Spraying device for rotorcraft and aerial spraying method

Abstract

To provide a spray device for rotorcrafts capable of appropriately spraying spray objects at a desired position, reducing a risk of drift and spraying without any uneven distribution even at a place such as an edge of a field, and aerial spraying method.SOLUTION: A spray device to be attached to a rotorcraft and used, the spray device includes a storage part 20 for storing spray objects, an impeller 30 for rotatingly driving on the lower part of the storage part 20, and a shielding wall 31. The shielding wall 31 is located laterally outward the impeller 30 and encloses around the whole circumference or substantially whole circumference of the impeller 30. Further, a distance from an outer end of the impeller 30 to an inner face of the shielding wall 31 is 1 mm or more.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a spraying device for a rotorcraft used for spraying a granular agent or other spray material from the air, and also to an aerial spraying method using such a spraying device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, in the field of agriculture, it is widely known to attach a spray agent tank to a helicopter and spray granular pesticides, fertilizers, etc., from the air. An example of such a helicopter spraying device is disclosed in Patent Document 1.

[0003] The spraying device disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a spreading blade driven by a spreading motor, and is structured to supply granular fertilizer from a spreading agent tank to the spreading blade. A cover is provided on the rear side of the spreading blade, and the granular fertilizer is spread in front of the spreading blade.

[0004] In recent years, multicopters, also known as "drones," have become widespread, and proposals have been made to use these multicopters for aerial spraying. For example, Patent Document 2 discloses a multicopter-mounted granule spraying device (hereinafter also simply referred to as a granule spraying device) and an aerial granule spraying method using this granule spraying device.

[0005] The granular agent spreading device of Patent Document 2 is structured to supply granular agents such as medicines and fertilizers from a tank in which the granular agents are stored to a diffusion blade. Plate-shaped diffusion limiting frames are provided in front and behind the diffusion blade, and the granular fertilizer is spread to the outside in the left and right directions of the diffusion blade.

[0006] That is, in aerial spraying using conventional rotorcraft, chemicals, fertilizers, etc. are sprayed radially outward from the diffusion blades. In this case, spraying forward or backward is restricted as necessary, so that chemicals or fertilizers are sprayed only in the desired direction among the radially outward directions of the diffusion blades. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-275877 [Patent Document 2] JP 2018-130064 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] In conventional aerial spraying using rotorcraft, granules are sprayed in a desired direction to a position far away from the rotorcraft. In other words, since the purpose of spraying granules is usually to spread the granules over a wide area, even if the spraying of granules is restricted to directions other than the desired direction among the directions toward the outside in the radial direction of the spreading blade, the granules are sprayed far in the desired direction. For this reason, the granules may fly farther than necessary. For example, there is a problem that the granules are sprayed in places where they are not needed, such as outside the field. In addition, in conventional aerial spraying using rotorcraft, there is a risk that the granules will be sprayed outside the field, so spraying of the granules to places such as the edge (edge) of the field cannot be performed, resulting in uneven spraying. That is, conventional spraying devices (granular agent spraying devices) have room for improvement in terms of accurately spraying an appropriate amount of granular agent at a desired position.

[0009] Therefore, the objective of the present invention is to provide a spraying device for a rotorcraft that can properly spray a spray material at a desired location, reduce the risk of drift, and ensure even spraying even in places such as farm fields. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] One aspect of the present invention for solving the above problems is a spraying device for a rotary-wing aircraft, which is attached to a rotary-wing aircraft and has a storage section for storing a material to be sprayed, an impeller section that rotates below the storage section, and a shielding wall section, wherein the shielding wall section is located on the outer lateral side of the impeller section and surrounds the impeller section all or almost all of the impeller section, and the distance from the outer end of the impeller section to the inner surface of the shielding wall section is 1 mm or more.

[0011] According to this aspect, the material that is radially projected from the impeller section to the side comes into contact with the shielding wall section and falls below it. In other words, the material is not blown far to the side of the impeller section, and the material is not scattered outside the desired range. This allows the material to be evenly distributed evenly even when the material is to be spread over the entire field, including the edge of the field. Here, "substantially the entire circumference" means that tiny gaps through which the scattering material cannot essentially pass are allowed.

[0012] In the above aspect, it is preferable that the shielding wall portion extends vertically or approximately vertically downward.

[0013] According to this aspect, in addition to the case where the rotorcraft performs a spraying operation with no tilt, the spray material can be sprayed over a desired area even when the entire rotorcraft is in a tilted position. Note that "substantially perpendicular" here refers to an angle of exactly 90 degrees as well as an angle with an error of about plus or minus 10 degrees.

[0014] In the above aspect, it is preferable that the material to be dispersed is a granular material, and the distance from the outer end of the impeller section to the inner surface of the shielding wall section is at least one time the long diameter of the material to be dispersed. More preferably, it is 1.5 times or more the major axis of the material to be sprayed (granules).

[0015] According to this aspect, clogging of the scattering material when the scattering material comes into contact with the shielding wall portion and falls can be prevented.

[0016] In the above-mentioned aspect, it is preferable that the impeller section has a supply section to which the material to be scattered is supplied, and when the outer edge portion of the supply section that is closest to the lower end portion of the shielding wall section is taken as a reference portion, the lower end portion of the shielding wall section is extended downwardly by 1 mm or more relative to the reference portion.

[0017] According to this aspect, even if the entire rotorcraft is in an inclined position, the material can be more reliably sprayed over the desired area.

[0018] In the above aspect, it is preferable that the apparent specific gravity of the scattering material is 2.0 or less. The apparent specific gravity of the scattering material is more preferably 1.5 or less, and even more preferably 1.1 or less.

[0019] If the apparent specific gravity is within the above range, the material to be sprayed can be smoothly sprayed from the spraying device, and treatment can be performed within the preferred range. The apparent specific gravity is measured in accordance with the apparent specific gravity specified in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Notification No. 71 of the Physical Properties Test Method, which is described in the Official Pesticide Law.

[0020] In the above aspect, during the spraying operation in which the impeller portion is rotated to spray the material, it is preferable that the rotation speed of the impeller portion is 2000 rpm or less. More preferably, the rotation speed is 1500 rpm or less.

[0021] In this manner, it is possible to prevent the scattering material from bouncing more than necessary when it comes into contact with the shielding wall portion, and to prevent problems such as clogging of the scattering material caused thereby.

[0022] In the above aspect, the rotorcraft is preferably a multicopter.

[0023] The spraying device for rotorcraft of the above-mentioned aspect can move in various directions, such as forward / backward, left / right, and diagonally, when moving horizontally, and is particularly suitable for attachment to a multicopters, which assume an overall tilted attitude when moving horizontally.

[0024] Another aspect of the present invention is an aerial spraying method for spraying a material using a rotorcraft equipped with the above-mentioned spraying device for rotorcraft, characterized in that the aerial spraying method includes the steps of storing the material in the storage section, flying the rotorcraft, and spraying the material from the air.

[0025] In the above-mentioned aspect, the rotorcraft is a multicopter, and a first step is performed in which the multicopter is moved in a predetermined direction to scatter a scattering material, a second step is performed in which the multicopter is moved in a direction intersecting the predetermined direction, and a third step is performed in which the multicopter is moved in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction to scatter the scattering material, and it is more preferable that the multicopter moves while facing in the same direction during the first step, the second step, and the third step.

[0026] In this favorable aspect, aerial spraying in fields can be carried out without the need for the aircraft (multicopter) to move along complex trajectories or make large turns, thereby making it possible to increase the work efficiency of aerial spraying in fields. Effect of the Invention

[0027] According to the present invention, a spraying device for rotorcraft can be provided that can properly spray a spray material at a desired position, reduce the risk of drift, and ensure uniform spraying over an entire field. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0028] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a multicopter with a spraying device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic diagram of the spraying device of FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a bottom view showing a schematic diagram of the spraying device of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 4 is a perspective view showing the spray unit of FIG. 3 as viewed from below. FIG. [Diagram 5]FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the diffusion vane of FIG. 3. [Figure 6] 4 is a partially cutaway side view showing an upper wall portion and a shielding wall portion of the spraying unit of FIG. 3. FIG. [Figure 7] This is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic diagram of a process for aerial spraying of a spray material onto a field using a multicopter equipped with a spraying device according to the embodiment described above. [Figure 8] 2A and 2B are explanatory diagrams showing the postures of each part of the multicopter with a spraying device in FIG. 1 when it moves forward, in which (a) shows the whole from the side, and (b) shows the spraying part with a part cut away. [Figure 9] 2A and 2B are explanatory diagrams showing the postures of each part of the multicopter with a spraying device in FIG. 1 when it moves backward, in which (a) shows the whole from the side, and (b) shows the spraying part with a part cut away. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a state in which the spraying section according to an embodiment different from the embodiment described above is viewed from below. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a model of an experiment to confirm the effects of the present invention, in which (a) shows an experiment in which a material is sprayed from the air using a multicopter equipped with a spraying device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and (b) shows an experiment in which a material is sprayed from the air using a conventional multicopter equipped with a spraying device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0029] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the following embodiment is an example of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these examples. In addition, unless otherwise specified, the front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions will be described based on the posture in Fig. 1, and the tip of the arrow in Fig. 1 will be described as the front.

[0030] As shown in Figure 1, the multicopter 1 with spraying device of this embodiment is formed by attaching a spraying device 3 (a spraying device for rotorcraft) to a multicopter 2 (rotorcraft), and is used for aerial spraying of granules (spraying material) containing pesticide active ingredients, fertilizer ingredients, etc. In addition, the rotorcraft in the present invention is an aircraft that obtains lift and propulsion force by rotors driven by a power unit, and examples of such aircraft include helicopters, gyroplanes, etc. In this embodiment, a multicopter is used as the rotorcraft.

[0031] The multicopter 2 is an unmanned aircraft (aircraft with no people on board) that can be remotely controlled by radio, and as shown in FIG. 1, has a main body 10 and a plurality of rotors 11, each of which is rotated by a motor. Note that the multicopter 2 of this embodiment has six rotors 11, but three or more rotors 11 are sufficient. For convenience of drawing, only some of the rotors 11 are labeled with reference numerals, and the reference numerals for the others are omitted. Also, for other members, reference numerals are omitted for similar members as necessary.

[0032] The main body 10 has an equipment mounting portion 10a, legs 10b, and a rotor support portion 10c. The equipment mounting section 10a is a section located at the center of the multicopter 2 (main body section 10), and is the section where various devices are arranged, such as devices that generate power, such as batteries, and control devices that control various operations of the multicopter 2. The aircraft-side control device that controls the various operations of the multicopter 2 and the spraying device-side control device (control board) that controls the various operations of the spraying device 3 may be integrated or separate. If they are separate, the spraying device-side control device may be built into the spraying device 3.

[0033] The control device of the multicopter 2 (control device on the aircraft side) is equipped with a GPS and a means for communicating with the control device (neither is shown). In other words, the multicopter 2 can recognize the coordinates of its current position using the Global Positioning Satellite System. In addition, the control device (not shown) is provided with a display device that can display a topographical map of the surroundings of the multicopter 2. Furthermore, an altimeter is mounted on the multicopter 2. For the altimeter, a known barometric altimeter, a laser distance sensor, or an ultrasonic sensor can be adopted. The control device communication means (not shown) receives operation signals emitted from a control device (remote control) not shown, and the motors of each rotor 11 are driven based on the operation signals received by the control device communication means, causing the multicopter 2 to rise and fall and move sideways.

[0034] The control device on the spraying device side is also equipped with a control device communication means. Note that if the control device on the aircraft side and the control device on the spraying device side are integrated, it is sufficient to have only one control device communication means. For this reason, in the multicopter 1 with a scattering device of this embodiment, the rotation speed of the diffusion blades 30 (described in detail later, see FIG. 3, etc.) can be changed by remote control based on the operation of the control device by the user (operator). Furthermore, the opening degree of the shutter section (described in detail later, not shown) can be adjusted by remote control based on the operation of the control device. In other words, the opening degree of the supply path that supplies the scattering material to the diffusion blades 30 side can be adjusted. That is, by operating the control device (turning the spraying device 3 ON on the control device), the spraying operation of the material to be sprayed can be started from a state in which the material is not being sprayed. At this time, the spraying device 3 rotates the diffusion blades 30 at a preset rotation speed and performs the spraying operation with the shutter section open at a preset opening. In addition, the device may be provided with a function that allows the rotation speed of the diffusion blades 30 and / or the opening of the shutter section to be changed during the spraying operation by operating the control device.

[0035] The leg portion 10b is a grounding member that is configured by a plurality of leg members 15 (two in this embodiment). The leg members 15 are provided at positions spaced apart in the left-right direction, and each leg member 15 has an extension portion 15a that protrudes downward from the equipment mounting portion 10a, and a grounding portion 15b that is continuous with the lower end of the extension portion 15a. The grounding portion 15b is the portion that comes into contact with the ground when the multicopter 2 lands. The leg member 15 is not limited to being extended downward from the equipment mounting portion 10a, but may be formed to be extended downward from the rotor support portion 10c.

[0036] The rotor support portion 10c is a member that extends radially outward from the equipment mounting portion 10a in a cantilever shape, and serves as an arm member that supports the rotor 11. In this embodiment, the rotor support portion 10c extends horizontally, but may extend obliquely upward or downward. A seat is formed on the free end of the rotor support portion 10c, and the rotor 11 and the motor that drives the rotor 11 are fixed to the seat.

[0037] Next, the spraying device 3, which is a characteristic feature of the present invention, will be described.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 2, the spraying device 3 has, from above, a storage tank 20 (storage section), an intermediate section 21, and a spraying section 22.

[0039] The storage tank 20 is a container for storing materials to be sprayed. Materials to be sprayed can be loaded into the storage tank 20 through an inlet (not shown) provided at the top, and the materials are discharged downward from an outlet (not shown) provided at the bottom.

[0040] The intermediate section 21 is located between the storage tank 20 and the spraying section 22, and has a supply pipe section (not shown) that is continuous with the outlet of the storage tank 20 and forms a supply path for the material to be sprayed. It also has a blade drive motor (not shown) that rotates the diffusion blades 30 (impeller section, see Figures 4 and 5) described later.

[0041] As shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, the spraying section 22 has a diffusion blade 30 (see Figure 3, etc.), a shielding wall section 31 arranged to surround the entire circumference of the diffusion blade 30, and a flat upper wall section 32 located above the diffusion blade 30.

[0042] As shown in Figure 5, the diffusion blade 30 has an axial tube portion 40 extending in the vertical direction and serving as a rotation axis, a plate-like flat portion 41 having a thickness in the vertical direction, and a blade portion 42 formed to protrude upward from the upper surface of the flat portion 41.

[0043] The shaft cylinder portion 40 is a substantially cylindrical portion extending upward from the center of rotation of the flat plate portion 41, and is a portion into which the shaft portion of the blade drive motor (not shown) can be fitted. The flat plate portion 41 is a disk-shaped portion, and serves as a base portion on which a plurality of blade portions 42 are provided. The blade portion 42 is a vertical plate-like portion that becomes a blade plate, and has a substantially trapezoidal shape in a plan view with the thickness direction as the line of sight. In this embodiment, the diffusion blade 30 has a plurality of blade portions 42, and the plurality of blade portions 42 are arranged in parallel at intervals in the rotation direction of the diffusion blade 30.

[0044] Each of the blades 42 extends from the center of rotation of the diffusion vane 30 toward an edge portion (peripheral portion). That is, the blades 42 extend radially from the center of rotation of the diffusion vane 30. The thickness direction of the blades 42 is perpendicular to both the protruding direction (vertical direction) of the blades 42 and the extending direction of the blades 42 (the radial direction of the rotation of the diffusion vane 30).

[0045] As shown in FIG. 4, the shielding wall portion 31 has a first shielding wall 45 located on the front side and a second shielding wall 46 located on the rear side. The first shielding wall 45 is detachably attached to the upper wall portion 32 via a temporary fastening element. Note that the "temporary fastening element" is a type of fastening element that can be removed in principle without being destroyed, such as a screw or a bolt. The first shielding wall 45 may be attached to and detached from the upper wall portion 32. For example, the first shielding wall 45 and the upper wall portion 32 may each be provided with an engagement portion (for example, a protrusion portion and a hole portion) that engage with each other.

[0046] 3 and 4, the first shielding wall 45 is a member made of resin and extending in an arc shape in a plan view to form a standing wall. In detail, the first shielding wall 45 has two mounting parts 45a located at both ends in the length direction, and a wall main body part 45b extending between the two mounting parts 45a.

[0047] The outer peripheral surface of the first shielding wall 45 has an end portion in the longitudinal direction where the mounting portion 45a is formed, which is raised outward from the other portions. The raised portion formed on the outer peripheral surface has a rounded shape. The mounting portion 45a is provided with a mounting hole in which a mounting member such as a bolt or nut can be disposed inside. This hole has an opening at the lower end portion and extends upward.

[0048] 4 and 6, the first shielding wall 45 is attached with its upper surface in close contact with the lower surface of the upper wall portion 32 without any gap. The first shielding wall 45 forms an upright wall portion extending vertically (or approximately vertically) from the lower surface of the upper wall portion 32. In other words, the height direction of the first shielding wall 45 is vertical (or approximately vertical) to the horizontal plane. Note that there may be a minute gap between the upper surface of the first shielding wall 45 and the lower surface of the upper wall portion 32, which is small enough that the scattering material cannot pass through. In other words, it is sufficient that the upper surface of the first shielding wall 45 and the lower surface of the upper wall portion 32 are in close contact or nearly in close contact with each other.

[0049] As shown in Figures 2, 4, 6, etc., the second shielding wall 46 is a resin wall portion formed integrally with the lower surface of the upper wall portion 32, and is a wall portion that hangs down from the upper wall portion 32 and extends in an arc shape. This second shielding wall 46 protrudes vertically (or approximately vertically) from the lower surface of the upper wall portion 32. In other words, the second shielding wall 46 extends vertically (or approximately vertically) to the lower surface of the upper wall portion 32 in the height direction, and is a standing wall portion that extends in an arc shape in a plan view. In addition, the second shielding wall 46 is continuous with the upper wall portion 32 without any gaps.

[0050] 3 and 4, one end of the first shielding wall 45 in the longitudinal direction and one end of the second shielding wall 46 in the longitudinal direction are disposed adjacent to each other. The other end of the first shielding wall 45 in the longitudinal direction and the other end of the second shielding wall 46 in the longitudinal direction are disposed adjacent to each other. As a result, the first shielding wall 45 and the second shielding wall 46 form a wall portion that extends in an annular shape. In addition, in the boundary portion between the first shielding wall 45 and the second shielding wall 46 in the circumferential direction of the shielding wall portion 31, the first shielding wall 45 and the second shielding wall 46 are in close contact or almost in close contact with each other without any gaps. Here, "almost in close contact" refers to a state in which a minute gap is formed so that the scattering material cannot substantially pass through.

[0051] In other words, the shielding wall portion 31 is a standing wall portion that extends in an annular shape in a plan view, and extends perpendicular or approximately perpendicular to the lower surface of the upper wall portion 32 in the height direction. The shielding wall portion 31 is located outside (radially outside) the diffusion vane 30, and surrounds the entire circumference of the diffusion vane 30. In other words, the diffusion vane 30 is disposed in an intra-wall space 47 surrounded by the shielding wall portion 31, the upper most part of which is blocked by the upper wall portion 32.

[0052] Furthermore, the wall main body portion 45b of the first shielding wall 45 may be a vertical wall portion that is thicker than the second shielding wall 46, and in this embodiment, is a wall that is approximately 1.3 mm thick. In addition, the term "degree" here includes an error of a few percent, and the same applies to similar descriptions below.

[0053] 2 and 3, the upper wall portion 32 is a flat plate-like portion whose thickness direction is the up-down direction. The upper wall portion 32 has a sector-shaped portion 32a that is substantially sector-shaped in a plan view. A part of the sector-shaped portion 32a protrudes in a cantilever manner forward from the shielding wall portion 31, and a part of the sector-shaped portion 32a is located above the first shielding wall 45. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the portion extending from the rear left (lower left in FIG. 3), through the front (upper in FIG. 3), to the front right (upper right in FIG. 3) is in a protruding state.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 6, the upper wall portion 32 is provided with an axial hole forming portion 50 penetrating the upper wall portion 32 in the thickness direction, and a scattering material supply port 51 (see FIG. 3).

[0055] The axial hole forming portion 50 is a hole in which the axial cylinder portion 40 of the diffusion vane 30 can be rotatably disposed, and is a hole that communicates with the outside and the intra-wall space 47. That is, the upper part of the intra-wall space 47 is closed by the upper wall portion 32 except for the part where the axial hole forming portion 50 is formed.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 3, the scattering material supply port 51 is provided above the diffusion blade 30, and is a portion through which the scattering material passes when the scattering material is supplied to the intra-wall space 47.

[0057] This scattering material supply port 51 is a portion that is continuous with the supply pipe section (not shown) in the above-mentioned intermediate section 21 (see FIG. 2, etc.). That is, the scattering device 3 of this embodiment has a supply path of the scattering material that runs from the inside of the storage tank 20 through the supply pipe section to the scattering material supply port 51. This supply path is provided with a shutter section (not shown) that adjusts the opening degree of the supply path.

[0058] The shutter section (not shown) is an opening adjustment means that is powered by a drive device (not shown) and can be automatically opened and closed by remote control. By adjusting the opening, the amount of material to be spread into the wall space 47 can be adjusted. Specifically, the opening can be adjusted in stages between a fully open state (100% opening) and a fully closed state (0% opening). For example, the shutter can be opened one-third of the fully open state or two-thirds of the fully open state. In the fully closed state, the upstream and downstream sides of the supply path are separated, and no material is supplied to the wall space 47.

[0059] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the upper end portion of the shielding wall portion 31 is located above the upper end portion of the blade portion 42. Specifically, the length L1 from the upper end of the shielding wall portion 31 (the lower surface of the upper wall portion 32) to the upper end of the blade portion 42 is preferably 1 mm or more and 50 mm or less, more preferably 1 mm or more and 30 mm or less, and even more preferably 3 mm or more and 15 mm or less. In this embodiment, it is about 7 mm. In addition, this length (distance) L1 is formed to be 1 time or more, preferably 1 time or more and 10 times or less, more preferably 1.5 times or more and 10 times or less, and even more preferably 1.5 times or more and 8 times or less of the major axis of the scattering material (granules). If it is within this range, the scattering material (granules) can be uniformly scattered without being clogged between the blade portion 42 and the upper wall portion 32.

[0060] When the portion of the peripheral portion (the portion that is the radially outer end portion, that is, the outer edge portion) of the upper surface 41a (supply portion) of the flat plate portion 41 that is closest to the lower end portion of the shielding wall portion 31 is set as the reference portion, the lower end portion of the shielding wall portion 31 is extended downward from the reference portion. Specifically, the lower end of the shielding wall portion 31 is extended downward from the reference portion and is formed so as to be located above the lower end of the leg portion 10b (see FIG. 1).

[0061] Here, the distance L3 from the reference portion to the lower end portion of the shielding wall portion 31 is 0 mm or more, preferably 0.5 mm or more, more preferably 1 mm or more, and further preferably 3 mm or more. In this embodiment, it is about 6 mm. Note that the "distance L3 from the reference portion to the lower end portion of the shielding wall portion 31" referred to here is the extension length from a position on the shielding wall portion 31 that is at the same height as the reference portion (the portion that is at the same position in the vertical direction) to the lower end portion, and is also the length of the portion that extends downward from the reference portion.

[0062] Here, in the scattering device 3 of this embodiment, when performing an operation of scattering a scattering material, the scattering material is supplied from the scattering material supply port 51 to the upper surface 41a of the flat plate-shaped portion 41 of the rotating diffusion blade 30, and then the scattering material flies out (is released) from the upper surface 41a toward the inner surface of the shielding wall portion 31. Then, the scattering material that abuts against the inner surface of the shielding wall portion 31 falls downward. In this embodiment, the peripheral portion of the upper surface 41a of the flat plate portion 41 is disposed at the same height. That is, the portion (reference portion) closest to the lower end portion of the shielding wall portion 31 is any part of the peripheral portion.

[0063] In this embodiment, the lower surface of the diffusion vane 30 is formed such that the radially outer portion is higher than the radially inner portion. In this embodiment, the distance L2 from the lower end portion (the lowest portion) of the diffusion vane 30 to the lower end portion of the shielding wall portion 31 is about 3 mm. In addition, the "distance L2 from the lower end portion of the diffusion blade 30 to the lower end portion of the shielding wall portion 31" referred to here is the extension length from a position on the shielding wall portion 31 that is at the same height as the lower end portion of the diffusion blade 30 to the lower end portion, and is also the length of the portion that extends downward from the lower end portion of the diffusion blade 30.

[0064] The distance from the diffusion vane 30 to the shielding wall 31, i.e., the distance L6 (see FIG. 3) from the outer end of the diffusion vane 30 to the inner surface of the shielding wall 31, is preferably 1 mm or more and 50 mm or less, more preferably 1 mm or more and 30 mm or less, and further preferably 3 mm or more and 15 mm or less. In this embodiment, it is about 7 mm. Furthermore, this distance L6 is formed to be at least 1 time the major axis of the scattering material (granules), preferably 1 to 10 times, more preferably 1.5 to 10 times, and even more preferably 1.5 to 8 times. If it is within this range, clogging of the scattering material (granules) when it comes into contact with the shielding wall and falls can be prevented, and the scattering material (granules) can be brought into contact with the shielding wall and scattered downward. Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the inner diameter of the shielding wall portion 31 is L4, the diameter L5 of the flat plate portion 41 is set to be equal to or greater than 0.6×L4 and equal to or less than 0.95×L4.

[0065] The multicopter 1 with a spraying device of this embodiment can be used in situations where granules are sprayed by aerial spraying using a conventional rotorcraft, and can be used in places such as farm fields (paddy fields, farmland, orchards, pastures, etc.), lawns, non-agricultural land, etc. A method of spraying a spray material when spraying a spray material in aerial spraying to a farm field A using the multicopter 1 with a spraying device of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIG. In the following description, one short side of field A is referred to as first short side 55, and the other short side is referred to as second short side 56. In addition, in Fig. 7, the flight path of multicopter 1 with a spraying device is indicated by arrows, with solid arrows indicating flying while performing spraying operations, and dotted arrows indicating flying without performing spraying operations.

[0066] When spraying the material, as shown in Figure 7, the multicopter 1 with a spraying device is flown along the long side of the field A. At this time, the multicopter 1 with a spraying device is moved from the first short side 55 side toward the second short side 56 side, and aerial spraying begins near the first short side 55 of the field A.

[0067] At this time, the spraying device-equipped multicopter 1 is moved forward (with its front facing toward second short side 56) to spray the material (first step). Then, the spraying device-equipped multicopter 1 is moved along the short side of field A (second step). At this time, the spraying device-equipped multicopter 1 is moved with its front facing toward second short side 56, and the material is not sprayed.

[0068] Next, the multicopter 1 with a spraying device is moved along the long side of the field A. That is, it is moved from the second short side 56 side toward the first short side 55 side. At this time, the spraying material is sprayed while the multicopter 1 with a spraying device is moved backward (third step). That is, the multicopter 1 with a spraying device is moved with its front facing the second short side 56 side.

[0069] Similarly, while moving the multicopter 1 with a spraying device with its front facing the second short side 56, it repeatedly moves along the short side of the field A and along the long side of the field A. In this case, the multicopter 1 with a spraying device moves while maintaining its position facing the same direction (the second short side 56).

[0070] As described above, in the aerial spraying using the multicopter 1 with a spraying device, it is assumed that the material to be sprayed is sprayed while the multicopter 1 with a spraying device is moved forward, or while the material is sprayed while moving backward. In other words, it is assumed that the material to be sprayed is sprayed while the multicopter 1 with a spraying device is moved horizontally. The multicopter 1 with a spraying device of this embodiment, which will be described in detail later, is capable of preventing the material to be sprayed outside the desired range and of spraying the material to an appropriate position. Therefore, even if the material to be sprayed is sprayed around the short side of the field A, it is possible to prevent the material from being sprayed on the ridges or other fields adjacent to the field A. Therefore, by performing aerial spraying as described above, the material to be sprayed can be sprayed evenly over the entire field A. It is also possible that when performing aerial spraying, the spraying material is not sprayed around the short sides of field A, but rather at a location away from the short sides of field A. In other words, when performing aerial spraying as described above, this is a method in which spraying of the spraying material is not performed when multicopter 1 with a spraying device is moved forward or backward around the short sides of field A. Furthermore, when performing aerial spraying, it is also possible to move the multicopter 1 sideways while spraying the material.

[0071] Here, for example, when the multicopter 1 with a spraying device moves forward, the multicopter 1 with a spraying device assumes an inclined attitude as shown in Fig. 8. That is, the whole is inclined at a predetermined angle θ (for example, 5 degrees or 10 degrees) with respect to the horizontal plane, and assumes a forward-leaning attitude, that is, an attitude in which the front side lowers and the rear side rises with respect to the center in the fore-and-aft direction. As described above, in the spraying device 3 of this embodiment, the shielding wall portion 31 is perpendicular to the upper wall portion 32, and the length of the portion extending downward from the diffusion blade 30 is sufficiently long as described above. The diffusion blade 30 is surrounded by such a shielding wall portion 31. Therefore, even when spraying in such a position, the material to be sprayed will abut against the inner surface of the shielding wall portion 31 and fall to the lower side. This prevents the material to be sprayed from being sprayed farther than necessary, and prevents the material from being sprayed outside the desired range.

[0072] Also, when the multicopter 1 with a spraying device moves backward, the multicopter 1 with a spraying device assumes an inclined attitude, as shown in Fig. 9. In detail, the whole is inclined at a predetermined angle θ with respect to the horizontal plane, and is in a backward-tilted attitude, that is, the front side rises and the rear side falls with respect to the center in the fore-and-aft direction. Even in such an attitude, the material to be sprayed is not sprayed unnecessarily far away, and it is possible to prevent the material from being sprayed outside the desired range. In other words, when the multicopter 1 with the spraying device is moved in various horizontal directions, such as forward or backward, the material can be sprayed over the desired area regardless of the direction in which the material is sprayed while moving. As described above, the spraying device 3 of this embodiment has a continuous shielding wall portion 31 in a ring shape, so that regardless of the direction in which the multicopter 1 with the spraying device moves horizontally, the spraying operation performed while moving can prevent the material to be sprayed from being sprayed outside the desired range.

[0073] In the above-mentioned scattering operation, the rotation speed of the diffusion blade 30 is preferably 50 rpm or more, more preferably 50 rpm or more and 2000 rpm or less, and even more preferably 100 rpm or more and 1500 rpm or less. By setting it within this range, the required amount of scattering material can be scattered within a specified time, and the occurrence of problems such as excessive rebound when the scattering material hits the shielding wall and clogging of the scattering material caused by it can be suppressed.

[0074] Examples of the material to be spread include granules and rice seeds. In the present invention, it is preferable to use granules. The granules of this embodiment preferably have an apparent specific gravity of 2.0 or less, more preferably 0.3 to 1.5, and even more preferably 0.3 to 1.1. If the specific gravity is within this range, the granules can be smoothly spread from the spreading device, and treatment can be performed within a preferred range. Furthermore, if the granules are capable of floating on the water surface and have self-diffusing properties, and have an apparent specific gravity of 0.3 to 0.8, they can be dispersed over the entire water surface with a small amount of spraying even in this embodiment in which the granules are sprayed downward. This allows efficient spraying even over a short distance.

[0075] Granules contain, chemically, an agrochemically active ingredient (active ingredient) and preferably also contain a flotation aid and / or a bulking agent.

[0076] The agricultural chemical active ingredient contained in the granules is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include various conventionally known herbicidal active ingredients, plant growth regulating active ingredients, fungicidal active ingredients, insecticidal active ingredients, etc. The content of the agricultural chemical active ingredient contained in the granules is preferably 0.1% by weight to 80% by weight, more preferably 0.5% by weight to 70% by weight, and even more preferably 1% by weight to 50% by weight, based on 100% by weight of the granules.

[0077] In addition, granules containing a fertilizer component may be used instead of granules containing a pesticide active ingredient, granules containing a pesticide active ingredient and granules containing a fertilizer component may be used in combination, or granules containing both a pesticide active ingredient and a fertilizer component may be used.

[0078] The floating aid means a substance whose apparent specific gravity is less than 1 and which is added to reduce the apparent specific gravity of the granules so that they float on the water surface. The floating aids contained in the granules include inorganic floating aids and organic floating aids, and examples of the inorganic floating aids include glass microhollow bodies, expanded whitebait, expanded pumice, and expanded perlite. Examples of the organic floating aids include expanded synthetic resins (including plastic microhollow bodies), synthetic resin powders such as polyethylene powder and polypropylene powder, paraffin wax, waxy substances derived from animals and plants, cork, and wood powder. Among these, glass microhollow bodies, expanded whitebait, and plastic microhollow bodies are preferred, and glass microhollow bodies and plastic microhollow bodies are particularly preferred.

[0079] The glass micro hollow bodies are hollow particles whose shell material is so-called glass, mainly composed of silicon dioxide (SiO2) and containing alkali metal oxides such as Na2O, other alkaline earth metal oxides, boric acid, etc. The particle size of the glass micro hollow bodies is usually 16 μm to 65 μm, and the particle size here refers to the particle size at which the cumulative frequency is 50% in the volume-based frequency distribution, and can be measured by a laser diffraction scattering type particle size distribution measuring device. An example of a commercially available glass micro hollow body is Glass Bubbles (manufactured by Sumitomo 3M Limited).

[0080] Plastic micro-hollow bodies are hollow particles whose shell is made of a thermoplastic resin, and are also called plastic micro-balloons. As the thermoplastic resin, vinylidene chloride copolymers, acrylonitrile copolymers, acrylic acid ester copolymers, etc. are usually used. The particle size of the plastic micro-hollow bodies is usually 5 μm to 130 μm, and the particle size here refers to the particle size that is 50% of the cumulative frequency in the volume-based frequency distribution, and can be measured by a laser diffraction scattering type particle size distribution measuring device. An example of a commercially available plastic micro-hollow body is Matsumoto Microsphere F-30E (a mixture of 10% by weight of plastic micro-hollow bodies whose shell is made of vinylidene chloride-acrylonitrile copolymer and 90% by weight of water, manufactured by Matsumoto Yushi Seiyaku Co., Ltd.).

[0081] When the granules contain a floating aid, the content thereof is preferably 0.5% by weight to 80% by weight, and more preferably 1% by weight to 50% by weight, relative to 100% by weight of the granules.

[0082] As the bulking agent, a solid carrier can be used, for example, water-soluble carriers such as organic acids (citric acid, succinic acid, maleic acid, etc.) or their salts, urea and sugars [lactose (milk sugar), glucose, sucrose, etc.], vegetable powders (soybean powder, tobacco powder, wheat flour, wood powder, etc.), mineral or inorganic powders (kaolin, bentonite, acid clay, clay, etc., talc, such as talc powder, rosewood powder, diatomaceous earth, silica, such as mica powder, alumina, sulfur powder, activated carbon, potassium chloride, ammonium sulfate, sodium hydrogen carbonate, sodium sulfate, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, etc.), and one or more bulking agents selected from the group consisting of bentonite and calcium carbonate are particularly preferred. When the granules contain a bulking agent, the content thereof is preferably 5% by weight to 90% by weight, more preferably 10% by weight to 90% by weight, based on 100% by weight of the granules.

[0083] The granules may further contain a formulation auxiliary. Examples of such formulation auxiliary include a binder, a stabilizer, a coloring agent, and a flavoring agent. When the granules contain a formulation auxiliary, the content thereof is preferably 0.01% by weight to 30% by weight, more preferably 0.1% by weight to 20% by weight, based on 100% by weight of the granules.

[0084] Examples of the binder include water-soluble polymers such as salts of carboxymethylcellulose (such as sodium salts), polyvinyl alcohol or derivatives thereof, sodium alginate, xanthan gum, and gum arabic. Among these, salts of carboxymethylcellulose (such as sodium salts) are particularly preferred.

[0085] Examples of the stabilizer include phenol antioxidants, amine antioxidants, phosphorus antioxidants, sulfur antioxidants, ultraviolet absorbers, epoxidized vegetable oils such as epoxidized soybean oil, epoxidized linseed oil, and epoxidized rapeseed oil, isopropyl acid phosphate, liquid paraffin, and ethylene glycol.

[0086] Examples of colorants include rhodamines such as rhodamine B and solar rhodamine, pigments such as Yellow No. 4, Blue No. 1, and Red No. 2, and examples of fragrances include ester fragrances such as ethyl acetoacetate, ethyl enanthate, ethyl cinnamate, and isoamyl acetate, organic acid fragrances such as caproic acid and cinnamic acid, alcohol fragrances such as cinnamic alcohol, geraniol, citral, and decyl alcohol, aldehydes such as vanillin, piperonal, and perillaldehyde, ketone fragrances such as maltol and methyl β-naphthyl ketone, and menthol.

[0087] In the above embodiment, the first shielding wall 45 is detachable from the upper wall portion 32, and the second shielding wall 46 is integrally formed with the lower surface of the upper wall portion 32, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the second shielding wall 46 may be detachable from the upper wall portion 32, similar to the above-described first shielding wall 45. In this case, the second shielding wall may be attached in a state of close or nearly close contact with the lower surface of the upper wall portion 32, and a minute gap may be formed between the second shielding wall and the upper wall portion 32 so that the material to be spread (granular agent) cannot substantially pass through. Conversely, the first shielding wall may be formed integrally with the upper wall portion 32.

[0088] In the above embodiment, the first shielding wall 45 and the second shielding wall 46 are made of resin, but one or both of them may be made of metal. The materials of the first shielding wall 45 and the second shielding wall 46 may be the same or different. In the above embodiment, the first shielding wall 45 and the second shielding wall 46 have different thicknesses, but they may have the same thickness. Further, in the above embodiment, both the first shielding wall 45 and the second shielding wall 46 are formed to have an arc shape in a plan view, but, for example, one or both of them may have a shape that is substantially U-shaped in a plan view. In other words, it is sufficient that the shielding wall portion formed by combining the first shielding wall and the second shielding wall has a shape that surrounds the diffusion vane 30 on all four sides at a position away from the diffusion vane 30.

[0089] In addition, the shielding wall portion is not limited to being formed by combining the first shielding wall and the second shielding wall, and may be, for example, a shielding wall portion 131 continuous in a circular ring shape as shown in FIG. 10. That is, the first shielding wall and the second shielding wall may be integrally formed. This shielding wall portion 131 may have a uniform thickness over the entire circumference, or may have two or more portions with different thicknesses. Also, the shielding wall portion 131 may be formed integrally with the lower surface of the upper wall portion 132, and may be detachable. In addition, when it is detachable, it is sufficient to attach it in a state in which it is in close contact or almost in close contact with the lower surface of the upper wall portion 132, and a minute gap may be formed between the upper wall portion 132 and the shielding wall portion 131 to such an extent that the scattering material (granular agent) cannot substantially pass through. This shielding wall portion 131 is also not limited to being circular, and may be formed, for example, in a square ring shape. That is, it is sufficient that the shielding wall portion 131 has a shape that surrounds all four sides of the diffusion blade 30 at a position away from the diffusion blade 30. The upper wall portion is not limited to the shape of the upper wall portion 32 described above, and may be substantially disc-shaped like the upper wall portion 132 (see FIG. 10), or may be formed so that the shape in plan view is substantially polygonal (not shown). Alternatively, the upper wall portion may be formed to have a suitable shape such as a substantially oval shape in plan view. The upper wall portion may or may not have a portion that protrudes outward from the shielding wall portion.

[0090] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the shielding wall portion 31 is structured to be formed of two members, the first shielding wall 45 and the second shielding wall 46, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the shielding wall portion may be formed by combining three or more members. In this case, at least a portion in the circumferential direction, such as the front, rear, side, or a portion between these, may be detachable from the upper wall portion, or detachable portions may be provided in multiple places.

[0091] In the above embodiment, when the diffusion vane 30 is arranged in a posture (hereinafter also referred to as a basic posture) in which the rotation axis of the diffusion vane 30 is perpendicular to the horizontal plane (see FIG. 6), the diffusion vane 30 is formed so that the height is uniform over the entire peripheral portion of the upper surface 41a. However, the present invention is not limited to this. When the diffusion vane is placed in the basic position, the base portion of the diffusion vane may be formed so that a part of the edge portion is located higher than the other portion. In this case, the portion closest to the lower end portion of the shielding wall portion 31 (reference portion) is the portion located at the lowest position on the upper surface of the peripheral portion. In other words, it is the lowest portion of the part from which the diffusion vane comes out.

[0092] Next, the "major diameter" of the above-mentioned scattering material (granules) will be explained in detail. The "major axis" here is the same as the general definition in the powder-related field, where the minor axis is the smallest distance between two parallel lines when the vertical projection of a particle placed on a horizontal surface in the most stable position is sandwiched between two parallel lines while changing direction, and the "distance between the parallel lines measured at right angles to the minor axis." For the definition of this "major axis," see "Introduction to Particle and Powder Engineering" (Authors: Junichiro Tsubaki, Michitaka Suzuki, Yoshiteru Kanda, Publisher: Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun). In addition, if the granules are spherical, the major axis is the diameter.

[0093] The major axis in the above-mentioned "X times the major axis" is calculated according to the following procedure. In the first step, 50 g of granules are sieved through a mesh sieve with an inner diameter of 200 mm and a depth of 45 mm as specified in JIS Z 8801 (mesh openings: 150 μm, 180 μm, 212 μm, 250 μm, 300 μm, 355 μm, 425 μm, 500 μm, 710 μm, 850 μm, 1180 μm, 1400 μm, 1700 μm, 2000 μm, 2360 μm, 2800 μm, 3350 μm, 4000 μm, 4750 μm, 5600 μm, 6000 μm, 7000 μm, 8500 μm, 9000 μm, 10000 μm, 11000 μm, 12000 μm, 13000 μm, 14000 μm, 15000 μm, 16000 μm, 170 ...18000 μm, 19000 μm, 20000 μm, 22000 μm, The powder is sieved for 3 minutes using a sieving machine (low tap type sieving machine, shaking frequency 290 rpm, stroke number 156 tpm) using sieves of different sizes (700 μm, 8000 μm, 9500 μm, 11.2 mm, 13.2 mm, 16 mm, 19 mm, 22.4 mm, 26.5 mm, 31.5 mm, 37.5 mm, 45 mm, 53 mm, 63 mm, 75 mm, 95 mm, 106 mm and 125 mm). Next, in the second step, the weight of the sample (granules) remaining on each sieve is measured. Furthermore, in the third step, ten grains are randomly selected from the sample that was left on the sieve with the heaviest weight in the second step, and their major diameters are measured. In the fourth step, the average length of the 10 grain samples taken in the third step is calculated. Then, the average value of the major axis calculated in the fourth step is regarded as the "major axis" of the granule. In addition, if the granules are spherical, the maximum value of the long diameter of the 10 samples taken in the third step shall be regarded as the "long diameter" of the granules.

[0094] In addition, the above-mentioned "tiny gaps through which the scattering material cannot substantially pass" may be gaps that are 1 / 10 or less of the average short diameter of the 10 grain samples taken in the first to third steps described above. [Experimental Example]

[0095] Experiments conducted to confirm the effects of the present invention will now be described. [Example 1]

[0096] As Example 1, a spraying device conforming to the spraying device 3 of the above embodiment was attached to a conventional agricultural multicopter (AC-940D manufactured by enRoute) that is commercially available, and the spraying material was sprayed. The spraying device used had a storage section for storing the sprayed material (granular agent), an impeller section that rotates and drives below the storage section, and a shielding wall section. The shielding wall section was located on the lateral outer side of the impeller section and surrounded the entire periphery of the impeller section. Furthermore, the distance from the outer end of the impeller section to the inner surface of the shielding wall section (the distance corresponding to the distance L6 in the above embodiment) was 7 mm. The shielding wall section was extended vertically downward. Furthermore, the impeller section had a supply section to which the sprayed material was supplied, and when the outer edge part of the supply section that was closest to the lower end part of the shielding wall section was set as the reference part, the lower end part of the shielding wall section was extended 6 mm downward from the reference part. In detail, as shown in Figure 11(a), when the multicopter was in a horizontal position in which the above-mentioned specified angle θ (see Figure 8, etc.) was 0 degrees, the position where the distance LA from the ground to the bottom end of the spraying device was 1.75 m was determined as the multicopter's position. Six recovery pots were placed on the ground. The recovery pots were seedling boxes measuring 30 cm in length and 60 cm in width with filter paper placed on top. The pots were placed so that the left-right direction in Figure 11(a) (front-back direction of the machine body) was the vertical direction of the recovery pots, and the depth direction in Figure 11(a) was the horizontal direction of the recovery pots. Specifically, the point directly below the scattering material supply port of the multicopter in a horizontal position was set as the reference point (reference symbol P in Fig. 11), and one recovery pot was placed on the reference point. Three recovery pots were placed at 1m intervals in positions away from this recovery pot in front of the multicopter's body. Two recovery pots were placed at 1m intervals in positions away from the recovery pot on the reference point in the rear of the multicopter's body. The location of the recovery pot on the reference point was set to 0m, and the locations of the three recovery pots located in front of the recovery pot on the reference point were set to 1m, 2m, and 3m, respectively, in order of proximity to the recovery pot on the reference point.The locations of the two recovery pots located behind the recovery pot on the reference point were set to -1m and -2m, respectively, in order of proximity to the recovery pot on the reference point. Then, five spraying operations were carried out while changing the attitude of the multicopter placed in the deployment position. To explain in detail, first, the multicopter performed the spraying operation in an attitude where the aircraft angle was 0 degrees. Note that the "attitude where the aircraft angle is 0 degrees" is the horizontal attitude described above. Second, the multicopter was placed in a position where the aircraft angle was 5 degrees. Note that the "position where the aircraft angle is 5 degrees" refers to an attitude where the front side rises and the rear side falls with respect to the center of the fore-and-aft direction, and the predetermined angle θ in Figure 9 is 5 degrees. Third, the multicopter was placed in a position where the aircraft angle was 10 degrees. Note that the "position where the aircraft angle is 10 degrees" refers to an attitude where the front side rises and the rear side falls with respect to the center of the fore-and-aft direction, and the predetermined angle θ in Figure 9 is 10 degrees. Fourth, the multicopter was placed in a position where the aircraft angle was -5 degrees, and the spraying operation was performed. Note that the "position where the aircraft angle is -5 degrees" refers to a position where the front side is lowered and the rear side is raised with respect to the center of the fore-and-aft direction, and the specified angle θ in Figure 8 is 5 degrees. Fifth, the multicopter was placed in a position where the aircraft angle was -10 degrees to perform the spraying operation. Note that the "position where the aircraft angle is -10 degrees" refers to a position where the front side is lowered and the rear side is raised with respect to the center of the fore-and-aft direction, and the specified angle θ in Figure 8 is 10 degrees. All five spraying operations were carried out under the following conditions (1) to (4). Each spraying operation started with each recovery pot being empty, with no material to be sprayed placed on it. Then, after each spraying operation was completed, the material to be sprayed (granules) on each recovery pot was collected, and the weight (g) of the material on each recovery pot was measured. Furthermore, the total weight of the material collected from each recovery pot was set to 100%, and the weight percentage of the material collected from each recovery pot was calculated. These results are shown in Table 1 below. (1) Cylindrical granules with an apparent specific gravity of 0.4 and a long diameter of 4.0 mm were used as the material to be spread (the distance from the outer end of the impeller to the inner surface of the shielding wall was 7 / 4 times the long diameter of the material to be spread). (2) The shutter opening was set to 100 percent. (3) The rotation speed of the diffusion blade was set to 1300 rpm. (4) The execution time of the spraying operation was set to 23 seconds.

[0097] [Table 1] [Comparative Example 1]

[0098] As Comparative Example 1, a commercially available granular agent sprayer (enRoute's ZIN700P) was attached to a commercially available conventional agricultural multicopter (enRoute's AC-940D) to spray the material. The granular agent sprayer used had a vertical wall-like portion located rearward away from the diffusion blade. This vertical wall-like portion was formed to cover only a portion of the impeller part of the sprayer at a rearward distance, and was different from the shielding wall part of Example 1. Then, as shown in Figure 11(b), when the multicopter was in a horizontal position, the multicopter was positioned such that the distance LB from the ground to the bottom end of the spraying device was 1.75 m, as in Example 1. In addition, five recovery pots were placed on the ground. Each recovery pot was the same as in Example 1. As in Example 1, the left-right direction in Fig. 11(b) (front-rear direction of the aircraft) was the vertical direction of the recovery pot, and the depth direction in Fig. 11(b) was the horizontal direction of the recovery pot. In Comparative Example 1, the point directly below the scattering material supply port of the multicopter in a horizontal position was set as the reference point (reference symbol P2 in FIG. 11), and one recovery pot was placed 1 m ahead of the multicopter from the reference point. Four recovery pots were then placed at 1 m intervals further ahead of the multicopter from this recovery pot. The locations of the recovery pots were set at 1m, 2m, 3m, 4m, and 5m in order of proximity to the reference point. Then, five spraying operations were performed while changing the attitude of the multicopter placed at the placement position. The attitude of the multicopter during the spraying operation was performed with the aircraft angle of 0 degrees, 5 degrees, 10 degrees, -5 degrees, and -10 degrees, as in Example 1. The five spraying operations were all carried out under the following conditions (1) to (4), as in Example 1. Each spraying operation was started when each recovery pot was empty, with no material to be sprayed placed on it. Then, after each spraying operation was completed, the material to be sprayed (granules) on each recovery pot was collected, and the weight (g) of the material to be sprayed on each recovery pot was measured. Furthermore, the total weight of the material to be sprayed collected from each recovery pot was set to 100%, and the weight ratio of the material to be sprayed collected from each recovery pot was calculated. These results are shown in Table 2 below. (1) Cylindrical granules with an apparent specific gravity of 0.4 and a major axis of 4.0 mm were used as the material to be spread (the same as in Example 1 was used). (2) The shutter opening was set to 100 percent. (3) The rotation speed of the diffusion blade was set to 1300 rpm. (4) The execution time of the spraying operation was set to 23 seconds.

[0099] [Table 2]

[0100] The results of Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 showed that the spraying device for rotorcraft of the present invention is capable of spraying the material within the desired range without spraying the material farther than necessary. [Example 2]

[0101] In Example 2, five spraying operations were performed in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the material to be sprayed was changed. The material to be sprayed was a cylindrical granular agent with an apparent specific gravity of 1.0 and a major axis of 3.0 mm. The distance L6 from the outer end of the impeller to the inner surface of the shielding wall was 7 / 3 times the major axis of the material to be sprayed. The results are shown in Table 3 below.

[0102] [Table 3] [Comparative Example 2]

[0103] In Comparative Example 2, the same spraying operation was carried out five times as in Comparative Example 1, except that the spray material was changed. The spray material used was the same as in Example 2. The results are shown in Table 4 below.

[0104] [Table 4]

[0105] The results of Example 2 and Comparative Example 2 showed that the spraying device for rotorcraft of the present invention is capable of spraying the material within the desired range without spraying the material farther than necessary. [Explanation of symbols]

[0106] 2 Multicopters (rotorcraft) 20 Storage tank (storage section) 30 Diffusion blade (impeller part) 31,131 Shielding wall section 41a Top surface (supply section)

Claims

1. The device is attached to a rotorcraft, The device has a storage section for storing materials to be scattered, an impeller section that rotates below the storage section, and a shielding wall section, The spray product is a granular agent, The impeller section has a supply section to which the material to be scattered is supplied, the shielding wall portion is located on a lateral outer side of the impeller portion and surrounds the impeller portion over the entire circumference or substantially the entire circumference, and a distance from an outer end of the impeller portion to an inner surface of the shielding wall portion is 1 mm or more; A spraying device for a rotorcraft, characterized in that the inner surface of the shielding wall portion extends so that the portion from the upper side to the lower end of the supply section is annular or annular including a gap portion, and extends vertically or approximately vertically downward.

2. 2. The spraying device for a rotorcraft according to claim 1, wherein the shielding wall portion extends downward vertically or approximately vertically.

3. A spraying device for a rotorcraft as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the distance from the outer end of the impeller portion to the inner surface of the shielding wall portion is at least 1.0 times the long diameter of the material to be sprayed.

4. A spraying device for a rotorcraft described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that when the outer edge portion of the supply section that is closest to the lower end portion of the shielding wall section is taken as a reference portion, the lower end portion of the shielding wall section is extended downwardly from the reference portion by at least 1 mm.

5. 5. A spraying device for a rotorcraft according to claim 1, wherein the material to be sprayed has an apparent specific gravity of 2.0 or less.

6. 6. A spraying device for a rotorcraft as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, during a spraying operation in which the impeller section is rotated to spray the material, the rotational speed of the impeller section is 2000 rpm or less.

7. 7. The spraying device for a rotorcraft according to claim 1, wherein the rotorcraft is a multicopter.

8. 8. An aerial spraying method for spraying a spray material by a rotorcraft equipped with a spraying device for a rotorcraft according to any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising: A method for aerial spraying, comprising the steps of storing a spray material in the storage section, flying the rotorcraft, and spraying the spray material from the air.

9. the rotorcraft is a multicopter; A first step of scattering a scattering material while moving the multicopter in a predetermined direction; A second step of moving the multicopter in a direction intersecting the predetermined direction; A third step of scattering the scattering material while moving the multicopter in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction is carried out, The aerial spraying method described in claim 8, characterized in that during the first step, the second step, and the third step, the multicopter moves while facing in the same direction.

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