Flying body monitoring system, flying body monitoring method, and program

Abstract

To provide a flying body management system, a flying body monitoring method, and a program capable of preferably suppressing an operation risk of a flying body.SOLUTION: A flying body monitoring system according to the present disclosure is a flying body monitoring system of a flying body that flies according to an operation plan. The flying body monitoring system includes: an observation information acquisition part that acquires observation information including a flying state of the flying body observed by a sensor installed on the ground; a determination part that determines whether a flying state of the flying body is an abnormal state on the basis of the observation information; and an output part that outputs attention information for notifying an operation manager of the flying body when the flying body is in the abnormal state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an aircraft monitoring system, an aircraft monitoring method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] As drone use advances, the use of drones in BVLOS flights, where autonomous drone flight is monitored and controlled remotely, is becoming more common. In BVLOS flights, it is necessary to manage the drone's operational status.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses an operation management system that can accurately manage the operation status of unmanned aircraft. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2023-181253 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the traffic management system disclosed in Patent Document 1, shared information including drone position information and plan information is updated as needed. However, in flights beyond visual line of sight, it is anticipated that drones may encounter situations where they are unable to operate according to flight plans, and the traffic management system disclosed in Patent Document 1 did not take this into consideration sufficiently.

[0006] In view of the above-mentioned problems, the object of the present disclosure is to provide an aircraft management system, an aircraft monitoring method, and a program that can effectively reduce the operational risks of aircraft. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The air vehicle monitoring system according to the present disclosure includes: An aircraft monitoring system for an aircraft that flies based on a flight plan, an observation information acquisition unit that acquires observation information including a flight state of the aircraft observed by a sensor installed on the ground; a determination unit that determines whether the flight state of the aircraft is abnormal based on the observation information; an output unit that outputs alert information to notify an aircraft operations manager when the aircraft is in an abnormal state; Equipped with.

[0008] The air vehicle monitoring method according to the present disclosure includes: A method for monitoring an aircraft that flies based on a flight plan, comprising: Obtaining observation information including the flight status of the aircraft observed by a sensor installed on the ground; determining whether the flight state of the aircraft is abnormal based on the observation information; When the aircraft is in an abnormal state, outputting alert information to notify the aircraft's operations manager. The processing is performed by a computer.

[0009] The program according to the present disclosure is A program for an aircraft that flies based on a flight plan, Obtaining observation information including the flight status of the aircraft observed by a sensor installed on the ground; determining whether the flight state of the aircraft is abnormal based on the observation information; When the aircraft is in an abnormal state, outputting alert information to notify the aircraft's operations manager. The processing is executed by a computer. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] The present disclosure provides an aircraft monitoring system, an aircraft monitoring method, and a program that can effectively reduce the operational risks of aircraft. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example air vehicle monitoring system according to the present disclosure. [Figure 2] 1 is a flowchart illustrating an air vehicle monitoring method according to the present disclosure. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of use of an air vehicle monitoring system according to the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an aircraft flying based on an operation plan. [Figure 5] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing an aircraft photographed at different times. [Figure 6] 1 is a flowchart illustrating an air vehicle monitoring method according to the present disclosure. [Figure 7] 1 is a flowchart illustrating an air vehicle monitoring method according to the present disclosure. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the aircraft control terminal. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of use of an air vehicle monitoring system according to the present disclosure. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a response means of the flying object. [Figure 11] 1 is a flowchart illustrating an air vehicle monitoring method according to the present disclosure. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example configuration of an aircraft or the like according to the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The present disclosure will be described below through embodiments, but the disclosure according to the claims is not limited to the following embodiments. Furthermore, not all of the configurations described in the embodiments are necessarily essential as means for solving the problems. In each drawing, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted as necessary.

[0013] <Embodiment 1> <Information processing device> The configuration of an air vehicle monitoring system according to the present disclosure will be described below with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an air vehicle monitoring system according to the present disclosure. As shown in Fig. 1, the air vehicle monitoring system 10 includes an observation information acquisition unit 11, a determination unit 12, and an output unit 13. The air vehicle monitoring system 10 is an air vehicle monitoring system for an air vehicle that flies based on a flight plan.

[0014] An aircraft is a flying object that moves through the air, such as a drone (autonomous flying object) or a flying car. An aircraft estimates its own position using, for example, SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping). In SLAM, the aircraft's position is calculated based on an environmental map, which is point cloud data of the surrounding environment obtained by a distance measurement sensor such as LIDAR. The aircraft estimates its own position and moves toward a target space based on a flight plan. The aircraft flies based on a flight plan that has been prepared in advance.

[0015] The observation information acquisition unit 11 acquires observation information including the flight status of the aircraft observed by a sensor installed on the ground. The sensor is a sensor capable of acquiring information indicating the flight status of the aircraft, such as an image, position, speed, sound, and RID (Remote ID). For example, the sensor is a camera, and the observation information acquisition unit 11 acquires an image of the aircraft.

[0016] The determination unit 12 determines whether the flight status of the aircraft is abnormal. An abnormal status includes a flight status that differs from the flight plan. An abnormal status also includes a status in which the aircraft cannot reach its destination or falls mid-flight due to a flight status that differs from the flight plan.

[0017] The output unit 13 outputs alert information to notify the aircraft's flight manager when the aircraft is in an abnormal state. The flight manager is a user who manages the aircraft or a user who flies the aircraft outside visual line of sight and operates it. The alert information includes information that the aircraft's flight status is abnormal. The alert information also includes information about the flight status of the aircraft that has become abnormal, information about differences from the flight plan, information about the location of the landing site (described later), information about processing to be performed on the aircraft, and information about response measures.

[0018] In this way, the aircraft monitoring system 10 according to the present disclosure determines whether the flight status of the aircraft is abnormal based on the observation information, and outputs warning information to notify the aircraft operations manager. By adopting such a configuration, the aircraft monitoring system 10 can suitably reduce the operational risks of the aircraft.

[0019] <Flight monitoring method> Next, an air vehicle monitoring method according to the present disclosure will be described. Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing the air vehicle monitoring method according to the present disclosure.

[0020] First, the observation information acquisition unit acquires observation information including the flight state of the flying object observed by a sensor installed on the ground (step ST1).

[0021] Next, the determination unit 12 determines whether the flight state of the aircraft is abnormal or not (step ST2).

[0022] When the determination unit 12 determines that the flight state of the aircraft is abnormal (step ST2 YES), the output unit 13 outputs alert information to notify the aircraft's operations manager (step ST3).

[0023] On the other hand, if the determination unit 12 determines that the flight state of the flying object is not an abnormal state (step ST2 NO), the flying object monitoring method ends the processing.

[0024] In the aircraft monitoring method according to the present disclosure, the processes of steps ST1, ST2, and ST3 are looped.

[0025] In this way, the air vehicle monitoring method according to the present disclosure determines whether the flight status of the air vehicle is abnormal based on the observation information, and outputs warning information to notify the air traffic controller. By adopting such a configuration, the air vehicle monitoring method can suitably reduce the operational risk of the air vehicle.

[0026] <Embodiment 2> <Aircraft Management System> The configuration of the air vehicle management system according to the present disclosure will be described below with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of use of the air vehicle monitoring system according to the present disclosure. Fig. 3 shows an air vehicle monitoring system 100, an information management system 200, an air vehicle management terminal 300, a base station 400, and a camera 500. The air vehicle monitoring system 100, the information management system 200, the air vehicle management terminal 300, the base station 400, and the camera 500 are all connected to each other so that they can communicate wirelessly.

[0027] <Base station> The base station 400 is connected to the flying object 401 so as to be able to communicate wirelessly with the base station 400. The base station 400 manages the flight of the flying object 401 with which it is in wireless communication. The flying object 401 flies in an area where it can communicate with the base station 400.

[0028] <Flying object> An example of the configuration of the flying object 401 will be described. Although not shown in FIG. 3, the flying object 401 includes, for example, a drive unit, a communication unit, an imaging unit, and a self-position estimation unit. The drive unit includes a motor for rotating a propeller, which is the means of movement of the flying object 401. The communication unit communicates with the base station 400. The imaging unit is a camera for capturing images of nearby or distant objects. The self-position estimation unit estimates its own position using SLAM or the like.

[0029] <Aircraft Control Terminal> The air vehicle management terminal 300 includes an air vehicle control unit 301 and a memory unit 302. The air vehicle management terminal 300 is, for example, a terminal owned by an air traffic controller. The air vehicle control unit 301 includes a calculation device such as a CPU or MCU, and controls each component of the air vehicle 401. That is, the air vehicle control unit 301 exchanges information with the air vehicle monitoring system 100, the information management system 200, and the air vehicle management terminal 300, and issues instructions to each component of the air vehicle 401 accordingly. The air vehicle control unit 301 may also be configured to acquire real-time information about the air vehicle 401, such as altitude information and image information from an onboard camera.

[0030] The memory unit 302 stores a flight plan for the flying object 401. The flight plan includes the departure point, destination, flight route, flight time (length) on the flight route, and flight transit time at each point on the flight route. The flight plan may also include the attitude and speed of the drone at each point on the flight route. For example, the flight plan may include "Departure point: Point A, Destination: Point B, Flight route: L1, Flight time: 40 minutes."

[0031] <Camera> The camera 500 captures an image of the flight area managed by the base station 400. Multiple cameras 500 may be provided, or the camera may be installed on a street. The camera 500 captures an image including the flying object 401. Therefore, the image includes the flight status of the flying object 401. The camera 500 transmits the image to the flying object monitoring system 100. The camera 500 may be a thermal camera.

[0032] Although not shown in Figure 3, the block diagram showing an example of use of the air vehicle monitoring system may be configured to include a sound sensor. The sound sensor determines whether or not an object is a drone by detecting the sound of the drone's propellers, for example.

[0033] <Information Management System> The information management system 200 includes a plan acquisition unit 201, an information control unit 202, and a memory unit 203. The information control unit 202 exchanges information with the aircraft monitoring system 100 and the aircraft management terminal 300, and controls the components of the plan acquisition unit 201 and the memory unit 203 accordingly. The plan acquisition unit 201 acquires the flight plan of the aircraft management terminal 300 via a wireless connection. The memory unit 203 stores the flight plan acquired by the plan acquisition unit 201. The memory unit 203 is not limited to storing the flight plan of the aircraft 401, but also stores flight plans of aircraft not shown.

[0034] The information management system 200 is, for example, a Drone / UAS Information Platform System (DIPS) that allows users to submit flight permit / approval applications to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism online, or a UAS Traffic Management (UTM) system operated by a private company that manages drone operations.

[0035] <Aircraft monitoring system> The aircraft monitoring system 100 includes an observation information acquisition unit 101 , an operation information acquisition unit 102 , a determination unit 103 , and an output unit 104 .

[0036] The observation information acquisition unit 101 acquires observation information including the flight status of the aircraft observed by a sensor installed on the ground. The observation information includes an image including the aircraft, and information regarding the image capture time and image position. The observation information also includes identification information (RID: Remote ID) of the aircraft. The RID includes identification information unique to the aircraft, and the position and speed of the aircraft.

[0037] The flight information acquisition unit 102 acquires flight information including a flight plan for the aircraft. The flight information acquisition unit 102 acquires the flight plan from at least one of the memory unit 302 of the aircraft management terminal 300 and the memory unit 203 of the information management system 200.

[0038] The determination unit 103 determines whether the flight state of the aircraft is abnormal or not. The detailed determination process of the determination unit 103 will be described later.

[0039] When the flight status of the aircraft is abnormal, the output unit 104 outputs warning information to notify the aircraft dispatcher. More specifically, the output unit 104 outputs the warning information to the aircraft management terminal 300. This allows the aircraft dispatcher to refer to the warning information and determine whether to land or continue flying the aircraft, thereby appropriately reducing operational risks of the aircraft.

[0040] <Determining discrepancies between flight plans and observation information> The determination unit 103 will be described in detail. The flight plan includes the departure point, destination, flight route, flight time (length) on the flight route, flight passing time at each point on the flight route, and the attitude and speed of the drone at each point on the flight route. In contrast, the observation information includes the flight status of the aircraft, images including the aircraft, information on the image capture time and image position, and the RID.

[0041] An example will be described in which the observation information acquisition unit 101 acquires an image including an aircraft. If the aircraft is tilted in the image including the aircraft, the determination unit 103 determines that the flight state of the aircraft is abnormal. Furthermore, by comparing the image including the aircraft (the aircraft's tilted attitude) with the attitude included in the flight plan, the determination unit 103 can determine that the flight state of the aircraft is abnormal if they differ.

[0042] An example will be described in which the observation information acquisition unit 101 further acquires the photographing time and the position of the image. The determination unit 103 compares the acquired photographing time and the position of the image with the position at the same time as the photographing time included in the flight plan, and if they differ, it can determine that the flight state of the aircraft is abnormal.

[0043] An example will be described in which the observation information acquisition unit 101 also acquires a RID. The determination unit 103 compares the position and speed included in the acquired RID with the speed at the same location as the acquired position included in the flight plan, and if they differ, can determine that the flight status of the aircraft is abnormal. Furthermore, since the RID includes identification information unique to the aircraft, the determination unit can also determine whether the flight status of each aircraft having identification information is abnormal.

[0044] In this way, the determination unit 103 can determine that the flight state of the aircraft is abnormal when the observation information differs from the information included in the flight plan and corresponding to the observation information. That is, the determination unit 103 monitors the aircraft with a sensor, and when the aircraft exhibits behavior that differs from the flight plan, generates and outputs warning information to notify the aircraft dispatcher.

[0045] <Determining the difference between the position in the flight plan and the position included in the observation information> An example of determination by the determination unit 103 will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an aircraft flying based on an operation plan. Fig. 4 shows a movement route L1, which is the operation plan of the aircraft 401. Also, in Fig. 4, it is assumed that the camera 500 is capturing an image including the flight status of the aircraft 401. It is also assumed that the image capturing time of the camera 500 is 10:00.

[0046] 4, the position of the flying object 401 at the planned time of 10:00 in the flight plan and the position of the flying object 401 observed by the camera 500 at the time 10:00 corresponding to the planned time are the same point. Therefore, the determination unit 103 determines that the flight state of the flying object 401 is not an abnormal state.

[0047] 4, the position of the flying object 401 at the planned time of 10:00 in the flight plan and the position of the flying object 401 observed by the camera 500 at the time 10:00 corresponding to the planned time are different points. Therefore, the determination unit 103 determines that the flight state of the flying object 401 is abnormal.

[0048] In other words, the judgment unit 103 judges that the flight state of the aircraft is abnormal if the distance between the position of the aircraft at the planned time in the flight plan and the position of the aircraft observed by the sensor at the time corresponding to the planned time is greater than or equal to the threshold distance.

[0049] This allows the flight manager to identify aircraft that are not flying according to the flight plan, for example, aircraft that are unable to reach their destination or that are at risk of falling mid-flight. In other words, the aircraft monitoring system can effectively mitigate operational risks of aircraft.

[0050] <Compare observational information from multiple different times> An example of determination by the determination unit 103 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an air vehicle at different image capture times. In Fig. 5, it is assumed that a camera (not shown) captures images including the flight status of the air vehicle 401. It is also assumed that the image capture times of the camera are 10:00, 10:05, and 10:10.

[0051] 5, the determination unit 103 identifies the direction of travel dr1 from three images (observation information) at 10:00, 10:05, and 10:10 that include the flying object 401. For example, if the direction of travel dr1 is heading in a falling direction, the determination unit 103 determines that the flying object 401 is in an abnormal state. In this way, the determination unit 103 determines whether the flying state of the flying object 401 is in an abnormal state by comparing the observation information at multiple different times.

[0052] Furthermore, if the traveling direction dr1 differs from the flight direction in the flight plan, the determination unit 103 may determine that the flying object 401 is in an abnormal state. That is, the determination unit 103 may determine an abnormal state by comparing observation information at a plurality of different times, or may determine an abnormal state by comparing information obtained from observation information at a plurality of different times with information included in the flight plan.

[0053] In Figure 5, the direction of travel is given as an example of information obtained from observation information at multiple different times, but this is not limited to this and may also include changes in the speed or attitude of the aircraft, or missing parts.

[0054] <Flight monitoring method> Next, an air vehicle monitoring method according to the present disclosure will be described. Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing the air vehicle monitoring method according to the present disclosure.

[0055] First, the observation information acquisition unit 101 acquires observation information including the flight state of the flying object observed by a sensor installed on the ground (step ST1). More specifically, the observation information acquisition unit 101 acquires an image (observation information) including the flying object from the camera 500.

[0056] Next, the flight information acquisition unit 102 acquires flight information including the flight plan of the aircraft (step ST12). More specifically, the flight information acquisition unit 102 acquires the flight plan from at least one of the storage unit 302 of the aircraft management terminal 300 and the storage unit 203 of the information management system 200.

[0057] Next, the determination unit 103 determines whether the flight state of the aircraft is abnormal (step ST2). More specifically, the determination unit 103 determines whether the observation information differs from information included in the operation plan and corresponding to the observation information.

[0058] When the determination unit 103 determines that the flight state of the aircraft is abnormal (step ST2 YES), the output unit 104 outputs alert information to be notified to the aircraft's operations manager (step ST3).

[0059] On the other hand, if the determination unit 12 determines that the flight state of the flying object is not an abnormal state (step ST2 NO), the flying object monitoring method ends the processing.

[0060] In the aircraft monitoring method according to the present disclosure, the processes of steps ST1, ST12, ST2, and ST3 are looped.

[0061] In this way, the air vehicle monitoring method according to the present disclosure determines whether the flight status of the air vehicle is abnormal based on the observation information, and outputs warning information to the air traffic controller. By adopting this configuration, the air vehicle monitoring method can effectively reduce the operational risk of the air vehicle.

[0062] <Embodiment 3> The configuration of the air vehicle monitoring system according to the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. The air vehicle monitoring system according to the present disclosure is characterized by different processing in the determination unit and output unit. Each functional block of the air vehicle monitoring system according to the present disclosure has the same configuration as the air vehicle monitoring system shown in Figure 3, so description thereof will be omitted.

[0063] <Emergency Landing Decision> The processing of the determination unit and the output unit will be described. Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing an aircraft monitoring method according to the present disclosure. In Fig. 7, steps ST21 and ST31 are different from the flowchart in Fig. 6. The other processing is the same as in the flowchart in Fig. 6, and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

[0064] The determination unit further determines whether the abnormal state of the aircraft is a state that requires an emergency landing (step ST21). A state that requires an emergency landing is a state in which the aircraft is flying in a state where it cannot reach its destination or where there is a possibility of it falling mid-flight, making it difficult to continue flying.

[0065] For example, if the attitude of the aircraft is tilted compared to the attitude of the aircraft in the flight plan, the determination unit determines that the flight state of the aircraft is abnormal. If the aircraft is temporarily tilted due to wind or other factors, the determination unit determines that the aircraft can continue flying and that the state is not one that requires an emergency landing. On the other hand, if the aircraft is constantly tilted, the determination unit determines that the aircraft cannot continue flying and that the state requires an emergency landing.

[0066] As another example, the determination unit compares the distance in the flight plan with the possible flight distance calculated from the remaining battery power, and if it determines that the distance in the flight plan cannot be flown, it determines that the aircraft is in an abnormal state. If the remaining battery power is below a predetermined value, the determination unit determines that it is difficult for the aircraft to continue flying and that an emergency landing is required.

[0067] Next, when the determination unit determines that the flight state of the aircraft is abnormal (step ST21 YES), the output unit outputs attention-calling information (step ST31).

[0068] <outputs landing site location> More specifically, the output unit further outputs warning information including the location of a landing site where the aircraft will land. The landing site is a predetermined location registered in the DIPS or UTM. The landing site may be a portable location or a fixed location, such as a truck bed, a port, or the rooftop of a store or building. In other words, the aircraft monitoring system can be said to provide the aircraft dispatcher with information to guide the aircraft to a landing site where an abnormal aircraft is located.

[0069] If there are multiple candidate landing sites, the output unit may output warning information including the location of the landing site that the aircraft can reach in the shortest time. Furthermore, if there are multiple candidate landing sites, the output unit may transmit all of the candidate landing sites to the aircraft management terminal. The aircraft manager may then select one of the candidate landing sites on the aircraft management terminal.

[0070] In this way, by including information about the location of the landing site of the aircraft in the warning information, the aircraft dispatcher can wait at the landing site. This allows the aircraft dispatcher to check the status of the aircraft after it has landed and prepare for immediate maintenance. Therefore, sufficient measures can be taken if the aircraft is unable to fly according to the flight plan.

[0071] The output unit may also output telemetry information together with the warning information. Telemetry information is information that can be obtained from the aircraft, such as information about the aircraft's remaining battery charge, flight direction, and altitude. This allows the aircraft operations manager to more quickly prepare for maintenance. The determination unit may be configured to determine whether or not the battery needs to be replaced based on battery information included in the telemetry information.

[0072] When the output unit combines the telemetry information with the alert information and outputs it to the air vehicle control terminal 300, the output unit may be configured as follows. This will be explained with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the air vehicle control terminal.

[0073] As shown in Figure 8, the aircraft management terminal 300 displays a telemetry information display section U11, a "Maintenance" selection section UI2, and an "Alternate Aircraft" selection section U13 in a touch-operable manner. Based on the information displayed on the telemetry information display section U11, the aircraft manager can select either the "Maintenance" selection section UI2 or the "Alternate Aircraft" selection section U13 by touching the section. The alternative aircraft will be described in detail in embodiment 4.

[0074] Furthermore, the aircraft monitoring system may have a function to calculate an amount in response to a selection operation of the aircraft dispatcher's aircraft control terminal 300. A specific example will be given. When the aircraft dispatcher selects the "Maintenance" selection section UI2 by touch operation, a predetermined amount, for example, 5,000 yen, is charged to the aircraft dispatcher. When the aircraft dispatcher selects the "Alternate Aircraft" selection section U13 by touch operation, a predetermined amount, for example, 10,000 yen, is charged to the aircraft dispatcher. The aircraft monitoring system may also enable the aircraft dispatcher to make payments through a publicly known payment service.

[0075] <Output of processing information> Furthermore, when the determination unit determines that a state is present that prompts an emergency landing, the output unit may further output warning information including information regarding processing to be performed on the aircraft after the emergency landing. The processing to be performed on the aircraft is processing to enable the aircraft to fly again at the location where it landed. The processing to be performed on the aircraft is, for example, maintenance such as minor repairs, battery charging, and minor part replacement.

[0076] In this way, by including information regarding the processing to be performed on the aircraft in the warning information, the tools or replacement parts necessary for maintenance can be prepared, and maintenance can be performed immediately upon landing of the aircraft.

[0077] <Embodiment 4> <Aircraft Management System> The configuration of the aircraft management system according to the present disclosure will be described below with reference to Fig. 9. Fig. 9 is a block diagram showing an example of use of the aircraft monitoring system according to the present disclosure. Fig. 9 differs from Fig. 3 in that the memory unit 302 of the aircraft management terminal 300 stores information including the flight purpose, and the flight information acquisition unit 120 of the aircraft monitoring system 600 acquires flight information including the flight plan and flight purpose of the aircraft. Other configurations are the same as those in Fig. 3, and therefore will not be described further.

[0078] <Purpose of operation> The flight information acquisition unit 120 acquires flight information including the flight purpose of the aircraft. The flight purpose of the aircraft will be explained using examples. For example, if the aircraft is flying to photograph an object on the ground or in the air, the flight purpose is photography. If the aircraft is transporting (transporting) an object, the flight purpose is transportation (transportation). The flight purpose may also be a more detailed purpose, such as inspecting and photographing a radio tower or transporting vaccines.

[0079] <Estimation of response measures> When the determination unit 105 determines that the aircraft is in an abnormal state, it estimates a response measure according to the operational purpose of the aircraft. The output unit 106 outputs warning information including the response measure. This will be explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 10. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the response measure of the aircraft.

[0080] In the upper part of Figure 10, aircraft 401 is transporting small parcel T1. In the lower part of Figure 10, aircraft 401 is transporting large parcel T2. The purpose of aircraft 401's operation is to transport parcels. In Figure 10, alternative aircraft 402 is located at point A, and alternative aircraft 403 is located at point B. Alternative aircraft 402 is an aircraft capable of transporting large parcel T2 and small parcel T1, and is an aircraft suitable for transporting large parcel T2. Alternative aircraft 403 is an aircraft capable of transporting small parcel T1, but is not capable of transporting large parcel T2.

[0081] The estimation of the response measures will be described with reference to the upper part of Fig. 10. In the upper part of Fig. 10, it is assumed that the determination unit 105 determines that the flying object 401 is in an abnormal state from images captured by the camera 500 at 10:00 and 10:10.

[0082] The purpose of operation of the flying object 401 is transportation, and the flying object 401 is carrying a parcel T1. Therefore, the determination unit 105 estimates the response measure to land the flying object 401 at point A and change it to an alternative flying object 403. Then, the output unit outputs warning information including the response measure to the flying object control terminal 300.

[0083] The estimation of the response measures will be described with reference to the lower part of Fig. 10. In the lower part of Fig. 10, it is assumed that the determination unit 105 determines that the flying object 401 is in an abnormal state from images captured by the camera 500 at 10:00 and 10:10.

[0084] The purpose of the flight of the flying object 401 is transportation, and the flying object 401 is carrying a large load T2. Therefore, the determination unit 105 estimates the response measure to land the flying object 401 at point B and change to an alternative flying object 402. Then, the output unit outputs alert information including the response measure to the flying object control terminal 300. With this configuration, the flight plan can be continued using the alternative flying object, and the flight purpose can be achieved.

[0085] In Figure 10, an example of a replacement aircraft with a different size of cargo that can be transported is described. However, this is not limited to this, and the replacement aircraft may be any type of aircraft that can achieve the operational purpose. Furthermore, the response measures include replacing the aircraft, replacing the battery, or charging the battery.

[0086] 10, if the purpose of operation of the flying object 401 is to inspect a radio tower, the determination unit 103 estimates the response measure, for example, as follows: Since the alternative flying objects 402 and 403 both have cameras, the determination unit 105 estimates the response measure to land the flying object 401 at point A or B and change to the alternative flying object 402 or 403.

[0087] <Flight monitoring method> Next, an air vehicle monitoring method according to the present disclosure will be described. Fig. 11 is a flowchart showing an air vehicle monitoring method according to the present disclosure. Fig. 11 differs from the flowchart of Fig. 6 in that it includes steps ST22 and ST32. Other processes are the same as those in the flowchart of Fig. 6, and therefore will not be described.

[0088] When the determination unit 105 determines that the aircraft is in an abnormal state (step ST2 YES), it estimates a countermeasure according to the operational purpose of the aircraft (step ST22). More specifically, as shown in Fig. 10, it estimates a countermeasure to land at a location where an alternative aircraft is located.

[0089] Next, the output unit 106 outputs the attention-calling information including the countermeasures (step ST32). This allows the flight plan to be continued, and the flight objective to be achieved.

[0090] In the aircraft monitoring method according to the present disclosure, the processes of steps ST1, ST12, ST2, ST22, and ST32 are looped.

[0091] <Configuration example> FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing an example configuration of an air vehicle, etc., according to the present disclosure. FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing an example configuration of the above-described air vehicle monitoring system 10, 100, 600, information management system 200, air vehicle management terminal 300, and air vehicle 401 (hereinafter referred to as the air vehicle 401, etc.). Referring to FIG. 12, the air vehicle 401, etc., includes a network interface 1201, a processor 1202, and a memory 1203. The network interface 1201 may be used to communicate with a network node. The network interface 1201 may include, for example, a network interface card (NIC) compliant with the IEEE 802.3 series. IEEE stands for Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

[0092] The processor 1202 reads and executes software (computer programs) from the memory 1203 to perform the processing of the aircraft 401 and the like described using flowcharts in the above-described embodiments. The processor 1202 may be, for example, a microprocessor, an MPU, or a CPU. The processor 1202 may include multiple processors.

[0093] The memory 1203 is configured by a combination of volatile memory and non-volatile memory. The memory 1203 may include storage located remotely from the processor 1202. In this case, the processor 1202 may access the memory 1203 via an I / O (Input / Output) interface (not shown).

[0094] 12, the memory 1203 is used to store software modules. The processor 1202 reads and executes these software modules from the memory 1203 to perform processing of the flying object 401 and the like described in the above embodiment.

[0095] As explained with reference to FIG. 12, each of the processors possessed by the aircraft 401, etc. executes one or more programs containing instructions for causing a computer to perform the algorithms explained with reference to the drawings.

[0096] In the above examples, the program includes instructions (or software code) that, when loaded into a computer, cause the computer to perform one or more functions described in the embodiments. The program may be stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium or a tangible storage medium. By way of example and not limitation, computer-readable medium or tangible storage medium includes random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, solid-state drive (SSD) or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disc (DVD), Blu-ray disc or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassette, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage device. The program may also be transmitted on a transitory computer-readable medium or communication medium. The program may also be included in a program product. By way of example and not limitation, the transitory computer-readable medium or communication medium includes electrical, optical, acoustic, or other forms of propagated signals.

[0097] The present disclosure has been described above in accordance with the above-described embodiments, but the present disclosure is not limited to the configurations of the above-described embodiments, and naturally includes various modifications, alterations, and combinations that a person skilled in the art could make within the scope of the claims of the present application.

[0098] Each drawing is merely an example for describing one or more embodiments. Each drawing may relate not only to one particular embodiment, but also to one or more other embodiments. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, various features or steps described with reference to any one drawing can be combined with features or steps shown in one or more other drawings to create, for example, an embodiment not explicitly shown or described. Not all features or steps shown in any one drawing are necessary to describe an exemplary embodiment, and some features or steps may be omitted. The order of steps described in any drawing may be changed as appropriate.

[0099] A part or all of the above-described embodiments can be described as, but not limited to, the following supplementary notes. (Appendix 1) An aircraft monitoring system for an aircraft that flies based on a flight plan, an observation information acquisition unit that acquires observation information including a flight state of the aircraft observed by a sensor installed on the ground; a determination unit that determines whether the flight state of the aircraft is abnormal based on the observation information; an output unit that outputs alert information to notify an aircraft operations manager when the flight status of the aircraft is abnormal; Equipped with Aircraft surveillance system. (Appendix 2) The observation information includes an image including the aircraft, and information regarding the image capture time and the position of the image. 10. The air vehicle surveillance system of claim 1. (Appendix 3) the observation information includes identification information of the aircraft; The determination unit determines whether or not the flight state of each flying object having the identification information is an abnormal state. 3. The air vehicle monitoring system of claim 1 or 2. (Appendix 4) The determination unit determines that the flight state of the aircraft is abnormal when the observation information differs from information included in the flight plan and corresponding to the observation information. 3. The air vehicle monitoring system of claim 1 or 2. (Appendix 5) the determination unit determines that the flight state of the aircraft is abnormal when a distance between a position of the aircraft at a planned time in the flight plan and a position of the aircraft observed by the sensor at a time corresponding to the planned time is equal to or greater than a threshold distance; 3. The air vehicle monitoring system of claim 1 or 2. (Appendix 6) the determination unit determines whether the flight state of the aircraft is abnormal by comparing the observation information at a plurality of different times. 3. The air vehicle monitoring system of claim 1 or 2. (Appendix 7) The determination unit further determines whether the abnormal state of the aircraft is a state that prompts an emergency landing, When the determination unit determines that the state is such that the emergency landing is required, the output unit further outputs the warning information including the location of a landing site where the aircraft is to land. 3. The air vehicle monitoring system of claim 1 or 2. (Appendix 8) When the determination unit determines that the state is such that the emergency landing is to be prompted, the output unit further outputs the warning information including information regarding a process to be performed on the aircraft after the emergency landing. 8. The air vehicle monitoring system of claim 7. (Appendix 9) an operation information acquisition unit that acquires operation information including the operation purpose of the aircraft; When the determination unit determines that the flight state of the aircraft is abnormal, the determination unit estimates a response measure according to the operation purpose of the aircraft, The output unit outputs the warning information including the response means. 3. The air vehicle monitoring system of claim 1 or 2. (Appendix 10) A method for monitoring an aircraft that flies based on a flight plan, comprising: Obtaining observation information including the flight status of the aircraft observed by a sensor installed on the ground; determining whether the flight state of the aircraft is abnormal based on the observation information; When the flight status of the aircraft is abnormal, outputting alert information to notify the aircraft's flight manager. The computer performs the processing, Aircraft monitoring method. (Appendix 11) A program for an aircraft that flies based on a flight plan, Obtaining observation information including the flight status of the aircraft observed by a sensor installed on the ground; determining whether the flight state of the aircraft is abnormal based on the observation information; When the flight status of the aircraft is abnormal, outputting alert information to notify the aircraft's flight manager. Have the computer perform the process, program.

[0100] Some or all of the elements (e.g., configurations and functions) described in Supplementary Notes 2 to 9 that are dependent on Supplementary Note 1 may also be dependent on Supplementary Notes 9 and 10 in the same dependency relationship as Supplementary Notes 2 to 9. Some or all of the elements described in any Supplementary Note may be applied to various hardware, software, recording means for recording software, systems, and methods. [Explanation of symbols]

[0101] 10, 100 Aircraft Surveillance System 11,101 Observation Information Acquisition Department 102, 120 Flight Information Acquisition Department 12, 103, 105 Judgment section 13, 104, 106 Output section 201 Planning Acquisition Department 202 Information Control Department 203 Storage section 300 Aircraft Management Terminal 301 Aircraft Control Unit 302 Storage section 400 base stations 401 Flying Object 402, 403 Alternative aircraft 500 cameras 1201 Network Interface 1202 processor 1203 memory Point A, B T1 Parcel T2 Large luggage dr1 direction of travel L1 flight path

Claims

1. An aircraft monitoring system for an aircraft that flies based on a flight plan, an observation information acquisition unit that acquires observation information including a flight state of the aircraft observed by a sensor installed on the ground; a determination unit that determines whether the flight state of the aircraft is abnormal based on the observation information; an output unit that outputs alert information to notify an aircraft operations manager when the flight status of the aircraft is abnormal; Equipped with Aircraft surveillance system.

2. The observation information includes an image including the aircraft, and information regarding the image capture time and the position of the image. The air vehicle monitoring system of claim 1 .

3. The determination unit determines that the flight state of the aircraft is abnormal when the observation information differs from information included in the flight plan and corresponding to the observation information.

3. The air vehicle monitoring system according to claim 1 or 2.

4. the determination unit determines that the flight state of the aircraft is abnormal when a distance between a position of the aircraft at a planned time in the flight plan and a position of the aircraft observed by the sensor at a time corresponding to the planned time is equal to or greater than a threshold distance; 3. The air vehicle monitoring system according to claim 1 or 2.

5. the determination unit determines whether the flight state of the aircraft is abnormal by comparing the observation information at a plurality of different times.

3. The air vehicle monitoring system according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The determination unit further determines whether the abnormal state of the aircraft is a state that prompts an emergency landing, When the determination unit determines that the state is such that the emergency landing is required, the output unit further outputs the warning information including the location of a landing site where the aircraft is to land.

3. The air vehicle monitoring system according to claim 1 or 2.

7. When the determination unit determines that the state is such that the emergency landing is to be prompted, the output unit further outputs the warning information including information regarding a process to be performed on the aircraft after the emergency landing. The air vehicle monitoring system according to claim 6.

8. an operation information acquisition unit that acquires operation information including the operation purpose of the aircraft; When the determination unit determines that the flight state of the aircraft is abnormal, the determination unit estimates a response measure according to the operation purpose of the aircraft, The output unit outputs the warning information including the response means.

3. The air vehicle monitoring system according to claim 1 or 2.

9. A method for monitoring an aircraft that flies based on a flight plan, comprising: Obtaining observation information including the flight status of the aircraft observed by a sensor installed on the ground; determining whether the flight state of the aircraft is abnormal based on the observation information; When the flight status of the aircraft is abnormal, outputting alert information to notify the aircraft's flight manager. The computer performs the processing, Aircraft monitoring method.

10. A program for an aircraft that flies based on a flight plan, Obtaining observation information including the flight status of the aircraft observed by a sensor installed on the ground; determining whether the flight state of the aircraft is abnormal based on the observation information; When the flight status of the aircraft is abnormal, outputting alert information to notify the aircraft's flight manager. Have the computer perform the process, program.

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