Device and method for simulating operating conditions of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), computer-implemented method for converting a control program into a flight program of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

Abstract

Device (1) for simulating operating conditions of an unmanned aerial drone, comprising a manipulator (2) with an end boom area (5), an effector (7) which is designed to interact with an environment of the manipulator (2), a rotor unit (6) with an electric drive and at least one rotor (19) which is designed to generate an airflow when the rotor (19) is rotated by means of the drive (18), wherein the effector (7) and the rotor unit (6) are arranged in the end boom area (5) of the manipulator (2) and the effector (7) in operation has at least one effector parameter which interacts with at least one rotor parameter of the rotor unit (6), and wherein the manipulator (2) comprises serial kinematics at least in the area of ​​the end boom area (5).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device for simulating operating conditions of an unmanned aerial drone according to claim 1, a method for simulating operating conditions of an unmanned aerial drone according to claim 14 and a computer-implemented method for converting a control program of the device into a flight program of an unmanned aerial drone according to claim 18.

[0002] Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are typically remote-controlled or autonomously operated aircraft and are used for a variety of purposes. A common form of drone is the so-called multicopter. A multicopter is an aircraft powered by multiple rotor units whose rotors are arranged in a common rotor plane. Such drones are controlled by adjusting the speed and direction of rotation of the rotors. This makes it possible to set any rotation around the yaw, pitch, or roll axes of the drone, or to initiate a hover, climb, or descent.

[0003] Due to their good maneuverability, such drones are suitable for a wide variety of applications. The drone can be equipped with various effectors, such as tools, application devices, or sensors, that interact with the drone's environment. However, it is problematic that the rotor units or their components can typically interact with the aforementioned effectors, so that the flight operation of the drone and the use of the respective effector can influence each other in an undesirable way. While it is possible to determine the interactions during ongoing operation of the drone, this is cumbersome and requires the consideration of numerous boundary conditions and additional influences from the respective application.

[0004] For example, CN 213549247 U discloses a gantry system with a traverse to which an unmanned aerial drone can be attached. A pesticide collection plate, movable relative to the traverse, is located below the traverse to detect pesticide discharge. Such systems allow the discharged amount of pesticide to be measured, but do not provide any information about the effect of the rotor unit's air movement on the spray discharge.

[0005] It is therefore the object of the invention to provide simple and at the same time reliable means with which possible interactions between the rotor unit of an unmanned aerial drone and the effector used can be determined and evaluated.

[0006] The object is achieved by a device according to claim 1, a method according to claim 14 and a computer-implemented method according to claim 18. Advantageous further developments are the subject of dependent subclaims.

[0007] The device according to the invention serves to simulate operating conditions of an unmanned aerial drone and comprises a manipulator with a boom end region, an effector designed to interact with the environment of the manipulator, and at least one rotor unit. The rotor unit has an electric drive and at least one rotor and is designed to generate an airflow upon rotation of the rotor generated by the drive. The effector and the rotor unit are arranged in the boom end region of the manipulator. At least during operation, the effector has an effector parameter and the rotor unit has a rotor parameter, which interact with each other. Furthermore, the manipulator comprises serial kinematics, at least in the boom end region.

[0008] A fundamental finding of the invention is that by using a manipulator with serial kinematics, at least in the area of ​​the end boom, it is possible to simulate the flight path of a drone and thereby create a state that can be adjusted as needed, in which the operating mode of the effector and the rotor unit can be examined to determine whether and how they influence each other. In other words, the device according to the invention makes it possible to examine the interactions between a rotor unit and the effector under controllable conditions and to draw conclusions that can be transferred to the design or operating mode of the drone in real operation. The serial kinematics, at least in the area of ​​the end boom, allows any desired flight movement or flight path to be simulated.In particular, the serial kinematics, at least in the area of ​​the end boom, is designed in such a way that it enables rotational and translational movement in all spatial directions of the effector and, if applicable, the rotor unit.

[0009] The effector parameter and the rotor parameter can each be adjustable or non-adjustable variables that affect the design and / or operation of the effector and the rotor unit.

[0010] The manipulator is fundamentally not limited to a specific design and is expediently designed to move at least the end boom area into a freely adjustable position as needed and / or to set it in a freely adjustable movement at a constant or variable speed, thereby simulating the flight path of an unmanned aerial drone. The manipulator can comprise at least one movable boom, which is adjustable by means of an articulated drive.

[0011] In particular, the manipulator can be an articulated-arm robot. The articulated-arm robot represents a special form of serial kinematics, in which the individual links of the articulated-arm robot are arranged in a row, forming a kinematic chain.

[0012] Alternatively, or preferably in addition, the manipulator can also have Cartesian kinematics in addition to serial kinematics. In particular, serial kinematics and Cartesian kinematics can be combined, for example, in the form of a gantry system. The end boom area can include a so-called tool center point (TCP) of the manipulator, where the effector interacts with the manipulator's environment. In particular, the adjustable positions and movements can be related to the manipulator's TCP.

[0013] It is within the scope of the invention that the manipulator can carry out the setting of a position and / or the movement of the end boom area in a path-controlled and / or force-controlled manner.

[0014] Preferably, the rotor unit can be controlled in such a way that the airflow is generated as it would be generated in a real flight of an aircraft drone along the trajectory of the end boom area. At the same time, the effector can interact with the environment of the manipulator according to its design and intended purpose. During this process, the interactions between the effector parameter and the rotor parameter can be examined, and it can be determined whether the effector operation and / or the rotor operation are proceeding as desired.

[0015] It is also possible for the end boom area of ​​the manipulator to be adjusted so that it can be guided without the use of force. For this purpose, an articulated drive of the manipulator can be controlled in such a way that it generates a force and / or a moment by means of which the weight of a boom and any prevailing bearing resistances can be counteracted. The end boom area can thus be adjusted with a small force and / or moment, whereby it is particularly possible to cause a movement of the manipulator solely through the thrust generated by one or more rotor units. This allows the operating conditions of the effector on an aerial drone to be realistically simulated. In particular, the manipulator can also comprise a force-moment sensor in the end boom area, which is arranged in particular between the rotor unit and the manipulator or between the effector and the manipulator.

[0016] The electric drive of the rotor unit can, in principle, have any design, comprising a stator and a rotor mounted rotatably relative to the stator, which is connected directly or indirectly, in particular via a gear, to the rotor of the rotor unit. The electric drive can, in particular, be a brushless DC motor whose stator has several electrical coils surrounding the rotor circumferentially. The coils can be energized by an electronic controller that controls the respective phase currents depending on the rotational position of the rotor. The controller can determine the position of the rotor using a sensor, in particular a Hall sensor.

[0017] The effector can, in principle, comprise any tool or sensor that can be adapted to a specific application of the drone. To achieve the advantages of the invention, it is only relevant that the effector has at least one effector parameter, which can, for example, affect the operation, accuracy, or reliability of the effector, but is simultaneously influenced by at least one rotor parameter of the rotor unit and / or vice versa.

[0018] In an advantageous development, the effector comprises at least one applicator designed to dispense an application medium. The effector parameter comprises an applicator property and / or an application characteristic of the dispensed application medium. The rotor parameter comprises a flow parameter of the generated air flow.

[0019] By means of the above-described refinement, it is easily possible to determine the interactions between the applicator property and / or the application characteristic and the flow parameter. This is particularly advantageous when the application medium is dispensed in the form of a spray or a similar form, and the generated air flow influences it, in particular displacing and / or swirling it. In this respect, by means of this advantageous refinement of the device according to the invention, it is possible, for example, to determine which thrusts or thrust changes are tolerable by means of the rotor units without excessively influencing the dispensed application medium.

[0020] Within the scope of the advantageous development, the applicator property and the application characteristic can each be adjustable test variables or target variables that depend at least on the flow parameter of the air flow. The applicator property can, in particular, be a structurally predetermined property that is expressed in the design of the applicator, for example, a design of a nozzle by means of which the application medium is dispensed and is expressed, for example, in a nozzle shape or nozzle cross-section. The application characteristic can, in particular, depend on an application quantity and / or an application pressure and / or an application temperature and / or an application direction and / or an application field, which can preferably be adjustable during operation of the application device.It is also within the scope of the invention that the application characteristic also depends on a composition and / or a viscosity of the application medium and / or a variable associated therewith.

[0021] The flow parameter may depend on a volume flow and / or a discharge pressure and / or a flow field characteristic and / or an associated quantity.

[0022] In an advantageous development, the effector comprises at least one sensor designed to measure an environmental variable. The effector parameter comprises a sensor property and / or a signal characteristic. The rotor parameter comprises a drive parameter of the generated rotational movement.

[0023] Using the refinement described above, it is possible to determine an interaction between the sensor and the rotor unit, which should exhibit good electromagnetic compatibility for reliable operation. This is particularly relevant if the sensor is intended to increase the positioning accuracy of the drone during actual operation, as the sensors used for this purpose are typically susceptible to electromagnetic interference that can be caused by the electric drive of a rotor unit. These include, for example, gyroscopes, acceleration sensors, magnetometers, barometers, Global Positioning System (GPS) sensors, optical flow sensors, ultrasonic sensors, as well as radar and lidar sensors.

[0024] The sensor can be designed, in particular, for controlling and, in particular, navigating a drone. As indicated above, the sensor can be an ultrasonic sensor, a radar sensor, an optical sensor, in particular for capturing images and / or video recordings, and / or a lidar sensor.

[0025] The ambient variable can be viewed as a measurand that can be determined by the sensor and depends on the sensor type. A measurand that can be determined by an ultrasonic sensor can, in particular, be a distance between the ultrasonic sensor and a measurement object or a variable dependent on it, in particular a change in distance between two measurement points.

[0026] A measured variable that can be determined using a radar sensor can also be a distance between the radar sensor and a measurement object or a variable dependent on it, in particular a change in distance between two measurement points in time. A lidar sensor also measures the distance between the sensor and a measurement object.

[0027] A measured variable that can be determined using an optical sensor can also be a distance or a change in distance, but can also include image information. Image information can be advantageous if the sensor is to be used to detect a shape and / or texture and / or color of a measured object or a variable derived therefrom, in particular for object recognition. This is particularly conceivable if the device according to the invention is to be used to test a sensor for detecting structures, in particular buildings or bridges, or their components or a comparable spatial environment. In particular, such a sensor can be used for the diagnosis of structures or their components. For this purpose, the optical sensor can, as already mentioned above, be designed as a photo sensor or as a video sensor.

[0028] It is also within the scope of the advantageous development that the sensor detects an atmospheric measurement variable, in particular air humidity, temperature, or air pressure. The sensor can also be configured to detect wind speed.

[0029] The device according to the invention also makes it possible to test and evaluate various design changes for better shielding, in particular electromagnetic shielding of the sensor and rotor unit.

[0030] The sensor property can be structurally determined or determined by the way the sensor works. This includes, for example, its spatial orientation and position relative to the end boom area, which can preferably be changed structurally. The sensor property can, for example, also include a sensor sampling rate and / or a measurement sensitivity and / or filtering and / or an operating mode, in particular an energy-saving mode and a nominal operating mode and / or a calibration and / or an integration time, which can be adjusted in particular during operation of the sensor. The signal characteristic can be adjusted as a result of the sensor operation and can essentially depend on external influences, in particular as a result of the interaction with the rotor parameters of the rotor unit. This includes, for example, noise and / or a bias and / or a signal-to-noise ratio and / or a variable dependent thereon.

[0031] The rotor parameter can preferably be adjustable during operation, for example in the form of a current intensity and / or a magnetic field strength and / or an inductance. However, it is also within the scope of the invention for the operating parameter to be a design parameter of the rotor unit or to result from such a parameter, in particular a winding parameter of the electric drive and / or an electrical resistance and / or an inductance and / or a magnetic permeability and / or a magnet arrangement.

[0032] In an advantageous further development, the device comprises a control device which is connected by signal technology to the manipulator and the effector as well as to the rotor unit and a control program with at least one parameter set, wherein the control device is at least configured to change a position and / or movement of the manipulator and / or a position and / or movement of the manipulator and / or an adjustable effector parameter and / or an adjustable rotor parameter.

[0033] The control device can comprise at least one electrical processing unit, which has at least one signal input and one signal output, and the control program is configured to control the manipulator and / or the effector and / or the rotor unit. The parameter set can comprise a fundamentally arbitrary and freely adjustable selection of variables, i.e., the position and / or movement of the manipulator and / or the adjustable effector parameter and / or the adjustable rotor parameter, as well as their characteristics. In particular, the control device can comprise a programmable logic controller and / or, for example, a processor unit.

[0034] In an advantageous further development, the effector and the rotor unit form at least a part of a flying drone, which is detachably received in the end effector region and the control device is signal-connected to the effector and the rotor unit via a drone control.

[0035] An advantage of the above-described development is that the effector and the at least one rotor unit can be components of the unmanned aerial drone, the use and operating conditions of which can be simulated by means of the device according to the invention or an advantageous development thereof. In this way, it is possible to determine the interactions between the effector parameter and the rotor parameter and to adjust at least the effector and the rotor unit such that their interactions lie at least within a tolerable, preferably optimized, range. The detachable connection can comprise a clamping system by means of which the aerial drone can be arranged in the end boom area and removed again; in particular, it can be a zero-point clamping system.

[0036] The rotor unit, as part of the drone, preferably comprises at least two, preferably four rotors, which are arranged spaced apart from one another in a plane. The effector is arranged between two of the rotors.

[0037] In an advantageous further development, the device comprises a carrier substrate which is intended to be provided with the application medium by means of the applicator and / or to be measured superficially by means of the sensor.

[0038] In a simple embodiment, the carrier substrate is modeled after a house facade and has a surface that, at least in some areas, includes brick, plaster, wood, metal, natural stone, fiber cement, plastic, and / or glass. The carrier substrate is preferably flat, in particular as a wall or a pane, and is arranged laterally next to the manipulator and / or effector. The carrier substrate should not be arranged below the rotor plane. Rather, the aim is to simulate application processes in which an application medium is applied to a facade or similar.

[0039] In particular, a plane through the carrier substrate can enclose at least an angle in the range of 30° to 120°, preferably in the range of 45° to 100°, with a rotor plane of the rotor. Particularly advantageously, the plane through the carrier substrate can be arranged substantially perpendicular to the rotor plane.

[0040] If the effector comprises an applicator, the application medium can be a coating agent with which the carrier substrate is to be coated, in particular paint or varnish. The coating agent can also be a rinsing agent or a cleaning agent, in particular if the carrier substrate can be deliberately coated with contaminants and their removal is to be tested using the rinsing agent or cleaning agent. In particular, the application medium, at least in applied form, has properties that can be detected by a sensor, for example a color and / or a layer thickness and / or a spatial distribution, in particular on the carrier substrate.

[0041] In an advantageous development, the device comprises a system by means of which at least one environmental condition of the effector and the rotor unit can be simulated. The system can be a fan designed to generate a wind current in the vicinity of the manipulator. Depending on the power and orientation of the fan, it is particularly possible to simulate different wind strengths or wind directions that could influence the operation of the drone.

[0042] A humidifying agent can also be provided to create precipitation in the area surrounding the manipulator. This can be used to simulate humidity, rainfall, or fog, for example.

[0043] Alternatively, or preferably additionally, a temperature control device can be provided to bring about a change in the ambient temperature in the area surrounding the manipulator. A temperature control device can be designed independently, for example, as a radiator, or integrated into the fan described above to control the temperature of the generated wind flow, e.g., as a heat exchanger.

[0044] In particular, one of the devices described above is arranged in such a way that the respective influenceable environmental conditions can be influenced in a region between the manipulator, in particular its end boom region, and the carrier substrate.

[0045] Overall, it is therefore possible to recreate conditions as realistically as possible using various means.

[0046] Preferably, the device is designed as a test cell that is encapsulated from the device's surroundings. The encapsulation can be implemented, for example, by means of a fence or a box. In particular, the test cell can be lined, at least in sections, with a textile, in particular a fleece. This makes it possible to reduce the noise level generated by the operation of the test cell.

[0047] As explained above, the object underlying the invention is also achieved by a method for simulating the operating conditions of an aerial drone. This method comprises the following method steps: V1 - Providing a device according to the invention or an advantageous development thereof as set out above; V2 - movement of the manipulator during an interaction of the effector with the environment of the manipulator and during operation of the rotor unit with a rotational movement of the at least one rotor while generating an air flow according to a first set of parameters; V3 - Evaluation of an interaction between an effector parameter and a rotor parameter, particularly depending on a quality criterion.

[0048] As mentioned above, the method according to the invention serves to simulate the operating conditions of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and, in method step V1, relies on the device according to the invention or an advantageous development thereof. With regard to the advantages achievable in this way, the statements regarding the device according to the invention and its advantageous developments therefore apply accordingly.

[0049] In method step V2, the manipulator can be moved with its end boom area along a path that, at least in part, corresponds to the flight path of an unmanned aerial drone. The movement can include moving to one or more positions of the end boom area or a point of the end boom area, in particular its TCP, at a constant or variable speed. The corresponding control parameters for generating this movement can be present in the first parameter set.

[0050] The first parameter set may further comprise one or more adjustable effector parameters and / or rotor parameters. In particular, the first parameter set may comprise at least one parameter combination resulting from an experimental design and with which the interaction between the effector parameter and the rotor parameter can be investigated.

[0051] The quality criterion can be defined depending on the design of the effector and can be either independent of or dependent on the effector parameter or the rotor parameter. For example, if the effector comprises an applicator that serves to dispense the application medium, the quality criterion can depend on a spray pattern resulting from the interaction between the applicator and the rotor unit or on an application property of the application medium on the carrier substrate. Conversely, the quality criterion can also represent or be dependent on an achievable positional accuracy, which can be influenced by the dispensing of the application medium. For example, a recoil resulting from the dispensing of the application medium can be determined using the force-torque sensor described above.If the effector includes a sensor, the quality criterion may depend on the signal characteristics and in particular be represented by a signal-to-noise ratio.

[0052] In an advantageous further development, the method according to the invention comprises the following method steps: V4 - movement of the manipulator according to at least one second parameter set which is changed compared to method step V2; V5 - Evaluation of the interaction between the effector parameter and the rotor parameter according to the second parameter set, in particular depending on the quality criterion.

[0053] The second set of parameters is different from the first set of parameters and can also result from an experimental design that can be used to investigate the interaction between the characteristics of the effector and the operating parameters of the rotor unit.

[0054] Process step V5 can in principle comprise a repetition of process step V3, whereby the same quality criterion is evaluated in V3 and V5 so that it is possible to draw conclusions as to the extent to which the change in the parameter set affects the quality criterion.

[0055] In an advantageous further development, the procedure includes the following procedural steps: V6 - Determination of an optimal parameter set depending on the parameter sets of process steps V2 and V3 and the evaluations in process steps V4 and V5 and in particular the quality criterion; V7 - Creation of an application program for the drone depending on the optimal parameter set.

[0056] The optimal parameter set includes one or more parameters for the operation of the effector and the rotor unit, which allow setting the desired flight path and at the same time achieving good effector operation.

[0057] The object of the invention is also achieved by a computer-implemented method. This method serves to convert a control program of a device according to the invention or an advantageous development thereof into a flight program of an unmanned aerial drone. The method comprises the following method steps: C1 - Calculating a movement trajectory of an end boom area of ​​a manipulator in a coordinate system of the manipulator with at least one set position parameter and / or movement parameter; C2 - Transformation of the movement trajectory of the end boom area into a flight trajectory of the drone in a coordinate system of the drone; C3 - Creation of a control sequence for at least one rotor unit of the drone depending on the flight trajectory and a set of parameters.

[0058] In particular, the parameter set used in process step C3 is the optimal parameter set determined in process step V6. The control sequence can be transferred to the drone via a Robot Operating System (ROS) interface.

[0059] Advantages of the invention are explained below using embodiments and the figures.

[0060] It shows Fig. 1 a device for simulating operating conditions of an aerial drone; Fig. 2 an effector and two rotor units in views a), b) and c).

[0061] Fig. 1 shows a device 1 for simulating operating conditions of an unmanned aerial drone in a schematic side view.

[0062] Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are typically remotely controlled or autonomously operated aircraft that can be used in a variety of applications. One application that is becoming increasingly important in industrial settings is the application of various agents to parts of buildings that are usually inaccessible or only accessible with considerable effort.

[0063] One challenge in the use of such drones is that the quality of the application medium is subject to various influences, which can be caused by the drone itself or its components. Fig. 1, it is possible to simulate these influences and to evaluate how one or more parameters of the drone or its components should be adjusted so that undesirable interactions in real operation can be reduced or adjusted as needed.

[0064] The device 1 comprises a manipulator 2 with serial kinematics, which in the embodiment shown here is designed as an articulated-arm robot with a plurality of booms 3 connected to each other in pairs by means of driven joints 4. The manipulator 1 has an end boom section 5, which is located at the tip of the kinematic chain consisting of the booms 3 and joints 4 of the manipulator 2.

[0065] In the end boom area 5 two rotor units 6 are arranged, of which Fig. 1 only one rotor unit 6 is visible. In addition, an effector 7 is arranged in the end boom area 5, which in the present case comprises an applicator 8 for dispensing an application medium 9 and a sensor 10. The effector 7 is in Fig. 2 shown in detail.

[0066] The device 1 further comprises a carrier substrate 11, which in the embodiment shown here represents a substantially vertically arranged, plastered wall. The carrier substrate 11 is arranged such that the manipulator 2 can apply the application medium 9 to the surface of the carrier substrate 11 when the end boom region 5 moves along a trajectory 12 shown as an example.

[0067] A control device 13 is provided to control the manipulator 2 so that the end boom section 5 can be moved along the trajectory 12, whereby the trajectory 12 can, in principle, run arbitrarily within the movement range of the manipulator 2. If necessary, only individual points along the trajectory 12 can be approached, and the speed along the trajectory 12 can be flexibly adjusted.

[0068] The control device 13 is further provided to control the rotor units 6 and the effector 7. This allows an adjustable rotor parameter of the rotor units 6, an adjustable application parameter of the applicator 7, or a sensor parameter of the sensor 10 to be changed as needed.

[0069] The device 1 further comprises a system 14 by means of which an area between the manipulator 2 and the carrier substrate 11 can be exposed to various influences 15. These include, for example, a specifically adjustable temperature, a wind current, precipitation, or humidity. This makes it possible to realistically simulate the operating conditions of an unmanned aerial drone and to investigate the sensitivity of the rotor units 6 and the effector 7 to these influences.

[0070] A fence 15 serves to encapsulate the device 1 from its surroundings. In a manner not shown in detail here, the fence is partially lined with fleece to minimize noise pollution outside the device 1.

[0071] The device 1 offers the advantage of being able to identify, with minimal effort, an optimal set of parameters with which the rotor units 6 and the effector 7 can be operated optimally and with only minimal interactions during the actual use of a drone. For example, it is possible to follow the trajectory 12 and, in doing so, apply the application medium 9 to the surface of the carrier substrate 11 according to an application parameter and to detect it using the sensor 10 with an application parameter. At the same time, the rotor parameters of the rotor units 6 can be adjusted in such a way as would be required during flight operation of a drone in order to follow a corresponding flight trajectory.This makes it possible to create a state, at least in the end boom area 5, in which the application parameters, sensor parameters, and rotor parameters interact with each other, can be varied and examined as needed. This can be done depending on a target variable, which, for example, concerns the application quality of the application medium on the carrier substrate 11. In principle, however, the target variable can be freely defined and dependent on the application, for example, the application quality of the application medium on the carrier substrate 11.

[0072] In another example, it is possible to operate the manipulator 2 such that the drives of the joints 4 counteract the weight of the booms 3 as well as any bearing resistance that may occur to such an extent that it is possible to adjust the manipulator 2 with a low required force in the end boom area 5. In this case, the rotor units 6 can also be controlled as would be intended for flight operation of an unmanned aerial drone, whereby the end boom area 5 moves along the trajectory 12 as a result of the thrust generated by the rotor units 6. If the applicator 8 is actuated with an application pressure, this can cause a recoil on the end boom area 5 and a corresponding displacement, which would be undesirable in real flight operation.Using the device 1 shown here, this can be systematically investigated based on the movement of the end boom area 5, and a parameter set can be determined with which this recoil behavior can be optimized. Additionally or alternatively, a force-torque sensor can be arranged in the structural connection between the rotor units 6 and the manipulator 2 in order to determine the forces and torques generated in the end boom area 5.

[0073] The sensor 10 can also be designed to acquire navigation data during real flight operations of an unmanned drone, which is required for controlling the drone or, for example, to determine the application quality of the application medium 9. Sensors 10 used for this purpose should not be influenced by electromagnetic radiation beyond a tolerable level. In the exemplary embodiment shown here, however, the rotor units 6 have electric drives, which can certainly cause interference as a result of their operation. Using the device 1 shown here, it is possible to systematically investigate the electromagnetic compatibility of the sensor 10 as a function of simulated flight conditions and operating modes of the rotor units 6 and to determine a parameter set in which undesirable electromagnetic influences are reduced to a minimum.

[0074] The adjustable rotor parameters of the rotor units 6 as well as the effector parameters of the applicator 8 and the sensor 10 are shown below using Fig. 2 explained.

[0075] Fig. 2 shows an assembly which, according to Fig. 1 is arranged in the end boom area 5 of the manipulator 2 in an isometric view a), a side view b) and a top view c).

[0076] As can be seen from view a) of the Fig. 2, the assembly has a receptacle 16 with which it can be Fig. 1 in the area of ​​the end boom area 5 of the manipulator 2. Regardless of the embodiment shown here, this can be a standardized interface that can be configured depending on the manipulator 2 and replaced as needed. The mount 16 can serve solely for the mechanical connection to the manipulator 2, but can also have interfaces for power and signal transmission if required.

[0077] Starting from the holder 16, two support arms 17 run to the two rotor units 6, the purpose of which is already explained in relation to Fig. 1. The design of the support arms 17 is selected so that it can be changed as needed to change a relative position or alignment between the rotor units 6 and the applicator 8. The relevant design parameters are shown in connection with views b) and c) of the Fig. 2 explained.

[0078] The rotor units 6 each have an electric drive 18, which in the example shown here is designed as a brushless DC motor. Rotor blades 19 are also provided, each extending radially from its respective drive 18 and capable of being set in rotation by the drive 18.

[0079] During the rotational movement and the resulting airflow, this can include an adjustable flow parameter, such as a flow velocity or a delivery pressure, which can interact with an effector parameter. By changing the rotational movement, such as the rotational speed, the flow parameter can also be changed.

[0080] In the area of ​​the receptacle 16, the sensor 10 is arranged, which is a position sensor, by means of which, for example, a distance which is Fig. 2 relative to the carrier substrate 11. The detectable signals of the sensor 10 have a signal-to-noise ratio, which is a measurable sensor characteristic that may depend on the operation of the rotor units 6. By measuring the position signal, the signal-to-noise ratio can be determined and analyzed to determine the extent to which it depends on the operation of the rotor unit 6, in particular a drive parameter that may manifest itself in an electrical current intensity in the electric drives 18.

[0081] The applicator 8 comprises a tank 20 containing the application medium, as well as a pump (not shown) that feeds the application medium into a conduit 21 and dispenses it via a nozzle 22. The applicator 8 has applicator parameters on which the dispensing of the application medium depends and which are determined both by the design and the operation of the applicator 8. In this case, the application parameter depends on the design of the nozzle 22, in particular the nozzle shape and / or the nozzle cross-section and / or the outlet pressure of the application medium. The application parameters also include the application quantity per unit of time, the application pressure, and the application temperature.

[0082] As can be seen from the side view b) of the Fig. 2, the rotors 19 are arranged in a common plane 23, the rotor plane. List of reference symbols 1 device 2 Manipulator 3 booms 4 joint 5 End boom area 6 Rotor unit 7 Effector 8 Applicator 9 Application medium 10 Sensor 11 Carrier substrate 12 Trajectory 13 Control device 14 Systems 15 Fencing 16 recording 17 support arms 18 Drive 19 rotors 20 tanks 21 Conduit 22 nozzle 23 Level QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] CN 213549247 U

[0004]

Claims

[1] Device (1) for simulating operating conditions of an unmanned aerial drone, comprising a manipulator (2) with an end boom area (5), an effector (7) which is intended to interact with an environment of the manipulator (2), a rotor unit (6) with an electric drive and at least one rotor (19), which is intended to generate an air flow during a rotational movement of the rotor (19) generated by means of the drive (18), wherein the effector (7) and the rotor unit (6) are arranged in the end boom area (5) of the manipulator (2) and the effector (7) has at least one effector parameter during operation, which interacts with at least one rotor parameter of the rotor unit (6), and wherein the manipulator (2) comprises serial kinematics at least in the region of the end boom area (5). [2] Device (1) according to claim 1, in which the effector (7) comprises at least one applicator (8) which is intended to dispense an application medium (9) and the effector parameter comprises an applicator property and / or an application characteristic of the dispensed application medium (9), and the rotor parameter includes a flow parameter of the generated air flow. [3] Device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, in which the effector (7) comprises at least one sensor (10) which is intended to measure an environmental variable and the effector parameter comprises a sensor property and / or a signal characteristic of a received signal, and the rotor parameter includes a drive parameter of the generated rotational movement. [4] Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, with a control device (13) which is connected by signal to the manipulator (2) and the effector (7) as well as to the rotor unit (6), and with a control program with at least one parameter set, wherein the control device (13) is at least designed to a position and / or movement of the manipulator (2) and / or an adjustable effector parameter and / or to change an adjustable rotor parameter. [5] Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the manipulator (2) is formed by an articulated-arm robot and / or in which the manipulator comprises Cartesian kinematics in addition to the serial kinematics. [6] Device according to one of the preceding claims, in which at least the effector (7) and the rotor unit (6) form at least part of a flying drone, and at least part of the flying drone is detachably received in the end effector region (5) and the control device (13) is signal-connected to the effector (7) and the rotor unit (6) via a drone control. [7] Device (1) according to claim 6, wherein the rotor unit (6) as part of the flying drone comprises at least two rotors (19) which are arranged spaced apart from one another in a plane (23), and the effector (7) is arranged between the two rotors (19). [8] Device (1) at least according to at least claim 2, with a carrier substrate (11) which is intended to be provided with the application medium (9) by means of the applicator (8) and / or to be measured superficially by means of the sensor (10). [9] Device (1) according to claim 8, wherein the carrier substrate (11) is flat, in particular formed by a wall or a disc, and is arranged laterally next to the manipulator (2) and / or effector (7). [10] Device (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, comprising a fan which is provided to generate a wind current in the environment of the manipulator (2). [11] Device (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, comprising a humidifying means which is intended to produce a precipitate in the environment of the manipulator. [12] Device (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, with a temperature control means which is provided to bring about a change in the ambient temperature in the environment of the manipulator. [13] Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the device is encapsulated with respect to a device environment, in particular forming a test cell. [14] Method for simulating operating conditions of an aerial drone comprising the following method steps: V1 - Providing a device (1) according to one of the preceding claims; V2 - movement of the manipulator (2) during an interaction of the effector (7) with the environment of the manipulator (2) and during operation of the rotor unit (6) with a rotational movement of the at least one rotor (19) while generating an air flow according to a first set of parameters; V3 - Evaluation of an interaction between an effector parameter and a rotor parameter, particularly depending on a quality criterion. [15] Method according to claim 14, comprising the following method steps V4 - movement of the manipulator (2) according to at least one second parameter set changed compared to method step V2; V5 - Evaluation of the interaction between the effector parameter and the rotor parameter according to the second parameter set depending on the quality criterion. [16] Method according to one of claims 14 to 15, wherein the first and / or the second parameter set comprises at least one position parameter and / or movement parameter of the manipulator (2) and / or an operating parameter of the rotor unit (6) and / or a characteristic of the effector (7). [17] Method according to claim 15 or 16, comprising the steps V6 - Determination of an optimal parameter set depending on the parameter sets of process steps V2 and V3 and the evaluations in process steps V4 and V5 and the quality criterion; V7 - Creation of an application program for the drone depending on the optimal parameter set. [18] Computer-implemented method for converting a control program of a device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 13 into a flight program of an unmanned aerial drone, comprising the following method steps: C1 - Calculating a movement trajectory of an end boom area (5) of a manipulator (2) in a coordinate system of the manipulator (2) with at least one set position parameter and / or movement parameter; C2 - Transformation of the movement trajectory of the end boom area (5) into a flight trajectory of the drone in a coordinate system of the drone; C3 - Creation of a control sequence for at least one rotor unit (5) of the drone as a function of the flight trajectory and an optimal parameter set, in particular a parameter set determined according to claim 17.

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