Morphing wing, flight control device, flight control method, and program

Abstract

To provide a structure of a morphing wing with high flight performance.SOLUTION: A morphing wing 140 comprises: a link structure capable of expanding in a first direction and retracting in a second direction, which is opposite to the first direction; a plurality of front wing covers 180 mounted frontward, which is one side orthogonal to the first direction in the link structure; and a plurality of flight feathers 160 mounted rearward, which is the other side orthogonal to the first direction in the link structure. The front wing covers 180 and the flight feathers 160 are streamlined from front to back, and when the link structure retracts, the flight feathers 160 retract inside adjacent flight feathers 160.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a morphing wing, a flight control device, a flight control method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Also disclosed is a morphing wing structure that can be deployed and retracted using a pantograph mechanism that can extend and retract in a specific direction (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Morphing wing technology, which dramatically changes the area and shape of wings, is being developed to radically improve and enhance flight performance (see, for example, Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-030950 [Non-patent literature]

[0004] [Non-Patent Document 1] Eric Chang, Laura Y. Matloff, Amanda K. Stowers, David Lentink, 'Soft biohybrid morphing wings with feathers underactuated by wrist and finger motion', [online]. 16 January 2020, SCIENCE ROBOTICS, [Retrieved on 18 June 2021].<URL: https: / / robotics.sciencemag.org / content / 5 / 38 / eaay1246 / tab-figures-data> [Non-patent document 2] M. Di Luca, S. Mintchev, G. Heitz, F. Noca and D. Floreano, 'Bioinspired morphing wings for extended flight envelope and roll control of small drones', [online]. 06 February 2017, INTERFACE FOCUS, [Retrieved on 18 June 2021].<URL: https: / / royalsocietypublishing.org / doi / 10.1098 / rsfs.2016.0092> Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the conventional morphing wing, each component is designed to be flat and simply overlaps when deployed. This means that the deployed wing lacks a streamlined shape, resulting in significantly inferior aerodynamic performance compared to known airfoils for general aircraft.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide a morphing wing structure with high flight performance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention proposes the following means. The morphing wing of the present invention comprises a link mechanism that can be deployed in a first direction and retracted in a second direction opposite to the first direction, a plurality of front wing covers attached to the front of the link mechanism, which is one side perpendicular to the first direction, and a plurality of flight feathers attached to the rear of the link mechanism, which is the other side perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the front wing covers and the flight feathers are streamlined from the front to the rear, and when the link mechanism is retracted, the flight feathers are retracted inside the adjacent flight feathers.

[0008] According to this invention, the front wing cover and flight feathers are streamlined. This improves aerodynamic performance, resulting in a morphing wing with superior flight performance. Furthermore, when the link mechanism is retracted, the flight feathers are retracted inside the adjacent flight feathers. This minimizes the size of the morphing wing when the link mechanism is retracted, thereby further improving portability.

[0009] The link mechanism may also include a first link having a front first link attached to the front on the first direction side and a rear first link attached to the rear on the first direction side, and a second link having a front second link attached to the front on the second direction side and a rear second link attached to the rear on the second direction side, and the multiple flight feathers may be rotatably attached to the front first link and the rear first link or the front second link and the rear second link, respectively.

[0010] According to this invention, the flight feathers are rotatably attached to the primary link and the connecting member or the front primary link and the rear primary link. By attaching one flight feather to two locations on the link mechanism in this way, the link mechanism can prevent the flight feather from moving irregularly and can control the position and orientation of the flight feather.

[0011] The front wing cover may also include a first front wing cover provided on the first link, a second front wing cover provided on the next link, and a third front wing cover provided between the first front wing cover and the second front wing cover.

[0012] According to this invention, the morphing wing is provided with a first front wing cover attached to the first link and a second front wing cover attached to the second link. This allows the front wing cover to follow the deployment and retraction of the link mechanism. Furthermore, a third front wing cover is provided between the first and second front wing covers. This prevents gaps from occurring in the front wing cover when the link mechanism is deployed. This prevents turbulence in the airflow around the morphing wing, further contributing to improved aerodynamic performance.

[0013] In addition, the multiple flight feathers may include primary flight feathers attached to the primary link and secondary flight feathers attached to the secondary link, and when the link mechanism is deployed, the angle formed between the longitudinal directions of adjacent flight feathers in the primary flight feathers may be larger as the longitudinal directions of the flight feathers located in the first direction increase.

[0014] According to this invention, when the link mechanism is deployed, the angle between the longitudinal directions of adjacent primary flight feathers is larger the closer the flight feathers are to the first direction. In other words, the angle between the longitudinal directions of adjacent flight feathers is smaller the closer the flight feathers are to the second direction. This prevents gaps from occurring between the flight feathers on the second direction side, which would otherwise cause a decrease in lift. Furthermore, the angle between the longitudinal directions of adjacent primary feathers increases as the primary feathers are closer to the first direction. Therefore, the longitudinal direction of the primary feathers at the end of the first direction faces the first direction, and the lateral direction faces from front to rear. This allows the overall size of the morphing wing to be increased when unfolded, thereby further improving lift.

[0015] The flight feathers in the primary flight feathers may be configured such that the angle they form with the longitudinal direction of adjacent flight feathers increases as the link mechanism unfolds.

[0016] According to this invention, the flight feathers in the primary flight feathers are configured so that the angle they form with the longitudinal direction of adjacent flight feathers connected via the connecting member increases as the link mechanism unfolds. In other words, when the link mechanism is retracted, the angle they form with the longitudinal direction of adjacent flight feathers decreases. This allows the primary flight feathers to fit more snugly when the link mechanism is retracted. This reduces the overall size of the morphing wing when retracted, contributing to improved portability.

[0017] Furthermore, when the link mechanism is deployed, the multiple flight feathers located at the end on the first direction side may have their short sides facing in a direction from the front to the rear, and the short sides of each flight feather may be streamlined from the front to the rear, and there may be a gap between the rear ends of adjacent flight feathers.

[0018] According to this invention, when the link mechanism is deployed, the multiple flight feathers located at the end on the first direction side are streamlined from front to rear. This ensures maximum lift for the deployed morphing wing. Furthermore, a gap is provided between adjacent flight feathers. This allows airflow to escape through the gap, suppressing turbulence in the airflow at the end of the wing and preventing stall. This contributes to stable flight.

[0019] Furthermore, the flight feathers positioned at the end on the first direction side may be elastically deformable.

[0020] According to this invention, the multiple flight feathers located at the end on the first direction side elastically deform. As a result, when the morphing wing is deployed, it passively deforms in response to the force exerted by the flow at the end of the morphing wing. This reduces the turbulence of the airflow that occurs at the end of the wing, thereby contributing to stable flight.

[0021] In addition, the flight control device of the present invention is a flight control device that controls an aircraft equipped with the morphing wing, and is equipped with a drive unit that extends and contracts the link mechanism, and a control unit that controls the drive unit, and when the aircraft lands, the control unit controls the drive unit to extend the link mechanism in the first direction.

[0022] According to this invention, when the aircraft lands, the control unit controls the drive unit to extend the link mechanism in the first direction, thereby ensuring lift for the aircraft when it lands and contributing to a stable landing.

[0023] The control unit may also acquire attitude information representing the attitude of the aircraft, and control the drive unit based on the output results of a model learned using deep reinforcement learning by inputting the acquired attitude information into the model.

[0024] According to this invention, deep reinforcement learning is used for flight control, which allows flight control according to the flight environment, enabling more efficient and safe flight.

[0025] Furthermore, the control unit may further acquire displacement information including at least one of the strain or pressure of the morphing wing, and control the drive unit based on the output result of the model obtained by inputting the acquired displacement information into the model.

[0026] According to this invention, displacement information including at least one of the strain and pressure of the morphing wing is used to control flight. By acquiring and controlling the morphing wing displacement information before the attitude of the aircraft changes, control can be performed more swiftly, thereby contributing to improved maneuverability.

[0027] In addition, in the flight control method of the present invention, a flight control device that controls an aircraft equipped with the morphing wing controls a drive unit that extends and contracts the link mechanism when the aircraft lands, thereby extending the link mechanism.

[0028] According to this invention, when the flying object lands, the drive unit that expands and contracts the link mechanism is controlled to extend the link mechanism, thereby enabling flight and landing that are more similar to those of a bird.

[0029] In addition, the program of the present invention causes a flight control device that controls an aircraft equipped with the morphing wing to control a drive unit that extends and contracts the link mechanism when the aircraft lands, thereby extending the link mechanism. [Effects of the Invention]

[0030] According to the present invention, a morphing wing structure with high flight performance can be provided. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0031] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an aircraft equipped with a morphing wing and a flight control device according to a first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 2] 2A to 2C are diagrams illustrating an example of the configuration of a morphing wing according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 illustrates the morphing wings in a retracted state. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the deployed state of the morphing wings. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 shows the state in which the morphing wings are retracted, with the flight feathers retracted inside the adjacent flight feathers. [Figure 6] This is a full view of flight feathers. [Figure 7] A general view of the flight feathers at the end of a morphing wing. [Figure 8] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing the attachment state of the link mechanism and the flight feathers. [Figure 9] FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the sweeping motion of the morphing wing. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the twisting motion of a morphing wing. [Figure 12] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a flight control device according to a first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of an attitude control system using quaternion feedback. [Figure 14] 10 is a flowchart showing a series of processing steps performed by a control unit. [Figure 15] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a flight of the flying object. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a flight control device in a second example of control. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032] Hereinafter, embodiments of the morphing wing, flight control device, flight control method, and program of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0033] First Embodiment 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an aircraft 100 equipped with a morphing wing 140 and a flight control device 200 according to the first embodiment. The aircraft 100 resembles a bird and includes, for example, a propeller 110, a vertical tail 120, a horizontal tail 130, the morphing wing 140, and the flight control device 200.

[0034] In the figure, Σ W is an earth-fixed coordinate system Σ W represents O W is the Earth-fixed coordinate Σ W represents the origin of W The axis represents true north, and the Y W The axis represents East, and Z W The axis represents the vertical downward direction. Also, if the principal axis of inertia is defined as the aircraft-fixed coordinate system, the X B The axis represents the principal axis of inertia of the aircraft when the center of gravity of the aircraft 100 is the origin, and Z B The Y axis represents the downward direction of the aircraft. B The axis represents the direction to the right of the aircraft's direction of travel. In other words, the X B Axis is roll axis X B represents Z B The axis is the yaw axis Z Brepresents Y B The axis is the pitch axis Y B represents.

[0035] The propeller 110 is provided, for example, at the tip of the aircraft body of the aircraft 100, and rotates around the axis of the aircraft body (X in the figure). B It is mounted so that it can rotate around an axis.

[0036] The vertical stabilizer 120 and the horizontal stabilizer 130 are located at a position away from the center of gravity of the aircraft, for example, at the end of the aircraft 100.

[0037] The morphing wing 140 is provided on both the left and right sides of the fuselage of the flying object 100. The morphing wing 140 includes a sweep mechanism, a twist mechanism, and a link mechanism. The sweep mechanism is oriented along the yaw axis Z B The twist mechanism rotates the morphing wing 140 around the pitch axis Y. B This is a mechanism for rotating the morphing wings 140 around the The link mechanism is connected to the pitch axis Y. B The link mechanism is a mechanism for folding and unfolding the morphing wing 140 in the pitch direction. B The first direction, which is the positive direction of the pitch axis Y, is deployed in the opposite direction to the first direction. B This mechanism allows for storage in the second direction, which is the negative direction of the first direction. The morphing wing 140 shown in FIG. 2 is provided on the right side of the aircraft 100 shown in FIG. 1. The relationship between the first direction and the second direction is reversed in the morphing wing 140 provided on the left side of the aircraft 100 shown in FIG. 1. That is, in the morphing wing 140 provided on the left side of the aircraft 100 shown in FIG. 1, the pitch axis Y B The negative direction of is the first direction, and the pitch axis Y B The positive direction is the second direction.

[0038] The flight control device 200 controls the propeller 110, vertical tail 120, horizontal tail 130, and morphing wing 140 to cause the aircraft 100 to take off, land, turn in flight, and descend while hovering.

[0039] [Morphing Wing 140 Configuration] The following describes the configuration of the morphing wing 140. Figures 1 and 2 are diagrams showing an example of the configuration of the morphing wing 140 of the first embodiment. The morphing wing 140 includes, for example, a yaw axis rotating member 141, a pitch axis rotating member 142, a rail member 143, a first slider 144, a second slider 145, a link portion 150, flight feathers 160, and a front wing cover 180.

[0040] The yaw axis rotating member 141 and the pitch axis rotating member 142 connect the morphing wing 140 to the body of the flying object 100. The yaw axis rotating member 141 rotates about the yaw axis Z. B The pitch axis rotating member 142 rotates around the pitch axis Y B Rotate around.

[0041] The rail member 143 has a longitudinal direction along the roll axis X. B The yaw axis rotating member 141 and the pitch axis rotating member 142 are attached to the fuselage of the flying object 100 so that the yaw axis rotating member 141 and the pitch axis rotating member 142 are approximately parallel to each other.

[0042] The first slider 144 is attached to the rail member 143. The first slider 144 is oriented on the rail member 143 in the longitudinal direction of the rail member 143, i.e., along the roll axis X B Slide in the direction. The second slider 145 is attached to the rail member 143. The second slider 145 is oriented on the rail member 143 in the longitudinal direction of the rail member 143, i.e., along the roll axis X B Slide in the direction. The above-mentioned link mechanism is a combination of the rail member 143, the first slider 144, the second slider 145, and the link portion 150.

[0043] The link unit 150 is operated by a first slider 144 and a second slider 145. A plurality of flight feathers 160 are provided on the link unit 150. The link unit 150 includes a first link 151, a second link 152, a second link 153, a front first link 154, a wingtip link 155, and a connecting member 156 (rear first link).

[0044] One end of the first link 151 is connected to the yaw axis Z B The other end of the first link 151 is attached to the pitch axis rotation member 142 so as to be rotatable about the yaw axis Z. B The first link 151 is attached at one point between both ends of the second link 153 so as to be rotatable about the yaw axis Z. B The front row link 152a is attached at one point between both ends of the front row link 152a so as to be rotatable about the axis.

[0045] The next row link 152 is located on the second direction side of the link portion 150. The next row link 152 includes a front next row link 152a and a rear next row link 152b that are located parallel to each other. The front row link 152a and the rear row link 152b intersect with the first link 151. As shown in FIG. 2, the front row link 152a and the rear row link 152b are provided in parallel, and one end of each of them is connected to the first slider 144 along the yaw axis Z. B The other end is attached to one end of the front first row link 154 so as to be rotatable about the yaw axis Z. B It is mounted so that it can rotate around the

[0046] The front next row link 152a is located on the front side, which is perpendicular to the first direction, i.e., the side in the traveling direction of the aircraft 100, and the rear next row link 152b is located on the rear side, which is the other side perpendicular to the first direction. Also, the first link 151 is rotatably attached to the front next row link 152a, but is not attached to the rear next row link 152b.

[0047] The second link 153 is connected at one end to the second slider 145 along the pitch axis Y so as to be parallel to the next row link 152. B The other end is attached to the pitch axis Y at one point between both ends of the front first row link 154. B is rotatably mounted around the The front initial link 154 is located at the front of the link portion 150 on the first direction side. B The other end is attached to one end of the wing tip link 155 so as to be rotatable around the wing tip link 155a. The wing tip link 155 is attached to the other end of the front primary link 154. A wing tip blade is attached to the wing tip link 155 (described later).

[0048] The attachment position of the first link 151 to the previous next row link 152a, the attachment position of the second link 153 to the first link 151, and the attachment position of the second link 153 to the previous first row link 154 are determined by appropriately considering the sliding distance of the first slider 144 and the second slider 145 in the link section 150 and the movement allowance for deployment and storage required in the link section 150.

[0049] A plurality of connecting members 156 are provided behind the front first row link 154 and along the longitudinal direction of the front first row link 154. The connecting members 156 include a first connecting member 156a, a second connecting member 156b, a third connecting member 156c, and a fourth connecting member 156d. The connecting members 156 are provided between the multiple flight feathers 160, behind the front primary link 154. Specifically, the first connecting member 156a is provided between the first primary flight feather 171 and the sixth primary flight feather 166. The second connecting member 156b is provided between the sixth primary flight feather 166 and the fifth primary flight feather 165. The third connecting member 156c is provided between the fifth primary flight feather 165 and the fourth primary flight feather 164. The fourth connecting member 156d is provided between the fourth primary flight feather 164 and the third primary flight feather 163, between the third primary flight feather 163 and the second primary flight feather 162, and between the second primary flight feather 162 and the first primary flight feather 161. Each component of the link section 150 is preferably made of a material that is high in rigidity and strength, yet lightweight, such as CFRP (carbon sandwich material), aluminum, or plastic. The front first link 154 and the connecting member 156 may be collectively referred to as the first link.

[0050] A plurality of flight feathers 160 are attached to the rear side of the link part 150. The flight feathers 160 are made of a sheet-shaped member (e.g., a thickness of about several hundred μm) that allows for a certain degree of deflection, such as CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced plastic). The multiple flight feathers 160 all have a common external shape that is streamlined from front to rear. Below, the components of the flight feathers 160 will be explained using the primary row flight feather 171 as an example. Note that, except for the detailed shape and other matters specifically mentioned, the general configuration of the multiple flight feathers 160 is the same in that they all include at least a main body, reinforcing members, and mounting members.

[0051] The primary flight feathers 171 include a main body 171a, a reinforcing member 171b, and an attachment member 171c. The main body 171a forms the outer shape of the primary flight feathers 171. The streamlined shape of the main body 171a ensures the functionality of the primary flight feathers 171. The main body 171a is formed, for example, from curved CFRP. Formed in this manner, the flight feathers 160 are open forward and to both sides in the longitudinal direction, as shown in FIG. 6.

[0052] The reinforcing material 171b is provided in the gaps between the materials in the main body portion 171a, thereby reinforcing the main body portion 171a. For example, balsa wood or plastic is preferably used for the reinforcing material 171b. When plastic is used, it may be formed using a 3D printer. The mounting member 171c is connected to the reinforcing member 171b and is used to mount the main body 171a to the link portion 150. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, the mounting member 171c is formed to sandwich the link portion 150 from above and below. In this state, the mounting member 171c and the link portion 150 are rotatably connected by a pin or the like. This fixing method is the same for any rotatable fixing portion of the link portion 150.

[0053] The multiple flight feathers 160 are classified into primary flight feathers 160w and secondary flight feathers 170w. The primary flights 160w refer to those of the multiple flight feathers 160 that are attached to the front primary link 154. In this embodiment, the primary flights 160w include a first primary flight feather 161, a second primary flight feather 162, a third primary flight feather 163, a fourth primary flight feather 164, a fifth primary flight feather 165, and a sixth primary flight feather 166. The multiple flight feathers 160 in the primary flights 160w are rotatably attached to the front primary link 154 and the connecting member 156, respectively. Hereinafter, the first primary flight feather 161, the second primary flight feather 162, and the third primary flight feather 163 of the primary flights 160w may be collectively referred to as wingtip feathers.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 4, in the morphing wing 140 with the link mechanism deployed, the angle formed between the longitudinal directions of adjacent flight feathers 160 in the primary flight feathers 160w is larger as the longitudinal directions of the flight feathers 160 are closer to the first direction. The flight feathers 160 in the primary flight feathers 160w are configured so that the angle formed between the longitudinal directions of adjacent flight feathers 160 connected via connecting member 156 increases as the link section 150 deploys (as will be described later). As a result, the primary flight feathers 160w have a gap between the rear ends of adjacent flight feathers 160. Note that this gap refers to the area where adjacent flight feathers 160 are not located in the plan view shown in FIG. 4. The angle here is X B -Y B is the angle in the plane, Z B The angular component with respect to the axis is not included. This gives the bird a similar structure to the primary flight feathers of a bird. As mentioned above, the primary flight feathers of a bird allow airflow to escape through the gaps between adjacent flight feathers, thereby suppressing stall.

[0055] The tip feathers of the primary flight feathers 160w differ from the other flight feathers 160 in the following respect: As shown in Figure 4, when the link portion 150 is unfolded, the longitudinal direction of the other flight feathers 160 faces from front to rear, whereas the lateral direction of the tip feather faces from front to rear. For this reason, while the other flight feathers 160 are streamlined in the longitudinal direction as shown in Figure 6, the flight feathers 160 that constitute the wing tip feathers are streamlined in the lateral direction as shown in Figure 7. This contributes to suppressing stall at the wing tip of the morphing wing 140.

[0056] Furthermore, in addition to allowing airflow to flow through the gaps formed as described above, the flight feathers 160 of the wingtip blades may be elastically deformed. That is, the flight feathers 160 of the wingtip blades may be passively elastically deformed in accordance with the airflow in order to suppress turbulence of the airflow at the ends of the morphing wing 140. To make the flight feathers 160 of the wingtip blades elastically deformable, for example, only the flight feathers 160 of the wingtip blades may be made of an elastic material, or the flight feathers 160 may be made more easily deformable by being provided with creases as shown in FIG. 7.

[0057] The secondary flight feathers 170w refer to those of the multiple flight feathers 160 that are attached to the secondary link 152. In this embodiment, the secondary flight feathers 170w include first, second, third, and fourth primary flight feathers 171, 172, 173, and 174. The multiple flight feathers 160 in the secondary flight feathers 170w are rotatably attached to the front and rear secondary link 152a and 152b, respectively. The longitudinal directions of adjacent flight feathers 160 in the secondary flight feathers 170w are all parallel. As shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, the flight feathers 160 in the primary flight feathers 160w are positioned approximately parallel to the adjacent flight feathers 160. The angle here is X B-Y B is the angle in the plane, Z B The angular component with respect to the axis is not included.

[0058] Next, the attachment structure of the primary flight feathers 160w and secondary flight feathers 170w in the link portion 150 and the movement of the flight feathers 160 due to the extension and retraction of the link portion 150 will be described. First, the flight feathers 160 constituting the secondary row 170w will be described, taking as an example the primary row flight feather 171. As shown in FIG. 6, the attachment member 171c is attached to the front secondary row link 152a and the rear secondary row link 152b in such a manner that ... B The length of the straight line between the two attachment points on the attachment member 171c is equal to the length of the straight line between the attachment points of the front row link 152a and the rear row link 152b to the first slider 144. The two straight lines are attached so as to be parallel to each other. The second, third, and fourth secondary feathers 172, 173, and 174 are attached in the same manner.

[0059] As a result, in the secondary flight feathers 170w, a parallelogram is formed by the various components. As a result, even if the angle of the secondary link 152 in the link section 150 changes, the orientation of the flight feathers 160 remains constant. Therefore, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, even if the first slider 144 moves and the angle of the secondary link 152 fluctuates, the longitudinal direction of all of the flight feathers 160 that make up the secondary flight feathers 170w always faces in a direction from front to rear. Therefore, as described above, the flight feathers 160 in the secondary flight feathers 170w are always positioned approximately parallel to the adjacent flight feathers 160.

[0060] Next, we will explain the flight feathers 160 that make up the primary flight feathers 160w. The primary link to which the primary flight feathers 160w are attached differs from the secondary link 152 that makes up the secondary flight feathers 170w in the following respects: The secondary link 152 is made up of a front secondary link 152a and a rear secondary link 152b that are arranged in parallel, while the front primary link 154 has a connecting member 156 attached to the position corresponding to the rear secondary link 152b.

[0061] 2, the lengths of the connecting members 156 located between adjacent flight feathers 160 are different from each other. Also, the lengths between the attachment points are different from each other. As described above, in the secondary flight feathers 170w, each component part forms a parallelogram. In contrast, in the primary flight feathers 160w, the length between the attachment points is appropriately adjusted using the connecting member 156, so that the parallelogram does not form. This allows the angle of the flight feathers 160 to change as the angle of the front primary link 154 and the connecting member 156 changes using the link section 150.

[0062] For example, the length of the first connecting member 156a is longer than the length of a straight line between the attachment points of the front primary link 154 and the primary flight feather 171 and the sixth primary flight feather 166. Furthermore, the length of a straight line between the attachment points of the sixth primary flight feather 166 and the front primary link 154 and the first connecting member 156a is longer than the length of a straight line between the attachment points of the primary flight feather 171 and the front primary link 154 and the first connecting member 156a.

[0063] 4, when the link portion 150 unfolds and the angle between the attachment member 171c of the primary flight feather 171 and the front primary link 154 approaches a right angle, the attachment point between the sixth primary flight feather 166 and the first connecting member 156a is positioned closer to the first direction than the attachment point between the sixth primary flight feather 166 and the front primary link 154. Therefore, an angle is generated between the sixth primary flight feather 166 and the first primary flight feather 161 located adjacent to it.

[0064] This relationship becomes more pronounced in the first direction, as in the case of the second connecting member 156b between the sixth primary flight feather 166 and the fifth primary flight feather 165, and the third connecting member 156c between the fifth primary flight feather 165 and the fourth primary flight feather 164. As a result, as described above, the gap between the flight feathers 160 in the primary flight feather 160w and the adjacent flight feathers 160 connected via the connecting member 156 in the longitudinal direction increases as the link portion 150 unfolds.

[0065] The multiple flight feathers 160 provided on the secondary flight feathers 170w and other than the wingtip feathers of the primary flight feathers 160w are arranged as follows in accordance with the deployment and retraction of the link units 150. That is, as shown in Figure 5, when the link units 150 are retracted, one wingtip feather is retracted inside the adjacent wingtip feather. This not only prevents adjacent flight feathers 160 from interfering with each other when the link units 150 are retracted, but also reduces the size of the morphing wing 140 when retracted, contributing to improved portability.

[0066] To ensure the above functions, the size of each flight feather 160 is determined by taking into consideration the position and size of adjacent flight feathers 160 when link section 150 is retracted. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, when link section 150 is retracted, second link 153 is positioned inside flight feather 160 in secondary flight feather 170w. For this reason, as shown in Figure 6, notches are provided in reinforcing members 171b, 172b, 173b, 174b to prevent interference with second link 153.

[0067] In this embodiment, a total of ten flight feathers 160 are provided, including the primary flight feathers 160w and secondary flight feathers 170w, but this is not limited to this. In other words, the number and size of the flight feathers 160 may be increased or decreased as necessary, taking into consideration the weight of the aircraft 100, the environment in which it is used, and other factors.

[0068] The front wing cover 180 is attached to the front of the link portion 150. The front wing cover 180 prevents air from flowing into the openings of the forward-facing flight feathers 160 when the morphing wing 140 is deployed. In addition, the front wing cover 180 is streamlined from front to rear, thereby giving the morphing wing 140 a streamlined shape as a whole.

[0069] The front wing cover 180 includes a first front wing cover 181, a second front wing cover 182, and a third front wing cover 183. The first front wing cover 181 is provided on the front first row link 154. The second front wing cover 182 is provided on the second row link 152. The third front wing cover 183 is provided between the first front wing cover 181 and the second front wing cover 182.

[0070] The components of the front wing cover 180 will be described below using the first front wing cover 181 as an example. Except for the detailed shape and other matters that are specifically noted, the components of the multiple front wing covers 180 are all the same. The first front wing cover 181 includes a main body 181a, a reinforcing portion 181b, and an attachment portion 181c. The main body 181a forms the outer shape of the first front wing cover 181. The streamlined shape of the main body 181a ensures the functionality of the first front wing cover 181. The main body 181a is formed, for example, from CFRP with a curvature. Formed in this manner, the front wing cover 180 opens toward the rear as shown in FIG. 9.

[0071] The reinforcing portions 181b are provided in the gaps between the materials of the main body 181a, thereby reinforcing the main body 181a. For example, balsa wood or plastic is preferably used for the reinforcing portions 181b. When plastic is used, it may be formed using a 3D printer. The mounting portion 181c is connected to the reinforcing portion 181b and is used to mount the main body 181a to the link portion 150. Specifically, the mounting portion 181c is formed so as to sandwich the front first row link 154 from above and below. In this state, the mounting portion 181c and the link portion 150 are connected. This fixing method is also applicable to the second front wing cover 182 and the third front wing cover 183.

[0072] The first front wing cover 181 is attached to the front secondary link 152a of the link unit 150. The second front wing cover 182 is attached to the front primary link 154 of the link unit 150. The third front wing cover 183 is attached to the primary flight feathers 171. This allows the front wing cover 180 to move in accordance with the deployment and retraction of the link unit 150.

[0073] 12 is a diagram illustrating the sweeping motion of the morphing wing 140. The sweeping motion is a motion of the morphing wing 140 moving in the yaw axis Z BThis operation rotates the morphing wing 140 around the yaw axis Z, causing the morphing wing 140 to move forward and backward in the air vehicle 100. B When the morphing wing 140 is rotated around the pitch axis Y B The angle between the swe "

[0074] 11 is a diagram illustrating the twisting motion of the morphing wing 140. The twisting motion is a motion in which the morphing wing 140 rotates about the pitch axis Y B This operation rotates the morphing wing 140 around the pitch axis Y, causing the morphing wing 140 to rotate inward or outward relative to the aircraft 100. B When the morphing wing 140 is rotated around the roll axis X B The angle between the two is called the "twist angle α" twi "

[0075] 2, 3, and 4 are diagrams for explaining the folding operation of the morphing wing 140. The folding operation is performed by rotating the morphing wing 140 along the pitch axis Y B The morphing wings 140 can be extended in the pitch direction like a pantograph to widen the morphing wings 140, or the pitch axis Y B The morphing wings 140 are contracted like a pantograph in the pitch direction, and the morphing wings 140 are folded. B The angle between the first link 151 and the second link 153 when the morphing wing 140 is extended or contracted in the direction of the arrow is called the "fold angle α fol "

[0076] 2, 3, and 4 are diagrams for explaining a series of folding operations of morphing wing 140. In the example of FIG. 3, first slider 144 is positioned at the end of rail member 143 (the end opposite to the position where pitch axis rotation member 142 is attached). In this case, the folding angle α fol is the maximum angle within the range of possible angles, which results in the morphing wings 140 being fully folded.

[0077] In the example of Fig. 2, the first slider 144 moves from the end of the rail member 143 to the end on the pitch axis rotation member 142 side. In this case, the fold angle α fol is smaller than the angle illustrated in FIG. 3, causing morphing wings 140 to be in a more open state than illustrated in FIG.

[0078] In the example of Fig. 4, the first slider 144 is moved to the maximum extent toward the end on the pitch axis rotation member 142 side. In this case, the fold angle α fol takes the smallest angle within the range of possible angles, which results in morphing wings 140 being in the most open position.

[0079] In this way, the movement of first slider 144 on rail member 143 causes morphing wing 140 to fold or unfold.

[0080] It is generally known that when the wings of an aircraft are not able to catch the wind well (when the wind is weak) or when the angle of attack of the wings is increased when the aircraft lands, a phenomenon called boundary layer separation occurs, in which the airflow flowing over the surface of the wing separates, causing the aircraft to stall.

[0081] In this embodiment, because gaps are formed between the flight feathers 160, boundary layer separation can be suppressed even when the morphing wing 140 is not easily exposed to wind or when the angle of attack of the morphing wing 140 is large. As a result, a rapid decrease in lift can be suppressed and stable flight can be achieved. In other words, by forming gaps between the flight feathers 160, airflow can be allowed to escape through the gaps, even when flying at a large angle of attack, thereby suppressing stall.

[0082] [Flight control unit configuration] The following describes the configuration of the flight control device 200. Figure 12 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the flight control device 200 of the first embodiment. The flight control device 200 includes, for example, a communication unit 202, a detection unit 204, a memory unit 206, a power supply 208, a drive unit 210, and a control unit 230.

[0083] The communication unit 202 performs wireless communication with an external device via a network such as a wide area network (WAN). The external device may be, for example, a remote controller capable of remotely operating the aircraft 100. For example, the communication unit 202 receives commands from the external device that instruct the attitude, speed, etc. that the aircraft 100 should assume.

[0084] The detector 204 is, for example, an inertial measurement unit. The inertial measurement unit includes, for example, a triaxial acceleration sensor and a triaxial gyro sensor. The inertial measurement unit outputs detection values ​​detected by these sensors to the controller 230. The detection values ​​by the inertial measurement unit include, for example, acceleration and / or angular velocity in the horizontal, vertical, and depth directions, and velocities (rates) about the pitch, roll, and yaw axes. The detector 204 may further include a radar, a finder, a sonar, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver, and the like. The detector 204 may also include optical fiber sensors that detect distortions in the vertical stabilizer 120, the horizontal stabilizer 130, and the morphing wing 140, and pressure sensors that detect pressures acting on these wings.

[0085] The storage unit 206 is realized by a storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD), flash memory, an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), etc. The storage unit 206 stores various programs such as firmware and application programs, as well as calculation results of the control unit 230 as logs.

[0086] The power supply 208 is, for example, a secondary battery such as a lithium ion battery. The power supply 208 supplies power to the drive unit 210 and the control unit 230. The power supply 208 may further include a solar panel or the like.

[0087] The drive section 210 includes, for example, a propeller actuator 212, a sweep actuator 214, a twist actuator 216, a fold actuator 218, an elevator actuator 220, and a rudder actuator 222. These actuators may be, for example, servo motors.

[0088] The propeller actuator 212 drives the propeller 110 to provide thrust to the flying body 100. The sweep actuator 214 drives the yaw axis rotating member 141 to rotate the flying body 100 along the yaw axis Z. B The morphing wings 140 rotate around the

[0089] The twist actuator 216 drives the pitch axis rotating member 142 to rotate the pitch axis Y B The fold actuator 218 rotates the first slider 144 attached to the rail member 143 about the roll axis X. B Drive in the direction of the pitch axis Y B The morphing wings 140 are deployed and retracted in the direction of the arrow.

[0090] Elevator actuator 220 drives an elevator (not shown) mounted on horizontal stabilizer 130 to raise or lower the nose of the aircraft. Rudder actuator 222 drives a rudder (not shown) mounted on vertical stabilizer 120 to control the yawing of the aircraft.

[0091] The control unit 230 is realized by, for example, a processor such as a central processing unit (CPU) or a graphics processing unit (GPU) executing a program stored in the storage unit 206. The control unit 230 may also be realized by hardware such as a large scale integration (LSI), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or may be realized by a combination of software and hardware.

[0092] [Processing contents of the control unit] The control details of the control unit 230 will be described below. When the flying vehicle 100 is in a 90-degree pitch-up state, the control unit 230 controls the propeller actuator 212 to drive the propeller 110. This causes the flying vehicle 100 to take off like a tail-sitter VTOL (Vertical Take Off and Landing) unmanned aircraft. The tail-sitter method is a flight method in which the aircraft takes off from a 90-degree pitch-up state, returns the nose to horizontal at a certain altitude, and flies using the lift generated by the wings.

[0093] This type of tailsitter method has large attitude changes, so if ZYX Euler is used to calculate the attitude error, Z B When the axis is at plus or minus 90 degrees, a singular attitude occurs and it becomes impossible to express. Furthermore, when mimicking bird flight, there is a high probability of large attitude fluctuations occurring, so an attitude expression that does not have a singular attitude is necessary. To solve this problem, a quaternion is used to calculate the attitude error. A quaternion is expressed by equation (1) using a three-dimensional unit vector r and its rotation angle ζ.

[0094]

number

[0095] Target posture q r Let the current posture be q c Then, the deviation q between the desired posture and the current posture is e is expressed by the formula (2) using a quaternion matrix.

[0096]

number

[0097] Deviation q eindicates how much rotation should be performed around which axis in the current aircraft-fixed coordinate system in order to bring the current attitude of the aircraft closer to the target attitude. For example, the control unit 230 calculates q e The vector part q of ex,ey,ez The aircraft fixed coordinate X B , Y B , Z B Feedback control is performed according to the axis.

[0098] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of an attitude control system using quaternion feedback. For example, the control unit 230 controls the twist actuator 216 to rotate the X axis of the air vehicle 100. B The control unit 230 also controls the elevator actuator 220 to adjust the Z B The control unit 230 also controls the rudder actuator 222 to adjust the attitude of the flying object 100 in the Y direction. B Controls the attitude on the axis.

[0099] The control unit 230 performs PID (Proportional-Integral-Differential Controller) control on the actuators corresponding to the respective axes. The PID control is expressed by the following equations (3) to (5).

[0100]

number

[0101]

number

[0102]

number

[0103] δ in the formula x is the steering angle of the twist, i.e., the twist angle α twi represents δy represents the elevator angle, and δ z represents the rudder angle. P represents the proportional gain, and K I represents the integral gain, and K D represents the differential gain. j is a gain for correcting the gyro moment of the aircraft.

[0104] Y B axis and Z B For axis control, a correction term is added to the third term on the right-hand side to take into account the influence of the propeller gyro effect. ω x is the aircraft X B Since it rarely rotates around an axis at high speed, it is considered small enough to be ignored.

[0105] For example, as shown in Fig. 13, control unit 230 calculates the target attitude using the error distance between the current position of aircraft 100 and the target position. Then, based on the calculated target attitude, control unit 230 controls twist actuator 216, elevator actuator 220, and rudder actuator 222 to control the attitude of aircraft 100. Note that the target attitude may be specified as a command from an external device.

[0106] [Processing flow of the control section] The following describes the flow of a series of processes performed by the control unit 230 using a flowchart. Figure 14 is a flowchart showing the flow of a series of processes performed by the control unit 230. The processes of this flowchart may be performed repeatedly at a predetermined interval, for example.

[0107] First, the control unit 230 receives a command from an external device via the communication unit 202 (step S100). The command may include, for example, the attitude that the aircraft 100 should take, i.e., the target attitude q r Includes:

[0108] Next, the control unit 230 calculates the current attitude q of the flying object 100 based on the detection result of the detection unit 204. c Calculate the current posture q c and the target posture qr deviation from q e (Step S102). e The aircraft fixed coordinate X B , Y B , Z B Quaternion q corresponding to the axis ex,ey,ez Includes:

[0109] Next, the control unit 230 calculates the deviation q e Based on this, the twist angle δ x , elevator angle δ y , rudder angle δ z is used as a control variable and calculated by PID control (step S104).

[0110] Next, the control unit 230 calculates each of the calculated steering angles δ x , δ y , δ z The control signal based on the above is sent to each actuator to control each actuator (step S106). This completes the processing of this flowchart.

[0111] 15 is a diagram that schematically illustrates the flight of the flying object 100. In the illustrated example, the flying object 100, flying horizontally at a constant altitude, lands. In the figure, G is the target landing point. The landing point G may be a one-dimensional point, a two-dimensional surface, or a three-dimensional space.

[0112] For example, assume that at time t1, communication unit 202 receives a command from an external device to land flying object 100. In this case, control unit 230 controls sweep actuator 214 to move morphing wing 140 along yaw axis Z B By rotating the morphing wings 140 around the center of the wing, the morphing wings 140 move forward of the air vehicle 100, causing the nose of the air vehicle 100 to rise. Additionally, the controller 230 controls the fold actuator 218 to further rotate the morphing wing 140 along the pitch axis Y BThe controller 230 extends the morphing wings 140 in the pitch-up direction, increasing the angle between the longitudinal directions of the multiple flight feathers 160 and forming gaps. The controller 230 also controls the elevator actuator 220 to raise the nose of the aircraft 100. As a result, the aircraft 100 transitions to a 90-degree pitch-up state while lifting the aircraft, as shown at times t2, t3, and t4. As a result, the drag of the entire aircraft increases, allowing the aircraft 100 to decelerate quickly. Furthermore, because gaps are formed between the flight feathers 160 during deceleration, stalling can be suppressed. When the aircraft 100 enters the pitch-up state, the controller 230 controls the propeller actuator 212 to cause the aircraft 100 to descend to landing point G while hovering.

[0113] According to the processing contents of the control unit described above, the morphing wing 140 rotates along the pitch axis Y B As the morphing wings 140 are extended in the axial direction, the angle between the flight feathers 160 of the morphing wings 140 is increased. This creates gaps between the flight feathers 160, allowing airflow to escape through the gaps and suppressing stall. As a result, the flight performance of the aircraft 100 can be improved.

[0114] Furthermore, according to the processing contents of the control unit described above, the morphing wing 140 is rotated along the pitch axis Y B In addition to the link mechanism that expands and contracts in the direction, the morphing wing 140 is also B a sweep mechanism that rotates the morphing wing 140 around the pitch axis Y and moves the morphing wing 140 in the fore-and-aft direction of the aircraft; B The inclusion of a twist mechanism that rotates the morphing wing 140 around the center of gravity and rotates the morphing wing 140 inward or outward relative to the aircraft 100 increases the amount of change in the wing area and shape of the morphing wing 140. This results in greater changes in lift and moment, improving the agility of the aircraft 100.

[0115] The morphing wing 140 described above can sweep, twist, and fold symmetrically or asymmetrically. The morphing wing 140 can be applied not only to flight structures, but also to wind or tidal power generation blades and other structures that receive force from fluids.

[0116] <Second example of control> A second example of control will be described below. The second example of control differs from the first embodiment described above in that deep reinforcement learning is used to determine the control amounts for the sweep mechanism, twist mechanism, and link mechanism based on the attitude information and speed of the aircraft 100. The following description will focus on the differences from the first embodiment, and will omit a description of the points in common with the first embodiment. In the description of the second example of control, the same parts as in the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0117] One example of deep reinforcement learning is DQN (Deep Q-Network). DQN is a reinforcement learning method called Q-learning, which uses a certain environment state s at a certain time t. t Under this, an action a t The action value function Q(s t , a t ) as an approximate function in a neural network.

[0118] 16 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a flight control device 200A according to the second example of control. In the flight control device 200A according to the second example of control, model information 300 is stored in a storage unit 206A.

[0119] The model information 300 is information (a program or a data structure) that defines the model MDL learned by Q-learning. The model MDL may be realized, for example, by a neural network including multiple convolution layers and a fully connected layer that integrates the output results of the multiple convolution layers into one.

[0120] The model information 300 includes various information, such as coupling information on how units included in the input layer, one or more hidden layers (intermediate layers), and output layer of each neural network are coupled to each other, and coupling coefficients assigned to data input / output between coupled units. The coupling information includes, for example, the number of units included in each layer, information specifying the type of unit to which each unit is coupled, activation functions that realize each unit, and gates provided between units in the hidden layer. The activation functions that realize the units may be, for example, rectified linear functions (ReLU functions), sigmoid functions, step functions, or other functions. The gates selectively pass or weight data transmitted between units depending on, for example, the value (e.g., 1 or 0) returned by the activation function. The coupling coefficients include, for example, weights assigned to output data when data is output from a unit in a layer to a unit in a deeper layer in the hidden layer of a neural network. The coupling coefficients may also include bias components specific to each layer.

[0121] The model MDL is, for example, t When input, the action value Q(s t , a t ) is trained to output

[0122] State variable s t is, for example, the current attitude q of the above-mentioned flying object 100 c and target posture q r , or their deviation q e In addition, the state variable s t may include the speed of the flying object 100 instead of or in addition to the attitude or deviation. If the detection unit 204 includes an optical fiber sensor that detects strain or a pressure sensor that detects pressure, the state variable s t may include strain and pressure that can be obtained from those sensors. The state variables s t is an example of "displacement information."

[0123] action at are, for example, the control amount of the sweep mechanism, the control amount of the twist mechanism, the control amount of the link mechanism, the rotation speed of the propeller 110, the rudder angle of the elevator, the rudder angle, etc. t is the operation amount of each actuator of the driving unit 210. t may be a proportional gain κP of PID control, an integral gain κI, a differential gain κD, or a correction gain κj. t may be an index value that indicates which of various types of control, such as PID control or hovering control, is to be performed, or whether or not to be performed.

[0124] Q-learning learns the weights and biases of the MDL model by increasing the reward when, for example, the morphing wings 140, propeller 110, elevator, and rudder are in ideal states. For example, when the aircraft 100 is in a 90-degree pitch-up attitude above a predetermined landing point G and is traveling at a speed that can be considered stationary, the reward may be increased. On the other hand, when the aircraft 100 comes into contact with the ground or trees, or deviates from the predetermined altitude, the reward may be decreased (for example, to zero).

[0125] The control unit 230 thus performs the action a t The model MDL is trained to give a reward according to the current attitude q of the aircraft 100. c and target posture q r and the state variable s t These state variables s t The model MDL, to which the input is given, calculates the action value Q(s t , a t )

[0126] The control unit 230 controls the actuators based on the operation amount of each actuator output by the model MDL, thereby causing the flying object 100 to fly.

[0127] According to the second example of control described above, the actuators are controlled using the model MDL, which has been trained in advance by Q-learning, so that the flying method of the flying object 100 can be made closer to that of a bird, thereby further improving the agility of the flying object 100.

[0128] Furthermore, according to the second example of control described above, in flight operations using the sweep mechanism, twist mechanism, and link mechanism, although the relationship between the input and the movement in response to that input is highly nonlinear, it is possible to train the model MDL so that it can output appropriate behavior even in a nonlinear environment, making it possible to adopt flight methods that were difficult to achieve with conventional control.

[0129] <Other embodiments (modifications)> Other embodiments (modifications) will be described below. In the above-described embodiment, the flying object 100 has been described as including the propeller 110, the vertical tail 120, the horizontal tail 130, the morphing wing 140, and the flight control device 200, but this is not limited to this. For example, the flying object 100 may include only the propeller 110, the morphing wing 140, and the flight control device 200. In this case, the flight control device 200 drives the twist mechanism to rotate the flying object 100 around the roll axis X B and drive the sweep mechanism to adjust the pitch axis Y of the flying object 100. B It is also possible to control the posture of the

[0130] As described above, with the morphing wing 140 according to this embodiment, the front wing cover 180 and the flight feathers 160 are streamlined. This improves aerodynamic performance, resulting in a morphing wing 140 with superior flight performance. Furthermore, when the link mechanism is retracted, the flight feathers 160 are retracted inside the adjacent flight feathers 160. This minimizes the size of the morphing wing 140 when the link mechanism is retracted, thereby further improving portability.

[0131] Furthermore, the flight feathers 160 are rotatably attached to the primary link and connecting member 156 or to the front primary link 154 and rear primary link. By attaching one flight feather 160 to two locations on the link mechanism in this way, the link mechanism can prevent the flight feathers 160 from moving irregularly, and the position and orientation of the flight feathers 160 can be controlled by the link mechanism.

[0132] The morphing wing also includes a first front wing cover 181 attached to the first link and a second front wing cover 182 attached to the second link 152. This allows the front wing cover 180 to follow the deployment and retraction of the link mechanism. Furthermore, a third front wing cover 183 is provided between the first front wing cover 181 and the second front wing cover 182. This prevents gaps from occurring in the front wing cover 180 when the link mechanism is deployed. This prevents turbulence in the airflow around the morphing wing 140, further contributing to improved aerodynamic performance.

[0133] Furthermore, when the link mechanism is deployed, the angle formed between the longitudinal directions of adjacent flight feathers 160 in the primary flight feathers 160w is larger the closer the flight feathers 160 are to the first direction. In other words, the angle formed between the longitudinal directions of adjacent flight feathers 160 is smaller the closer the flight feathers 160 are to the second direction. This makes it possible to prevent gaps from occurring between the flight feathers 160 on the second direction side, which would otherwise cause a decrease in lift. Furthermore, the angle between the longitudinal directions of adjacent flight feathers 160 located on the primary flight feathers 160w is larger as the flight feathers 160 are closer to the first direction. Therefore, the flight feathers 160 located at the end of the primary flight feathers 160w on the first direction side are oriented such that their longitudinal direction faces the first direction and their transverse direction runs from front to rear. This allows the overall size of the morphing wing to be increased when unfolded, thereby further improving lift.

[0134] Furthermore, the flight feathers 160 in the primary flight feathers 160w are configured so that the angle they form with the longitudinal direction of adjacent flight feathers 160 connected via connecting member 156 increases as the link mechanism unfolds. In other words, when the link mechanism is retracted, the angle they form with the longitudinal direction of adjacent flight feathers 160 decreases. This allows the primary flight feathers 160w to fit more snugly when the link mechanism is retracted. This reduces the overall size of the morphing wing 140 when retracted, contributing to improved portability.

[0135] Furthermore, when the link mechanism is deployed, the multiple flight feathers 160 located at the end on the first direction side are streamlined from front to rear. This ensures maximum lift for the morphing wing 140 in the deployed state. Furthermore, gaps are provided between adjacent flight feathers 160. This allows airflow to escape through these gaps, suppressing turbulence in the airflow at the end of the wing and preventing stalling. This contributes to stable flight.

[0136] Additionally, the multiple flight feathers 160 located at the end on the first direction side undergo elastic deformation. As a result, when the morphing wing 140 is deployed, it passively deforms in response to the force exerted by the flow at the end of the morphing wing 140. This makes it possible to suppress turbulence in the air flow at the end of the wing, thereby contributing to stable flight.

[0137] Furthermore, when the flying object 100 lands, the control unit 230 controls the drive unit 210 to extend the link mechanism in the first direction, thereby ensuring lift for the flying object 100 during landing and contributing to a stable landing.

[0138] Deep reinforcement learning is also used for flight control, which allows for flight control that adapts to the flight environment, enabling more efficient and safer flight.

[0139] Additionally, displacement information including at least one of the strain and pressure of the morphing wing 140 is used to control flight. By obtaining the displacement information of the morphing wing 140 and performing control before the attitude of the flying object 100 changes, control can be performed more swiftly, which contributes to improved maneuverability.

[0140] Furthermore, when the flying object 100 lands, the drive unit 210 that expands and contracts the link mechanism is controlled to extend the link mechanism, thereby enabling flight and landing that are more bird-like.

[0141] The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the morphing wing 140 may be applied to any flying wing structure, such as a UAV or passenger aircraft. The thrust device in the flying object 100 is not limited to the propeller 110. For example, a jet engine or the like may be used. Although it has been described that the flight feathers 160 in the secondary flight feathers 170w are positioned approximately parallel to the adjacent flight feathers 160, this is not limited to this. The flight feathers 160 in the secondary flight feathers 170w may be angled relative to the adjacent flight feathers 160, similar to the primary flight feathers 160w, taking into consideration the relative positions of the flight feathers 160 throughout the morphing wing 140. In this case, it is preferable that the flight feathers 160 located closer to the second direction are oriented closer to the front-to-rear direction.

[0142] In addition, within the scope of the spirit of the present invention, the components in the above-described embodiments may be replaced with well-known components as appropriate, and the above-described modifications may be combined as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0143] 100 flying objects 140 Morphing Wings 152 Secondary Link 152a Previous row link 152b Next row link 154 Front first row link 160 Flight feathers 160w first row windshield 170w next row windshield 180 Front wing cover 181 No. 1 front wing cover 182 No. 2 front wing cover 183 Third front wing cover 200 Flight control device 200A Flight Control Unit 210 Drive unit 230 Control Unit MDL Model

Claims

1. a link mechanism that can be deployed in a first direction and stored in a second direction opposite to the first direction; a plurality of front wing covers attached to the front of the link mechanism, the front wing covers being on one side perpendicular to the first direction; A plurality of flight feathers attached to the rear of the link mechanism, which is the other side perpendicular to the first direction; Equipped with the front wing cover and the flight feathers are streamlined from the front to the rear, When the link mechanism is stored, the flight feathers are stored inside the adjacent flight feathers. Morphing wings.

2. The link mechanism includes: a first link including a front first link attached to the front on the first direction side and a rear first link attached to the rear on the first direction side; a next row link including a front next row link attached to the front on the side in the second direction and a rear next row link attached to the rear on the side in the second direction; Equipped with The plurality of flight feathers are rotatably attached to the front first link and the rear first link or the front second link and the rear second link, The morphing wing of claim 1 .

3. The front wing cover is a first front wing cover provided on the first link; a second front wing cover provided on the next row link; a third front wing cover provided between the first front wing cover and the second front wing cover; Equipped with The morphing wing of claim 2 .

4. The plurality of flight feathers are A primary wind blade attached to the primary link; a secondary windshield attached to the secondary link; Equipped with When the link mechanism is deployed, the angle formed between the longitudinal directions of adjacent flight feathers in the primary flight feathers is larger as the longitudinal directions of the flight feathers located in the first direction are closer to each other. The morphing wing according to claim 2 or 3.

5. The flight feathers in the primary flight feathers are configured so that the angle formed with the longitudinal direction of the adjacent flight feathers increases as the link mechanism unfolds. The morphing wing of claim 4.

6. When the link mechanism is deployed, the short side direction of each of the plurality of flight feathers located at the end on the first direction side faces in a direction from the front to the rear, the short side direction of each flight feather is streamlined from the front to the rear, and a gap is provided between the rear ends of adjacent flight feathers. The morphing wing of any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The plurality of flight feathers located at the end on the first direction side are elastically deformed. The morphing wing of any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. A flight control device for controlling an aircraft equipped with the morphing wing according to any one of claims 1 to 7, a drive unit that extends and contracts the link mechanism; a control unit that controls the drive unit, the control unit controls the drive unit to extend the link mechanism in the first direction when the aircraft lands. Flight control device.

9. The control unit acquiring attitude information representing the attitude of the aircraft; controlling the driving unit based on an output result of a model learned using deep reinforcement learning, the output result being obtained by inputting the acquired posture information into the model; 9. The flight control device according to claim 8.

10. The control unit further acquires displacement information including at least one of strain and pressure of the morphing wing, and controls the drive unit based on an output result of the model obtained by inputting the acquired displacement information into the model.

10. The flight control device according to claim 9.

11. A flight control device for controlling an aircraft equipped with the morphing wing according to any one of claims 1 to 7, When the aircraft lands, a drive unit that extends and contracts the link mechanism is controlled to extend the link mechanism. Flight control methods.

12. A flight control device for controlling an aircraft equipped with the morphing wing according to any one of claims 1 to 7, When the aircraft lands, a drive unit that expands and contracts the link mechanism is controlled to extend the link mechanism. program.

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