Flight control system and flight control method

Abstract

To provide a flight control system and a flight control method capable of improving safety during flight of a drone.SOLUTION: A flight control system according to the present disclosure includes an autonomous flight mode in which a flight vehicle automatically performs a flight operation along a predetermined path, and a manual flight mode in which the flight vehicle performs a flight operation based on input information input from a control device, and when the flight vehicle detects a predetermined event during flight in the autonomous flight mode, the flight control system permits switching of the flight mode from the autonomous flight mode to the manual flight mode.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a flight control system and a flight control method. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, with regard to mobile objects such as unmanned aerial vehicles and drones, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method for automatically returning an unmanned aerial vehicle by autonomous control when a problem such as a deterioration in the communication environment occurs during flight. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-082774 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The method of Patent Document 1 aims to avoid danger by autonomously controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle when a malfunction is detected during flight. However, in the case of unmanned aerial vehicles used for flying over or close to people, there is a possibility of collision with people near the return point during the autonomous control return process in the event of a malfunction, and automatic evacuation flight is not necessarily safe.

[0005] Therefore, the present disclosure has been made in consideration of at least one of the above three problems, and its purpose is to provide a flight control system and a flight control method that can improve safety during drone flight. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to the present disclosure, the aircraft has an autonomous flight mode in which it automatically performs flight operations along a predetermined route, and a manual flight mode in which it performs flight operations based on input information input from a control device, A flight control system is provided which allows the flight mode to be switched from the autonomous flight mode to the manual flight mode when a predetermined event is detected while the flying object is flying in the autonomous flight mode.

[0007] According to the present disclosure, the aircraft is provided with an autonomous flight mode in which the aircraft automatically performs flight operations along a predetermined route, and a manual flight mode in which the aircraft performs flight operations based on input information input from a control device, A flight control method is provided, characterized in that, when a predetermined event is detected while the flying object is flying in the autonomous flight mode, switching of the flight mode from the autonomous flight mode to the manual flight mode is permitted. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a flight control system and a flight control method that can improve safety during drone flight. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example configuration of a system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another exemplary configuration of a system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another exemplary configuration of a system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another exemplary configuration of a system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a drone according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating functional blocks of a drone according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating an example of a control device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the operation of a drone according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating functional blocks of a control device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating functional blocks of a server according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an operation flow of a system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a state transition of a flight mode of a system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating another example of a state transition of a flight mode of the system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state transition of whether or not a behavior restriction is present in a system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating another example of a notification flow of the system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a mode switching flow from a manual flight mode to an autonomous flight mode of a system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of notification content displayed on a display unit of a control device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another example of notification content displayed on the display unit of the controller according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 19] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another example of notification content displayed on the display unit of the controller according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification and drawings, components having substantially the same functional configurations are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted. Furthermore, the embodiments described below are merely examples, and other known elements or alternative means may be adopted depending on the application, purpose, scale, etc.

[0011] FIG. 1 shows an overview of the overall configuration of a system 1 using a drone as an example of a mobile object according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system 1 may include a drone 100 with a photographing function, a control device 200 for a pilot to operate the drone 100, and a server 300 (e.g., a cloud server) connected to the control device 200 via a network 400 such as the Internet. The drone 100 is capable of receiving satellite signals from artificial satellites 500 and can estimate its own position using Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) based on the received satellite signals. The system also includes a base station 600 that provides information on a fixed reference point used for relative positioning such as RTK (Real Time Kinematic). The base station is wirelessly connected to the drone and the control device, enabling the drone's position to be measured with higher accuracy. When RTK measurement is performed using a virtual reference point system using a Virtual Reference Station (VRS), the base station 600 can be omitted, or the accuracy of the position coordinate estimation of the base station and drone can be further improved.

[0012] Here, the control device 200 includes a display unit 210 that displays drone status information acquired from the drone or a server to the operator, and an input unit 220 that inputs operational commands such as flight direction and takeoff / landing when the operator controls the drone. The display unit 210 and the input unit 220 are connected to each other for wired or wireless communication. At least one of the display unit 210 and the input unit 220 has a communication function for wirelessly communicating with the drone using Wi-Fi, 2.4 GHz, or a frequency band ranging from 5.6 to 5.8 GHz. At least one of the display unit 210 and the input unit 220 also has a wireless communication function for communicating with a server via an internet connection using a communication standard such as LTE (Long Term Evolution). In the example configuration shown in FIG. 1, the drone communicates with the server via the control device 200. This system configuration is suitable for situations where the drone and the control device are within a distance where direct wireless communication is possible (e.g., visual flight by the pilot), but is not limited thereto.

[0013] 2 to 4 show modified examples of the overall configuration of this system. In the example of system 2 shown in FIG. 2, a drone, a control device, a server, and a base station are connected to each other so that they can communicate with each other via a network 400 such as an internet line. Unlike the example configuration shown in FIG. 1, the drone communicates wirelessly directly with the internet line using a communication method such as LTE without going through the control device. Therefore, the drone, the control device, and the base station do not need to communicate wirelessly directly; they only need to be connected to an internet line in remote locations. Therefore, this system configuration is suitable for cases where the drone and control device are located in remote locations (for example, when a pilot remotely controls the drone), but is not limited to this.

[0014] Next, in the example of System 3 shown in Figure 3, a drone, a control device, a base station, and a server are interconnected via a network 400 such as an internet line, allowing them to communicate with each other, and the drone and base station are connected to the internet line via satellite communication via an artificial satellite 500. Furthermore, in the example of System 4 shown in Figure 4, a redundant system is shown in which multiple servers are connected to a single drone via multiple internet lines. In this case, even if an abnormality occurs in a server or internet line, the system can continue to operate using the other redundant servers or internet lines, thereby improving system reliability. Note that the drone and control device shown in Figures 3 and 4 can be operated from a remote location, making them suitable for remote control. However, this is not limited to this, and the system can also be applied to visual flight, in which the pilot manually controls the drone while looking at it.

[0015] <Drone configuration> In this specification, a drone refers to any aerial vehicle with multiple rotors and the ability to autonomously control its attitude, regardless of the power source (electricity, motor, etc.), the control method (wireless or wired, fully autonomous or partially manual, etc.), or whether it is manned or unmanned. A drone may also be referred to as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), aerial vehicle, multicopter, remote piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), or unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). In this specification, a geofence refers to a virtual boundary, particularly a fence that separates a permitted flight area where a mobile vehicle, such as a drone, is permitted to fly or move from a prohibited area. Therefore, if a mobile vehicle, such as a drone, comes into contact with a geofence, its flight or movement is restricted to prevent it from flying outside the permitted flight area.

[0016] As shown in Fig. 6, the drone 100 of this example includes a measurement unit 110, a flight function unit 120, an obstacle detection unit 130, an image capture unit 140, and a communication unit 150. Note that the functional blocks shown in the figure are for reference only and can be modified as appropriate. The drone 100 includes a computing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) for executing information processing, and storage devices such as RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory).

[0017] The measurement unit 110 includes a position measurement unit 111 for measuring the position (absolute position) of the drone and an orientation measurement unit 112 for measuring the direction of the drone's nose (heading direction). The position measurement unit is not particularly limited, but may measure its current position using, for example, a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) or a Global Positioning System (GPS). For example, a Real Time Kinematic - Global Navigation Satellite System (RTK-GNSS) may be used as a method for measuring the drone's position. The position information includes at least two-dimensional coordinate information (e.g., latitude and longitude) in a planar view, and preferably includes three-dimensional coordinate information including altitude information. The position measurement unit receives signals from artificial satellites such as GPS satellites and performs positioning (locating) based on the signals. The orientation measurement unit may be configured with, for example, a geomagnetic sensor that measures the heading direction of the drone's airframe by measuring geomagnetism, or a compass, GNSS compass, or the like. The measurement unit 110 may also include various sensors (IMU, 6-axis GYRO) that acquire information such as temperature, air pressure, wind speed, acceleration, angular velocity, and velocity (GNSS Doppler, GPS Doppler, etc.). The measurement unit can generate jerk by differentiating the acquired acceleration with respect to time, and can generate angular acceleration by differentiating each velocity with respect to time.

[0018] The flight function unit 120 includes a motor 121 and a propeller 122 as thrust generating units for generating thrust in the aircraft to lift off and move in the desired direction, and a flight control unit 123 for controlling the aircraft's attitude angle and flight operations from takeoff through flight and landing.

[0019] The thrust generating unit includes a propeller (rotor) and a motor and battery or engine as a power source for rotating the rotor. The rotor may also be provided with a propeller guard to prevent the propeller from interfering with obstacles. The number of rotors constituting the thrust generating unit is not particularly limited, but may include, for example, one, two, four, six, or eight rotors. The rotor may be composed of a single propeller or multiple propellers arranged coaxially. The number and shape of the blades of each propeller are not particularly limited.

[0020] The flight control unit includes a processing unit, also referred to as a flight controller. The processing unit may include one or more processors, such as a programmable processor (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), MPU, or DSP). The processing unit has access to a memory (storage unit). The memory stores logic, code, and / or program instructions that the processing unit can execute to perform one or more steps. The memory may include a separable medium, such as an SD card or random access memory (RAM), or an external storage device. Various data acquired from cameras and sensors may be directly transmitted to and stored in the memory. For example, still or video data captured by the camera 141 may be recorded in the internal memory or an external memory.

[0021] The processing unit includes a control module configured to control the airframe state of the drone 100. For example, the control module may have six degrees of freedom (translational motion x, y, and z, and rotational motion θ x , θ y and θ zThe control module controls the thrust generating unit of the drone 100 to adjust the spatial arrangement, attitude angle, angular velocity, angular acceleration, angular jerk velocity, and / or at least one of the position, velocity, acceleration, and jerk of the drone 100. The control module can control one or more of the camera holding unit and sensors. The flight control unit can control the flight of the drone 100 based on control signals from the piloting device 200 or based on a preset autonomous flight program. The flight control unit can also control the flight of the drone 100 by controlling the thrust generating unit based on various information such as the field area of ​​the subject to be photographed, information on the corresponding flight geofence, map information including two-dimensional or three-dimensional map data, current position information of the drone 100, attitude information (heading direction information), speed information, and acceleration information, or any combination thereof.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , the obstacle detection unit 130 includes, for example, an obstacle detection camera 131, a TOF (Time of Flight) sensor 132, and a laser sensor 133. The obstacle detection camera 131 can capture at least one of still images and video (and, if necessary, capture audio using a microphone) and transmit the data to a storage unit of the drone 100 itself, the control device 200, the server 300, etc. The TOF sensor 132 is a sensor for detecting the distance to an object. The TOF sensor 132 can detect the distance by, for example, irradiating the object with light from the TOF sensor 132 and measuring the time it takes for the light reflected by the object to be received. The laser sensor 133 is a means for measuring the distance between the aircraft and the object using reflected laser light, and may be a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging, Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging) or an IR (Infrared) laser. The obstacle detection camera may be a pair of left and right dual cameras. The obstacle detection camera may be provided on the front surface, but is not limited to this, and may be provided on all or one or more of the six surfaces (front surface, rear surface, left surface, right surface, top surface, bottom surface). The TOF (Time of Flight) sensor 132 and the laser sensor 133 may also be provided on the front surface, but is not limited to this, and may be provided on all or one or more of the six surfaces (front surface, rear surface, left surface, right surface, top surface, bottom surface). The obstacle detection unit 130 is not limited to the obstacle detection camera 131, the TOF (Time of Flight) sensor 132, and the laser sensor 133, and any device may be used.

[0023] The photographing unit 140 includes a photographing camera 141 (imaging device) and a camera holding unit 142. The photographing camera 141 can capture at least one of still images and video (and further capture audio using a microphone as necessary) and transmit the data to a storage unit of the drone 100 itself, the control device 200, the server 300, etc. The camera holding unit 142 holds the photographing camera 141 on the airframe. The camera holding unit 142 may or may not be capable of changing at least one of the position and attitude (direction) of the photographing camera 141 relative to the airframe. The camera holding unit 142 may have a mechanism for suppressing the transmission of shaking and vibrations of the airframe to the photographing camera 141.

[0024] The communication unit 150 communicates with the control device 200, the server 300, the network 400, the satellite 500, the base station 600, etc., and transmits and receives signals. The drone can transmit information about its current flight status, information acquired by the aircraft's cameras and sensors, information received from external devices, etc., to the control device 200, the server 300, etc. via the communication unit. The information about the flight status can include, but is not limited to, the flight mode, movement direction (including hovering state), movement path, speed, acceleration, position (coordinates), attitude (heading direction), angular velocity of the attitude angle, and angular acceleration of the attitude angle. The communication unit 150 can use any communication means, whether wired or wireless. For example, the communication unit 150 can use one or more of a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), infrared, wireless, Wi-Fi, a point-to-point (P2P) network, a telecommunications network, cloud communication, etc. The communication unit 150 may include a short-range communication interface such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE).

[0025] <Configuration of the control device> 7, 8, and 9, the control device 200 includes a display unit 210 and an input unit 220. The control device 200 also includes a computing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) for executing information processing, and storage devices such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) and a ROM (Read Only Memory).

[0026] The display unit 210 may be configured as a touch panel or LCD monitor integrated into the control device, or may be configured as a display device such as an LCD monitor, tablet terminal, or smartphone connected to the control device by wire or wirelessly. The display unit can display images related to various information such as the current position information, attitude information (directional information), speed information, and acceleration information of the drone 100, the remaining battery level of the drone, and the installation position of the drone when surveying the field area to be photographed. The display unit may also be configured to display multiple fields that can be the subject of photography, the field area to be photographed, the corresponding flight geofence, map information, etc.

[0027] The input unit 220 accepts input operations that instruct the three-dimensional flight operations of the drone 100, including takeoff, landing, hovering (stopping in the air), ascending, descending, turning, moving forward, backward, and moving left and right. It accepts various inputs from a user such as a pilot, or inputs based on signals transmitted from the drone 100 or the server 300. The input unit 220 in this example includes a vertical movement input unit 221, a horizontal movement input unit 222, a forward / backward movement input unit 223, a yaw rotation input unit 224, and a power input unit 225. The input unit 220 is configured with a control stick that is operated by tilting it forward, backward, left and right, etc., push buttons (including cross key buttons, etc.) located on the up, down, left and right, a rotary dial, a touch panel (including the touch panel that constitutes the display unit 210), etc., but is not particularly limited thereto.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 7, the vertical movement input unit 221, horizontal movement input unit 222, forward / backward movement input unit 223, and yaw rotation input unit 224 in this example are configured with two control sticks that are operated by tilting them forward, backward, left, right, etc. Specifically, the right control stick constitutes the vertical movement input unit 221 and horizontal movement input unit 222, and the left control stick constitutes the forward / backward movement input unit 223 and yaw rotation input unit 224. When the user tilts the right control stick forward, it inputs an upward movement; when tilting it backward, it inputs a downward movement; when tilting it to the left, it inputs a left movement (translation to the left); and when tilting it to the right, it inputs a right movement (translation to the right). When the user tilts the left control stick forward, it inputs a forward movement; when tilting it backward, it inputs a backward movement; when tilting it to the left, it inputs a left turn; and when tilting it to the right, it inputs a right turn. FIG. 8 shows an example of the flight operation of a drone.

[0029] The input unit 220 may have a takeoff button and a landing button for instructing automatic takeoff and landing, a flight start button for instructing the drone to automatically fly to a predetermined position and hover at that position, a home button for performing a return operation to the start position, a mode switching button for switching flight modes, an emergency stop button for stopping the propellers in an emergency, an emergency landing button for performing a soft landing on the spot in an emergency, a hovering button for hovering on the spot to keep the drone stationary in the air in an emergency, etc. The power input unit 225 accepts input of an instruction to switch the power on and off.

[0030] <Server configuration> Server 300 may be a general-purpose computer such as a workstation or personal computer, or may be logically realized using cloud computing. Server 300 includes, for example, a computing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) for executing information processing, and storage devices such as RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory), thereby providing software resources such as an environmental information acquisition unit 310, an autonomous driving resource monitoring unit 320, a flight control command unit 330, a display control unit 340, a communication unit 350, and a storage unit 360 (see FIG. 10 ). Server 300 may also include input / output units for inputting and outputting various types of information (image output, audio output).

[0031] The environmental information acquisition unit 310 includes a wind detection unit 311, an obstacle detection unit 312, and a sporting event detection unit 313. The wind detection unit 311 acquires information about wind speed and direction detected by a drone or a system other than a drone, or acquires wind information from a drone or a system other than a drone and detects wind speed and direction based on the acquired information. Here, as an example of detecting wind speed and direction based on information acquired from a drone, information about the drone's attitude angle (roll angle and pitch angle) relative to the horizontal plane and the drone's horizontal position can be acquired to detect wind speed and direction information. In particular, multicopter drones are controlled to move horizontally by changing their attitude angle relative to the horizontal plane to generate thrust in a desired horizontal direction, and are also controlled to keep their flight position at a target position even when blown by wind. Therefore, acquiring information about the attitude angle allows the drone's horizontal thrust to be estimated, and therefore the wind speed and direction relative to the drone can be estimated.

[0032] The obstacle detection unit 312 acquires obstacle information, such as whether or not there are obstacles in the drone's flight path, and if there are obstacles, the number of obstacles, the distance to the obstacles, and whether or not the obstacles are approaching the drone. The obstacle detection unit 312 may acquire the obstacle information from the obstacle detection unit 130 installed on the drone, or from an obstacle detection system using a camera or sensor installed on the ground other than the drone. Alternatively, the obstacle information may be acquired from information manually input by the operator when they recognize an obstacle. Here, obstacles include moving objects (moving obstacles) such as birds, people, and other flying objects, as well as stationary obstacles. It is preferable that the obstacle detection unit 312 be able to distinguish between types of obstacles.

[0033] The sporting event detection unit 313 detects whether or not a sporting event is occurring, the type of sporting event, etc. For example, if the sport being photographed is soccer, the sporting events may be specific events defined by the rules of the sport, such as fouls, goals, corner kicks, free kicks, penalty kicks, offsides, goal kicks, and halftime. Again, the sporting event detection unit 313 may detect sporting events based on images acquired by the filming camera 141 mounted on the drone, but may also detect sporting events based on input information from a camera installed on the ground other than the drone or from an operator. The environmental information acquisition unit 310 may also acquire other environmental information, such as whether it is raining or not.

[0034] The autonomous driving resource monitoring unit 320 includes a communication status detection unit 321, an internal abnormality detection unit 322, and a failure detection unit 323. The communication status detection unit 321 detects information related to the communication status between the components of the system, such as the strength of communication between the drone 100 and the control device 200 or the server 300, and the number of satellites with which the drone 100 can communicate. For example, the communication status detection unit 321 determines that the communication status is abnormal when the number of satellites with which the drone 100 can communicate is equal to or less than a predetermined number. The communication status detection unit 321 also determines that the communication status is abnormal when it detects a decrease in radio wave strength or communication speed of a communication line such as LTE or satellite communication between the components of the system 1, or an operational abnormality of the communication server.

[0035] The internal abnormality monitoring unit 322 detects abnormal conditions caused by insufficient resources in the internal devices mounted on the drone. For example, if the processing load of the drone's CPU or memory becomes excessive, or if the temperature of the drone's mounted devices (such as the battery) becomes higher than the upper limit temperature or lower than the lower limit temperature, it detects an abnormality inside the drone. The failure detection unit 323 detects the occurrence of a failure in the drone's airframe (not a transient abnormal condition that will recover over time, but a permanent failure of the device or wiring).

[0036] The flight control command unit 330 includes a mode switching unit 331 and a flight restriction unit 332. The mode switching unit 331 switches the flight mode based on a flight mode switching command sent from the control device or automatically based on preset conditions. The mode switching unit 331 can also restrict switching of the flight mode when various conditions described below are not met. The flight modes include at least an autonomous flight mode in which the aircraft automatically flies along a predetermined route, and a manual flight mode in which the aircraft flies based on input information (such as information on commands for the direction of movement or turning) input from the control device. The flight restriction unit 332 restricts the flight range based on information such as the flight zone and geofence, and the flight speed based on information such as the speed limit (upper limit values ​​of speed, acceleration, jerk, attitude angle, angular velocity, and angular acceleration), thereby restricting the flight operation (behavior) of the drone.

[0037] The display control unit 340 includes a mode change display unit 341, an event information display unit 342, an evacuation action presentation unit 343, and a mode switching button display unit 344, and controls the content to be displayed on the display unit 210. The display control unit 340 can generate image data and text data to be displayed on the display unit 210, for example.

[0038] At least when the flight mode is changed, the mode change display unit 341 displays on the display unit 210 as the changed flight mode either the autonomous flight mode, the manual flight mode, or a transition mode that is transitioned to during the flight mode change.

[0039] The event information display unit 342 displays on the display unit 210 information about various events such as strong winds, obstacles, sporting events, or abnormalities detected by the environmental information acquisition unit 310 or the autonomous driving resource monitoring unit 320.

[0040] The evacuation action presentation unit 343 displays on the display unit 210 options for evacuation actions that the pilot can take when the flight mode is switched from the autonomous flight mode to the manual flight mode.

[0041] The mode switching button display unit 344 displays a mode switching button on the display unit for switching the flight mode from manual flight mode to autonomous flight mode, or for switching the flight mode from autonomous flight mode to manual flight mode.

[0042] The communication unit 350 communicates with the drone 100, the control device 200, the network 400, the satellite 500, the base station 600, etc., and transmits and receives signals. The communication unit 150 can use any communication means, whether wired or wireless. For example, the communication unit 150 can use one or more of a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), infrared, wireless, Wi-Fi, a point-to-point (P2P) network, a telecommunications network, cloud communication, etc. The communication unit 150 may be equipped with a short-range communication interface such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE).

[0043] The memory unit 360 stores various types of information. The memory unit 360 can store information transmitted from the drone 100 and the control device 200, information obtained as a result of information processing by the server 300, information input via the input / output unit of the server 300, and the like. The memory unit 360 stores information regarding the conditions (conditions for a specified event) for transmitting a notification to the control device permitting, automatically switching, or suggesting switching from the autonomous flight mode to the manual flight mode. The memory unit 360 can store information regarding the autonomous flight mode, in which flight operations are performed automatically along a predetermined route, and the manual flight mode, in which flight operations are performed based on input information input from the control device. The information regarding each flight mode, including the autonomous flight mode and the manual flight mode, includes, for example, information regarding the speed, acceleration, jerk, attitude angle, angular velocity, upper limit (speed limit) of angular acceleration of the flying object in each flight mode, and the range of the flight area (including altitude).

[0044] The memory unit 360 can store information about notifications to be sent to the pilot device. The notification can include one or more pieces of information about the flight mode, the detected event, and the corresponding action. For example, the notification about the flight mode can be a notification indicating that the flight mode has been changed, a notification indicating at least one of the previous flight mode and the new flight mode, a notification suggesting switching the flight mode, or a notification requesting a decision (selection) of which flight mode to use, but is not limited to such notifications as long as they include information about the flight mode. The notification about the detected event can be a notification indicating that at least one of pre-set events such as wind, rain, communication status, an obstacle, or a sporting event has been detected, but is not limited to such notifications as long as they include information about the event to be detected.

[0045] The notification regarding the response action is a notification regarding the response action to be taken when a specified event is detected and the aircraft switches to manual flight mode, and can be, for example, a notification presenting options for actions to be taken, such as landing at a specified landing point, landing directly below the current position, and emergency stopping of the propellers, or a notification indicating that a response action is being taken or that the action has been completed.

[0046] The storage unit 360 can store an autonomous flight path on a two-dimensional or three-dimensional map based on user input or preset. The storage unit 360 can also store information about fields that can be photographed in advance, geofences that define boundaries between flyable and non-flyable areas, and the like. The storage unit 360 stores position information for multiple pre-registered fields. The field position information includes coordinate information for at least one or more points related to the field. For example, if the field is a soccer field, the field position information may include two-dimensional coordinate positions such as the four corners of the rectangular field, the center point (center spot), the intersection of two lines (such as the intersection of the sideline and the half line), the four corners of the penalty area, and positions near each of the above positions, or three-dimensional coordinate information including height. The field position coordinates may be measurement information obtained by measuring the position coordinates of each point on the field in advance using a surveying instrument or the like, or may be measurement information obtained by measuring using a camera or laser sensor mounted on an aircraft or satellite. The storage unit 360 may also include information on the orientation of the lines that make up each field and information on the field shape. In addition, some or all of the information that can be stored in the memory unit 360 may be stored in the memory unit of the drone or the memory unit of the control device.

[0047] FIG. 11 shows an example of an operation flow when this system is used to change the flight mode based on environmental information. During autonomous flight of the drone, the environmental information acquisition unit 310 acquires environmental information (S1001). For example, the wind detection unit 311 detects wind speed (m / s). Alternatively, the obstacle detection unit 312 detects an obstacle. Alternatively, the sporting event detection unit 313 detects a sporting event. Next, the autonomous driving resource monitoring unit 320 monitors the internal resource status (S1002). For example, the communication status detection unit 321 detects information related to the communication status between the components of the system. Alternatively, the internal abnormality monitoring unit 322 detects an abnormality caused by a resource shortage in an internal device mounted on the drone. Alternatively, the failure detection unit 323 detects a failure in the drone's airframe (not a transient abnormality that will recover over time, but a permanent failure in equipment or wiring).

[0048] Next, in S1003, the flight mode is switched when an event is detected (S1002). In S1003, it is determined whether an environmental disturbance, a resource shortage, or a sporting event has been detected in the information acquisition steps of S1001 and S1002. As an example of detecting an environmental disturbance flag, for example, the environmental disturbance flag is detected when the wind speed detected by the wind detection unit 311 is equal to or greater than a predetermined specific value. As another example, the environmental disturbance flag is detected when rain or snow is detected, when other weather conditions are met, or when the obstacle detection unit 312 detects that the distance to the aircraft or an obstacle (such as a moving obstacle such as a bird, person, animal, or vehicle, or a stationary obstacle) is equal to or less than a predetermined value (mm).

[0049] As an example of detecting a resource shortage flag, the communication status detection unit 321 detects the resource shortage flag when the number of communicable satellites is equal to or less than a predetermined number. As another example, the communication status detection unit 321 detects the resource shortage flag when the radio wave strength of a communication line such as LTE that transmits control commands to the drone, the communication speed, or an operational abnormality of the communication server occurs. As yet another example, the internal abnormality detection unit 322 detects the resource shortage flag when a temporary shortage of internal resources of the drone, such as an increase in CPU processing load, an increase in memory load, a device temperature higher than the upper limit temperature, or a device temperature lower than the lower limit temperature, occurs. Alternatively, the failure detection unit 323 detects the resource shortage flag when a failure occurs in the drone (not a transient abnormality that will recover over time, but a permanent device abnormality or damage, a failure such as insufficient thrust, etc.).

[0050] As an example of detecting a sports event, the sports event detection unit 313 detects a sports event flag when a predetermined event occurs, such as an event that interrupts or stops the game (foul play, player substitution, end of first half, end of game), kick-off, corner kick, free kick, penalty kick, foul, etc. Sports events are not limited to these, and can be set as appropriate.

[0051] 12-14 show an example of flight mode switching in S1003 in FIG. 11. FIG. 12 shows an example of flight mode transition states when flight mode switching is performed. First, when flight begins, the drone transitions to autonomous flight mode 701. If a predetermined event is detected in autonomous flight mode 701, flight mode switching from autonomous flight mode to manual flight mode is permitted. Before switching is permitted, switching from autonomous flight mode to manual flight mode is restricted. In autonomous flight mode 701, if an environmental disturbance or a sports event flag is detected, or if a manual flight switch command is input, the drone transitions to transition mode 702. In transition mode 702, control is executed to place a moving drone in a hovering state (a state in which the drone is nearly stationary in a fixed position at a speed below a predetermined value). When it is confirmed that the drone has entered a hovering state in transition mode 702, the drone transitions to manual flight mode 703. Manual flight mode 703 is a flight mode in which the pilot can change the drone's flight position by operating the control device. Here, switching from autonomous flight mode 701 to manual flight mode 703 is not limited to a transition via a transition mode, and when a forced intervention operation requesting an immediate switch to manual flight mode is input, it is also possible to transition the flight mode directly from autonomous flight mode 701 to manual flight mode 703. Furthermore, when an environmental disturbance or a sports event flag is not detected in manual flight mode 703, an autonomous flight switch command is input via the control device, and the drone is in a hovering state, the flight mode is switched to autonomous flight mode 701.

[0052] Next, a modified example of the flight mode state transition described in FIG. 12 is shown in FIG. 13. FIG. 13 shows an example in which the mode is switched via transition mode 702 even when switching the flight mode from manual flight mode 703 to autonomous flight mode 701. Therefore, when an environmental disturbance or a sports event flag is not detected in manual flight mode 703 and an autonomous flight switch command is input via the control device, the state transitions to transition mode 702. In transition mode 702, control is executed to place the moving drone in a hovering state (a state in which the drone is nearly stationary in a fixed position at a speed equal to or less than a predetermined value). When it is confirmed that the drone has entered a hovering state in transition mode 702, the drone transitions to autonomous flight mode 701. In this way, when transitioning between autonomous flight mode and manual flight mode, the drone is made to hover and the transition between autonomous flight mode and manual flight mode is made only when hovering is completed. This means that the transition between autonomous flight mode and manual flight mode is not completed while the drone is moving, and therefore even if the pilot is unaware that the transition has been performed, the drone will be in a hovering state, thereby further improving safety.

[0053] FIG. 14 shows a lower-level state transition of the flight mode transition between the autonomous flight mode and the manual flight mode described with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13 , where a state transition occurs between the no behavior restriction mode 801 and the behavior restriction mode 802. That is, within the autonomous flight mode, a state transition occurs between either the no behavior restriction mode 801 or the behavior restriction mode 802, and within the manual flight mode, a state transition occurs between either the no behavior restriction mode 801 or the behavior restriction mode 802. First, in the initial state after flight starts, the aircraft transitions to the no behavior restriction mode 801. In the no behavior restriction mode 801, behaviors such as speed are not restricted within the range allowed by the aircraft performance. In the no behavior restriction mode 801, if the environmental information acquisition unit 310 or the autonomous driving resource monitoring unit 320 detects an environmental disturbance or a lack of internal resources, the aircraft transitions to the behavior restriction mode 802. In the behavior restriction mode 802, the upper limits of the aircraft's speed, acceleration, jerk, angular velocity of the attitude angle, angular acceleration, and the like are set lower than predetermined values ​​to restrict behavior. By restricting the behavior in this way, it is possible to reduce the risk of the aircraft crashing or colliding with an obstacle even when an environmental disturbance or a lack of internal resources occurs. In this behavior restricted mode 802, if a state in which an environmental disturbance or a lack of internal resources is not detected, the state transitions to the behavior unrestricted mode 801.

[0054] After S1003, in S1004, processing to change the display of the control device is executed. For example, as shown in Fig. 15, the presence or absence of a predetermined detection flag is determined, and if the detection flag is present (YES in S1301), the contents of the detection flag are notified to the control device (S1302), and the process proceeds to S1303. If the detection flag is not present (NO in S1301), the contents of the detection flag are not notified to the control device and the process proceeds to S1303. In S1303, the presence or absence of flight restrictions is determined, and if flight restrictions are being implemented (YES in S1303), the contents of the flight restriction status are notified to the control device (S1304), and the process proceeds to S1305. If flight restrictions are not being implemented (NO in S1303), the process proceeds to S1305 without notifying the control device. In S1305, it is determined whether the flight mode has been switched from autonomous flight mode to manual flight mode, and if the flight mode has been switched (YES in S1305), the contents of the recommended action (there may be multiple options) are notified to the control device (S1306) and the process ends (progresses to S1005).If the flight mode has not been switched (NO in S1305), the process ends without notifying the control device (progresses to S1005).

[0055] The screen displayed on the display unit of the control device in S1306 may include, for example, the specific content of the predetermined event (flag) ("Strong winds!") and options for recommended actions for this event ("Return to landing point," "Land in place," "Stop propellers"), as shown in FIG. 17. Furthermore, the screen may include a map (which may be a map of a field such as a soccer field) and an image showing the current position of the drone on the map or the planned landing point. In the example shown in FIG. 17, in manual flight mode, flight can be controlled by selecting a position to which the drone is to be moved on the control device from shooting position numbers 1 to 15 on the map, and also in manual flight mode, the planned landing point can be selected from multiple (H) points.

[0056] Furthermore, when a planned landing point is selected, the evacuation route from the current position to the selected planned landing point may be the straight-line distance connecting the current position and the selected planned landing point, but if leaving the soccer court as quickly as possible is a priority, the evacuation route may be set to fly along the shortest distance from the current position to the outer edge of the court, move to the outer edge of the court, and then fly around the outside of the court to the selected planned landing point. Furthermore, if the drone's flight altitude when the planned landing point is selected is lower than a predetermined altitude, the evacuation route may be set to first ascend to above the predetermined altitude and then move horizontally to the planned landing point. If the drone's flight altitude when the planned landing point is selected is higher than the predetermined altitude, the evacuation route may be set to move horizontally to the planned landing point without changing altitude.

[0057] After S1004, in S1005, processing is performed to permit a return to the autonomous flight mode. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 12 or 13, this is processing when the environmental disturbance and sport event flags are resolved in manual flight mode 703 and the flight mode transitions to autonomous flight mode 701. The processing flow shown in FIG. 16 is started when the detected environmental disturbance and sport event flags are resolved. First, in S1401, a switch button to switch to the autonomous flight mode is displayed on the pilot device. At this point, the switch button is not enabled and the user cannot make a selection. Next, in S1402, the switch button to switch to the autonomous flight mode is enabled. With the switch button enabled, the user can make a selection. Next, in S1403, it is determined whether a switch command has been input from the switch button, and if no switch command has been input, the manual flight mode is continued (S1405). If a switch command has been input, the processing transitions to S1404. Next, in S1404, it is confirmed whether the drone's flight state is hovering (a state in which the speed is below a predetermined value and the drone is almost stationary in the air), and if the drone is not hovering, the manual flight mode is continued (S1405). If the drone is hovering, the process proceeds to S1406. Next, in S1406, the process switches the flight mode from manual flight mode to autonomous flight mode, and then the process ends.

[0058] Here, the screen displayed on the display unit of the control device in S1405 and S1407 may include a button requesting switching to autonomous flight mode ("Switch to autonomous flight mode") and other recommended actions ("Return to landing point"), as shown in Fig. 18. The screen may also include a map or other image (which may be a field map such as a soccer field) and the current position of the drone on the map, or an image showing the planned landing point.

[0059] In the above-described embodiment, a flight control system is described that automatically switches the flight mode from autonomous flight mode to manual flight mode when a predetermined event is detected while the aircraft is flying in autonomous flight mode. However, it is also possible that the measurement unit 110, obstacle detection unit 130, and image capture unit 140 mounted on the drone of the flight control system may not be able to detect all of the predetermined events. In such cases, the pilot is required to immediately input an appropriate evacuation action in response to the event. Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. 19 , while the aircraft is flying in autonomous flight mode, a mode switch button for "switch to manual flight mode" can be displayed on the display of the control device, allowing the pilot to switch the flight mode to manual flight mode at any time as needed. Furthermore, if an obstacle such as a ball is approaching the aircraft from the target shooting area, an "avoid ascent" button can be displayed on the display to issue an ascent command to the aircraft to immediately ascend and avoid contact with the ball. Furthermore, if an obstacle such as a ball is flying ahead of the aircraft, a "hover" button can be displayed on the display to issue a hover command to the aircraft to immediately decelerate and hover to avoid contact with the ball.

[0060] As described above, the flight control system of this embodiment has an autonomous flight mode in which the aircraft automatically flies along a predetermined path, and a manual flight mode in which the aircraft performs flight operations based on input information input from a control device, and is characterized in that when a predetermined event is detected while the aircraft is flying in the autonomous flight mode, the flight mode is permitted to be switched from the autonomous flight mode to the manual flight mode. In this way, when a predetermined event is detected, appropriate safety actions can be taken based on human judgment, and even when multiple events occur, higher safety can be achieved.

[0061] In the flight control system of this embodiment, the events preferably include at least one of the following: wind speed exceeding a predetermined value, the number of communicable satellites falling below a predetermined value, and the communication strength of a satellite falling below a predetermined value. In this case, the flight mode is automatically switched to manual flight mode when there is a possibility that the autonomous flight of the aircraft may become unstable, thereby further improving safety.

[0062] In the flight control system of this embodiment, the event may be that the distance to an obstacle is less than a predetermined value. In this case, the possibility of a collision with the obstacle can be reduced.

[0063] In the flight control system of this embodiment, the event may be a specific event related to the sport being photographed. In this case, the pilot can manually control the aircraft according to the situation during the specific sport event, enabling flexible flight.

[0064] Furthermore, in the flight control system of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 14, when an environmental disturbance or an internal resource shortage event is detected, it is preferable to restrict the behavior of the aircraft by lowering the upper limits of the aircraft's speed, acceleration, jerk, angular velocity of the attitude angle, angular acceleration, etc. below predetermined values. This configuration can further improve safety by avoiding dangers caused by the aircraft's speed, etc. exceeding predetermined values. Furthermore, by appropriately suppressing the aircraft's speed, etc., manual control becomes easier. Here, it is preferable to set the predetermined value for restricting the behavior to a value that is, for example, half or less of the maximum value of the speed, etc. in the no-behavior-restriction mode.

[0065] Furthermore, in the flight control system of this embodiment, when an event is detected and the flight mode is changed to manual flight mode, it is preferable to notify the pilot of the mode change, so that the pilot can easily confirm that the flight mode has been changed.

[0066] Furthermore, in the flight control system of this embodiment, when an event is detected and the flight mode is changed to manual flight mode, it is preferable to notify the pilot of the mode change and information about the detected event. This allows the pilot to easily confirm the content of the event in addition to being notified that the flight mode has been changed, and to use this information as a reference for taking appropriate action.

[0067] In addition, in the flight control system of this embodiment, when an event is detected and the flight mode is changed to manual flight mode, it is preferable that information about the detected event and options for corresponding actions are displayed on the pilot device. This allows the pilot to easily determine the corresponding action in addition to being notified of the change in flight mode.

[0068] Furthermore, in the flight control system of this embodiment, when an event is detected and the flight mode is changed to manual flight mode, it is preferable that a command button for issuing a command to land at a predetermined landing point be displayed on the control device. This allows even a pilot who is unfamiliar with manual piloting to easily land the aircraft, further improving safety.

[0069] Furthermore, in the flight control system of this embodiment, when an event is detected and the flight mode is changed to manual flight mode, it is preferable that at least two command buttons be displayed on the control device: landing at a predetermined landing point, landing directly below the current position, and emergency propeller stop. This allows the pilot to select the operation of the aircraft from multiple options depending on the situation, making it easy to land the aircraft.

[0070] In addition, in the flight control system of this embodiment, commands may be input based on the command button being pressed multiple times or pressed and held down. This configuration prevents the command button from being selected by mistake, further improving safety.

[0071] Furthermore, in the flight control system of this embodiment, if an event is not detected during manual flight, the pilot device may be configured to display a button to switch to autonomous flight mode. This configuration makes it easier to switch back to autonomous flight mode when the event ends, thereby reducing unnecessary manual flight control.

[0072] In addition, in the flight control system of this embodiment, the process of switching the flight mode from autonomous flight mode to manual flight mode is preferably executed while the aircraft is hovering. This configuration makes it easier to control the aircraft and also makes it easier for the pilot to operate the aircraft after the mode switch, thereby improving safety when switching flight modes. Similarly, the process of switching the flight mode from manual flight mode to autonomous flight mode is also preferably executed while the aircraft is hovering.

[0073] Conventionally, when a predetermined trigger condition, such as the detection of a malfunction, is met, the drone would autonomously execute safety actions, such as flying away from an obstacle or evacuating to a specific location. However, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) used for flying over or close to people require even higher levels of safety. Due to one or more conditions, such as environmental disturbances, a lack of resources required for autonomous operation, or a specific sporting event, autonomous flight may result in a collision with a person or an inability to fly as intended. However, detecting these conditions and automatically executing a predetermined evacuation flight does not necessarily result in a safe evacuation flight. For example, there have been cases where a drone detected strong winds and quickly headed for a landing point only to find a person was present, resulting in a dangerous situation when the automatic evacuation flight for safety purposes ended up being dangerous. In other words, safe evacuation actions after detecting conditions such as environmental disturbances, a shortage of resources required for autonomous driving, or a specific event in a sporting event require the drone to determine a safe flight path and behavior by taking into account multiple factors (environment, aircraft resources, and nearby people), but detecting all of these complex events and selecting the appropriate action is difficult with conventional autonomous flight. Therefore, sufficient safety can be ensured by flying the drone manually, rather than automatically, while the pilot checks the on-site situation.

[0074] The present invention is particularly effective in low-altitude airspace. While complex events are unlikely to occur in high-altitude airspace, complex events such as approaching multiple obstacles are likely to occur when flying in low-altitude airspace (e.g., below 150 meters). Furthermore, unmanned aircraft such as drones often do not have dedicated airports for landing, requiring flexible decision-making, such as determining a safe landing spot. Therefore, by automatically switching from autonomous flight mode to manual flight mode, the pilot can determine and operate safe travel direction, travel route, landing site selection, travel timing, speed, etc., ensuring greater safety.

[0075] Although preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the technical scope of the present disclosure is not limited to such examples. In the above-described embodiment, an example of aerial photography of a sports court using a drone as an example of a mobile object has been described. However, the application of the present invention is not limited to drones and can also be applied to, for example, a camera system that can move above a court secured by wires. Furthermore, the target field may not only be a field for aerial photography, but also a field for work performed by a mobile object, such as lawn mowing. It is clear that a person of ordinary skill in the technical field of the present disclosure can conceive of various modifications or alterations within the scope of the technical concept described in the claims, and it is understood that these naturally fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0076] The devices described in this specification may be realized as a single device, or may be realized by multiple devices (e.g., a cloud server, a drone, a control device) that are partly or entirely connected via a network. For example, each functional unit and storage unit of server 300 may be implemented in a different server, drone, or control device that is connected to each other via a network.

[0077] The series of processes performed by the devices described herein may be implemented using software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware. A computer program for implementing each function of the server 300 according to this embodiment may be created and installed on a PC or the like. A computer-readable recording medium storing such a computer program may also be provided. Examples of the recording medium include a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, and a flash memory. The computer program may also be distributed, for example, via a network, without using a recording medium.

[0078] Furthermore, the processes described herein using flowchart diagrams do not necessarily have to be performed in the order shown. Some process steps may be performed in parallel. Additional process steps may be employed, and some process steps may be omitted.

[0079] Furthermore, the effects described herein are merely descriptive or exemplary and are not limiting. In other words, the technology according to the present disclosure may achieve other effects that will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the description of this specification, in addition to or in place of the above-described effects.

[0080] The following configurations also fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure. (Item 1) The aircraft has an autonomous flight mode in which it automatically flies along a predetermined route, and a manual flight mode in which it flies based on input information input from a control device, A flight control system characterized in that, when a predetermined event is detected while the flying object is flying in autonomous flight mode, switching of the flight mode from autonomous flight mode to manual flight mode is permitted. (Item 2) 2. The flight control system of claim 1, wherein the event includes at least one of wind speed exceeding a predetermined value, the number of satellites with which communication is possible falling below a predetermined number, and communication strength with a satellite falling below a predetermined value. (Item 3) 3. A flight control system as described in item 1 or 2, wherein the event is that the distance to an obstacle is less than a predetermined value. (Item 4) 4. A flight control system according to any one of items 1 to 3, wherein the event is a specific event occurring within a target area photographed by the aircraft. (Item 5) 5. A flight control system according to any one of items 1 to 4, wherein when the event is detected and the flight mode is changed to manual flight mode, the upper limit values ​​of at least one of the speed, acceleration, jerk, attitude angle, angular velocity of the attitude angle, and angular acceleration of the attitude angle of the aircraft are lowered to be lower than those in autonomous flight mode. (Item 6) A flight control system according to any one of items 1 to 5, which, when detecting the event and changing the flight mode to manual flight mode, notifies the pilot device that the mode change has occurred. (Item 7) A flight control system according to any one of items 1 to 6, wherein when the event is detected and the flight mode is changed to manual flight mode, the flight control device is notified of the mode change and information about the detected event. (Item 8) A flight control system as described in any one of items 1 to 7, wherein when the event is detected and the flight mode is changed to manual flight mode, information about the detected event and options for corresponding actions are displayed on the flight control device. (Item 9) A flight control system as described in any one of items 1 to 8, wherein when the event is detected and the flight mode is changed to manual flight mode, a command button is displayed on the control device to command landing at a predetermined landing point. (Item 10) 10. A flight control system according to any one of items 1 to 9, wherein when the event is detected and the flight mode is changed to manual flight mode, at least two command buttons are displayed on the flight control device, for example, landing at a predetermined landing point, landing directly below the current position, and emergency propeller stop. (Item 11) Item 10. The flight control system of item 9, wherein commands are input based on the command button being operated multiple times or pressed and held. (Item 12) 12. A flight control system according to any one of items 1 to 11, wherein a switch button to switch to autonomous flight mode is displayed on the control device when the event is not detected during manual flight. (Item 13) 13. A flight control system according to any one of items 1 to 12, wherein, when the event is detected during flight in automatic flight mode, the aircraft is caused to hover, and, on the condition that the aircraft is hovering, a flight mode switching process is executed from autonomous flight mode to manual flight mode. (Item 14) 14. A flight control system according to any one of items 1 to 13, wherein when the event is not detected during flight in manual flight mode, a switch button to switch to autonomous flight mode is displayed on the control device, and when a switch command input is received from the switch button, the aircraft is caused to hover, and, on the condition that the aircraft is hovering, a process of switching from manual flight mode to autonomous flight mode is executed. (Item 15) The aircraft has an autonomous flight mode in which it automatically flies along a predetermined route, and a manual flight mode in which it flies based on input information input from a control device, A flight control method comprising: permitting switching of flight mode from autonomous flight mode to manual flight mode when a predetermined event is detected while the flying object is flying in autonomous flight mode. [Explanation of symbols]

[0081] 1 System 100 Drones (Mobile) 200 Controls 300 servers 400 Network 500 satellites 600 base stations

Claims

1. The aircraft has an autonomous flight mode in which it automatically flies along a predetermined route, and a manual flight mode in which it flies based on input information input from a control device, A flight control system characterized in that, when a predetermined event is detected while the flying object is flying in autonomous flight mode, switching of the flight mode from autonomous flight mode to manual flight mode is permitted.

2. 2. The flight control system according to claim 1, wherein the event includes at least one of a wind speed being equal to or greater than a predetermined value, a number of satellites with which communication is possible being equal to or less than a predetermined value, and a communication strength with a satellite being equal to or less than a predetermined value.

3. The flight control system of claim 1 , wherein the event is a distance to an obstacle being less than a predetermined value.

4. The flight control system according to claim 1 , wherein the event is a specific event occurring within a target area photographed by the aircraft.

5. 3. The flight control system according to claim 1, wherein when the event is detected, the upper limit values ​​of at least one of the speed, acceleration, jerk, attitude angle, angular velocity of the attitude angle, and angular acceleration of the attitude angle of the flying object are set lower than those in autonomous flight mode.

6. 3. The flight control system according to claim 1, wherein when the event is detected and the flight mode is changed to the manual flight mode, the flight control device is notified that the mode has been changed.

7. 3. The flight control system according to claim 1, wherein when the event is detected and the flight mode is changed to the manual flight mode, the flight control device is notified of the mode change and information about the detected event.

8. 3. The flight control system according to claim 1, wherein when the event is detected and the flight mode is changed to the manual flight mode, information about the detected event and options for corresponding actions are displayed on the flight control device.

9. 3. The flight control system according to claim 1, wherein when the event is detected and the flight mode is changed to the manual flight mode, a command button for issuing a command to land at a predetermined landing point is displayed on the control device.

10. 3. The flight control system according to claim 1, wherein when the event is detected and the flight mode is changed to the manual flight mode, at least two command buttons are displayed on the pilot control device, among those for landing at a predetermined landing point, landing at a point directly below the current position, and for emergency propeller stop.

11. 10. The flight control system according to claim 9, wherein the command button receives a command when pressed multiple times or when pressed and held down for a long time.

12. 3. The flight control system according to claim 1, wherein when the event is not detected during manual flight, a switch button to switch to autonomous flight mode is displayed on the pilot device.

13. 3. The flight control system of claim 1, wherein when the event is detected during flight in automatic flight mode, the aircraft is caused to hover, and, provided that the aircraft is hovering, a flight mode switching process is performed from autonomous flight mode to manual flight mode.

14. 3. The flight control system of claim 1, wherein when the event is not detected during flight in manual flight mode, a switch button to switch to autonomous flight mode is displayed on the control device, and when a switch command input is received from the switch button, the aircraft is caused to hover, and, on the condition that the aircraft is hovering, a process of switching from manual flight mode to autonomous flight mode is executed.

15. The aircraft has an autonomous flight mode in which it automatically flies along a predetermined route, and a manual flight mode in which it flies based on input information input from a control device, A flight control method comprising: permitting switching of flight mode from autonomous flight mode to manual flight mode when a predetermined event is detected while the flying object is flying in autonomous flight mode.

Images