Flight support device, flight support system, mobile device, and flight support method

Abstract

The present invention provides a flight support device, a flight support system, a mobile body, and a flight support method that can stabilize the flight of a mobile body to which an object is attached. [Solution] The flight support device 803 assists the flight of a mobile body (loaded mobile body 801) to which an object (luggage, etc.) is attached. The flight path acquisition unit 815 acquires the flight path of the mobile body. The wind condition acquisition unit 814 acquires wind condition information indicating the wind conditions along the flight path. The shape acquisition unit 813 acquires shape information indicating the shape of the object. The determination units (810, 811) determine the orientation of the mobile body using the shape information of the object and the wind condition information. The output unit 812 outputs the orientation of the mobile body.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a flight support device, a flight support system, a moving body, and a flight support method.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, the social implementation of drones that take off and land vertically with respect to the landing surface has been progressing. Drones are characterized by taking off and landing vertically from an airport using a plurality of rotors that are rotationally driven by motors. In order for drones to exhibit effects such as actively utilizing lift or reducing drag, there is a need to provide a flight control method that enables flight in a suitable attitude with respect to the relative wind direction and wind speed during flight.

[0003] As a flight control method, for example, there is the technology of Patent Document 1. This publication states that "in a flying object equipped with a wind direction and wind speed meter, control is performed so that the nose approaches an attitude facing the acquired relative wind direction of the flying object. For example, in the absence of wind, the relative wind for a flying object moving at 10 m / s in the direction 0 blows from the direction 0, so at this time, the nose is directed in the direction 0 and moves in the direction 0. Also, for a flying object moving at 10 m / s in the direction 0, the relative wind for the flying object in an environment where a crosswind of 10 m / s blows from the direction 3 blows from the direction 1.5, so the nose is directed in the direction 1.5."

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The technology described in Patent Document 1 does not take into account the shape of the cargo attached to the drone (mobile body). Therefore, there is a risk that the flight of a mobile body with cargo or other objects attached may become unstable.

[0006] In view of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide a flight support device, a flight support system, a mobile body, and a flight support method that can stabilize the flight of a mobile body to which an object is attached. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, an example of the present invention is a flight support device that assists the flight of a mobile body to which an object is attached, comprising: a flight path acquisition unit that acquires the flight path of the mobile body; a wind condition acquisition unit that acquires wind condition information indicating the wind conditions along the flight path; a shape acquisition unit that acquires shape information indicating the shape of the object; a determination unit that determines the orientation of the mobile body using the shape information and wind condition information of the object; and an output unit that outputs the orientation of the mobile body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, the flight of a moving object to which an object is attached can be stabilized. Problems, configurations, and effects other than those described above will be clarified by the following description of embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a top view of the embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a front view of the embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a side view of the embodiment. [Figure 4A] This is a flowchart of the example. [Figure 4B] This is a continuation of the flowchart in Figure 4A. [Figure 5] This is a table showing information from the examples. [Figure 6] This is a top view of the embodiment. [Figure 7] This figure shows the information in the example. [Figure 8] This is a functional block diagram of an embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a hardware configuration diagram of an embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The object of this embodiment is to provide a flight support device, etc., that can determine the optimal aircraft attitude by utilizing aerodynamic information of the aircraft when a load is attached to the aircraft.

[0011] Figure 1 is a top view of the mobile body 101 of this embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the mobile body 101 (drone) itself flies by obtaining thrust from the rotation of rotors 112A, 112B, 112C, and 112D, which are attached to the body 110 via four arms 111A, 111B, 111C, and 111D. The lower part of the body 110 has landing support legs 113A and 113B. The mobile body 101 has four arms 111, an even number, which are arranged symmetrically with respect to the body 110, and the main shaft 120A and sub-shaft 120B have a planar symmetrical structure with respect to the vertical plane of the paper.

[0012] Figures 4A and 4B are flowcharts of package delivery. As shown in Figures 4A and 4B, starting from the package delivery flow start in S401, package 201 is brought to the delivery center as in S402. As in S403, if the dimensions and weight of package 201 have not been measured in advance, they are measured, and at the same time, information such as the fragility of the package from the customer is also obtained. Next, as in S404, using the weight of package 201 as the main information, a drone, which is the mobile unit 101, is selected by comparing it with specifications such as payload.

[0013] Figure 2 is a front view as seen from surface AA in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a side view as seen from surface BB. As shown in these figures, the load 201 is attached to a mounting portion 130 provided at the bottom of the body 110 of the selected mobile body 101. The position of the load 201 is generally between the support legs 113A and 113B. The dimensions of the load 201 are asymmetrical, unlike the mobile body 101, with the main axis 120A direction being longer than the sub-axis 120B direction. The load 201 also has a protruding stem 210 only on the rear side, which is the opposite side of the front. This part is small in size and fragile, but also valuable. In addition, the load 201 has a wide portion 211 on part of the bottom, so the load 201 is asymmetrical with respect to both axes 120A and 120B.

[0014] Thus, the mobile unit 101 with the cargo 201 attached will hereafter be referred to as the flying load-carrying mobile unit 301. Compared to the mobile unit 101 alone, the load-carrying mobile unit 301 has a more asymmetrical shape. In addition, the overall dimensions of the load-carrying mobile unit 301 are larger than those of the mobile unit 101 alone due to the attachment of the cargo 201, and the wind-receiving area is larger. Therefore, due to the directional dependence of the load-carrying mobile unit 301 caused by the asymmetry and the increased wind-receiving area, the aerodynamic (air-force) influence of the load-carrying mobile unit 301, which is the force that the load-carrying mobile unit 301 receives from the wind, is greater than that of the mobile unit 101 alone. The aerodynamic influence of the mobile unit 101 alone is well understood by the mobile unit manufacturer, and the user of the mobile unit 101 can know it as a specification value. However, the shape of the cargo to be delivered is only known when the user brings the cargo to the delivery site. Therefore, if the load-carrying mobile unit 301 is flown as is without an aerodynamic shape evaluation, it will be in an unstable flight. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct a re-evaluation of the aerodynamics of the load-carrying unit 301.

[0015] Aerodynamic effects are often evaluated by resistance coefficients, lift coefficients, etc. As a simple evaluation, it can be estimated by grasping the areas of the loaded moving body 301 projected onto the top, side, and front surfaces. The projected area can be found by taking a picture with the departure / arrival field camera 909 installed at the departure / arrival field as shown in S406 and analyzing the captured image. With today's image analysis technology, it is possible to easily extract the shape of the loaded moving body 301 and calculate the area.

[0016] Note that the center of gravity of the single moving body 101 was relatively located higher because the center of gravity was inside the body 110. In comparison, the center of gravity of the loaded moving body 301 moves downward compared to when it is a single moving body 101 because the load 201 is provided on the bottom surface. As a result, when stopped, the loaded moving body 301 is more stable than the single moving body 101. However, in order to obtain thrust with the rotor 112, it is more stable during flight when the center of gravity is inside the body 110, which is on almost the same plane as the rotor 112. Therefore, again, an aerodynamic evaluation is essential for the loaded moving body 301, and stable controlled flight is required.

[0017] Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the projection area from the photographed object and the photographed images from the front, side, and top surfaces of the photographed object. The unit is square meters. For the area of the single moving body 101, the value described in the catalog of the airframe (drone) manufacturer may be used, or it is better to obtain it in advance for delivery. Even for those not registered with the airframe manufacturer, it is desirable to obtain it by oneself. If the value obtained by oneself is the same as the value from the manufacturer, it should be described in the remarks, etc. In this figure, since the shape of the moving body 101 has symmetry, the front and side surfaces have almost the same projected area. On the other hand, for the loaded moving body 301 with the load 201 attached to the moving body 101, all areas are larger than those of the single body. Therefore, the windward area becomes larger, and the resistance received from the wind becomes larger. The front surface has the smallest area, the windward area is small, and therefore the resistance is small.

[0018] On the other hand, for reference, it is noted that, as can be determined from the top image and the side image, there is a stem 210 on the back that is prone to breakage. Also, the presence of a fragile part is recognized in the remarks as the content of a report from a customer requesting delivery. Furthermore, the fact that there is a wide part 211 on the back side and the area on the front side is small cannot be known from just the projection area, and it is recognized in the remarks as being determined from photographing the top, front, and back. From this table, the direction priority of the loading mobile body 301 is determined. First, the surface with the smallest projection area has the highest priority. Further, considering that the more fragile surface is placed on the rear side and the wind resistance of the wide part 211 is large, resulting in a large area on the back side and the smaller side becoming the front side, the front is determined as the priority surface in this table. Also, the top and side are determined in the same way for the next point and the following points.

[0019] Note that, in this embodiment, for the sake of clarity, the orientation of the loading mobile body 301 to which priority is assigned is in 90° increments (front, side, etc.), but it is also possible to photograph the entire orientation of the loading mobile body 301 and assign priority to any orientation. In this embodiment, the priority is determined using (i) the projection area, (ii) the position of the valuable part of the luggage, and (iii) the position of the wide part. The sensitivity (weight) of the variables (i)-(iii) decreases in the order of (i), (iii), (ii). The sensitivity of the variable (ii) is the lowest because the frequency of bird attacks is low.

[0020] If there is no camera, it may be judged visually. In the case of visual inspection, the shape may be grasped by the monitoring camera 710 arranged near the flight path described later and reflected at that time.

[0021] As in S410, the information of these loading mobile bodies 301 is stored and registered in the flight support device 501 that manages the flight of various other mobile bodies. The flight support device 501 issues flight instructions including takeoff and landing of the loading mobile body 301 and also digitally manages the flight path. As in S411, the wind conditions such as wind speed and wind direction on the flight path are obtained by being updated at all times. The battery level of the loading mobile body 301 and the wind conditions on the path are displayed in real time to achieve safe operation.

[0022] The data for the loaded mobile unit 301 is compared and referenced with the wind conditions at the take-off and landing area 601. The flight support system 501 has accumulated data on various past cases, including crashes of loaded mobile units. This data also includes information such as the area and specifications of the loaded mobile unit, and by comparing and referencing this information, as in S412, it is possible to determine whether the loaded mobile unit 301 can fly safely in the future. If the wind conditions are strong for the duration of the flight, instructions such as waiting for a while will be given, as in S413.

[0023] Figure 6 illustrates the orientation of the payload mobile unit 301 during takeoff. As shown in Figure 6, the payload mobile unit 301, which has been determined to be safe (flyable), is placed at the takeoff / landing area 601 as S414. Here, the payload mobile unit 301 is positioned to match the wind direction 610 at the takeoff / landing area. Wind conditions are stored in the flight support system 501 as information from an anemometer 630 installed nearby and a weather information center 631, and are referred to. For example, the front direction 620, which has the highest priority according to the evaluation results in Figure 5, is oriented towards the wind direction 610. This minimizes the aerodynamic influence from the wind conditions, enabling a safe takeoff.

[0024] The method for changing the orientation of the load-carrying unit 301 during takeoff is arbitrary. For example, the orientation of the load-carrying unit 301 may be changed by a person, a machine, etc., the orientation of the load-carrying unit 301 may be changed by rotating the takeoff platform, etc., or the orientation of the load-carrying unit 301 may be changed by controlling the load-carrying unit 301 (slight ascent + rotation).

[0025] Figure 7 shows an example of the information displayed on the display unit 701 of the flight support system 501. As shown in Figure 7, the flight path is displayed on the display unit 701 of the flight support system 501. A surveillance camera 710 is installed near the flight path. This surveillance camera 710 monitors other aircraft and birds 711, sends their location information to the flight support system 501, and manages and displays their presence. Furthermore, if the loaded mobile unit 301 cannot be imaged near the take-off and landing area, the surveillance camera 710 will capture an image, acquire shape data including the aircraft area, send it to the flight support system 501 for management.

[0026] The flight path shows the already flown path 720 and the path to be flown 721. The wind conditions of the stored flight path are shown on the flight path. What is needed are the winds 731A, 731B, and 731C on the path to be flown. In addition, winds 732A, 732B, etc. are generated as the aircraft flies along the path. Since the combined wind of these winds acts on the payload mobile unit 301, the flight support device 501 instructs the payload mobile unit 301 to change its attitude by changing the rotation speed of the rotor 112 so that the preferred front surface 620 faces in that direction. As a result, horizontal angles A and B with respect to winds 731A and 731B are generated, and the aircraft flies.

[0027] Furthermore, since actual wind direction changes not only in two horizontal dimensions but also in three dimensions, the aircraft will fly with a tilted attitude in the vertical direction as well, although this is not shown in the diagram. In particular, if the center of gravity changes significantly compared to the moving object alone, it becomes easier for the aircraft to rotate vertically and become unstable. Reflecting this, the wind direction change in the vertical direction is made more sensitive in advance. This contributes to safe flight.

[0028] While a proposal has been made to mount wind condition sensors on the mobile aircraft to control rotor speed and change its attitude, controlling the aircraft in response to the current wind speed sequentially would require a short time constant, potentially resulting in insufficient control. Alternatively, even if possible, it would require an expensive aircraft control system. In this embodiment, since control is performed externally based on known wind conditions (already stored wind data), it is possible to control with a sufficient time constant, and the aircraft control system can be inexpensive. Furthermore, the sufficient time constant makes it highly likely that the aircraft's attitude will be maintained, contributing to improved safety.

[0029] As shown in Figure 7, the stem 210 side of the cargo is positioned towards the rear side, rather than the front 620 side, which is the front of the load-carrying unit 301 and is prone to collisions with other aircraft. This orientation of the cargo protects fragile cargo. For example, it is effective when considering collisions with birds (bird attacks). Therefore, if there is a fragile surface, registering it at the same time as registering the projected area, as shown in Figure 5, contributes to safer transport.

[0030] Meanwhile, the rotor speed of the payload mobile unit 301 is controlled and monitored by the flight support system. Therefore, if the aircraft is flying unstable or in an unnatural position relative to the wind direction, the rotor speed will fluctuate and be monitored. Alternatively, unstable flight may be detected by surveillance cameras. This may be due to errors in the evaluated aerodynamic planes, potentially leading to the selection of a priority plane that is unfavorable for actual flight. Therefore, the priority planes can be readjusted or adjusted using this rotation speed monitoring and other methods. By implementing this kind of feedback, safer flight can be further enhanced.

[0031] In this embodiment, the case where the cargo 201 is directly attached to the mounting portion 130 on the bottom of the body 110 is shown, but there are also cases where the cargo is suspended and transported by wire or the like. In this case, it is not effective to evaluate the aerodynamics of the integrated load-carrying mobile body 301 of the drone and cargo. In this case, it is sufficient to evaluate the drone alone, and the specifications of the drone alone and the specifications of the cargo alone can be used. However, if the direction of the cargo is fixed relative to the mobile body by wire, the present invention can be applied and will produce the same effect as in this embodiment.

[0032] Figure 8 shows a diagram illustrating the coordination of each part shown in this embodiment. The shape sensor 1 (802) photographs the loaded mobile body 801, which is a mobile body and cargo integrated together. The shape acquisition unit 813 acquires the projected area and detailed shape from the shape sensor 1 (802). The acquired information is passed to the shape evaluation and determination unit 810. The shape evaluation and determination unit 810 evaluates the shape, including customer reports, and determines the surface with the least aerodynamic drag. Meanwhile, the flight path acquisition unit 815 acquires the flight path in advance. For example, the flight path acquisition unit 815 acquires the flight path that has been input by the user using the keyboard 902A (Figure 9) and stored in the memory device, but the flight path may also be acquired from the mobile body. In addition, the wind condition sensor 821A measures the wind conditions around the flight path. The wind condition acquisition unit 814 acquires the wind conditions from the wind condition sensor 821A or a weather forecasting company 821B. A shape sensor 2 (822) is also provided near the flight path. The shape sensor 2 (822) measures the shape and position of other flying objects (moving objects, birds, etc.) near the flight path, and also measures the shape and position of the payload mobile object 801 as needed. Using this information, the payload mobile object 801 takes off, lands, and flies based on instructions regarding the orientation of the mobile object from the flight support device 803. The output unit 812 outputs the orientation to the mobile object 803. The output unit 812 also outputs the orientation of the mobile object 803 to the administrator's display. The display unit 830 displays various information, including wind conditions. The flight support device 803 monitors the flight status of the payload mobile object 801, provides feedback flight instructions, and displays various information on the display unit 830. The flight support device 803 may also include the display unit 830.

[0033] The acquisition unit acquires (receives) the position and orientation of the moving object from the moving object (Figure 8). The moving object transmits its position, measured by a positioning sensor (GNSS: Global Navigation Satellite System) installed on the moving object, to the flight support device 803. The moving object also transmits its orientation, measured by a gyro sensor installed on the moving object, to the flight support device 803. The acquisition unit may estimate the orientation of the moving object from its initial orientation (at takeoff) and the course of control. The acquisition unit acquires the position of another aircraft from the shape sensor 2 (822).

[0034] Figure 9 shows an example of the device and hardware configuration used in this embodiment. Shape sensors 1 (802) and 2 (822) that acquire the shape and condition of the loaded mobile body 801, which is an integrated mobile body and cargo, can be multiple digital cameras capable of taking still images and videos, or a shape measurement device using a laser. As wind condition sensors 821A, multiple lasers, thermal sensors, static pressure sensors, or wind socks and weather vanes are used near the flight path. Data from weather forecasting companies, etc., 821B are also referenced.

[0035] The flight support system 803 mainly comprises a processor such as a Central Processing Unit, memory such as RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory), storage devices such as a hard disk and storage, and communication devices. The flight support system 803 is also connected to and used with desktop computers 901A and notebook computers 901B. Alternatively, a keyboard 902A or touch panel 902B may be provided as a user interface input. Information is transmitted between each device and hardware to the flight support system 803 using the wireless device 910 as needed.

[0036] The main features of the embodiment can also be summarized as follows:

[0037] As shown in Figure 8, the flight support device 803 assists the flight of a mobile body (loaded mobile body 801) to which an object (luggage, etc.) is attached. The flight path acquisition unit 815 acquires the flight path of the mobile body. The wind condition acquisition unit 814 acquires wind condition information indicating the wind conditions along the flight path. The shape acquisition unit 813 acquires shape information indicating the shape of the object. The determination units (810, 811) determine the orientation of the mobile body using the shape information of the object and the wind condition information. The output unit 812 outputs the orientation of the mobile body. In this embodiment, the object is luggage, but it may also be an accessory such as a camera.

[0038] By determining the orientation of the mobile body using the shape information of the object and wind conditions, the mobile body to which the object is attached can be flown in an attitude suitable for the shape of the object and the wind conditions. As a result, the flight of the mobile body to which the object is attached can be stabilized.

[0039] The determination unit 810 uses the shape information of the object to determine the priority for each orientation of the moving object (Figure 5). The determination unit 811 uses the orientation of the moving object with the highest priority and wind condition information to determine the orientation of the moving object (Figure 7). This allows the moving object to which the object is attached to be flown in an attitude that is optimal for the shape of the object and the wind conditions.

[0040] In the example shown in Figure 5, the determination unit 810 uses the shape information of the object to calculate the degree of wind influence on the mobile body to which the object is attached for each orientation of the mobile body, and assigns a higher priority to the less influential the mobile body to which the object is attached. This allows the mobile body to be flown in an attitude that minimizes the influence of the wind.

[0041] The degree of influence is, for example, the projected area of ​​the object and the moving object for each orientation of the moving object (Figure 5). By using the projected area of ​​the object and the moving object, the degree of wind influence can be easily calculated. Note that the degree of influence may also be the drag coefficient or the lift coefficient. For example, the drag coefficient or lift coefficient is stored in a memory device linked to the shape information (template) of the object, and the drag coefficient or lift coefficient corresponding to the shape information of the object measured by a camera, etc., is read from the memory device (template matching).

[0042] The determination unit 810 determines priority using the position of the wide portion of the object (wide portion 211, Figure 1). This allows the position of the wide portion of the object to be reflected in the priority. Specifically, the priority of the orientation of a moving object where the wide portion (wide portion 211, Figure 1) is located aft is higher than the priority of the orientation of a moving object where the wide portion is located forward (Figure 5). By having the wide portion located aft, the flight stability of the moving object to which the object is attached can be improved.

[0043] The determination unit 810 determines priority using the position of the object's important parts (fragile parts, valuable parts, etc.: stem 210, Figure 1). This allows the position of the object's important parts to be reflected in the priority. Specifically, the priority of the orientation of a moving object where the important parts are located at the rear is higher than the priority of the orientation of a moving object where the important parts are located at the front (Figure 5). By having the important parts located at the rear, it is possible to suppress the collision of the object's important parts with birds, etc.

[0044] As shown in Figure 8, the acquisition unit acquires the flight path, wind conditions, the position and orientation of the moving object, and the position of other moving objects near the flight path as digitized information. The display unit (830) displays the acquired information (Figure 7). This allows the user to check the attitude of the moving object and the conditions around the flight path.

[0045] As shown in Figure 8, the acquisition unit acquires the orientation of the moving object from the moving object. The determination unit 811 adjusts the orientation of the moving object using the orientation determined by the determination unit 811 and the orientation acquired by the acquisition unit. This makes it possible to fly the moving object to which the object is attached in an attitude suitable for the actual shape of the object and the wind conditions.

[0046] As shown in Figure 8, the flight support system comprises a flight support device 803 and a mobile body. The mobile body flies based on the orientation of the mobile body determined by the flight support device 803. By separating the flight support device 803 from the mobile body, the processing load on the mobile body is reduced.

[0047] As shown by the dashed line in Figure 8, the mobile body may incorporate a flight support device 803 and fly based on the orientation of the mobile body determined by the flight support device 803. By integrating the flight support device 803 with the mobile body, communication delay of the control variable (orientation of the mobile body) is suppressed. As a result, the responsiveness of the mobile body's control is improved.

[0048] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are included. For example, the embodiments described above are explained in detail to make the present invention easier to understand, and are not necessarily limited to those having all the configurations described.

[0049] Furthermore, some or all of the above configurations and functions may be implemented in hardware, for example, by designing them as integrated circuits. Alternatively, the above configurations and functions may be implemented in software by having the processor interpret and execute programs that implement each function. Information such as programs, tables, and files that implement each function can be stored in memory, a recording device such as a hard disk or SSD (Solid State Drive), or a recording medium such as an IC card, SD card, or DVD.

[0050] The embodiments of the present invention may also be as follows.

[0051] (Problems with the examples) In the future, drones are expected to be used for cargo transport. In this case, it is conceivable that the cargo will be attached to the outside of the drone's body, such as the bottom. Drones are susceptible to wind, and have aerodynamic characteristics such as orientation and angle (posture) that make them more vulnerable to wind. However, the overall appearance of the drone changes significantly when cargo is attached, and therefore the aerodynamic performance during flight changes drastically. While the aerodynamic characteristics of the drone itself are understood by the manufacturer, and the payload (the weight of cargo that can be transported) is specified, the shape of cargo varies greatly, making it difficult for the manufacturer to understand everything. For example, consideration of the asymmetrical shape when cargo is attached is insufficient. Also, the cargo to be delivered varies in dimensions, weight, and shape, and the overall shape and center of gravity of the aircraft are not determined until takeoff and landing. As a result, the aerodynamic characteristics differ from those of the drone alone. When the aerodynamic characteristics change, excessive air resistance may be added during flight, resulting in inefficient flight, increased battery consumption, reduced flight distance, and problems such as not being able to achieve the planned flight distance. Furthermore, the drone may experience greater-than-expected aerodynamic forces due to wind conditions during flight, leading to unstable flight attitudes and the problem of unstable flight. In addition, the aerodynamic forces acting on the entire aircraft when carrying cargo may be too great, potentially making flight impossible. Moreover, when drone flight is automated, an even higher level of safety is required. Automated control is expected to be implemented mostly through the digitalization of air traffic control, which necessitates a system that generates a digital model of the cargo carried on the aircraft.

[0052] (1) A flight support device for assisting the flight of an aircraft to which a load is attached, comprising: a flight path acquisition unit for acquiring the flight path of the aircraft; a wind condition acquisition unit for acquiring wind condition information relating to the wind conditions along the flight path; a shape acquisition unit for acquiring shape information relating to the shape of the load attached to the aircraft; a determination unit for determining the orientation of the aircraft using the wind condition information and the shape information of the load; and an output unit for outputting the orientation of the aircraft determined by the determination unit, wherein the determination unit calculates the degree of wind influence on the aircraft for each orientation of the aircraft to which the load is attached, and determines the orientation of the aircraft with the lowest degree of influence.

[0053] (2) A flight support device as described in (1), characterized in that it acquires the flight path, the wind condition information, the aircraft, and another aircraft near the flight path as electronic information, and displays the acquired information.

[0054] (3) The flight support device described in (1), comprising a determination unit that determines the orientation of the aircraft using the shape information of the cargo, and an output unit that outputs the orientation of the aircraft determined by the determination unit, wherein the determination unit determines the orientation of the aircraft using feedback from the output unit.

[0055] (4) The flight support device described in (1), characterized in that it determines whether or not the aircraft is capable of flying using the flight path, the wind condition information, the aircraft, and another aircraft in the vicinity of the flight path.

[0056] According to (1)-(4), the optimal aircraft attitude can be determined by utilizing the aerodynamic information of the aircraft when the cargo is attached to the aircraft. [Explanation of symbols]

[0057] 101: Mobile body, 201: Cargo, 301: Loaded mobile body, 501: Flight support device, 801: Loaded mobile body, 802: Shape sensor, 803: Flight support device, 810: Shape evaluation and determination unit, 811: Loaded mobile body orientation determination unit, 812: Loaded mobile body orientation output unit, 813: Shape acquisition unit, 814: Wind condition acquisition unit, 815: Flight path acquisition unit, 821A: Wind condition sensor, 821B: Weather forecasting company, 822: Shape sensor

Claims

1. A flight support device that assists the flight of a mobile body to which an object is attached, A flight path acquisition unit that acquires the flight path of the aforementioned moving object, A wind condition acquisition unit that acquires wind condition information indicating the wind conditions along the aforementioned flight path, A shape acquisition unit that acquires shape information indicating the shape of the object, A determination unit that determines the orientation of the moving body using the shape information of the object and the wind condition information, An output unit that outputs the orientation of the moving body, A flight support system equipped with the following features.

2. In the flight support device according to claim 1, The aforementioned determination unit, Using the shape information of the object, a priority is determined for each orientation of the moving body. The orientation of the moving body is determined using the orientation of the moving body with the highest priority and the wind condition information. A flight support device characterized by the following features.

3. In the flight support device according to claim 2, The aforementioned determination unit, Using the shape information of the object, the degree of wind influence on the moving body to which the object is attached is calculated for each orientation of the moving body. The smaller the impact, the higher the priority. A flight support device characterized by the following features.

4. In the flight support device according to claim 3, The degree of influence is the projected area of ​​the object and the moving body for each orientation of the moving body. A flight support device characterized by the following features.

5. In the flight support device according to claim 2, The aforementioned determination unit, The priority is determined using the position of the wide portion of the object. A flight support device characterized by the following features.

6. In the flight support device according to claim 5, The priority of the orientation of the moving body in which the wide portion is located to the rear is higher than the priority of the orientation of the moving body in which the wide portion is located to the front. A flight support device characterized by the following features.

7. In the flight support device according to claim 2, The aforementioned determination unit, The priority is determined using the location of the important part of the object. A flight support device characterized by the following features.

8. In the flight support device according to claim 7, The priority of the orientation of the moving body in which the important part is located aft is higher than the priority of the orientation of the moving body in which the important part is located forward. A flight support device characterized by the following features.

9. In the flight support device according to claim 1, An acquisition unit that acquires the aforementioned flight path, the wind condition information, the position and orientation of the moving object, and the position of another moving object near the aforementioned flight path as digitized information, It comprises a display unit that displays the acquired information. A flight support device characterized by the following features.

10. In the flight support device according to claim 1, The unit includes an acquisition unit that acquires the orientation of the moving body from the moving body, The aforementioned determination unit, The orientation of the moving body is adjusted using the orientation of the moving body determined by the determination unit and the orientation of the moving body acquired by the acquisition unit. A flight support device characterized by the following features.

11. In the flight support device according to claim 1, A flight support device characterized in that the aforementioned object is cargo.

12. In the flight support device according to claim 1, The aforementioned object is an accessory, and the flight support device is characterized in that.

13. The flight support device according to claim 1, Equipped with a mobile body, The mobile body is a flight support system that flies based on the orientation of the mobile body determined by the flight support device.

14. The flight support system described in claim 1 is incorporated, A mobile body that flies based on the orientation of the mobile body determined by the flight support device.

15. A flight support method that assists the flight of a mobile body to which an object is attached, A flight path acquisition step for acquiring the flight path of the aforementioned moving object, A wind condition acquisition step, which acquires wind condition information indicating the wind conditions along the aforementioned flight path, A shape acquisition step for acquiring shape information indicating the shape of the object, A determination step of determining the orientation of the moving body using the shape information of the object and the wind condition information, An output step that outputs the orientation of the moving body, A flight assistance method that causes the processor to execute a command.

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