming to absorb the impact from uneven ground and prevent vibration transmission to the mounting platform 7. The landing cone 26 is an end component with a pointed structure that can embed into soft or irregular ground to enhance grip and reduce the risk of slippage, ensuring that the tripod 6 is firmly in contact with the ground. The shock absorber 25 is an elastic buffer device that can be implemented using a spring-damping combination structure or hydraulic shock absorption technology. Its purpose is to absorb the impact energy at the moment of landing, suppress vibration transmission, and allow the aircraft to quickly enter a stable state.

[0059] Specifically, the above solution effectively solves the problem of attitude instability when the UAV lands on complex terrain by integrating a smooth landing device. The stable connection between the upper side of the mounting platform 7 and the lower control platform 12 ensures a tight connection between the leveling system and the measuring device, allowing the leveling process to directly affect the total station 1 and avoiding attitude deviations caused by platform loosening. The camera device 5 connected to the lower side of the mounting platform 7 and the UAV smooth landing device achieve functional zoning optimization; the former assists in target identification and measurement, while the latter focuses on landing stability, and their collaborative operation avoids functional conflicts. The outward tilting design of the tripod 6, combined with the dynamic adjustment capability of the rotating hinge 24, can independently adapt to uneven ground conditions during landing, significantly improving the stability of the initial attitude. The sharp corner structure of the landing cone 26 and the elastic cushioning effect of the shock absorber 25 complement each other, not only enhancing the contact reliability between the tripod 6 and the ground but also further suppressing vibration transmission, providing a precise initial reference for the leveling system. These features work together to ensure that the UAV can quickly establish stable support when landing on any terrain, significantly improving the reliability and efficiency of multi-point continuous measurement.

[0060] Furthermore, the aforementioned scheme, together with the UAV 3 equipped with the total station 1 and the continuous leveling and station-building device 8, forms an organic whole. As the UAV 3 lands sequentially according to the planned path, the smooth landing device can quickly adapt to ground conditions, providing a stable initial attitude for the subsequent leveling process, thereby improving measurement accuracy and efficiency. This design not only solves the problems of low efficiency and terrain limitations inherent in traditional manual operation modes, but also provides reliable technical support for multi-point continuous measurement tasks.

[0061] This application further proposes a drive device including three hydraulic rods distributed at different angles and a hydraulic control device for controlling the spatial state of the hydraulic rods; both ends of the hydraulic rods are provided with drive rods 21, and the ends of the drive rods 21 are connected to universal joints. The universal joints include two cross shaft assemblies, which are connected by a connecting ring 34. The cross shaft assembly includes a cross shaft 38 and a U-shaped adjusting arm 37. The cross shaft 38 includes a cross-shaped longitudinal shaft 41 and a transverse shaft 35. The top of the U-shaped adjusting arm 37 is provided with a connecting hole. The two arms of the U-shaped adjusting arm 37 are connected to the two ends of the transverse shaft 35 by retaining rings 36. The two ends of the longitudinal shaft 41 are connected to the upper mounting holes 40 on both sides of the connecting ring 34. The lower side of the upper mounting holes 40 on both sides of the connecting ring 34 is provided with a lower mounting hole 42, which is connected to another cross shaft assembly.

[0062] Hydraulic rods are the core components that provide the power required during leveling, and can be implemented in various forms such as electro-hydraulic rods, pneumatic hydraulic rods, or mechanical telescopic rods. In practical applications, the hydraulic control device refers to the system that precisely controls the hydraulic rod, which can be achieved through proportional valve control, servo control, or stepper motor drive. Specifically, universal joints are connection structures capable of multi-degree-of-freedom rotation, and can be implemented using ball joints, double universal joints, or other similar structures to adapt to leveling requirements under complex terrain conditions. Furthermore, cross shaft assemblies are key components that provide orthogonal rotational freedom, and can achieve smooth rotation through structures such as ball bearings and sliding bearings.

[0063] Specifically, this scheme uses three hydraulic rods 9 distributed at different angles to form a non-coplanar layout in space, enabling the leveling process to independently compensate for tilts in different directions and avoid coupling errors caused by adjustments in a single direction. The precise control of the hydraulic rods 9's spatial state by the hydraulic control device ensures the stability and repeatability of the leveling action. The drive rods 21 at both ends of the hydraulic rods 9 act as force transmission intermediaries, and combined with the universal joint assembly connected to their ends, achieve a flexible connection between the hydraulic rods 9 and the control platform, preventing stress concentration caused by rigid constraints. The universal joint assembly consists of two cross-axis assemblies connected by a connecting ring 34. This design allows each cross-axis assembly's cross-axis 38 to provide two orthogonal rotational degrees of freedom: a longitudinal axis 41 and a transverse axis 35. The top connecting hole of the U-shaped adjusting arm 37 is used to fix the mounting point, and the two arms are connected to the transverse axis 35 via retaining rings 36 for quick assembly / disassembly and fine-tuning of the angle. The longitudinal axis 41 connects to the mounting hole 40 on the connecting ring 34, and the lower mounting hole 42 connects to another cross-axis assembly, forming a chain-linked structure. This chain-linked structure dynamically adapts to ground undulations during leveling, ensuring that the upper control platform 2 can achieve precise horizontal positioning under any terrain, thus guaranteeing the high-precision requirements of total station measurements. Based on the overall design of the aforementioned multi-point measuring device, this drive device, together with the continuous leveling and station-building device 8, effectively solves the problem of insufficient leveling accuracy of the upper control platform under irregular terrain conditions, laying the foundation for millimeter-level measurements.

[0064] This application further proposes connection holes at the top of the U-shaped adjusting arm 37 in the two cross shaft assemblies at one end of the hydraulic rod connected to the upper control platform 2, one of which is connected to the upper control platform 2 and the other is connected to the drive push rod 21; connection holes at the top of the U-shaped adjusting arm 37 in the two cross shaft assemblies at the other end of the hydraulic rod connected to the lower control platform 12, one of which is connected to the lower control platform 12 and the other is connected to the drive push rod 21. The spatial state of the hydraulic rod is controlled by universal hinge assemblies at both ends, and the hydraulic rod 9 is connected to the displacement sensor 23.

[0065] Specifically, the U-shaped adjusting arm 37 refers to a mechanical component with a U-shaped structure, which can be made of high-strength alloy steel or composite materials. Its purpose is to provide rigid constraints and eliminate the backlash found in traditional universal joint connections. In practical applications, the cross shaft assembly can be understood as a structure containing a cross-shaped longitudinal shaft 41 and a transverse shaft 35. It can be assembled with high precision through precision machining processes, thereby ensuring the accurate transmission of leveling actions. The universal joint assembly can be a structure comprising two cross shaft assemblies connected by a connecting ring 34, its purpose being to provide multi-angle adaptability while restricting unnecessary degrees of freedom.

[0066] In detail, this solution solves the dynamic instability problem during leveling by refining the connection structure design of the universal joint components at both ends of the hydraulic rod. When one end of the hydraulic rod is connected to the upper control platform 2, the distribution of the connection holes on the U-shaped adjusting arm 37 allows the cross shaft assembly to directly transmit force to the upper control platform 2 without slippage or rotation when bearing the thrust of the hydraulic rod. Similarly, the distribution of the connection holes when the other end of the hydraulic rod is connected to the lower control platform 12 ensures the stable anchoring of the bottom of the hydraulic rod to the mounting platform. This design, which separates the fixed point and the drive point, transforms the extension and retraction of the hydraulic rod into only pure translation or rotation of the upper control platform, effectively suppressing lateral swaying caused by uneven ground. In addition, the setting of the displacement sensor 23 connected to the hydraulic rod 9, based on the actual displacement feedback of the drive rod 21, enables the electronic control system to compare the target length with the actual length in real time, providing high-resolution input for closed-loop control, thereby quickly correcting position errors during dynamic leveling.

[0067] The above technical solutions maintain high rigidity and responsiveness even in complex terrain, providing a stable measurement benchmark for the total station. Based on this, combined with the overall design of the continuous leveling station setup device 8, a seamless transition from coarse to fine leveling can be achieved, meeting the stringent stability and reliability requirements of millimeter-level measurements.

[0068] This application further proposes that the hydraulic rod 9 is connected to a hydraulic control device via an oil pipe joint 22 on its side. The hydraulic control device includes an oil pump 19 driven by a motor 20, the oil pump is connected to an oil tank 11 and a solenoid valve 18. There are three solenoid valves, each connected to a hydraulic rod 9 via an independent oil circuit through a connecting block 17, which independently control the movement of the drive rod 21 of the hydraulic rod 9.

[0069] Specifically, the hydraulic control device refers to the equipment used to precisely regulate the direction and flow rate of oil in the hydraulic system, which can be achieved using high-precision control elements such as proportional valves and servo valves. The oil pipe connector 22 is a key component connecting the hydraulic rod and the hydraulic control device; it needs to have good sealing and pressure resistance, and can be selected from structural forms such as compression fittings or welded fittings. The solenoid valve 18, as the core component for oil circuit switching, ensures the real-time control capability of the hydraulic system with its rapid response characteristics, aiming to achieve precise allocation of multiple independent oil circuits.

[0070] In detail, this solution achieves automatic leveling of the UAV after landing by constructing a complete hydraulic control system. Motor 20 drives oil pump 19 to deliver hydraulic oil from oil tank 11 to solenoid valve 18. The solenoid valve selectively distributes hydraulic oil to different hydraulic rods 9 according to instructions from the electronic control system. Each hydraulic rod 9 is connected to its corresponding solenoid valve via an independent oil circuit. This design ensures that each hydraulic rod can independently adjust its length based on feedback signals from tilt sensors. When the electronic control system issues a leveling command, displacement sensor 23 monitors the position change of drive rod 21 in real time. Solenoid valve 18 adjusts the oil circuit direction and flow accordingly, causing the hydraulic rods 9 to produce precise extension and retraction movements, thereby driving the upper control platform 2 to adjust its attitude. This independently controllable hydraulic drive system effectively solves the problem of mutual interference among multiple hydraulic rods during the leveling process, significantly improving leveling accuracy and stability.

[0071] Through the above technical solution, the UAV can quickly establish a stable horizontal benchmark when landing on complex terrain, providing reliable support for the millimeter-level measurements of the total station 1. Simultaneously, this solution works organically with the aforementioned continuous leveling and station-building device 8, ensuring the leveling efficiency and accuracy of the total station when moving between different measuring points through precise hydraulic control, thus meeting the high-precision measurement requirements of key structural points during the construction of major buildings.

[0072] This application further proposes that the upper control platform 2 is connected to an angle sensor 13.

[0073] Specifically, the tilt sensor 13 refers to a device capable of monitoring the tilt angle of an object in real time. It can be implemented using a MEMS accelerometer, a liquid capacitive sensor, or a fiber optic gyroscope. In practical applications, the tilt sensor 13 is mounted on the upper control platform 2 because the upper control platform 2 directly supports the total station and is the direct target of the leveling drive; its attitude changes directly reflect the levelness of the total station. The purpose of introducing the tilt sensor 13 is to provide crucial feedback for the leveling process, ensuring the timeliness and accuracy of the measurement data.

[0074] In detail, during the leveling start-up, the tilt sensor 13 acquires the tilt angle data of the upper control platform 2 in real time, enabling the electronic control system 4 to calculate the target adjustment amount of the drive device based on this data. During the closed-loop control process, the tilt sensor 13 continuously feeds back the deviation between the actual attitude and the target attitude, and the drive system dynamically corrects the displacement of the drive push rod 21 accordingly, avoiding the accumulation of leveling errors caused by missing attitude information. This direct installation method is particularly suitable for dynamic leveling scenarios after UAV landing, effectively solving the problem of insufficient leveling accuracy and laying a reliable foundation for subsequent millimeter-level static measurements. In this way, real-time and accurate monitoring of the attitude of the leveling object is achieved, ensuring that the total station reaches the level required for millimeter-level accuracy before static measurement, thereby improving the reliability and efficiency of the measurement results.

[0075] Furthermore, the tilt sensor 13, together with the electronic control system 4 and drive unit in the continuous leveling station construction device 8, forms a complete closed-loop leveling control system. Based on the real-time attitude data provided by the tilt sensor 13, the electronic control system 4 can accurately calculate the adjustment amount of the hydraulic rod 9 and perform dynamic correction through the displacement sensor 23, thereby significantly improving the leveling accuracy. This design not only solves the problem of low efficiency in traditional manual leveling but also overcomes the challenges posed by terrain limitations, providing technical support for multi-point continuous mapping.

[0076] This application further proposes that the total station 1 includes a connecting plate 32 and interconnected total station controller 29, wide-angle camera module 31, total station telescope 27, and telephoto camera module 30; the connecting plate 32 is connected to the upper control platform 2.

[0077] The total station controller 29 is a core processing unit that coordinates and manages the various functional modules of the total station. It can be implemented using an embedded processor or an industrial computer. Its purpose is to process data from the wide-angle camera module 31 and the telephoto camera module 30 in real time and drive the total station telescope 27 for precise adjustments. The wide-angle camera module 31 can be understood as an optical device providing wide-field image acquisition capabilities. It can be implemented using a fisheye lens or an ultra-wide-angle lens, aiming to quickly capture the approximate direction of the target area and significantly improve target search efficiency. The telephoto camera module 30 is an imaging device with high magnification capabilities. It can be implemented using a zoom lens or a fixed-focus lens, aiming to acquire high-resolution images of the target area, thereby supporting millimeter-level precise positioning. The connecting plate 32, in practical applications, is a rigid connection structure, for example, made of aluminum alloy sheet or carbon fiber composite material. Its purpose is to firmly fix the total station 1 to the upper control platform 2, ensuring the stability of the instrument's posture during measurement.

[0078] Specifically, this technical solution integrates a wide-angle camera module 31 and a telephoto camera module 30 into the total station 1 structure, achieving automatic target recognition and precise positioning. The total station controller 29, as the core processing unit, receives and processes the wide-field-of-view image data provided by the wide-angle camera module 31, and uses a target recognition algorithm to quickly locate the approximate direction of the target. This design avoids the need for manual rough aiming in traditional methods, making it particularly suitable for environments with dense measurement points. Subsequently, the telephoto camera module 30, based on the initially located target area, precisely identifies the target's center coordinates through a series of image processing steps (including grayscale conversion, contrast enhancement, binarization, etc.). This process, based on the high-resolution characteristics of telephoto images, effectively eliminates environmental interference and achieves millimeter-level precision aiming. The total station telescope 27 performs angle and distance measurements based on the precise positioning information output by the telephoto camera module 30, acquiring the target's three-dimensional coordinates after precision aiming. Its linkage with the camera module ensures the accuracy of the measurement data. The direct connection between the connecting plate 32 and the upper control platform 2 ensures that the total station 1 and the leveling device form an integrated structure. Once the upper control platform 2 completes leveling, the total station 1 automatically reaches a horizontal position without requiring additional calibration steps, simplifying the measurement preparation process and enabling the UAV to quickly switch to measurement mode during multi-point landings. Overall, the collaborative work of all components gives the total station autonomous target processing capabilities, fundamentally solving the efficiency bottleneck caused by manual intervention and supporting the efficient completion of multi-point continuous measurement tasks in scenarios such as building construction.

[0079] In another embodiment, this application also discloses a multi-point measurement method based on an unmanned total station, including an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) control unit and a static measurement process:

[0080] The drone control system includes:

[0081] ① Landing: The UAV flies to the top of the measuring point and executes a slow vertical descent procedure. When all the landing gear ends stably touch the ground and (as determined by onboard IMU data monitoring) the aircraft attitude tends to stabilize, the flight control system determines that the landing is successful.

[0082] ② Attitude confirmation and mode switching: The flight control system automatically switches from "flight mode" to "measurement standby mode". The system reads the current roll and pitch angle data of the IMU to record the initial landing attitude and monitor the system health status.

[0083] ③ Process handover: The flight control system directly issues the command signal "Landing ready, leveling permitted". The continuous leveling station 8 is immediately powered on and starts dynamic leveling work with the tilt sensor 13 as the reference.

[0084] The dynamic leveling work includes:

[0085] ① Initial state: After the drone has landed and come to a complete stop. At this time, the drive rod 21 of the hydraulic rod 9 is at the midpoint of its stroke;

[0086] ② Leveling / Lifting Start: Start oil pump 19. The operator sends the target instructions: one is the "automatic leveling" instruction, with the target posture being horizontal; the other is the "lifting" instruction, setting the target height.

[0087] ③ Motion calculation: The electronic control system 4 reads the current value of the tilt sensor 13 and calculates the target length that the drive rods 21 of the three hydraulic rods 9 need to reach in order to achieve the target posture;

[0088] ④ Drive and closed-loop control: The electronic control system 4 compares the actual length fed back by the displacement sensors of the three hydraulic rods 9 with the calculated target length to obtain the position error, and adjusts the displacement of the three hydraulic rods 9 according to the position error;

[0089] ⑤ Leveling completed and rigidity maintained: When the tilt sensor 13 enters the allowable error range, the leveling process ends and the static measurement process begins;

[0090] The static measurement process includes:

[0091] ① Station Establishment: The location where the total station rests is designated as the station point. The resection principle is used to calculate the station coordinates in real time. The specific steps are as follows: Enter "Resection" or "Free Station Establishment" mode in the total station. Aim the total station telescope 27 at control point A used for resection, obtaining the point number and coordinates (X, Y, Z) of point A. Record the horizontal angle, vertical angle, and slope distance of control point A. Then, rotate the telescope to precisely aim at control point B. Similarly, input the coordinates of control point B to obtain its horizontal angle, vertical angle, and slope distance. After observing at least two points, the total station's built-in program uses the least squares method to automatically calculate and display the three-dimensional coordinates (X, Y, Z) of the station point. After station establishment, aim the total station telescope 27 at a known point not involved in the resection calculation for accuracy verification, i.e., measure the coordinates of that point. Compare the measured values ​​with the known values. If the error meets the measurement requirements, the station is successfully established.

[0092] ②Target measurement: After the station is successfully established, the system will observe each target point in sequence according to the preset measurement point list;

[0093] ③ Site relocation and relay measurement: After completing the current measurement task, the UAV autonomously flies to the next preset measurement point. Then, the process of "leveling → site establishment → measurement → verification" is repeated.

[0094] ④ Data Processing and Result Generation: Joint adjustment and systematic error correction are performed on all station observation data to output three-dimensional point location results with millimeter-level accuracy in a unified coordinate system. All measurement data and analysis results are automatically uploaded to the ground control center, from which structured reports and accuracy distribution maps are generated.

[0095] The core innovation of this embodiment lies in combining UAV automatic control technology with the continuous leveling and station-building device 8, while introducing automated leveling and static measurement processes. This solves the problems of low efficiency, terrain limitations, and personnel safety risks caused by the reliance on manual precision leveling in traditional total stations. Furthermore, by introducing a closed-loop control system consisting of tilt sensor 13 and hydraulic rod 9, high-precision leveling is achieved, ensuring that the total station 1 maintains the required level for millimeter-level measurements even in complex environments, thus achieving efficient, safe, and continuous multi-point mapping.

[0096] In practical applications, the aforementioned multi-point measurement device based on an unmanned total station achieves automated multi-point continuous measurement through an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) 3 equipped with the total station 1. The mounting platform 7 in the middle of the UAV 3 provides a stable support foundation for the measurement equipment, ensuring the overall structural stability during flight and landing. The camera device 5, the total station 1, and the continuous leveling and station-building device 8 integrated on the mounting platform 7 work together to complete the measurement task. Specifically, the camera device 5 assists in target identification and positioning, the total station 1 is responsible for performing millimeter-level precision measurements, and the continuous leveling and station-building device 8 is the core component, used to enable the automatic leveling function of the total station 1.

[0097] The continuous leveling station setup device 8 includes an electronic control system 4, an upper control platform 2, and a lower control platform 12. A drive device is provided between the upper control platform 2 and the lower control platform 12 to dynamically adjust their relative positions. Furthermore, the drive device drives the upper control platform 2 to perform leveling operations according to the instructions of the electronic control system 4, thereby compensating for attitude deviations caused by uneven ground during the landing of the UAV 3. Thus, the upper control platform 2 always remains level and provides a precise reference plane for the total station 1 connected to it, ensuring that measurement accuracy is not affected by the tilt of the aircraft.

[0098] The drone 3 flies sequentially to multiple measurement points and lands according to a preset path. Each time it lands, the electronic control system 4 automatically triggers the single-point static measurement process of the total station 1. Specifically, after the drone 3 lands and stabilizes, the electronic control system 4 monitors its attitude in real time and initiates a leveling procedure to bring the total station 1 to a precisely level state. Subsequently, the total station 1 completes the static measurement of the current measurement point according to the preset measurement task. This process requires no manual intervention, significantly improving measurement efficiency while avoiding problems caused by terrain limitations or personnel safety risks in traditional manual operation modes.

[0099] Through the synergistic operation of the above technical solutions, the device achieves efficient and safe multi-point millimeter-level measurement in complex environments, solving the problems of low efficiency, terrain limitations and personnel safety risks caused by the reliance on manual precision leveling of traditional total stations. It also overcomes the technical bottleneck that existing UAV-borne total stations cannot achieve continuous automatic mapping of multiple points.

[0100] This application further proposes specific steps for the system to observe each target point sequentially according to a preset list of measurement points after the measurement station is successfully established. The total station uses a wide-angle camera module 31 combined with a target recognition algorithm to locate the approximate direction of the target. Then, the total station's built-in motor drives the total station telescope 27 to rotate, completing the approximate aiming at the target. After the target is approximated by the telephoto lens, the total station system's telephoto camera module 30 is used to capture a high-magnification image of the target. The following processing steps are then used to obtain the telephoto pixel coordinates of the target's center:

[0101] 1. Image grayscale conversion;

[0102] 2. Enhance grayscale image contrast through piecewise linear transformation;

[0103] III. Image binarization;

[0104] IV. The image is smoothed using a Gaussian filtering algorithm;

[0105] V. Edge detection in images using the Canny operator;

[0106] VI. Vectorization of boundary point pixel coordinates;

[0107] VII. Noise Removal;

[0108] 8. Use the random sampling consensus algorithm to perform center fitting on the boundary vector points;

[0109] 9. Output the fitted center coordinates, calculate the offset between the center of the total station telescope 27 and the center of the target on the telephoto image, drive the total station telescope 27 to rotate until the two centers coincide, and complete the precise aiming of the target; then enter the total station to perform measurement and read the three-dimensional coordinates (X,Y,Z) of the target.

[0110] Among them, the wide-angle camera module 31 refers to an imaging device with a large field of view, which can be achieved using a fisheye lens or an ultra-wide-angle lens, aiming to quickly capture the features of the target area and avoid the blindness of manual search. The target recognition algorithm can be understood as a target detection model based on machine learning, specifically deep learning frameworks such as YOLO and SSD, aiming to improve initial positioning efficiency. The automatic adjustment mechanism of the total station telescope 27 refers to the attitude adjustment of the telescope driven by a built-in motor, which can be implemented using a stepper motor or a servo motor, aiming to ensure that the telescope quickly points near the target, eliminating the delay and error of manual operation. Image grayscale conversion is a technique that converts a color image into single-channel data, which can be achieved through weighted averaging or maximum value methods, aiming to provide a basis for subsequent contrast enhancement. Piecewise linear transformation is a nonlinear mapping method, which can be achieved through histogram equalization or adaptive threshold segmentation, aiming to enhance the difference features between the target and the background. The random sampling consensus algorithm is a robust estimation method, which can be achieved through iterative optimization or least squares methods, aiming to resist outlier interference and output high-precision fitted center coordinates.

[0111] Specifically, the above solution achieves full automation of the target point positioning process from coarse to precise by integrating image recognition and automatic control technologies. The total station first uses the wide-angle camera module 31 to quickly capture the features of the target area. Based on the direction information generated by the target recognition algorithm, the total station telescope 27 completes rough aiming, significantly improving initial positioning efficiency. Subsequently, the telephoto camera module 30 acquires high-magnification images, and a series of image processing steps extract the precise pixel coordinates of the target center. These steps include image grayscale conversion to simplify the data structure, piecewise linear transformation to enhance the contrast between the target and the background, image binarization to clearly define the target outline, Gaussian filtering to suppress noise interference, the Canny operator to accurately identify the target boundary, and a random sampling consensus algorithm to fit the target center coordinates. Finally, based on the fitted coordinates, the offset between the telescope center and the target center is calculated, driving the total station telescope 27 to achieve precise closed-loop control, ensuring strict alignment between the target center and the instrument's optical center during measurement. The entire process not only solves the efficiency and accuracy bottlenecks caused by manual intervention in traditional measurement, but also further improves the adaptability in complex environments and the continuity of the measurement process by cooperating with components such as the UAV smooth landing device and the continuous leveling and station building device 8. This effectively solves the problem of the measurement process relying on manual operation and ensures the realization of millimeter-level accuracy.

[0112] The above description is merely an embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A multi-point measurement device based on an unmanned total station, comprising an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) (3) equipped with a total station, wherein an installation platform (7) is provided in the middle of the UAV (3), characterized in that: The installation platform (7) is equipped with a camera device (5), a total station (1) and a continuous leveling station building device (8); the continuous leveling station building device (8) includes an electrical control system (4) and an upper control platform (2) and a lower control platform (12). A driving device for driving the upper control platform (2) to level is provided between the upper control platform (2) and the lower control platform. The upper control platform (2) is connected to the total station (1).

2. The multi-point measuring device based on an unmanned total station according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper side of the mounting platform (7) is connected to the lower control platform (12), and the lower side of the mounting platform (7) is connected to the camera device (5) and the drone smooth landing device. The drone smooth landing device includes multiple outward tilting tripods (6). The top of the tripods is connected to the mounting platform (7) through a rotating hinge (24). The bottom of the tripods is a landing cone (26) with a sharp corner. A shock absorber (25) is installed between the landing cone (26) and the tripods (6).

3. The multi-point measuring device based on an unmanned total station according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drive device includes three hydraulic rods distributed at different angles and a hydraulic control device for controlling the spatial state of the hydraulic rods; both ends of the hydraulic rods are provided with drive rods (21), and the ends of the drive rods (21) are connected to universal hinge components. The universal hinge components include two cross shaft components, which are connected by a connecting ring (34). The cross shaft components include a cross shaft (38) and a U-shaped adjusting arm (37). The cross shaft (38) includes a cross-shaped longitudinal shaft (41) and a transverse shaft (35). The top of the U-shaped adjusting arm (37) is provided with a connecting hole. The two arms of the U-shaped adjusting arm (37) are connected to the two ends of the transverse shaft (35) by a retaining ring (36). The two ends of the longitudinal shaft (41) are connected to the upper mounting holes (40) on both sides of the connecting ring (34). The lower side of the upper mounting holes (40) on both sides of the connecting ring (34) is provided with a lower mounting hole (42), which is connected to another cross shaft component.

4. The multi-point measuring device based on an unmanned total station according to claim 3, characterized in that: One end of the hydraulic rod is connected to the upper control platform (2) and the connection hole at the top of the U-shaped adjusting arm (37) in the two cross shaft assemblies at this end is connected to the upper control platform (2), and the other end is connected to the drive rod (21); the other end of the hydraulic rod is connected to the lower control platform (12) and the connection hole at the top of the U-shaped adjusting arm (37) in the two cross shaft assemblies at this end is connected to the lower control platform (12), and the other end is connected to the drive rod (21). The hydraulic rod is controlled by the universal hinge assembly at both ends to control the spatial state, and the hydraulic rod (9) is connected to the displacement sensor (23).

5. The multi-point measuring device based on an unmanned total station according to claim 4, characterized in that: The hydraulic rod (9) is connected to a hydraulic control device via an oil pipe joint (22) on its side. The hydraulic control device includes an oil pump (19) driven by a motor (20), the oil pump is connected to an oil tank (11) and a solenoid valve (18). The solenoid valve consists of three independent oil circuits connected to a hydraulic rod (9) via a connecting block (17), which independently control the movement of the drive rod (21) of the hydraulic rod (9).

6. The multi-point measuring device based on an unmanned total station according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper control platform (2) is connected to a tilt sensor (13).

7. The multi-point measuring device based on an unmanned total station according to claim 1, characterized in that: The total station (1) includes a connecting plate (32) and interconnected components such as a total station controller (29), a wide-angle camera module (31), a total station telescope (27), and a telephoto camera module (30); the connecting plate (32) is connected to the upper control platform (2).

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