A logging system using unmanned aerial vehicles, and a method for logging trees.

Abstract

To enable tree felling work to be carried out efficiently and safely to ensure separation distance from power transmission equipment.SOLUTION: A felling device comprises: a support; a cutting mechanism provided on the support to cut down the tree; a tree attachment mechanism that is provided on the support and is attached to a tree, thereby fixing the support to the tree; and a control device and a communication device that remotely control the cutting mechanism and the tree attachment mechanism. The felling device is suspended from an unmanned aerial vehicle and transported to a felling site, the support is fixed to a tree to be felled by remote operation of the tree attachment mechanism, and the cutting mechanism is operated to cut the trunk or branch to be felled. The felling device is suspended from the unmanned aerial vehicle by a sling, and the felling device comprises a hanging mechanism that extends or winds up the sling.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a logging system using an unmanned aircraft and a method for logging trees.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, for the purpose of improving work efficiency and safety, etc., studies have been underway on the use of unmanned aircraft (drones, UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles)) for the inspection / checking work of power facilities such as power transmission lines, and various proposals have been made for this.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a power transmission line inspection system using an unmanned aircraft configured for the purpose of automatically inspecting, etc., approaching trees to a power transmission line. The power transmission line inspection system includes an unmanned helicopter having a flight control system for flying to an inspection location of the power transmission line while autonomously flying and an information collection system for collecting various information including an image of the inspection location and distance measurement data, a control center having a flight control / information collection system for controlling the flight of the unmanned helicopter and collecting and processing various information from the unmanned helicopter, an approaching tree inspection means for creating a three-dimensional image from the image of the inspection location and distance measurement data collected by the information collection system of the unmanned helicopter, processing the created three-dimensional image, and inspecting whether there is an abnormality in the power transmission line at the inspection location based on the processed three-dimensional image, and a storage device in which various data used in the inspection by the approaching tree inspection means is stored.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Incidentally, many power transmission lines are located in mountainous or steep areas that are difficult to access, placing a heavy burden on the workers who perform the work on site. In addition, workers sometimes have to climb trees and work at high altitudes, making efficiency improvements and ensuring safety during work a challenge.

[0006] Patent Document 1, mentioned above, describes using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to inspect trees approaching power lines. However, the use of UAVs in this document is limited to inspection work, and the actual tree felling work to ensure sufficient distance from the power lines still needs to be carried out by people on-site.

[0007] This invention was made in view of the above background, and aims to provide a tree felling system using an unmanned aerial vehicle and a tree felling method that can perform tree felling work efficiently and safely. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] One means to solve the above problem is a logging system using an unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising an unmanned aerial vehicle and a logging device suspended from the unmanned aerial vehicle and transported to the logging site by the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the logging device comprises a support base, a cutting mechanism provided on the support base for felling trees, and a device provided on the support base that attaches to the tree and fixes the support base to the tree. multiple The system comprises a tree mounting mechanism, a control device and communication device for remotely operating at least one of the cutting mechanism and the tree mounting mechanism using a remote control device installed on the ground, wherein the tree mounting mechanism includes a gripping device for gripping the trunk and branches of a tree, and a joint mechanism for controlling the position and orientation of the gripping device. This adjusts the position and orientation of the cutting mechanism. Includes a robotic arm.

[0009] Further issues disclosed in this application, and methods for solving them, will be made clear in the section on embodiments for carrying out the invention and in the drawings. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, tree felling work can be carried out efficiently and safely. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This diagram shows a schematic configuration of the logging system. [Figure 2] This diagram shows the process of felling trees using a logging system. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of a tree mounting mechanism. [Figure 4A] This diagram shows the main components of an unmanned aerial vehicle. [Figure 4B] This is a block diagram illustrating the main functions of an unmanned aerial vehicle. [Figure 5A] This diagram shows the main components of a logging device. [Figure 5B] This is a block diagram illustrating the main functions of the logging equipment. [Figure 6] This is a flowchart explaining the tree felling process. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] The following matters will become clear from this specification and the accompanying drawings. The present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, with reference to one embodiment thereof.

[0013] Figure 1 shows a schematic configuration of a logging system using an unmanned aerial vehicle (hereinafter referred to as "logging system 1"), which is described as one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, logging system 1 includes an unmanned aerial vehicle 200 (drone, UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), or unmanned flying vehicle) and a logging device 100 suspended from the unmanned aerial vehicle 200.

[0014] The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle 200 is an aircraft (such as a multirotor or helicopter) that flies autonomously or by remote control, receiving commands wirelessly from a remote control device (ground station) located on the ground, and is also capable of hovering.

[0015] As shown in the figure, the unmanned aircraft 200 flies to the site where there are trees 4 (hereinafter referred to as "target trees") to be logged in order to ensure the separation distance from the power transmission equipment (in this example, the power transmission line 2) while the logging device 100 is suspended.

[0016] The logging device 100 includes a suspension mechanism 51, a cutting mechanism 52, a support base 53, and one or more (two in the example of the figure) tree attachment mechanisms 54.

[0017] The suspension mechanism 51 is a mechanism that couples the logging device 100 to the lower end of a suspension cable 6 (rope, wire) suspended from the unmanned aircraft 200 and adjusts the vertical position (height) of the logging device 100 by changing the length of the suspension cable 6. The suspension mechanism 51 includes, for example, a drum around which the suspension cable 6 is wound and a rotation control mechanism that rotates the drum in both left and right directions (including rotation direction control (forward and reverse rotation), rotation speed control, etc.). In addition, the suspension mechanism 51 includes, for example, a mechanism that automatically or remotely releases the connection of the suspension cable 6 to detach the logging device 100 from the unmanned aircraft 200 in an emergency or the like. As the material of the suspension cable 6, for example, a material that makes it difficult for the force acting on the logging device 100 (wind or the reaction of the tree 4) to be transmitted to the unmanned aircraft 200 is selected.

[0018] The cutting mechanism 52 is a mechanism for logging (cutting) the tree 4 and includes, for example, a cutting tool such as an electric saw or a chainsaw and a mechanism for adjusting the position and posture of the cutting tool (the way the blade of the cutting tool is applied to the trunk or branch). The cutting mechanism 52 cuts the trunk or branch to be logged in a state where the support base 5 is fixed to the tree 4 when the tree attachment mechanism 54 is attached to the tree 4.

[0019] The support base 53 is a pedestal in the shape of a rod or a rectangular parallelepiped, and is provided with a suspension mechanism 51, a cutting mechanism 52, and a tree attachment mechanism 54. As the material of the support base 53, for example, considering the influence on the unmanned aircraft 200 (flight endurance distance, maneuverability, etc.), a material with high rigidity and low weight (resin, carbon fiber, lightweight metal, etc.) is selected. The suspension mechanism 51 is provided, for example, above the support base 53. The cutting mechanism 52 is provided, for example, below the support base 53. Incidentally, a battery (not shown) for supplying power to operate the suspension mechanism 51, the cutting mechanism 52, and the tree attachment mechanism 54 is mounted at a predetermined position of the support base 53.

[0020] The tree attachment mechanism 54 is provided at a predetermined position of the support base 53, and fixes the support base 53 to the tree 4 by attaching to the trunk or branch of the target tree. As a result, the support base 53 is firmly fixed to the tree 4, and the felling operation of the tree 4 by the cutting mechanism 52 can be stably and accurately performed.

[0021] FIG. 2 shows a state in which the support base 53 is fixed to the tree 4 by attaching two tree attachment mechanisms 54 to the trunk or branch of the tree 4, and the tree 4 is being felled by the cutting mechanism 52.

[0022] As shown in the figure, the tree attachment mechanism 54 has an arm 541 and a gripping device 542 provided at the tip of the arm 541. The arm 541 functions as a robotic arm that can be remotely operated wirelessly by an operator from the ground. The arm 541 has a joint mechanism and adjusts the position and posture of the gripping device 542. The gripping device 542 has a gripping mechanism and performs gripping (holding operation, grasping operation, etc.) and release of the trunk or branch.

[0023] The cutting mechanism 52 has an arm 521 and a cutting tool 522 provided at the tip of the arm 521. The arm 521 functions as a robotic arm that can be remotely operated wirelessly by an operator from the ground. The arm 521 has a joint mechanism and adjusts the position and posture of the cutting tool 522. The cutting tool 522 can be remotely operated (cutting operation start control, cutting operation stop control, etc.) wirelessly by an operator from the ground, for example.

[0024] As described above, in the tree felling system 1 of this embodiment, when felling trees 4 to secure a safe distance from power lines 2, the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 first suspends and transports the tree felling device 100 to the site where the target trees are located. Then, at the site, the tree attachment mechanism 54 of the tree felling device 100 is attached to the target tree, fixing the support base 53 to the tree 4, and then the trunk and branches to be felled are cut with the cutting tool 522. Therefore, the trunk and branches to be felled can be efficiently cut while the position and orientation of the cutting tool 522 are kept stable. Furthermore, since the felling device 100 is suspended from the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 by a suspension cable 6 made of a material that does not easily transmit forces acting on the felling device 100 (wind and the reaction of the tree 4) to the unmanned aerial vehicle 200, after fixing the support base 53 to the tree 4, the flight altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 is slightly lowered to slacken the suspension cable 6 (reducing the tension of the suspension cable 6), so that the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 is not affected by reactions from the tree 4 during felling, and even a small unmanned aerial vehicle 200 can be flown stably and safely. In addition, by using the felling system 1 of this embodiment, there is no need for workers or other people to perform felling work, and felling work can be performed safely with little load and at low cost.

[0025] By the way, Figures 1 and 2 illustrate an example where two tree mounting mechanisms 54 are provided on the support base 53, but the number of tree mounting mechanisms 54 provided on the support base 53 is not necessarily limited.

[0026] As an example, Figure 3 shows an example where four tree mounting mechanisms 54 are provided on the support base 53. By increasing the number of tree mounting mechanisms 54 provided on the support base 53 in this way, it becomes possible to flexibly respond to various configurations of the tree 4, and the support base 53 can be securely fixed to the tree 4.

[0027] Conversely, the number of tree attachment mechanisms 54 on the support base 53 may be reduced to one. By reducing the number of tree attachment mechanisms 54 on the support base 53, the overall size of the felling device 100 can be reduced, making it easier to access the cutting site of the target tree and to fix the support base 53 to the felling device 100, even in areas with high density of trunks and branches.

[0028] Furthermore, the number of cutting tools 522 provided on the support base 53 is not necessarily limited. For example, to improve work efficiency, two or more cutting tools 522 may be provided on the support base 53.

[0029] Furthermore, to allow ground workers to monitor the logging operation and the status of the logging device 100 in real time, for example, a camera installed on the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 may be used to photograph the logging device 100 and its surroundings, and the video data may be wirelessly transmitted to the ground in real time. Alternatively, a camera may be installed not only on the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 but also on the logging device 100 to photograph the logging device 100 and its surroundings from a close position, and the video data may be wirelessly transmitted to the ground, allowing workers to closely monitor the operation and status of the tree attachment mechanism 54 and the cutting tool 522 from a remote location such as the ground. In addition, by applying image recognition technology or object recognition technology to the captured video data, the shape and position of the trunk and branches may be automatically recognized, and the tree attachment mechanism 54 and the cutting tool 522 may be automatically remotely controlled.

[0030] Furthermore, if the logging device 100 is suspended from the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 by a single support point (one suspension cable 6), it is conceivable that the support base 53 may rotate due to the twisting of the suspension cable 6 during flight. To prevent this rotation of the support base 53, for example, the support base 53 can be equipped with an angular velocity sensor (gyro sensor) for detecting the rotation, a servo mechanism or fan (propeller) for canceling the rotation, and a control device that provides feedback control of the rotation of the servo mechanism or fan based on the output of the angular velocity sensor, so that the control device controls the operation of the servo mechanism or fan to cancel the rotation detected by the angular velocity sensor. Alternatively, the logging device 100 may be suspended from the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 by support points of two or more (two or more suspension cables 6) to prevent the rotation of the support base 53.

[0031] <Detailed Configuration> Figure 4A shows the main components of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200. As shown in the figure, the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 is equipped with a thrust generator 201, a flight control device 202, various sensors 203, a camera 204, a communication device 205, and a battery 206.

[0032] The thrust generator 201 is a device that generates thrust for the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 to fly, and includes, for example, an electric motor and an electronic speed controller (ESC). The thrust generator 201 may also be configured using, for example, a so-called engine (glow engine, gasoline engine, turbine engine, etc.) that generates power by burning fuel.

[0033] The flight control device 202 is configured using an information processing device (computer) such as a microcomputer (MPC) with a processor and memory, and is responsible for the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200, the control of various devices and functions installed on the unmanned aerial vehicle 200, and the monitoring of sensor information.

[0034] The various sensors 203 are sensors that acquire information necessary for the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200, and include, for example, acceleration sensors, velocity sensors, geomagnetic sensors, GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) (satellite positioning device (GNSS sensor)), microwave radar, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), EKF (Extended Kalman Filter) device, etc.

[0035] The imaging device 204 is, for example, a video camera capable of remotely controlling shooting conditions such as shooting direction, field of view, and exposure via wireless communication, or a digital still camera capable of shooting video, and generates video data of itself (the unmanned aerial vehicle 200), the surroundings, the logging device 100, and the trees 4. The imaging device 204 may also function as one of the various sensors 203. As mentioned above, the imaging device may be installed on the logging device 100.

[0036] The communication device 205 is a device that communicates wirelessly with the remote control device (ground station) and the logging device 100 (for example, a wireless communication device that uses the 2.4GHz band and 5GHz band frequencies). The communication device 205 transmits, for example, video data captured by the camera device 204 and information indicating the status of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 to the remote control device as needed, for example, by wireless video transmission technology or telemetry communication. The communication device 205 also receives, for example, information indicating the status of the logging device 100 sent from the logging device 100 and transmits the received information to the remote control device. Furthermore, the communication device 205 receives, for example, information for controlling the logging device 100 sent from the remote control device and transmits the received information to the logging device 100.

[0037] Battery 206 is, for example, a lithium-ion polymer rechargeable battery, which supplies the power necessary for the operation of each component of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200.

[0038] Figure 4B is a block diagram illustrating the main functions of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200. As shown in the figure, the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 includes the functions of a memory unit 210, a flight control unit 220, a communication processing unit 230, and a video transmission unit 235. These functions are realized, for example, by the processor of the flight control device 202 executing software stored in memory.

[0039] The memory unit 210 stores aircraft information 211 and video data 212. The aircraft information 211 includes information about the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 (current position information 2111, flight speed / acceleration information 2112, and battery level information 2113, etc.).

[0040] The flight control unit 220 controls the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 by either a remote control method, which passively controls the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 in accordance with flight control instructions sent from the remote control unit, or an autonomous control method, which autonomously controls the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 based on the aircraft information 211. In the case of the autonomous control method, the flight control unit 220 controls the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle 200, for example, according to a pre-set flight plan.

[0041] The communication processing unit 230 communicates wirelessly with the remote control device and the logging device 100 via the communication device 205. The communication processing unit 125 receives flight control instructions from, for example, the remote control device. The communication processing unit 230 also transmits the aircraft information 211 stored in the storage unit 110 to the remote control device via the communication device 56 as needed.

[0042] The video transmission unit 235 stores the video data 212 captured and generated by the shooting device 204 in the storage unit 210 and transmits it to the remote control device via the communication device 205 (for example, in real time).

[0043] Figure 5A shows the main components of the tree felling device 100. As shown in the figure, the tree felling device 100 includes a suspension mechanism 51, a cutting mechanism 52, a tree attachment mechanism 54, various sensors 55, a communication device 56, and a control device 57. The suspension mechanism 51, the cutting mechanism 52, and the tree attachment mechanism 54 have been described above, so a redundant explanation will be omitted.

[0044] The various sensors 55 are installed at key points in the suspension mechanism 51, the cutting mechanism 52, and the tree attachment mechanism 54, and are a group of sensors (internal sensors, external sensors) that acquire information about their operation and status (information necessary for controlling and monitoring the robot arm, etc.). Examples include angular velocity sensors, acceleration sensors (G sensors), pressure sensors, speed sensors, voltage sensors, current sensors, shock sensors, encoders, inclinometers, geomagnetic sensors, infrared sensors, vibration sensors, distance sensors such as TOF (Time Of Flight) sensors, ultrasonic sensors, etc.

[0045] The communication device 56 is a device that communicates wirelessly or via wired connection (for example, wired communication may be used with the unmanned aerial vehicle 200) with the remote control device (ground station) and the unmanned aerial vehicle 200. The communication device 56 transmits information acquired by various sensors 55 to the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 and the remote control device as needed. The communication device 56 also receives control instructions sent from the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 and the remote control device, and controls the suspension mechanism 51, the cutting mechanism 52, and the tree attachment mechanism 54 based on the received control instructions.

[0046] The control device 57 is configured using an information processing device (computer) such as a microcomputer (MPC) having a processor and memory, and performs overall control of the suspension mechanism 51, cutting mechanism 52, tree attachment mechanism 54, various sensors 55, and communication device 56.

[0047] Figure 5B is a block diagram illustrating the main functions of the tree felling device 100. As shown in the figure, the tree felling device 100 includes the following functions: a memory unit 110, a sensor information acquisition unit 120, a communication processing unit 125, a suspension mechanism control unit 130, a tree attachment mechanism control unit 135, and a cutting mechanism control unit 140. These functions are realized, for example, by the processor of the control device 57 executing software stored in memory.

[0048] The memory unit 110 stores various sensor information 111, suspension mechanism status information 112, tree mounting mechanism status information 113, and cutting mechanism status information 114.

[0049] The various sensor information 111 is information acquired by the various sensors 55. The suspension mechanism status information 112 is information acquired by the various sensors 55 that shows the real-time operation and status of the suspension mechanism 51. The tree attachment mechanism status information 113 is information acquired by the various sensors 55 that shows the real-time operation and status of the tree attachment mechanism 54. The cutting mechanism status information 114 is information acquired by the various sensors 55 that shows the real-time operation and status of the cutting mechanism 52.

[0050] The sensor information acquisition unit 120 acquires various sensor information 111, suspension mechanism status information 112, tree mounting mechanism status information 113, and cutting mechanism status information 114 from various sensors 55 as needed (for example, in real time) and manages them in the storage unit 110.

[0051] The communication processing unit 125 communicates wirelessly with the remote control device and the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 via the communication device 56. The communication processing unit 125 receives control instructions for the suspension mechanism 51, the cutting mechanism 52, and the tree attachment mechanism 54 from the remote control device and the unmanned aerial vehicle 200, for example. The communication processing unit 125 also transmits information stored in the memory unit 110 to the remote control device and the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 via the communication device 56 as needed.

[0052] The suspension mechanism control unit 130 controls the suspension mechanism 51 according to control instructions received from the remote control device or the unmanned aerial vehicle 200. The suspension mechanism control unit 130 adjusts the vertical (up and down) position of the felling device 100 by controlling the rotation of the drum of the suspension mechanism 51 to extend or retract the suspension cable 6. The operator remotely controls the suspension mechanism 51 while checking, for example, the video of the suspension cable 6 and the felling device 100 transmitted in real time from the unmanned aerial vehicle 200, and positions the support base 53 at the appropriate height for the tree 4.

[0053] The tree mounting mechanism control unit 135 controls the tree mounting mechanism 54 according to control instructions received from the remote control device or the unmanned aerial vehicle 200. The tree mounting mechanism control unit 135 controls the arm 541 and the gripping device 542 to grip the trunk and branches of the tree 4 with the gripping device 542 and fix the support base 53 to the predetermined position on the tree 4. The operator, for example, remotely controls the tree mounting mechanism 54 and fixes the support base 53 to the predetermined position on the tree 4 while checking the video of the felling device 100 transmitted in real time from the unmanned aerial vehicle 200.

[0054] The cutting mechanism control unit 140 controls the cutting mechanism 52 according to control instructions received from the remote control device or the unmanned aerial vehicle 200. The cutting mechanism control unit 140 adjusts the position and orientation of the cutting tool 522 by controlling the arm 521 and operates the cutting tool 522 to fell the tree 4 (cut the trunk or branches). The operator, for example, checks the video of the felling device 100 transmitted in real time from the unmanned aerial vehicle 200, controls the arm 521 to adjust the position and orientation of the cutting tool 522 to an appropriate state, and operates the cutting tool 522 remotely to fell the tree 4. When felling the tree 4 is complete, the operator remotely controls the tree attachment mechanism 54 to release the grip of the gripping device 542 and detach the support base 53 from the tree 4.

[0055] Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the process performed by the tree felling system 1 when felling target trees to ensure a safe distance from the power transmission line 2 (hereinafter referred to as "tree felling process S600"). The tree felling process S600 will be explained below in conjunction with the figure.

[0056] First, the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 takes off from the landing area and flies autonomously or remotely to the site where the target tree is located, with the logging device 100 suspended from it (S611-S612).

[0057] Next, the worker checks the video feed from the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 to identify the trunk or branch of the target tree to be felled (S613), and remotely controls the suspension mechanism 51 to bring the felling device 100 closer to the identified trunk or branch (S614).

[0058] Next, the worker remotely controls the tree attachment mechanism 54 while checking the video feed sent from the unmanned aerial vehicle 200, causing the gripping device 542 of the tree attachment mechanism 54 to grip the trunk or branches of the tree 4, and fixing the support base 53 near the tree or branch to be felled (S615-S616).

[0059] Next, the worker remotely controls the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 and slightly lowers its flight altitude, thereby slackening the suspension cable 6 (S617).

[0060] Next, the worker controls the cutting mechanism 52 while checking the video feed sent from the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 to adjust the position and orientation of the cutting tool 522, and then operates the cutting tool 522 to fell (cut) the tree 4 (S618).

[0061] Once the cutting of tree 4 is complete, the worker then remotely controls the tree attachment mechanism 54 to release the grip of the gripping device 542 and detach the support base 53 from tree 4 (S619).

[0062] Next, the worker remotely controls the suspension mechanism 51 while checking the video feed from the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 to rewind the suspension cable 6 and raise the felling device 100 to a safe position (S620).

[0063] Next, the worker determines whether there are other targets to be felled (S621). If there are other targets to be felled (S621: NO), the process from S613 is repeated for the other targets. If there are no other targets to be felled (S621: YES), the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 is remotely controlled to return to the landing field (S622).

[0064] As described in detail above, the tree felling system 1 of this embodiment allows for the efficient felling of trees 4 to secure a safe distance from power facilities using an unmanned aerial vehicle 200. Furthermore, by operating the unmanned aerial vehicle 200 and the felling device 100 while checking the on-site video footage from a remote location, it is possible to perform tree felling work safely and with minimal burden on the workers, without the need for workers to go to the site.

[0065] The above embodiments are provided to facilitate understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit its interpretation. The present invention may be modified or improved without departing from its spirit, and equivalents thereof are also included. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0066] 1 Logging system, 4 Trees, 6 Suspension rope, 51 Suspension mechanism, 52 Cutting mechanism, 521 Arm, 522 Cutting tool, 53 Support base, 54 Tree attachment mechanism, 541 Arm, 542 Gripping device, 55 Various sensors, 56 Communication device, 57 Control device, 100 Logging device, 110 Memory unit, 111 Various sensor information, 112 Suspension mechanism status information, 113 Tree attachment mechanism status information, 114 Cutting mechanism status information, 120 Sensor information acquisition unit, 125 Communication processing unit, 130 Suspension mechanism control unit, 135 Tree attachment mechanism control unit, 140 Cutting mechanism control unit, 200 Unmanned aerial vehicle, 201 Thrust generator, 202 Flight control device, 203 Various sensors, 204 Camera, 205 Communication device, 206 Battery, 210 Memory unit, 211 Aircraft information, 220 Flight control unit, 230 Communication processing unit, 235 Video transmission unit, S600 Tree felling processing

Claims

1. Unmanned aerial vehicles and A logging device suspended from the aforementioned unmanned aerial vehicle and transported to the logging site by the flight of the aforementioned unmanned aerial vehicle, Includes, The aforementioned logging device is Support base and A cutting mechanism for felling trees is provided on the aforementioned support base, Multiple tree mounting mechanisms are provided on the support base and are attached to the tree to fix the support base to the tree, A control device and communication device for remotely operating the tree mounting mechanism using a remote control device installed on the ground, Equipped with, The tree mounting mechanism includes a gripping device for gripping the trunk or branches of a tree, and a robotic arm having a joint mechanism to control the position and orientation of the gripping device, thereby adjusting the position and orientation of the cutting mechanism. A logging system using unmanned aerial vehicles.

2. A logging system according to claim 1, The logging device is suspended from the unmanned aerial vehicle by a suspension cable. The logging device further comprises a suspension mechanism for extending or retracting the suspension cable. A logging system using unmanned aerial vehicles.

3. A logging system according to claim 2, The suspension mechanism further comprises a control device and a communication device for remote operation. A logging system using unmanned aerial vehicles.

4. A logging system according to claim 1, The cutting mechanism includes a cutting tool and a robotic arm that controls the position and orientation of the cutting tool. including, A logging system using unmanned aerial vehicles.

5. A logging system according to claim 1, The aforementioned support base is An angular velocity sensor for detecting the rotation of the support base, A fan for canceling out the aforementioned rotation, A device that provides feedback control to the fan so as to cancel out the rotation detected by the angular velocity sensor, Having, A logging system using unmanned aerial vehicles.

6. A logging system according to claim 1, At least one of the aforementioned unmanned aerial vehicle and the aforementioned logging device is The aforementioned logging device and a camera that photographs the area around the logging device, A communication device that transmits video footage captured by the aforementioned camera to a remotely located device in real time, A logging system using unmanned aerial vehicles, further equipped with the following features.

7. A logging system according to claim 6, The cutting mechanism is remotely operated by a remote control device installed on the ground, and the device includes a control and communication equipment. By applying image recognition or object recognition to the video captured by the aforementioned camera, the shape or position of the trunk or branches is automatically recognized, and the tree mounting mechanism or the cutting mechanism is automatically remotely controlled. A logging system using unmanned aerial vehicles.

8. A tree felling device comprising: a support base; a cutting mechanism provided on the support base for felling trees; a plurality of tree attachment mechanisms provided on the support base for fixing the support base to the tree by attaching to the tree; and a control device and communication device for remotely operating the tree attachment mechanisms using a remote control device provided on the ground, wherein the tree attachment mechanism includes a gripping device for gripping the trunk or branches of a tree, and a robotic arm having a joint mechanism to adjust the position and posture of the cutting mechanism by controlling the position and posture of the gripping device, It is transported to the logging site by being suspended from a cable by an unmanned aerial vehicle. By remotely operating the tree mounting mechanism, the support base is fixed to the tree to be felled, the altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle is lowered to slacken the suspension cable, and the cutting mechanism is activated to cut the trunk or branch to be felled. Methods for felling trees.

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