Unmanned flying object and flight system

Abstract

To obtain an unmanned flying object capable of preventing a cable from contacting a propeller even in a case where the unmanned flying object moves upward or downward relative to a cable mooring device.SOLUTION: An unmanned flying object 10A comprises: a cable connection part 13 connected to a cable mooring device via a cable 5; and a cable guide 11, which is a tubular member, allows the cable 5 to penetrate therethrough between the cable mooring device and the cable connection part 13, and rotates. The cable guide 11 is disposed at a position away from the cable connection part 13 and rotates within a plane not included in a movable range of a propeller 15, thereby moving one end of the cable guide 11 from a position higher than the propeller 15 to a position lower than the propeller 15.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to unmanned air vehicles and flight systems. [Background technology]

[0002] An unmanned aerial vehicle may be connected to a cable mooring device (cable connection device) via a cable and fly while connected to the cable. This unmanned aerial vehicle can fly for long periods of time by receiving power from a ground power supply device via the cable, for example, and can improve the quality of communication with a ground station by performing wired communication via the cable. In an unmanned aerial vehicle connected to a cable, the cable may become entangled in the propeller of the unmanned aerial vehicle. For this reason, it is desirable for the unmanned aerial vehicle to fly in a way that prevents the cable from becoming entangled in the propeller.

[0003] In the communication system described in Patent Document 1, an unmanned aerial vehicle is connected to a relay aircraft via a cable, and the relay aircraft is connected to communication equipment via a cable. A through-hole large enough to pass a communication cable through is formed in the center of the relay aircraft, and the cable passes through the through-hole. A rigid cover is provided above the through-hole to surround the outside of the cable and prevent the cable from collapsing, so that the cable is unlikely to come into contact with the propeller of the relay aircraft even if it sags. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-118308 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the technology of Patent Document 1 has a problem in that when the relay aircraft moves below the cable mooring device, the cable may come into contact with the propeller of the relay aircraft.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above, and aims to obtain an unmanned aerial vehicle that can prevent the cable from coming into contact with the propeller, even when the unmanned aerial vehicle moves either above or below the cable mooring device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, the unmanned aerial vehicle of the present disclosure includes a cable connection part connected to a cable mooring device via a cable, a propeller that converts rotational force into thrust, and a frame connected to the cable connection part and the propeller.The unmanned aerial vehicle of the present disclosure also includes a cable guide that rotates and passes a cable between the cable mooring device and the cable connection part using a tubular member extending in an axial direction perpendicular to the plane of rotation of the propeller, and a pivot shaft part that is disposed on the cable guide member and rotates the cable guide about a first pivot shaft perpendicular to the extension direction of the cable guide.The cable guide is disposed at a position away from the cable connection part and rotates within a plane that is not included in the range of motion of the propeller, thereby moving one end of the cable guide from a position higher than the propeller to a position lower than the propeller. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The unmanned aerial vehicle according to the present disclosure has the advantage of being able to prevent the cable from coming into contact with the propeller, regardless of whether the unmanned aerial vehicle moves above or below the cable mooring device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a flight system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of an unmanned aerial vehicle according to a first embodiment; [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the rotation direction of the cable guide of the unmanned aerial vehicle according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the rotation position of the cable guide of the unmanned aerial vehicle according to the first embodiment; [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining changes in the state of an unmanned aerial vehicle according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the rotation direction of the cable guide of the unmanned aerial vehicle according to the second embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the rotation direction of the cable guide of the unmanned aerial vehicle according to the third embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a change in the state of an unmanned aerial vehicle according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a hook portion provided on a cable guide of an unmanned aerial vehicle according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the center of gravity of an unmanned aerial vehicle according to a fifth embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the center of gravity of an unmanned aerial vehicle according to a first embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the configuration of an unmanned aerial vehicle according to a sixth embodiment. [Figure 13] A block diagram showing the configuration of an unmanned aerial vehicle according to a sixth embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 20 is a diagram for explaining an example of control of cable payout and winding by an unmanned aerial vehicle according to the sixth embodiment. [Figure 15] 13 is a flowchart showing a control process procedure for unwinding and winding controlled by an unmanned aerial vehicle according to a sixth embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a processing circuit provided in a control device according to a sixth embodiment when the processing circuit is realized by a processor and a memory. [Figure 17] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a processing circuit in a case where the processing circuit included in the control device according to the sixth embodiment is configured with dedicated hardware. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Below, an unmanned aerial vehicle and a flight system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail based on the drawings.

[0011] Embodiment 1 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a flight system according to embodiment 1. The flight system 1 includes an unmanned aerial vehicle 10A, such as a drone, which flies unmanned, a cable 5 connected to the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A, and a cable mooring device 30 that moors the cable 5.

[0012] One end of the cable 5 is connected to the cable mooring device 30, and the other end is connected to the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A. The cable mooring device 30 is connected to the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A via the cable 5. The cable mooring device 30 is placed on a vehicle, etc. The cable mooring device 30 winds and unwinds the cable 5 to adjust the length of the cable 5 from the cable mooring device 30 to the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A.

[0013] The cable mooring device 30 adjusts the length of the cable 5 to an appropriate length, for example, so that the cable 5 is not taut and so that unnecessary cable 5 is not unwound. In other words, the cable mooring device 30 adjusts the length of the cable 5 so that there is the minimum necessary slack in the cable 5 from the cable mooring device 30 to the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A. By providing slack in the length of the cable 5, the cable mooring device 30 can prevent the cable 5 from becoming taut. This allows the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A to easily move to a desired position. Furthermore, even if a moving force is forcibly applied to the cable 5 by wind or the like, the cable mooring device 30 can suppress the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A from becoming unstable due to tension from the cable 5, and can prevent the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A from falling.

[0014] The unmanned aerial vehicle 10A is capable of moving above and below the cable mooring device 30. The flight system 1 is not configured to support (hang) the weight of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A by the cable 5. The unmanned aerial vehicle 10A is assumed to have a thrust margin that can lift the cable 5. The flight system 1 uses a lightweight cable 5 that allows the cable 5 to sag, thereby reducing the burden on the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A.

[0015] The cable 5 may include a cable (power supply cable) for transmitting power from a ground power supply device (not shown) to the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A, and a cable (communication cable) for wired communication with a ground station (not shown).

[0016] 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the unmanned aerial vehicle according to the first embodiment. The unmanned aerial vehicle 10A has one or more propellers 15. In the first embodiment, a case will be described in which the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A has four propellers 15.

[0017] The unmanned aerial vehicle 10A has a cable connection part 13 arranged in the center of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A, frames 14 and 19, a cable guide 11, a guide support part 12, and a propeller 15. The cable connection part 13 is arranged in the center below the flat area in which the propeller 15 is arranged when the frames 14 and 19 are parallel to the horizontal plane. The cable connection part 13 is connected to a cable mooring device 30 via a cable 5.

[0018] The frame 14 is connected to the propeller 15, another frame 14, and a frame 19, and the frame 19 is connected to the propeller 15, the cable connection portion 13, and the frame 14.

[0019] In the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A, four frames 14 are arranged on the sides of a rectangle, and four frames 19 are arranged on the diagonal lines of this rectangle. Specifically, the four frames 19 extend from the cable connection part 13 toward the outside of the cable connection part 13 in four directions within the same plane. The frames 19 are arranged so that the angle between adjacent frames 19 is, for example, 90 degrees.

[0020] Furthermore, four frames 14 are arranged outside the cable connection portion 13 so as to surround the cable connection portion 13. The frames 14 are arranged in the same plane as the plane in which the frame 19 is arranged. The four frames 14 are arranged so that each forms a side of a rectangle surrounding the cable connection portion 13.

[0021] Two frames 14 are connected to each end of the frame 19. That is, the four frames 14 are arranged on the sides of a rectangle, and the frames 19 are connected to the vertices of the rectangle.

[0022] The propeller 15 converts rotational force into thrust to move the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A. The propeller 15 is disposed in a plane parallel to the plane in which the frames 14 and 19 are disposed.

[0023] The propellers 15 are disposed at the tip of the frames 19 extending from the cable connection parts 13. That is, the propellers 15 are disposed at each vertex of the rectangle where one frame 19 and two frames 14 are connected. In this way, in the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A, one propeller 15 is disposed at the tip of each frame 19 (the tip outside the cable connection parts 13).

[0024] Of the four propellers 15, the first and third propellers are arranged in positions facing each other across the cable connection part 13, and the second and fourth propellers are arranged in positions facing each other across the cable connection part 13. Each propeller 15 may have any shape. For example, the blade portion (rotor) of one propeller 15 may have two blades as shown in FIG. 2, or may have three or more blades.

[0025] The guide support part 12 and the cable guide 11 are disposed at a position away from the cable connection part 13. The guide support part 12 is disposed at the center of one frame 14. In other words, the guide support part 12 is disposed at a midpoint between two propellers 15 on the frame 14.

[0026] The guide support portion 12 rotatably supports the cable guide 11. The rotation in the first embodiment is an arc-shaped rotation in both the forward and reverse directions. The guide support portion 12 is connected to the cable guide 11 via a rotation shaft portion 16, which serves as a rotation axis. The guide support portion 12 is connected to the frame 14 so as to be perpendicular to the frame 14. The guide support portion 12 has, for example, two plate-like members, and the cylindrical cable guide 11 is sandwiched between these two plate-like members. One end of the guide support portion 12 is connected to the frame 14, and the rotation shaft portion 16 is disposed at the other end. The cable guide 11 is connected to the rotation shaft portion 16. The rotation shaft portion 16 is disposed at a lower position than the cable connection portion 13 when the frames 14, 19 are parallel to the horizontal plane.

[0027] The guide support portion 12 is not limited to being connected perpendicularly to the frame 14 to which the guide support portion 12 is connected, but may also be connected in a state of being inclined from the frame 14. Hereinafter, the frame 14 to which the guide support portion 12 is connected may also be referred to as the connecting frame 14.

[0028] The cable guide 11 has a through hole through which the cable 5 is passed. Specifically, the cable guide 11 is a cylindrical member extending in an axial direction perpendicular to the rotation plane of the propeller 15, and passes the cable 5 between the cable mooring device 30 and the cable connection part 13 through the through hole.

[0029] The cable guide 11 is connected to the guide support part 12 via the pivot shaft part 16, and rotates around the pivot shaft part 16. The pivot shaft part 16 is disposed on a member of the cable guide 11 (for example, the other end part), and rotates the cable guide 11 by rotating perpendicularly to the extension direction of the cable guide 11 (first rotation).

[0030] The cable guide 11 rotates depending on its position relative to the cable mooring device 30. The rotation direction of the rotation shaft 16 is parallel to the connection frame 14 to which the guide support part 12 is connected. In other words, the rotation axis direction of the rotation shaft 16 is perpendicular to the rotation axis of the propeller 15. In other words, the cable guide 11 is rotatable around an axis that perpendicularly passes through a plane that includes the cable 5 and the cable guide 11. The cable guide 11 is disposed, for example, in a direction perpendicular to the connection frame 14, and rotates around the rotation shaft 16 as the rotation axis.

[0031] One end of the cable 5 passed through the cable guide 11 is connected to the cable mooring device 30, and the other end is connected to the cable connection part 13. The cable guide 11 rotates around the pivot part 16 as a pivot axis to adjust the length of the cable 5 from the cable guide 11 to the cable mooring device 30 and the length of the cable 5 from the cable guide 11 to the cable connection part 13. The cable guide 11 rotates within a plane that is not included in the range of motion of the propeller 15, thereby moving one end of the cable guide 11 from a position higher than the propeller 15 to a position lower than the propeller 15.

[0032] Of the cable entrances (positions where a cable 5B, described later, enters and exits) of the cable guide 11, the entrance on the cable mooring device 30 side (entrance 21B, described later) is positioned higher than the propeller 15 when one end of the cable guide 11 is in contact with the connection frame 14. For example, when the frames 14, 19 are parallel to the horizontal plane, one end of the cable guide 11 can rotate from a position higher than the propeller 15 to a position lower than the propeller 15.

[0033] The shapes and arrangements of the frames 14 and 19 described above are merely examples, and the shapes and arrangements are arbitrary. For example, the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A may not have the frame 14. In this case, the cable guide 11 is connected to a frame extending from the cable connection portion 13 toward the cable guide 11, for example.

[0034] Fig. 3 is a diagram for explaining the rotation direction of the cable guide of the unmanned aerial vehicle according to the first embodiment. Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A. Note that Fig. 3 does not show the cable 5.

[0035] The X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis described below are axes in a coordinate system (aircraft coordinate system) based on the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A. Therefore, if the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A tilts from the horizontal direction, the aircraft coordinate system also tilts. The following describes the case where the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A is horizontal.

[0036] The two axes in the plane on which each propeller 15 is arranged that are perpendicular to each other are defined as the X-axis and Y-axis. The axis perpendicular to the X-axis and Y-axis is defined as the Z-axis. When each propeller 15 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A is parallel to the horizontal direction, the X-axis and Y-axis are parallel to the horizontal direction, and the Z-axis is parallel to the vertical direction. In the first embodiment, the +Z direction is the top side of the cable connection part 13, and the -Z direction is the bottom side of the cable connection part 13.

[0037] In the following, a case will be described in which the center position of cable connection portion 13 is the origin, frames 14 and 19 are in the XY plane, and the extension direction of frame 14 is parallel to the X-axis direction or the Y-axis direction.

[0038] The rotation axis direction Ry of the rotation shaft portion 16 is parallel to the connection frame 14. Here, the rotation axis direction Ry of the rotation shaft portion 16 is parallel to the Y-axis direction. The cable guide 11 rotates around the rotation shaft portion 16 as a rotation axis. That is, in the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A, the cable guide 11 rotates in a direction parallel to the XZ plane. The cable guide 11 rotates to a position according to the altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A.

[0039] Figure 4 is a diagram for explaining the rotational position of the cable guide of the unmanned aerial vehicle according to embodiment 1. The unmanned aerial vehicle 10A shown in Figure 4 shows the cross-sectional shape of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A when cut along a plane that includes the center position of the cable connection part 13 in the XY plane and is parallel to the XZ plane. That is, Figure 4 shows the cross-sectional shape of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A when viewed from the Y-axis direction.

[0040] Hereinafter, the portion of the cable 5 between the cable guide 11 and the cable connection portion 13 may be referred to as cable 5A. Also, the portion of the cable 5 between the cable guide 11 and the cable mooring device 30 may be referred to as cable 5B.

[0041] 4 shows a case where the guide support part 12 is connected in an inclined state to the connection frame 14. The end of the guide support part 12 on the rotating shaft part 16 side is inclined in the XZ plane toward the cable connection part 13. The cable guide 11 rotates in the XZ plane depending on the difference in height between the cable guide 11 and the cable mooring device 30.

[0042] The upper part of Figure 4 shows the state of the cable guide 11 and the cables 5A and 5B when the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A is located below the cable mooring device 30. The lower part of Figure 4 shows the state of the cable guide 11 and the cables 5A and 5B when the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A is located above the cable mooring device 30.

[0043] Whether the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A is located below or above the cable mooring device 30, the cable guide 11 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A rotates to adjust the length of the cables 5A and 5B to an appropriate length. The cables 5A and 5B tend to move downward due to gravity. In this case, the rotation of the cable guide 11 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A causes slack in the cables 5A and 5B.

[0044] When the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A is flying below the cable mooring device 30, there is no slack in the cable 5B, and if there is slack in the cable 5A, the cables 5A and 5B are of an appropriate length. The total length of the cables 5A and 5B is adjusted to an appropriate length by the cable mooring device 30.

[0045] When the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A is flying above the cable mooring device 30, if there is no slack in cable 5A and there is slack in cable 5B, then cables 5A and 5B are of appropriate length.

[0046] When the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A is located below the cable mooring device 30, the entrance 21B of the cable entrance of the cable guide 11 on the cable mooring device 30 side faces above the horizontal plane, and the entrance 21A of the cable guide 11 faces below the horizontal plane. The entrance 21B is the entrance at one end of the cable guide 11, and the entrance 21A is the entrance at the other end of the cable guide 11. In other words, when the entrance 21B located at one end of the cable guide 11 is located below the cable mooring device 30, the weight of the cable 5 causes the entrance 21A located at the other end of the cable guide 11 to face below the horizontal plane, and the cable 5A between the cable guide 11 and the cable connection part 13 sags. This allows the lengths of the cables 5A and 5B to be adjusted to appropriate lengths.

[0047] In this way, when the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A is flying below the cable mooring device 30, the entrance / exit 21A of the cable guide 11 faces downward, and the gravity of the cable 5A causes the slack in the cable 5A to escape below the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A. As a result, the cable 5B above the cable guide 11 no longer has slack between the cable mooring device 30 and the cable guide 11, so the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A can prevent the cable 5B from interfering with the propeller 15. In other words, the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A can prevent contact between the cable 5B and the propeller 15.

[0048] When the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A rises to the same height as the cable mooring device 30, the entrances 21A and 21B of the cable guide 11 face in a direction parallel to the horizontal plane. In this case, slack may occur in either the cable 5A or 5B.

[0049] Furthermore, when the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A rises and is positioned above the cable mooring device 30, the entrance 21B of the cable guide 11 faces downward from the horizontal plane, and the entrance 21A of the cable guide 11 faces upward from the horizontal plane. That is, when the entrance 21B located at one end of the cable guide 11 is positioned above the cable mooring device 30, the weight of the cable 5 causes the entrance 21B located at one end of the cable guide 11 to face downward from the horizontal plane, and the cable 5B between the cable guide 11 and the cable mooring device 30 sags. Furthermore, because the pivot shaft 16 is positioned lower than the cable connection part 13 when the frames 14 and 19 are parallel to the horizontal plane, sagging of the cable 5A is unlikely to occur when the entrance 21B faces the cable mooring device 30. This allows the lengths of the cables 5A and 5B to be adjusted to appropriate lengths.

[0050] In this way, when the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A is flying above the cable mooring device 30, the entrance / exit 21B of the cable guide 11 faces downward, and the gravity of the cable 5B causes the slack in the cable 5B to escape below the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A. This means that the cable 5B and the propeller 15 are no longer in close proximity, and the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A can prevent the cable 5B from interfering with the propeller 15. In other words, the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A can prevent contact between the cable 5B and the propeller 15.

[0051] In the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A, the direction in which the entrances 21A and 21B of the cable guide 11 face changes depending on the difference in height between the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A and the cable mooring device 30. The lower the height of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A relative to the cable mooring device 30, the more the entrance 21B of the cable guide 11 faces upward and the entrance 21A of the cable guide 11 faces downward. Furthermore, the higher the height of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A relative to the cable mooring device 30, the more the entrance 21B of the cable guide 11 faces downward and the entrance 21A of the cable guide 11 faces upward.

[0052] As described above, when the cable guide 11 rotates so that the entrance 21B is at the highest position in the Z-axis direction within the rotation range of the cable guide 11, the entrance 21B is at a higher position in the Z-axis direction than the propeller 15. In other words, the cable guide 11 has a length that enables the cable 5B to be let out from the entrance 21B that is at a higher position in the Z-axis direction than the propeller 15 when the cable guide 11 rotates so that the entrance 21B is at the highest position in the Z-axis direction.

[0053] Furthermore, the length of cable guide 11 in the extension direction may be longer than the length from pivot shaft 16 to the tip of propeller 15 when viewed from the Y-axis direction. As a result, when cable guide 11 faces upward (toward propeller 15), entrance 21B is located outside propeller 15 in either case, and cable 5B extending from entrance 21B does not come into contact with propeller 15.

[0054] In this way, when the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A is flying above the cable mooring device 30, the cable 5B sags appropriately between the entrance / exit 21B and the cable mooring device 30, drawing a parabola. On the other hand, when the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A is flying below the cable mooring device 30, the cable 5A sags appropriately between the entrance / exit 21A and the cable connection part 13, drawing a parabola.

[0055] 5 is a diagram for explaining changes in the state of the unmanned aerial vehicle according to embodiment 1. In the flight system 1, the states of the cable guide 11 and the cable 5 change depending on the flight altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A relative to the cable mooring device 30.

[0056] When the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A is flying below the cable mooring device 30, the entrance / exit 21B of the cable guide 11 faces upward (state C1). Then, the cable 5A from the cable guide 11 to the cable connection part 13 hangs down due to the gravity of the cable 5A (state C2).

[0057] On the other hand, when the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A is flying above the cable mooring device 30, the entrance / exit 21B of the cable guide 11 faces downward (state C3). Then, the cable 5B from the cable guide 11 to the cable mooring device 30 hangs down due to the gravity of the cable 5B (state C4).

[0058] Thus, in the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A of embodiment 1, the cable connection part 13 is positioned below the propeller 15 when the frames 14, 19 are parallel to the horizontal plane. Also, in the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A, the cable guide 11 is positioned away from the cable connection part 13 and rotates within a plane that is not included in the range of motion of the propeller 15, thereby moving one end of the cable guide 11 from a position higher than the propeller 15 to a position lower than the propeller 15. This prevents the cable 5 from coming into contact with the propeller 15 whether the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A moves above or below the cable mooring device 30.

[0059] Embodiment 2 Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 6. In the second embodiment, the cable guide 11 rotates about a rotation axis parallel to the Y-axis direction and also about a rotation axis parallel to the Z-axis direction.

[0060] Figure 6 is a diagram for explaining the rotation direction of the cable guide of the unmanned aerial vehicle according to the second embodiment. Of the components in Figure 6, those that achieve the same function as the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A of the first embodiment shown in Figure 3 are given the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations will be omitted. Figure 6 shows a perspective view of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10B according to the second embodiment. Note that the cable 5 is not shown in Figure 6.

[0061] In the unmanned aerial vehicle 10B, the cable guide 11 rotates around a rotation axis direction Ry parallel to the Y-axis direction, and also rotates around a rotation axis direction Rz parallel to the Z-axis direction. The rotation axis direction Rz is parallel to the vertical direction in the aircraft coordinate system. Therefore, the cable guide 11 rotates around the vertical axis in the aircraft coordinate system.

[0062] The cable guide 11 rotates within a range that does not contact the propeller 15. In other words, the cable guide 11 rotates within a range in which the propeller 15 is not included in the rotation range of the cable guide 11.

[0063] Furthermore, when cable guide 11 is rotated to any position about rotation axes Ry, Rz, the length in the extension direction is longer than the length from rotation axis portion 16 to the tip of propeller 15 when viewed from the Y-axis direction. As a result, when cable guide 11 faces upward (toward propeller 15), entrance 21B is located outside propeller 15 in either case, and cable 5B extending from entrance 21B does not come into contact with propeller 15.

[0064] The unmanned aerial vehicle 10B has a higher degree of freedom of rotation than the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A, so the unmanned aerial vehicle 10B is less likely to be pulled by the cable 5B. When the unmanned aerial vehicle 10B is about to be pulled by the cable 5B, it rotates around the rotation axis directions Ry, Rz as the rotation axis, so that the rotation of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10B due to the pulling of the cable 5B can be suppressed. This makes it easier for the unmanned aerial vehicle 10B to fly.

[0065] Thus, according to embodiment 2, the cable guide 11 rotates around the rotation axis direction Ry parallel to the Y-axis direction and also rotates around the rotation axis direction Rz parallel to the Z-axis direction, making it easy to adjust the lengths of the cables 5A and 5B.

[0066] Embodiment 3 Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 7. In the third embodiment, the cable guide 11 rotates about a rotation axis parallel to the Y-axis direction and also about a rotation axis parallel to the X-axis direction.

[0067] Figure 7 is a diagram for explaining the rotation direction of the cable guide of the unmanned aerial vehicle according to the third embodiment. Of the components in Figure 7, those that achieve the same function as the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A of the first embodiment shown in Figure 3 are given the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations will be omitted. Figure 7 shows a perspective view of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10C according to the third embodiment. Note that the cable 5 is not shown in Figure 7.

[0068] In the unmanned aerial vehicle 10C, the cable guide 11 rotates about a rotation axis direction Ry parallel to the Y-axis direction as a rotation axis, and also rotates about a rotation axis direction Rx parallel to the X-axis direction as a rotation axis. The rotation axis direction Rx is parallel to the horizontal direction on the aircraft coordinate system.

[0069] The cable guide 11 rotates within a range that does not contact the propeller 15. In other words, the cable guide 11 rotates within a range in which the propeller 15 is not included in the rotation range of the cable guide 11.

[0070] Furthermore, when cable guide 11 is rotated to any position about rotation axes Ry, Rx, the length in the extension direction is longer than the length from rotation axis portion 16 to the tip of propeller 15 when viewed from the Y-axis direction. As a result, when cable guide 11 faces upward (toward propeller 15), entrance 21B is located outside propeller 15 in either case, and cable 5B extending from entrance 21B does not come into contact with propeller 15.

[0071] The unmanned aerial vehicle 10C has a higher degree of freedom of rotation than the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A, so the unmanned aerial vehicle 10C is less likely to be pulled by the cable 5B. When the unmanned aerial vehicle 10C is about to be pulled by the cable 5B, it rotates around the rotation axis directions Ry and Rx as the rotation axis, so that the rotation of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10C due to the pulling of the cable 5B can be suppressed. This makes it easier for the unmanned aerial vehicle 10C to fly.

[0072] Thus, according to the third embodiment, the cable guide 11 rotates around the rotation axis direction Ry parallel to the Y-axis direction and also rotates around the rotation axis direction Rx parallel to the X-axis direction, making it easy to adjust the lengths of the cables 5A and 5B.

[0073] The unmanned aerial vehicle 10C may rotate in three axial directions. That is, the cable guide 11 may rotate about a rotation axis parallel to the X-axis direction, a rotation axis parallel to the Y-axis direction, and a rotation axis parallel to the Z-axis direction. In this case, in the unmanned aerial vehicle 10C, the cable guide 11 rotates about a rotation axis direction Rx parallel to the X-axis direction, a rotation axis Ry parallel to the Y-axis direction, and a rotation axis Rz parallel to the Z-axis direction.

[0074] When cable guide 11 is rotated to any position about rotation axis directions Ry, Rz, and Rx, the length in the extension direction is longer than the length from rotation axis portion 16 to the tip of propeller 15 when viewed from the Y-axis direction. As a result, when cable guide 11 faces upward (toward propeller 15), entrance 21B is located outside propeller 15 in either case, and cable 5B extending from entrance 21B does not come into contact with propeller 15.

[0075] Embodiment 4 Next, a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9. In the fourth embodiment, the slack of the cable 5A is adjusted using a weight.

[0076] Figure 8 is a diagram showing changes in the state of the unmanned aerial vehicle according to the fourth embodiment. Figure 8 shows the cross-sectional shape of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10D when cut along a plane that includes the center position of the cable connection part 13 in the XY plane and is parallel to the XZ plane. That is, Figure 8 shows a cross-sectional view of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10D when viewed from the Y-axis direction.

[0077] The upper part of Figure 8 shows the state of the cable guide 11 and cables 5A, 5B when the unmanned aerial vehicle 10D is located below the cable mooring device 30. The lower part of Figure 8 shows the state of the cable guide 11 and cables 5A, 5B when the unmanned aerial vehicle 10D is located above the cable mooring device 30.

[0078] In the unmanned aerial vehicle 10D, a weight 20 is passed through the cable 5A between the cable connection part 13 and the cable guide 11. The weight 20 is provided with a sliding part 22, which is a member such as a ring, and the cable 5A is passed through this sliding part 22. This allows the weight 20 to move freely in the longitudinal direction of the cable 5A.

[0079] As shown in the upper part of Figure 8, when unmanned aerial vehicle 10D is below cable mooring device 30, weight 20 pulls cable 5B between cable guide 11 and cable connection part 13. This allows weight 20 to help the slack portion of cable 5A gather between cable guide 11 and cable connection part 13 in a short period of time.

[0080] 8, when the unmanned aerial vehicle 10D is above the cable mooring device 30, the weight 20 moves toward the cable guide 11 below the cable connection part 13. This allows the weight 20 to help the slack portion of the cable 5B gather between the cable guide 11 and the cable mooring device 30 in a short time.

[0081] The unmanned aerial vehicle 10D uses a weight 20 having a weight corresponding to the frictional force between the cable 5 and the cable guide 11. The cable guide 11 may be provided with a hook portion for hooking the sliding portion 22 provided on the weight 20.

[0082] 9 is a diagram for explaining a hook portion provided on a cable guide of an unmanned aerial vehicle according to embodiment 4. Hook portion 23, which hooks sliding portion 22 provided on weight 20, is disposed at the end of cable guide 11 on the entrance / exit 21A side. Hook portion 23 extends in the axial direction of cable guide 11.

[0083] The shape of the hook portion 23 may be any shape that allows the sliding portion 22 to be hooked. The shape of the hook portion 23 may be, for example, a protrusion shape or a hook-like claw shape. The hook portion 23 may be formed integrally with the cable guide 11, or may be formed separately from the cable guide 11 and then attached to the cable guide 11.

[0084] When unmanned aerial vehicle 10D moves to a position higher than cable mooring device 30, entrance / exit 21A, which is the other end of cable guide 11, faces upward, and cable 5A enters entrance / exit 21A while weight 20 approaches entrance / exit 21A. Also, when unmanned aerial vehicle 10D moves to a position lower than cable mooring device 30, entrance / exit 21A, which is the other end of cable guide 11, faces downward, and cable 5A emerges from entrance / exit 21A while weight 20 attempts to move away from entrance / exit 21A.

[0085] Hook 23 is configured to hook and support weight 20 when entrance 21A, which is the other end of cable guide 11, is angled upward from the horizontal by a specific angle or more. That is, hook 23 is provided with, for example, a protrusion or hooked claw of a size that can hook weight 20 when entrance 21A is angled upward from the horizontal by a specific angle or more. Unmanned aerial vehicle 10D has weight 20 hooked by hook 23 so that when entrance 21A is angled upward from the horizontal by a specific angle or more, the load of weight 20 is received by the housing of unmanned aerial vehicle 10D rather than by cable 5A.

[0086] As a result, the hook portion 23 can prevent the cable 5A from being bent sharply or damaged due to the load on the cable 5A caused by the weight of the weight 20.

[0087] Furthermore, hook portion 23 is configured to release weight 20 when entrance 21A, which is the other end of cable guide 11, is angled downward from the horizontal plane by a specific angle or more. That is, hook portion 23 is provided with, for example, a protrusion or hook-shaped claw of a size that allows weight 20 to be released when entrance 21A is angled downward from the horizontal plane by a specific angle or more. When entrance 21A is angled downward from the horizontal plane by a specific angle or more, unmanned aerial vehicle 10D passes weight 20, which has been hooked by hook portion 23, to cable 5A.

[0088] Thus, according to the fourth embodiment, unmanned aerial vehicle 10D has weight 20, which can help gather the slack portion of cable 5A between cable guide 11 and cable connection part 13.

[0089] Furthermore, since the unmanned aerial vehicle 10D has a weight 20, the weight 20 can help gather the slack portion of the cable 5B between the cable guide 11 and the cable mooring device 30.

[0090] Furthermore, since the unmanned aerial vehicle 10D has a hook portion 23, when the unmanned aerial vehicle 10D reaches a certain height higher than the altitude of the cable mooring device 30, the weight of the weight 20 can prevent the cable 5A from being bent sharply.

[0091] Embodiment 5 Next, a fifth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 10 and 11. In the fifth embodiment, the cable 5A is connected to the unmanned aerial vehicle 10E so that the center of gravity of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10E and the center of gravity of the cable 5A are close to each other.

[0092] Figure 10 is a diagram for explaining the center of gravity of the unmanned aerial vehicle according to the fifth embodiment. Figure 10 shows the cross-sectional shape of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10E cut along a plane that includes the center position of the cable connection part 13 in the XY plane and is parallel to the XZ plane. That is, Figure 10 shows a cross-sectional view of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10E when viewed from the Y-axis direction.

[0093] The upper part of Figure 10 shows the state of the cable guide 11 and the cables 5A and 5B when the unmanned aerial vehicle 10E is located below the cable mooring device 30. The lower part of Figure 10 shows the state of the cable guide 11 and the cables 5A and 5B when the unmanned aerial vehicle 10E is located above the cable mooring device 30.

[0094] In unmanned aerial vehicle 10E, cable 5A exiting entrance 21A of cable guide 11 is connected to the center of unmanned aerial vehicle 10E at a position opposite cable guide 11. That is, in unmanned aerial vehicle 10E, connection part 25 that connects to cable 5A is located at a position farther from pivot shaft 16 than cable connection part 13. This connects cable 5A to entrance 21A of cable guide 11 and connection part 25. In this way, in unmanned aerial vehicle 10E, cable 5A is connected to connection parts 25 that face each other across the center of unmanned aerial vehicle 10E. That is, in unmanned aerial vehicle 10E, cable connection part 13 to which cable 5A is connected is located at a position opposite pivot shaft 16 with an axis of symmetry perpendicular to the center of the planar area where propeller 15 is located (the center of cable connection part 13). Specifically, the cable 5A coming out of the entrance / exit 21A is connected at the center of the frame 14 opposite the connection frame 14. This allows the unmanned aerial vehicle 10E to reduce the asymmetry of the load acting on the unmanned aerial vehicle 10E from the cable 5A.

[0095] Here, we will explain the symmetry of the loads acting on the unmanned aerial vehicle 10E. When the unmanned aerial vehicle 10E is in a horizontal position, the center of gravity 24 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10E is located in the center of the horizontal plane of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10E. In this case, the central axis C26 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10E is an axis that passes through the center of gravity 24 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10E and extends in the Z-axis direction. Note that the center of gravity 24 in embodiment 5 is the center of gravity of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10E excluding the cable 5.

[0096] Whether the unmanned aerial vehicle 10E is located below or above the cable mooring device 30, the lowest end of the cable 5A in the Z-axis direction sags so that it is close to or at the same position as the central axis C26 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10E in the Z-axis direction. In other words, in the unmanned aerial vehicle 10E, the distance between the axis of symmetry of the cable 5A in the XZ plane and the central axis C26 is closer than in the case of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A of embodiment 1.

[0097] Because cable 5A has weight, an additional weight corresponding to cable 5A acts on unmanned aerial vehicle 10E. For example, if unmanned aerial vehicle 10E is located below cable mooring device 30, an additional weight 41A corresponding to cable 5A acts on unmanned aerial vehicle 10E, and if unmanned aerial vehicle 10E is located above cable mooring device 30, an additional weight 41B corresponding to cable 5A acts on unmanned aerial vehicle 10E.

[0098] In these cases, in unmanned aerial vehicle 10E, the distance between the position of the lowest end of cable 5A and central axis C26 becomes shorter, and therefore the moment in the direction parallel to the XY plane also becomes smaller.

[0099] For example, when the unmanned aerial vehicle 10E is positioned below the cable mooring device 30, the moment 27A in a direction parallel to the XY plane is smaller than the moment (moment 28A described later) in a direction parallel to the XY plane in the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A of embodiment 1.

[0100] Furthermore, even when the unmanned aerial vehicle 10E is positioned above the cable mooring device 30, the moment 27B in a direction parallel to the XY plane is smaller than the moment (moment 28B described later) in a direction parallel to the XY plane in the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A of embodiment 1.

[0101] Here, the configurations of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10E of embodiment 5 and the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A of embodiment 1 will be compared. The unmanned aerial vehicle 10A here is a comparative example for the unmanned aerial vehicle 10E. Figure 11 is a diagram for explaining the center of gravity of the unmanned aerial vehicle of embodiment 1. Figure 11 shows the cross-sectional shape of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A cut along a plane that includes the center position of the cable connection portion 13 in the XY plane and is parallel to the XZ plane. That is, Figure 11 shows a cross-sectional view of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A when viewed from the Y-axis direction.

[0102] The upper part of Figure 11 shows the state of the cable guide 11 and the cables 5A and 5B when the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A is located below the cable mooring device 30. The lower part of Figure 11 shows the state of the cable guide 11 and the cables 5A and 5B when the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A is located above the cable mooring device 30.

[0103] In the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A, the cable 5A coming out of the entrance / exit 21A of the cable guide 11 is connected at the center position of the cable connection part 13 located in the center of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A.

[0104] Here, we will explain the symmetry of the load acting on the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A. The center of gravity 24 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A is the same as the center of gravity 24 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10E. Whether the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A is located below or above the cable mooring device 30, the lowest end of the cable 5A in the Z-axis direction sags so that it is located farther from the central axis C26 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A in the Z-axis direction. In other words, in the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A, the distance between the axis of symmetry of the cable 5A in the XZ plane and the central axis C26 is farther than in the case of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10E of embodiment 5.

[0105] Because cable 5A has weight, an additional weight corresponding to cable 5A acts on unmanned aerial vehicle 10A. For example, when unmanned aerial vehicle 10A is located below cable mooring device 30, an additional weight 42A corresponding to cable 5A acts on unmanned aerial vehicle 10A, and when unmanned aerial vehicle 10A is located above cable mooring device 30, an additional weight 42B corresponding to cable 5A acts on unmanned aerial vehicle 10A.

[0106] In these cases, in unmanned aerial vehicle 10A, the distance between the position of the lowest end of cable 5A and central axis C26 becomes longer, and therefore the moment in the direction parallel to the XY plane also becomes larger.

[0107] For example, when unmanned aerial vehicle 10A is located below cable mooring device 30, moment 28A in the direction parallel to the XY plane is larger than moment 27A in the direction parallel to the XY plane in unmanned aerial vehicle 10E of embodiment 5. Also, when unmanned aerial vehicle 10A is located above cable mooring device 30, moment 28B in the direction parallel to the XY plane is larger than moment 27B in the direction parallel to the XY plane in unmanned aerial vehicle 10E of embodiment 5.

[0108] Thus, according to the fifth embodiment, the cable 5A is connected to the entrance / exit 21B and the connection part 25, which are opposite each other across the center of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10E, thereby reducing the asymmetry of the load acting on the unmanned aerial vehicle 10E. Therefore, the unmanned aerial vehicle 10E can easily perform stable flight.

[0109] Embodiment 6 Next, a sixth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 12 to 15. In the sixth embodiment, a motor (a payout / take-up motor 50, which will be described later) pays out and takes up the cable 5B in the cable guide 11, thereby adjusting the lengths of the cables 5A and 5B to appropriate lengths.

[0110] Figure 12 is a perspective view showing the configuration of an unmanned aerial vehicle according to embodiment 6. Of the components in Figure 12, those that achieve the same functions as those of unmanned aerial vehicle 10A according to embodiment 1 shown in Figure 2 are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations will be omitted.

[0111] The unmanned aerial vehicle 10F of embodiment 6 includes the components of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10A of embodiment 1, as well as a reel-out / rewind motor 50 and a roller 51. The reel-out / rewind motor 50 and roller 51 are provided on the entrance / exit 21B side of the cable guide 11, and reel-out and rewind the cable 5B. The roller 51 is positioned at the entrance / exit 21B so as to sandwich the cable 5B. The reel-out / rewind motor 50 reels out and rewinds the cable 5B by rotating the roller 51.

[0112] The reel-out / reel-out motor 50 rotates together with the cable guide 11 and acts only in the longitudinal direction on the cable 5. The reel-out / reel-out motor 50 is controlled by a control device 60, which will be described later. As a result, the reel-out / reel-out motor 50 actively positions the slack in the cable 5 below the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F.

[0113] The payout / take-up motor 50 and the roller 51 may be provided on the entrance / exit 21A side. In this case, the payout / take-up motor 50 and the roller 51 pay out and take up the cable 5A.

[0114] Figure 13 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an unmanned aerial vehicle according to embodiment 6. In addition to the components of unmanned aerial vehicle 10A, unmanned aerial vehicle 10F has a positioning sensor 52, a memory device 53, a payout / take-up motor 50, an encoder 54, and a control device 60. Note that Figure 13 omits illustration of the cable guide 11, guide support unit 12, cable connection unit 13, frames 14, 19, propeller 15, roller 51, and other components of unmanned aerial vehicle 10F.

[0115] The control device 60 is a computer that controls the payout / winding motor 50. The control device 60 controls the payout / winding motor 50 so that the lengths of the cables 5A, 5B are appropriate according to the relative positions of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F and the cable mooring device 30. The control device 60 has a position information acquisition unit 61, a relative position information generation unit 62, and a cable payout / winding control unit 63.

[0116] The positioning sensor 52 measures the position information of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F. Specifically, the positioning sensor 52 measures the coordinates of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F in a horizontal plane and the vertical altitude. The positioning sensor 52 measures the position information of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F using a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), a rangefinder, a barometer, etc. The positioning sensor 52 transmits the measured position information to the position information acquisition unit 61 as aircraft position information P2.

[0117] The storage device 53 pre-stores mooring device position information P1, which is information about the position of the cable mooring device 30. The mooring device position information P1 is measured in advance by a measuring device separate from the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F and stored in the storage device 53.

[0118] The mooring device position information P1 includes information on the coordinates in the horizontal plane and information on the vertical altitude of the cable mooring device 30. The mooring device position information P1 stored in the storage device 53 is read out by the control device 60.

[0119] The payout / take-up motor 50 rotates the roller 51 in accordance with a rotation command from the control device 60, thereby paying out and rewinding the cable 5B. The encoder 54 detects the rotation of the payout / take-up motor 50, and transmits information corresponding to the amount of rotation to the control device 60 as rotation amount information R1.

[0120] The position information acquisition unit 61 acquires the flying object position information P2 from the positioning sensor 52. The position information acquisition unit 61 transmits the acquired flying object position information P2 to the relative position information generation unit 62. The relative position information generation unit 62 reads out the mooring device position information P1 from the storage device 53.

[0121] The relative position information generation unit 62 calculates the relative position between the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F and the cable mooring device 30 based on the air vehicle position information P2 and the mooring device position information P1. Specifically, the relative position information generation unit 62 calculates the distance in the horizontal plane between the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F and the cable mooring device 30 by calculating the difference between the coordinates in the horizontal plane of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F included in the air vehicle position information P2 and the coordinates in the horizontal plane of the cable mooring device 30 included in the mooring device position information P1. The relative position information generation unit 62 also calculates the difference in altitude between the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F and the cable mooring device 30 by calculating the difference between the altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F included in the air vehicle position information P2 and the altitude of the cable mooring device 30 included in the mooring device position information P1. The relative position information generation unit 62 generates relative position information Q1 indicating the relative position between the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F and the cable mooring device 30 and transmits it to the cable payout / winding control unit 63. This relative position information Q1 corresponds to the difference in three-dimensional coordinates between the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F and the cable mooring device 30 in the Earth coordinate system.

[0122] The cable payout / winding control unit 63 receives relative position information Q1 from the relative position information generation unit 62, and receives rotation amount information R1 from the encoder 54. The cable payout / winding control unit 63 generates a rotation command for controlling the payout / winding motor 50 based on the relative position information Q1 and the rotation amount information R1. Specifically, the cable payout / winding control unit 63 calculates an appropriate length of cable 5A for the relative position information Q1 based on the relative position information Q1. That is, the cable payout / winding control unit 63 calculates an appropriate length of cable 5A according to the relative position between the unmanned air vehicle 10F and the cable mooring device 30. The appropriate length of cable 5 (the sum of cables 5A and 5B) according to the relative position is controlled by the cable mooring device 30.

[0123] Furthermore, the cable payout / winding control unit 63 calculates the current length of the cable 5A based on the rotation amount information R1. The cable payout / winding control unit 63 controls the payout / winding motor 50 so that the current length of the cable 5A is an appropriate length for the relative positions of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F and the cable mooring device 30.

[0124] The cable payout / winding control unit 63 generates a rotation command to set the current length of the cable 5A to an appropriate length of the cable 5A, and transmits the rotation command to the payout / winding motor 50. As a result, the payout / winding motor 50 rotates the roller 51 in accordance with the rotation command.

[0125] When the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F is located below the cable mooring device 30, if there is slack in cable 5A and no slack in cable 5B, then cables 5A and 5B are of the appropriate length. On the other hand, when the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F is located above the cable mooring device 30, if there is no slack in cable 5A and there is slack in cable 5B, then cables 5A and 5B are of the appropriate length.

[0126] When the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F is flying, the cables 5A and 5B move downward due to gravity, and as described in embodiment 1, when the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F is located below the cable mooring device 30, slack occurs in the cable 5A. Also, when the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F is located above the cable mooring device 30, the slack in the cable 5A disappears. In embodiment 6, the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F reels out and reels in the cable 5B depending on the height between the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F and the cable mooring device 30, making it possible to adjust the cables 5A and 5B to an appropriate length in a short period of time.

[0127] For example, if the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F changes altitude at high speed, there may be a moment when the cables 5A, 5B do not fall in time due to gravity, and the cables 5A, 5B become an inappropriate length. In this case, slack occurs in the cables 5A, 5B at multiple locations. If slack occurs in the cables 5A, 5B at multiple locations, the shape of the cables 5A, 5B may become unstable, which may affect the operation of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F. In embodiment 6, the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F reels out and reels in the cables 5B, thereby preventing slack from occurring in the cables 5A, 5B at multiple locations.

[0128] The memory device 53 may be located within the control device 60. The mooring device position information P1 may also be measured by the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F. In this case, the positioning sensor 52 measures the position information of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F before the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F starts flying from the cable mooring device 30. Since the position information of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F before this flight is approximately the same as the position information of the cable mooring device 30, the positioning sensor 52 stores this position information in the memory device 53 as mooring device position information P1.

[0129] In addition, the positioning sensor 52 may use the position before the flight starts as a reference position (origin) and detect the relative position from this reference position. When the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F starts flight, the positioning sensor 52 transmits the aerial vehicle position information P2 to the position information acquisition unit 61.

[0130] Here, a description will be given of an example of control of the payout and winding of the cable 5B by the control device 60. Fig. 14 is a diagram for explaining an example of control of the payout and winding of the cable by the unmanned air vehicle according to the sixth embodiment.

[0131] The unmanned aerial vehicle 10F switches control depending on the height relationship with the cable mooring device 30. Here, the height H0 of the cable mooring device 30 is set as the reference height. The area above the cable mooring device 30 is set as the positive area, and the area below the cable mooring device 30 is set as the negative area. Note that the area at the same altitude as the cable mooring device 30 may be included in either the positive area or the negative area.

[0132] In the first control example, when the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F is in the positive region, the control device 60 performs low torque control to pay out the cable 5B toward the cable mooring device 30, and when the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F is in the negative region, the control device 60 performs low torque control to pay out the cable 5B toward the cable mooring device 30. Specifically, the control device 60 controls the payout / take-up motor 50 with a low torque that is balanced with the weight of the cable 5A, which corresponds to the length from the cable guide 11 to the cable connection part 13. The control device 60 winds up the cable 5B with a lower torque value the shorter the length of the cable 5B and the longer the length of the cable 5A, and pays out the cable 5B with a lower torque value the longer the length of the cable 5B and the shorter the length of the cable 5A. The unmanned aerial vehicle 10F may detect the torque value or may calculate it from the motor current of the payout / take-up motor 50.

[0133] In the second control example, when the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F is in the positive region, the control device 60 controls the speed of the cable 5B in the direction of letting out the cable 5B toward the cable mooring device 30, and when the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F is in the negative region, the control device 60 controls the speed of the cable 5B in the direction of winding it toward the cable mooring device 30. Specifically, when the magnitude of the torque value falls below a reference value, the control device 60 stops letting out and winding, and controls the torque so as not to apply torque to the cable.

[0134] Furthermore, the control device 60 starts controlling the payout take-up motor 50 when any of the following three conditions is met. (Condition Cx1) Unmanned aircraft 10F switches from the negative area to the positive area. (Condition Cx2) Unmanned aerial vehicle 10F increases altitude in the negative region (Condition Cx3) The unmanned aerial vehicle 10F approaches the cable mooring device 30 in the negative region.

[0135] When condition Cx1 is satisfied, control device 60 pays out cable 5B to eliminate slack in cable 5A. When condition Cx2 or condition Cx3 is satisfied, control device 60 winds up cable 5B to eliminate slack in cable 5B.

[0136] Under the above-mentioned condition Cx3, the altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F does not matter, as long as the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F is in a situation where it can reel in the cable 5B. Note that the control device 60 may perform torque control when applying the second control example. The control device 60 does not perform speed control when applying the first control example.

[0137] 15 is a flowchart showing the control process procedure for unwinding and winding controlled by the unmanned aerial vehicle according to the sixth embodiment. Here, a case will be described in which the control device 60 controls the unwinding and winding of the cable 5B using the second control example. The states of the cable guide 11 and the cables 5A and 5B of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F change as described in FIG. 5.

[0138] When the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F starts flight, the control device 60 starts controlling the unwinding or winding of the cable 5 (step S10). The control device 60 acquires relative position information Q1, which is position information of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F relative to the cable mooring device 30 (step S20).

[0139] The control device 60 determines the flight altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F relative to the cable mooring device 30 based on the relative position information Q1 (step S30). The control device 60 determines whether the flight altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F is higher than the height H0 of the cable mooring device 30. In other words, the control device 60 determines whether the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F is flying above the cable mooring device 30 (step S40).

[0140] When the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F is flying below the cable mooring device 30 (step S40, No), the control device 60 controls the payout / winding motor 50 so that the cable 5B is wound by the payout / winding motor 50 (step S50).

[0141] On the other hand, when the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F is flying above the cable mooring device 30 (step S40, Yes), the control device 60 controls the payout / take-up motor 50 to pay out the cable 5B from the payout / take-up motor 50 (step S60).

[0142] The control device 60 determines whether the magnitude of the torque value is equal to or less than a reference value (step S70). If the magnitude of the torque value is equal to or less than the reference value (step S70, Yes), the control device 60 stops the payout / take-up motor 50 from paying out and taking up the cable, and performs torque control so as not to apply torque to the cable (step S80). If the magnitude of the torque value is greater than the reference value (step S70, No), the control device 60 causes the payout / take-up motor 50 to continue paying out and taking up the cable.

[0143] Next, a description will be given of the hardware configuration of the control device 60. The control device 60 is realized by a processing circuit. The processing circuit may be a processor and memory that executes a program stored in a memory, or may be dedicated hardware.

[0144] FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a processing circuit provided in a control device according to the sixth embodiment, when the processing circuit is realized by a processor and a memory. The processing circuit 90 illustrated in FIG. 16 includes a processor 91 and a memory 92. When the processing circuit 90 includes the processor 91 and the memory 92, each function of the processing circuit 90 is realized by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware. The software or firmware is written as a control program and stored in the memory 92. In the processing circuit 90, each function is realized by the processor 91 reading and executing the control program stored in the memory 92. That is, the processing circuit 90 includes the memory 92 for storing a control program that results in the processing of the control device 60 being executed. This control program can also be said to be a program that causes the control device 60 to execute each function realized by the processing circuit 90. This control program may be provided by a computer-readable recording medium on which the control program is recorded, or by other means such as a communication medium.

[0145] The control program can also be said to be a program that causes the control device 60 to execute the processes of steps S10 to S80 in Fig. 15. Here, the processor 91 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a processing device, an arithmetic device, a microprocessor, a microcomputer, or a DSP (Digital Signal Processor). Also, the memory 92 is, for example, a non-volatile or volatile semiconductor memory such as a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a flash memory, an EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM), or an EEPROM (Electrically EPROM), a magnetic disk, a flexible disk, an optical disk, a compact disk, a minidisk, or a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc).

[0146] FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating an example of a processing circuit provided in a control device according to the sixth embodiment, configured with dedicated hardware. The processing circuit 93 illustrated in FIG. 17 corresponds to, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or a combination thereof. The processing circuit 93 may be partially implemented with dedicated hardware and partially implemented with software or firmware. In this way, the processing circuit 93 can realize each of the above-described functions by dedicated hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof.

[0147] In this way, the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F of embodiment 6 controls the payout and rewinding of the cable 5B so that the length of the cable 5A is an appropriate length according to the relative position information Q1 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F with respect to the cable mooring device 30. This allows the unmanned aerial vehicle 10F to adjust the length of the cable 5A to an appropriate length, thereby enabling stable flight.

[0148] The configurations shown in the above embodiments are merely examples, and may be combined with other known technologies, or different embodiments may be combined with each other. It is also possible to omit or modify parts of the configurations as long as they do not deviate from the gist of the invention.

[0149] Various aspects of the present disclosure are summarized below as appendices.

[0150] (Appendix 1) a cable connection portion connected to the cable mooring device via a cable; A propeller converts rotational force into thrust, a frame connected to the cable connection portion and the propeller; a cable guide that is a cylindrical member extending in an axial direction perpendicular to the rotation plane of the propeller, and that passes the cable between the cable mooring device and the cable connection part and rotates; a rotation shaft portion that is disposed on a member of the cable guide and rotates the cable guide about a first rotation shaft that is perpendicular to an extension direction of the cable guide; Equipped with the cable guide is disposed at a position away from the cable connection portion and rotates within a plane that is not included in the range of motion of the propeller, thereby moving one end of the cable guide from a position higher than the propeller to a position lower than the propeller. An unmanned aerial vehicle characterized by (Appendix 2) When the cable guide is positioned below the cable mooring device, the weight of the cable causes the other end of the cable guide to point downward from the horizontal plane, and the cable between the other end of the cable guide and the cable connection portion becomes slack. 2. An unmanned aerial vehicle as described in Appendix 1. (Appendix 3) When the cable guide is positioned above the cable mooring device, one end of the cable guide faces downward below the horizontal plane due to the weight of the cable, and the cable between the one end of the cable guide and the cable mooring device sags. 3. An unmanned aerial vehicle as described in Appendix 1 or 2. (Appendix 4) The rotation shaft portion rotates the cable guide about the first rotation shaft and a second rotation shaft perpendicular to the first rotation shaft. An unmanned aerial vehicle described in any one of appendices 1 to 3, characterized in that (Appendix 5) The rotation shaft portion rotates the cable guide about the first rotation shaft, the second rotation shaft, and a third rotation shaft perpendicular to the first rotation shaft and the second rotation shaft. 5. An unmanned aerial vehicle as described in Appendix 4. (Appendix 6) a weight that is passed through the cable between the other end of the cable guide and the cable connection portion and that has a sliding portion that is movable along the cable; An unmanned aerial vehicle described in any one of appendices 1 to 5, characterized in that (Appendix 7) a hook portion disposed at the other end of the cable guide and adapted to hook the sliding portion; The hook portion is configured to hook and support the weight when the other end of the cable guide is angled upward from the horizontal plane by a specific angle or more, and to release the weight when the other end of the cable guide is angled downward from the horizontal plane by a specific angle or more. 7. An unmanned aerial vehicle as described in Appendix 6. (Appendix 8) The cable connection portion is disposed in the center of the planar area in which the propeller is disposed. An unmanned aerial vehicle described in any one of appendices 1 to 7, characterized in that (Appendix 9) the cable connection portion is disposed at a position facing the pivot shaft portion with an axis perpendicular to the center of the planar area on which the propeller is disposed as an axis of symmetry; An unmanned aerial vehicle described in any one of appendices 1 to 7, characterized in that (Appendix 10) a payout / take-up motor that performs a process of paying out the cable from the cable connection section side to the cable mooring device side and a process of winding the cable from the cable mooring device side to the cable connection section side; a control device that controls the payout / winding motor; Furthermore, the control device controls the payout / take-up motor so that the length of the cable between the other end of the cable guide and the cable connection part corresponds to the relative position of the cable with respect to the cable mooring device. An unmanned aerial vehicle described in any one of appendices 1 to 9, characterized in that (Appendix 11) When the control device is located above the cable mooring device, the control device controls the torque of the cable in a direction to pay out the cable toward the cable mooring device, and when the control device is located below the cable mooring device, the control device controls the torque of the cable in a direction to wind the cable away from the cable mooring device. 11. The unmanned aerial vehicle described in Appendix 10. (Appendix 12) When the control device is located above the cable mooring device, the control device controls the torque or speed of the cable in a direction to pay out the cable toward the cable mooring device, and when the control device is located below the cable mooring device, the control device controls the torque or speed of the cable in a direction to wind the cable from the cable mooring device, When the magnitude of the torque value of the payout or winding becomes equal to or less than a reference value, torque control is performed so that no torque is applied to the cable. 11. The unmanned aerial vehicle described in Appendix 10. (Appendix 13) the control device initiates torque control or speed control when switching from a position below the cable mooring device to a position above the cable mooring device, when increasing altitude while at the position below the cable mooring device, or when approaching the cable mooring device while at the position below the cable mooring device. 13. The unmanned aerial vehicle described in Appendix 12. (Appendix 14) the pivot shaft portion is disposed at a position lower than the cable connection portion when the frame is parallel to a horizontal plane. An unmanned aerial vehicle described in any one of appendices 1 to 13, characterized in that (Appendix 15) The pivot shaft is disposed at the other end of the cable guide. An unmanned aerial vehicle described in any one of appendices 1 to 14, characterized in that (Appendix 16) Cable and a cable mooring device connected to the cable; an unmanned aerial vehicle connected to the cable; and The unmanned aerial vehicle is a cable connection portion connected to the cable mooring device via the cable; A propeller converts rotational force into thrust, a frame connected to the cable connection portion and the propeller; a cable guide that is a cylindrical member extending in an axial direction perpendicular to the rotation plane of the propeller, through which the cable between the cable mooring device and the cable connection part passes and that rotates; a rotation shaft portion that is disposed on a member of the cable guide and rotates the cable guide about a first rotation shaft that is perpendicular to an extension direction of the cable guide; Equipped with the cable guide is disposed at a position away from the cable connection portion and rotates within a plane that is not included in the range of motion of the propeller, thereby moving one end of the cable guide from a position higher than the propeller to a position lower than the propeller. A flight system characterized by: (Appendix 17) The cable mooring device comprises: adjusting the length of the cable according to the positional relationship between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the cable mooring device; 17. The flight system of claim 16. [Explanation of symbols]

[0151] 1 Flight system, 5, 5A, 5B Cable, 10A to 10F Unmanned aerial vehicle, 11 Cable guide, 12 Guide support part, 13 Cable connection part, 14, 19 Frame, 15 Propeller, 16 Rotating shaft part, 20 Weight, 21A, 21B Entrance / exit, 22 Sliding part, 23 Hook part, 24 Center of gravity, 25 Connection part, 27A, 27B, 28A, 28B Moment, 30 Cable mooring device, 41A, 41B, 42A, 42B Additional weight, 50 Payout / winding motor, 51 Roller, 52 Positioning sensor, 53 Storage device, 54 Encoder, 60 Control device, 61 Position information acquisition part, 62 Relative position information generation part, 63 Cable payout / winding control part, 90, 93 Processing circuit, 91 Processor, 92 Memory, C1 to C4 State, C26 central axis, Cx1~Cx3 conditions, P1 mooring device position information, P2 aircraft position information, Q1 relative position information, R1 rotation amount information, Rx~Rz rotation axis direction.

Claims

1. a cable connection portion connected to the cable mooring device via a cable; A propeller converts rotational force into thrust, a frame connected to the cable connection portion and the propeller; a cable guide that is a cylindrical member extending in an axial direction perpendicular to the rotation plane of the propeller, and that passes the cable between the cable mooring device and the cable connection part and rotates; a rotation shaft portion that is disposed on a member of the cable guide and rotates the cable guide about a first rotation shaft that is perpendicular to an extending direction of the cable guide; Equipped with the cable guide is disposed at a position away from the cable connection portion and rotates within a plane that is not included in the range of motion of the propeller, thereby moving one end of the cable guide from a position higher than the propeller to a position lower than the propeller. An unmanned aerial vehicle characterized by

2. When the cable guide is positioned below the cable mooring device, the weight of the cable causes the other end of the cable guide to point downward from the horizontal plane, and the cable between the other end of the cable guide and the cable connection portion becomes slack.

2. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1.

3. When the cable guide is positioned above the cable mooring device, one end of the cable guide faces downward below the horizontal plane due to the weight of the cable, and the cable between the one end of the cable guide and the cable mooring device sags.

2. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1.

4. The rotation shaft portion rotates the cable guide about the first rotation shaft and a second rotation shaft perpendicular to the first rotation shaft.

2. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1.

5. The rotation shaft portion rotates the cable guide about the first rotation shaft, the second rotation shaft, and a third rotation shaft perpendicular to the first rotation shaft and the second rotation shaft.

5. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 4.

6. a weight that is passed through the cable between the other end of the cable guide and the cable connection portion and that has a sliding portion that is movable along the cable; 2. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1.

7. a hook portion disposed at the other end of the cable guide and adapted to hook the sliding portion; The hook portion is configured to hook and support the weight when the other end of the cable guide is angled upward from the horizontal plane by a specific angle or more, and to release the weight when the other end of the cable guide is angled downward from the horizontal plane by a specific angle or more.

7. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 6.

8. The cable connection portion is disposed in the center of the planar area in which the propeller is disposed.

2. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1.

9. the cable connection portion is disposed at a position facing the pivot shaft portion with an axis perpendicular to the center of the planar area on which the propeller is disposed as an axis of symmetry; 2. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1.

10. a payout / take-up motor that performs a process of paying out the cable from the cable connection section side to the cable mooring device side and a process of winding the cable from the cable mooring device side to the cable connection section side; a control device that controls the payout / winding motor; Furthermore, the control device controls the payout / take-up motor so that the length of the cable between the other end of the cable guide and the cable connection part corresponds to the relative position of the cable with respect to the cable mooring device.

2. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1.

11. When the control device is located above the cable mooring device, the control device controls the torque in a direction to pay out the cable toward the cable mooring device, and when the control device is located below the cable mooring device, the control device controls the torque in a direction to wind the cable from the cable mooring device. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 10.

12. When the control device is located above the cable mooring device, the control device controls the torque or speed of the cable in a direction to pay out the cable toward the cable mooring device, and when the control device is located below the cable mooring device, the control device controls the torque or speed of the cable in a direction to wind the cable from the cable mooring device, When the magnitude of the torque value of the payout or winding becomes equal to or less than a reference value, torque control is performed so that no torque is applied to the cable. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 10.

13. the control device initiates torque control or speed control when switching from a position below the cable mooring device to a position above the cable mooring device, when increasing altitude while at the position below the cable mooring device, or when approaching the cable mooring device while at the position below the cable mooring device. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 12.

14. the pivot shaft portion is disposed at a position lower than the cable connection portion when the frame is parallel to a horizontal plane.

2. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1.

15. The pivot shaft is disposed at the other end of the cable guide.

15. An unmanned aerial vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

16. Cable and a cable mooring device connected to the cable; an unmanned aerial vehicle connected to the cable; and The unmanned aerial vehicle is a cable connection portion connected to the cable mooring device via the cable; A propeller converts rotational force into thrust, a frame connected to the cable connection portion and the propeller; a cable guide that is a cylindrical member extending in an axial direction perpendicular to the rotation plane of the propeller, through which the cable between the cable mooring device and the cable connection part passes and that rotates; a rotation shaft portion that is disposed on a member of the cable guide and rotates the cable guide about a first rotation shaft that is perpendicular to an extending direction of the cable guide; Equipped with the cable guide is disposed at a position away from the cable connection portion and rotates within a plane that is not included in the range of motion of the propeller, thereby moving one end of the cable guide from a position higher than the propeller to a position lower than the propeller. A flight system characterized by:

17. The cable mooring device is adjusting the length of the cable according to the positional relationship between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the cable mooring device; 17. The flight system of claim 16.

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