Unmanned aerial vehicle charging devices, charging systems, disaster support systems, transportation systems and pillars

Abstract

To be able to continue to use an unmanned aircraft flying with a charged power for a long period of time even when blackout occurs.SOLUTION: A charger 10 for charging a drone 13 flying with a power supplied from a first power storage device 28, comprises: a second power storage device 32; and a second charging unit 34 for charging the first power storage device 28 using a power supplied from the second power storage device 32.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a charging device and a charging system for an unmanned aerial vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, a wide range of applications of unmanned aerial vehicles such as drones have been considered, including using drones to collect ground information, spray pesticides, and deliver packages (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] The drone described in Patent Document 1 is equipped with a detachable battery pack and flies using power supplied from the battery pack. Patent Document 1 also describes a docking station where the drone lands. When the drone lands on the docking station, the battery pack attached to the drone is replaced with another charged battery pack. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 9,387,928 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Previously, there was room for improvement in using drones for long periods of time during power outages. This specification discloses a technology that allows an unmanned aerial vehicle that flies using charged power to be used for a long period of time even if a power outage occurs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A charging device that charges an unmanned aerial vehicle that flies using power supplied from a first storage device includes a second storage device and a charging unit that charges the first storage device using power supplied from the second storage device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] Unmanned aerial vehicles that fly using charged power can be used for long periods of time even in the event of a power outage. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] Schematic diagram of a charging system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] Perspective view of drone and landing pad [Figure 3] Block diagram showing the drone's electrical configuration [Figure 4] Block diagram showing the electrical configuration of a cable television relay device [Figure 5] Block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the management computer [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of a second power storage device. [Figure 7] A sequence chart showing the drone charging process DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] (Outline of this embodiment) (1) A charging device that charges an unmanned aerial vehicle that flies using power supplied from a first storage device includes a second storage device and a charging unit that charges the first storage device using power supplied from the second storage device.

[0010] The technology described in the aforementioned Patent Document 1 is presumed to charge the battery pack using power supplied from a commercial power source. When charging the battery pack using power supplied from a commercial power source, the battery pack cannot be charged in the event of a power outage. For this reason, there is room for improvement in terms of using drones for long periods of time during a power outage.

[0011] According to one aspect of the present invention, the charging device includes a second power storage device, and charges the first power storage device of the unmanned aerial vehicle with power supplied from the second power storage device, so that the unmanned aerial vehicle can be charged even if a power outage occurs, allowing the unmanned aerial vehicle to be used for a long period of time even if a power outage occurs. For example, in the event of a disaster such as an earthquake or fire, it is desirable for the unmanned aerial vehicle to collect information about the affected area for a relatively long period of time. However, when a disaster occurs, there is a possibility that a power outage will occur. When the first power storage device of the unmanned aerial vehicle is charged with power supplied from a commercial power source, the first power storage device will not be able to be charged if a power outage occurs. The above-described charging device can charge the first power storage device of the unmanned aerial vehicle even if a power outage occurs, making it particularly useful when the unmanned aerial vehicle needs to collect information for a long period of time during a disaster.

[0012] (2) The second power storage device may also serve as a backup power storage device that supplies power to electrical loads other than the unmanned aerial vehicle in the event of a power outage.

[0013] By distributing multiple charging devices over a wide area, it is possible to build an infrastructure (hereafter referred to as "infrastructure") that allows unmanned aerial vehicles to be used over a wide area for long periods of time during power outages. However, installing multiple new charging devices requires a lot of money and also requires securing installation locations, which may hinder the smooth construction of the infrastructure.

[0014] Many power storage devices that supply power to loads during power outages have already been installed. For example, in cable television communication networks, multiple relay devices (corresponding to electrical loads) are installed in a wide area. Some of these relay devices are equipped with a backup power storage device for supplying power during power outages. According to one aspect of the present invention, if such a backup power storage device is used as a second power storage device, installation costs can be reduced compared to installing multiple new charging devices, and the effort required to secure installation locations can also be reduced. This increases the likelihood that infrastructure construction will proceed smoothly.

[0015] (3) The charging device for an unmanned aerial vehicle may be provided with a landing pad on which the unmanned aerial vehicle lands, and the landing pad may be installed at a position above a predetermined height from the ground.

[0016] Placing the charging device on the ground is undesirable from a safety standpoint, since there is a possibility that someone may be near the charging device when the unmanned aerial vehicle takes off or lands. According to one aspect of the present invention, the charging device is installed at a position at least a predetermined height above the ground, which reduces the possibility of people being nearby when the unmanned aerial vehicle takes off or lands, thereby improving safety compared to when the charging device is installed on the ground.

[0017] (4) The charging unit may contactlessly charge the first power storage device.

[0018] When charging an unmanned aerial vehicle by manually connecting a charging cable to the first power storage device, an operator is required to attach and detach the charging cable. According to one aspect of the present invention, the charging device described above charges the first power storage device of the unmanned aerial vehicle contactlessly, eliminating the need for an operator to attach and detach the charging cable. This reduces the labor required for charging. When the landing pad is installed at a position equal to or higher than a predetermined height from the ground, the following effect can be obtained by charging the first power storage device in a non-contact manner. If the landing pad is installed at a high position, it is difficult for workers to connect a charging cable to the unmanned aircraft, but contactless charging does not require connecting a charging cable, making it particularly useful when the landing pad is installed at a high position. When the landing pad is installed at a high position, non-contact charging has the advantage of being able to charge more reliably than contact charging. Specifically, if the charging connector is designed to automatically engage when the unmanned aircraft lands on the landing pad, the unmanned aircraft can be charged without human intervention, even with contact charging. However, when the landing pad is installed at a high position, there is a possibility that the landing pad may shake due to wind, etc. If the landing pad shakes, there is a possibility that the charging connector may not be engaged. In contrast, non-contact charging has a greater tolerance for misalignment of the unmanned aircraft relative to the landing pad than contact charging, so it can charge more reliably than contact charging.

[0019] (5) The charging device for the unmanned aerial vehicle may include a control unit and a first communication unit that communicates with an external computer, and the control unit may transmit electrical quantity information representing the amount of electricity charged to the first storage device by the charging unit to the external computer via the first communication unit.

[0020] According to one aspect of the present invention, the charging device can manage the amount of electricity stored in the first power storage device by an external computer.

[0021] (6) The charging device for the unmanned aerial vehicle may include a control unit and a first communication unit that communicates with an external computer, and the control unit may transmit the charging status of the second storage device to the external computer via the first communication unit.

[0022] According to one aspect of the present invention, the charging device described above is configured such that, for example, an external computer receives the current location and the charging state of the first power storage device from the unmanned aerial vehicle. By receiving the charging state of the second power storage device from each charging device, the external computer can instruct the unmanned aerial vehicle to select a charging device that has enough electric power to fully charge the first power storage device of the unmanned aerial vehicle. Alternatively, there may be cases where a full charge is not necessary given the remaining flight distance, or where there are restrictions on the time available for charging. In such cases, the unmanned aircraft determines, for example, the amount of power required to fly the remaining flight distance or the amount of power that can be charged within the time available for charging, and notifies the external computer. The external computer can then instruct the unmanned aircraft to select a charging device with the amount of power notified by the unmanned aircraft. However, if the current location of the unmanned aerial vehicle is far from the location of the charging device, power from the first power storage device will be wasted while flying to the charging device. With the above charging device, the external computer can select the charging device closest to the current location of the unmanned aerial vehicle from among charging devices with enough power to fully charge the first power storage device or charging devices with enough power notified by the unmanned aerial vehicle, thereby preventing a decrease in the charge state of the first power storage device while flying to the charging device. This reduces wasted power consumption.

[0023] (7) The control unit may transmit location information of the charging device to the external computer via the first communication unit.

[0024] When instructing the unmanned aerial vehicle to select a charging device that has enough electric power to fully charge the first power storage device of the unmanned aerial vehicle, it is desirable to notify the unmanned aerial vehicle of the location information of the charging device. If the location information of each charging device is registered in advance in an external computer, it is possible to notify the location information to the unmanned aerial vehicle, but if not, it is not possible to notify the location information. According to one aspect of the present invention, the control unit of the charging device transmits location information of the charging device to an external computer via the first communication unit. The external computer can notify the unmanned aerial vehicle of the location information of a charging device that has enough electric power to fully charge the first power storage device of the unmanned aerial vehicle, even if the location information of each charging device has not been registered in advance.

[0025] (8) The charging device for the unmanned aerial vehicle includes a control unit and a second communication unit that communicates wirelessly with the unmanned aerial vehicle, and the control unit may transmit flight reorganization information for reorganizing the flights of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles to the unmanned aerial vehicle via the second communication unit.

[0026] Since multiple unmanned aerial vehicles flying together can cause confusion, it is desirable to control the traffic of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles flying together in the same way as controlling the traffic of ground vehicles. In this case, if there is no power outage, a dedicated computer can control the traffic by sending instructions wirelessly, but if a power outage occurs, the computer will stop, which could cause confusion. According to one aspect of the present invention, the charging device includes a second power storage device, so the control unit can operate even during a power outage. This reduces the possibility of confusion during a power outage due to the charging device transmitting flight reconnaissance information.

[0027] (9) The unmanned aerial vehicle may be a transport aircraft.

[0028] According to one aspect of the present invention, the unmanned aerial vehicle is a transport aircraft, and therefore can transport relief supplies, medical supplies, and the like for a long period of time in the event of a power outage caused by a disaster or the like.

[0029] (10) A charging system for an unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising the charging device described in (5) and a computer having a third communication unit that communicates with the charging device, wherein the computer bills a billing address associated with the unmanned aerial vehicle for a charging fee based on the electricity quantity information received from the charging device via the third communication unit.

[0030] According to one aspect of the present invention, the charging system can charge a charging fee according to the amount of electricity charged.

[0031] (11) A charging system for an unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising: a charging device described in (6) or (7); and a computer having a third communication unit that communicates with the charging device and a fourth communication unit that communicates with the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the computer instructs the unmanned aerial vehicle to select the charging device to charge the first storage device based on the current location of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the charging status of the first storage device received from the unmanned aerial vehicle via the fourth communication unit, and the charging status of the second storage device received from the charging device via the third communication unit.

[0032] According to one aspect of the present invention, the above-mentioned charging system can instruct the unmanned aircraft to select a charging device that has enough electric power to fully charge the unmanned aircraft's first storage device based on the charging state of the unmanned aircraft's first storage device and the charging state of the second storage device of each charging device. However, if the current location of the unmanned aerial vehicle is far from the location of the charging device, power from the first power storage device will be wasted while flying to the charging device. According to one aspect of the present invention, the charging system indicates the charging device closest to the current location of the unmanned aerial vehicle from among charging devices with enough power to fully charge the first power storage device. This can prevent the charge state of the first power storage device from decreasing while flying to the charging device. This reduces wasted power consumption.

[0033] The invention disclosed in this specification can be realized in various forms, such as an apparatus, a method, a computer program for realizing the functions of these apparatuses or methods, and a recording medium on which the computer program is recorded.

[0034] <Embodiment 1> The first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 7. In the following description, the reference numerals of the drawings may be omitted for the same components, with some exceptions.

[0035] (1) Charging system Referring to Figure 1, a charging system 1 for a drone (an example of an unmanned aerial vehicle) according to a first embodiment will be described. The charging system 1 includes a plurality of charging devices 10 distributed over a wide area, and a management computer 11 that manages charging fees. In the first embodiment, a cable television relay device 12 also functions as the charging device 10. Specifically, the cable television communication network includes a plurality of relay devices 12 for amplifying signals. Each relay device 12 includes a backup power storage device (referred to as a second power storage device) in preparation for a power outage. In this embodiment, the second power storage device is used to charge the drone 13.

[0036] As shown in Fig. 1, relay device 12 is installed at a position at least a predetermined height above the ground, such as on top of a utility pole 14 or a street light. The predetermined height is preferably out of reach of people on the ground, and is preferably 3 m or more. As shown in Fig. 1, each relay device 12 is equipped with a flat landing pad 15 on which drone 13 lands.

[0037] (1-1) Drone configuration The configuration of the drone 13 will be described with reference to Figure 2. The drone 13 is a multicopter, and more specifically, a quadcopter with four propellers 18. The drone 13 includes a drone main body 16 that constitutes the aircraft body, four arms 17 that extend radially in four directions from the drone main body 16, electric motors 21 (see Figure 3) provided at the tip of each arm 17, and propellers 18 that are driven to rotate by each electric motor 21.

[0038] The electrical configuration of the drone 13 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. The drone 13 includes a control unit 20, an electric motor 21, various sensors 22, a GPS receiver 23, an imaging camera 24, a flight controller 25, a fifth communication unit 26, a sixth communication unit 27, a first power storage device 28, a power receiving device 29, and the like.

[0039] The various sensors 22 are used to control the drone 13, and specifically include a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, and an air pressure sensor. The GPS receiver 23 receives radio waves transmitted from a GPS (Global Positioning System) to detect the current position (latitude, longitude) of the drone 13. The current position may be detected based on radio waves transmitted from positioning satellites other than GPS. The current position of the drone 13 may also be acquired by a method other than using the GPS receiver 23. For example, radio waves for wireless communication such as mobile phones and Wi-Fi (registered trademark) often contain location information of base stations. Therefore, the approximate position of the drone 13 may be detected from the location information contained in these radio waves.

[0040] The imaging camera 24 is used to capture images of the ground from the sky. The imaging camera 24 is equipped with an area sensor in which multiple light receiving elements are arranged two-dimensionally, and is fixed to the drone 13 with the area sensor facing downward. The flight controller 25 is composed of an ASIC, a microcomputer, etc. The flight controller 25 controls the autonomous flight of the drone 13 based on the detection results of the various sensors 22. The fifth communication unit 26 is for the drone 13 to communicate wirelessly with the charging device 10. The sixth communication unit 27 is for the drone 13 to communicate wirelessly with the management computer 11. The sixth communication unit 27 may communicate with the management computer 11 via a mobile communication network such as a mobile phone.

[0041] The first power storage device 28 supplies power to each part of the drone 13. The configuration of the first power storage device 28 will be described later. The power receiving device 29 is for contactlessly charging the first power storage device 28. The power receiving device 29 has a power receiving coil. The power receiving device 29 and a second charging unit 34 of the charging device 10, which will be described later, constitute a contactless charging device that contactlessly charges the first power storage device 28.

[0042] The control unit 20 includes a microcomputer 20A in which a CPU and RAM are integrated into a single chip, a ROM 20B, etc. The ROM 20B stores various programs and identification information for uniquely identifying the drone 13. The microcomputer 20A controls each part of the drone 13 by executing the programs stored in the ROM 20B.

[0043] (1-2) Electrical configuration of the relay device 4, the cable television relay device 12 includes an amplifier 31 (an example of an electrical load other than an unmanned aerial vehicle), a second power storage device 32, a first charging unit 33, a second charging unit 34 (an example of a charging unit), a first communication unit 35, a second communication unit 36, a GPS receiver 38, and a control unit 37. The second power storage device 32, the first charging unit 33, the second charging unit 34, the first communication unit 35, the second communication unit 36, and the control unit 37 configure the charging device 10 according to the first embodiment.

[0044] Amplifier 31 is a device that amplifies cable television signals. Amplifier 31 is connected to a commercial power supply and operates on power supplied from the commercial power supply. Amplifier 31 is also connected to a second power storage device 32 and operates on power supplied from the second power storage device 32 during a power outage. The second power storage device 32 supplies power to the amplifier 31 during a power outage, and also charges the first power storage device 28 of the drone 13 during a power outage. The configuration of the second power storage device 32 will be described later.

[0045] First charging unit 33 is connected to a commercial power supply and uses power supplied from the commercial power supply to charge second power storage device 32. First charging unit 33 includes a rectifier circuit that converts AC power supplied from the commercial power supply into DC power. The second charging unit 34 wirelessly charges the first power storage device 28 of the drone 13 with power supplied from the second power storage device 32 during a power outage. The second charging unit 34 is equipped with a power transmission coil. When power is supplied from the second power storage device 32 to the power transmission coil, power is induced in the power receiving coil of the drone 13 by electromagnetic induction or electromagnetic coupling.

[0046] The first communication unit 35 is for allowing the charging device 10 to communicate with the management computer 11. The first communication unit 35 may be for wired communication or for wireless communication. The first communication unit 35 may also communicate with the management computer 11 via a mobile communication network such as a mobile phone. The second communication unit 36 ​​is for the charging device 10 to communicate wirelessly with the drone 13.

[0047] The GPS receiver 38 receives radio waves transmitted from the GPS and detects the position (latitude and longitude) of the relay device 12. The position of the relay device 12 may be detected based on radio waves transmitted from a positioning satellite other than the GPS. The relay device 12 does not necessarily have to include the GPS receiver 38. For example, the position of the relay device 12 detected by another device may be stored in the ROM 37 of the control unit 37 (described later). Alternatively, the approximate position of the relay device 12 may be detected from location information contained in radio waves transmitted by a mobile phone, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), or other wireless communication.

[0048] The control unit 37 includes a microcomputer 37A in which a CPU, RAM, etc. are integrated into one chip, a ROM 37B, etc. The microcomputer 37A executes a program stored in the ROM to control each part of the charging device 10. The control unit 37 may be configured by an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit).

[0049] (1-3) Electrical configuration of the management computer As shown in FIG. 5, the management computer 11 includes a CPU 40, a RAM 41, a third communication unit 42, a fourth communication unit 43, a storage unit 44, and the like. The CPU 40 controls each part of the management computer 11 by executing various programs stored in the storage unit 44. The RAM 41 is used as a main storage device for the CPU 40 to execute the various programs.

[0050] The third communication unit 42 is for the management computer 11 to communicate with the charging device 10 . The fourth communication unit 43 is for the management computer 11 to communicate wirelessly with the drone 13. The memory unit 44 is a storage device that retains data even when power is not supplied. Various programs, databases, etc. are stored in the memory unit 44. The database includes an electricity amount table in which identification information of the drone 13 and information on the amount of electricity charged to the drone 13 are registered in association with each other, and a billing destination table in which identification information of the drone 13 and billing destinations (e.g., email addresses) for charging fees are registered in association with each other.

[0051] (1-4) Configuration of the first and second power storage devices The configuration of the first power storage device 28 and the configuration of the second power storage device 32 are substantially the same, so the second power storage device 32 will be described here as an example. As shown in FIG. 6, the second power storage device 32 includes a battery pack 52 made up of a plurality of power storage elements 51, and a BMS (Battery Management System) 53 that manages the power storage elements 51.

[0052] The power storage element 51 is a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, specifically, for example, a lithium ion secondary battery, but may also be a secondary battery other than a lithium ion secondary battery. The BMS 53 includes a current sensor 54, a voltage sensor 55, and a management unit 56. The current sensor 54 is connected in series with the battery pack 52, and measures the current value [A] of the charge / discharge current of the battery pack 52 and outputs it to the management unit 56. The voltage sensor 55 measures the terminal voltage [V] of each storage element 51 and outputs it to the management unit 56.

[0053] The management unit 56 includes a microcomputer 56C in which a CPU 56A, a RAM 56B, and the like are integrated into one chip, and a ROM 56D. The ROM 56D stores various programs and data for managing the second power storage device 32. The microcomputer 56C executes the programs stored in the ROM 56D to perform various processes such as the estimation process described below.

[0054] The estimation process is a process for estimating the state of charge (SOC) of the second power storage device 32. Known methods for estimating the SOC include the current integration method and the OCV method. The current integration method is a method for estimating the SOC by measuring the charge / discharge current of the battery pack 52 at predetermined time intervals using a current sensor 54 and adding or subtracting the measured current value from an initial value. The OCV method is a method for estimating the SOC from the open circuit voltage (OCV) of the battery pack 52. Since there is a relatively accurate correlation between the SOC and the OCV, the SOC can be estimated by measuring the OCV using a voltage sensor 55 and identifying the SOC corresponding to the measured OCV from an SOC-OCV curve. The management unit 56 may estimate the SOC using the current integration method or the OCV method.

[0055] (2) Information gathering using drones Here, as an example of information gathering using the drone 13, we will explain a case where the drone 13 is used to capture images (still images or video) of the ground from above when a disaster such as an earthquake or fire occurs.

[0056] In the event of a disaster such as an earthquake or fire, the operator of management computer 11 operates management computer 11 to instruct each drone 13 to collect information. Specifically, for example, the operator designates a flight area for each drone 13 and instructs it to collect information. The drone 13 instructed to collect information captures images of the ground with imaging camera 24 while flying above the designated flight area, and transmits the images to management computer 11 via sixth communication unit 27 (a communication unit for wireless communication with management computer 11).

[0057] The drone 13 may transmit the image to the charging device 10 via a fifth communication unit 26 (a communication unit for wireless communication with the charging device 10) instead of transmitting the image to the management computer 11. The charging device 10 may transfer the image to the management computer 11. Alternatively, the drone 13 may store the image in a storage device instead of transmitting the image to the management computer 11 or the charging device 10, and the image may be read from the storage device after returning.

[0058] (3) Charging the drone Charging of the drone 13 during flight will be described with reference to Figure 7. The control unit 20 of the drone 13 acquires the SOC from the first power storage device 28 at predetermined time intervals during flight, detects the current position of the drone 13 using the GPS receiver 23, and transmits the acquired SOC and the detected current position to the management computer 11 (S101). The control unit 37 of the charging device 10 also acquires the SOC from the second storage device 32 at regular intervals, detects the current location of the relay device 12 using the GPS receiver 38, and transmits the acquired SOC and the detected location information to the management computer 11 (S102).

[0059] If the SOC transmitted from the drone 13 is equal to or less than a predetermined value, the management computer 11 extracts charging devices 10 having second power storage devices 32 with enough electric power to fully charge the drone 13 based on the SOC received from each charging device 10. The management computer 11 determines the charging device 10 that is closest to the current position of the drone 13 from among the extracted charging devices 10, and notifies the drone 13 of that charging device 10 to instruct it to charge (S103). If there is no charging device 10 having a second storage device 32 with enough power to fully charge the drone 13, the management computer 11 may notify the charging device 10 that is closest to the current location of the drone 13 among the charging devices 10 whose SOC of the second storage device 32 is above a certain value.

[0060] When the drone 13 is instructed by the management computer 11 to charge, it flies to the charging device 10 notified by the management computer 11 and lands on the landing pad 15 of that charging device 10 (S104). When the drone 13 lands on the landing pad 15, identification information is transmitted from the drone 13 to the charging device 10 via the fifth communication unit 26 (S105). When the charging device 10 receives the identification information from the drone 13, it starts charging the drone 13 (S106).

[0061] When the first power storage device 28 is charged to a predetermined SOC, the drone 13 determines that it is fully charged and takes off again to continue collecting information (S107). When the drone 13 takes off, wireless communication between the drone 13 and the charging device 10 is cut off (S108). When wireless communication with the drone 13 is cut off, the charging device 10 determines that the drone 13 has taken off and ends contactless charging (S109).

[0062] When the charging device 10 finishes the contactless charging, it transmits the identification information received from the drone 13 and the electricity quantity information indicating the amount of electricity charged to the management computer 11 (S110). When the management computer 11 receives the identification information and the electricity quantity information, it associates them and registers them in the electricity quantity table (S111). Here, an example has been described in which it is determined that the drone 13 has taken off when wireless communication is cut off. Alternatively, a sensor that detects the presence or absence of the drone 13 may be provided on the landing pad 15, and the landing and takeoff of the drone 13 may be determined based on the detection results of the sensor.

[0063] (4) Charging fee billing The management computer 11 tally up the charging fees for each drone 13 from the electricity amount table at a predetermined time, such as once a week or once a month, and transmits billing information indicating the totaled charging fees by email or the like to a billing address associated with the identification information of the drone 13. As a result, the charging fee according to the electricity amount information is billed.

[0064] (5) Effects of the embodiment The charging device 10 according to the first embodiment is provided with the second power storage device 32, and the first power storage device 28 of the drone 13 is charged with power supplied from the second power storage device 32, so that the drone 13 can be charged even in the event of a power outage. Therefore, the drone 13 can be used for a long period of time even in the event of a power outage. Since a power outage may occur when a disaster occurs, the charging device 10 is particularly useful when information is collected by the drone 13 for a long period of time during a disaster.

[0065] According to the charging device 10, the second power storage device 32 that supplies power to the cable television amplifier 31 during a power outage also serves as a power storage device for charging the drone 13. This reduces installation costs compared to installing multiple new charging devices 10, and also reduces the effort required to secure installation locations. This increases the likelihood that infrastructure construction will proceed smoothly.

[0066] According to the charging device 10, the landing pad 15 is installed at a position above a predetermined height from the ground, which reduces the possibility of people being nearby when the drone 13 takes off or lands. This improves safety compared to when the drone is installed on the ground.

[0067] The charging device 10 charges the first power storage device 28 of the drone 13 in a contactless manner, so that the worker does not need to attach or detach a charging cable. This reduces the labor required for charging. When landing pad 15 is installed at a position at a predetermined height or higher from the ground, contactless charging of first power storage device 28 also has the following effect. If the landing pad 15 is installed at a high position, it is difficult for workers to connect a charging cable to the drone 13, but contactless charging does not require connecting a charging cable, so it is particularly useful when the landing pad is installed at a high position. When the landing pad 15 is installed at a high position, non-contact charging has the advantage of being able to charge more reliably than contact charging. Specifically, if the charging connector is configured to automatically engage when the drone 13 lands on the landing pad 15, the drone 13 can be charged without human intervention even with contact charging. However, when the landing pad 15 is installed at a high position, there is a possibility that the landing pad 15 will shake due to wind, etc. If the landing pad 15 shakes, there is a possibility that the charging connector will not be able to be engaged. In contrast, non-contact charging has a greater tolerance for misalignment of the drone 13 with respect to the landing pad 15 than contact charging, and therefore can charge more reliably than contact charging.

[0068] According to the charging device 10, electrical quantity information representing the amount of electricity charged to the first storage device 28 of the drone 13 by the second charging unit 34 is transmitted to the management computer 11 via the first communication unit 35, so that the amount of electricity charged to the first storage device 28 can be managed by the management computer 11.

[0069] According to the charging device 10, the management computer 11 can instruct the drone 13 to select a charging device 10 that has enough power to fully charge the first storage device 28 of the drone 13 based on the SOC of the first storage device 28 of the drone 13 and the SOC of the second storage device 32 of each charging device 10. However, if the current position of the drone 13 is far from the position of the charging device 10, power from the first power storage device 28 will be wasted while flying to the charging device 10. With the charging device 10, the management computer 11 indicates the charging device 10 that is closest to the current position of the drone 13 from among the charging devices 10 that have the amount of power to fully charge the first power storage device 28, thereby suppressing a decrease in the SOC of the first power storage device 28 while flying to the charging device 10. This makes it possible to suppress wasted power consumption.

[0070] According to the charging system 1 of the first embodiment, a charging fee can be charged according to the amount of electricity charged.

[0071] According to the charging system 1, based on the SOC of the first power storage device 28 of the drone 13 and the SOC of the second power storage device 32 received from each charging device 10, the charging system 11 can instruct the drone 13 to select a charging device 10 that has enough power to fully charge the first power storage device 28 of the drone 13. However, if the current position of the drone 13 is far from the position of the charging device 10, power from the first power storage device 28 will be wasted while flying to the charging device 10. According to the charging system 1, by instructing the charging device 10 that is closest to the current position of the drone 13 from among the charging devices 10 that have the amount of power to fully charge the first power storage device 28, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the SOC of the first power storage device 28 while flying to the charging device 10. This makes it possible to suppress unnecessary power consumption.

[0072] <Other embodiments> The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the configuration of one embodiment can be added to the configuration of another embodiment. Furthermore, part of the configuration of one embodiment can be replaced with the configuration of another embodiment or well-known technology. Furthermore, part of the configuration of one embodiment can be deleted. Furthermore, well-known technology can be added to the configuration of one embodiment.

[0073] (1) In the above embodiment, the drone 13 is used as an example of an unmanned aerial vehicle, but the unmanned aerial vehicle is not limited to the drone 13. For example, the unmanned aerial vehicle may be an unmanned helicopter.

[0074] (2) In the above embodiment, the case where first power storage device 28 is charged contactlessly has been described as an example, but first power storage device 28 does not necessarily have to be charged contactlessly. For example, first power storage device 28 may be charged contact-type if it is provided with a mechanism that can automatically engage a charging connector without manual intervention.

[0075] (3) In the above embodiment, the cable television relay device 12 also functions as the charging device 10 . However, the charging device 10 may be configured independently of the cable television relay device 12 . In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which cable television repeater 12 also serves as charging device 10, but a device other than cable television repeater 12 may also serve as charging device 10. For example, since base stations of mobile communication networks such as those for mobile phones generally have backup power storage devices, a base station of a mobile communication network may also serve as charging device 10.

[0076] (4) In the above embodiment, the landing pad 15 is installed at a position above a predetermined height from the ground, but the landing pad 15 may be installed on the ground. In that case, it is desirable to prevent people from approaching by surrounding the area with a fence, etc.

[0077] (5) In the event of a power outage, the charging device 10 may transmit flight reconnaissance information to the drones 13 via the second communication unit 36 ​​(a communication unit for wireless communication with the drones 13). Because multiple drones 13 flying together may cause confusion, it is desirable to direct the traffic of multiple flying drones 13 in a manner similar to directing traffic for ground vehicles. In this case, if there is no power outage, a dedicated computer (e.g., the management computer 11) may direct traffic by sending instructions wirelessly. However, if a power outage occurs, the computer may stop functioning. Because the charging device 10 is equipped with the second power storage device 32, the control unit 37 can operate even during a power outage. Therefore, by having the charging device 10 transmit flight reconnaissance information during a power outage, the possibility of confusion during a power outage can be reduced.

[0078] (6) In the above embodiment, the drone 13 is used to capture images of the ground as an example of information collection. However, the type of information to be collected can be determined as appropriate. For example, the collected information may be temperature measurement. In the above embodiment, the drone 13 is used to collect information during a disaster as an example of the use of the drone 13, but the use of the drone 13 is not limited to this and the drone 13 can be used for any purpose. For example, the drone 13 may be used to transport relief supplies, medical supplies, etc. during a disaster. This allows relief supplies, medical supplies, etc. to be transported over a long period of time during a disaster. The same applies when the unmanned aerial vehicle is other than the drone 13, and it can be used for any purpose. For example, if the unmanned aerial vehicle is an unmanned transport aircraft (e.g., an unmanned transport helicopter), the unmanned aerial vehicle may be used to transport relief supplies, medical supplies, and the like in the event of a disaster.

[0079] (7) In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the drone 13 is charged by the charging device 10 during a power outage. However, charging of the drone 13 is not limited to power outages, and the drone 13 may also be charged by the charging device 10 during normal times (when there is no power outage).

[0080] (8) In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the drone 13 transmits the SOC of the first charging device 10 of the drone 13 to the management computer 11, and the management computer 11 instructs the drone 13 to select a charging device 10 that has enough power to fully charge the first power storage device 28 of the drone 13. However, there may be cases in which full charging is not necessary considering the remaining flight distance of the drone 13, or in which there are restrictions on the time available for charging. In such cases, the drone 13 may determine, for example, the amount of power required to fly the remaining flight distance or the amount of power that can be charged within the time available for charging, and notify the management computer 11 of this. The management computer 11 may instruct the drone 13 to select a charging device 10 that has the amount of power notified by the drone 13.

[0081] (9) In the above embodiment, a lithium ion secondary battery is used as the electric storage element 51, but the electric storage element 51 may be a capacitor that involves an electrochemical reaction. [Explanation of symbols]

[0082] 1...Charging system (an example of a charging system for an unmanned aerial vehicle) 10…Charging device 11...Administrative computer (computer, an example of an external computer) 13...Drone (an example of an unmanned aerial vehicle) 15...Landing pad 28...First power storage device 31...Amplifier (an example of an electrical load other than an unmanned aerial vehicle) 32...Second power storage device 34...Second charging unit (an example of a charging unit) 35...First Communications Department 36...Second Communications Department 37...Control unit 42...Third Communications Department 43...Fourth Communications Department

Claims

1. A disaster support system using an unmanned aerial vehicle, the unmanned aerial vehicle that flies using power supplied from a first power storage device; a charging device for charging the unmanned aerial vehicle; a management computer capable of communicating with the unmanned aerial vehicle and the charging device; Equipped with The charging device is a second power storage device; and a charging unit that charges the first power storage device with power supplied from the second power storage device; A control unit; a first communication unit that communicates with the management computer; Equipped with the control unit transmits a state of charge of the second power storage device to the management computer via the first communication unit; The management computer receiving a charge state of the first power storage device and a current location of the unmanned aerial vehicle from the unmanned aerial vehicle; extracting the charging device having the second power storage device with enough electric energy to fully charge the first power storage device based on the charging state of the second power storage device received from the charging device and the charging state of the first power storage device received from the unmanned aerial vehicle; A disaster support system that instructs the unmanned aerial vehicle to fly to the charging device among the extracted charging devices that is closest to the unmanned aerial vehicle's current location and charge the first storage device.

2. A disaster support system according to claim 1, A disaster support system in which, if there is no charging device having the second storage device with enough electric power to fully charge the first storage device, the management computer instructs the unmanned aerial vehicle to fly to the charging device that is closest to the current location of the unmanned aerial vehicle and has a charge state above a certain value, and to charge the first storage device.

3. A transportation system using an unmanned aerial vehicle, the unmanned aerial vehicle that flies using power supplied from a first power storage device; a charging device for charging the unmanned aerial vehicle; a management computer capable of communicating with the unmanned aerial vehicle and the charging device; Equipped with The charging device is a second power storage device; and a charging unit that charges the first power storage device with power supplied from the second power storage device; A control unit; a first communication unit that communicates with the management computer; Equipped with the control unit transmits a state of charge of the second power storage device to the management computer via the first communication unit; The management computer receiving a charge state of the first power storage device and a current location of the unmanned aerial vehicle from the unmanned aerial vehicle; extracting the charging device having the second power storage device with enough electric energy to fully charge the first power storage device based on the charging state of the second power storage device received from the charging device and the charging state of the first power storage device received from the unmanned aerial vehicle; A transportation system that instructs the unmanned aerial vehicle to fly to the charging device among the extracted charging devices that is closest to the current location of the unmanned aerial vehicle and charge the first storage device.

4. A transportation system according to claim 3, A transportation system in which, if there is no charging device having the second storage device with enough electric power to fully charge the first storage device, the management computer instructs the unmanned aerial vehicle to fly to the charging device that is closest to the current position of the unmanned aerial vehicle and has a charge state above a certain value, and to charge the first storage device.

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