Aircraft control system, aircraft control method, and program

Abstract

This allows for more efficient information transmission between remote locations and aircraft. [Solution] An aircraft control system that controls the transmission of multiple types of transmission information between an aircraft equipped with a measurement sensor and a remote base that controls the aircraft from a remote location, the transmission of multiple types of transmission information including at least two of the following: flight control signals related to the flight control of the aircraft, measurement control signals related to the measurement control of the measurement sensor, remote control video data captured by a camera mounted on the aircraft, and measurement data acquired by the measurement sensor, comprising: a communication quality determination unit that determines the communication quality for multiple candidate communication lines that can be wirelessly connected between the aircraft and the remote base; and a communication method determination unit that determines one or more communication lines to be used for the transmission of multiple types of transmission information from the multiple candidate communication lines, according to the communication quality determined or predicted for each candidate communication line and the communication quality required for the transmission of multiple types of transmission information.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a flight control system, a flight control method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for providing an aircraft that processes commands and control messages via a satellite receiver even when bidirectional wireless communication for remote operation becomes unavailable. Further, Patent Document 2 discloses that, even when the communication quality of a wireless communication line used for communication between a flight device and a control device deteriorates, in order to prevent a deterioration in the flight performance of the flight device, text data including flight information regarding the flight device is transmitted to the control device without transmitting the captured image data to the control device.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In recent years, there has been growing interest in using remote control technology to remotely control aircraft, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and manned aircraft, for purposes such as investigating on-site conditions during emergencies like disasters, and collecting wide-area spatial information during normal times, using cameras and other measurement sensors mounted on the aircraft to acquire measurement data. When controlling an aircraft remotely for the purpose of acquiring measurement data using cameras and other measurement sensors, it is necessary to wirelessly transmit control signals related to flight control and measurement control, as well as measurement data, between the remote base and the aircraft.

[0005] The required communication performance varies depending on the transmitted information, including control signals and measurement data. For example, control signals do not require high communication speeds because the data volume is relatively small, but continuity and real-time performance of the communication connection are required. On the other hand, measurement data requires high communication speeds because the data volume is relatively large, but relatively high performance in terms of continuity and real-time performance of the communication connection is not required.

[0006] Furthermore, while multiple types of wireless communication lines can be used as wireless communication links between remote bases and aircraft, communication performance, including communication strength, communication speed, and communication delay, differs depending on the type of wireless communication line. Moreover, even with the same wireless communication line, the above-mentioned communication performance changes depending on the area where wireless communication is performed and changes in the external environment. Therefore, it is necessary to appropriately determine the wireless communication line and transmission method to be used for communication between remote bases and aircraft, depending on the situation.

[0007] Furthermore, if the wireless communication link between the remote base and the aircraft does not meet the communication quality requirements, such as communication delay time, for wireless transmission of control signals, it may affect flight control and measurement control that utilize control signals.

[0008] This invention has been made in consideration of at least one of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a communication control system that can more appropriately transmit information between a remote base and an aircraft. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To achieve the above objective, an aircraft control system controls the transmission of multiple types of transmission information between an aircraft equipped with a measurement sensor and a remote base located in a remote location, the transmission of multiple types of transmission information including at least two of the following: flight control signals relating to the flight control of the aircraft, measurement control signals relating to the measurement control of the measurement sensor, remote control video data captured by a camera mounted on the aircraft, and measurement data acquired by the measurement sensor, the aircraft control system comprises: a communication quality determination unit that determines the current communication quality or predicts the future communication quality for multiple candidate communication lines that can be wirelessly connected between the aircraft and the remote base; and a communication method determination unit that determines one or more communication lines to be used for the transmission of multiple types of transmission information from the multiple candidate communication lines, according to the communication quality determined or predicted for each candidate communication line and the communication quality required for the transmission of multiple types of transmission information. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, information can be transmitted more effectively between a remote base and an aircraft. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is an overall configuration diagram of an aircraft control system 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a functional block diagram showing the main functions of the target aircraft 1000. [Figure 3] This is a functional block diagram showing the main functions of the Remote Site System 2000. [Figure 4] This is a functional block diagram showing the functions of the aircraft operation system 2200. [Figure 5]It is a functional block diagram showing the functions of the communication management system 2100. [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing an example of a plurality of candidates for communication lines between the target aircraft 1000 and the remote base system 2000 acquired by the communication line candidate acquisition unit 2111. [Figure 7] It is a diagram showing an example of the determination result of the communication quality for each communication line determined by the communication quality determination unit 2120. [Figure 8] It is a flowchart showing the operation processing flow of the communication management system 2100 etc. [Figure 9] It is a sequence diagram showing the operation processing of the flight control system 1. [Figure 10] It is a diagram showing an example of the content of the prior information acquired by the information acquisition unit 2110. [Figure 11] It is a flowchart showing the determination processing flow for determining the communication quality by the communication quality determination unit 2120. [Figure 12] It is a diagram showing an example of the report information of the determination result of the communication quality by the communication quality determination unit 2120. [Figure 13] It is a flowchart showing the determination processing flow of the communication method by the communication method determination unit 2130. [Figure 14] It is a diagram showing an example of the determination result of the communication method by the communication method determination unit 2130. [Figure 15] It is a diagram showing another example of the determination result of the communication method by the communication method determination unit 2130. [Figure 16] It is a flowchart showing the flight method determination processing flow by the flight method determination unit 2150. [Figure 17] It is a diagram showing an example of the determination criteria when determining whether to change the flight method by the flight method determination unit 2150. [Figure 18] It is a configuration diagram showing the hardware configuration of the communication management system 2100 etc.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] The contents of the embodiments of the present invention will be listed and described. The present invention has the following configuration. [Item 1] A flight control system that controls the transmission of multiple types of transmission information including at least any two of a flight control signal related to the flight control of the aircraft, a measurement control signal related to the measurement control of the measurement sensor, remote control video data captured by a camera mounted on the aircraft, and measurement data acquired by the measurement sensor, between an aircraft equipped with a measurement sensor and a remote base located at a remote location, A communication quality determination unit that determines the current communication quality or predicts the future communication quality for a plurality of candidates of communication lines that can be wirelessly connected between the aircraft and the remote base, A communication method determination unit that determines one or more available communication lines to be assigned to the transmission of the plurality of types of transmission information from the plurality of candidates of the communication lines according to the communication quality determined or predicted for each candidate of the communication line and the communication quality required for the transmission of the plurality of types of transmission information, A flight control system comprising the above. [Item 2] The flight control system according to Item 1, The communication quality determination unit determines the current communication quality including at least any one of communication strength, communication delay, communication speed when transmitting information from the remote base to the aircraft, and communication speed when transmitting information from the aircraft to the remote base, or predicts the future communication quality for each of the plurality of communication lines. [Item 3] The flight control system according to Item 1 or 2, The communication method determination unit determines at least any one of the determination of the available communication line and the transmission method of the transmission information using the available communication line so as to satisfy the communication quality standard required for the transmission of the transmission information according to the current or future communication quality of the communication line candidate determined or predicted by the communication quality determination unit. [Item 4] The flight control system according to any one of Items 1 to 3, If at least one of the multiple candidate communication lines satisfies the communication quality standards required for the transmitted information, An aircraft control system in which the communication method determination unit determines a single candidate communication line that satisfies the communication quality criteria as the communication line to be used for transmitting the transmission information. [Item 5] An aircraft control system as described in any of items 1 to 4, If at least two of the multiple candidate communication lines meet the communication quality standards required for the transmitted information, An aircraft control system in which the communication method determination unit determines a plurality of candidate communication lines that satisfy the communication quality standards as the communication line to be used for transmitting the transmission information. [Item 6] An aircraft control system as described in any of items 1 to 5, An aircraft control system in which the communication method determination unit determines, by the communication quality determination unit, that a communication line whose communication strength is higher than a standard value, or whose communication strength is relatively higher than that of other candidate communication lines, to be used as the communication line to be assigned to the transmission of at least one of the flight control signal, the measurement control signal, and the remote control video data. [Item 7] An aircraft control system as described in any of items 1 to 6, If the communication quality determination unit determines that there are no candidate single communication lines with a communication strength higher than the standard value, An aircraft control system in which the communication method determination unit determines as the communication lines to be used a plurality of communication lines to be used for parallel transmission of at least one of the flight control signal, the measurement control signal, and the remote control video data divided among a plurality of communication lines, or a plurality of communication lines to be used as a main line and a backup line. [Item 8] An aircraft control system as described in any of items 1 to 7, An aircraft control system in which the communication method determination unit determines, by the communication quality determination unit, that a communication line having a communication delay shorter than a standard time, or having a relatively shorter communication delay than other candidate communication lines, is to be used as the communication line to be assigned to the transmission of at least one of the flight control signal, the measurement control signal, and the remote control video data. [Item 9] An aircraft control system as described in any of items 1 to 8, An aircraft control system in which the communication method determination unit determines, by the communication quality determination unit, that a communication line whose communication speed is faster than the reference speed, or whose communication speed is relatively faster than other candidate communication lines, to be the communication line to be used for transmitting the measurement data. [Item 10] An aircraft control system as described in any of items 1 to 9, The aforementioned reference speed is set or preset according to the amount of measurement data to be transmitted, the transmission deadline time for the measurement data, the transmission allowance time, or a combination of these pieces of information in an aircraft control system. [Item 11] An aircraft control system as described in any of items 1 to 10, If the communication quality determination unit determines that there is no single communication line candidate with a communication speed faster than the standard value, The aircraft control system includes a communication method determination unit that determines a plurality of communication lines to be used as the communication lines for transmitting the remote control video data or the measurement data in parallel across multiple communication lines. [Item 12] An aircraft control system as described in any of items 1 to 11, The system includes a priority information acquisition unit that acquires priority information regarding the priority order of multiple types of transmission information, An aircraft control system in which the communication method determination unit determines, according to the priority information, at least one of the communication line to be used and the method for transmitting the transmission information using the communication line to be used. [Item 13] An aircraft control system as described in any of items 1 to 12, When the transmitted information includes the flight control signal and the measurement data, If the priority information acquired by the priority information acquisition unit is priority information that gives the flight control signal a higher priority than the measurement data, The aforementioned communication method determination unit prioritizes the allocation of communication line candidates that meet the communication quality requirements for the transmission of the flight control signal to the communication line for the transmission of the flight control signal, and allocates a communication line for the transmission of the measurement data from among the other communication line candidates, in this aircraft control system. [Item 14] An aircraft control system as described in any of items 1 to 13, When the transmitted information includes the flight control signal, the measurement data, and the remote control video data, When the priority information acquired by the priority information acquisition unit is priority information in the order of decreasing priority, such as the flight control signal, the remote control video data, and the measurement data, The communication method determination unit allocates, with first priority, a communication line candidate that meets the communication quality required for the transmission of the flight control signal to the communication line for the transmission of the flight control signal; from the other communication line candidates, a communication line candidate that meets the communication quality required for the transmission of the remote control video data to the communication line for the transmission of the remote control video data to second priority; and further allocates other communication line candidates to the communication line for the transmission of the measurement data, in an aircraft control system. [Item 15] An aircraft control system as described in any of items 1 to 14, When the transmitted information includes the flight control signal, the measurement data, the measurement control signal, and the remote control video data, When the priority information acquired by the priority information acquisition unit is priority information in the order of decreasing priority, such as the flight control signal, the measurement control signal, the remote control video data, and the measurement data, The communication method determination unit allocates, with first priority, a communication line candidate that meets the communication quality requirements for the transmission of the flight control signal to the communication line for the transmission of the flight control signal; allocates, with second priority, a communication line candidate that meets the communication quality requirements for the transmission of the measurement control signal from among the other communication line candidates to the communication line for the transmission of the measurement control signal; further allocates, with third priority, a communication line candidate that meets the communication quality requirements for the transmission of the remote control video data from among the other communication line candidates to the communication line for the transmission of the remote control video data; and further allocates, other communication line candidates, to the communication line for the transmission of the measurement data. [Item 16] An aircraft control system as described in any of items 1 to 15, An aircraft control system in which the priority information acquired by the priority information acquisition unit is information received from a user, or information generated based on input information entered by a user. [Item 17] An aircraft control system as described in any of items 1 to 16, The communication quality determination unit is an aircraft control system that determines or predicts the current or future communication quality, including at least one of communication strength, communication speed, and communication delay, for each area where wireless communication is performed, for multiple candidate communication lines. [Item 18] An aircraft control system as described in any of items 1 to 17, An aircraft control system comprising a flight method determination unit that changes the flight path of the aircraft in a two-dimensional plane or three-dimensional space so that it passes through areas with better communication quality, according to the communication quality for each area determined or predicted by the communication quality determination unit. [Item 19] An aircraft control system as described in any of items 1 to 18, When the priority of the flight control signal is relatively lowered in the priority information acquired by the priority information acquisition unit, An aircraft control system comprising a flight method determination unit that performs at least one of the following actions: limiting the flight speed of the aircraft, limiting the acceleration and deceleration of the aircraft, increasing the turning radius, limiting the turning speed, limiting the speed of change of altitude over the ground during a descent, limiting the descent angle relative to the horizontal plane during a descent, changing the flight path to one that increases the distance from obstacles, or moving other aircraft to an altitude in a smaller area of ​​airspace. [Item 20] An aircraft control system as described in any of items 1 to 19, When the priority of the flight control signal is relatively lowered in the priority information acquired by the priority information acquisition unit, An aircraft control system comprising a flight method determination unit that changes the direction of the round-trip flight path of the aircraft so that the distance to an obstacle becomes greater on the extension of the direction of round-trip movement of the round-trip flight path of the aircraft. [Item 21] An aircraft control system as described in any of items 1 to 20, An aircraft control system comprising a communication method switching unit that switches the communication line used for transmission for each of the multiple types of transmission information according to the determination result by the communication method determination unit. [Item 22] An aircraft control system as described in any of items 1 to 21, An aircraft control system comprising an information output unit that outputs information relating to the determination result by the communication method determination unit as at least one of the following: display information, audio information, or text information. [Item 23] An aircraft control system as described in any of items 1 to 21, An aircraft control system comprising an information output unit that outputs information relating to the communication quality determination results for each of the multiple communication lines by the aforementioned communication quality determination unit as at least one of display information, audio information, or text information. [Item 24] An aircraft control method comprising controlling the transmission of multiple types of transmission information between a remote base that controls an aircraft equipped with a measurement sensor from a remote location and the aircraft, the transmission of at least two of the following: a flight control signal related to the flight control of the aircraft, a measurement control signal related to the measurement control of the measurement sensor, remote control video data captured by a camera mounted on the aircraft, and measurement data acquired by the measurement sensor, using a computer, Computers A communication quality determination step involves determining the current communication quality or predicting future communication quality for multiple candidate communication lines that can be wirelessly connected between the aircraft and the remote base. A communication method determination step in which, based on the communication quality determined or predicted for each candidate communication line and the communication quality required for the transmission of multiple types of transmission information, one or more communication lines to be used for the transmission of multiple types of transmission information are determined from among the multiple candidate communication lines. A method for controlling an aircraft to perform this action. [Item 25] A program that causes a computer to control a method of transmitting multiple types of transmission information between a remote base that controls an aircraft equipped with a measurement sensor from a remote location and the aircraft, the transmission method of transmitting at least two of the following: flight control signals related to the flight control of the aircraft, measurement control signals related to the measurement control of the measurement sensor, remote control video data captured by a camera mounted on the aircraft, and measurement data acquired by the measurement sensor. On the computer, A communication quality determination command for determining the current communication quality or predicting future communication quality for multiple candidate communication lines that can be wirelessly connected between the aircraft and the remote base, A communication method determination command that determines, from among multiple candidate communication lines, one or more communication lines to be used for transmitting multiple types of transmission information, according to the communication quality determined or predicted for each candidate communication line and the communication quality required for transmitting multiple types of transmission information, A program that executes the command.

[0013] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification and the drawings, components having substantially the same functional configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted. Further, the embodiments shown below are merely examples, and other known elements or alternative means can be adopted according to the use, purpose, scale, etc.

[0014] <A. First Embodiment> [A-1. Configuration] (A-1-1. Overview) FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a flight control system 1 (hereinafter also referred to as "system 1") according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the flight control system 1 includes a target aircraft 1000, a remote base system 2000, other aircraft 3000, an airspace monitoring system 4000, a spatial information data utilization system 5000, a disaster response system 6000, an air traffic control system 7000, and a field operator terminal 8000.

[0015] The target aircraft 1000 is an aircraft including an unmanned or manned aircraft. The target aircraft 1000 performs flight control by the flight unit by receiving control signals related to flight control and measurement control from the remote base system 2000 via a wireless communication line.

[0016] In addition, the target aircraft 1000 is equipped with an optical camera, an infrared camera, a laser sensor including LiDAR, and other types of measurement sensors, and can acquire information on the measurement target area from above as measurement data using the measurement sensors. Further, the target aircraft 1000 wirelessly transmits the measurement data to the remote base system 2000 during flight. Note that the target aircraft 1000 is not limited to the acquisition of information on the measurement target area as described above, and may be an aircraft that performs tracking of suspicious ships at sea based on measurement data, measurement of meteorological data and environmental data in the flight airspace using other types of measurement sensors such as temperature sensors and humidity sensors, or other operations using measurement sensors.

[0017] The remote base system 2000 receives flight status information from the target aircraft 1000 as a control signal, and transmits flight control signals generated according to the flight status information to the target aircraft 1000, thereby enabling remote control flight of the target aircraft 1000. Furthermore, the remote base system 2000 has the function of receiving measurement data acquired by the target aircraft 1000 and transmitting the received measurement data to the spatial information data utilization system 5000, which will be described later. Note that the remote base system 2000 is not limited to fixed structures, but can also be composed of movable vehicles or ships.

[0018] The airspace monitoring system 4000 is a system that monitors the airspace in which the target aircraft 1000, which is controlled by the remote base system 2000, is flying, in real time. The airspace monitoring system 4000 has the function of constantly detecting the target aircraft 1000 and other aircraft 3000 flying in the airspace using aircraft detection devices such as radar, laser, or sonar. It also has the function of communicating with the air traffic control system 7000, which will be described later, and acquiring information on the target aircraft 1000 and other aircraft 3000 in the airspace, including control information (position, speed, control type (autopilot / manual), etc.), operational information (flight plan, flight mission, landing position, etc.), and aircraft type information (whether it is an unmanned aircraft or a manned aircraft, etc.). It also has the function of integrating the acquired or detected information and transmitting it to the remote base system 2000 via wired or wireless communication.

[0019] The Air Traffic Control System 7000, commonly known as ATM (Air Traffic Management) or UTM (UAS Traffic Management), is a system that aims to ensure the safe and efficient operation of aircraft within its controlled airspace by acquiring information on aircraft within the airspace, weather information, and other data, and sharing this information with each aircraft via radio communication, thereby preventing accidents involving aircraft in the controlled airspace.

[0020] The spatial information data utilization system 5000 is connected to the remote base system 2000 by wired or wireless communication and receives measurement data acquired by the target aircraft 1000 via the remote base system 2000. The spatial information data utilization system 5000 processes the received measurement data to make it easier for users of the disaster response system 6000 and field worker terminals 8000 (described later) to understand the state of the measurement target area, and provides the processed data to the disaster response system 6000 and field worker terminals 8000, etc. As processed data, for example, if the measurement data is an image measured by an optical camera or infrared camera, the spatial information data utilization system 5000 generates a wide-area image by stitching together multiple images, or a wide-area orthophoto image by orthorectifying and stitching together multiple images, or a map image by integrating the wide-area image or wide-area orthophoto image with geographic information. Furthermore, if the measurement data is point cloud data acquired by a laser sensor, the point cloud data is processed to generate three-dimensional spatial data represented by a Digital Surface Model (DSM) or Digital Elevation Model (DEM), or a map image that integrates the three-dimensional spatial data with geographic information.

[0021] The disaster response system 6000 has the function of communicating with the field worker terminal 8000, which will be described later. It can issue work instructions to the field worker terminal 8000 and receive on-site disaster information, responses to work instructions, and information on on-site units from the field worker terminal 8000. The disaster response system 6000 can also display and output processed data acquired from the spatial information data utilization system 5000 to the user, such as the head of the disaster response headquarters. The field worker terminal 8000 includes, for example, terminals for the Self-Defense Forces, police, fire departments, rescue teams, heavy equipment operators, evacuation center staff, and local government officials. The field worker terminal 8000 can also acquire processed data via the disaster response system 6000 and display and output it to the user, the field worker.

[0022] Furthermore, the wired or wireless communication between each component of the aircraft control system 1 shown in Figure 1 and the cooperating systems (target aircraft 1000, remote base system 2000, other aircraft 3000, airspace monitoring system 4000, spatial information data utilization system 5000, disaster response system 6000, air traffic control system 7000, field worker terminal 8000) may be interconnected via a communication network such as an internet line or a communication method such as LTE. The wireless communication between each component may be conducted using a dedicated wireless communication network or existing wireless infrastructure. Additionally, the control communication for sending and receiving the aforementioned control signals (e.g., Command and Control link) and the measurement data communication for sending and receiving measurement data (e.g., Payload link) may each be assigned a separate communication line and communicate via a separate wireless communication link.

[0023] (A-1-2. Overview of Target Aircraft 1000) Next, the target aircraft 1000 will be described. Figure 2 is a functional block diagram showing the main functions of the target aircraft 1000. In this specification, "aircraft" refers to all aircraft and other types of aircraft that have flight capabilities, regardless of the means of power (electricity, prime mover, etc.), control method (wireless or wired, fully autonomous or partially manual, etc.), and whether they are manned or unmanned. Aircraft may also be referred to as Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), aircraft, multicopter, RPAS (Remote Piloted Aircraft Systems), or UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems). Aircraft may be fixed-wing aircraft, rotary-wing aircraft, or vertical take-off and landing aircraft (VTOL) equipped with both fixed and rotary wings. Aircraft also includes all types of aircraft other than aircraft, such as seaplanes and balloons.

[0024] The target aircraft 1000 is composed of one of the above-described aircraft types and can transmit measurement data acquired by measurement sensors to a remote base system 2000 via wireless communication, or transport a recording medium on which the measurement data is recorded. The target aircraft 1000 comprises a flight unit 1100, a measurement unit 1200, a communication unit 1300, a data recording unit 1400.

[0025] (A-1-2-1. Flight Unit 1100) The flight unit 1100 is a functional unit that flies the target aircraft 1000 and includes a self-position measurement unit 1110, an attitude measurement unit 1120, a flight control unit 1130, and an other aircraft detection unit 1140.

[0026] The self-position measurement unit 1110 measures the aircraft's position (absolute position). The self-position measurement unit 1110 is not particularly limited, but for example, it measures its current position using GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), GPS (Global Positioning System), etc. As a method for measuring the self-position, for example, RTK-GNSS (Real Time Kinematic - Global Navigation Satellite System) can also be used. The position information includes at least two-dimensional coordinate information in a planar view (e.g., latitude, longitude), and preferably three-dimensional coordinate information including altitude information. Note that the self-position measurement unit 1110 may measure information such as velocity and acceleration, not just the aircraft's position.

[0027] The attitude measurement unit 1120 measures the attitude (orientation) of the aircraft. The self-position measurement unit 1110 measures the current orientation of the aircraft using, for example, a geomagnetic sensor, a GNSS compass, etc. The attitude information includes at least the attitude angle (azimuth) in a plan view around the Z axis, and preferably includes attitude information around the three axes of the X, Y, and Z axes. The attitude measurement unit 1120 may measure information such as angular velocity and angular acceleration, not just the attitude of the aircraft.

[0028] The flight control unit 1130 is a mechanism and function unit that causes the target aircraft 1000 to fly, and generates thrust in the aircraft to lift the target aircraft 1000 and move it in a desired direction. The flight control unit 1130 has a processing unit also called a flight controller. The processing unit may have 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 memory (storage unit). The memory stores logic, code, and / or program instructions that the processing unit can execute to perform one or more steps.

[0029] The processing unit includes a control module configured to control the state of the aircraft 1000. For example, the control module adjusts the spatial arrangement, attitude angle, angular velocity, angular acceleration, angular jerk velocity, and / or acceleration of the aircraft 1000, which has six degrees of freedom (translational motion x, y, and z, and rotational motion θx, θy, and θz). In other words, the flight control unit 1130 causes the aircraft 1000 to perform various actions such as lift-off, forward movement, turning, and landing, and controls the attitude angle and flight movements of the aircraft 1000 from takeoff through flight to landing.

[0030] The flight control unit 1130 can control the flight of the target aircraft 1000 based on flight control signals received from the remote base system 2000. In addition to flight control signals, the flight control unit 1130 can control the flight of the target aircraft 1000 by controlling the thrust generator based on various information such as the measurement target area, flight permission / prohibition area, corresponding flight geofence information, map information including 2D or 3D map data, the current position information of the target aircraft 1000, attitude information (heading information), speed information, and acceleration information, as well as any combination thereof.

[0031] The other aircraft detection unit 1140 is a functional unit that detects other aircraft 3000 flying in the airspace surrounding the aircraft. The other aircraft detection unit 1140 detects other aircraft 3000 around the aircraft using object-detection sensors such as radar and laser (LiDAR).

[0032] (A-1-2-2. Measurement unit 1200) The measurement unit 1200 is a functional unit that acquires information about the land, sea, or airspace area to be measured using the measurement sensor 1210. The measurement unit 1200 comprises the measurement sensor 1210, the remote control camera 1220, the sensor attitude control unit 1230, and the measurement control unit 1240.

[0033] The measurement sensor 1210 consists of, for example, an optical camera for acquiring optical images, an infrared camera for acquiring infrared images, a laser sensor such as LiDAR for acquiring point cloud data, and a radar sensor such as a SAR sensor. The measurement sensor 1210 acquires optical images, infrared images, and point cloud data of the ground surface of the area to be measured from above the area to be measured as measurement data.

[0034] The remote control camera 1220 is a functional unit that captures video data (also called remote control video data) of the area surrounding the target aircraft 1000. The remote control camera 1220 can be composed of an optical camera or an infrared camera capable of acquiring surrounding video data. The remote control video data acquired by the remote control camera 1220 is transmitted in real time to the remote base system 2000 and displayed and output from the pilot interface unit 2220 used by the sender / receiver who remotely controls the target aircraft 1000 or determines flight control commands for the target aircraft 1000.

[0035] The sensor attitude control unit 1230 controls the attitude angles of at least one of the three axes of the measurement sensor 1210 and the remote-controlled camera 1220 relative to the aircraft of the target aircraft 1000 by operating attitude changing devices such as gimbals that support the measurement sensor 1210 and the remote-controlled camera 1220. The sensor attitude control unit 1230 may control either or both the pitch angle with respect to the horizontal attitude of the aircraft and the yaw angle with respect to a predetermined reference direction. The sensor attitude control unit 1230 adjusts the sensor attitude changing devices to control the orientation of the measurement sensor 1210 and the remote-controlled camera 1220 so that the measurement target area can be photographed from a pre-set flight path.

[0036] The measurement control unit 1240 controls the measurement parameters of the measurement sensor 1210, such as the timing of data acquisition and zoom amount, in accordance with the measurement control signal received from the remote base system 2000. The measurement control unit 1240 controls the measurement sensor 1210 so that images are taken according to pre-set measurement conditions such as data acquisition timing and zoom amount. For example, if the measurement sensor 1210 is an optical camera or an infrared camera, the image acquisition timing, shutter speed, resolution, etc., may also be controlled.

[0037] (A-1-2-3. Communications Department 1300) The communication unit 1300 includes a wireless communication module capable of wireless communication. Furthermore, the communication unit 1300 comprises a remote base communication unit 1310 for wireless communication with the remote base system 2000, and an air traffic control communication unit 1320 for wireless communication with the air traffic control system 7000. Each of these communication units can have the function of performing wireless communication using communication lines utilizing various frequency bands and communication standards, such as satellite communication, Wi-Fi, LTE (Long Term Evolution), and direct wireless communication. Details of these communication lines will be described later.

[0038] The remote base communication unit 1310 transmits various information to the remote base system 2000, including status information related to flight control such as the self-position measured by the self-position measurement unit 1110 and the aircraft attitude measured by the attitude measurement unit 1120, other aircraft detection information detected by the other aircraft detection unit 1140, status information of measurement control of the measurement sensor 1210 and remote control camera 1220 controlled by the measurement control unit 1240, measurement data measured by the measurement sensor 1210, and remote control video data acquired by the remote control camera 1220. Furthermore, it receives flight control signals to the flight control unit 1130 and measurement control signals to the measurement control unit 1240 from the remote base system 2000. The remote base communication unit 1310 also transmits measurement data (optical images, infrared images, point cloud data, etc. of the ground surface of the measurement target area) measured by the measurement unit 1200 of the unmanned aircraft to the remote base system 2000.

[0039] Furthermore, the remote base communication unit 1310 can also receive information from the remote base system 2000, such as information specifying the transmission information to be transmitted wirelessly, information specifying the wireless communication line to be used for wireless communication, and information specifying the allocation of transmission information to the wireless communication line. When the remote base communication unit 1310 receives information specifying the transmission information, information specifying the wireless communication line, and information specifying the allocation of transmission information to the wireless communication line from the remote base system 2000, it can change the switching of the wireless communication line, the selection of transmission information, and the allocation of transmission information to the wireless communication line according to this information.

[0040] The air traffic control communication unit 1320 transmits to the air traffic control system 7000, for example, status information related to flight control, such as the aircraft's position measured by the self-position measurement unit 1110 and the aircraft's attitude measured by the attitude measurement unit 1120, as well as information on other aircraft detected by the other aircraft detection unit 1140. It also obtains information on other aircraft 3000 within the controlled airspace, weather information, and other information from the air traffic control system 7000.

[0041] (A-1-2-4. Data recording unit 1400) The data recording unit 1400 is a functional unit that records various types of information, including status information related to flight control, such as the aircraft's position measured by the self-position measurement unit 1110 and the aircraft's attitude measured by the attitude measurement unit 1120, other aircraft detection information detected by the other aircraft detection unit 1140, status information of the measurement control of the measurement sensor 1210 and the remote control camera 1220 controlled by the measurement control unit 1240, measurement data measured by the measurement sensor 1210, and remote control video data acquired by the remote control camera 1220.

[0042] (A-1-3. Overview of the Remote Location System 2000) Next, the main functions of the remote base system 2000 and its communication connection relationships with other systems will be explained. Figure 3 is a functional block diagram showing the main functions of the remote base system 2000. As shown in Figure 3, the remote base system comprises a communication management system 2100, an aircraft operation operation system 2200, an operation management system 2300, and an acquired data management system 2400.

[0043] The communication management system 2100 has a communication function that transmits and receives various information between the target aircraft 1000, which is the target of control, and the remote base system 2000, including flight control signals related to the flight control of the target aircraft, measurement control signals related to the measurement control of measurement sensors mounted on the target aircraft 1000, remote control video data captured by a camera mounted on the target aircraft 1000, and measurement data acquired by the measurement sensors. The communication management system 2100 also has a communication function that receives operational information of each aircraft within the monitored airspace from the airspace monitoring system 4000. Furthermore, the communication management system 2100 has a communication function that transmits information such as measurement data acquired from the target aircraft 1000 to the spatial information data utilization system 5000.

[0044] Furthermore, the communication management system 2100 has a function to determine one or more wireless communication lines to be used for communication from among multiple candidate wireless communication lines that can be used for wireless communication between the target aircraft 1000 and the remote base system 2000, according to the communication status and transmission information. Specifically, it monitors the communication quality, such as communication strength and communication speed, for each candidate communication line and determines the allocation of a communication line suitable for transmitting multiple types of transmission information according to the communication quality required for each type of transmission information. In addition, the communication management system 2100 has a function to control the transmission of two or more types of transmission information, such as the flight control signals mentioned above. Details of the communication line allocation function by the communication management system 2100 will be described later.

[0045] The aircraft operation system 2200 is a system that controls the target aircraft 1000 by generating a flight mission for the target aircraft 1000 to be remotely controlled, acquiring the real-time flight status (including position and speed) of the target aircraft 1000, and transmitting control target values ​​to the target aircraft 1000 as flight control signals. The flight mission is, for example, a movement plan that includes the movement path and movement speed of the target aircraft 1000.

[0046] The flight management system 2300 is a system that makes decisions and gives instructions for the operation of the target aircraft 1000. For example, the flight management system 2300 plans each operation of the target aircraft 1000, including the acquisition of measurement data by measurement sensors and flight operations, transmits the plan to the aircraft operation operation system 2200, and causes the aircraft operation operation system 2200 to generate flight missions, etc., according to the plan. Furthermore, when managing the operation of multiple target aircraft 1000, the flight management system 2300 can also plan the operations of multiple target aircraft 1000 and transmit the information of the plan to the aircraft operation operation system 2200 that controls each aircraft.

[0047] The acquired data management system 2400 is a system that records and manages measurement data transmitted from the target aircraft 1000. Specifically, for large amounts of measurement data received via the communication management system 2100, it determines whether the measurement data contains defective data, records the measurement data, and determines whether to transmit the measurement data to the spatial information data utilization system 5000. In this embodiment, the acquired data management system 2400 is shown as being located within the same remote base system 2000 as the aircraft operation system 2200, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the acquired data management system 2400 may be implemented in a server device or the like located in a different location from the aircraft operation system 2200.

[0048] (A-1-4. Overview of the Aircraft Operation System 2200) Next, the aircraft operation system 2200 of the remote base system 2000 will be described. Figure 4 is a functional block diagram showing the functions of the aircraft operation system 2200. The aircraft operation system 2200 comprises a command unit 2210 and a pilot interface unit 2220.

[0049] (A-1-4-1. Command Department 2210) The command unit 2210 comprises a mission generation unit 2211, a control target value generation unit 2212, and a command output unit 2213. The mission generation unit 2211 generates a flight mission, including planned information on the movement path and movement speed of the target aircraft 1000, based on the flight plan of the target aircraft 1000 obtained from the flight management system 2300. Furthermore, if the mission generation unit 2211 receives input from the pilot regarding a change in the flight plan from the pilot control unit 2230 (described later), it generates a flight mission based on that information.

[0050] The control target value generation unit 2212 generates control target values ​​based on the generated flight mission and control state information obtained from the target aircraft 1000 (including flight position, attitude information, direction of movement, and speed of movement measured by the target aircraft 1000). The command output unit 2213 transmits a flight control signal, including the generated control target values, to the target aircraft 1000, which is the object to be controlled, via the communication management system 2100.

[0051] (A-1-4-2. Pilot Interface Unit 2220) The pilot interface unit 2220 has an interface function between the pilot who remotely controls the target aircraft 1000 and the remote base system 2000. The pilot interface unit 2220 includes a display unit 2221, a speaker 2222, and a control command input unit 2223.

[0052] The display unit 2221 consists of a display device that outputs various information to the pilot operating the target aircraft 1000. For example, it displays navigation information of other aircraft received from the airspace monitoring system 4000. In particular, this navigation information may be displayed on the map screen, or it may be displayed side by side with the map image.

[0053] Furthermore, the display unit 2221 also has the function of displaying control status information received from the target aircraft 1000, flight mission information generated by the mission generation unit 2211, and input information entered by the pilot command input unit 2223, which will be described later.

[0054] Speaker 2222 outputs various information as audio to the pilot controlling the target aircraft 1000. For example, it outputs navigation information of other aircraft received from the airspace monitoring system 4000 as audio.

[0055] The control command input unit 2223 is a functional unit that receives control commands entered by the pilot for the target aircraft 1000. The control command input unit 2223 receives control commands from the pilot via hardware such as a touch panel, control levers, and input buttons. For example, the control command input unit 2223 can input commands such as the direction of movement, attitude, and speed of the target aircraft 1000, and can also input modifications to the flight mission displayed as a control command.

[0056] (A-1-5. Overview of Communication Management System 2100) Next, the communication management system 2100 of the remote base system 2000 will be described. Figure 5 is a functional block diagram showing the functions of the communication management system 2100. The communication management system 2100 includes an information acquisition unit 2110, a communication quality determination unit 2120, a communication method determination unit 2130, a communication method execution command unit 2140, a flight method determination unit 2150, a report information generation unit 2160, an operator interface unit 2170, and a communication function unit 2180.

[0057] (A-1-5-1. Information acquisition department 2110) The information acquisition unit 2110 is a functional unit that acquires information necessary for processing in each functional unit within the communication management system 2100. The information acquisition unit 2110 includes a communication line candidate acquisition unit 2111, a priority request acquisition unit 2112, and a line allocation criterion acquisition unit 2113.

[0058] The communication line candidate acquisition unit 2111 is a functional unit that acquires information on multiple candidate communication lines that can be wirelessly transmitted between the target aircraft 1000 and the remote base system 2000. Figure 6 shows an example of multiple candidate communication lines between the target aircraft 1000 and the remote base system 2000 acquired by the communication line candidate acquisition unit 2111.

[0059] As shown in Figure 6, there are several candidates for the communication line used for wireless communication between the target aircraft 1000 and the remote base system 2000, utilizing various communication standards as described below. • Radio control radio: A radio control radio that uses the 73MHz band (VHF) frequency band to allow direct communication between the target aircraft 1000 and the receiver of the remote base system 2000. • Aviation radio data communication: This is an aviation radio data communication method that uses the 118-136.975MHz (VHF) frequency band to communicate with target aircraft 1000 via a ground radio station. • Satellite communications: Satellite communications between geostationary or low-Earth orbit satellites and satellite communication base stations. Note that there are communication standards for satellite communications that use the 1.5GHz (UHF) frequency band for communications via geostationary satellites, or standards that use the 14GHz, 19GHz, and 29GHz (SHF) frequency bands for communications via low-Earth orbit satellites. • LTE / Long-range LAN: LTE or long-range LAN communication that uses the 800MHz~2GHz (UHF) frequency band to communicate with the target aircraft 1000 via a wireless communication base station. • Radar communication: Radar communication uses the 118-137 MHz band (VHF) and the 1030-1090 MHz band (UHF) to detect the position of aircraft and communicate with them using radar transceivers. • Optical communication: Optical communication that uses visible light or infrared light to communicate with the target aircraft 1000 via an optical wireless communication device.

[0060] The priority request acquisition unit 2112 is a functional unit that acquires priority information regarding the priority order of multiple types of transmitted information. Between the target aircraft 1000 and the remote base system 2000, as described above, various types of information are transmitted and received, including flight control signals related to the flight control of the target aircraft 1000, measurement control signals related to the measurement control of measurement sensors mounted on the target aircraft 1000, remote control video data captured by a camera mounted on the target aircraft 1000, measurement data acquired by the measurement sensors, and other information. The priority request acquisition unit 2112 can pre-set the priority order of the transmitted information that should be transmitted with higher priority than others from among the multiple types of transmitted information transmitted and received between the target aircraft 1000 and the remote base system 2000. As an example, the priority information can be set in the order of decreasing priority: flight control signals, measurement control signals, remote control video data, and measurement data.

[0061] Furthermore, when determining the transmission priority of measurement data, the necessity of real-time transmission of measurement data and the transmission priority can be determined based on the requested delivery date (requested date and time) for acquiring the measurement data required for data processing in the spatial information data utilization system 5000.

[0062] Furthermore, the priority request acquisition unit 2112 can not only acquire priority information in advance before commencing operation of the target aircraft 1000, but can also acquire the latest priority information in real time while the target aircraft 1000 is in operation. In addition, the priority request acquisition unit 2112 can receive priority information from the user via the input reception unit 2172 described later, or can generate priority information based on the input information received from the user.

[0063] During disasters, the situation can change rapidly, and the priority of information that should be transmitted is also likely to change rapidly. Therefore, by obtaining priority information that is updated in real time using the priority request acquisition unit 2112, as described above, it is possible to transmit information with higher priority in order of circumstances, even in emergencies such as disasters when communication lines are limited.

[0064] The line allocation criteria acquisition unit 2113 is a functional unit that acquires the criteria for determining the communication line, which are determined in the communication method determination unit 2130 described later, and the criteria for determining the transmission information to be assigned to the communication line. For example, the line allocation criteria acquisition unit 2113 can include criteria for the communication quality required for a communication line that transmits multiple types of transmission information.

[0065] Furthermore, the communication quality criteria may include a reference speed, in which case the reference speed can be set or pre-set according to the amount of data of the transmission data, such as measurement data, that is expected to be transmitted, the transmission deadline time for the transmission data, the allowable transmission time, or a combination of these pieces of information. Details of the determination criteria acquired by the line allocation criteria acquisition unit 2113 will be described later.

[0066] (A-1-5-2. Communication quality determination unit 2120) The communication quality determination unit 2120 is a functional unit that determines the current communication quality or predicts future communication quality for multiple candidate communication lines that can be wirelessly connected between the target aircraft 1000 and the remote base system 2000. The communication quality determination unit 2120 comprises a communication quality measurement unit 2121 and a communication quality prediction unit 2122.

[0067] The communication quality measurement unit 2121 is a functional unit that grasps the current communication quality by measuring the communication quality for each communication line. The communication quality measurement unit 2121 measures the communication status for each of the multiple communication lines, including at least one of the following: communication strength, communication delay, and communication speed. Note that the communication speed differs greatly depending on the transmission direction, such as the communication speed when transmitting information from the remote base system 2000 to the target aircraft 1000 and the communication speed when transmitting information from the target aircraft 1000 to the remote base system 2000, so the communication speed is measured separately for each of these transmission directions.

[0068] Furthermore, the communication quality measurement unit 2121 can not only measure the communication quality for each of the multiple candidate communication lines described above, but can also measure the communication quality for each area where wireless communication is performed. In other words, it can measure the communication quality, including at least one of the communication strength, communication speed, and communication delay, for each of the multiple candidate communication lines, separately for each area where wireless communication is performed.

[0069] Furthermore, the communication quality measurement unit 2121 can determine whether the measured communication quality meets the communication quality standards acquired by the line allocation standard acquisition unit 2113, and may also have a function to determine which communication lines have relatively good communication quality compared to the communication quality of other communication lines.

[0070] The communication quality measurement unit 2121 can, for example, measure the amount of transmission and reception of various types of transmission information, and can also measure the communication speeds in the uplink and downlink directions of various types of transmission information. In addition, it may continuously measure the communication strength, communication delay, and communication speed for each communication line or area, and compare and rank them for each communication line or area.

[0071] In addition to performing measurements within its own system, the communication quality measurement unit 2121 can also obtain real-time communication quality information from external telecommunications carriers, allowing it to constantly monitor communication strength, communication delay, and communication speed for each communication line and area. In this case, the communication quality for each of the multiple communication sections constituting the communication line may be obtained from the telecommunications carrier. Furthermore, by obtaining the communication quality status for each communication line in the area along the planned flight path of the target aircraft 1000, it is possible to predict future changes in communication quality in advance.

[0072] The communication quality prediction unit 2122 is a functional unit that predicts the future communication quality for each communication line. The communication quality prediction unit 2122 predicts the future communication quality corresponding to each communication quality measured by the communication quality measurement unit 2121. In other words, it can predict the future state of communication strength, communication delay, and communication speed (uplink and downlink) for multiple communication lines, and can also predict the communication quality for multiple candidate communication lines, divided by area.

[0073] In addition to performing measurements within its own system, the communication quality prediction unit 2122 can predict communication strength, communication delay, and communication speed for each communication line and area by acquiring real-time communication quality information from external telecommunications carriers. In this case, by acquiring the communication quality status of each communication line in the area along the planned flight path of the target aircraft 1000 from the telecommunications carrier, it is also possible to predict future changes in communication quality in advance.

[0074] Furthermore, by obtaining actual communication quality information for each communication line and area from the planned flight path of the target aircraft 1000, or from other aircraft 3000 flying in the same airspace area, it is possible to predict the future communication quality of the target aircraft 1000. In addition, by obtaining actual communication quality information for each communication line and area from the planned flight path of the target aircraft 1000, or from other aircraft flying in an area close to the planned flight path, or from an air traffic control system 7000 that controls ships, etc., it is also possible to predict the future communication quality of the target aircraft 1000.

[0075] Furthermore, by obtaining information from telecommunications carriers regarding the extent of damage to communication infrastructure and recovery schedules, it is possible to predict communication quality for each communication line and area. Additionally, by obtaining historical information on communication quality for each communication line and area from telecommunications carriers, it is also possible to predict communication quality for each communication line and area.

[0076] Next, the communication quality for each communication line determined by the communication quality determination unit 2120 will be explained using Figure 7. Figure 7 is a diagram showing an example of the determination result of the communication quality for each communication line determined by the communication quality determination unit 2120. Figure 7 shows an example of the communication quality for each communication line, including the multiple communication lines shown in Figure 6, and in particular shows the communication distance and communication speed.

[0077] Radio control radios have a relatively short communication range of about 1km to 10km and a relatively slow communication speed of a few kbps to tens of Mbps. Air defense radar communications have a relatively wide communication range of about 300 to 460km and a relatively slow communication speed of tens to a few Mbps. Satellite communications have a very wide communication range of the whole world and a relatively fast communication speed of tens to hundreds of Mbps when using satellite communications C which utilizes low-orbit satellites. LTE has a relatively short communication range of about 150m to 5km and a relatively fast communication speed of about 75Mbps. Long-range LAN (Wi-Fi) has a relatively short communication range of about 500m and a fast communication speed of 350Mbps. Finally, optical wireless communications have a relatively short communication range of about 2km and a fast communication speed of several hundred Mbps to 1Gbps.

[0078] (A-1-5-3. Communication method determination unit 2130) The communication method determination unit 2130 is a functional unit that determines one or more communication lines to be used for the transmission of multiple types of transmission information from among multiple candidate communication lines. For example, the communication method determination unit 2130 can determine the communication line to be used and the transmission method of the transmission information using the communication line (such as assigning the transmission of multiple types of transmission information to the communication line) in order to satisfy the communication quality required for the transmission of multiple types of transmission information acquired by the information acquisition unit 2110, according to the current or future communication quality of each candidate communication line determined or predicted by the communication quality determination unit 2120. The communication method determination unit 2130 includes a transmission data request amount acquisition unit 2131, a communication margin calculation unit 2132, a communication line determination unit 2133, and a data allocation determination unit 2134.

[0079] The data transmission request acquisition unit 2131 is a functional unit that acquires information on the amount of data to be transmitted between the target aircraft 1000 and the remote base system 2000. The data transmission request acquisition unit 2131 can separately determine the amount of requested data to be transmitted from the target aircraft 1000 to the remote base system 2000 and the amount of requested data to be transmitted in the reverse direction from the remote base system 2000 to the target aircraft 1000.

[0080] Furthermore, the data transmission request acquisition unit 2131 may acquire a predetermined data request amount for transmission data, or it may grasp the amount of transmission data (measurement data, video data for remote control, etc.) in real time. It may also have a function to predict the amount of future transmission data. For example, it can calculate the control cycle required for maintaining control of the aircraft based on the aircraft attitude angle change information of the target aircraft and predict the amount of transmission data of the flight control signal.

[0081] The communication margin calculation unit 2132 compares the communication quality (communication strength, communication speed, communication delay, communication capacity) for each communication line determined or predicted by the communication quality determination unit 2120 with the data request amount of the transmission data obtained by the transmission data request amount acquisition unit 2131, and calculates the communication margin of the communication line when transmitting the transmission data.

[0082] The communication line determination unit 2133 determines the communication line to be used and the method of transmitting the transmission information using the communication line (such as assigning the transmission of multiple types of transmission information to the communication line) in order to satisfy the communication quality required for the transmission of multiple types of transmission information acquired by the information acquisition unit 2110, according to the current or future communication quality of each candidate communication line determined or predicted by the communication quality determination unit 2120. In addition, the communication line determination unit 2133 can determine the communication line to be used for transmission between the target aircraft 1000 and the remote base system 2000 based on the following various methods in addition to or instead of the above criteria.

[0083] For example, if at least one of the multiple candidate communication lines meets the communication quality standards required for a communication line, as obtained by the line allocation standard acquisition unit 2113, the communication line determination unit 2133 can determine a single candidate communication line that meets the communication quality standards as the communication line to be used for transmitting the transmission information. In other words, it can decide to use a single communication line that meets the communication quality standards for transmission.

[0084] As another example, if at least two of the multiple candidate communication lines meet the communication quality standards required for the transmission information obtained by the line allocation standard acquisition unit 2113, the communication line determination unit 2133 can determine which of the candidate communication lines that meet the communication quality standards will be used for transmitting the transmission information. In other words, it can decide to use multiple communication lines that meet the communication quality standards for transmission.

[0085] For example, if the communication line determination unit 2133 is using LTE or long-range LAN (Wi-Fi), which have relatively high communication speeds and low communication delays, as the communication line for transmitting information including flight control signals, and detects a decrease in communication strength due to an increase in distance to the target aircraft 1000 or a change in the external communication environment, it can decide to switch to satellite communication, which has lower communication speeds and delays but a wider communication range. In such cases, it is desirable for the flight method determination unit 2150, described later, to change the flight method according to the communication performance of the satellite communication, such as communication speed and delay.

[0086] Furthermore, the communication line determination unit 2133 can determine the communication line according to the communication margin of the communication line calculated by the communication margin calculation unit 2132. For example, if there is a communication line with a communication margin (communication speed) of a predetermined value or higher for transmitting measurement data, the unit determines the communication line to be used to transmit measurement data in real time during flight. However, if it is determined that there is no communication line with a communication margin (communication speed) of a predetermined value or higher for transmitting measurement data, the unit can decide not to transmit the measurement data in real time during flight, but rather to transmit or acquire the measurement data recorded in the data recording unit 1400 inside the target aircraft 1000 after the target aircraft 1000 lands.

[0087] Next, the data allocation determination unit 2134 can determine the type of transmission information to be assigned to the communication line according to the detailed state of the communication quality of the communication line determined or predicted by the communication quality determination unit 2120.

[0088] For example, the data allocation determination unit 2134 can decide to allocate a communication line that the communication quality determination unit 2120 has determined to have a communication strength higher than a standard value, or a communication strength that is relatively higher than other candidate communication lines, to the transmission of at least one of the following: flight control signals, measurement control signals, or video data for remote control.

[0089] As another example, if the data allocation determination unit 2134 determines, based on the communication quality determination unit 2120, that there are no candidate single communication lines with a communication strength higher than the standard value, it can decide to transmit at least one of the flight control signals, measurement control signals, or remote control video data in parallel across multiple communication lines, and can determine which multiple communication lines to use in that case. It may also have a function to determine a main line to be used for transmitting transmission information and a backup line to be used when the communication quality of the main line deteriorates. By making multiple communication lines redundant and providing a backup line in this way, the risk of connection interruption can be further reduced and communication toughness can be improved. The number of lines used for parallel transmission and backup lines can be any number of two or more, and communication toughness can be improved by making more lines redundant. Furthermore, when making multiple communication lines redundant, the communication path may be made redundant using communication lines of different communication standards, or it may be made redundant using communication lines of the same type with the same communication standard.

[0090] Thus, as a method of transmitting transmission information in parallel by dividing it among multiple communication lines, for example, an upper limit on the amount of data to be transmitted can be set for the first communication line with the highest communication margin (communication strength, communication speed), and one or more transmission information can be allocated within this upper limit. Furthermore, it can be decided to allocate the remaining transmission information to the second communication line, which has the next highest communication margin (communication strength, communication speed).

[0091] Alternatively, as a method of transmitting transmission information in parallel by dividing it into multiple communication lines, a communication line that meets the required communication quality standards for each type of transmission information can be selected, and a communication line can be assigned to each type of transmission information. In this case, it is possible to assign one transmission information to one communication line, but it is not limited to this, and it is also possible to assign multiple transmission information to a single communication line.

[0092] As another example, the data allocation determination unit 2134 may decide to assign a communication line that the communication quality determination unit 2120 has determined to have a communication delay shorter than the standard time, or a communication delay that is relatively shorter than other candidate communication lines, to the transmission of at least one of the flight control signals, measurement control signals, or video data for remote control.

[0093] As another example, the data allocation determination unit 2134 may decide to allocate a communication line that the communication quality determination unit 2120 has determined to have a communication speed faster than the standard speed, or a communication speed that is relatively faster than other candidate communication lines, to the transmission of measurement data.

[0094] As another example, if the communication quality determination unit 2120 determines that there is no single communication line candidate with a communication speed faster than the standard value, the data allocation determination unit 2134 can decide to divide the remote control video data or measurement data into multiple communication lines and transmit them in parallel. It can also determine the number of communication lines to be used for parallel transmission. By making multiple communication lines redundant and providing backup lines in this way, the risk of connection interruptions can be further reduced and communication robustness can be improved. The number of lines used for parallel transmission and backup lines can be any number of two or more, and communication robustness can be improved by making more lines redundant. Furthermore, when making multiple communication lines redundant, the communication path may be made redundant using communication lines of different communication standards, or it may be made redundant using communication lines of the same type with the same communication standard.

[0095] In addition to determining the transmission information to be assigned to the communication line according to the detailed status of the communication quality of the communication line as described above, the data allocation determination unit 2134 can also determine at least one of the communication line to be used or the method of transmitting the transmission information using the communication line, according to the priority information regarding the priority order of multiple types of transmission information acquired by the priority request acquisition unit 2112.

[0096] For example, when transmitting multiple types of information with high real-time transmission priority using a single communication line, the amount of data of the transmitted information can be compressed and transmitted so that real-time transmission is possible within the performance range of the communication quality (especially the communication speed) of that single communication line.

[0097] Furthermore, when transmitting multiple types of information using multiple communication lines, the transmission information with higher priority can be assigned to the communication line with the best communication quality for transmission.

[0098] For example, if the transmission information includes flight control signals and measurement data, and the priority information acquired by the priority request acquisition unit 2112 is priority information that gives flight control signals a higher priority than measurement data, the data allocation determination unit 2134 can prioritize the allocation of a communication line candidate that meets the communication quality requirements for the transmission of flight control signals to the communication line for the transmission of flight control signals, and allocate a communication line for the transmission of measurement data from the other communication line candidates.

[0099] As another example, if the transmitted information includes flight control signals, measurement data, and remote control video data, and the priority information acquired by the priority request acquisition unit 2112 is priority information in the order of decreasing priority: flight control signals, remote control video data, and measurement data, the data allocation determination unit 2134 can assign a candidate communication line that meets the communication quality required for the transmission of flight control signals as the first priority communication line for the transmission of flight control signals, assign a candidate communication line that meets the communication quality required for the transmission of remote control video data as the second priority communication line for the transmission of remote control video data from among the other candidate communication lines, and further assign other candidate communication lines to be used for the transmission of measurement data.

[0100] As another example, if the transmitted information includes flight control signals, measurement data, and remote control video data, and the priority information acquired by the priority request acquisition unit 2112 is priority information in the order of decreasing priority: flight control signals, measurement control signals, remote control video data, and measurement data, the data allocation determination unit 2134 can assign a communication line candidate that meets the communication quality required for the transmission of flight control signals as the first priority communication line for the transmission of flight control signals, assign a communication line candidate that meets the communication quality required for the transmission of measurement control signals as the second priority communication line for the transmission of measurement control signals, assign a communication line candidate that meets the communication quality required for the transmission of remote control video data as the third priority communication line for the transmission of remote control video data, and further assign other communication line candidates to the communication line for the transmission of measurement data.

[0101] Furthermore, the data allocation determination unit 2134 can determine the transmission method of transmission information according to the communication margin of the communication line calculated by the communication margin calculation unit 2132. For example, if the communication margin of the communication line calculated by the communication margin calculation unit 2132 is not sufficient to transmit all types of transmission information, or if the communication quality deteriorates and the necessary communication margin is no longer available, the unit can decide to stop the real-time transmission of low-priority transmission information (e.g., measurement data), temporarily store the transmission information in memory and transmit it later, or transmit the data after landing. Alternatively, the unit can decide to transmit low-priority transmission information by thinning the data or by compressing it.

[0102] (A-1-5-4. Communication Method Execution Command Unit 2140) The communication method execution command unit 2140 has the function of commanding the allocation of communication lines and transmission information, or switching transmission methods, according to the communication line determined by the communication method determination unit 2130, and the type and method of transmission information to be assigned to the communication line, or displaying the determination result determined by the communication method determination unit 2130 to the user. The communication method execution command unit 2140 comprises a communication method display command unit 2141 and a communication method execution command unit 2142.

[0103] The communication method display command unit 2141 is a functional unit that displays and outputs information related to the decision result made by the communication method determination unit 2130 to the information output unit 2171, which will be described later. The communication method display command unit 2141 can also output information related to the decision result made by the communication method determination unit 2130 not only as display information, but also as audio information and text information.

[0104] The communication method execution command unit 2142 issues execution commands for switching communication lines, switching communication lines used for transmission for each of the multiple types of transmission information, and switching other transmission methods, in accordance with the determination result by the communication method determination unit 2130.

[0105] (A-1-5-5.Flight method determination section 2150) The flight method determination unit 2150 is a functional unit that determines the flight method of the target aircraft 1000 according to the communication quality determined by the communication quality determination unit 2120. By having this functional unit, it is possible to improve communication quality by changing the flight method, not just by switching communication lines or communication methods.

[0106] For example, the flight method determination unit 2150 can change the flight path of the target aircraft 1000 in a two-dimensional plane or three-dimensional space so that it passes through areas with better communication quality, according to the communication quality for each area determined or predicted by the communication quality determination unit 2120.

[0107] As another example, if the priority of the flight control signal is relatively lowered in the priority information acquired by the priority request acquisition unit 2112, the flight method determination unit 2150 can perform at least one of the following actions: limit the flight speed of the target aircraft 1000, limit the flight acceleration / deceleration, increase the turning radius, limit the turning speed, limit the rate of change of altitude over the ground during descent, limit the descent angle relative to the horizontal plane during descent, change the flight path to one that increases the distance from obstacles, or move to an altitude in an airspace with fewer other aircraft.

[0108] Another example of changing the flight method is when the priority of the flight control signal is relatively lowered in the priority information acquired by the priority request acquisition unit 2112. In such cases, the flight method determination unit 2150 can change the direction of the round-trip flight path of the target aircraft 1000 so that the distance to the obstacle is greater along the extension of the round-trip direction of the round-trip flight path of the target aircraft 1000. As described above, by restricting or changing the flight of the target aircraft 1000, the target aircraft 1000 will perform a more stable and gentle flight, and therefore high flight control responsiveness is not required. For this reason, even if the transmission of the flight control signal of the target aircraft 1000 is temporarily interrupted or a transmission delay occurs, it is possible to fly the target aircraft 1000 safely.

[0109] (A-1-5-6.Report information generation unit 2160) The report information generation unit 2160 is a functional unit that generates information regarding the determination results of communication quality for each of the multiple communication lines as report information to the user. It generates report information that is output from the information output unit 2171 (described later) as at least one of the following: display information, audio information, or text information. The report information generation unit 2160 includes a request fulfillment status determination unit 2161, a data communication status determination unit 2162, and a flight status acquisition unit 2163.

[0110] The request fulfillment status determination unit 2161 is a functional unit that determines whether or not transmission of information is being carried out using a communication line that meets the communication quality standards acquired by the line allocation standard acquisition unit 2113, and generates the determination result as report information.

[0111] The data communication status determination unit 2162 is a functional unit that determines the transmission status of current or past transmission information and generates the determined transmission status as report information.

[0112] The flight status acquisition unit 2163 is a functional unit that determines the flight status according to the flight method determined by the flight method determination unit 2150, and generates report information indicating whether or not there has been a change in the flight status and the result of the determination of the current flight status. If a change in the flight status is detected, the estimated time of transmission delay of transmission information associated with the switching of the flight status may also be notified.

[0113] (A-1-5-7. Operator Interface Unit 2170) The operator interface unit 2170 has an interface function between the communication management system 2100 and the user. The operator interface unit 2170 includes an information output unit 2171 and an input receiving unit 2172.

[0114] The information output unit 2171 consists of a display device and other components, and is a functional unit that outputs various report information generated by the report information generation unit 2160 to the user. The information output unit 2171 can output report information not only as display information, but also as audio information and text information.

[0115] The input reception unit 2172 is a functional unit that receives input from the user. It can receive input of priority information acquired by the priority request acquisition unit 2112, as well as input of information used to generate priority information. It can also receive from the user the criteria for determining communication lines, which are received by the line allocation criteria acquisition unit 2113, and the criteria for determining transmission information to be assigned to communication lines.

[0116] Furthermore, the input receiving unit 2172 can also receive intervention commands from the user to change the communication line or communication method determined by the communication method determination unit 2130.

[0117] (A-1-5-8. Communication Function Unit 2180) The communication function unit 2180 is a function unit that performs actions such as switching communication lines and changing communication methods in response to communication method execution commands issued by the communication method execution command unit 2142 of the communication method execution command unit 2140. The communication function unit 2180 includes a transmitting and receiving equipment 2181 and a communication switching unit 2182.

[0118] The transmitting and receiving equipment 2181 is a transmitting and receiving device that performs wireless communication, and includes equipment such as a wireless communication antenna. The communication switching unit 2182 is a functional unit that controls the operation of the transmitting and receiving equipment 2181 to perform communication switching.

[0119] (A-1-6. Operational processing of the communication management system 2100) Next, we will explain the processing flow of the higher-level operations of the communication management system 2100, etc. Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the operation processing flow of the communication management system 2100, etc.

[0120] First, the information acquisition unit 2110 acquires preliminary information (step 101).

[0121] Next, the communication quality determination unit 2120 determines the communication quality (step 102). The detailed processing of this step will be described later.

[0122] Next, the communication method determination unit 2130 determines the communication method (step 103). The detailed processing of this step will be described later.

[0123] Next, the flight method determination unit 2150 determines the flight method of the target aircraft 1000 (step 104). The detailed processing of this step will be described later.

[0124] Next, the operator interface unit 2170 notifies the decision, and the communication function unit 2180 performs communication control according to the decision (step 105).

[0125] (A-1-7. Operation sequence of the aircraft control system 1) Next, we will explain the time-series information exchange within the aircraft control system 1. Figure 9 is an operation sequence diagram showing the operation process of the aircraft control system 1.

[0126] First, the communication management system 2100 obtains prior information from the user via the operator interface unit 2170. Next, the communication management system 2100 performs a communication quality determination using the communication quality determination unit 2120, determines the communication method using the communication method determination unit 2130, and further determines the flight method using the flight method determination unit 2150. Finally, it displays to the user suggestions for switching communication lines and flight methods.

[0127] Next, upon receiving approval input for the switch proposed by the user, the communication management system 2100 determines the communication method and flight method, and the communication function unit 2180 executes the communication switch and sends a communication switch command to the target aircraft 1000. Furthermore, it also sends a flight switch command to the target aircraft 1000.

[0128] The above operation sequence diagram illustrates an example where the system proposes a switch between the communication method and the flight method to the user, and then executes the switch after receiving approval input from the user. However, this is not the only example; it is also possible for the communication management system 2100 to automatically determine the communication method and flight method and execute the switch without requiring user approval input.

[0129] (A-1-8. Contents of the preliminary information) Figure 10 shows an example of the content of the preliminary information acquired by the information acquisition unit 2110. As shown in Figure 10, the preliminary information acquired by the information acquisition unit 2110 includes communication line candidates, priority request information, and communication line allocation criteria.

[0130] The communication line candidates are information acquired by the communication line candidate acquisition unit 2111, and include, for example, radio control radios, air defense data links (radar communication), satellite communication, LTE communication, long-distance LANs, and optical wireless communication lines, as shown in Figures 6 and 7.

[0131] Priority request information is information regarding the priority transmission order for each type of transmitted information, and includes, for example, priority information such as "flight control signals > measurement control signals > FPV (video data for remote control) > measurement data (priority area measurement data, real-time transmission data) > other data".

[0132] Communication line allocation criteria are information that includes the criteria for determining communication lines, and may include, for example, the following information: • Flight control signals: Communication strength is above a specified value (dB). Communication delay is below a specified time (ms). • Measurement control signal: Communication strength is above a predetermined value (dB). Communication delay is below a predetermined time (ms). • FPV (Fast View Video Data for Remote Control): Communication strength must be above a specified value (dB). Communication delay must be below a specified time (ms), and communication speed must be above a specified value (bps). • Measurement data: Communication speed is above the specified value (bps).

[0133] (A-1-9. Communication quality determination process) Next, we will explain how to determine communication quality using Figures 11 and 12.

[0134] (A-1-9-1. Communication quality determination process flow) Figure 11 is a flowchart showing the determination process flow when the communication quality determination unit 2120 determines the communication quality. In particular, Figure 11 shows the detailed processing of the processing step 102 shown in Figure 8.

[0135] First, the communication quality measurement unit 2121 determines the current communication strength for each communication line and area (step 201).

[0136] Next, the communication quality prediction unit 2122 predicts the future communication strength for each communication line and area (step 202).

[0137] Next, the communication quality measurement unit 2121 determines the current communication delay for each communication line and each area (step 203).

[0138] Next, the communication quality prediction unit 2122 predicts future communication delays for each communication line and area (step 204).

[0139] Next, the communication quality measurement unit 2121 determines the current communication speed for each communication line and area (step 205).

[0140] Next, the communication quality prediction unit 2122 predicts the future communication speed for each communication line and area (step 206).

[0141] The processing flow shown in Figure 11 allows for the understanding of current and future communication strength, communication delay, and communication speed for each communication line and each area.

[0142] (A-1-9-2. Example of communication quality judgment result) Figure 12 shows an example of the report information of the communication quality determination result by the communication quality determination unit 2120. As shown in Figure 12, the communication quality determination unit 2120 displays the measurement results of communication quality measured not only for each communication line but also for each finely divided area, overlaid on the map or on the measured spatial data.

[0143] The user can select any area via the operator interface unit 2170 to display the communication quality (communication strength, communication delay, communication speed, etc.) of the selected area.

[0144] (A-1-10. Process for determining the communication method) Next, we will explain how to determine the communication method using Figures 13 to 15.

[0145] (A-1-10-1. Communication method determination process flow) Figure 13 is a flowchart showing the communication method determination process flow by the communication method determination unit 2130. In particular, Figure 13 shows the detailed processing of processing step 103 shown in Figure 8.

[0146] First, the data transmission request amount acquisition unit 2131 determines the amount of data to be transmitted (step 301).

[0147] Next, the communication margin calculation unit 2132 determines the communication margin for each communication line and area (step 302).

[0148] Next, the communication line determination unit 2133 determines the communication line to be used (step 303). In this step, when determining the communication line to be used, a single communication line may be determined as the communication line to be used, or multiple communication lines may be determined as the communication lines to be used. When redundancy is provided by multiple communication lines in this manner, the communication path may be made redundant by communication lines of different types with different communication standards, or the communication path may be made redundant by communication lines of the same type with the same communication standard.

[0149] Next, the data allocation determination unit 2134 determines the allocation of the transmission information to the communication line and the transmission method (step 304).

[0150] (A-1-10-2. Results of determining the communication method) Figure 14 shows an example of the result of determining the communication method by the communication method determination unit 2130. In the example shown in Figure 14, a communication line to be used for transmission is selected from among multiple candidate communication lines, and the assignment determination result of the communication line and transmission information for each type of transmission information is shown, which communication line will be used for transmission.

[0151] In the example shown in Figure 14, the radio control wireless image transmission system B, satellite communication C (low Earth orbit), and LTE communication are determined to be the communication lines to be used. Furthermore, FPV (video data for remote control) is assigned to radio control wireless image transmission system B, measurement data is assigned to satellite communication C (low Earth orbit), and flight control signals and measurement control signals are assigned to LTE communication. By using multiple communication lines in this way and transmitting various types of information in parallel, it is possible to send and receive information more reliably and at a higher speed.

[0152] Next, Figure 15 shows another example of the result of the communication method determination by the communication method determination unit 2130. In the example shown in Figure 15, the radio control wireless image transmission system B and the long-range LAN (Wi-Fi) are determined to be the communication lines to be used. Furthermore, FPV (video data for remote control) and measurement data are assigned to the radio control wireless image transmission system B, while flight control signals and measurement control signals are assigned to the long-range LAN. By using multiple communication lines in this way and transmitting various types of transmission information in parallel, it is possible to send and receive transmission information more reliably and at a higher speed.

[0153] Generally, flight control signals and measurement control signals require high communication strength and robustness, as well as low communication delay as a measure of communication quality. FPV (First Person View) also requires low communication delay as a measure of communication quality. Furthermore, measurement data has a relatively lower transmission priority compared to other transmitted information, and requires a high transmission speed. Based on this information, including priority requirements and line allocation criteria, the communication lines and the transmission information to be assigned to them can be determined, as shown in Figures 14 and 15.

[0154] (A-1-11. Determination of Flight Method) Next, we will explain the process for determining the flight method of the target aircraft 1000 using Figures 16 and 17.

[0155] (A-1-11-1. Flight method determination process flow) Figure 16 is a flowchart showing the flight method determination process flow by the flight method determination unit 2150. In particular, Figure 16 shows the detailed processing of processing step 104 shown in Figure 8.

[0156] First, the next processing step is determined based on whether there are any candidate communication lines that meet the communication quality requirements for transmitting flight control signals (step 401). If it is determined in this step that there are candidate communication lines that meet the communication quality requirements, the process proceeds to step 402. On the other hand, if it is determined that there are no candidate communication lines that meet the communication quality requirements, the process proceeds to step 403.

[0157] Next, if it is determined in step 401 that there is a candidate communication line that meets the communication quality requirements, the communication line that meets the communication quality standards is assigned as the line for transmitting flight control signals (step 402).

[0158] Next, if it is determined in step 401 that there are no candidate communication lines that meet the communication quality requirements, the next processing step to which the system should proceed is determined depending on whether the flight status meets predetermined conditions (step 403). In this step, if it is determined that the flight status meets predetermined conditions, the system proceeds to step 404; on the other hand, if it is determined that the flight status does not meet predetermined conditions, the system proceeds to step 405.

[0159] Next, if it is determined in step 403 that the flight conditions meet predetermined conditions, the transmission period of the flight control signal is reduced (step 404).

[0160] Next, if it is determined in step 403 that the flight state does not meet the predetermined conditions, the next processing step to which the process will proceed is determined depending on whether or not a change in the flight path of the target aircraft 1000 is permissible (step 405). In this step, if it is determined that a change in the flight path is permissible, the process proceeds to step 406; on the other hand, if it is determined that a change in the flight path is not permissible, the process proceeds to step 407.

[0161] Next, if it is determined in step 405 that a change in the flight path is permissible, the flight path is changed (step 406). In this step, the flight path includes the flight path of the target aircraft 1000 in a two-dimensional plane or three-dimensional space. Furthermore, a change in the flight path may include, for example, changing to a flight path that increases the distance from obstacles, or moving the flight path to an airspace at an altitude where the number of other aircraft flying in the airspace or the density of aircraft is lower.

[0162] Furthermore, in this step, if the target aircraft 1000 moves back and forth along a pre-set round-trip flight path, it is safer to ensure that there are no obstacles on the extension of the round-trip direction, or that obstacles on the extension of the round-trip direction are far away, even if the return flight is delayed due to delays in the transmission of flight control signals or temporary communication interruptions. Therefore, by changing the direction of the round-trip flight path of the target aircraft 1000 so that the distance to obstacles on the extension of the round-trip direction of the round-trip flight path is greater, safer flight can be ensured as described above.

[0163] Next, if it is determined in step 405 that a change in the flight path is unacceptable, the flight method is changed or restricted, including changes in flight speed, etc. (step 407). Changes or restrictions on the flight method in this step may include, for example, at least one of the following: limiting or reducing flight speed, limiting or reducing flight acceleration / deceleration, increasing the turning radius or imposing control restrictions that cause the turning radius to exceed a predetermined radius, limiting or reducing turning speed, limiting or reducing the rate of change of altitude over the ground during descent, or limiting or reducing the descent angle relative to the horizontal plane during descent. However, the content of changes or restrictions on the flight method in this step is not limited to those described above, and may include any other changes or restrictions on the flight method that enable safe flight even in the event of delays in the transmission of flight control signals or temporary communication interruptions.

[0164] As shown in Figure 16, the flight method determination process flow allows for the use of a safer and less risky flight method even when LTE or long-range LAN (Wi-Fi), which have relatively high communication speeds and low communication latency, cannot be used as the communication line for transmitting information including flight control signals, and satellite communication, which has relatively lower communication speed and latency performance, is used as the communication line for transmitting information including flight control signals. Alternatively, if a less risky flight method is already being used, the transmission cycle of flight control signals can be reduced to continue communication even at low communication speeds.

[0165] (A-1-11-2. Criteria for determining flight methods) Figure 17 shows an example of the criteria used by the flight method determination unit 2150 to determine whether or not a change in the flight method is necessary. Figure 17 shows an example of the determination conditions in step 403 shown in Figure 16.

[0166] As shown in Figure 17, conditions relating to the flight path of the target aircraft 1000 may include, for example, that there are no obstacles within a predetermined distance ahead of the flight path, or that there are no obstacles within a predetermined distance range ahead in the round-trip direction of the round-trip flight path. Furthermore, conditions relating to the flight speed and acceleration of the target aircraft 1000 may include that the flight speed is less than or equal to the reference speed, or that the flight acceleration is less than or equal to the reference acceleration.

[0167] Furthermore, conditions relating to the turning conditions of the target aircraft 1000 may include that the turning radius is greater than or equal to the reference radius, or that the turning speed is less than or equal to the reference speed. Additionally, conditions relating to the flight altitude of the target aircraft 1000 may include that the altitude change speed is less than or equal to the reference speed, or that the density of aircraft (obstacles) in the airspace at the same flight altitude is less than or equal to the reference density.

[0168] (A-1-12. Hardware Configuration) Figure 18 is a configuration diagram showing the hardware configuration of the communication management system 2100, etc. Here, the remote base system 2000, airspace monitoring system 4000, spatial information data utilization system 5000, and disaster response system 6000 that constitute the aircraft control system 1 in the present invention are information processing devices such as server devices and PCs. As shown in the figure, the remote base system 2000, airspace monitoring system 4000, spatial information data utilization system 5000, and disaster response system 6000 have an input device 100, an output device 200, a processing device 300, a main memory 400, an auxiliary memory 500, a communication device 600, and a bus 700 that electrically connects each of these devices.

[0169] The input device 100 is a device for users of each system constituting the aircraft control system 1 to input information and instructions. Specifically, the input device 100 is, for example, a touch panel, keyboard, mouse, or voice input device such as a microphone.

[0170] The output device 200 is a device that outputs information from information display units in the remote base system 2000, airspace monitoring system 4000, spatial information data utilization system 5000, and disaster response system 6000. Specifically, the output device 200 is a display device (including eyewear, AR, VR display devices, etc.), a printer, or a speaker.

[0171] The processing unit 300 is, for example, a device that performs arithmetic processing. Specifically, the processing unit 300 is, for example, a CPU, a microprocessor, a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or other semiconductor device capable of performing calculations.

[0172] The main memory 400 is a memory device such as RAM, which temporarily stores various information read from the system, and ROM, which stores programs executed by the processing unit 300, application programs, and various other information. The auxiliary memory 500 is a non-volatile memory device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), or flash memory, which can store digital information.

[0173] The communication device 600 is a device that performs wireless or wired information communication with an external device.

[0174] In the embodiments described above, an example was given in which the remote base system 2000 and the airspace monitoring system 4000 are implemented in different devices. However, all or part of the functions of the airspace monitoring system 4000 can be implemented in the remote base system 2000.

[0175] [A-2. Effects of this embodiment] According to this embodiment, information can be transmitted more appropriately between a remote base and a target aircraft. More specifically, by considering the communication quality status of each of the multiple wireless communication lines, the appropriate communication line can be selected according to the situation. Furthermore, by determining the allocation of communication lines and transmission information, or the transmission method, according to the communication quality standards required for each of the multiple types of transmission information, appropriate transmission processing can be performed for each type of transmission information.

[0176] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various configurations can be adopted based on the contents of this specification. Furthermore, the flowcharts used in the embodiments described above do not necessarily have to be executed in the order shown. Some processing steps may be executed in parallel. Additional processing steps may be adopted, and some processing steps may be omitted. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0177] 1…Operational system (system) 100...Input device 200...Output device 300... Processing unit 400... Main memory 500... Auxiliary storage device 600... Communication device 700...bus 1000...Target aircraft 1100...Flight unit 1110...Self-positioning unit 1120...Attitude measurement unit 1130...Flight control unit 1140...Other aircraft detection unit 1200... Measuring unit 1210... Measurement sensor 1220...Camera for remote control 1230...Sensor attitude control unit 1240...Measurement and Control Unit 1300... Communications Department 1310... Remote Base Communications Department 1320...Air Traffic Control Communications Department 1400...Data recording unit 2000... Remote site system 2100... Communication Management System 2110... Information acquisition unit 2111... Communication line candidate acquisition unit 2112...Priority Request Acquisition Unit 2113...Line Allocation Criteria Acquisition Unit 2120...Communication quality determination unit 2121...Communication quality measurement unit 2122...Communication Quality Prediction Department 2130...Communication method determination unit 2131...Transmission data request amount acquisition unit 2132...Communication margin calculation unit 2133...Communication line determination unit 2134...Data allocation determination unit 2140...Communication method execution command unit 2141...Communication method display command unit 2142...Communication Method Execution Command Unit 2150...Flight method determination section 2160... Report information generation unit 2161... Request fulfillment status determination unit 2162...Communication data status determination unit 2163...Flight status acquisition unit 2170... Operator Interface Unit 2171... Information output unit 2172... Input reception unit 2180...Communication Function Unit 2181...Transmitting and receiving equipment 2182...Communication switching unit 2200...Aircraft Operation System 2210...Command Center 2211...Mission Generation Center 2212...Control target value generation unit 2213...Command output unit 2220...Pilot interface unit 2221...Display unit 2222...Speaker 2223...Control command input unit 2300... Flight Management System 2400...Data Acquisition Management System 3000...Other flying objects 4000...Airspace monitoring system 5000... Spatial Information Data Utilization System 6000… Disaster response system 7000... Air traffic control system 8000... Field worker terminal

Claims

1. An aircraft control system that controls the transmission of multiple types of transmission information between an aircraft equipped with a measurement sensor and a remote base located in a remote location, the transmission of at least two of the following: a flight control signal related to the flight control of the aircraft, a measurement control signal related to the measurement control of the measurement sensor, remote control video data captured by a camera mounted on the aircraft, and measurement data acquired by the measurement sensor, A communication quality determination unit that determines the current communication quality or predicts future communication quality for multiple candidate communication lines that can be wirelessly connected between the aircraft and the remote base, A communication method determination unit determines, from among multiple candidate communication lines, one or more communication lines to be used for transmitting multiple types of transmission information, according to the communication quality determined or predicted for each candidate communication line and the communication quality required for transmitting multiple types of transmission information. An aircraft control system equipped with the following features.

2. The aircraft control system according to claim 1, The communication quality determination unit determines the current communication quality for each of the multiple communication lines, including at least one of the following: communication strength, communication delay, communication speed when transmitting information from the remote base to the aircraft, and communication speed when transmitting information from the aircraft to the remote base, or predicts the future communication quality of the aircraft control system.

3. The aircraft control system according to claim 2, An aircraft control system in which the communication method determination unit determines at least one of the communication line to be used and a method for transmitting the transmission information using the communication line to be used, in accordance with the current or future communication quality of the candidate communication line determined or predicted by the communication quality determination unit, so as to satisfy the communication quality standards required for the transmission of the transmission information.

4. The aircraft control system according to claim 3, If at least one of the multiple candidate communication lines satisfies the communication quality standards required for the transmitted information, An aircraft control system in which the communication method determination unit determines a single candidate communication line that satisfies the communication quality criteria as the communication line to be used for transmitting the transmission information.

5. The aircraft control system according to claim 3, If at least two of the multiple candidate communication lines meet the communication quality standards required for the transmitted information, An aircraft control system in which the communication method determination unit determines a plurality of candidate communication lines that satisfy the communication quality standards as the communication line to be used for transmitting the transmission information.

6. The aircraft control system according to claim 2, An aircraft control system in which the communication method determination unit determines, by the communication quality determination unit, that a communication line whose communication strength is higher than a standard value, or whose communication strength is relatively higher than that of other candidate communication lines, to be used as the communication line to be assigned to the transmission of at least one of the flight control signal, the measurement control signal, and the remote control video data.

7. The aircraft control system according to claim 6, If the communication quality determination unit determines that there are no candidate single communication lines with a communication strength higher than the standard value, An aircraft control system in which the communication method determination unit determines as the communication lines to be used a plurality of communication lines to be used for parallel transmission of at least one of the flight control signal, the measurement control signal, and the remote control video data divided among a plurality of communication lines, or a plurality of communication lines to be used as a main line and a backup line.

8. The aircraft control system according to claim 2, An aircraft control system in which the communication method determination unit determines, by the communication quality determination unit, that a communication line having a communication delay shorter than a standard time, or having a relatively shorter communication delay than other candidate communication lines, is to be used as the communication line to be assigned to the transmission of at least one of the flight control signal, the measurement control signal, and the remote control video data.

9. The aircraft control system according to claim 2, An aircraft control system in which the communication method determination unit determines, by the communication quality determination unit, that a communication line whose communication speed is faster than the reference speed, or whose communication speed is relatively faster than other candidate communication lines, to be the communication line to be used for transmitting the measurement data.

10. The aircraft control system according to claim 9, The aforementioned reference speed is set or preset according to the amount of measurement data to be transmitted, the transmission deadline time for the measurement data, the transmission allowance time, or a combination of these pieces of information in an aircraft control system.

11. The aircraft control system according to claim 2, If the communication quality determination unit determines that there is no single communication line candidate with a communication speed faster than the standard value, The aircraft control system includes a communication method determination unit that determines a plurality of communication lines to be used as the communication lines for transmitting the remote control video data or the measurement data in parallel across multiple communication lines.

12. The aircraft control system according to claim 1, The system includes a priority information acquisition unit that acquires priority information regarding the priority order of multiple types of transmission information, An aircraft control system in which the communication method determination unit determines, according to the priority information, at least one of the communication line to be used and the method for transmitting the transmission information using the communication line to be used.

13. The aircraft control system according to claim 12, When the transmitted information includes the flight control signal and the measurement data, If the priority information acquired by the priority information acquisition unit is priority information that gives the flight control signal a higher priority than the measurement data, The aforementioned communication method determination unit prioritizes the allocation of communication line candidates that meet the communication quality requirements for the transmission of the flight control signal to the communication line for the transmission of the flight control signal, and allocates a communication line for the transmission of the measurement data from among the other communication line candidates, in this aircraft control system.

14. The aircraft control system according to claim 12, When the transmitted information includes the flight control signal, the measurement data, and the remote control video data, When the priority information acquired by the priority information acquisition unit is priority information in the order of decreasing priority, such as the flight control signal, the remote control video data, and the measurement data, The communication method determination unit allocates, with first priority, a communication line candidate that meets the communication quality required for the transmission of the flight control signal to the communication line for the transmission of the flight control signal; from the other communication line candidates, a communication line candidate that meets the communication quality required for the transmission of the remote control video data to the communication line for the transmission of the remote control video data to second priority; and further allocates other communication line candidates to the communication line for the transmission of the measurement data, in an aircraft control system.

15. The aircraft control system according to claim 12, When the transmitted information includes the flight control signal, the measurement data, the measurement control signal, and the remote control video data, When the priority information acquired by the priority information acquisition unit is priority information in the order of decreasing priority, such as the flight control signal, the measurement control signal, the remote control video data, and the measurement data, The communication method determination unit allocates, with first priority, a communication line candidate that meets the communication quality requirements for the transmission of the flight control signal to the communication line for the transmission of the flight control signal; allocates, with second priority, a communication line candidate that meets the communication quality requirements for the transmission of the measurement control signal from among the other communication line candidates to the communication line for the transmission of the measurement control signal; further allocates, with third priority, a communication line candidate that meets the communication quality requirements for the transmission of the remote control video data from among the other communication line candidates to the communication line for the transmission of the remote control video data; and further allocates, other communication line candidates, to the communication line for the transmission of the measurement data.

16. The aircraft control system according to claim 12, An aircraft control system in which the priority information acquired by the priority information acquisition unit is information received from a user, or information generated based on input information entered by a user.

17. The aircraft control system according to claim 1, The communication quality determination unit is an aircraft control system that determines or predicts the current or future communication quality, including at least one of communication strength, communication speed, and communication delay, for each area where wireless communication is performed, for multiple candidate communication lines.

18. The aircraft control system according to claim 17, An aircraft control system comprising a flight method determination unit that changes the flight path of the aircraft in a two-dimensional plane or three-dimensional space so that it passes through areas with better communication quality, according to the communication quality for each area determined or predicted by the communication quality determination unit.

19. The aircraft control system according to claim 12, When the priority of the flight control signal is relatively lowered in the priority information acquired by the priority information acquisition unit, An aircraft control system comprising a flight method determination unit that performs at least one of the following actions: limiting the flight speed of the aircraft, limiting the acceleration and deceleration of the aircraft, increasing the turning radius, limiting the turning speed, limiting the speed of change of altitude over the ground during a descent, limiting the descent angle relative to the horizontal plane during a descent, changing the flight path to one that increases the distance from obstacles, or moving other aircraft to an altitude in a smaller area of ​​airspace.

20. The aircraft control system according to claim 12, When the priority of the flight control signal is relatively lowered in the priority information acquired by the priority information acquisition unit, An aircraft control system comprising a flight method determination unit that changes the direction of the round-trip flight path of the aircraft so that the distance to an obstacle becomes greater on the extension of the direction of round-trip movement of the round-trip flight path of the aircraft.

21. The aircraft control system according to claim 1, An aircraft control system comprising a communication method switching unit that switches the communication line used for transmission for each of the multiple types of transmission information according to the determination result by the communication method determination unit.

22. The aircraft control system according to claim 1, An aircraft control system comprising an information output unit that outputs information relating to the determination result by the communication method determination unit as at least one of the following: display information, audio information, or text information.

23. An aircraft control system according to claim 2 or 17, An aircraft control system comprising an information output unit that outputs information relating to the communication quality determination results for each of the multiple communication lines by the aforementioned communication quality determination unit as at least one of display information, audio information, or text information.

24. An aircraft control method comprising controlling the transmission of multiple types of transmission information between a remote base that controls an aircraft equipped with a measurement sensor from a remote location and the aircraft, the transmission of at least two of the following: a flight control signal related to the flight control of the aircraft, a measurement control signal related to the measurement control of the measurement sensor, remote control video data captured by a camera mounted on the aircraft, and measurement data acquired by the measurement sensor, using a computer, Computers A communication quality determination step involves determining the current communication quality or predicting future communication quality for multiple candidate communication lines that can be wirelessly connected between the aircraft and the remote base. A communication method determination step in which, according to the communication quality determined or predicted for each candidate communication line and the communication quality required for the transmission of multiple types of transmission information, one or more communication lines to be used for the transmission of multiple types of transmission information are determined from among the multiple candidate communication lines. A method for controlling an aircraft to perform this action.

25. A program that causes a computer to control a method of transmitting multiple types of transmission information between a remote base that controls an aircraft equipped with a measurement sensor from a remote location and the aircraft, the transmission method of transmitting at least two of the following: flight control signals related to the flight control of the aircraft, measurement control signals related to the measurement control of the measurement sensor, remote control video data captured by a camera mounted on the aircraft, and measurement data acquired by the measurement sensor. On the computer, A communication quality determination command for determining the current communication quality or predicting future communication quality for multiple candidate communication lines that can be wirelessly connected between the aircraft and the remote base, A communication method determination command that determines, from among multiple candidate communication lines, one or more communication lines to be used for transmitting multiple types of transmission information, according to the communication quality determined or predicted for each candidate communication line and the communication quality required for transmitting multiple types of transmission information, A program that executes the command.

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