Drone vehicle and drone system

Abstract

To provide a drone departure / arrival automobile with excellent usability and its system.SOLUTION: A vehicle 1 including a ceiling surface, a drone main body 3 including an imaging device 11, an arrival and departure site 4 provided on an upper surface of the ceiling surface and at which the drone main body can arrive and depart, a transceiver that transmits and receives a signal including imaging information from the imaging device 11 to and from the drone main body 3, a slide floor 6 that protrudes outward from a rear door of the vehicle 1 so that an internal article can be guided outward, and a ladder that can ascend and descend from the ground to the arrival and departure site; And a fixing protection part capable of detachably fixing the pair of right and left fixing projection parts provided on the upper part of the ladder. The automobile 1 is provided with a power supply device, and an electric wire capable of supplying power from the power supply device is connected to the drone main body 3.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a drone-launched vehicle and a system thereof. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, there has been progress in the development of applications for small helicopters known as drones. One use of drones is to travel to remote locations by car and check and photograph the conditions on the ground there. Examples include taking aerial photographs of mountainous areas, checking the conditions in disaster areas, and spraying pesticides on farms. Patent Document 1 discloses a drone system for flying a drone on a farm, in which the drone is transported by car to a predetermined position around the farm and takes off and lands from a predetermined position installed at the rear of the car. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-196421 DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the development of drone-launched vehicles is just beginning, and there is still room for further improvement. The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a drone-launched vehicle and system therefor that are easy to use. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The drone launching and landing vehicle of the present invention, which is intended to achieve the above-mentioned object, is characterized by comprising a vehicle with a ceiling surface, a drone body equipped with an imaging device, a launching and landing area provided on the upper surface of the ceiling surface from which the drone body can launch and land, a transceiver for transmitting and receiving signals including the imaging information between the drone body, a sliding floor that protrudes outward from the rear door of the vehicle to allow items inside to be led outward, a ladder that allows the vehicle to ascend and descend from the ground to the launching and landing area, and a fixing protective part that can detachably fix a pair of left and right fixing protrusions provided on the top of the ladder. According to the present invention, a drone vehicle equipped with a drone can be driven to a distant location, where the drone can be removed from the rear door via a sliding floor and placed on a landing area on the ceiling using a ladder. The drone can then be launched and landed from this landing area. Signals containing image information can be transmitted and received between the drone and the vehicle via a transceiver, allowing the driver to check the captured image while driving the drone.

[0006] In the drone-launching vehicle, the vehicle is provided with a power supply device, an electric wire capable of supplying power from the power supply device is connected to the drone body, and a wire hole portion made of a metal member is provided on the ceiling surface so that the electric wire can be pulled out and retracted, and it is preferable that the metal member is fixed between two roof reinforcements on the vehicle side. The metal member may be made of, for example, aluminum or stainless steel. According to the above invention, power can be supplied to the drone body from the power supply device via an electric wire, ensuring flight times that far exceed those achieved with ordinary batteries (e.g., lithium batteries). Flying the drone body generates friction between the electric wire and the electric wire hole, generating considerable heat. However, by providing the electric wire hole with a metal member, thermal deformation can be prevented compared to when it is made of a plastic member. Furthermore, because the metal member is fixed between two roof reinforcements, it is more resistant to deformation caused by the pulling of the electric wire.

[0007] Another invention relates to a drone launching and landing vehicle system, characterized by comprising the drone launching and landing vehicle described above and a power supply vehicle equipped with the power supply device. According to the above invention, a power supply vehicle separate from the drone takeoff and landing vehicle is provided, ensuring even longer flight times for the drone itself. Such a power supply vehicle can be a regular gasoline or diesel vehicle, or a fuel cell vehicle (such as the Toyota Mirai) or an electric vehicle. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a drone-launching vehicle and a system therefor that are easy to use. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is an oblique view showing the left side of the drone-launched vehicle in this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is an oblique view showing the right side of the drone-launched vehicle. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a drone-launched vehicle showing the launch site. [Figure 4] This is a diagram of the left sliding door of the drone launch vehicle opened to show the transmitter and receiver on the drone body. [Figure 5] This is an oblique view showing the vicinity of the electrical wire hole at the departure and arrival area. [Figure 6] This is a view showing the wire hole portion from inside the drone-launching vehicle. [Figure 7] FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the state inside the imaginary circle T in FIG. 3. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. [Figure 11] 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. 9. [Figure 12]FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line DD in FIG. [Figure 13] This is a diagram from the rear left showing the drone body flying with the sliding floor protruding rearward from the rear door. [Figure 14] 14 is a view showing the embodiment of FIG. 13 from the right rear of the automobile. [Figure 15] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a power supply vehicle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various embodiments can be implemented without departing from the spirit of the invention. Figure 1 shows the left side of the drone-launched vehicle 1 (hereinafter simply referred to as "vehicle 1") of this embodiment, Figure 2 shows the right side, and Figure 3 shows the ceiling surface 2. An openable and closable sliding door 12 is provided on the left side of the automobile 1. The automobile 1 is provided with a ceiling surface 2, and above this ceiling surface 2 is provided a roughly rectangular landing area 4 from which the drone body 3 can take off and land. The automobile 1 is a minivan (such as a Toyota Hiace) with a relatively large interior storage space. The automobile 1 is provided with a rear door 5. The rear door 5 has a hinge at the top end that can be used as a rotation axis to open and close in the vertical direction.

[0011] As shown in Figure 4, inside the sliding door 12, there are provided a transceiver 7 for transmitting and receiving signals including information on controlling the drone body 3 and imaging information captured by the imaging device 11, and a display 37 for displaying images, etc. Four film-like fixing protection parts 34 are provided at equal intervals below the landing area 4 on the right side of the automobile 1. By fixing the tips of the fixing projections 35 protruding from the ladder 10 to these parts, damage to the body of the automobile 1 can be prevented. A substantially flat landing area 4 is attached to the upper side of the ceiling surface 2 via multiple mounting members 13. The mounting members 13 are slightly movable in the vertical direction, and the level of the landing area 4 can be ensured by appropriate adjustment. The landing area 4 is fixed in a substantially horizontal position, allowing the drone body 3 to take off and land even if no suitable landing area is found around the automobile 1 (for example, a place with a lot of rubble, a place muddy after rain, a cliff, etc.). (Note that while traveling by automobile 1, the drone body 3 is fixed and housed in the aircraft case, and the drone body 3 is rarely left on the landing area 4.) Both left and right edges of the landing area 4 are raised upward to form anti-fall edges 4A.

[0012] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, a substantially rectangular opening 14 is provided at the rear of the landing area 4 in the center of the left-right width, and a wire hole 15 is provided in this opening, penetrating the ceiling surface 2 and leading to the interior space of the vehicle 1. The wire hole 15 is formed of a metal member 16. That is, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, the metal member 16 includes a cylindrical tubular portion 17 and a disk-shaped flange portion 18 that protrudes radially outward from a position slightly below the center of the height of the tubular portion 17. The insides of the upper and lower edges of the tubular portion 17 are rounded to form smooth inclined surfaces 17A and 17B, thereby reducing the generation of frictional heat between the tubular portion 17 and the electric wire 19. The flange portion 18 is provided with four mounting holes 20 at 90-degree intervals from the center.

[0013] As shown in Figures 9 to 12, the ceiling surface 2 is constructed of a double wall, an outer wall 21 and an inner wall 22. The outer wall 21 is provided with a roof reinforcement 23, whose cross section is bent in a U-shape in the longitudinal direction of the automobile 1 to improve its strength. The outer diameter of the flange 18 is equal to or slightly smaller than the distance between the two roof reinforcements 23. The outer wall 21 and the inner wall 22 are provided with mounting holes at aligned positions, each with a diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 17, to which the metal member 16 is attached. The inner wall 22 is provided with clamping members 24, 25 on both the front and back sides. The inner clamping member 24 is formed in a disk shape with an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 17, and has four mounting holes 24A spaced 90 degrees apart from the center. The mounting holes 24A are offset 45 degrees from the mounting holes 20 of the flange 18. The outer clamping member 25 is assembled between the two walls 21, 22 and fixed to the walls 21, 22 using both mounting holes 20, 24A. That is, the inner wall 22 has a hole aligned with the position of the mounting hole 24A, and the clamping members 24, 25 are fixed from inside the automobile with bolts 26 and nuts 27, with the holes aligned.

[0014] Meanwhile, flange portion 18 is fixed to outer wall portion 21 from the outside (above), and clamping member 25 is fixed from the inside (below) with bolts 28 and nuts 29 from the outside of the automobile, with the clamping member 25 aligned with the position of the hole. In addition, putty 30 is provided above this fixed portion to create a watertight structure. In this way, metal member 16 is fixed in a predetermined position, thereby forming electric wire hole 15. In addition, a lid 31 is provided that tightly covers the outside of tubular portion 17 when electric wire hole 15 is not in use. As shown in Figures 13 and 14, a sliding floor 6 that can slide forward and backward is provided on the underside of the vehicle 1 from the center to the rear end. In addition to the drone body 3, various items G are placed on the upper side of the sliding floor 6. Examples of the items G include a transceiver 7, a power supply device 8, a helmet 9, a foldable ladder 10, a wire winder, a backup power pack, and a toolbox. These various items G are necessary for investigating and exploring the area around the vehicle 1 over long periods of time using the drone body 3, and require a considerable amount of storage space. The sliding floor 6 can be slid rearward by opening the rear door 5.

[0015] Next, a description will be given of the manner in which the drone body 3 takes off and lands. As shown in Fig. 13, the drone body 3 is provided with an imaging device 11 capable of capturing images of the surroundings. After driving the automobile 1 to a predetermined location, the automobile is stopped and the location is determined, and the awning 32 provided on the left side of the automobile 1 is opened and fixed in place by a stay 33. In addition, the rear door 5 is left open, and the sliding floor 6 is moved outward and protruded, allowing the items G inside to be taken outward. 14, the fixing protrusions 35 of the ladder 10 are attached to the right side of the automobile 1 using the fixing protection part 34. The fixing protrusions 35 are provided as a pair protruding from the left and right sides of the ladder 10, and are fixed to the fixing protection part 34 using suction cups provided at the tips of the protrusions. The interior space of the automobile 1 and the upper surface of the sliding floor 6 are almost fully filled with items G. A shelf 36 is provided below the helmet 9 on the lower left side of the interior space. The shelf 36 is made up of only three sides (top, left side, and bottom) to allow for efficient use of the space, and is open at the rear. Therefore, the items G1 in the shelf 36 can be taken out and stored at the rear.

[0016] Although the drone main body 3 can take off and land wirelessly without connecting the electric wire 19, this embodiment describes a flight mode that uses the electric wire 19. After parking the car 1 in a predetermined location, the driver climbs the ladder 10 and places the drone main body 3 on the takeoff and landing area 4. Next, the drone main body 3 and the power supply device 8 are connected by the electric wire 19. Depending on the flight position of the drone main body 3, it may be necessary to pay out and retract the electric wire 19. A mechanism that pays out and retracts the electric wire 19 appropriately according to the tension of the electric wire 19 is provided inside the power supply device 8. In this way, by connecting the drone body 3 to the power supply device 8 and piloting and flying the drone body 3 while supplying power, imaging can be performed for an extremely long period of time compared to flying using only batteries.

[0017] Furthermore, the automobile 1 of this embodiment is equipped with a power supply automobile 40 (such as a Mirai (manufactured by Toyota Motor Corporation)) equipped with a power supply device capable of supplying even larger amounts of power, and by operating together with the automobile 1, it is possible to create a drone takeoff and landing automobile system that enables the drone main body 3 to be controlled and flown for even longer periods of time. As described above, according to this embodiment, a system equipped with a drone-launching vehicle 1 and a power supply vehicle 40 that are easy to use can be provided. [Explanation of symbols]

[0018] 1...Drone launch and landing car 2...Ceiling surface 3. Drone body 4...Departure and arrival area 7...Transmitter / Receiver 5...Rear door 8,G,G1…Goods 8...Power supply device 6...Sliding floor 10...Ladder 11...imaging device 15...Wire hole 19...Electric wire 23...Roof reinforcement 34…Fixing protection part 35...Fixing protrusion 40...Power supply vehicle 1,40...Drone launch and landing vehicle system

Claims

1. A drone launching and landing vehicle comprising: a vehicle with a ceiling surface; a drone body equipped with an imaging device; a launching and landing area provided on the upper surface of the ceiling surface from which the drone body can launch and land; a transceiver for transmitting and receiving signals including imaging information from the imaging device between the drone body and the vehicle; a sliding floor that protrudes outward from the rear door of the vehicle to allow items inside to be removed to the outside; a ladder that allows the vehicle to ascend and descend from the ground to the launching and landing area; and a fixing protective part that can detachably fix a pair of left and right fixing protrusions provided on the top of the ladder.

2. 2. The drone-launching vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is provided with a power supply device, an electric wire capable of supplying power from the power supply device is connected to the drone body, and a wire hole portion made of a metal member is provided on the ceiling surface so that the electric wire can be pulled out and retracted, and the metal member is fixed between two roof reinforcements on the vehicle side.

3. A drone takeoff and landing vehicle system comprising the drone takeoff and landing vehicle according to claim 1 or 2 and a power supply vehicle equipped with the power supply device.

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