Method and apparatus for generating movement paths for multiple drones for inspecting industrial structures

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for generating movement paths for multiple drones for the inspection of industrial structures. [Solution] The method and apparatus for generating movement paths for multiple drones for inspecting industrial structures can identify possible and impossible movement paths for drones at multiple inspection points based on industrial structure information, and derive the optimal movement path by optimizing the vehicle path problem model using a metaheuristic solution method to maximize the operational efficiency of multiple drones. Furthermore, it is configured to further solve the vehicle path problem model using an exact solution method, and the solution method can be determined from either the exact solution method or the metaheuristic solution method based on the number of inspection points. This allows for the transmission of accurate results while flexibly responding to on-site conditions.

Claims

1. A path generation device that generates a movement path for at least one drone for object inspection, A problem-solving unit that outputs a solution by solving a vehicle path problem model using a predefined solution method based on data that defines the connection relationships between multiple inspection points included in the object; and The system is characterized by including a path generation unit that generates a movement path for at least one drone based on the output solution described above. The aforementioned problem-solving unit is, A solution is searched based on weights corresponding to the connection relationships between the aforementioned plurality of inspection points. The suitability assessment for the explored solution is performed based on the operational efficiency of the at least one drone to evaluate the degree of suitability. The vehicle path problem model is solved based on whether the evaluated fitness satisfies predefined conditions. Route generation device.

2. The aforementioned drones include multiple drones, The path generation unit generates sub-paths corresponding to each of the multiple drones as the movement paths of the drones, The movement paths of the plurality of drones include a plurality of sub-movement paths to which each of the plurality of drones moves individually, and the plurality of sub-movement paths include a first sub-movement path relative to the movement path of the first drone and a second sub-movement path relative to the movement path of the second drone. The route generation device according to claim 1.

3. The vehicle path problem model can take into account the battery capacities of multiple drones. The starting point (depot) included in the first sub-movement path and the starting point (depot) included in the second sub-movement path are the same, and the inspection points excluding the starting point included in the first sub-movement path and the inspection points excluding the starting point included in the second sub-movement path are different from each other. The route generation device according to claim 2.

4. The problem-solving unit terminates the problem-solving process if the evaluated fitness satisfies the algorithm's termination condition. If the evaluated fitness does not satisfy the algorithm's termination condition, it solves the vehicle path problem model by changing the weights and repeating the problem-solving process. The route generation device according to claim 1.

5. The path generation device according to claim 4, characterized in that the problem-solving unit is configured to terminate problem-solving when the number of repetitions of problem-solving reaches a predetermined number of times when the problem-solving is repeated by changing the weights, and to output the explored solution.

6. The path generation device according to claim 1, characterized in that the problem-solving unit is configured to search for a solution by further utilizing path information accumulated in existing paths as positive feedback.

7. A route generation device according to claim 1, wherein the route generation device further comprises: A data transmission / reception unit configured to receive information about an object and multiple inspection points associated with that object. A path identification unit configured to identify paths that the drone can and cannot move along at multiple inspection points, taking into account information about the object, and to define the connection relationships between inspection points corresponding to the paths the drone can move along, and It has a graph completion unit configured to complete relationships by defining virtual paths between inspection points when the connection relationships between multiple inspection points are not defined.

8. A path generation device according to claim 7, wherein the graph completion unit is configured to identify pairs of inspection points for which a connection relationship has not been formed by searching for a path corresponding to 0 among the elements excluding the diagonal matrix in matrix data representing the connection relationship of a plurality of inspection points.

9. The route generation device according to claim 8, characterized in that a virtual route is defined as a detour route that connects pairs of inspection points that do not have a connection relationship through at least one inspection point.

10. The path identification unit generates object modeling results based on object information, The path generation device according to claim 7, characterized in that it uses the modeling results of an object to identify paths that a drone can and cannot move along at multiple inspection points.

11. A path generation device that generates a movement path for at least one drone for the purpose of inspecting an object, wherein the path generation device is A problem-solving unit that outputs a solution by solving a vehicle path problem model using data that defines the connection relationships between multiple inspection points included in the object, and It has a path generation unit configured to generate a movement path for at least one drone based on the output solution, The problem-solving unit is configured to determine a solution method for solving the vehicle path problem model according to the number of inspection points of the object. A route generation device characterized by the following features.

12. The path generation device according to claim 11, wherein the problem solving unit determines a predefined first solution method as the solution method when the number of inspection points of the object exceeds a pre-set threshold of reference inspection points.

13. The path generation device according to claim 12, wherein the problem-solving unit determines a second solution method different from the first solution method as the solution method if the number of inspection points of the object is less than or equal to a preset threshold of reference inspection points.

14. A system for inspecting an object, the system is Multiple drones configured to inspect the aforementioned object, Multiple control devices configured to correspond to each of the aforementioned multiple drones, and A path generation device is configured to generate movement paths for the plurality of drones, and generates the movement path including a plurality of sub-movement paths for the plurality of drones to move individually, and provides the sub-movement paths to at least one of the corresponding drones and control devices, Multiple sub-paths include a first sub-path for the first drone's path and a second sub-path for the second drone's path. The route generation device is The system comprises a problem-solving unit configured to output a solution by solving a vehicle path problem model using a predetermined solution method with respect to data that defines the connection relationships between multiple inspection points included in an object, and a path generation unit configured to generate a movement path for at least one drone based on the output solution. The problem-solving department is, The system searches for a solution based on weights corresponding to the connectivity between multiple inspection points, evaluates the goodness of fit of the searched solution based on the operational efficiency of multiple drones, and solves the vehicle path problem model based on whether the evaluated goodness of fit satisfies a predefined termination condition. A system characterized by the following features.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein the drone is configured to fly autonomously according to a travel path or according to control signals of a control device, the drone is further configured to generate location information and provide the generated location information to the control device, and the control device is configured to display the travel path and location information together on a display and provide it to the user.

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