Moving body, moving body controller, and moving body control method

Abstract

To enable a moving body, which can move underwater, to move to a predetermined place underwater without being steered by an operator.SOLUTION: A moving body 100 has a flight moving body 1, which flies in the air, and an underwater navigation moving body 2, which navigates underwater, coupled to each other so that they can be decoupled. The flight moving body 1 includes a plan information acquisition unit 161 that acquires moving plan information including an underwater navigation place of the underwater navigation moving body 2, a flight control unit 163 that flies the flight moving body 1 toward a position above the underwater navigation place, and an underwater navigation control unit 164 that, when the flight moving body 1 reaches the position above the underwater navigation place, moves the underwater navigation moving body 2 toward the underwater navigation place.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a moving body capable of operating underwater, a moving body control device for controlling the moving body, and a moving body control method for moving the moving body. [Background technology]

[0002] A combined water-air drone is known in which a surface drone capable of flying in the air is coupled with a submersible drone capable of operating underwater, moves to a predetermined location, and then separates the submersible drone, which is then recovered after the submersible drone has completed its work (see, for example, non-patent document 1). [Prior art documents] [Non-patent literature]

[0003] [Non-Patent Document 1] KDDI Corporation, KDDI Research, Inc., Prodrone Inc., “World’s first water-air combined drone succeeds in remote underwater photography ~ Safe and efficient inspection of offshore wind power generation equipment without launching a ship ~”, [online], December 14, 2021, KDDI, [Searched February 25, 2022], Internet<URL:https: / / news.kddi.com / kddi / corporate / newsrelease / 2021 / 12 / 14 / 5593.html> Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In order to operate a conventional combined water-air drone, an operator had to operate the combined water-air drone using a control device while visually observing the combined water-air drone or while looking at images taken by the combined water-air drone.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of these points, and has an object to enable a moving body capable of moving underwater to move to a predetermined location underwater without being operated by an operator. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A first aspect of the moving body of the present invention is a moving body in which a flying moving body that flies in the air and a submersible moving body that submerges underwater are detachably connected, and the flying moving body has a plan information acquisition unit that acquires movement plan information including the submersible location of the submersible moving body, a flight control unit that flies the flying moving body toward a position above the submersible location, and a submersible control unit that moves the submersible moving body toward the submersible location when the flying moving body arrives at a position above the submersible location.

[0007] The flying mobile body may further have a position identification unit that identifies an absolute position of the flying mobile body and a relative position from the absolute position to the submerged location, and the submerged control unit may move the submerged mobile body to the submerged location by transmitting control data including the relative position to the submerged mobile body.

[0008] If the position identification unit is unable to identify the absolute position at a position above the submersible location, the submersible control unit may move the submersible mobile body from the closest position where the position identification unit has identified the absolute position toward the submersible location.

[0009] The flight control unit may control the flying vehicle to be positioned vertically above the position of the submersible vehicle.

[0010] The movement plan information includes information indicating operations to be performed by the submersible mobile body in association with the submersible location, and the submersible control unit may transmit control data to the submersible mobile body for causing the submersible mobile body to perform the operations indicated by the movement plan information.

[0011] The submersible vehicle may have a data transmission unit that transmits result data to the flying vehicle, which indicates the results of the operation performed by the submersible vehicle, in association with the position and orientation of the submersible vehicle.

[0012] The submersible control unit may raise the submersible vehicle when the result data acquired satisfies a predetermined condition.

[0013] The movement plan information may include a plurality of the submersible locations, and when the flight control unit acquires operation completion data indicating that the submersible vehicle has completed a predetermined operation at a first submersible location among the plurality of submersible locations, it may move the flying vehicle toward a position above a second submersible location different from the first submersible location.

[0014] The submersion control unit may move the submersion vehicle to the second submersion location by moving the submersion vehicle to a position vertically below the position of the flying vehicle between the first submersion location and the second submersion location.

[0015] The submersible control unit may raise the submersible vehicle when the operation completion data is acquired at all of the plurality of submersible locations.

[0016] A second aspect of the mobile body control device of the present invention is a mobile body control device that moves a mobile body in which a flying mobile body that flies in the air and a submersible mobile body that submerges underwater are detachably connected, and the mobile body control device has a plan information acquisition unit that acquires movement plan information including the submersible location of the submersible mobile body, a flight control unit that flies the flying mobile body toward a position above the submersible location, and a submersible control unit that moves the submersible mobile body toward the submersible location when the flying mobile body arrives at a position above the submersible location.

[0017] A third aspect of the mobile body control method of the present invention is a mobile body movement method executed by a computer, in which a flying mobile body flying in the air and a submersible mobile body submerged underwater are detachably connected, and the computer has the steps of acquiring movement plan information including the submersible location of the submersible mobile body, flying the flying mobile body toward a position above the submersible location, and, when the flying mobile body arrives at the position above the submersible location, moving the submersible mobile body toward the submersible location. Effect of the Invention

[0018] According to the present invention, an effect is achieved in that a moving body capable of moving underwater can be moved to a predetermined location underwater without being operated by an operator. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an overview of a moving object 100. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an overview of a moving object 100. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an overview of a moving object 100. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a movement path when an underwater object K is a seawall. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a movement path when the underwater object K is a ship. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a flying vehicle 1. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of movement plan information. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining three-dimensional spatial coordinates. [Figure 9] 1 is a flowchart showing a processing flow in the flying vehicle 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] [Overview of mobile unit 100] 1 to 3 are diagrams for explaining an overview of the moving body 100. The moving body 100 has a flying moving body 1 capable of moving on water, and a submersible moving body 2 detachably connected to the flying moving body 1 and capable of diving underwater. The moving body 100 can move in either a state in which the submersible moving body 2 is housed in the flying moving body 1, or a state in which the submersible moving body 2 is not housed in the flying moving body 1. As shown in FIG. 2, even in a state in which the submersible moving body 2 is not housed in the flying moving body 1, the flying moving body 1 and the submersible moving body 2 may be connected by a cable C, but the flying moving body 1 and the submersible moving body 2 do not have to be connected by a cable C.

[0021] The flying vehicle 1 is provided with a movement mechanism 10 for flying the flying vehicle 1, and an attachment / detachment mechanism 11 for attaching and detaching the submersible vehicle 2. The movement mechanism 10 includes mechanisms necessary for flying the flying vehicle 1, such as a propeller and a rudder. The attachment / detachment mechanism 11 includes members that form a space for accommodating the submersible vehicle 2, a mechanism for fixing the submersible vehicle 2, and a mechanism for releasing the submersible vehicle 2.

[0022] The moving body 100 moves based on the movement plan information received from the management server 3, and executes a predetermined operation at the submerged location indicated by the movement plan information. The predetermined operation is, for example, an operation of photographing an underwater object or an operation of processing an underwater object. In the following description, a case where the predetermined operation is an operation of photographing an underwater object K will be mainly illustrated.

[0023] The management server 3 is a device, such as a computer, that can transmit and receive data to and from the mobile body 100 via a network such as a mobile phone network or Wi-Fi (registered trademark). The management server 3 is managed, for example, by a business operator that uses the mobile body 100 to observe the state of underwater objects and perform maintenance on the underwater objects. The management server 3 transmits movement plan information to the mobile body 100, thereby causing the mobile body 100 to perform a predetermined operation.

[0024] The movement plan information will be described in detail later, but the movement plan information includes information indicating the latitude, longitude, and depth of multiple submersible locations where the submersible mobile body 2 performs a predetermined operation underwater. The movement plan information may further include information indicating the operation to be performed by the submersible mobile body 2 at each submersible location. The management server 3 acquires the movement plan information, for example, from a computer used by a user who has requested work using the mobile body 100. The management server 3 may store a history of multiple submersible locations where the submersible mobile body 2 has performed a predetermined operation in the past, and create the movement plan information based on the stored history.

[0025] When a user creates movement plan information, the user specifies the route that the user wants the submersible mobile body 2 to travel or the location that the user wants to photograph on a map displayed on the information terminal. The management server 3 creates or acquires movement plan information that includes at least one of the flight route and landing location of the flying mobile body 1, and the submersible route, work location, work content, and return location of the submersible mobile body 2, based on the route or location specified by the user. The flight route may be the shortest route while avoiding no-fly zones, or may be the shortest route that passes through a permitted flight zone.

[0026] The management server 3 may create a route that satisfies the specified conditions by receiving at least one of the desired shooting location, route, shooting angle, and shooting distance to the target object from the user. For example, when the management server 3 receives the designation of the shooting location, shooting angle (angle with respect to the vertical direction), and shooting distance (distance from the target object), it creates movement plan information including the shooting angle and shooting distance received at the received shooting location.

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a state in which a submersible mobile body 2 is housed in an airborne mobile body 1, and the submersible mobile body 2 has not yet reached the submersible location. The airborne mobile body 1 moves with the submersible mobile body 2 housed in it to a position above the submersible location indicated by movement plan information received from the management server 3. The position above the submersible location is, for example, a position vertically above the submersible location. In other words, the position above the submersible location is at the same latitude and longitude as the submersible location, and is above the water surface.

[0028] In Fig. 1, seaweed is shown as the underwater object K. The movement plan information includes information indicating the positions of multiple submersible locations where the submersible moving body 2 will photograph the underwater object K. Fig. 1 shows the position of the moving body 100 at the time when the flying moving body 1 moves with the submersible moving body 2 stored to a position above the first submersible location.

[0029] When the moving body 100 moves to a position above the initial submersion location, as shown in Figure 2, the flying moving body 1 releases the submersible moving body 2 by operating the attachment / detachment mechanism part 11, making the submersible moving body 2 movable underwater.

[0030] After releasing the submersible mobile body 2, the flying mobile body 1 receives an acoustic signal periodically emitted by the submersible mobile body 2 and identifies the relative position of the submersible mobile body 2 with respect to the flying mobile body 1 by analyzing the received acoustic signal. The flying mobile body 1 may identify the direction of the submersible mobile body 2 by receiving data from the submersible mobile body 2 indicating the direction of the submersible mobile body 2 detected by a sensor (e.g., a geomagnetic sensor) possessed by the submersible mobile body 2. The flying mobile body 1 identifies the direction in which the submersible mobile body 2 should move based on the relationship between the identified relative position of the submersible mobile body 2 and the position of the target submersible location. The flying mobile body 1 moves the submersible mobile body 2 toward the submersible location by transmitting control data indicating the direction in which the submersible mobile body 2 should move to the submersible mobile body 2 via the cable C. When the flying mobile body 1 and the submersible mobile body 2 are not connected by the cable C, the flying mobile body 1 and the submersible mobile body 2 may transmit and receive control data acoustically or wirelessly.

[0031] When the submersible mobile body 2 reaches the submersible location, the flying mobile body 1 causes the submersible mobile body 2 to perform a predetermined operation. When the submersible mobile body 2 performs the predetermined operation, the flying mobile body 1 moves toward above the next submersible location and transmits control data to the submersible mobile body 2 for moving the submersible mobile body 2 to the next submersible location. As an example, the flying mobile body 1 transmits control data for moving the submersible mobile body 2 so that the flying mobile body 1 and the submersible mobile body 2 move toward the latitude and longitude position of the next submersible location at approximately the same speed.

[0032] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a movement path of the flying moving body 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the underwater object K is viewed from above the flying moving body 1. As shown in FIG. 3, as an example, the flying moving body 1 moves from one end side of the underwater object K to the other end side, and when it reaches the other end side, it moves in the depth direction and then moves from the other end side to the one end side. The submersible moving body 2 also moves underwater along the same movement path in accordance with the movement of the flying moving body 1. By moving the flying moving body 1 and the submersible moving body 2 in this manner, it is possible to perform operations at multiple positions of the underwater object K even if the underwater object K spreads out in a planar shape.

[0033] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a movement path when the underwater object K is a seawall. When the underwater object K has long surfaces in the vertical and horizontal directions as shown in Fig. 4, the submersible moving body 2 performs an operation while moving up and down. In the example shown in Fig. 4, the flying moving body 1 moves the submersible moving body 2 downward while keeping the position of the flying moving body 1 fixed. The flying moving body 1 may change the length of the cable C in response to changes in the depth of the submersible location.

[0034] When the submersible moving body 2 reaches the lowest submersible location where it is to perform an action, the flying moving body 1 moves horizontally toward a position above the next submersible location, and moves the submersible moving body 2 to the next submersible location. After that, the flying moving body 1 moves the submersible moving body 2 upwards while keeping the position of the flying moving body 1 fixed. By repeating such actions by the flying moving body 1 and the submersible moving body 2, actions can be performed at multiple positions of the underwater object K, even if the underwater object K has long surfaces in the vertical and horizontal directions.

[0035] Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a movement path when the underwater object K is a ship. Fig. 5(a) shows the underwater object K seen from the side, and Fig. 5(b) shows the underwater object K seen from above. As shown in Fig. 5, the flying moving body 1 and the submersible moving body 2 perform operations at multiple submersible locations while moving horizontally, and when the submersible moving body 2 reaches a predetermined position in the horizontal direction, it changes depth, and then performs operations at multiple submersible locations while moving in the opposite horizontal direction.

[0036] When the submersible mobile body 2 moves horizontally or downward to photograph the underwater object K, it may measure the distance to the underwater object K to be photographed using a sensor, ultrasonic sonar, or the like at the same time as photographing. In this case, the submersible mobile body 2 determines that it has reached the end of the underwater object K when the measured distance is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (e.g., the distance to the underwater object K when photographing). When the submersible mobile body 2 determines that it has reached the end of the underwater object K, it notifies the flying mobile body 1 of this fact and changes the photographing location based on instructions from the flying mobile body 1.

[0037] Result data (e.g., captured image data) indicating the results obtained by the submersible moving body 2 executing the operation is transmitted to the management server 3 via the flying moving body 1. The management server 3 associates the result data with the user who requested the work using the moving body 100, stores the result data in a storage medium, or transmits the result data to the user.

[0038] [Configuration of flying vehicle 1] 6 is a diagram showing the configuration of the flying vehicle 1. The flying vehicle 1 has a movement mechanism unit 10, an attachment / detachment mechanism unit 11, a communication unit 12, an acoustic signal receiving unit 13, a GPS receiver 14, a storage unit 15, and a control unit 16. The control unit 16 has a plan information acquisition unit 161, a position identification unit 162, a flight control unit 163, and a submarine control unit 164.

[0039] As described above, the movement mechanism unit 10 includes mechanisms necessary for flying the flying vehicle 1, such as a propeller and a rudder. The movement mechanism unit 10 also includes a thruster for moving the flying vehicle 1 on water. The movement mechanism unit 10 operates based on the control of the flight control unit 163, and moves the flying vehicle 1 in the air or on water.

[0040] The attachment / detachment mechanism 11 is a mechanism for attaching and detaching the submersible vehicle 2. The attachment / detachment mechanism 11 has, for example, an arm for fixing the submersible vehicle 2, and can switch between a state in which the submersible vehicle 2 is housed in the flying vehicle 1 and a state in which the submersible vehicle 2 is released from the flying vehicle 1 by changing the shape or orientation of the arm. The attachment / detachment mechanism 11 may include a mechanism for winding up the cable C.

[0041] The communication unit 12 has a communication interface for transmitting and receiving data to and from the management server 3. The communication unit 12 receives data including, for example, movement plan information from the management server 3. The communication unit 12 inputs the received movement plan information to the plan information acquisition unit 161. The communication unit 12 may transmit to the management server 3 data (for example, captured image data) indicating the results of the operation performed by the submersible mobile body 2 at the submersible location.

[0042] The acoustic signal receiving unit 13 has multiple receivers that receive acoustic signals emitted by the submersible mobile body 2. The acoustic signal receiving unit 13 inputs the multiple acoustic signals received by each of the multiple receivers to the position identifying unit 162. Since the multiple receivers are provided at different positions on the flying mobile body 1, the timing at which the acoustic signal emitted by the submersible mobile body 2 reaches each of the multiple receivers is different. The position identifying unit 162 identifies the relative position of the submersible mobile body 2 with respect to the flying mobile body 1 based on the timing at which the acoustic signal reaches each of the multiple receivers.

[0043] The GPS receiver 14 receives radio waves from GPS satellites. The GPS receiver 14 inputs to the position specifying unit 162 data that is included in the received radio waves and is used to specify latitude and longitude.

[0044] The storage unit 15 has storage media such as a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and an SSD (Solid State Drive). The storage unit 15 stores the movement plan information received by the communication unit 12. The storage unit 15 may store captured image data transmitted from the submersible vehicle 2. The storage unit 15 stores a program executed by the control unit 16.

[0045] The control unit 16 has, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The control unit 16 executes the programs stored in the storage unit 15 to function as a plan information acquisition unit 161, a position identification unit 162, a flight control unit 163, and a submarine control unit 164.

[0046] The plan information acquisition unit 161 acquires movement plan information including the submersible location of the submersible mobile body 2 via the communication unit 12. The movement plan information may include information indicating an operation to be executed by the submersible mobile body 2 in association with the submersible location. The plan information acquisition unit 161 stores the acquired movement plan information in the storage unit 15.

[0047] Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example of movement plan information. In the movement plan information shown in Fig. 7, an action ID, the latitude, longitude, and depth of the submersible location, the orientation of the submersible moving body 2 when it moves, and the content of the action to be performed are associated with each of a plurality of submersible locations where the submersible moving body 2 should perform a predetermined action. The orientation of the submersible moving body 2 when it moves is represented by a combination of an angle A1 based on north and an angle A2 based on the horizontal plane, and is exemplified in the form of (A1, A2) in Fig. 7. In Fig. 7, an action of taking a normal picture and an action of taking an enlarged picture (zoomed-up picture) are exemplified as the content of the action.

[0048] The action ID includes information indicating the order in which the submersible mobile object 2 performs predetermined actions. In the example shown in Fig. 7, the submersible mobile object 2 performs the actions in the order of the numbers indicated by the action ID. The movement plan information may further include information indicating the time at which the submersible mobile object 2 should perform each action.

[0049] The plan information acquisition unit 161 acquires movement plan information before the moving body 100 starts moving, but may acquire movement plan information after the moving body 100 starts moving. As an example, the plan information acquisition unit 161 may transmit data (e.g., captured image data) indicating the results of the operation performed by the submersible moving body 2 at the submersible location indicated by the movement plan information acquired before the moving body 100 starts moving to the management server 3, and further acquire movement plan information created by the management server 3 based on the data indicating the results.

[0050] The plan information acquisition unit 161 may request new movement plan information from the management server 3 and acquire new movement plan information when data indicating the results of the operation performed by the submersible moving body 2 does not satisfy a predetermined condition. As an example, the plan information acquisition unit 161 acquires new movement plan information when the clarity of the underwater object K in the captured image is not at a predetermined level or higher. In this way, by the plan information acquisition unit 161 acquiring movement plan information even after the submersible moving body 2 has performed an operation, it becomes possible for the submersible moving body 2 to move to a submersible location where good operation results may be obtained, for example, when the operation results of the submersible moving body 2 are not good.

[0051] The position identifying unit 162 identifies the absolute position of the flying mobile object 1 and the relative position from the absolute position to the submerged location. Specifically, the position identifying unit 162 first identifies latitude and longitude as information indicating the absolute position of the flying mobile object 1 based on data input from the GPS receiver 14. The position identifying unit 162 also identifies a vector from the identified absolute position of the flying mobile object 1 to the position of the submerged location indicated by the movement plan information, thereby identifying a relative position from the absolute position of the flying mobile object 1 to the submerged location. The relative position is represented by the coordinates of the end position of the vector in a three-dimensional spatial coordinate system with the absolute position as the origin.

[0052] FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining three-dimensional spatial coordinates. In the three-dimensional spatial coordinates shown in FIG. 8, an x-axis, a y-axis, and a z-axis that are perpendicular to each other are shown. The x-axis direction corresponds to the north-south direction, the y-axis direction corresponds to the east-west direction, and the z-axis direction corresponds to the vertical direction. The relative position of the submerged location with respect to the flying mobile body 1 is represented by the three-dimensional coordinates (x, y, z) of the submerged location when the flying mobile body 1 is at the origin. The direction in which the submerged mobile body 2 released from the flying mobile body 1 should move is represented by a combination of the angle θ from the x-axis in the xy plane and the angle φ from the xy plane.

[0053] The position identifying unit 162 may identify the position of the submersible mobile body 2. Specifically, as described above, the position identifying unit 162 identifies the relative position of the submersible mobile body 2 with respect to the flying mobile body 1 based on the timing at which the acoustic signal arrives at each of the multiple receivers included in the acoustic signal receiving unit 13. The position identifying unit 162 may further identify the absolute position of the submersible mobile body 2 based on the identified absolute position of the flying mobile body 1 and the relative position of the submersible mobile body 2.

[0054] Furthermore, the position identifying unit 162 may identify the relative position of the submersible location with respect to the absolute position of the submersible moving body 2. The position identifying unit 162 notifies the flight control unit 163 and the submersible control unit 164 of the identified absolute positions of the flying moving body 1 and the submersible moving body 2, the relative position of the submersible location with respect to the absolute position of the flying moving body 1, and the relative position of the submersible location with respect to the absolute position of the submersible moving body 2.

[0055] The flight control unit 163 controls the movement mechanism unit 10 to fly the flying vehicle 1. The flight control unit 163 controls the movement mechanism unit 10 so as to fly the flying vehicle 1 toward a position above the diving location indicated by the movement plan information. Specifically, the flight control unit 163 identifies a vector from the absolute position of the flying vehicle 1 notified by the position identification unit 162 to a position above the diving location indicated by the movement plan information, and controls the rudder of the movement mechanism unit 10 so as to fly the flying vehicle 1 in the direction of the identified vector.

[0056] When the submersible mobile body 2 is submerged underwater, the flight control unit 163 controls the flying mobile body 1 so as to be located vertically above the position of the submersible mobile body 2. Specifically, the flight control unit 163 first identifies the latitude and longitude of the position vertically above the submersible mobile body 2 based on the absolute position of the submersible mobile body 2 notified by the position identification unit 162. Next, the flight control unit 163 identifies a vector from the absolute position of the flying mobile body 1 to the position vertically above the identified submersible mobile body 2, and controls the rudder of the movement mechanism unit 10 so as to fly the flying mobile body 1 in the direction of the identified vector. By maintaining the flying mobile body 1 above the submersible mobile body 2, the cable C can be made short, thereby preventing the cable C from getting caught on an underwater structure. In addition, the time required to wind the cable C can be shortened.

[0057] When the movement plan information includes multiple submersible locations, the flight control unit 163, upon acquiring a result (e.g., captured image data) of the submersible mobile body 2 completing a predetermined operation at a first submersible location among the multiple submersible locations, moves the flying mobile body 1 toward a position above a second submersible location different from the first submersible location. By repeating such movement control, the flight control unit 163 enables the submersible mobile body 2 to perform operations at all submersible locations included in the movement plan information.

[0058] When the flying vehicle 1 is not flying but on water, the position of the flying vehicle 1 may change due to the influence of waves. In such a case, when the flight control unit 163 determines that the flying vehicle 1 has moved a predetermined distance or more away from the position, the flight control unit 163 may operate the thrusters to return the flying vehicle 1 to the position.

[0059] The submersible mobile unit 2 performs a predetermined operation at all submersible locations, and the submersible mobile unit 2 communicates with the flying mobile unit 1. When the flying vehicle 1 is accommodated in the flight control unit 163, the flying vehicle 1 flies according to the route indicated by the movement plan information. The flight control unit 163 flies the flying vehicle 1 to, for example, a predetermined base.

[0060] The submersion control unit 164 controls the position of the submersion mobile body 2. Specifically, when the flying mobile body 1 arrives at a position above the submersion location, the submersion control unit 164 moves the submersion mobile body 2 toward the submersion location. More specifically, when the flying mobile body 1 reaches a position above the submersion location while the submersion mobile body 2 is housed in the flying mobile body 1, the submersion control unit 164 releases the submersion mobile body 2 by controlling the attachment / detachment mechanism unit 11. Next, with the submersion mobile body 2 released from the flying mobile body 1, the submersion control unit 164 moves the submersion mobile body 2 toward the submersion location by transmitting control data to the submersion mobile body 2 via the cable C.

[0061] The submersion control unit 164, for example, moves the submersion mobile body 2 toward the submersion location by transmitting control data including the relative position of the submersion location to the position of the flying mobile body 1 to the submersion mobile body 2. The submersion control unit 164 transmits control data indicating the relative position of the submersion location to the flying mobile body 1 to the submersion mobile body 2, for example, at the time when the submersion mobile body 2 is released from the flying mobile body 1. Since the absolute position of the flying mobile body 1 is determined based on radio waves from GPS satellites and is highly accurate, the submersion control unit 164 can move the submersion mobile body 2 in a direction corresponding to the relative position of the submersion location to the flying mobile body 1, thereby making it possible to make the submersion mobile body 2 reach the submersion location with high accuracy.

[0062] The submersible control unit 164 may move the submersible mobile body 2 to the submersible location by transmitting to the submersible mobile body 2 control data including the relative position of the submersible location with respect to the absolute position of the submersible mobile body 2. For example, after the submersible mobile body 2 starts moving, the submersible control unit 164 moves the submersible mobile body 2 in a direction corresponding to the relative position of the submersible location with respect to the absolute position of the submersible mobile body 2. By the submersible control unit 164 doing this, even if the position of the submersible mobile body 2 deviates from the straight line connecting the flying mobile body 1 and the submersible location due to the influence of water currents, the submersible mobile body 2 can reach the submersible location while correcting its trajectory.

[0063] The submersible control unit 164 may transmit control data indicating the orientation of the submersible mobile body 2 to the submersible mobile body 2. For example, when the submersible mobile body 2 reaches a submersible location, the submersible control unit 164 transmits control data indicating the orientation associated with the submersible location in the movement plan information to the submersible mobile body 2. When the submersible mobile body 2 reaches a submersible location, the submersible control unit 164 may receive notification of the orientation of the submersible mobile body 2 at that time from the submersible mobile body 2, and transmit control data to the submersible mobile body 2 indicating the difference between the notified orientation and the orientation associated with the submersible location in the movement plan information.

[0064] Incidentally, it may be assumed that radio waves from GPS satellites cannot reach a position above the submerged location due to an obstruction above the flying mobile body 1. In such a case, the position identifying unit 162 cannot recognize that the flying mobile body 1 has reached a position above the submerged location. Therefore, when the position identifying unit 162 cannot identify the absolute position of the flying mobile body 1 at a position above the submerged location, the submerged control unit 164 may move the submerged mobile body 2 from the most recent position where the position identifying unit 162 identified the absolute position of the flying mobile body 1 toward the submerged location.

[0065] That is, the submersion control unit 164 transmits to the submersion mobile body 2 control data for moving the submersion mobile body 2 toward the submersion location from the position closest to the submersion location among multiple positions for which the position identification unit 162 has identified the absolute position of the flying mobile body 1. By operating the submersion control unit 164 in this manner, even if a situation occurs in which radio waves from a GPS satellite cannot reach the flying mobile body 1, the submersion mobile body 2 can be moved to the submersion location with high accuracy.

[0066] When the submersible control unit 164 receives a notification from the submersible moving body 2 that the submersible moving body 2 has detected an underwater obstacle by a sensor (e.g., LiDAR), the submersible control unit 164 may transmit control data to change the course of the submersible moving body 2. When the submersible control unit 164 receives a notification from the submersible moving body 2 that an obstacle has been detected, the submersible control unit 164 may transmit to the submersible moving body 2 control data to stop the movement of the submersible moving body 2 and may request new movement plan information from the management server 3. When the plan information acquisition unit 161 receives new movement plan information, the submersible control unit 164 transmits to the submersible moving body 2 control data to move the submersible moving body 2 in a direction based on the new movement plan information.

[0067] The submersible control unit 164 may transmit to the submersible mobile body 2 control data for causing the submersible mobile body 2 to execute the operation indicated by the movement plan information. For example, when the submersible control unit 164 determines that the submersible mobile body 2 has reached a submersible location based on the absolute position of the submersible mobile body 2 notified by the position identification unit 162, it transmits to the submersible mobile body 2 control data including an instruction to cause the submersible mobile body 2 to execute a predetermined operation. By the submersible control unit 164 operating in this manner, the submersible mobile body 2 can execute an operation at an appropriate timing.

[0068] The submersible control unit 164 may transmit control data including the absolute position of the submersible mobile body 2. By transmitting such control data, the submersible mobile body 2 can add the absolute position of the submersible mobile body 2 at the time when the underwater object K was photographed to the captured image data.

[0069] When it is determined that the submersible mobile body 2 has reached a submersible location, the submersible control unit 164 may transmit control data indicating the content of the operation to be performed to the submersible mobile body 2. By operating in this manner, when there are multiple types of operations to be performed by the submersible mobile body 2, the submersible mobile body 2 can appropriately perform the operation to be performed at the submersible location.

[0070] When the submersible mobile body 2 executes a predetermined operation at the submersible location, it transmits the operation result (e.g., captured image data) to the flying mobile body 1, for example, via the cable C. Specifically, the submersible mobile body 2 has a data transmission unit that transmits result data indicating the result of the operation executed by the submersible mobile body 2 to the flying mobile body 1 in association with the position and orientation of the submersible mobile body 2, and transmits the result data at the time the operation is completed. The result data is, for example, captured image data generated by the submersible mobile body 2 by photographing an underwater object K at the submersible location.

[0071] The position of the submersible mobile body 2 associated with the result data is, for example, the absolute position of the submersible mobile body 2 included in the control data transmitted by the submersible control unit 164. The orientation of the submersible mobile body 2 associated with the result data is, for example, the orientation measured by a compass possessed by the submersible mobile body 2. If the submersible mobile body 2 has a gyro sensor, the orientation of the submersible mobile body 2 may be a relative orientation with respect to the orientation of the flying mobile body 1, specified based on the magnitude of the angle of the submersible mobile body 2 that has changed after being released from the flying mobile body 1. The submersible mobile body 2 may transmit the result data when operations at all submersible locations included in the movement plan information are completed.

[0072] The submersible control unit 164 receives the result data transmitted by the submersible mobile unit 2. The submersible control unit 164 transmits the result data to the management server 3 so that the user who requested the work can understand the progress. Note that the result data transmitted by the submersible mobile unit 2 does not include information indicating the position or orientation of the submersible mobile unit 2, and the submersible control unit 164 may add the absolute position and orientation of the submersible mobile unit 2 at the time of receiving the result data from the submersible mobile unit 2 to the captured image data.

[0073] When the submersible mobile body 2 receives the result data at the first submersible location, the submersible control unit 164 moves the submersible mobile body 2 to the second submersible location, which is the next submersible location. Specifically, the submersible control unit 164 moves the submersible mobile body 2 to a position vertically below the position of the flying mobile body 1 between the first and second submersible locations, thereby moving the submersible mobile body 2 to the second submersible location.

[0074] That is, the submersible control unit 164 transmits to the submersible mobile body 2 control data for moving the submersible mobile body 2 so as to reduce the difference between the positions of the submersible mobile body 1 and the submersible mobile body 2 in the horizontal direction, based on the relationship between the absolute position of the submersible mobile body 1 notified by the position specifying unit 162 and the absolute position of the submersible mobile body 2. More specifically, the submersible control unit 164 specifies a position which is the latitude and longitude corresponding to the absolute position of the submersible mobile body 1 and the depth corresponding to the absolute position of the submersible mobile body 2, and transmits to the submersible mobile body 2 control data indicating the direction from the absolute position of the submersible mobile body 2 to the specified position. By the submersible control unit 164 operating in this manner, the submersible mobile body 2 can move toward the second submersible location while maintaining a constant depth, without changing the length of the cable C.

[0075] The submersion control unit 164 raises the submersible mobile body 2 when operation completion data is acquired at all of the multiple submersible locations. The submersion control unit 164 may raise the submersible mobile body 2 when result data that satisfies a predetermined condition is acquired. The predetermined condition is, for example, a condition that the clarity of the underwater object K in the captured image data is equal to or higher than a reference level. The submersion control unit 164 may raise the submersible mobile body 2 when result data that satisfies the predetermined condition is acquired at all of the multiple submersible locations, or may raise the submersible mobile body 2 when result data that satisfies the predetermined condition is acquired at some of the submersible locations that are set in advance.

[0076] The submersion control unit 164 raises the submersible mobile body 2, for example, by controlling the attachment / detachment mechanism unit 11 to reel in the cable C. The submersion control unit 164 may transmit control data to the submersible mobile body 2 including an instruction to raise the submersible mobile body 2 to the position of the flying mobile body 1 while reeling in the cable C or without reeling in the cable C. The submersible control unit 164 may raise the submersible mobile body 2 by transmitting control data to the submersible mobile body 2 including a direction and distance for moving the submersible mobile body 2 toward the flying mobile body 1 based on the relative position of the submersible mobile body 2 with respect to the flying mobile body 1.

[0077] If there is result data that does not satisfy a predetermined condition, the submersion control unit 164 may move the submersion mobile body 2 to return to the submersion location corresponding to the result data. In this case, the submersion control unit 164 notifies the flight control unit 163 of the submersion location to return to, and the flight control unit 163 moves the flying mobile body 1 to above the submersion location to return to. If the clarity of the captured image data is below a reference level, the submersion control unit 164 may transmit control data to the submersion mobile body 2 to turn on a light.

[0078] [Processing flow in flying vehicle 1] Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing in the flying object 1. The flowchart shown in Fig. 9 starts at a point before the flying object 100 starts moving.

[0079] First, the flying mobile object 1 acquires movement plan information from the management server 3 (S11). The flying mobile object 1 moves based on the positions of multiple submerged locations included in the acquired movement plan information (S12). Specifically, the flight control unit 163 controls the movement mechanism unit 10 to move toward the first submerged location. The flight control unit 163 determines whether the moving object 100 has reached above the submerged location during the movement of the moving object 100 (S13). When the flight control unit 163 determines that the moving object 100 has not reached above the submerged location based on the absolute position of the flying mobile object 1 notified from the position identification unit 162 (NO in S13), the flight control unit 163 continues the movement (S12).

[0080] When the flight control unit 163 determines that the moving body 100 has reached above the submerged location or a landing location at the instructed absolute position (YES in S13), it ends the movement of the flying moving body 1. When the flight control unit 163 ends the movement of the flying moving body 1, the submerged navigation control unit 164 controls the attachment / detachment mechanism unit 11 to release the submerged moving body 2 (S14).

[0081] When the submersible mobile body 2 is released, the submersible mobile body 2 is moved to the submersible location (S15). The submersible mobile body 2 is determined to have reached the submersible location based on the absolute position of the submersible mobile body 2 notified by the position specifying unit 162 (S16). When the submersible mobile body 2 is determined to have not reached the submersible location (NO in S16), the submersible mobile body 2 waits until the submersible mobile body 2 reaches the submersible location. When the submersible mobile body 2 is determined to have reached the submersible location (YES in S16), the submersible mobile body 2 is caused to perform the operation associated with the submersible location in the movement plan information by transmitting control data to the submersible mobile body 2 for performing the operation (S17).

[0082] When the submersible control unit 164 receives a notification from the submersible mobile unit 2 that an action has been performed, it determines whether or not the action has been performed at all submersible locations (S18). If there is still a submersible location where an action has not been performed (NO in S18), the submersible control unit 164 moves the submersible mobile unit 2 to the next submersible location. The submersible control unit 164 repeats the processes from S15 to S18 until the action has been performed at all submersible locations.

[0083] When the operation has been performed at all submersible locations (YES in S18), the submersible control unit 164 controls the attachment / detachment mechanism unit 11 to wind up the cable C, and sends control data for raising the submersible mobile unit 2 to the submersible mobile unit 2, thereby raising the submersible mobile unit 2 (S19). When the submersible mobile unit 2 has risen and been accommodated in the flying mobile unit 1, the flight control unit 163 moves the flying mobile unit 1 toward the base (S20).

[0084] [First Modification] In the above explanation, an example has been given of the flying vehicle 1 having a plan information acquisition unit 161, a flight control unit 163, and a submersion control unit 164, but a mobile control device (e.g., a computer) external to the flying vehicle 1 may have functional units equivalent to the plan information acquisition unit 161, the flight control unit 163, and the submersion control unit 164.

[0085] As an example, the management server 3 may have functional units equivalent to the plan information acquisition unit 161, the flight control unit 163, and the submersion control unit 164. In this case, the flight control unit and the submersion control unit of the management server 3 acquire information indicating the position of the flying mobile body 1 and the position of the submersion mobile body 2 from the flying mobile body 1. Then, the flight control unit possessed by the management server 3 transmits data for controlling the movement mechanism unit 10 to the flying mobile body 1, and the submersion control unit possessed by the management server 3 transmits control data for moving the submersion mobile body 2 to the submersion mobile body 2 via the flying mobile body 1.

[0086] [Second modified example] In the above explanation, the case where the submersible control unit 164 controls the position of the submersible mobile body 2 based on the position of the submersible mobile body 2 identified by the position identifying unit 162 has been exemplified, but the submersible control unit 164 may control the position of the submersible mobile body 2 by other means. As an example, the flying mobile body 1 may include an imaging unit for imaging the state of the cable C connected to the submersible mobile body 2 or the underwater state where the submersible mobile body 2 is submerged.

[0087] As an example, the submersion control unit 164 causes the photographing unit to start photographing when the submersible mobile unit 2 starts submerging, and causes the photographing unit to continue photographing until recovery of the submersible mobile unit 2 is completed. By analyzing the shape or direction of the cable C in the images photographed by the photographing unit, the submersion control unit 164 can determine whether the cable C is stretched correctly in the direction in which the submersible mobile unit 2 heads toward the submersible location, or whether the cable C is being carried away in a direction different from the submersible location by a water current.

[0088] If the submersion control unit 164 determines that the cable C is not stretched correctly or that the cable C is flowing in a direction different from the direction of the submersion location, it instructs the submersion mobile body 2 to move toward the submersion location. If the submersion control unit 164 determines that the cable C is not stretched correctly or that the cable C is flowing in a direction different from the position where the submersion should be, it may warn the operator, etc. by sending warning data to the management server 3.

[0089] [Effects of flying vehicle 1] As described above, the moving body 100 has the flying moving body 1 and the submersible moving body 2 detachably connected to the flying moving body 1, and the flying moving body 1 has a flight control unit 163 that flies the flying moving body 1 toward a position above the submersible location indicated by the movement plan information including the submersible location of the submersible moving body 2, and a submersible control unit 164 that moves the submersible moving body 2 toward the submersible location when the flying moving body 1 arrives at the position above the submersible location. By configuring the moving body 100 in this way, the submersible moving body 2 can move to a predetermined submersible location in the water without being operated by an operator. Furthermore, when the submersible moving body 2 reaches the submersible location, the submersible control unit 164 transmits control data for executing an operation to the submersible moving body 2, so that the submersible moving body 2 can execute a predetermined operation at the submersible location without being operated by an operator.

[0090] In the above description, the flying mobile body 1 and the submersible mobile body 2 move autonomously based on the movement plan information, but some of the operations of the flying mobile body 1 and the submersible mobile body 2 may be performed based on the control of an operator. For example, if the flying mobile body 1 receives manual operation data from the management server 3 or another device while the flying mobile body 1 and the submersible mobile body 2 are moving autonomously based on the movement plan information, the flying mobile body 1 may stop its autonomous operation and operate based on the manual operation data.

[0091] Furthermore, this invention will make it possible to contribute to Goal 9 of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which is to "build resilient infrastructure, promote industry, innovation and infrastructure."

[0092] Although the present invention has been described above using the embodiments, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention. For example, all or part of the device can be configured by distributing or integrating functionally or physically in any unit. In addition, new embodiments resulting from any combination of multiple embodiments are also included in the embodiments of the present invention. The effect of the new embodiment resulting from the combination combines the effect of the original embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0093] 1 Flying Vehicles 2 Submersible vehicle 3 Management Server 10 Moving mechanism section 11 Detachable mechanism 12 Communications Department 13 Acoustic signal receiving unit 14 Receiver 15 Storage section 16 Control section 100 Mobile 161 Planning Information Acquisition Department 162 Location identification part 163 Flight Control Unit 164 Submersion Control Unit

Claims

1. A moving body in which an airborne moving body that flies in the air and an underwater moving body that submerges in water are detachably connected, The flying vehicle is a plan information acquisition unit that acquires movement plan information including a diving location of the submersible vehicle; A flight control unit that flies the flying vehicle toward a position above the submerged location; a submersion control unit that moves the flying vehicle toward the submersion location when the flying vehicle arrives at a position above the submersion location; A mobile object having the above configuration.

2. The flying vehicle further includes a position identifying unit that identifies an absolute position of the flying vehicle and a relative position from the absolute position to the submerged location, the submersible control unit transmits control data including the relative position to the submersible vehicle, thereby moving the submersible vehicle to the submersible location; The moving body according to claim 1 .

3. the submersion control unit, when the position identifying unit cannot identify the absolute position at a position above the submersion location, moves the submersion moving body from the closest position where the position identifying unit identifies the absolute position toward the submersion location; The moving body according to claim 2.

4. The flight control unit controls the flying vehicle so as to be positioned vertically above the position of the submersible vehicle. The moving body according to claim 1 .

5. The movement plan information includes information indicating an operation to be performed by the submersible vehicle in association with the submersible location, the submersible control unit transmits to the submersible mobile unit control data for causing the submersible mobile unit to execute the operation indicated by the movement plan information; The moving body according to claim 1 .

6. The submersible vehicle has a data transmission unit that transmits to the flying vehicle result data indicating a result of an operation performed by the submersible vehicle in association with a position and an orientation of the submersible vehicle. The moving body according to claim 1 .

7. the submersible control unit causes the submersible vehicle to rise when the result data satisfying a predetermined condition is acquired. The moving body according to claim 6.

8. The movement plan information includes a plurality of the diving locations, when the flight control unit acquires operation completion data indicating that the submersible vehicle has completed a predetermined operation at a first submersible location among the plurality of submersible locations, the flight control unit moves the submersible vehicle toward a position above a second submersible location different from the first submersible location; The moving body according to claim 1 .

9. the submersion control unit moves the submersion vehicle to a position vertically below the position of the flying vehicle between the first submersion location and the second submersion location, thereby moving the submersion vehicle to the second submersion location; The moving body according to claim 8.

10. the submersion control unit raises the submersible vehicle when the operation completion data is acquired at all of the plurality of submersible locations. The moving body according to claim 8.

11. A mobile body control device for moving a mobile body in which an airborne mobile body flying in the air and an underwater mobile body submerged in water are detachably connected, The mobile object control device includes: a plan information acquisition unit that acquires movement plan information including a diving location of the submersible vehicle; A flight control unit that flies the flying vehicle toward a position above the submerged location; a submersion control unit that moves the flying vehicle toward the submersion location when the flying vehicle arrives at a position above the submersion location; A mobile control device having the above configuration.

12. A method for controlling a moving body, which is executed by a computer, of a moving body in which an airborne moving body flying in the air and an underwater moving body submerged in water are detachably connected to each other, comprising the steps of: The computer includes: acquiring movement plan information including a diving location of the submersible vehicle; flying the flying vehicle toward a position above the submerged location; When the flying vehicle arrives at a position above the submerged location, moving the submerged vehicle toward the submerged location; A mobile object control method comprising the steps of:

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