Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Control System

Abstract

To provide an unmanned flying object control system which enables handover of control to be performed easily.SOLUTION: An unmanned flying object control system has: an unmanned flying object; a control terminal 31 which remotely controls the unmanned flying object; and a control unit which controls the unmanned flying object and the control terminal 31 by operation instructions. The control terminal 31 has at least two control terminals 31a, 31b. Each of the control terminals 31a, 31b has: a communication part 56 which transmits or receives a notification signal between the control terminals 31a, 31b; a display lamp 54 which displays reception when the notification signal is received; and a speaker 59. The control unit causes the communication part 56 of the first control terminal 31a to transmit the notification signal for notifying handover to the second control terminal 31b based on a transmission instruction of a switch part 58, and causes the display lamp 54 and the speaker 59 of the second control terminal 31b to perform reception display. Further, the control unit causes the communication part 56 of the second control terminal 31b to transmit the notification signal for confirming the reception to the first control terminal 31a. Then, the second control terminal 31b starts controlling of the unmanned flying object to take over remote control.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an unmanned aerial vehicle control system and an unmanned aerial vehicle control method for taking over remote control of an unmanned aerial vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) controlled by a control terminal such as a controller are also used to transport relatively heavy cargo such as construction materials and tools. When the distance from the starting point to the destination is long, for example in mountainous or forested areas where it is difficult to ensure visibility for the entire journey, control is handed over to another person mid-way (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2017-74826 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] According to Patent Document 1, when a flight control signal from one control terminal is no longer received, the unmanned aerial vehicle is put into a hovering state, and then upon receiving a flight control signal from another control terminal, the hovering is canceled and the unmanned aerial vehicle is put into a flying state, thereby achieving handover. However, separate communication is required between the operators of the one control terminal and the other control terminal at the time of handover. However, Patent Document 1 makes no mention of communication regarding the timing of handover. To ensure a smooth handover, simple and quick communication between the operators is required.

[0005] The problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide an unmanned aerial vehicle control system and an unmanned aerial vehicle control method that enable operators to more easily communicate with each other when taking over the control of an unmanned aerial vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problem, the unmanned aerial vehicle control system of the present invention is an unmanned aerial vehicle control system having an unmanned aerial vehicle, a control terminal that remotely controls the unmanned aerial vehicle, and a control unit that controls the unmanned aerial vehicle and the control terminal based on operation instructions, wherein the control terminal has at least two control terminals, each of which has a notification signal transmission / reception means for transmitting and receiving notification signals between the control terminals, and a reception / display means for displaying a receipt when the notification signal is received, and the control unit is configured to cause the notification signal transmission / reception means of the first control terminal to transmit a notification signal notifying the second control terminal of the handover based on the transmission instruction, cause the reception / display means of the second control terminal to display a receipt, cause the notification signal transmission / reception means of the second control terminal to transmit a notification signal confirming receipt to the first control terminal, and have the second control terminal begin operating the unmanned aerial vehicle and take over remote control.

[0007] According to this configuration, when remote control of the unmanned aerial vehicle is handed over from a first control terminal remotely controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle to a second control terminal, the control unit controls the notification signal transmitting / receiving means of the first control terminal to transmit a notification signal for handover based on a transmission instruction, such as a switch operation, on the first control terminal. Furthermore, upon receiving the notification signal for handover, the second control terminal controls the notification signal transmitting / receiving means to transmit a notification signal confirming receipt to the first control terminal based on the transmission instruction. Upon receiving the notification signal from the second control terminal, the first control terminal stops remote control, and remote control of the unmanned aerial vehicle by the second control terminal is resumed, completing the handover. Upon receiving the notification signal from the second control terminal, the control unit controls the receiving / displaying means to display the notification signal, allowing the pilot to easily confirm receipt of the notification signal. Conventionally, when communicating the handover via another communication device, such as a mobile phone, there is a risk of interrupting the control of the control terminal by operating the communication device. However, by exchanging notification signals for handover in this manner, the handover can be performed simply and quickly without interrupting control of the unmanned aerial vehicle and without requiring the unmanned aerial vehicle to have a device for handover. In order to ensure stable visual observation of the unmanned aerial vehicle, it is preferable to perform the handover while the unmanned aerial vehicle is in a low-speed or hovering state.

[0008] In the unmanned aerial vehicle control system according to the present invention, the reception display means may be configured to include reception sound generating means for generating reception sound and / or lighting display means for lighting display.

[0009] With this configuration, when a notification signal is received, at least one of a receiving sound and a light is emitted, thereby more reliably notifying the operator who is taking over. To further increase the reliability of the handover, it is preferable that the transmitting side also emits at least one of a transmitting sound and a light.

[0010] In the unmanned aerial vehicle control system of the present invention, the unmanned aerial vehicle has a position information acquisition means for acquiring position information of a predetermined position along its flight path, and a memory means for storing the position information acquired by the position information acquisition means, and the first control terminal and / or the second control terminal can be configured to have a predetermined position flight means for remotely controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle using the predetermined position based on the position information stored in the memory means of the unmanned aerial vehicle as its flight path.

[0011] According to this configuration, by acquiring position information of a predetermined position along the flight path of the unmanned aerial vehicle, when repeatedly transporting cargo, remote control based on the predetermined position information enables stable flight even at night or in poor visibility, and control handover can be smoothly performed. In the case of repeated flights between two locations, if position information of a position along the flight path is acquired in advance by a test flight when visibility is good and weather is stable, the position information can be used during actual cargo transport, thereby improving work efficiency through reliable flight and handover. The predetermined position from which position information is acquired may be one, but preferably two or more. If the predetermined position from which position information is acquired is a location with good visibility and topographical safety for both pilots performing the handover, handover can be performed reliably when the unmanned aerial vehicle reaches the predetermined position.

[0012] In the unmanned aerial vehicle control system of the present invention, the unmanned aerial vehicle can be configured to have a position information acquisition means for acquiring position information of a predetermined position along its flight path, the first control terminal and the second control terminal can have a memory means for storing the position information acquired by the position information acquisition means, and the first control terminal and / or the second control terminal can have a predetermined position flight means for remotely controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle using the predetermined position based on the position information stored in the memory means of the first control terminal or the second control terminal as its flight path.

[0013] With this configuration, the location information acquired by the location information acquisition means of the unmanned aerial vehicle is stored in the memory means of the first control terminal and the second control terminal, and the unmanned aerial vehicle is remotely controlled based on the location information, thereby enabling stable flight and reliable handover.

[0014] In the unmanned aerial vehicle control system of the present invention, the first control terminal and the second control terminal can be configured to have a location information acquisition instruction means for sending an acquisition instruction to the location information acquisition means to acquire location information of the specified location.

[0015] With this configuration, when a remotely controlled unmanned aerial vehicle reaches a predetermined location, the first or second remotely controlled terminal sends an acquisition command using the location information acquisition command means, and the location information acquisition means of the unmanned aerial vehicle acquires location information. The location information can then be selected as the optimal location for the flight route or the optimal location for handover.

[0016] In the unmanned aerial vehicle control system of the present invention, the unmanned aerial vehicle has a first GPS receiver that receives radio waves from at least four artificial satellites and two second GPS receivers that receive radio waves from one artificial satellite, and the second GPS receivers are each installed at a predetermined position on the unmanned aerial vehicle, and the location information acquisition means can be configured to acquire the location information based on the measurement value of the first GPS receiver or the measurement value of the two second GPS receivers and the measurement value of a sensor installed on the unmanned aerial vehicle.

[0017] With this configuration, location information can be obtained from measurements by the first GPS receiver that receives radio waves from four satellites, and location information can also be obtained from measurements by two GPS receivers installed at predetermined locations on the unmanned aerial vehicle, each receiving radio waves from one satellite, and measurements by sensors installed on the unmanned aerial vehicle. The sensors include a barometric sensor and ultrasonic sensor that can measure altitude, as well as an acceleration sensor, angular velocity sensor (gyro sensor), and geomagnetic sensor that can measure the direction of movement, inclination, and orientation of the unmanned aerial vehicle. Utilizing the various sensors installed on the multicopter enables the use of a second GPS receiver with a simple structure to obtain location information.

[0018] In the unmanned aerial vehicle control system according to the present invention, the unmanned aerial vehicle may further be configured to have a level maintaining means for ensuring that the unmanned aerial vehicle remains level when carrying cargo.

[0019] With this configuration, it is possible to ensure horizontality even when traveling long distances with cargo on board or to a high altitude, which is susceptible to natural influences, so cargo transportation by unmanned aerial vehicles can be carried out stably and handovers along the way can be carried out reliably.

[0020] Furthermore, the unmanned aerial vehicle control method of the present invention is a method for remotely controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle, and includes the steps of: transmitting a notification signal from a first controlling terminal remotely controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle to a second controlling terminal based on a transmission instruction in the first controlling terminal that remotely controls the unmanned aerial vehicle to notify the handover of remote control; displaying a reception indication on the second controlling terminal upon receiving the notification signal; transmitting a reception confirmation notification signal from the second controlling terminal to the first controlling terminal based on a transmission instruction in the second controlling terminal; displaying a reception indication on the first controlling terminal upon receiving the notification signal from the second controlling terminal; the first controlling terminal that has displayed the reception indication stops remotely controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle; and the second controlling terminal that has sent the reception confirmation notification signal to the first controlling terminal starts controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle and takes over remote control. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] According to the present invention, when remote control of an unmanned aerial vehicle is handed over mid-flight, notification of the handover is sent between control terminals, making it possible to easily perform the handover without providing the unmanned aerial vehicle with a device configuration for the handover. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a multicopter, which is an unmanned aerial vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the multicopter shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the control terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a flow diagram showing the procedure for taking over remote control of a multicopter. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the takeover of remote control of the multicopter shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic explanatory diagram of how position information of the multicopter shown in FIG. 1 is acquired. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0024] As shown in Figure 1, the unmanned aerial vehicle, a multicopter 11 (drone), has a main body 12 on which equipment such as a power supply and control devices are mounted, four rod-shaped arm sections 13 (13a, 13b, 13c, 13d) (hereinafter referred to as "arm sections 13") protruding in all directions from the main body 12, four drive units 15 (15a, 15b, 15c, 15d) (hereinafter referred to as "drive units 15") provided at the tips of the arm sections 13 (13a, 13b, 13c, 13d), four rotors 17 (17a, 17b, 17c, 17d) (hereinafter referred to as "rotor sections 17") provided at the upper ends of the drive units 15 (15a, 15b, 15c, 15d), and a pair of legs 18a, 18b provided on the bottom surface of the main body 12. A first GPS receiver 28 is provided in the center of the main body 12, and second GPS receivers 51 and 52 are provided on both ends of the main body 12 at symmetrical positions.

[0025] The drive units 15 (15a, 15b, 15c, 15d) each include a motor 21 (21a, 21b, 21c, 21d) (simply referred to as "motor 21" as appropriate) that rotates and drives the rotors 17 (17a, 17b, 17c, 17d), and a drive controller 22 (22a, 22c, 22d) (simply referred to as "drive controller 22" as appropriate) that controls the rotation of the motor 21 (see FIG. 2). The rotors 17 are connected to the motor 21 via a rotating shaft (not shown). The motor 21 may be, for example, a servo motor. In this embodiment, the number of rotors 17 is four; however, this is not limited to four, and the number may be six, eight, or the like. However, an even number is required to maintain stable flight. This is because adjacent rotors 17 rotate in opposite directions, thereby canceling out the action and reaction caused by the rotational moment and stabilizing the attitude of the multicopter 11.

[0026] Main body 12, located in the center of multicopter 11, is a cylindrical box, and legs 18a, 18b provided on the bottom surface of main body 12 are made of approximately U-shaped members and serve as attachment points when multicopter 11 transports cargo. Materials used for multicopter 11 include synthetic resin, aluminum, and the like, and when particular strength and rigidity are required, CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics) is used.

[0027] Next, the configuration of the multicopter 11 will be described with reference to the block diagram of Figure 2. The main body 12 of the multicopter 11 includes a communication unit 25 that transmits and receives signals to and from a control terminal 31 (31a, 31b: see Figure 3), a power source 26 (battery) that supplies power to the motor 21 and other components, a camera 27 that captures images of the surroundings of the multicopter 11, a first GPS receiver 28 that receives radio waves from artificial satellites to measure position information, second GPS receivers 51 and 52, a sensor unit 30 that stores various sensors such as an acceleration sensor, a control unit 33 that controls the communication unit 25, camera 27, first GPS receiver 28, second GPS receivers 51 and 52, sensor unit 30, and the like, and a non-volatile memory storage unit 35 (e.g., flash memory) that stores programs for controlling various functions of the multicopter 11, measured data, and the like. The drive control unit 22 included in the drive unit 15 receives instructions from the control unit 33 and controls the increase / decrease in rotation speed, activation, and stop of the motor 21. The control unit 33 causes each drive control unit 22 (22a, 22b, 22c, 22d) to independently control the drive of each motor 21 (21a, 21b, 21c, 21d), thereby individually driving the rotors 17 (17a, 17b, 17c, 17d), allowing the multicopter 11 to ascend, descend, turn left or right, hover, etc.

[0028] The control unit 33 is what is called a flight controller and includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), etc., and executes various controls according to various programs stored in the ROM or storage unit 35. The camera 27 may be an ordinary camera, an infrared camera, a stereo camera, etc. Images captured by the camera 27 are transmitted by the control unit 33 via the communication unit 25 to the control terminal 31 (see FIG. 3) and displayed on the display unit 55 (see FIG. 3) of the control terminal 31.

[0029] A first GPS receiver 28 provided in the center of the main body 12 of the multicopter 11 receives radio waves from at least four satellites to acquire position information of the multicopter 11 (see FIG. 1). Second GPS receivers 51 and 52 (see FIG. 1), provided at opposite ends of the main body 12, receive radio waves from one satellite and acquire position information of the multicopter 11 using measurement values ​​of a barometric pressure sensor, an altitude sensor (ultrasonic sensor), an acceleration sensor, an angular velocity sensor (gyro sensor), and a geomagnetic sensor of the sensor unit 30 (described later). For example, after initially acquiring position information using the first GPS receiver 30, use of the first GPS receiver 30 can be stopped, and subsequent position information can be acquired using the information received from the satellites by the second GPS receivers 51 and 52 and the measurement values ​​acquired from the above-mentioned sensors. The control unit 33 and the first GPS receiver 28 constitute the location information acquisition means, or the control unit 33, the second GPS receivers 51 and 52, and the sensor unit 30 constitute the location information acquisition means. The memory unit 35 that stores the program for acquiring location information and the acquired location information corresponds to the storage means.

[0030] As mentioned above, the sensor unit 30 includes a barometric pressure sensor, an altitude sensor (ultrasonic sensor), an acceleration sensor, an angular velocity sensor (gyro sensor), a geomagnetic sensor, and the like. The barometric pressure sensor detects changes in air pressure and can determine the drone's altitude, but since the barometric pressure sensor may not function properly due to weather conditions, an ultrasonic sensor is also used. The ultrasonic sensor detects the distance from the ground by emitting ultrasonic waves and measuring the time it takes for the waves to bounce back. The acceleration sensor detects the distance traveled by detecting acceleration, and the angular velocity sensor (gyro sensor) detects the number of times the aircraft rotates within a certain period of time. The geomagnetic sensor detects direction using magnetic force. The control unit 33 and the various sensors of the sensor unit 30 constitute a leveling means that ensures the unmanned aerial vehicle remains level.

[0031] Next, the device configuration of the control terminal 31 (31a, 31b) will be described with reference to FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3, the control terminal 31 includes a communication unit 56 that transmits and receives data to and from the communication unit 25 of the multicopter 11 to remotely control the multicopter 11, an operation unit 57 that controls the multicopter 11 via the communication unit 56, a display unit 55 that displays images captured by the camera 27 of the multicopter 11 and various instructions on a touch panel for operation, a switch unit 58 that issues transmission instructions for transmitting notification signals between the first control terminal 31a and the second control terminal 31b, a speaker 59 and an output circuit 60 that generate a ringtone when a notification signal is received, an indicator light 54 that lights up when a notification signal is received, a control unit 61 that controls these functions, and a memory unit 62 that stores programs for controlling and controlling each device, measurement data, etc. The control terminal 31 also includes a built-in battery (not shown) that serves as a power source.

[0032] The operation of the multicopter 11 using the operation unit 57 is performed, for example, by operating sticks (not shown) arranged on the left and right sides of the surface of the control terminal 31. Tilt the right stick up to "ascend," down to "descend," left to "move left," and right to "move right," while tilting the left stick up to "move forward," down to "move backward," left to "turn left," and right to "turn right." The multicopter 11 can be placed in a hovering state by "ascending" and slowly stopping the ascent, thereby balancing the lift and the gravity of the multicopter 11. Note that the hovering state can also be automatically set by operating the operation touch panel displayed on the display unit 55.

[0033] The screen of the display unit 55 displays not only the image captured by the camera 27 and the operation touch panel, but also the current position information (latitude, longitude, and altitude) of the flying multicopter 11. The displayed current position information can be stored in the memory unit 62 and / or the memory unit 35 of the multicopter 11 by a predetermined operation on the operation touch panel of the display unit 55. The switch unit 58 transmits a notification signal to the other control terminal 31 when operated during a takeover. The control terminal 31b that receives the notification signal generates a reception sound from the speaker 59 and also lights up the indicator light 54. It is possible to set the transmitting control terminal 31a that operates the switch unit 58 to also generate a transmission sound and light up the indicator light. The control unit 61, switch unit 58, and communication unit 56 constitute a notification signal transmitting / receiving means. The control unit 61, output circuit 60, and speaker 59 constitute a reception sound generating means, and the control unit 61 and indicator light 54 constitute a light up display means (reception and display means). Furthermore, the operation touch panel displayed on the display unit 55 and the control unit 61 constitute a predetermined position flight means and a position information acquisition instruction means. Operation (pressing, etc.) of the switch unit 58 gives a transmission instruction.

[0034] Next, the handover of control of the multicopter 11 will be described with reference to FIG. 4. Remote control of the multicopter 11 is initiated by the first control terminal 31a (S1). For example, when flying the multicopter 11 carrying cargo or the like from the base of a mountain to a site at the top, it is difficult for the pilot of the first control terminal to visually check the landing point at the top and the terrain near the top. Although the pilot can check images of the surrounding area captured by the camera 27 of the multicopter 11, stable flight and landing may be difficult if the terrain is complex. In such a case, by handing over control from the pilot at the base of the mountain to another pilot near the top, it is possible to land safely at the target point near the top by visual confirmation.

[0035] When the multicopter 11, which has been moved from the start point by the first control terminal 31a, reaches a predetermined handover point, the first control terminal 31a operates the switch unit 58 as a transmission instruction to notify the second control terminal 31b of the handover, and the control unit 61 transmits a notification signal to the first control terminal 31b (S2: notification signal transmitting / receiving means). In the second control terminal 31b, which receives this notification signal, the control unit 61 generates a ringtone from the speaker 59 via the output circuit 60 (received sound generating means) and also turns on the indicator light 54 (lighting display means). When the switch unit 58 as a transmission instruction is operated, the control unit 61 transmits a notification signal to the first control terminal 31a to confirm receipt (S3: notification signal transmitting / receiving means).

[0036] In the first control terminal 31a that has received the above-described reception confirmation notification signal, the control unit 61 generates a ringtone from the speaker 59 via the output circuit 60 (received sound generating means), turns on the indicator light 54 (lighting display means), and further stops remote control of the multicopter 11 (S4). In the second control terminal 31b that has transmitted the reception confirmation notification signal, remote control is quickly started after transmission (S5). This allows control of the multicopter 11 to be quickly taken over, minimizing flight disruptions and completing the remote control handover (S6). Note that, since a ringtone is generated and an indicator light is turned on when a notification signal is received, the reliability of communication with the receiving side is improved.

[0037] Next, handover using position information of intermediate points on the flight path will be described with reference to Figure 5. Take the example of transporting luggage using multicopter 11 from starting point S at the foot of a mountain to arrival point E at the top of the mountain. The luggage is loaded onto multicopter 11 at starting point S, and the multicopter is caused to ascend toward the top using first control terminal 31. As part of the flight route, relay point A is set in the air above starting point A (higher than the top), and relay point B is set in the air above arrival point E, proceeding horizontally from relay point A.

[0038] The position information (position coordinates) of relay points A and B is acquired by a preliminary flight before the actual cargo transport. The preliminary flight is conducted during the day when the natural conditions are good, and the position information (position coordinates) of relay points A and B is acquired by appropriately selecting the first GPS receiver 28, the second GPS receivers 51 and 52, various sensors, etc. The aircraft ascends from the departure point S, and an arbitrary point slightly higher than the summit is set as relay point A. The control unit 33 acquires the position information (latitude, longitude, altitude) displayed on the display unit 55 through operation of the operation touch panel and stores it in the memory unit 62 (storage means) of the control terminal 31 and / or the memory unit 35 (storage means) of the multicopter 11 (position information acquisition instruction means, position information acquisition means). Similarly, the aircraft flies horizontally from relay point A, and acquires the position information of relay point B, which is located above arrival point E, and stores it in the memory unit 62 and / or the memory unit 35. During actual remote control, the position information of relay points A and B can be input as the flight route, and the control unit 33 enables the multicopter 11 to fly via relay points A and B (predetermined position flight means).

[0039] In this way, the position information of relay points A and B is obtained in advance during a preliminary flight (empty), so remote control can be performed based on the position information of relay points A and B even when the actual cargo transport is performed in bad weather, with poor visibility, or at night. The handover from the first control terminal 31a to the second control terminal 31b can also be performed at either relay point A or B. For example, the first control terminal 31a launches the multicopter 11 from the departure point S. Since the remote control uses the position information of relay points A and B, the multicopter 11 flies via relay points A and B. When the multicopter 11 reaches either relay point A or B, the first control terminal 31a transmits a notification signal for handover to the second control terminal 31b. The first control terminal 31a, upon receiving a confirmation notification signal from the second control terminal 31b that has received the notification signal, stops remote control. The second control terminal 31b, which transmitted the confirmation notification signal, then starts remote control, completing the handover.

[0040] By having the handover take place at either relay point A or B, the reliability of the handover operation is improved, enabling stable cargo transport flights. For example, in cases where visual flight by solo pilot is difficult, such as on mountain tops, at high altitudes, or in forested areas, remote flight using relay point position information makes handover easy even during night flights or flights in bad weather, and improves transport efficiency in cases where round-trip transport is required repeatedly.

[0041] Next, the acquisition of position information (latitude, longitude, altitude) using the second GPS receivers 51, 52 of the multicopter 11 will be described with reference to Fig. 6. As described above, the first GPS receiver 28 receives radio waves from at least four artificial satellites to acquire position information (position coordinates), whereas the second GPS receivers 51, 52 receive radio waves from one artificial satellite 71 and acquire position information of the multicopter 11 using measurement values ​​of various sensors mounted on the multicopter 11.

[0042] The second GPS receivers 51 and 52, which receive radio waves from the artificial satellite 71, determine the distance between the artificial satellite 71 and the second GPS receivers 51 and 52, respectively, from the position information and time difference of the artificial satellite 71. Since the distance between the second GPS receivers 51 and 52 is known, the triangle formed by the artificial satellite 71 and the first GPS receivers 51 and 52 and the altitude H of the multicopter 11 are determined using a barometric pressure sensor and an altitude sensor (ultrasonic sensor), and the position information (latitude, longitude, altitude) of the multicopter 11 is determined. Also, for example, only the position information of the departure point A shown in FIG. 5 is determined by the first GPS receiver 28, and then the position information of intermediate points on the way to the destination point E can be determined using the measurement values ​​of the second GPS receiver, the barometric pressure sensor, the altitude sensor (ultrasonic sensor), the acceleration sensor, the angular velocity sensor (gyro sensor), and the geomagnetic sensor. In this way, instead of using the conventional first GPS receiver 28, the multicopter's position information (position coordinates) can be obtained using the second GPS receivers 51, 52 with a simple device configuration and various sensors installed on them.

[0043] The multicopter 11 of this embodiment may need to transport a relatively heavy load to a location with a large elevation difference, and remote control is required that takes into account environments susceptible to natural phenomena such as wind. In addition to the normal flight program, it is necessary to maintain horizontality in the event that a heavy load becomes misaligned during flight. Based on the measured values ​​of the barometric pressure sensor, altitude sensor (ultrasonic sensor), acceleration sensor, angular velocity sensor (gyro sensor), and geomagnetic sensor, the control unit 33 of the multicopter 11 can maintain horizontality by controlling the rotation speed of each of the rotors 17 (17a, 17b, 17c, 17d) using the drive control units 22 (22a, 22b, 22c, 22d) in accordance with a horizontality maintenance program stored in the memory unit 35 (horizontal maintenance means).

[0044] Although the multicopter 11 according to this embodiment has four rotors, the number is not limited to four and may be six, eight, or the like. Furthermore, while the remote control is handed over between the first and second control terminals, the number of control terminals is not limited to two and may be three, four, or the like. Furthermore, the handover may be performed after the multicopter 11 is in a low-speed flight or hovering state. In this embodiment, the control unit 61 provided in each of the first and second control terminals 31a and 31b controls the transmission and reception of notification signals by the notification signal transmission / reception means and the reception and display by the reception and display means. However, the present invention is not limited to this and may also be controlled by, for example, a control unit of the multicopter 11 (unmanned aerial vehicle).

[0045] Although several embodiments and modifications of each part of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments and modifications of each part are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments described above can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the invention described in the claims. [Industrial Applicability]

[0046] As explained above, according to the unmanned aerial vehicle control system and unmanned aerial vehicle control method of the present invention, handover notifications are sent between control terminals, which has the advantage that the handover can be easily performed without providing a device configuration for the unmanned aerial vehicle, and therefore the system is useful as a control system and control method for an unmanned aerial vehicle that has an unmanned aerial vehicle and a control terminal that remotely controls the unmanned aerial vehicle. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 11 Multicopter (unmanned aerial vehicle) 12 Main body 13(13a, 13b, 13c, 13d) Arm part 15(15a, 15b, 15c, 15d) Drive unit 17(17a, 17b, 17c, 17d) Rotor 18a, 18b Legs 21(21a, 21b, 21c, 21d) Motor 22 (22a, 22b, 22c, 22d) Drive control unit 25 Communications Department 26 Power supply 27 Camera 28 1st GPS 30 Sensor unit 31 Control terminal 31a First control terminal 31b Second Control Terminal 33 Control Unit 35 Storage section 51, 52 Second GPS 54 Indicator light 55 Display section 56 Communications Department 57 Operation section 58 Switch section 61 Control Unit 62 Storage section 71 Satellite

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle control system having an unmanned aerial vehicle, a control terminal that remotely controls the unmanned aerial vehicle, and a control unit that controls the unmanned aerial vehicle and the control terminal based on operation instructions, The control terminal has at least two control terminals, The control terminal includes a notification signal transmitting / receiving means for transmitting and receiving notification signals between the control terminals; a reception display means for displaying a reception when the notification signal is received, the control unit causes the notification signal transmitting / receiving means of the first control terminal to transmit a notification signal notifying the second control terminal of the handover based on the transmission instruction, causes the receiving / displaying means of the second control terminal to display the reception, causes the notification signal transmitting / receiving means of the second control terminal to transmit a notification signal confirming reception to the first control terminal, and the second control terminal begins operating the unmanned aerial vehicle and takes over remote operation; The unmanned aerial vehicle has a position information acquisition means for acquiring position information of a predetermined position along a flight path, and a storage means for storing the position information acquired by the position information acquisition means, The first control terminal and / or the second control terminal has a predetermined position flight means for remotely controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle using a predetermined position according to the position information stored in the storage means of the unmanned aerial vehicle as a flight route, The unmanned aerial vehicle has a first GPS receiver that receives radio waves from at least four satellites and two second GPS receivers that receive radio waves from one satellite, and the second GPS receivers are each installed at a predetermined position on the unmanned aerial vehicle, and the location information acquisition means first acquires the location information using the measurement values ​​of the first GPS receiver, then stops using the first GPS receiver, and acquires the subsequent location information based on the measurement values ​​of the two second GPS receivers and the measurement values ​​of a sensor installed on the unmanned aerial vehicle.

2. An unmanned aerial vehicle control system having an unmanned aerial vehicle, a control terminal that remotely controls the unmanned aerial vehicle, and a control unit that controls the unmanned aerial vehicle and the control terminal based on operation instructions, The control terminal has at least two control terminals, The control terminal includes a notification signal transmitting / receiving means for transmitting and receiving notification signals between the control terminals; a reception display means for displaying a reception when the notification signal is received, the control unit causes the notification signal transmitting / receiving means of the first control terminal to transmit a notification signal notifying the second control terminal of the handover based on the transmission instruction, causes the receiving / displaying means of the second control terminal to display the reception, causes the notification signal transmitting / receiving means of the second control terminal to transmit a notification signal confirming reception to the first control terminal, and the second control terminal begins operating the unmanned aerial vehicle and takes over remote operation; the unmanned aerial vehicle has a position information acquisition means for acquiring position information of a predetermined position along a flight path, the first control terminal and the second control terminal each have a storage means for storing the position information acquired by the position information acquisition means, The first control terminal and / or the second control terminal has a predetermined position flight means for remotely controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle using a predetermined position according to the position information stored in the storage means of the first control terminal or the second control terminal as a flight path, The unmanned aerial vehicle has a first GPS receiver that receives radio waves from at least four satellites and two second GPS receivers that receive radio waves from one satellite, and the second GPS receivers are each installed at a predetermined position on the unmanned aerial vehicle, and the location information acquisition means first acquires the location information using the measurement values ​​of the first GPS receiver, then stops using the first GPS receiver, and acquires the subsequent location information based on the measurement values ​​of the two second GPS receivers and the measurement values ​​of a sensor installed on the unmanned aerial vehicle.

3. 3. The unmanned aerial vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein the reception display means comprises reception sound generating means for generating reception sound and / or lighting display means for lighting the display.

4. An unmanned aerial vehicle control system as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the first control terminal and the second control terminal have a position information acquisition instruction means for sending an acquisition instruction to the position information acquisition means to acquire position information of the specified position.

5. 3. The unmanned aerial vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle further comprises a level maintaining means for ensuring that the unmanned aerial vehicle remains level when a load is loaded.

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