Management system for airborne vehicles

Abstract

Airborne vehicle management system (1) comprising a plurality of airborne vehicles (1) and at least one logistic support unit (2) of said airborne vehicles (1). Each airborne vehicle (1) comprises a service container (10) adapted to contain service material, which service container (10) comprises at least one inlet port of said service material, said service container (10) being fixed to the airborne vehicle (1) through a connecting cable (11), said logistic support unit (2) comprising at least one resupply compartment (20), which resupply compartment (20) has an inlet opening (21), an outlet opening (22) and is delimited by one or more side walls (23) and by a ceiling wall (24). The resupply compartment (20) comprising means for resupply of said service container (W). The inlet opening (21) of the resupply compartment (20) has a capture system (4) of said cable (11) and a funnel element (3) comprising one or more walls (31, 32, 33) configured to converge the service container (10) towards the inlet opening (21), said ceiling wall (24) comprising a slot (25) communicating with the capture system (4) of the cable (11) and configured for the passage of the cable (11), in such a way that the airborne vehicle (1) flies over the resupply compartment (20), with the ceiling wall (24) interposed between the drone (1) and the service container (10).

Description

[0001] Management system for airborne vehicles.

[0002] Technical Field

[0003] The object of the present invention is a management system for airborne vehicles comprising a plurality of airborne vehicles and at least one logistic support unit for said airborne vehicles.

[0004] Each airborne vehicle comprises a service container adapted to contain service material, which service container comprises at least one inlet port of the service material. The service container is fixed to the airborne vehicle through a connecting cable. In addition, the logistic support unit comprises at least one resupply compartment, which has an inlet opening, an outlet opening and is delimited by one or more side walls and by a ceiling wall, the resupply compartment comprising resupply means for the service container.

[0005] As will be apparent from the following description, the system that is the object of the present invention may provide for the management of any airborne vehicle, whether piloted by a pilot or relating to a remotely piloted vehicle (UAV).

[0006] The system that is the object of the present invention has, however, particularly advantageous characteristics with regard to remotely piloted vehicles, with particular reference to drones.

[0007] State of the art

[0008] In the field of known technology in the field of drones, one of the main problems is the "precision landing" or the correct identification of a precise landing point.

[0009] An incorrect estimate of the landing point, in fact, causes not only a possible breakage of the drone due to unwanted impacts, but also possible malfunctions of the service platforms, i.e. the logistic support units, with the risk of temporary downtimes of the platforms, which would not be able to perform the required services.

[0010] This problem is particularly relevant in the case of fleets of drones, used for example for firefighting or video surveillance services, as in the case of patent EP3463592, Italian and i international patent applications 102020000007225 and W02022112964, the content of which is to be considered an integral part of the present patent application.

[0011] In the state of the art there are two main types of solutions to achieve a precise landing. A first type, preferably aimed at non-professional areas, is related to optical systems, which includes an object on board the drones that communicates with an optical device, so that the drone can be guided once it reaches the landing point.

[0012] The disadvantages of such systems are evident, as they are excessively affected by external conditions, such as the lack of visibility produced by atmospheric events, fog, suspended particles, soiling of the devices, etc.

[0013] The second solution is the one most used in the professional field and is related to the use of radio signals, positioning systems such as GPS or similar.

[0014] Such systems measure the position of the object relative to satellites, but have induced errors and are generally not below one metre.

[0015] Through expensive systems, GPS accuracy can be improved and centimetre accuracy can also be achieved.

[0016] However, such systems are affected by the configuration in which they operate, as any structures, buildings or trees can create disturbances that disturb the reception and processing of the signal.

[0017] In addition to the problem of "precision landing", especially with regard to drone fleets, a particularly relevant parameter is the service time for resupplying each drone.

[0018] One of the requirements is to have a very fast drone service time, that is, to have few logistic support units that manage a large number of drones with limited time.

[0019] This need becomes particularly relevant in the case of fleets of drones used for fire management, wherein the drones comprise a container of fire-fighting liquid that must be recharged by the logistic support unit.

[0020] In this case the service time could also depend on the necessary recharge times of each container.

[0021] Objects of the invention

[0022] As will become evident from the following description, the present invention is not limited to firefighting operations, but can preferably be used in all those activities involving the expulsion of material from a raised position, such as operations aimed at sowing fields or the like.

[0023] The system that is the object of the present invention can for example also be used in material transport operations, from one point to another, in which it is necessary to envisage multiple journeys by the drones and a resupply step of the material to be transported. Regardless of the specific application, the resupply of the containers also requires long times, with the risk of creating "queues" of the resupply means, since the management of several drones at the same time is particularly complex.

[0024] There is therefore a need, not satisfied by the systems known in the state of the art, to obtain a management system for airborne vehicles that solves the disadvantages outlined above, in particular to obtain an airborne vehicle management system which allows an efficient resupply of at least the service material transported by the airborne vehicles themselves, without requiring long times and in a completely automated manner, ensuring a precise positioning of the container, optimal to allow the resupply thereof.

[0025] Disclosure of the invention

[0026] The present invention achieves the above objects by realizing a system as described above, wherein the inlet opening of the resupply compartment has a cable capture system and a funnel element comprising one or more walls configured to converge the service container towards the inlet opening.

[0027] The ceiling wall comprises a slot communicating with the cable capture system and configured for cable passage, such that the airborne vehicle flies over the resupply compartment, with the ceiling wall interposed between the airborne vehicle and the service container.

[0028] Since in airborne vehicle fleet management systems resupply time is the bottleneck that prevents serving a large number of airborne vehicles, the system that is the object of the present invention strongly limits the duration of this period.

[0029] In fact, the resupply time is not only the recharge time of the container, but relates to the period between the landing, resupply and takeoff of the airborne vehicle.

[0030] A first difference can therefore be noted: the system that is the object of the present invention does not provide for the landing of the airborne vehicle, the airborne vehicle continues to fly over the logistic support unit, without the need to land and take off.

[0031] Only the service container is captured within the resupply compartment and the drone and service container move during the resupply of the service container.

[0032] The general concept is that the system that is the object of the present invention minimizes the occupancy time of the shared resource, i.e. the logistic support unit, allowing a faster and more optimal management of the resupply of different airborne vehicles, creating an efficient system.

[0033] The generic configuration just described is particularly efficient when it is possible to recharge the service container in motion, i.e. during the transit of the service container inside the resupply compartment.

[0034] In addition, the optimal configuration is obtained in the event that the recharge and filling time of the service container is less than or equal to the time it takes to the airborne vehicle to fly over the logistic support unit.

[0035] In the event that such conditions cannot be obtained, according to a preferred embodiment, the system provides that the resupply compartment comprises at least one replacement container filled with service material and positioned at the outlet opening and decoupling means of the airborne vehicle from the service container and coupling means of the airborne vehicle to the replacement container.

[0036] During the decoupling / coupling of the airborne vehicle with the service and replacement containers, the airborne vehicle flies over the resupply compartment, with the ceiling wall interposed between the airborne vehicle and the service and replacement containers.

[0037] This configuration allows the waiting time for resupply to be completely eliminated, the airborne vehicle arrives, deposits the empty service container and picks up the full replacement container. Furthermore, according to the variant just described, the time for recharging the containers is decoupled from the dwell time, i.e. the occupancy of the logistic support unit by the airborne vehicles. In this case the occupancy period will be dependent on the transit period of the airborne vehicle on the logistic support unit.

[0038] It is evident how, the better the coupling / decoupling times, the less the occupancy time of the logistic support unit will be.

[0039] In this perspective, it will be possible to provide two or more replacement containers, especially in the event that the recharging time of the service container is longer than the period between decoupling and coupling, that is, the time it takes to an airborne vehicle to leave the service container and withdraw the replacement container. Starting from the two generic configurations described above, it is possible to envisage several improvements of the system that is the object of the present invention, aimed at improving the efficiency of the management of airborne vehicles. For example, particular embodiments of both the funnel element and the cable capture system may be provided, which will be described below, through the illustration of some embodiment examples.

[0040] As is evident, the system that is the object of the present invention cannot exploit the force of gravity of the service container for the correct insertion inside the resupply compartment, however, the service container is empty when the airborne vehicle approaches the logistic support unit, so the inclination of the walls of the funnel element guarantees a fast and effective insertion of the service container through the inlet opening of the resupply compartment.

[0041] According to a possible embodiment, the resupply compartment comprises cable coupling and transfer means. In this way, it will not be the airborne vehicle that tows the cable, risking tilting due to the resistance provided by the sliding of the cable inside the slot, but the airborne vehicle accompanies the movement of the cable inside the slot by means of the towing means.

[0042] The airborne vehicle therefore adapts its flight speed to the speed of the towing means and will not find itself flying with dangerous inclinations, which could compromise its operation. This embodiment is particularly advantageous in combination with the fact that a sensor on the airborne vehicle is used to detect the mechanical tension acting on the cable.

[0043] In this way, as soon as the airborne vehicle detects tension, this will mean that the cable has been captured by the capture system and therefore the airborne vehicle will have to adjust the flight speed.

[0044] A decrease in flight speed also has a positive impact on the decoupling / coupling means, which will have a longer period to perform the replacement of the service container with the replacement container.

[0045] As is known, in the state of the art, airborne vehicles are particularly precise in the identification of the height of the flight, but not very precise on the horizontal plane. For this reason, according to a possible embodiment, the logistic support unit comprises two resupply compartments, arranged on two different levels with reference to a horizontal plane.

[0046] If it were possible, based on the space available between one airborne vehicle and the other, to serve two airborne vehicles at the same time, precisely for the accuracy of positioning in height, two resupply compartments could be provided at two different levels, in order to optimize the occupancy space of the logistic support unit compared to the space necessary to resupply two drones at the same time. Preferably, in fact, the logistic support unit consists of one or more containers mounted on trucks, which allow for rapid deployment and use of the system, by means of a drivable vehicle, on which it is possible to load both the replacement containers and the tanks of the service material.

[0047] These and further objects of the present invention are achieved by a system according to the appended independent claim and the sub-claims. Optional features of the system of the invention are contained in the appended dependent claims, which form an integral part of the present disclosure.

[0048] Brief description of the accompanying drawings

[0049] These and other features and advantages of the invention will become clearer from the following disclosure of some embodiment examples illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

[0050] • Figure 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of the system for the management of drone fleets that is the object of the present invention;

[0051] • Figures 2a to 2c illustrate three views of a possible embodiment of the logistic support unit belonging to the system that is the object of the present invention;

[0052] • Figures 3a to 3j illustrate the function of the system that is the object of the present invention.

[0053] It is specified that the figures attached to the present patent application illustrate only some possible embodiments of the management system for fleets of airborne vehicles that is the object of the present invention, to better understand its described advantages and features.

[0054] These embodiments are therefore intended purely for illustrative purposes and not as a limitation to the inventive concept of the present invention, i.e. that of obtaining an airborne vehicle management system which enables efficient and rapid resupplying of at least the service material carried by the airborne vehicles themselves, without requiring long lead times and in a completely automated manner, guaranteeing precise positioning of the container, which is optimal for resupplying.

[0055] Optimal method for implementing the invention

[0056] With particular reference to Figures 1 to 2c, a preferred embodiment of the drone management system is illustrated comprising a plurality of drones 1 and at least one logistic support unit 2 for the drones 1.

[0057] For illustrative simplicity, only one drone 1 is depicted in the figures, but it will be evident from the following description that the features shown do not vary in the case of the presence of one, two, or a plurality of drones 1.

[0058] The drone 1 comprises at least one service container 10 adapted to contain service material and which comprises at least one inlet port of the service material

[0059] Preferably, but not exclusively, the drones 1 of the system that is the object of the present invention are drones whose propellers are moved by the use of fuel and not electrically driven drones that require power batteries.

[0060] For this reason, the service container 10 can have several compartments, in particular a compartment containing, for example, water in the case of fire-fighting applications, and a compartment containing fuel to allow the drone 1 to be supplied.

[0061] In general, the term "service material" refers to the material contained in the service container 10, regardless of the number of compartments present in the container 10.

[0062] In view of this, the cable 11 can have several functions, in particular:

[0063] • connecting duct for the fuel contained in the container 10 to supply the drone,

[0064] • support cable to support the weight of the service material of the container 10.

[0065] The inlet port for filling the container 10 will also allow the different compartments to be filled.

[0066] In fact, according to one embodiment, the drone 1 , the container 10 and the cable 11 are made according to one or more of the characteristics described within the patent application W02022112964 the content of which is to be considered an integral part of the present patent application.

[0067] In the particular case of the attached figures, the container 10 is connected to the drone 1 through the cable 11 and a system of coupling flanges 12. There is a first flange integral with the cable and a second flange integral with the container 10.

[0068] The two flanges cooperate so as to fix the container 10 to the cable 11. For this reason, advantageously, the resupply compartment 20 comprises coupling / decoupling means of the first and second flanges, as will be described later.

[0069] The logistic support unit 2 comprises a resupply compartment 20, which has an inlet opening 21 , an outlet opening 22 and is delimited by one or more side walls 23 and by a ceiling wall 24. According to the variant illustrated in the figures, the logistic support unit 2 consists of a truck, in such a way that the filling compartment is integrated inside a classic container of parallelepiped shape, with the side walls 23 and the ceiling wall 24.

[0070] The container, inside, integrates a resupply tank, for example a water tank and a fuel tank, as well as resupply means, to allow the filling and resupply of the containers 10 carried by the drones 1.

[0071] In Figure 2a a section of the logistic support unit 2 is illustrated and a container 100 is illustrated, which will be described later as a replacement container 100, filled with service material.

[0072] The filling means can be realized using any of the methods known to the state of the art, for example the resupply compartment 20 can have the tanks in the lower part of the container and above these tanks provide outlet ports for the material contained in the tanks, on which ports the containers 10, 100 to be filled are placed.

[0073] The logistic support unit 2 has a funnel element 3, configured to converge the service container 10 towards the inlet opening 21.

[0074] In the particular case of the figures, with reference to Figures 2a and 2b, the funnel element 3 has three walls converging towards the inlet opening 21 , in particular two side walls 31 and 32 and a lower wall 33.

[0075] The two side walls 31 and 32 are positioned perpendicular to a horizontal plane and converging towards the opening 4, while the wall 33 is positioned perpendicular to a lateral plane, i.e. the plane on which the view of Figure 2a lies, and also converging towards the inlet opening 21. The drone 1, approaching the logistic support unit 2 and with the container 10 at the height of the funnel element, will be able to easily insert the container 10 inside the inlet opening 21, thanks to the impact of the container 10 with the lead-in surfaces 31 , 32 and 33 that will also accompany the container 10 towards the inlet opening 21 , thanks to a surface for example with a thousand marbles, as will be described later.

[0076] The funnel element 3 has the walls 31 , 32 and 33 positioned only on three sides since in the upper portion it obtains a capture system 4 of the cable 11.

[0077] As clearly illustrated in Figure 2c, there are two triangular elements 41 having on their longer sides two elongated elements 410 configured to form a "V" shaped loop.

[0078] Viewed from above, as in Figure 2c, the capture system 4 seems to consist of two forks, which intercept the cable 11, during the handling of the drone, and guide it, by sliding the cable 11 on one of the two elongated elements 410, towards the resupply compartment 20 of the logistic support unit 2.

[0079] For this reason, the logistic support unit 2, on the ceiling wall 24 has a slot 25, which extends longitudinally to the logistic support unit 2 and with a certain width, slightly greater than the diameter of the cable 11.

[0080] Once the characteristics described above have been evaluated, it is possible to analyse the operation of the system that is the object of the present invention, with particular reference to Figures 3a to 3j.

[0081] Figures 3a and 3b illustrate the phase in which the drone 1 approaches the logistic support unit 2: the drones known to the state of the art have a precise control system for detecting the desired flight height, but this control system is less precise with regard to movements on the horizontal plane.

[0082] For this reason, it is possible to set the drone so that it flies at a certain height, that is, a height higher than the ceiling wall 24 so that the container 10 is at the height of the funnel element 3.

[0083] Even in the case of a non-precise positioning on the horizontal plane, the elements 41 of the capture system 4 and the walls 31 , 32 and 33 of the funnel element 3 will help to position the container 10 in line with the inlet opening 21.

[0084] The drone 1 approaches the logistic support unit 2, the cable 11 is intercepted by the elements 410 that guide the cable towards the slot 25, while the container 10 impacts against the walls 31 ,

[0085] 32 and 33 and is guided towards the inlet opening 21.

[0086] The drone 1 then continues its flight, with constant height, towards the outlet opening 22, in order to tow the container 10 and the cable 11 and so that the container 10 enters the resupply compartment 20. Figures 3c and 3d illustrate this condition: the drone has pushed the container 10 into the resupply compartment 20.

[0087] To allow a precise positioning of the container 10, it is possible to provide that the resupply compartment 20 has a track 26 in which the flange system 12 is inserted: since the flange system 12 is fixed, both with respect to the cable 11 and with respect to the container 10, the track 26 forces the flange system 12 to a precise positioning, so as to transfer this correct positioning to the container 10 and to the drone 1 that will always be aligned with the ceiling wall 24.

[0088] According to a possible embodiment, the drone 1 has an on-board sensor aimed at detecting the mechanical tension of the cable 11 : in this way, as soon as the drone 1 senses the tension, it detects that the container 10 has been inserted inside the inlet opening 21.

[0089] The drone 1 can therefore be programmed to maintain a certain cruising speed, so as not to create excessive tensions on the cable 11 and / or even in the event of a possible blockage of the drone 1.

[0090] Alternatively or in combination with this feature, the resupply compartment 20 has means for towing the cable 11 and / or the container 10.

[0091] It is therefore possible to provide that the drone 1 is pushed by the towing means, i.e. that it adjusts its speed so that it is lower than the towing speed of the cable towing means 11 and / or the container 10. As anticipated, the flange system 12 has a first flange integral with the cable 11 and a second flange integral with the container 10, which cooperate with each other to couple / decouple the container 10 from the drone 1.

[0092] This flange system allows, as illustrated in Figures 3e and 3f, the drone to be decoupled from the container 10, which is stored inside the resupply compartment to be filled with service material.

[0093] The decoupling means can be integrated inside the tracks 26, they are inserted between the first and the second flange, so that the container 10 remains stationary in position, while the drone 1 can continue to fly over the ceiling wall 24 of the resupply compartment 20.

[0094] Preferably, such decoupling means are provided at a resupply area of the container 10, so that the container 10, as soon as it is detached from the cable 11 , can be filled in the shortest possible time.

[0095] The drone 1 continues its travel towards the outlet opening 22 where it meets the replacement container 100, Figures 3g and 3h.

[0096] The replacement container 100 has been previously filled with service material and is coupled to the drone 1 , thanks to the flange system described above.

[0097] At the replacement container 100, in fact, in the track 26 there are coupling means, which associate the first flange of the drone 1 with a third flange of the container 100, realized in a manner similar to the second flange of the container 10.

[0098] At this point the drone 1 has coupled the container 100, which is filled with service material, so as to allow the drone 1 to continue its activity. The drone 1 therefore proceeds with its travel and the container 100 exits the outlet opening 22, see for reference Figures 3i and 3j.

[0099] The service container 10, once filled, is then moved to the place of the container 100, which has left the station empty, to be loaded by the next drone in service at the resupply compartment 20. Obviously, what is described in Figures 3a to 3j is repeated any number of times for all drones belonging to the system that is the object of the present invention. While the invention is subject to various modifications and alternative constructions, some preferred embodiments have been shown in the drawings and described in detail.

[0100] It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific illustrated embodiment but, on the contrary, the aim is to cover all the modifications, alternative constructions and equivalents falling within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

[0101] The use of “for example”, “etc.”, “or” indicates non-exclusive alternatives without limitation, unless otherwise indicated.

[0102] The use of “includes” means “includes but is not limited to”, unless otherwise stated.

Claims

Claims1 . Airborne vehicle management system (1) comprising a plurality of airborne vehicles (1) and at least one logistic support unit (2) of said airborne vehicles (1), each airborne vehicle (1) comprising a service container (10) adapted to contain service material, which service container (10) comprises at least one inlet port of said service material, said service container (10) being fixed to the airborne vehicle (1) through a connecting cable (11), said logistic support unit (2) comprising at least one resupply compartment (20), which resupply compartment (20) has an inlet opening (21), an outlet opening (22) and is delimited by one or more side walls (23) and by a ceiling wall (24), the resupply compartment (20) comprising means for resupply of said service container (10), characterized in that the inlet opening (21) of the resupply compartment (20) has a capture system (4) of said cable (11) and a funnel element (3) comprising one or more walls (31 , 32, 33) configured to converge the service container (10) towards the inlet opening (21), said ceiling wall (24) comprising a slot (25) communicating with the capture system (4) of the cable (11) and configured for the passage of the cable (11), so that the airborne vehicle (1) flies over the resupply compartment (20), with the ceiling wall (24) interposed between the airborne vehicle (1) and the service container (10).

2. System according to Claim 1 , wherein the resupply compartment (20) comprises at least one replacement container (100) filled with service material and positioned at the outletopening (22) and decoupling means of the airborne vehicle (1) from the service container (10) and coupling means of the airborne vehicle (1) to the replacement container (100), during the decoupling / coupling of the airborne vehicle (1) with the service (10) and replacement (100) containers of the airborne vehicle (1) flying over the resupply compartment (20), with the ceiling wall (24) interposed between the airborne vehicle (1) and the service (10) and replacement (100) containers.

3. System according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said capture system (4) of the cable (11) consists of an upper portion of the funnel element (3), comprising two elongated elements (410) arranged with their longitudinal axes converging in the direction of the inlet opening (21), so as to identify a "V" shape, the apex of which communicates with said slot (25).

4. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the resupply compartment (20) comprises cable coupling and transfer means (11).

5. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said funnel element (3) comprises at leasttwo walls (31 ,32) arranged perpendicular to the horizontal plane and arranged converging towards the inlet opening (21), the upper edges of the two said walls (31 ,32) forming a fork element configured to intercept the cable (11) during the flight of the airborne vehicle (1) and guide it towards said slot (25).

6. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said funnel element (3) has a rectangular-shaped section along a plane parallel to the inlet opening (21), said funnel element (3) having three walls (31 ,32,33) arranged converging in thedirection of the inlet opening (21) and arranged at the vertical sides and the lower side of the rectangular-shaped section.

7. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said airborne vehicle (1) comprises a sensor aimed at detecting the mechanical tension of the cable (11).

8. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the coupling means and the decoupling means consist of a first flange fixed to the end of the cable (11) opposite to the end fixed to the airborne vehicle (1), of a second flange fixed to the service container and of a third flange fixed to the replacement container (100), there being means for coupling / uncoupl i ng the first flange with the second and / or with the third flange.

9. System according to Claim 8, wherein the resupply compartment (20), at the slot (25), has a guide track (26) at least of said first flange.

10. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said logistic support unit comprises two resupply compartments, arranged on two different levels with reference to a horizontal plane.

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