Method for flying and charging unmanned aerial vehicles, and stationary energy storage system.

Abstract

To suppress the degradation of energy storage elements in unmanned aerial vehicles. [Solution] A method for flying and charging an unmanned aerial vehicle using a stationary energy storage system, wherein the method determines whether the amount of electricity required for the drone 2 (unmanned aerial vehicle) to fly from the stationary energy storage system 1 where the drone 2 is currently landed to the first destination of the drone 2, or the amount of electricity required to fly from the first destination to the second destination, is less than the lower limit of the degradation acceleration range, which is the range of charging electricity that accelerates the degradation of the energy storage element 36A equipped in the drone 2, and if it is less than the lower limit, the energy storage element 36A is charged to a range of an amount greater than or equal to the amount of electricity required to fly to the first or second destination and less than the lower limit and the drone 2 flies, and if it is greater than or equal to the lower limit, the energy storage element 36A is charged to the amount of electricity required to fly to the first or second destination and the drone 2 flies.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to a method for flying and charging an unmanned aircraft and a stationary power storage system.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, the utilization of unmanned aircraft such as drones has been studied in various fields. For example, collecting ground information by drones, spraying agricultural chemicals by drones, delivering packages by drones, etc. have been studied (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Among unmanned aircraft such as drones, there are some that fly by power supplied from a rechargeable power storage element such as a lithium-ion secondary battery. Conventionally, sufficient consideration has not been given to suppressing the deterioration of the power storage element provided in the unmanned aircraft. One aspect of the present invention aims to suppress the deterioration of the power storage element provided in the unmanned aircraft.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] A method for flying and charging an unmanned aerial vehicle using a stationary energy storage system, wherein it is determined whether the amount of electricity required for the unmanned aerial vehicle to fly from the stationary energy storage system where it is currently landed to a first destination, or to fly to a second destination via the first destination, is less than a lower limit of the degradation acceleration range, which is the range of charging electricity that accelerates the degradation of the energy storage elements equipped in the unmanned aerial vehicle; if it is less than the lower limit, the energy storage elements are charged to a value between the amount of electricity required to fly to the first or second destination and less than the lower limit, and the vehicle is flown; if it is greater than or equal to the lower limit, the energy storage elements are charged to the amount of electricity required to fly to the first or second destination, and the vehicle is flown. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the above configuration, the degradation of the energy storage elements in the unmanned aerial vehicle can be suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] A schematic diagram of a package delivery system using a drone according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] A block diagram showing the electrical configuration of a stationary energy storage system. [Figure 3] Perspective view of a stationary energy storage system. [Figure 4] A block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the drone. [Figure 5] A block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the management computer. [Figure 6] A flowchart for managing drone flight and charging. [Figure 7] A flowchart for managing the flight and charging of a drone according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 8] A perspective view of a stationary energy storage system according to Embodiment 3. [Figure 9] Side view of a solar power generation panel. [Figure 10] A block diagram showing the electrical configuration of a stationary energy storage system according to Embodiment 4. [Figure 11] Schematic diagram of another delivery example according to Embodiment 5 [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] [Summary of the Embodiment] An overview of the embodiments of this disclosure will be described below.

[0009] (1) The flight and charging method of an unmanned aerial vehicle according to the embodiment is a flight and charging method of an unmanned aerial vehicle using a stationary energy storage system, wherein it is determined whether the amount of electricity required to fly the unmanned aerial vehicle from the stationary energy storage system where the unmanned aerial vehicle is currently landed to a first destination of the unmanned aerial vehicle, or the amount of electricity required to fly to a second destination via the first destination, is less than a lower limit of the degradation acceleration range, which is the range of charging electricity that accelerates the degradation of the energy storage element provided by the unmanned aerial vehicle, and if it is less than the lower limit, the energy storage element is charged to a range of an amount of electricity that is greater than or equal to the amount required to fly to the first destination or the second destination and less than the lower limit and the vehicle is flown, and if it is greater than or equal to the lower limit, the energy storage element is charged to the amount of electricity required to fly to the first destination or the second destination and the vehicle is flown.

[0010] Stationary energy storage systems (ESS) are used for energy management, including power sharing, to reduce electricity costs through peak shifting, and as backup power during power outages. During a power outage, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can be charged using the power from the ESS, allowing them to operate even during blackouts. Alternatively, by charging the ESS during off-peak hours when electricity rates are low and using the ESS to charge the UAVs during peak hours when electricity rates are high, the operating costs of UAVs can be reduced.

[0011] Incidentally, energy storage elements such as lithium-ion secondary batteries have the property that their degradation is accelerated when they are charged to a certain range. For example, degradation may be accelerated when the State of Charge (SOC) of an energy storage element is in the high SOC range of 80% to 100% (an example of a degradation acceleration range). In this case, the lower limit of the degradation acceleration range is 80%. The 80% to 100% range mentioned above is just an example, and the range at which degradation is accelerated varies depending on the type of energy storage element, etc. The degradation acceleration range can also be expressed in terms of the amount of electricity charged. For example, if the amount of electricity corresponding to 80% SOC is 80Ah and the amount of electricity corresponding to 100% is 100Ah, then the degradation acceleration range can be expressed as 80Ah to 100Ah. In this case, the lower limit of the degradation acceleration range is 80Ah.

[0012] According to the flight and charging method described in (1) above, if the amount of electricity required to fly from the stationary energy storage system to the first destination, or to the second destination via the first destination, is below the lower limit, charging is performed to a range that is equal to or greater than the amount of electricity required to fly to the first or second destination, but below the lower limit of the degradation acceleration range, thereby suppressing the degradation of the energy storage element. In this case, it is preferable to charge up to close to the lower limit in order to allow for a margin of electricity. Furthermore, even if the amount of electricity required to fly to the first or second destination exceeds the lower limit of the degradation acceleration range, by stopping the charging to the amount of electricity required to fly to the first or second destination, rather than charging to 100% of the State of Charge (SOC), degradation can be suppressed compared to charging to 100%. Therefore, the flight and charging method described in (1) above can suppress the deterioration of the energy storage elements in the unmanned aerial vehicle. Suppressing the deterioration of the energy storage elements reduces the frequency of their replacement, which improves the operational efficiency of the unmanned aerial vehicle and contributes to resource conservation.

[0013] (2) The flight and charging method of the unmanned aircraft according to the embodiment is a flight and charging method of an unmanned aircraft using a plurality of stationary power storage systems that are each provided with a charging unit and are distributed, and the amount of electricity required for the unmanned aircraft to fly from the stationary power storage system where the unmanned aircraft is currently landed to the first destination, or the amount of electricity required to fly from the first destination to the second destination via the first destination, is less than the lower limit value of the deterioration promotion range which is the range of the charging amount of electricity that promotes the deterioration of the power storage element provided in the unmanned aircraft. It is determined whether or not it is less than the lower limit value of the deterioration promotion range, and when it is less than the lower limit value, the power storage element is charged and flown within the range of not less than the amount of electricity required to fly to the first destination or the second destination and less than the lower limit value, and when it is not less than the lower limit value, the power storage element is flown while being charged by one or more of the stationary power storage systems including the currently landed stationary power storage system within the range as close as possible to less than the lower limit value.

[0014] According to the flight and charging method described in (2) above, when the amount of electricity required to fly to the first destination or the second destination is less than the lower limit value of the deterioration promotion range, since charging is performed within the range of not less than the amount of electricity required to fly to the first destination or the second destination and less than the lower limit value of the deterioration promotion range, deterioration of the power storage element can be suppressed. In this case, it is preferable to charge up to a position close to the lower limit value in order to have a margin in the amount of electricity.

[0015] And when the amount of electricity required to fly to the first destination or the second destination is not less than the lower limit value of the deterioration promotion range, since the power storage element is flown while being charged by one or more of the stationary power storage systems including the currently landed stationary power storage system within the range as close as possible to less than the lower limit value of the deterioration promotion range, deterioration of the power storage element can be suppressed. That is, according to the flight and charging method described in (2) above, even if the distance to the first destination or the distance to the second destination via the first destination is a distance that must be charged up to the deterioration promotion range when flying without charging on the way, by flying while charging with one or more stationary power storage systems, the possibility of flying to the first destination or the second destination without charging up to the deterioration promotion range is increased. Therefore, according to the flight and charging method described in (2) above, deterioration of the power storage element included in the unmanned aircraft can be suppressed. Since the frequency of replacing the power storage element can be reduced by suppressing the deterioration of the power storage element, the operation efficiency of the unmanned aircraft is also improved, contributing to resource saving.

[0016] (3) In the flight and charging method described in (2) above, when it is above the lower limit value, it is determined whether the amount of electricity required to fly to another stationary power storage system located closer to the first destination than the stationary power storage system where the unmanned aircraft is currently landing is less than the lower limit value of the deterioration promotion range in which the deterioration of the power storage element is promoted. When it is less than the lower limit value, it may be charged and flown within the range of not less than the amount of electricity required to fly to the other stationary power storage system and less than the lower limit value, and when it is above the lower limit value, it may be charged and flown up to the amount of electricity required to fly to the other stationary power storage system.

[0017] According to the flight and charging method described in (3) above, when the amount of electricity required to fly to the first destination is above the lower limit value of the deterioration promotion range and the amount of electricity required to fly to another stationary power storage system is less than the lower limit value of the deterioration promotion range, charging is performed within the range of not less than the amount of electricity required to fly to another stationary power storage system and less than the lower limit value of the deterioration promotion range, so deterioration of the power storage element can be suppressed. And even when the amount of electricity required to fly to another stationary power storage system is above the lower limit value of the deterioration promotion range, instead of charging up to SOC 100%, by stopping charging up to the amount of electricity required to fly to another stationary power storage system, deterioration can be suppressed compared to the case of charging up to 100%.

[0018] (4) In the flight and charging method described in any one of (1) to (3) above, the unmanned aircraft may be a delivery unmanned aircraft for delivering cargo.

[0019] For reasons such as labor savings and increased efficiency, the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for delivering packages, such as courier services, is being considered. Therefore, it is expected that more UAVs will be used in the future. However, if the number of UAVs increases, the number of energy storage elements that will be discarded will also increase if they degrade prematurely, which is undesirable from the perspective of efficient resource utilization. According to the flight and charging method described in (4) above, the degradation of the energy storage elements can be suppressed, thus reducing the number of energy storage elements that are discarded even if the number of unmanned aerial vehicles used for delivery increases.

[0020] (5) In the flight and charging method of the unmanned aircraft described in (4) above, if the unmanned aircraft is charged by a charging device located at the first destination or the second destination, the shipping fee for the cargo may be discounted.

[0021] According to the flight and charging method described in (5) above, by charging the unmanned aerial vehicle using charging equipment located at the first or second destination, the delivery company can reduce the electricity costs for charging the unmanned aerial vehicle. This allows more unmanned aerial vehicles to be used for delivery. Using more unmanned aerial vehicles reduces the opportunities for them to be charged to the point of accelerated degradation, thus enabling a further extension of the lifespan of the unmanned aerial vehicles. If the charging equipment located at the first or second destination is powered by electricity generated from natural energy sources such as solar energy, the recipient of the package will benefit from lower shipping costs due to the use of electricity generated from natural energy sources, thus creating a mutually beneficial situation for both the delivery company and the recipient.

[0022] (6) In the flight and charging method of an unmanned aircraft described in any one of (1) to (4) above, the amount of electricity required to fly to the first destination or the second destination may be the amount of electricity obtained by adding the amount of electricity required to deal with the expected disturbance to the amount of electricity required to fly to the first destination or the second destination without disturbance.

[0023] The disturbances mentioned above refer to things like crosswinds or headwinds. Crosswinds can cause an unmanned aerial vehicle to deviate significantly from its flight path, increasing the flight distance to the first or second destination. Alternatively, flying against a headwind consumes more power than in calm conditions. In this case, if only the amount of electricity is charged assuming a flight without disturbances to the first or second destination is assumed, there is a risk that the vehicle may not be able to reach the first or second destination. According to the flight and charging method described in (6) above, the amount of electricity charged includes the amount needed to deal with anticipated disturbances, so even in the event of disturbances, the aircraft can fly more reliably to the first or second destination.

[0024] (7) In the flight and charging method described in (3) above, the amount of electricity required to fly to the other stationary energy storage system may be the amount of electricity obtained by adding the amount of electricity required to deal with the expected disturbance to the amount of electricity required to fly to the other stationary energy storage system without disturbance.

[0025] According to the flight and charging method described in (7) above, the amount of electricity charged is increased to include the amount of electricity needed to deal with expected disturbances, so even in the event of disturbances, the aircraft can more reliably fly to other stationary energy storage systems.

[0026] (8) In the flight and charging method of an unmanned aircraft described in any one of (1) to (7) above, the charging unit is a non-contact charging unit that charges the unmanned aircraft non-contact, and the flight and charging method may be such that a management computer determines the amount of electricity to charge the unmanned aircraft and instructs the stationary energy storage system to non-contact charge the energy storage element up to the determined amount of electricity.

[0027] When charging an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), it is possible to charge it using a contact-type charging unit. In that case, it would be necessary to control the position of the UAV so that the electrodes of the UAV and the electrodes of the charging unit come into contact when the UAV lands. However, there are concerns that the position of the UAV may shift due to the effects of wind, preventing the electrodes from making contact. In contrast, contactless charging allows for a certain degree of freedom in the position of the unmanned aerial vehicle relative to the charging unit, enabling more reliable charging of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

[0028] (9) The stationary energy storage system according to the embodiment is a stationary energy storage system used in the flight and charging method of an unmanned aerial vehicle described in any one of (1) to (8) above, and comprises a charging unit for charging an unmanned aerial vehicle.

[0029] According to the stationary energy storage system described in (9) above, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can be operated even during power outages by charging them with the power from the stationary energy storage system. Alternatively, the operating costs of UAVs can be reduced by charging the stationary energy storage system during off-peak hours when electricity rates are low and charging the UAVs with the power from the stationary energy storage system during off-peak hours when electricity rates are high.

[0030] (10) In the stationary energy storage system described in (9) above, the charging unit is located on the upper surface of the stationary energy storage system, and the stationary energy storage system may include a solar power generation panel that covers the charging unit from above, the solar power generation panel being arranged in a position where the light-receiving surface is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane.

[0031] According to the stationary energy storage system described in (10) above, the operating costs of unmanned aerial vehicles can be reduced by charging the stationary energy storage system with electricity generated by solar power generation panels. Furthermore, the space between the top of the stationary energy storage system and the solar power generation panels can be used as a resting place for the unmanned aerial vehicle to shelter from wind and rain. The placement of the solar power generation panels and charging unit on top of the stationary energy storage system also provides a heat shielding effect inside the stationary energy storage system.

[0032] [Details of the embodiment] Details of embodiments of this disclosure are described below. This disclosure is not limited to these examples and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims, as indicated by the claims. Embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented in various forms, such as apparatus, methods, computer programs for realizing the functions of such apparatus or methods, and recording media on which such computer programs are stored.

[0033] <Embodiment 1> Embodiment 1 will be explained with reference to Figures 1 to 6. In the following description, reference numerals in the drawings may be omitted for identical components, with some exceptions.

[0034] (1) A package delivery system using drones Referring to Figure 1, a package delivery system 100 using a drone (an example of an unmanned aerial vehicle) according to Embodiment 1 will be described. The delivery system 100 comprises a plurality of stationary energy storage systems 1 (ESS) distributed over a wide area, a drone 2 for package delivery, terminal devices 4 located at package delivery bases 60, charging devices (not shown) located at delivery bases 60, and a management computer 5.

[0035] The management computer 5 can communicate with the stationary energy storage system 1 and terminal device 4 via telecommunication lines such as the internet. The drone 2 is connected to the telecommunication lines via wireless communication networks such as mobile communication networks. The management computer 5 can also communicate with the drone 2 via the telecommunication lines.

[0036] Drone 2 is a multicopter, more specifically a quadcopter with four propellers. Drone 2 has a detachable delivery box 6 that holds the package. In package delivery using Drone 2, a worker at the delivery center 60 places the package into the delivery box 6 and attaches it to Drone 2. Drone 2 with the delivery box 6 attached flies to the delivery destination 61 (an example of a first destination), and at the delivery destination 61 the delivery box 6 is detached. This delivers the package to the delivery destination 61.

[0037] The flight and charging of drone 2 are managed by the management computer 5. As will be explained in more detail later, the management computer 5 manages the flight and charging of drone 2 so that the charging of the energy storage element 36A (see Figure 4) equipped in drone 2 is kept below the lower limit of the degradation acceleration range as much as possible, in order to suppress the degradation of the energy storage element 36A equipped in drone 2.

[0038] (1-1) Stationary energy storage system As shown in Figure 2, the stationary energy storage system 1 according to Embodiment 1 comprises an energy storage system 10, a PCS 11 (Power Conditioning System), one or more contactless charging units 12 (an example of a charging unit), a communication unit 13, and an integrated monitoring unit 14.

[0039] The energy storage system 10 comprises multiple banks 15 that are electrically connected in parallel. Each bank 15 comprises multiple energy storage modules 16, current sensors 17, and a BMU 18 (Battery Management Unit) that are electrically connected in series.

[0040] The energy storage module 16 comprises multiple cells 19 (energy storage elements) electrically connected in series, and a CMU 20 (Cell Management Unit). In the following description, cells 19 will be referred to as energy storage elements 19. The energy storage elements 19 are rechargeable secondary batteries, specifically lithium-ion secondary batteries. Multiple energy storage elements 19 may be connected in parallel, or a combination of series and parallel connections may be used. The CMU 20 detects the voltage, temperature, etc., of the energy storage elements 19 and outputs them to the BMU 18.

[0041] The BMU18 is a device that monitors and controls (protects) bank 15 based on the current value measured by the current sensor 17, the voltage value of the energy storage element 19 detected by the CMU20, temperature, etc.

[0042] The PCS11 is positioned between the power grid 50 and the energy storage system 10. The PCS11 includes a power conversion unit 11A and a power control unit 11B. The power conversion unit 11A has the function of converting AC power and DC power bidirectionally. When the energy storage system 10 is charged with AC power supplied from the power grid 50, the power conversion unit 11A converts it to DC power. When the power of the energy storage system 10 is supplied to other devices during a power outage, the DC power of the energy storage system 10 is converted to AC power by the power conversion unit 11A. The power control unit 11B is a device that controls the operation of the power conversion unit 11A.

[0043] The contactless charging unit 12 is a device that contactlessly charges the drone 2 using AC power supplied from the power grid 50 or AC power supplied from the energy storage system 10. The contactless charging unit 12 includes a power transmission coil 12A, a power transmission unit 12B, and a current interruption device 12C. The power transmission unit 12B converts AC power to power of a predetermined frequency in order to generate a magnetic field with the power transmission coil 12A. The current interruption device 12C is a relay or an FET (field-effect transistor), and is installed in the power line connecting the power grid 50 and the power transmission unit 12B.

[0044] The communication unit 13 is a communication circuit that allows the integrated monitoring unit 14 to communicate with other devices via a telecommunications line. The integrated monitoring unit 14 is a device that monitors the entire stationary energy storage system 1. The integrated monitoring unit 14 communicates with a remote monitoring server (not shown) via the communication unit 13 and transmits various information regarding the stationary energy storage system 1 to the remote monitoring server. The integrated monitoring unit 14 can also communicate with the management computer 5.

[0045] As shown in Figure 3, the stationary energy storage system 1 according to Embodiment 1 is equipped with a rectangular parallelepiped housing 21 (hereinafter referred to as the container 21), and the bank 15 and PCS 11 are housed inside the container 21. One or more (six in the example shown in Figure 2) contactless charging units 12 are arranged on the top surface of the container 21.

[0046] (1-2) Drone As shown in Figure 4, the drone 2 is equipped with a control unit 30, an electric motor 31 for rotating the propellers, various sensors 32, a position detection unit 33, a flight controller 34, a communication unit 35, a power storage device 36, a power receiving unit 37, and the like.

[0047] The control unit 30 includes a microcomputer 30A with a CPU and RAM integrated into a single chip, a ROM 30B, and other components. The microcomputer 30A controls various parts of the drone 2 by executing programs stored in the ROM 30B. The various sensors 32 are for controlling the drone 2, and specifically include a gyroscope, accelerometer, and barometric pressure sensor.

[0048] The position detection unit 33 is a device that detects the position of the drone 2 from signals received from a satellite positioning system such as GPS (Global Positioning System). The flight controller 34 consists of an ASIC and a microcomputer 30A, among other components. The flight controller 34 controls the autonomous flight of the drone 2 based on the detection results of various sensors 32. The communication unit 35 is a communication circuit for connecting the drone 2 to a wireless communication network.

[0049] The energy storage device 36 is a power source that supplies power to various parts of the drone 2. The energy storage device 36 is equipped with an energy storage element 36A and a BMU 36B. The energy storage element 36A is a rechargeable secondary battery, specifically a lithium-ion secondary battery. The accelerated degradation range for the energy storage element 36A in Drone 2 is, for example, the high SOC range of 80% to 100%. The BMU36B is equipped with a current sensor (not shown). The BMU36B measures the charge and discharge current of the energy storage element 36A at predetermined time intervals using the current sensor, and estimates the SOC of the drone 2 by adding or subtracting the measured current value from an initial value.

[0050] The power receiving unit 37 is a device for contactlessly charging the energy storage element 36A of the drone 2. The power receiving unit 37 has a power receiving coil 37A and a power receiving unit 37B. When power is supplied to the power transmission coil 12A of the stationary energy storage system 1, power is induced in the power receiving coil 37A by electromagnetic induction. The power receiving unit 37B is a device that converts the induced power into power for charging the energy storage element 36A.

[0051] (1-3) Management Computer Referring to Figure 5, the electrical configuration of the management computer 5 will be explained. The management computer 5 is a so-called personal computer or server computer, and is equipped with an information processing unit 40, a storage unit 41, a communication unit 42, and the like. The information processing unit 40 has a CPU 40A and RAM 40B. The CPU 40A controls various parts of the management computer 5 by executing various programs stored in the storage unit 41.

[0052] The memory unit 41 is an auxiliary storage device having a non-volatile storage medium such as a hard disk. Various programs and data are stored in the memory unit 41. These programs include a management program for managing the flight and charging of the drone 2, and a database in which data such as package identification information and delivery destination information, which will be described later, are registered. The communication unit 42 is a communication circuit that allows the CPU 40A to communicate with external devices via a telecommunications line.

[0053] (2) Charging drones using stationary energy storage systems Drone 2 is charged by a charging device (not shown) located at the distribution center 60, as well as by the stationary energy storage system 1. The following describes the charging of Drone 2 by the stationary energy storage system 1.

[0054] When drone 2 lands on the stationary energy storage system 1, the current State of Charge (SOC) of the energy storage element 36A installed in drone 2 is notified from drone 2 to the management computer 5. The management computer 5 determines the amount of electricity equivalent to the difference between the current SOC and the target SOC, and instructs the integrated monitoring unit 14 of the stationary energy storage system 1 to charge by the determined amount of electricity. In other words, the management computer 5 instructs the integrated monitoring unit 14 to charge up to the target SOC.

[0055] When the integrated monitoring unit 14 is instructed to charge, it turns on the current cutoff device 12C. When the current cutoff device 12C is turned on, charging of the drone 2 begins with AC power supplied from the power system 50. The integrated monitoring unit 14 determines whether the instructed amount of electricity has been charged, for example, from the elapsed time since charging began. When the instructed amount of electricity has been charged, the integrated monitoring unit 14 turns off the current cutoff device 12C. This charges the drone 2 to the target SOC.

[0056] Alternatively, the integrated monitoring unit 14 and the drone 2 may be configured to communicate directly using short-range wireless communication such as NFC (Near Field Communication) or Bluetooth (registered trademark). The integrated monitoring unit 14 may receive the SOC from the drone 2 via short-range wireless communication at predetermined time intervals and terminate charging when it reaches the target SOC instructed by the management computer 5.

[0057] The management of charging by the control computer 5 is not limited to the example described above and can be carried out in any appropriate manner. For example, the control computer 5 may determine whether or not the drone 2 has been charged to the target SOC. Specifically, after instructing the stationary energy storage system 1 to charge, the control computer 5 may receive the SOC from the drone 2 at predetermined time intervals, and when the received SOC reaches the target SOC, instruct the integrated monitoring unit 14 to end charging.

[0058] Here, we have illustrated a case where the drone 2 is charged by electricity supplied from the power grid 50, but the drone 2 may also be charged by the power of the stationary energy storage system 1. For example, in the event of a power outage, the drone 2 may be charged by the power of the stationary energy storage system 1. Even when there is no power outage, the stationary energy storage system 1 may be charged during off-peak hours when electricity rates are low, and the drone 2 may be charged by the power of the stationary energy storage system 1 during off-peak hours when electricity rates are high.

[0059] (3) Management of drone flight and charging by management computer Referring to Figure 1, the management of the flight and charging of the drone 2 by the management computer 5 will be explained. In Embodiment 1, the drone 2 is waiting at the delivery base 60 and is assumed to have been pre-charged to below the lower limit of the accelerated degradation range by the charging device located at the delivery base 60. Here, it is assumed that it is charged to close to the lower limit. For example, if the lower limit of the accelerated degradation range is 80% SOC, the drone 2 is assumed to be charged to 79% SOC.

[0060] Packages to be delivered are collected at the delivery company's branch office, and a barcode or other identifier representing the package is attached to uniquely identify the package. This package identification information and destination information indicating the package's destination 61 are then transmitted from a terminal device (not shown) at the branch office to a management computer 5 and registered in the management computer 5's database. The collected packages are transported by the delivery company to the nearest distribution center 60 to the destination 61, and then delivered from the distribution center 60 to the destination 61 by a drone 2.

[0061] In package delivery using drone 2, workers at the delivery center 60 input package identification information for the package to be delivered and drone identification information to uniquely identify the drone 2 delivering the package into the terminal device 4. This information can be entered, for example, by reading the barcode attached to the package or the barcode attached to drone 2 with a barcode reader.

[0062] Then, the worker places the package into the delivery box 6 and attaches it to the drone 2, and then operates the terminal device 4 to instruct delivery. When the worker instructs delivery, the entered package identification information and drone identification information are transmitted to the management computer 5. The management computer 5 determines the delivery destination 61 by obtaining the delivery destination information associated with the received package identification information from the database, and instructs the drone 2, identified by the drone identification information, to deliver to that delivery destination 61.

[0063] Specifically, the management computer 5 communicates with the drone 2, which is identified by the received drone identification information, and receives location information indicating the current location of the drone 2 (i.e., the location of the delivery base 60) and the drone 2's current State of Charge (or current amount of electricity). The management computer 5 then determines whether the amount of electricity charged (in this case, an amount of electricity close to the lower limit of the degradation acceleration range) is sufficient for the drone 2 to make a round trip between the delivery base 60 and the delivery destination 61.

[0064] If the management computer 5 determines that the amount of electricity it has charged is sufficient for a round trip to the delivery destination 61, it will fly the drone 2 directly to the delivery destination 61A, as shown in delivery example 1 in Figure 1, and after the package is detached at the delivery destination 61A, it will return directly to the delivery base 60. In this case, the drone 2 is not charged by the stationary power storage system 1.

[0065] In contrast, if it is determined that the amount of electricity stored is insufficient to make a round trip between the delivery base 60 and the delivery destination 61 (as shown in delivery examples 2 and 3 in Figure 1), the management computer 5 determines which of the stationary energy storage systems 1 within the range of flight possible with the amount of electricity stored is closest to the delivery destination 61. In the case of delivery example 2, stationary energy storage system 1B is determined to be the closest stationary energy storage system 1 within the range of flight possible with the amount of electricity stored, and in the case of delivery example 3, stationary energy storage system 1C is determined to be the closest stationary energy storage system 1 within the range of flight possible with the amount of electricity stored.

[0066] For convenience, in the following explanation, the stationary energy storage system 1 that is closest to the delivery destination 61 among the stationary energy storage systems 1 that are within the range in which the aircraft can fly with the amount of electricity it has charged (stationary energy storage system 1B in the case of delivery example 2, and stationary energy storage system 1C in the case of delivery example 3) will be referred to as the starting stationary energy storage system 1. The starting stationary energy storage system 1 does not necessarily have to be the stationary energy storage system 1 that is closest to the delivery destination 61, as long as it is a stationary energy storage system 1 that is within the range in which the aircraft can fly with the amount of electricity it has charged.

[0067] The control computer 5 then instructs drone 2 to fly to the stationary energy storage system 1, which is the starting point. Drone 2, having been instructed to fly, flies to the stationary energy storage system 1 and lands. When the drone 2 lands at the starting stationary energy storage system 1, the management computer 5 determines the amount of electricity required for a round trip between the starting stationary energy storage system 1 (i.e., the stationary energy storage system 1 where the drone 2 is currently landed) and the delivery destination 61. As will be explained in more detail later, the required amount of electricity is determined by taking into account external disturbances during flight (such as wind direction and wind speed).

[0068] Here, when traveling back and forth between the starting stationary energy storage system 1 and the delivery destination 61, the delivery destination 61 is an example of the first destination of the drone 2 that has landed on the starting stationary energy storage system 1, and the starting stationary energy storage system 1 is an example of the second destination via the first destination. Furthermore, the amount of electricity required to travel back and forth between the starting stationary energy storage system 1 and the delivery destination 61 is an example of the amount of electricity required to fly to the second destination via the first destination.

[0069] The management computer 5 then determines whether the determined amount of electricity (i.e., the amount of electricity required for the round trip) is below the lower limit of the degradation acceleration range. In the case of delivery example 2, it is assumed that the amount of electricity required for the round trip to and from the delivery destination 61B is below the lower limit. In this case, the management computer 5 instructs the stationary energy storage system 1B, which is the starting point, to charge the drone 2 to a range that is above the amount of electricity required for the round trip to the delivery destination 61B and below the lower limit. In this case, it is preferable to charge the drone up to close to the lower limit in order to allow for a margin of electricity.

[0070] Then, after the drone 2 is charged at the starting stationary power storage system 1B, the management computer 5 flies the drone 2 to the delivery destination 61B. After the package is detached at the delivery destination 61B, the management computer 5 returns the drone 2 to the starting stationary power storage system 1B, charges the drone 2 at the starting stationary power storage system 1B, and then returns it to the delivery base 60.

[0071] In the case of delivery example 3 shown in Figure 1, it is assumed that the amount of electricity required to travel back and forth between the starting stationary energy storage system 1C and the delivery destination 61 is equal to or greater than the lower limit. In this case, the management computer 5 determines whether there is another stationary energy storage system 1 located closer to the delivery destination 61 than the starting stationary energy storage system 1C. In the case of delivery example 3, there is another stationary energy storage system 1D located closer to the delivery destination 61 than the starting stationary energy storage system 1C, so it is determined that there is another stationary energy storage system 1.

[0072] The management computer 5 determines the amount of electricity needed to fly to another stationary energy storage system 1D if there is another stationary energy storage system 1D located near the delivery destination 61. The explanation of the required amount of electricity will be given later. Then, if the amount of electricity required to fly to the other stationary energy storage system 1D is below the lower limit of the degradation acceleration range, the management computer 5 instructs the starting stationary energy storage system 1C to charge the drone 2 to a range that is above the amount of electricity required to fly to the other stationary energy storage system 1D but below the lower limit. In this case as well, it is preferable to charge the drone to a level close to the lower limit in order to leave a margin of electricity.

[0073] On the other hand, if the amount of electricity required to fly to another stationary energy storage system 1D is above the lower limit, the management computer 5 instructs the starting stationary energy storage system 1C to charge up to the amount of electricity required to fly to the other stationary energy storage system 1D. In this case, since the required amount of electricity is above the lower limit of the degradation acceleration range, the drone 2 will be charged up to the degradation acceleration range. However, even when charging up to the degradation acceleration range, by stopping the charging to the amount of electricity required to fly to the other stationary energy storage system 1D, rather than charging up to 100% of the State of Charge (SOC), degradation can be suppressed compared to charging up to 100%.

[0074] In delivery example 3, once drone 2 is charged at the starting stationary energy storage system 1C, the management computer 5 flies drone 2 to another stationary energy storage system 1D. When drone 2 lands at the other stationary energy storage system 1D, the other stationary energy storage system 1D becomes the stationary energy storage system 1 where drone 2 is currently landed. Then, just as in the case where it lands at the starting stationary energy storage system 1C, the amount of electricity required for a round trip between the other stationary energy storage system 1D and the delivery destination 61C is determined.

[0075] When the drone travels back and forth between another stationary energy storage system 1D (i.e., stationary energy storage system 1 on which the drone 2 is currently landed) and the delivery destination 61C, the delivery destination 61C becomes the drone 2's first destination, and the other stationary energy storage system 1D becomes the second destination. In this case, the amount of electricity required to travel back and forth between the other stationary energy storage system 1D and the delivery destination 61C is an example of the amount of electricity required to fly to the second destination via the first destination.

[0076] Here, we assume that the amount of electricity required to travel back and forth between the other stationary energy storage system 1D and the delivery destination 61C is above the lower limit. In this case, the management computer 5 instructs the other stationary energy storage system 1D to charge up to the amount of electricity required to travel back and forth to the delivery destination 61C. In this case, since the required amount of electricity is above the lower limit of the degradation acceleration range, the drone 2 will be charged up to the degradation acceleration range. However, by limiting the charging to the amount of electricity required to travel back and forth to the delivery destination 61C, degradation can be suppressed compared to charging to 100%.

[0077] In this case, there may be multiple other stationary energy storage systems 1 located closer to the delivery destination 61 than the starting stationary energy storage system 1. In that case, it is preferable for the management computer 5 to select the stationary energy storage system 1 that is closest to the delivery destination 61 from among the stationary energy storage systems 1 that are within the range from the starting stationary energy storage system 1 that can fly with an amount of electricity below the lower limit of the degradation acceleration range, as the other stationary energy storage system 1. The reason for this is to minimize the number of times the drone 2 needs to be charged.

[0078] Even if there are multiple other stationary energy storage systems 1 located closer to the delivery destination 61 than the starting stationary energy storage system 1, the amount of electricity required for any of these systems to travel from the starting stationary energy storage system 1 to that system may exceed the upper limit of the degradation acceleration range. In such cases, it is preferable to select the stationary energy storage system 1 that is closest in distance from the starting stationary energy storage system 1 as the other stationary energy storage system 1. The reason for this is to minimize the amount of electricity to be charged.

[0079] (4) Determining the required amount of electricity The determination of the required amount of electricity, as mentioned above, is as follows. The required amount of electricity refers to the amount of electricity needed for a round trip between the stationary energy storage system 1 where Drone 2 is currently landed and the delivery destination 61. If Drone 2 is flying from the stationary energy storage system 1 where it is currently landed to another stationary energy storage system 1, it refers to the amount of electricity needed to fly to the other stationary energy storage system 1.

[0080] The amount of electricity required for round-trip travel to and from delivery destination 61 is determined as the sum of the following two amounts of electricity: (a) Amount of electricity required to fly in a straight line to and from destination 61. (b) Amount of electricity to deal with disturbances during round trip to and from the delivery destination 61

[0081] The amount of electricity in (a) above is obtained by multiplying the amount of electricity required for drone 2 to fly a unit distance by the flight distance when flying in a straight line between it and the delivery destination 61 and making a round trip.

[0082] The above-mentioned (b) is the amount of electricity used to deal with disturbances such as crosswinds and headwinds. For example, if the drone 2 is buffeted by a crosswind and deviates from its flight path, power is consumed to return to the flight path. Alternatively, when flying against a headwind, more power is consumed than when there is no wind. The above-mentioned (b) can be determined by multiplying the flight distance when flying in a straight line to the delivery destination 61 and back by the average amount of electricity used to deal with disturbances per unit distance. In Embodiment 1, the average amount of electricity used to deal with disturbances per unit distance is assumed to have been determined in advance from past flight history and flight experiment results and stored in the storage unit 41 of the management computer 5.

[0083] The amount of electricity required to fly to the other stationary energy storage system 1 is determined as the sum of the following two amounts of electricity: (c) Amount of electricity required for a straight flight to another stationary energy storage system 1 (d) Amount of electricity to cope with disturbances during flight to another stationary energy storage system 1

[0084] (5) Flowchart for managing drone flight and charging Referring to Figure 6, the flow of flight and charging management for the drone 2, as performed by the management computer 5, will be described. The following flow begins when the drone 2 lands on one of the stationary energy storage systems 1. Here, the explanation assumes that the drone 2 has landed on the starting stationary energy storage system 1 (stationary energy storage system 1B in delivery example 2 or stationary energy storage system 1C in delivery example 3, as shown in Figure 1).

[0085] In S101, the management computer 5 determines the amount of electricity (a) required to travel in a straight line back and forth between the stationary energy storage system 1, which is the starting point, and the delivery destination 61. In S102, the management computer 5 determines the amount of electricity (b) required to deal with disturbances during round trips between the stationary energy storage system 1, which is the starting point, and the destination 61.

[0086] In S103, the management computer 5 determines whether the amount of electricity {(a)+(b)} required to travel back and forth between the starting stationary energy storage system 1 and the delivery destination 61 is below the lower limit of the degradation acceleration range. If it is below the lower limit, the computer proceeds to S104; otherwise, the computer proceeds to S105. In S104, the management computer 5 instructs the stationary power storage system 1, which is the starting point, to charge the drone 2 with an amount of electricity greater than or equal to the amount of electricity required to travel back and forth between the stationary power storage system 1 and the delivery destination 61, and less than the lower limit of the degradation acceleration range.

[0087] In S105, the management computer 5 determines whether there is another stationary energy storage system 1 located closer to the delivery destination 61 than the starting stationary energy storage system 1. If there is, the computer proceeds to S106; otherwise, it proceeds to S111. In delivery example 2, it is determined that there is no other stationary energy storage system 1, and in delivery example 3, it is determined that there is one. In S106, the management computer 5 determines the amount of electricity (c) required to fly in a straight line to another stationary energy storage system 1 that is closer to the destination 61 than the starting stationary energy storage system 1.

[0088] In S107, the management computer 5 determines the amount of electricity (d) needed to deal with disturbances during flight to another stationary energy storage system 1 that is closer to the destination 61 than the starting stationary energy storage system 1. In S108, the management computer 5 determines whether the amount of electricity {(c)+(d)} required to fly to another stationary energy storage system 1 that is closer to the destination 61 than the starting stationary energy storage system 1 is below the lower limit of the degradation acceleration range. If it is below the lower limit, the computer proceeds to S109; otherwise, the computer proceeds to S110.

[0089] In S109, the control computer 5 instructs the starting stationary energy storage system 1 to charge the drone 2 to an amount greater than or equal to the amount of electricity required for a one-way flight to another stationary energy storage system 1, but below the lower limit of the degradation acceleration range. In S110, the control computer 5 instructs the starting stationary energy storage system 1 to charge up to the amount of electricity necessary for a one-way flight to the other stationary energy storage system 1. In S111, the management computer 5 instructs the stationary power storage system 1, which is the starting point, to charge the drone 2 to the amount of electricity necessary for a round trip between the stationary power storage system 1 and the delivery destination 61.

[0090] (6) Effects of the Embodiment According to the flight and charging method of the drone 2 in Embodiment 1, as in Delivery Example 2, if the amount of electricity required to fly from the starting stationary energy storage system 1B to the starting stationary energy storage system 1B (the second destination via the first destination) via the delivery destination 61B (the first destination) (i.e., the amount of electricity required to travel back and forth between the starting stationary energy storage system 1B and the delivery destination 61B) is less than the lower limit of the degradation acceleration range, charging is performed within a range that is greater than or equal to the amount of electricity required for the round trip and less than the lower limit of the degradation acceleration range, thereby suppressing the degradation of the energy storage element 36A. Furthermore, even when the amount of electricity required to travel back and forth between the other stationary energy storage system 1D and the delivery destination 61C exceeds the lower limit of the degradation acceleration range, as in the case of landing at another stationary energy storage system 1D in delivery example 3, degradation can be suppressed compared to charging to 100% by limiting the charging to the amount of electricity required for the round trip, rather than charging to 100% of the SOC. Therefore, the above flight and charging method can suppress the degradation of the energy storage element 36A equipped in drone 2. Suppressing the degradation of the energy storage element 36A reduces the frequency of replacement of the energy storage element 36A, thereby improving the operational efficiency of drone 2 and contributing to resource conservation.

[0091] According to the above flight and charging method, as in Delivery Example 3, if the amount of electricity required to fly from the starting stationary energy storage system 1C to the starting stationary energy storage system 1C (the second destination via the first destination) via the delivery destination 61C (the first destination) (i.e., the amount of electricity required to travel back and forth between the starting stationary energy storage system 1C and the delivery destination 61C) is above the lower limit of the degradation acceleration range, the aircraft will be charged as much as possible by one or more stationary energy storage systems 1, including the starting stationary energy storage system 1 (in Delivery Example 3, the starting stationary energy storage system 1C and other stationary energy storage systems 1D), keeping the value below the lower limit of the degradation acceleration range, thereby suppressing the degradation of the energy storage element 36A.

[0092] In other words, according to the above flight and charging method, even if the distance to the first destination, or the distance to the second destination via the first destination, is such that the battery would need to be charged to the point of accelerated degradation if the flight were conducted without charging along the way, the possibility of completing the round trip without charging to the point of accelerated degradation increases by flying while charging with one or more stationary energy storage systems 1. Therefore, the above flight and charging method can suppress the degradation of the energy storage element 36A equipped in drone 2.

[0093] According to the above flight and charging method, as in delivery example 3, if the amount of electricity required to travel back and forth between the starting stationary energy storage system 1C and the delivery destination 61C is greater than or equal to the lower limit of the degradation acceleration range, and the amount of electricity required to fly to the other stationary energy storage system 1D is less than the lower limit of the degradation acceleration range, then charging is performed within a range that is greater than or equal to the amount of electricity required to fly to the other stationary energy storage system 1D and less than the lower limit of the degradation acceleration range, thereby suppressing the degradation of the energy storage element 36A. Furthermore, even if the amount of electricity required to fly to another stationary energy storage system 1D exceeds the lower limit of the degradation acceleration range, by limiting the charging to the amount of electricity required to fly to the other stationary energy storage system 1D, rather than charging to 100% of the State of Charge (SOC), degradation can be suppressed compared to charging to 100%.

[0094] According to the above flight and charging method, the degradation of the energy storage element 36A can be suppressed, so even if the number of delivery drones 2 increases, the number of energy storage elements 36A that are discarded can be reduced.

[0095] According to the above flight and charging method, the amount of electricity required to fly between the starting stationary energy storage system 1 and the delivery destination 61 is the amount of electricity (a) assuming no disturbances during flight, plus the amount of electricity (b) to deal with anticipated disturbances. Since the amount of electricity charged is the sum of the amount of electricity (b) to deal with anticipated disturbances, the aircraft can fly more reliably to the delivery destination 61 (first destination) or the starting stationary energy storage system 1 (second destination) even in the event of disturbances.

[0096] According to the above flight and charging method, as in delivery example 3, the amount of electricity required to fly from the starting stationary energy storage system 1C to another stationary energy storage system 1D is the amount of electricity (c) assuming a flight to the other stationary energy storage system 1D without disturbances, plus the amount of electricity (d) to deal with anticipated disturbances. Since the amount of electricity charged is the sum of the amount of electricity (d) to deal with anticipated disturbances, the aircraft can fly to the other stationary energy storage system 1D more reliably even in the event of disturbances.

[0097] According to the flight and charging method described above, the charging unit is a contactless charging unit 12 that charges the drone 2 without contact. With contactless charging, there is a certain degree of freedom in the position of the drone 2 relative to the charging unit, so the drone 2 can be charged more reliably.

[0098] According to Embodiment 1, the stationary energy storage system 1 is equipped with a contactless charging unit 12 for charging the drone 2. Therefore, in the event of a power outage, the drone 2 can be charged using the power of the stationary energy storage system 1, allowing the drone 2 to be operated even during a power outage. Alternatively, the operating costs of the drone 2 can be reduced by charging the stationary energy storage system 1 during off-peak hours when electricity rates are low, and charging the drone 2 using the power of the stationary energy storage system 1 during off-peak hours when electricity rates are high.

[0099] <Embodiment 2> Referring to Figure 7, the flow of flight and charging management for the drone 2 according to Embodiment 2 will be described. The flow described in Embodiment 1 (Figure 6) above corresponds to both delivery example 2 and delivery example 3, but the flow according to Embodiment 2 corresponds to delivery example 2. That is, the flow according to Embodiment 2 is a flow in which the drone 2 is charged by only one stationary power storage system 1 (stationary power storage system 1B in the case of delivery example 2).

[0100] As shown in Figure 7, in the flow chart for Embodiment 2, steps S105 to S110 of Embodiment 1 are not executed. Therefore, if it is determined in S103 that the required amount of electricity {(a)+(b)} is above the lower limit of the degradation acceleration range, S111 is executed.

[0101] According to the flight and charging method of the drone 2 in Embodiment 2, the degradation of the energy storage element 36A in the drone 2 can be suppressed. Suppressing the degradation of the energy storage element 36A reduces the frequency of replacement of the energy storage element 36A, thereby improving the operational efficiency of the drone 2 and contributing to resource conservation.

[0102] <Embodiment 3> A stationary energy storage system 201 according to Embodiment 3 will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9. As shown in Figure 8, the stationary energy storage system 201 according to Embodiment 3 is equipped with a plurality of photovoltaic panels 202. As shown in Figure 9, the photovoltaic panels 202 are equipped with a hollow mounting frame 203 having a right-angled triangular cross-section with an inclined surface relative to the horizontal plane, and the photovoltaic panels 202 are fixed to the inclined surface of the mounting frame 203. The photovoltaic panels 202 are arranged to cover the contactless charging unit 12 from above.

[0103] According to the stationary energy storage system 201 of Embodiment 3, the operating costs of the drone 2 can be reduced by charging the stationary energy storage system 201 with electricity generated by the solar power generation panel 202. Furthermore, the space between the top surface of the stationary energy storage system 201 and the solar power generation panel 202 can be used as a resting place for the drone 2 to shelter from wind and rain while charging. The placement of the solar power generation panel 202 and the contactless charging unit 12 on top of the stationary energy storage system 201 also provides a heat shielding effect inside the stationary energy storage system 201.

[0104] <Embodiment 4> Referring to Figure 10, the stationary energy storage system 301 according to Embodiment 4 will be described. The contactless charging unit 12 described in Embodiment 1 above can charge the drone 2 using AC power supplied from the power grid 50, or using AC power supplied from the energy storage system 10. In contrast, the stationary energy storage system 301 according to Embodiment 4 charges the drone 2 using only DC power supplied from the energy storage system 10.

[0105] Specifically, the contactless charging unit 302 according to Embodiment 4 includes a DC / DC converter 302A connected to a power line branching off from the power line connecting the PCS 11 and the energy storage system 10, and an AC / DC converter 302B connected between the DC / DC converter 302A and the power transmission unit 12B. The DC / DC converter 302A is supplied with DC power of, for example, DC1000[V] from the energy storage system 10. The DC / DC converter 302A converts the supplied DC power to, for example, 300[V] and supplies it to the AC / DC converter 302B. The AC / DC converter 302B converts the supplied DC power to, for example, AC100[V] AC power and supplies it to the power transmission unit 12B.

[0106] In the case of the stationary energy storage system 1 described in Embodiment 1, if the distance between the PCS 11 and the energy storage system 10 is large, the power lines connecting them need to be long, and the power lines connecting the PCS 11 and the contactless charging unit 302 also need to be long, increasing wiring costs. In contrast, with the stationary energy storage system 301 according to Embodiment 4, the drone 2 is charged by the power supplied from the energy storage system 10, so long wiring to connect the PCS 11 and the contactless charging unit 302 is unnecessary. Therefore, wiring costs can be reduced.

[0107] <Embodiment 5> Embodiment 5 will be described with reference to Figure 11. Embodiment 5 describes other delivery examples 4 to 8 in which the drone 2 flies while charging the battery element 36A of the drone 2 within a range as close to the lower limit as possible using one or more stationary battery storage systems 1, including the stationary battery storage system 1 on which the drone 2 is currently landed.

[0108] Delivery Example 4 is an example in which a charging device for contactless charging of drone 2 is installed at the delivery destination 61 (first destination) of the package, and drone 2 flies one way to the delivery destination 61. In Delivery Example 4, drone 2 is charged at the starting stationary power storage system 1. If the amount of electricity required for a one-way flight from the starting stationary power storage system 1 to the delivery destination 61 is below the lower limit of the degradation acceleration range, drone 2 is charged to a range of amount greater than or equal to the required amount but below the lower limit; if it is greater than or equal to the upper limit, it is charged to the required amount of electricity.

[0109] In delivery example 4, drone 2 is charged by a charging device located at delivery destination 61. By charging drone 2 with a charging device located at delivery destination 61, the delivery company can reduce the electricity costs for charging drone 2. This allows them to use more drones 2 for deliveries. Using more drones 2 reduces the chances of drone 2 being charged to the point of accelerated degradation, thus extending the lifespan of drone 2. If the drone 2 is charged using the charging device located at delivery destination 61, the shipping fee for the package may be discounted. If the charging device located at delivery destination 61 is powered by electricity generated from natural energy sources such as solar energy, the recipient of the package will benefit from lower shipping costs due to the use of electricity generated from natural energy sources, thus benefiting both the shipping company and the recipient.

[0110] Delivery Example 5 is an example where drone 2 makes a round trip between delivery base 60 and delivery destination 61. When making a round trip between delivery base 60 and delivery destination 61, delivery base 60 is an example of a second destination via delivery destination 61 (the first destination). In delivery Example 5, drone 2 is charged at the stationary power storage system 1, which is the starting point, on the outbound journey to delivery destination 61, but is not charged on the return journey. For example, if the amount of electricity required to travel back and forth between the distribution center 60 and the delivery destination 61 is above the lower limit of the degradation acceleration range, the management computer 5 flies the drone 2 to the stationary energy storage system 1, which is the starting point. The management computer 5 then determines whether the amount of electricity required to return from the stationary energy storage system 1, which is the starting point, to the delivery destination 61 (the first destination) and then to the distribution center 60 (the second destination via the first destination) is below the lower limit. If it is below the lower limit, the management computer 5 returns the drone 2 to the distribution center 60 without recharging it on the return trip.

[0111] Delivery example 6 is a round trip, similar to delivery example 5, but the battery is charged on the return trip instead of the outbound trip. Charging on the return trip is preferable to deliver the package to destination 61 as quickly as possible. If the drone 2 lands at the stationary energy storage system 1, which is the starting point, the primary destination for the drone 2, which is landed at the stationary energy storage system 1, will be the delivery base 60, not the delivery destination 61.

[0112] Delivery example 7 is an example where drone 2 makes a one-way flight to delivery destination 61. In delivery example 7, drone 2 is charged at the starting stationary energy storage system 1F and another stationary energy storage system 1G.

[0113] Delivery example 8 is an example in which drone 2 travels back and forth between delivery base 60 and delivery destination 61. In delivery example 8, the drone is charged at the starting stationary energy storage system 1F on the outbound journey and at another stationary energy storage system 1G on the return journey. For example, if the amount of electricity required to travel back and forth between the starting stationary energy storage system 1F and the delivery destination 61 is greater than or equal to the lower limit of the degradation acceleration range, the management computer 5 determines whether there is another stationary energy storage system 1 located closer to the delivery destination 61 than the starting stationary energy storage system 1F. If there is another stationary energy storage system 1G, the management computer 5 determines whether the amount of electricity required to fly from the starting stationary energy storage system 1F to the other stationary energy storage system 1G via the delivery destination 61 is less than the lower limit. If the amount of electricity is less than the lower limit, the management computer 5 charges the drone 2 within the range of more than or equal to the required amount of electricity but less than the lower limit. If the amount of electricity is greater than or equal to the lower limit, the management computer 5 charges the drone 2 to the required amount of electricity.

[0114] When the drone 2 lands on another stationary energy storage system 1G, the management computer 5 determines whether the amount of electricity required to fly from the other stationary energy storage system 1G to the distribution center 60 is below a minimum value. If it is below the minimum value, the management computer 5 charges the drone 2 to an amount that is above the amount of electricity required to fly to the distribution center 60 but below the minimum value, and returns it directly to the distribution center 60 without landing on the starting stationary energy storage system 1F.

[0115] In the case of delivery example 8, if stationary energy storage system 1F and stationary energy storage system 1G are located at the same delivery base, it is possible to load the goods to be transported from stationary energy storage system 1G to stationary energy storage system 1F onto drone 2 while drone 2 is being charged at stationary energy storage system 1G, and then transport them to stationary energy storage system 1F.

[0116] <Other Embodiments> The technology disclosed herein is not limited to the embodiments described above in the description and drawings, and the following embodiments, for example, are also included in the technical scope disclosed herein.

[0117] (1) In the above embodiment, the purpose of the drone 2's flight was illustrated as being for the delivery of a package, but the purpose of the drone 2's flight is not limited to the delivery of a package, and it can be flown for any appropriate purpose.

[0118] (2) In the above embodiment, a drone 2 was used as an example of an unmanned aerial vehicle, but the unmanned aerial vehicle is not limited to a drone 2. For example, the unmanned aerial vehicle may be an unmanned helicopter.

[0119] (3) In the above embodiment, the stationary energy storage system 1 was shown as an example of contactless charging of the drone 2, but the stationary energy storage system 1 may also charge the drone 2 by contact.

[0120] (4) In the above embodiment, the drone 2 was used to deliver packages such as courier services, but the drone 2 may also be used to deliver relief supplies in the event of a disaster. Even if a power outage occurs due to a disaster, the drone 2 can be charged by the stationary power storage system 1, so relief supplies can be delivered even if a power outage occurs.

[0121] (5) In the above embodiment, a lithium-ion secondary battery was described as an example of an energy storage element, but the energy storage element may be a secondary battery other than a lithium-ion secondary battery. The energy storage element may also be a capacitor that undergoes an electrochemical reaction. [Explanation of symbols]

[0122] 1: Stationary energy storage system (an example of a second destination) 2: Drones (an example of unmanned aerial vehicles) 12: Contactless charging unit (an example of a charging unit) 36A: Energy storage element 61: Delivery destination (Example of the first destination) 201: Stationary energy storage system 202: Solar panels 301: Stationary energy storage system 302: Contactless charging section

Claims

1. A method for flying and charging an unmanned aerial vehicle using a stationary energy storage system, The system determines whether the amount of electricity required for the unmanned aerial vehicle to fly from the stationary energy storage system where it is currently landed to its first destination, or the amount of electricity required to fly from the first destination to its second destination, is less than the lower limit of the degradation acceleration range, which is the range of charging electricity that accelerates the degradation of the energy storage elements equipped in the unmanned aerial vehicle. If the value is below the lower limit, the energy storage element is charged to a value equal to or greater than the amount of electricity required to fly to the first destination or the second destination, and below the lower limit, and the aircraft is flown. If the value is above the lower limit, the energy storage element is charged to the amount of electricity necessary to fly to the first destination or the second destination, and the aircraft is then flown. Methods for flying and charging unmanned aerial vehicles.

2. A method for flying and charging an unmanned aerial vehicle using multiple stationary energy storage systems, each equipped with a charging unit and distributed amongst themselves, The system determines whether the amount of electricity required for the unmanned aerial vehicle to fly from the stationary energy storage system where it is currently landed to its first destination, or the amount of electricity required to fly from the first destination to its second destination, is less than the lower limit of the degradation acceleration range, which is the range of charging electricity that accelerates the degradation of the energy storage elements equipped in the unmanned aerial vehicle. If the value is below the lower limit, the energy storage element is charged to a value equal to or greater than the amount of electricity required to fly to the first destination or the second destination, and below the lower limit, and the aircraft is flown. If the value is above the lower limit, the flight is carried out while charging the energy storage element to a value as close to the lower limit as possible using one or more stationary energy storage systems, including the stationary energy storage system that is currently landed. Methods for flying and charging unmanned aerial vehicles.

3. A method for flying and charging an unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 2, If the value is above the lower limit, it is determined whether the amount of electricity required for the unmanned aerial vehicle to fly to another stationary energy storage system located closer to the first destination than the stationary energy storage system on which it is currently landed is below the lower limit of the degradation acceleration range that accelerates the degradation of the energy storage element. If the value is below the lower limit, the system will be charged to an amount greater than or equal to the amount of electricity necessary to fly to the other stationary energy storage system, and less than the lower limit, and the system will be flown. If the value is above the lower limit, the system will charge to the amount of electricity necessary to fly to the other stationary energy storage system and then fly. Methods for flying and charging unmanned aerial vehicles.

4. A method for flying and charging an unmanned aerial vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The aforementioned unmanned aerial vehicle is an unmanned aerial vehicle used for delivery of goods, and the method for flying and charging an unmanned aerial vehicle.

5. A method for flying and charging an unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 4, A method for flying and charging an unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the shipping cost of the cargo is discounted when the unmanned aerial vehicle is charged by a charging device located at the first destination or the second destination.

6. A method for flying and charging an unmanned aerial vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, A method for flying and charging an unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the amount of electricity required to fly to the first destination or the second destination is the amount of electricity obtained by adding the amount of electricity required to deal with anticipated disturbances to the amount of electricity required to fly to the first destination or the second destination without disturbances.

7. A method for flying and charging an unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 3, A method for flying and charging an unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the amount of electricity required to fly to the other stationary energy storage system is the amount of electricity obtained by adding the amount of electricity required to deal with the expected disturbance to the amount of electricity required to fly to the other stationary energy storage system without disturbance.

8. A method for flying and charging an unmanned aerial vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The charging unit is a contactless charging unit that charges the unmanned aerial vehicle without contact, The flight and charging method in question is: A method for flying and charging an unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein a management computer determines the amount of electricity to be charged to the unmanned aerial vehicle and instructs the stationary energy storage system to contactlessly charge the energy storage element up to the determined amount of electricity.

9. A stationary energy storage system used in the flight and charging method of an unmanned aerial vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, A stationary energy storage system equipped with a charging unit for charging unmanned aerial vehicles.

10. A stationary energy storage system according to claim 9, The charging unit is located on the upper surface of the stationary energy storage system. The stationary energy storage system comprises a solar power generation panel arranged in a position where the light-receiving surface is inclined with respect to a horizontal plane, and the solar power generation panel covers the charging unit from above.

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