Flight control devices and flight equipment

Abstract

To provide a flight control device and a flight device that can realize additional functions at low cost. [Solution] A flight control device 30 comprises a flight controller 31 that controls the main functions required for flight of a flight device 10, and an auxiliary storage medium 32 connected to the flight controller 31. The flight controller 31 has a memory unit 312 that stores a main program 34 including a flight program 33, and the auxiliary storage medium 32 stores subprograms 35 for executing additional functions of the flight device 10. The flight controller 31 controls the flight of the flight device 10 by executing the flight program 33 read from the memory unit 312, and executes the additional functions by executing the subprograms 35 read from the auxiliary storage medium 32.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a flight control device and a flight device. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, drones have been increasingly introduced into a wide range of fields, including aerial photography, pesticide spraying, infrastructure inspection, and logistics. To achieve stable flight by controlling the rotor thrust to manipulate attitude and position, a variety of component technologies are combined, including attitude control using gyro sensors and acceleration sensors, and position control using GPS and barometric pressure sensors. Furthermore, research and development is underway on autonomous navigation, which allows for automatic flight by setting multiple waypoints, and operational systems that simultaneously control multiple drones.

[0003] An example of a drone control method is described in Patent Document 1. Specifically, the invention described in Patent Document 1 integrates information from multiple sensors to determine the position and attitude of the drone with high accuracy, thereby responding to disturbances such as obstacles and wind. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7387195 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in controlling a flying device according to the background art, it is not necessarily easy to add additional functions other than flight functions.

[0006] Specifically, the flight device is controlled by a flight controller, but the flight controller itself does not, in principle, have the ability to perform additional functions such as spraying pesticides, etc. Therefore, if an additional function is to be added to the flight controller, it is necessary to modify the programs stored in the flight controller.

[0007] On the other hand, the programs stored in the flight controller may be upgraded to improve their functions. When a program is upgraded, it is necessary to add a part that performs an additional function again, but it may not be possible to apply the original additional part to the upgraded program as it is.

[0008] Another method for implementing additional functions is to provide a companion computer separate from the flight controller and have the companion computer execute the additional functions, but this method has the risk of increasing the cost of the flight device.

[0009] The present invention has been made in consideration of these problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a flight control device and a flight device that can realize additional functions at low cost. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The present invention is a flight control device that controls the behavior of a flight device, and comprises a flight controller that controls the main functions for the flight device to fly, and an auxiliary storage medium connected to the flight controller, the flight controller having a memory unit in which a main program including a flight program is stored, the auxiliary storage medium stores subprograms for executing additional functions of the flight device, but does not store an operating system or BIOS that cooperates with the flight program, the operating system and the BIOS that cooperate with the flight program are stored in the memory unit, the flight controller controls the flight of the flight device by executing the flight program read from the memory unit, and executes the additional functions by executing the subprogram read from the auxiliary storage medium, the auxiliary storage medium It is a removable recording medium. It is characterized by being an external storage unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to a flight control device of an embodiment of the present invention, the flight controller can easily execute additional functions by executing subprograms read from an auxiliary storage medium. Specifically, since a companion computer for executing additional functions is not required, the cost of the flight device can be reduced. Furthermore, since there is no need to rewrite the main program to implement additional functions, even if the main program is updated, there is no need to modify the subprograms. This reduces the effort required for maintenance of the flight device. Furthermore, according to a flight control device of an embodiment of the present invention, the auxiliary storage medium does not store the BIOS or operating system. The BIOS and operating system are stored in the memory unit of the flight controller. Therefore, even if the auxiliary storage medium is replaced to modify or enhance additional functions, the auxiliary storage medium does not store the BIOS or operating system, and therefore the basic flight operations of the flight device are not adversely affected. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1A] 1 is a top view showing a flying device equipped with a flight control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 1B] 1 is a front view showing a flying device equipped with a flight control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a block diagram showing the connection configuration of a flying device equipped with a flight control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a top view showing a transmitter used in a flying device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 10 is a table showing the display states of the light-emitting unit in the flying device according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the auto-assist mode in a flying device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 2 is a schematic diagram showing AB mode in a flying device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the left-right direction refers to the left-right direction when the flight device 10 is viewed from the front. Furthermore, the left is one side of the width direction, and the right is the other side of the width direction. In the following description, the same components will generally be given the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations will be omitted. Furthermore, the flight device 10 according to this embodiment may also be referred to as an aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicle, drone, UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), or flying object.

[0014] 1A is a top view showing a flight device 10 equipped with a flight control device 30 (described later), and FIG.

[0015] 1A, the flying device 10 mainly comprises an airframe base 16, a power unit (not shown) mounted on the airframe base 16, arms 191 and the like extending from the periphery of the airframe base 16 toward the periphery, motors 121 and the like located on the outer ends of the arms 191 and the like, and rotors 111 and the like rotated by the motors 121 and the like. Furthermore, the flying device 10 comprises a flight controller 31 that controls the operation of the flying device 10, as will be described later. In the following description, the motors 121 and the like will be collectively referred to as motors 12, the rotors 111 and the like will be collectively referred to as rotors 11, and the arms 191 and the like will be collectively referred to as arms 19.

[0016] The flying device 10 is capable of floating and moving in the air by rotating the rotor 111 at a predetermined rotational speed using power obtained from a battery 21 (not shown) housed in the aircraft base 16. As will be described later, the flying device 10 is used for spraying pesticides.

[0017] The airframe base 16 is located in the center of the flight device 10 and houses various devices (not shown here). The outer skin of the airframe base 16 is made of synthetic resin or steel plates formed into a predetermined shape.

[0018] Arms 191, 192, 193 and 194 extend outward from the machine body base portion 16.

[0019] A motor 12 and a rotor 11 are disposed at the outer ends of the arms 19, respectively. Specifically, a motor 121 and a rotor 111 are disposed at the outer end of the arm 191. A motor 122 and a rotor 112 are disposed at the outer end of the arm 192. A motor 123 and a rotor 113 are disposed at the outer end of the arm 193. A motor 124 and a rotor 114 are disposed at the outer end of the arm 194. Here, the rotor 11 rotates around a vertical axis to generate thrust for levitating the aircraft base unit 16. The motor 12 also drives the rotor 11 to rotate.

[0020] 1B, legs 17 that come into contact with the ground during landing are disposed below the aircraft base 16. The legs 17 are members also called skids, and when the flight device 10 is in a state of landing, the lower ends of the legs 17 come into contact with the ground. This allows the aircraft base 16 to be lifted off the ground when the flight device 10 lands.

[0021] A tank 22 is installed inside the machine base 16. The tank 22 stores liquid or granular pesticide.

[0022] A granular agent spraying device 24 is installed below the aircraft base 16 and the tank 22. The granular agent spraying device 24 is a device that sprays granular pesticide stored in the tank 22 toward the surrounding area below. The operation of the granular agent spraying device 24 is controlled by a flight controller 31, which will be described later.

[0023] A nozzle 20 is disposed below the outer end of the arm 191, etc. The nozzle 20 is connected to a tank 22 via a pipe (not shown). The liquid pesticide stored in the tank 22 is sprayed downward from the tip of the nozzle 20 by the driving force of a pump (not shown). The spraying of the pesticide from the nozzle 20 is controlled by a flight controller 31 (described later).

[0024] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the connection configuration of the flight device 10 equipped with the flight control device 30.

[0025] The flying device 10 mainly comprises a flight controller 31, an auxiliary storage medium 32, a flight sensor 13, a power conversion unit 14, and a motor 12. The flying device 10 also has a flight device communication unit 23 and a battery 21. One example of an additional function of the flying device 10 in this embodiment is pesticide spraying.

[0026] The flight sensor 13 measures physical quantities acting on the aircraft base unit 16 while the flight device 10 is flying, and transmits signals indicating the magnitude of these physical quantities to the flight controller 31. The sensors included in the flight sensor 13 include, for example, an acceleration sensor, an angular velocity sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, and a GNSS antenna. The acceleration sensor detects changes in tilt and movement as physical quantities. The angular velocity sensor detects changes in tilt and orientation as physical quantities. The geomagnetic sensor detects direction as a physical quantity using magnetic force. The barometric pressure sensor detects altitude as a physical quantity. The GNSS antenna identifies location.

[0027] The flight control device 30 is provided in the flight device 10 and controls the behavior of the flight device 10. The flight control device 30 mainly comprises a flight controller 31 and an auxiliary storage medium 32. Here, the flight control device 30 does not have the companion computer described above. This simplifies the overall configuration of the flight device 10 and reduces costs.

[0028] The flight controller 31 controls the main functions required for the flight device 10 to fly. The flight controller 31 has a processor 311 and a memory unit 312. The flight device 10 of this embodiment may also be configured without any microcomputer other than the flight controller 31.

[0029] The processor 311 is also referred to as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The processor 311 controls the flight of the flight device 10 by executing a flight program 33 read from the memory unit 312. By executing the flight program 33, command signals are generated to maintain the position, attitude, movement speed, etc. of the flight device 10 based on signals input from the flight sensors 13. For example, a duty value in PWM control can be used as this command signal. In this embodiment, the device has four motors 121, 122, 123, and 124, and therefore a duty value is calculated and transmitted for each motor 12. Each duty value is supplied to the power conversion unit 14, which will be described later.

[0030] The memory unit 312 is composed of RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory). The memory unit 312 stores a main program 34 including a flight program 33. The main program 34 may be, for example, the open-source Ardupilot. Ardupilot is an autopilot system for the flight device 10 that is open to the public, and is undergoing open feature expansion and bug fixes.

[0031] The memory unit 312 is an internal memory unit. That is, the memory unit 312 and the processor 311 constitute the flight controller 31. For example, the memory unit 312 and the processor 311 are formed on the same semiconductor substrate. Alternatively, the memory unit 312 and the processor 311 are formed as separate semiconductor elements and are integrally sealed with resin. The memory unit 312 can also be called an internal memory, a microcomputer internal memory unit, an on-chip memory, etc.

[0032] Furthermore, because Ardupilot is open, when the autopilot system is enhanced in functionality or bug fixes are made, the autopilot system must be made public. On the other hand, as described below, this embodiment does not modify the Ardupilot autopilot system itself, but instead implements an additional function, the pesticide spraying function, using Lua script. In other words, Ardupilot implements the additional function, the pesticide spraying function, by calling Lua script. Therefore, because Ardupilot itself is not modified, there is no need to make Ardupilot publicly available, even when a pesticide spraying function is added to an Ardupilot-based control system.

[0033] The auxiliary storage medium 32 is, for example, a removable semiconductor storage device. For example, an SD card can be used as the auxiliary storage medium 32. The SD card is a flash memory type recording medium equipped with non-volatile memory. The auxiliary storage medium 32 stores a subprogram 35 for executing additional functions of the flight device 10. Here, the subprogram 35 is a program for executing only the additional functions of the flight device 10.

[0034] The detachable auxiliary storage medium 32 allows for easy addition and modification of additional functions. Here, "detachable" means that the auxiliary storage medium 32 can be easily attached and detached by, for example, pulling out or pushing in, and does not require soldering or wiring connections. The auxiliary storage medium 32 also stores a flight log, which contains information about the flight of the flight device 10, based on instructions from the flight controller 31. Therefore, the auxiliary storage medium 32 is required for recording the flight log. Therefore, by storing the subprogram 35 in the auxiliary storage medium 32, additional functions can be added without adding hardware.

[0035] The auxiliary storage medium 32 is an external storage unit. That is, the auxiliary storage medium 32 is a circuit element separate from the flight controller 31. Specifically, the auxiliary storage medium 32 and the flight controller 31 are not formed on the same semiconductor substrate, but are configured as separate semiconductor elements. Furthermore, the auxiliary storage medium 32 is sealed, for example, with resin, as a circuit element separate from the flight controller 31. The flight controller 31 and the auxiliary storage medium 32 are electrically connected via a conductive pattern or harness on the circuit board on which they are mounted. The auxiliary storage medium 32 can also be called an external memory, an external storage device, or an off-chip memory.

[0036] Furthermore, the auxiliary storage medium 32 does not constitute a part of a microcomputer, i.e., the auxiliary storage medium 32 does not constitute a part of another microcomputer, such as a companion controller. The auxiliary storage medium 32 is primarily a passive storage medium for storing data and does not have a control function.

[0037] Furthermore, the auxiliary storage medium 32 does not store either or both of the BIOS and the operating system that work with the flight program 33. The BIOS and / or the operating system are stored only in the storage unit 312.

[0038] Here, cooperation means that either or both of the flight program 33 and the main program 34 operate the power conversion units 14, light emitting unit 36, granular spraying device 24, flight device side communication unit 23, battery 21, etc. of the flight device 10 via the BIOS and operating system, and perform processing to meet needs regarding the flight and additional functions of the flight device 10.

[0039] For example, the storage unit 312 of the flight controller 31 can store the BIOS, and the auxiliary storage medium 32 can store the operating system. Furthermore, it is also possible for the storage unit 312 of the flight controller 31 to store the BIOS and the operating system, and for the auxiliary storage medium 32 to not store the BIOS and the operating system.

[0040] The auxiliary storage medium 32 also stores one or more of the following: a flight log, backups of setting parameter values ​​(such as gain setting values ​​used for flight control, etc.), backups of automatic flight missions (such as route settings used for automatic flight, etc.), and terrain data (terrain altitude information). Storing the BIOS or operating system in the storage unit 312 allows the flight device 10 to safely perform normal flight operations even if the auxiliary storage medium 32 is removed or even if the subprogram 35 inside the auxiliary storage medium 32 is altered.

[0041] The subprogram 35 can be a script-format program, specifically, Lua script. In ArduPilot, Lua script can be used to customize flight control and expand autonomous operation. In this embodiment, the subprogram 35 is a script for performing pesticide spraying. By executing the subprogram 35 read from the auxiliary storage medium 32, the flight controller 31 performs the pesticide spraying operation, which is an additional function.

[0042] In this embodiment, ArduPilot, executed by the flight controller 31, performs pesticide spraying using Lua script stored in the auxiliary storage medium 32. Specifically, in the flight controller 31, ArduPilot executes a pesticide spraying script written in Lua script while flying the flight device 10 at a predetermined altitude, predetermined attitude, and predetermined speed, thereby performing a pesticide spraying operation. As a pesticide spraying operation, granular pesticide can be sprayed using the granule spraying device 24. Furthermore, as a pesticide spraying operation, liquid pesticide can be sprayed using the pump 40 and the nozzle 20 described above.

[0043] As described above, the granular agent spraying device 24 is a device that sprays granular pesticide. The granular agent spraying device 24 sprays the granular pesticide stored in the tank 22 described above based on instructions from the flight controller 31.

[0044] The pump 40 is a device that generates pressure for spraying the liquid pesticide. Based on instructions from the flight controller 31, the pump 40 pumps the liquid pesticide stored in the tank 22 from the tank 22 shown in FIG. 1B toward the nozzle 20. In this way, the pesticide is sprayed downward from the nozzle 20.

[0045] The power conversion unit 14 includes ESCs 141 to 144. Here, ESC is an abbreviation for Electric Speed ​​Controller and is an electronic device that controls the rotation speed of the motor 12. The ESC 141 is disposed between the motor 121 and the flight controller 31 and controls the rotation speed of the motor 121 based on a duty value input from the flight controller 31. The ESC 142 is disposed between the motor 122 and the flight controller 31 and controls the rotation speed of the motor 122 based on a duty value input from the flight controller 31. The ESC 143 is disposed between the motor 123 and the flight controller 31 and controls the rotation speed of the motor 123 based on a duty value input from the flight controller 31. The ESC 144 is disposed between the motor 124 and the flight controller 31 and controls the rotation speed of the motor 124 based on a duty value input from the flight controller 31. If the duty value input from the flight controller 31 is large, the ESC 141 to the ESC 144 rotate the motor 121 to the motor 124 at a high speed. On the other hand, if the duty value input from the flight controller 31 is small, the ESC 141 to the ESC 144 rotate the motor 121 to the motor 124 at a low speed.

[0046] The flight device 10 has a flight device communication unit 23. The flight device communication unit 23 is a component for communicating with the transmitter 37 wirelessly.

[0047] The flight device 10 also has a light-emitting unit 36. The light-emitting unit 36 ​​is arranged, for example, on the upper surface of the aforementioned aircraft base unit 16, and is composed of a light-emitting element such as an LED. As will be described later, the light-emitting unit 36 ​​emits light in a predetermined color and with a predetermined light-emitting cycle based on instructions from the flight controller 31.

[0048] The transmitter 37 is a device operated by the user to control the flight device 10. The transmitter 37 is connected to the flight device 10 wirelessly or via a wire. The transmitter 37 is also called a proportional transmitter, and is a device that allows the user to control the operation of the flight device 10. The transmitter 37 has a transmitter-side operation unit 39 and a transmitter-side communication unit 38.

[0049] The transmitter side operation unit 39 is a part that converts user operations into electrical signals, and various switches can be used.

[0050] Here, we will explain the basic flight operations of the flight device 10. The flight device 10 can perform each of the following operations: takeoff, ascent, hovering, movement, descent, and landing. Each operation of the flight device 10 is performed by the flight controller 31 based on commands transmitted from the transmitter 37 by the operator.

[0051] In each of the above operations, the flight controller 31 outputs an instruction signal to the power conversion unit 14 based on information input from the acceleration sensor and angular velocity sensor included in the flight sensor 13, and adjusts the rotational speed of the motors 121 to 124 so that the attitude of the flight device 10 is as specified.

[0052] During takeoff, the flight controller 31 rotates the motor 12 at a predetermined speed, causing the flight device 10 to lift off from the installation surface and rise.

[0053] During the ascent operation, the flight controller 31 rotates the motor 12 at a relatively high speed so that the flight device 10 ascends to a predetermined altitude. The flight controller 31 basically outputs approximately the same duty value to the ESCs 141 to 144, and keeps the rotation speeds of the motors 121 to 124 approximately the same. Furthermore, based on information input from the air pressure sensor included in the flight sensor 13, the flight controller 31 performs a hovering operation to keep the altitude of the flight device 10 approximately constant once the flight device 10 has ascended to a predetermined altitude.

[0054] During hovering, the flight controller 31 adjusts the rotation speed of the motors 121 to 122 based on information input from the air pressure sensor included in the flight sensor 13, etc., so that the altitude and position of the flight device 10 remain approximately constant. Basically, the flight controller 31 outputs approximately the same duty value to the ESCs 141 to 144, and keeps the rotation speeds of the motors 121 to 124 approximately the same.

[0055] During movement, the flight controller 31 adjusts the rotational speeds of the motors 121 through 124 so that the flight device 10 can move at a predetermined speed in each of the forward, backward, leftward, and rightward directions. For example, the rotational speeds of the motors 121 and 122 are set faster than the rotational speeds of the motors 123 and 124. That is, the flight controller 31 sets the duty values ​​output to the ESCs 141 and 142 to be greater than the duty values ​​output to the ESCs 143 and 144. By doing this, as shown in FIG. 1A , the rotors 111 and 112 rotate faster than the rotors 113 and 114, causing the airframe base 16 of the flight device 10 to assume a tilted attitude, and the flight device 10 to move in a predetermined direction. Thereafter, when the flight controller 31 determines that the flight device 10 has reached a predetermined position based on the output of the GNSS antenna and other components included in the flight sensor 13, it performs a braking operation. For example, the flight controller 31 makes the rotational speeds of the motors 121 and 122 slower than the rotational speeds of the motors 123 and 124. That is, the flight controller 31 makes the duty values ​​output to the ESCs 143 and 144 greater than the duty values ​​output to the ESCs 141 and 142. In this way, referring to FIG. 1A, the rotors 111 and 112 rotate at a slower speed than the rotors 113 and 114, and the planar movement of the flight device 10 can be stopped. Thereafter, the flight controller 31 performs a hovering operation.

[0056] During the descent operation, the flight controller 31 rotates the motor 12 at a relatively slow speed so that the flight device 10 descends to a predetermined altitude. The flight controller 31 basically outputs approximately the same duty value to the ESCs 141 to 144, and keeps the rotation speeds of the motors 121 to 124 approximately the same. Furthermore, based on information input from the air pressure sensor included in the flight sensor 13, the flight controller 31 performs a hovering operation to keep the altitude of the flight device 10 approximately constant once the flight device 10 has descended to a predetermined altitude.

[0057] During landing, the flight controller 31 rotates the motors 12 at a relatively slow speed so that the flight device 10 descends to a landing surface such as the ground. The flight controller 31 basically outputs approximately the same duty value to the ESCs 141 to 144, and keeps the rotation speeds of the motors 121 to 124 approximately the same. In addition, the flight controller 31 stops all motors 12 when the flight device 10 touches the landing surface.

[0058] In this embodiment, the flight device 10 can perform a pesticide spraying operation. When the flight device 10 performs a pesticide spraying operation, the flight controller 31 calls a subprogram 35 stored in the auxiliary storage medium 32 and performs the pesticide spraying operation according to the function of the subprogram 35 selected by the transmitter 37.

[0059] FIG. 3 is a top view of a transmitter 37 used in the flight device 10.

[0060] As described above, the transmitter 37 is a device that transmits user operations to the flight device 10. The transmitter 37 has a transmitter-side communication unit 38 and a transmitter-side operation unit 39.

[0061] The transmitter-side operation unit 39 has switches 391 to 3912. The transmitter-side operation unit 39 may be a push button switch, a toggle switch, a rotary switch, a slide switch, a tactile switch, a microswitch, or the like. Switches 391, 392, 393, and 394 are provided on the front side of the transmitter-side operation unit 39. Switches 395, 396, 397, 398, 399, and 3910 are disposed on the top surface of the transmitter-side operation unit 39. Switches 3911 and 3912 are generally rod-shaped switches disposed on the top surface of the transmitter-side operation unit 39.

[0062] Generally, each transmitter-side operation unit 39 is assigned a predetermined function by the main program 34. In this embodiment, the main program 34 calls a subprogram 35, which is a script, to change the function assigned to each transmitter-side operation unit 39.

[0063] Specifically, in this embodiment, by calling the subprogram 35, it is possible to estimate the amount of pesticide stored in the tank 22, control the behavior of the light-emitting unit 36, adjust the movement speed of the flying device 10, control the amount of pesticide sprayed, turn pesticide spraying on and off, execute the assist mode, execute the AB mode, and perform automatic takeoff and landing functions.

[0064] The estimation of the amount of pesticide stored in the tank 22 will now be described. As described above, with reference to FIG. 2, the flight controller 31 controls the rotation speeds of the motors 121 to 124 by controlling the ESCs 141 to 144 based on the duty values. In this embodiment, the main program 34 can estimate the amount of pesticide remaining in the tank 22 from each duty value based on the subprogram 35. Here, the estimation of the amount of pesticide stored in the tank 22 is illustrated as an example of the weight estimation function. However, other objects may also be used as targets for the weight estimation function. For example, the weight to be estimated by the flight controller 31 may be the weight of the flight device 10 itself, the weight of cargo transported by the flight device 10, or the like.

[0065] The behavior control of the light-emitting unit 36 ​​will be described with reference to Figure 4. Figure 4 is a table showing the relationship between the display state of the light-emitting unit 36 ​​and the state of the flying device 10. Here, the behavior of the light-emitting unit 36 ​​can be classified into states 1 to 10.

[0066] Here, the main program 34 prescribes several types of light-emitting operations for the light-emitting unit 36. However, when spraying pesticides, the number of types of light-emitting operations prescribed in the main program 34 may be insufficient. In this embodiment, the subprogram 35 stores even more light-emitting operations than those prescribed in the main program 34. Specifically, by changing the light-emitting state of the light-emitting unit 36, i.e., the light color and blinking speed of the light-emitting unit 36, the first to tenth states can be realized.

[0067] In the first state, the flight controller 31 causes the light emitting unit 36 ​​to emit green light at a slow rate. The first state is also called L mode, and indicates that the flight device 10 is behaving normally.

[0068] In the second state, the flight controller 31 causes the light-emitting unit 36 ​​to emit purple light at a slow rate. The second state is a state in which A-mode is executed. A-mode is an abbreviation for Attitude Mode, and is a flight mode in which only attitude control of the flight device 10 is enabled, and position control by GPS and other devices that make up the flight sensor 13 is disabled.

[0069] In the third state, the flight controller 31 causes the light emitting unit 36 ​​to emit blue light at a slow rate. The third state is a state in which the assist mode is executed. The assist mode is a mode that assists the user's operation and improves the stability and safety of the flight device 10.

[0070] In the fourth state, the flight controller 31 causes the light emitting unit 36 ​​to emit blue light at a slow cycle. The fourth state indicates the start of the AB mode. The AB mode is a mode in which a start point, point A, and a goal point, point B, are set, and the drone flies between them under the instructions of the flight controller 31.

[0071] In the fifth state, the flight controller 31 causes the light emitting unit 36 ​​to emit yellow light at high speed. The fifth state indicates that point A in the AB mode has been registered.

[0072] In the sixth state, the flight controller 31 causes the light emitting unit 36 ​​to emit red light at high speed. The sixth state indicates that point B in the AB mode has been registered.

[0073] In the seventh state, the flight controller 31 causes the light emitting unit 36 ​​to emit yellow light at a slow rate. The seventh state indicates that the flight device 10 is in RTL mode. RTL mode, also known as Return-to-Launch mode, is an autonomous flight function in which the flight device 10 automatically returns to the takeoff point or a specified return point.

[0074] In the eighth state, the flight controller 31 causes the light emitting unit 36 ​​to emit yellow light at a slow rate. The eighth state is the automatic landing mode, and indicates that the flight controller 31 is landing the flight device 10.

[0075] In the ninth state, the flight controller 31 causes the light emitting unit 36 ​​to emit blue light at high speed. The ninth state is the autopilot mode, which indicates that the flight controller 31 is operating the flight device 10 based on the subprogram 35 without any instructions from the transmitter 37.

[0076] In the tenth state, the flight controller 31 causes the light emitting unit 36 ​​to emit red light at high speed. The tenth state indicates that some abnormality has occurred. For example, the tenth state indicates that the flight device 10 cannot receive a signal from the transmitter 37. Furthermore, the tenth state indicates that the voltage of the battery 21 has dropped below a predetermined level. Furthermore, the tenth state indicates that the flight device 10 is in the startup stage.

[0077] The following describes adjusting the movement speed of the flight device 10 using the transmitter-side operation unit 39. Generally, when changing the movement speed of the flight device 10 in the settings of the main program 34, it is necessary to launch an application and change the parameters. In this embodiment, the main program 34 loads the subprogram 35, and by operating the switch 3910 shown in Figure 3, the flight speed of the flight device 10 can be changed, specifically, to slow down or speed up.

[0078] Control of the amount of pesticide sprayed using the transmitter side operation unit 39 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. In this embodiment, the amount of pesticide sprayed can be changed by operating switch 392 or switch 393 of the transmitter 37.

[0079] When the flight device 10 sprays granular pesticide using the granular spraying device 24 described above, the user can operate switch 392, which causes flight controller 31 to adjust the opening of granular spraying device 24. If flight controller 31 increases the opening of granular spraying device 24, the amount of pesticide sprayed onto the farm from the flight device 10 increases. On the other hand, if flight controller 31 decreases the opening of granular spraying device 24, the amount of pesticide sprayed onto the farm from the flight device 10 decreases.

[0080] When the flight device 10 sprays liquid pesticide using the pump 40 and nozzle 20 described above, the user can operate switch 393 to have the flight controller 31 adjust the pump 40. If the flight controller 31 increases the pressure generated by the pump 40, the amount of pesticide sprayed onto the farm from the nozzle 20 increases. On the other hand, if the flight controller 31 decreases the pressure generated by the pump 40, the amount of pesticide sprayed onto the farm from the nozzle 20 decreases.

[0081] The on / off operation of pesticide spraying will be explained with reference to Figure 3. The on / off operation of pesticide spraying is performed by operating switch 394. If the user operates switch 394 when the flight device 10 is not spraying pesticides, the flight controller 31 will spray pesticides. On the other hand, if the user operates switch 394 when the flight device 10 is spraying pesticides, the flight controller 31 will stop the pesticide spraying.

[0082] Execution of the assist mode will be described with reference to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the auto-assist mode when the flight device 10 sprays pesticides in the spraying area 25. When the user selects the assist mode by operating the switch 398 on the transmitter 37, the flight controller 31 executes the assist mode. In the assist mode, the flight controller 31 fixes the orientation of the flight device 10 by not accepting yaw operations. Furthermore, in the assist mode, the flight controller 31 sprays pesticides only when the flight device 10 is moving forward or backward. In other words, the flight controller 31 does not spray pesticides when the flight device 10 is moving left or right. Furthermore, in the assist mode, the user can move the flight device 10 left or right simply by pressing the switch 398. For example, the flight controller 31 can move the flight device 10 to the right only while the user is pressing a specific switch 398.

[0083] The execution of the AB mode will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 6. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the AB mode when the flight device 10 sprays pesticides in the spraying area 25. As described above, the AB mode is a mode in which a start point, point A, and a goal point, point B, are set and the flight device 10 automatically flies between them. In this mode, when a user presses switch 395 while the flight device 10 is flying, the location where the flight device 10 was flying when switch 395 was pressed is registered as point A 28. Furthermore, when a user presses switch 397 while the flight device 10 is flying, the location where the flight device 10 was flying when switch 397 was pressed is registered as point B 29. As shown in FIG. 6, the flight device 10 sprays pesticides between point A 28 and point B 29, following the spraying section 26 along the forward / backward direction and the movement section 27 along the left / right direction, based on instructions from the flight controller 31. Here, when the flight device 10 is moving along the spraying section 26, the flight controller 31 performs pesticide spraying. On the other hand, when the flight device 10 is moving along the movement section 27, the flight controller 31 does not perform pesticide spraying.

[0084] The automatic takeoff and landing function will be described with reference to FIG. 3. The automatic takeoff and landing function is a function in which the flight controller 31 executes landing or takeoff of the flight device 10 when the user operates switch 391. When the user operates switch 391 while the flight device 10 is flying, if the flight device 10 is in a landing state, the flight controller 31 causes the flight device 10 to take off, for example, to an altitude of approximately 3 m. On the other hand, when the user operates switch 391 while the flight device 10 is flying, if the flight device 10 is in a flying state, the flight controller 31 causes the flight device 10 to land at a descent speed below a certain level. Here, the flight controller 31 determines whether the flight device 10 is in a landing state or a takeoff state based on the detection status of the flight sensor 13. For example, if a vibration sensor serving as the flight sensor 13 detects vibrations above a certain level, the flight controller 31 determines that the flight device 10 is in a flying state. On the other hand, if the vibration sensor serving as the flight sensor 13 detects vibrations below a certain level, the flight controller 31 determines that the flight device 10 is in a landing state.

[0085] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these and can be modified within the scope of the present invention. In addition, the above-described embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0086] For example, although the above-described embodiment exemplifies the application of pesticides as an additional function, other functions may be adopted as the additional function, such as wall or building inspection, photography, cargo transport, pest detection or tracking, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 10 Flight equipment 11 rotor 111 Rotor 112 rotor 113 Rotor 114 Rotor 12 motors 121 Motor 122 Motor 123 Motor 124 Motor 13 Flight Sensors 14 Power conversion section 141 ESC 142 ESC 143 ESC 144 ESC 16 Aircraft base 17 Legs 19 Arm 191 Arm 192 Arm 193 Arm 194 Arm 20 nozzles 21 Battery 22 Tank 23 Flight device communication unit 24 Granule spraying equipment 25 Spread area 26 Scattering Section 27 Transfer Section 28 Point A 29 Point B 30 Flight control unit 31 Flight Controller 311 processor 312 Storage section 32 Auxiliary storage medium 33 Flight Program 34 Main Program 35 Subprograms 36 Light-emitting part 37 Transmitter 38 Transmitter communication unit 39 Transmitter operation section 391 Switch 392 Switch 393 Switch 394 Switch 395 Switch 396 Switch 397 Switch 398 Switch 399 Switch 3910 Switch 3911 Switch 3912 Switch 40 Pump

Claims

1. a flight control device that controls the behavior of the flight device; a flight controller that controls the main functions for flying the flight device; an auxiliary storage medium connected to the flight controller; the flight controller has a memory unit in which a main program including a flight program is stored, The auxiliary storage medium stores a subprogram for executing additional functions of the flight device, but does not store an operating system or BIOS that cooperates with the flight program; The operating system and the BIOS, which cooperate with the flight program, are stored in the storage unit; The flight controller Controlling the flight of the flight device by executing the flight program read from the storage unit; executes the subprogram read from the auxiliary storage medium to execute the additional function; A flight control device characterized in that the auxiliary storage medium is an external storage unit that is a removable recording medium.

2. 2. The flight control device according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary storage medium does not constitute a part of the microcomputer.

3. 2. The flight control device according to claim 1, wherein the flight control device does not include any microcomputer other than the flight controller.

4. 2. The flight control device according to claim 1, wherein the flight program is an open source program.

5. The operation of the flight device is controlled by a user operating a transmitter; the transmitter has a switch; 2. The flight control device according to claim 1, wherein the function of the switch is changed to one related to the additional function by executing the subprogram.

6. 2. The flight control device according to claim 1, wherein the additional function is a function for spraying pesticides.

7. 2. The flight control device according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary storage medium stores a flight log.

8. 2. The flight control device according to claim 1, wherein the additional function is a function of estimating weight.

9. 2. The flight control device according to claim 1, wherein the additional function is a function for changing a flight mode.

10. 2. The flight control device according to claim 1, wherein the additional functions are functions related to takeoff and landing.

11. A flight device comprising the flight control device according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

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