Airspace utilization management device, airspace utilization management system, and airspace utilization management method
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- HITACHI LTD
- Filing Date
- 2024-04-26
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-30
Smart Images
Figure 0007897890000001 
Figure 0007897890000002 
Figure 0007897890000003
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to, for example, an airspace utilization management device, an airspace utilization management system, and an airspace utilization management method.
Background Art
[0002] Today, the spread of drones, not only industrial drones but also those flown for personal hobbies, is remarkable. Therefore, in order to ensure the safety of drone flights and prevent accidents and crimes, legal systems have been gradually established mainly by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. As the legal system becomes stricter, the places where drones can be flown are limited. However, there is also a trend towards regulatory relaxation, where flight is permitted if the law is complied with and predetermined conditions are met.
[0003] In principle, if the airspace above the land of the airspace owner who owns the air rights on the flight route is included, the airspace user of that flight route needs to obtain permission for the air rights from the airspace owner of that land.
[0004] As a system responsible for the procedure of obtaining this permission, a service called Solar Share (provided by Travelizon Co., Ltd.: https: / / www.truebizon.com / ) has emerged. In relation to this service, an airspace utilization promotion system has been proposed that links areas and domains to identify airspaces and matches airspace registrants and airspace users (Patent Document 1).
[0005] In addition, an air rights management system has been provided that enables users to pass through the airspace above or conduct aerial photography from above with the permission of the owner who owns the air rights of the land during drone flights (Patent Document 2).
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0006]
Patent Document 1
Patent Document 2
[0007] As mentioned above, in the matching of airspace owners and airspace users, information such as the pilot's skill level and ability to compensate for accidents, etc., is not linked to the selection of airspace and flight routes desired by the airspace user. Therefore, matching that protects airspace owners is expected.
[0008] This invention was made in view of the above background, and aims to provide an airspace utilization management device, an airspace utilization management system, and an airspace utilization management method that can balance the benefits for both airspace owners and airspace users during matching and realize a smooth matching procedure. [Means for solving the problem]
[0009] To solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the above objectives, one embodiment of the present invention is an airspace utilization management device that is connected via a network to the terminal of an owner who owns airspace with air rights and to the terminal of a user who uses the airspace with an unmanned mobile vehicle, and processes airspace utilization matching, comprising: an owner storage unit that stores the owner's identification information in association with the identification information of the airspace demarcated by the air rights; a user storage unit that stores the user's identification information in association with the identification information of the unmanned mobile vehicle; an additional information registration unit that accepts access from the user's terminal using the identification information stored in the user storage unit and registers additional information, including at least one of piloting skills and compensation ability, in association with the user in the user storage unit; and an additional information registration unit that accepts access from the owner's terminal using the identification information stored in the owner storage unit and permits airspace utilization. The system is characterized by comprising: a permission information registration unit that registers permission information, including at least one of a piloting skill level and a compensation capability level indicating the level of the owner, in association with the owner in the owner storage unit; a determination unit that, when a request for use of airspace is received from a user's terminal stored in the user storage unit, refers to the owner storage unit and the user storage unit and determines whether or not to allow use of the airspace based on permission information corresponding to one or more owners who own the airspace within the scope of the airspace use and additional information corresponding to the requesting user; and a notification unit that, if the determination unit determines that use is permitted, notifies the user's terminal of permission for the requested use of the airspace, and if the determination unit does not determine that use is permitted, notifies the user's terminal of denial of permission for the requested use of the airspace.
[0010] Another embodiment of the present invention is an airspace utilization management system for matching airspace utilization, comprising: an owner terminal for an owner who owns airspace with air rights; a user terminal for a user who uses the airspace with an unmanned mobile vehicle; a device for matching airspace utilization; and an insurance company system for performing insurance procedures, wherein the owner terminal, the user terminal, the device, and the insurance company system are connected to each other via a network for communication, the device has memory and stores in the memory airspace for which the owner terminal has granted permission for use with usage permission conditions including insurance procedures, the device receives a request for use of the airspace stored in the memory from the user terminal, and connects to the insurance company system to support the user's insurance procedures if the user of the user terminal does not meet the usage permission conditions in the insurance procedures, thereby performing airspace utilization matching.
[0011] Furthermore, another embodiment of the present invention is an airspace utilization management method in a device that processes airspace utilization matching by connecting to a terminal of an owner who owns airspace with air rights and a terminal of a user who uses airspace with an unmanned mobile vehicle via a network, wherein the device stores owner identification information associated with identification information of airspace demarcated by air rights, and stores user identification information associated with identification information of an unmanned mobile vehicle in memory, and accepts access from the user's terminal using the identification information stored in memory, and registers additional information including at least one of piloting skill and compensation ability in the memory associated with the user, and the identification information stored in memory The system includes: a permission information registration step of using information to accept access from the owner's terminal and registering permission information in the memory in association with the owner, including at least one of a pilot skill level and a compensation capability level indicating the level at which airspace use is permitted; a determination step of referring to the memory when a request for airspace use is received from a user's terminal stored in the memory and determining whether or not airspace use is permitted based on permission information corresponding to one or more owners who own airspace within the scope of the airspace use and additional information corresponding to the requesting user; and a notification step of notifying the owner's terminal and the user's terminal of the determination result of the determination step. [Effects of the Invention]
[0012] According to the present invention, it is possible to balance the benefits for both airspace owners and airspace users during the matching process, thereby enabling a smooth matching procedure. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0013] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram showing the functions of an airspace utilization management device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a configuration diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of an airspace utilization management device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating a method for storing owner information according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] It is an explanatory diagram for explaining a method of storing user information according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] It is an explanatory diagram for explaining a method of storing a flight plan according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] It is a flowchart for explaining the overall operation according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] It is a flowchart for explaining a usage permission determination process according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] It is a block diagram showing the functions of an airspace utilization management device according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] It is a flowchart for explaining a usage permission determination process according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention
[0014] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the following description and drawings are merely examples for explaining the present invention, and for the sake of clarity of explanation, appropriate omissions and simplifications have been made. In addition, the present invention can be implemented in various other forms. Also, unless otherwise specified, each component may be singular or plural. Also, in the following description, the database is referred to as DB, and the table is referred to as TBL. Although DB and TBL are named separately for convenience, the form of storage is not limited.
[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments suitable for implementing the present invention will be described using the drawings. Note that the following are merely examples of implementation, and the content of the invention is not limited to the following specific aspects. The present invention can of course be modified into various aspects including the following aspects.
[0016] First, the configuration will be described using FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the airspace utilization management system according to the present embodiment. The airspace utilization management system of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 for example, is a mechanism for performing airspace utilization matching among an airspace utilization management device 1A, one or more airspace owner terminals (as a representative example, an airspace owner terminal 2), one or more airspace user terminals (as a representative example, an airspace user terminal 3), a settlement system 5, an insurance company system 6, a public institution system 7, etc. via a network 4 such as a wireless communication network and the Internet. In the present embodiment, a drone will be taken as an example of an unmanned moving body for explanation.
[0017] When the airspace owner owns the airspace of the land he / she owns, the airspace owner sets desired conditions for predetermined items in the airspace utilization management device 1A, and permits the airspace user to use the airspace of the drone through the airspace utilization management device 1A.
[0018] The airspace user sets information necessary for drone flight for predetermined items in the airspace utilization management device 1A, and indirectly obtains permission for the airspace user to use the airspace of the drone through the airspace utilization management device 1A.
[0019] The settlement system 5 is a mechanism for mainly processing settlements in the airspace utilization management device 1A when airspace utilization matching is established. As an example, online card settlement can be mentioned. The insurance company system 6 is a mechanism for implementing insurance procedures for drone compensation related to people, objects, personal rights, etc. online in the airspace utilization matching in the airspace utilization management device 1A.
[0020] In addition, the public institution system 7 is an existing drone information infrastructure system provided by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and is a mechanism for realizing various applications online. In this case, as a prerequisite, account registration in the drone information infrastructure system is required. This application is mainly applied to the levels required when flying without an assistant in a populated area, flying out of sight, and flying over a third party. In the present embodiment, the description thereof will be omitted.
[0021] The airspace utilization management device 1A, as shown in Figure 1, consists of a CPU 101 that controls the entire device, a memory 103 that stores a program 102 for processing according to this embodiment to be executed by the CPU 101 and also stores various data being executed, an operating device 104 equipped with a keyboard and a display device, an external storage device 105 that registers and stores various data in the format of DB, TBL, etc., a communication IF 106 connected to the network 4 and responsible for communication with external devices, and a bus 107 connected to each unit within the device and responsible for communication of data, signals, etc. within the device. The external storage device 105 registers and manages DB, TBL, etc. as shown in Figures 3, 4, and 5, respectively.
[0022] Furthermore, the main functions will be explained using Figures 2 to 5. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the functions of the airspace utilization management device according to this embodiment, Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the method of storing owner information according to this embodiment, Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the method of storing user information according to this embodiment, and Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the method of storing flight plans according to this embodiment.
[0023] Specifically, the airspace utilization management device 1A consists of the following components, as shown in Figure 2: owner memory TBL 11, permission information registration unit 12, user memory TBL 13, additional information registration unit 14, flight route determination unit 15A, flight plan DB 16 which stores calendar information including the dates for which flights are permitted, notification unit 17, and procedure processing unit 18.
[0024] Owner memory TBL11, as shown in Figure 3 for example, has a data structure that includes basic information on the side of the airspace owner who has registered an account in advance, and usage permission information which is the conditions for airspace users.
[0025] Basic information includes contact and account information, air rights indicating whether the airspace is owned by the individual or an agent, an airspace ID assigned to identify the airspace owner, and other information.
[0026] For airspace users, if the primary purpose is aerial photography, they are required to select flight paths that prioritize the scenery during the flight. If the primary purpose is to reach a destination, they are required to select flight paths that prioritize cost and distance. Furthermore, airspace users are required to select flight paths that prioritize ease of operation due to reasons such as piloting skill, terrain, and density of residential areas.
[0027] Information that aligns with the preferences of airspace users may be included in the other information of the owner memory TBL11, encompassing all such options. In this case, an operational display screen should be provided to the airspace user, which can then be used to inform the decision on whether or not to grant permission for use.
[0028] For example, the airspace owner with owner ID "W0001" owns all three airspaces (airspace IDs "A001", "A002", and "F331") (owns the air rights). Owner ID "W0100" owns one airspace (airspace ID "A003") (owns the air rights).
[0029] Furthermore, the usage permission conditions include, as a measure of piloting skill level, the type of drone piloting qualification, piloting experience, and accident history; and as a measure of compensation ability, the presence or absence of insurance, the insured items, and the compensation amount. In addition to weather conditions under which flight is not permitted, the usage permission conditions also include dates and times when the airspace owner does not permit flight, or dates and times when flight is permitted for other airspace users. The dates and times when the airspace owner does not permit flight can be set by the airspace owner themselves, while the dates and times when flight is permitted for other airspace users are automatically set by the airspace usage management device 1A.
[0030] For example, in the case of airspace IDs "A001," "A002," and "A003," the required pilot skill level is a first-class national qualification, more than three years of piloting experience, and no accidents. The required compensation level is insured with coverage of over 100 million yen for bodily injury and property damage. Furthermore, flights are suspended in rain, snow, or winds exceeding 5 m / s, and permitted dates are determined based on calendar information. In the case of airspace ID "F331," the required pilot skill level is slightly lower, with civilian certifications sufficing, more than one year of piloting experience, and the required compensation level is insured with coverage of over 100 million yen for bodily injury and property damage.
[0031] The permission information registration unit 12 inputs the above various data through the operation of the input / output unit 21 at the airspace owner terminal 2 and registers it in the owner storage TBL 11. The various data registered in the owner storage TBL 11 are provided to the flight route determination unit 15A as reference data.
[0032] The user memory TBL13, as shown in Figure 4 for example, is a data structure that includes contact information, piloting skills, and compensation capabilities, which are information of airspace users who have registered their accounts in advance. Piloting skills are associated with the type of drone piloting qualification, piloting history, and accident history, while compensation capabilities are associated with whether or not insurance is in place, what is covered by the insurance, the compensation amount, and the validity period for each drone model. The decision to grant permission to use the airspace is made by comparing these piloting skills and compensation capabilities with the usage permission conditions set and registered in the owner memory TBL11 mentioned above.
[0033] For example, the airspace user with user ID "U0001" holds a first-class national qualification, has over 5 years of piloting experience, and no accident history. This airspace user has registered three drones, and each of the aircraft a, b, and c is insured with 100 million yen in coverage for personal injury and property damage.
[0034] In the case of user ID "U0001," the registered validity period is set to October 30, 2024. If the desired date and time for using the airspace falls after the validity period has expired, the airspace use will be denied.
[0035] Furthermore, the airspace user with user ID "U0502" holds a second-class national license, has over three years of piloting experience, and has no accident history. This airspace user has registered one drone, and the aircraft is insured for 100 million yen, covering not only personal injury and property damage but also personal rights. In the case of user ID "U0502," the registered validity period is until August 31, 2024.
[0036] Furthermore, the airspace user with user ID "U1308" holds a private license, not a national one, has over three years of piloting experience, and has no accident history. This airspace user has registered one drone, and each drone is insured with a coverage amount of 100 million yen for personal injury and property damage.
[0037] In the case of user ID "U1308," the registered validity period has already expired. The criteria for determining this is based on the current time; for example, if it will expire in one week, the expiration flag can be automatically set. This period is not limited to one week; it can be set to a month or any other period that is appropriate for operation.
[0038] The additional information registration unit 14 inputs the above various data through the operation of the input / output unit 31 at the airspace user terminal 3 and registers it in the user storage TBL 13. The various data registered in the user storage TBL 13 are provided to the flight route determination unit 15A as reference data.
[0039] The flight route determination unit 15A, as will be described in detail later, reads the registered data from the owner memory TBL 11 and user memory TBL 13 through the operation of the input / output unit 31 on the airspace user terminal 3, and determines whether or not to allow use of the airspace. The flight route determination unit 15A updates the flight plan DB 16 according to the determination result that airspace use is permitted, as will be described in detail later.
[0040] The flight plan DB16 has a data structure that allows for the setting and registration of flight plans and management information for each user, as shown in Figure 5, for example.
[0041] Each flight plan stores information such as the drone's departure time, arrival time at the destination, duration of the flight, flight route including time spent using the airspace (e.g., passing through the airspace, hovering), and the type of drone used for the flight.
[0042] The management information stores, for each flight plan, associated with contracts indicating whether or not consent was given for the flight, progress information confirming the completion of airspace use, usage fees, payment information indicating whether payment was made by card, etc., whether or not there was a cancellation, whether or not there was an accident, evaluation from the airspace owner, and sales distribution information indicating the distribution of revenue.
[0043] Figure 5 shows, as an example, a flight plan for an airspace user with user ID "U0001". This airspace user used the airspace for aerial photography using aircraft a at 10:00 AM on May 1, 2024. In this case, the required time is 60 minutes. The flight route shown is planned to depart from airspace ID "A001", enter airspace ID "A002" in 10 minutes, pass through it in 10 minutes, and use airspace ID "A003" for 10 minutes. Since this is a round trip, the required time is set at 50 minutes.
[0044] In this case, the management information shows that the contract is already in place, there have been no cancellations, the flight was completed without incident, and the usage fee of 3,000 yen has been paid by credit card. The airspace user has also given a "good" rating. Regarding revenue distribution, the 3,000 yen usage fee can be distributed at a predetermined rate, which can be set arbitrarily. As an example, the distribution can be set so that the airspace owner receives 35% and the operator of this device receives 65%. Since these distributions are based on agreements, they can be set arbitrarily. In addition, the operator of credit card payment system 5 can also be allocated a portion of the commission.
[0045] Additionally, the airspace user with user ID "U0502" has booked a survey for July 15, 2024. In this case, the survey is scheduled to last 30 minutes. The flight indicating the flight route is planned to use the airspace with airspace ID "F331" for 30 minutes for survey purposes.
[0046] Assuming the current date is July 1, 2024, the booking is still pending, the contract is complete, and the fee is fixed at 2,000 yen. However, since payment is by credit card, the payment itself is considered complete. As there are no cancellations at this time, the transaction remains in a booking state, and accidents and ratings are not yet registered as the flight has not yet taken place. The revenue sharing is assumed to be predetermined.
[0047] The notification unit 17A notifies the airspace user terminal 3 that requested the use of the airspace of the determination result of the flight route determination unit 15A. The procedure processing unit 18 executes procedures such as the contract for the use of this device, settlement when using the airspace, insurance procedures with the insurance company system 6, and permission applications with the public institution system 7 through the terminals of the airspace owner and the airspace user.
[0048] Next, the operation will be explained using Figures 6 and 7. Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating the overall operation according to this embodiment, and Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating the usage permission determination process according to this embodiment. In the airspace usage management device 1A, the CPU 101 executes the process described below using a program 102 stored in memory 103.
[0049] The airspace utilization management device 1A accepts access requests from pre-registered users (airspace owners or airspace users) via a terminal (step S501).
[0050] When an airspace owner performs a registration procedure, the airspace owner terminal 2 accesses the airspace use management device 1A via the network 4, and requests the registration or editing of airspace for which airspace use is permitted (step S601).
[0051] Furthermore, when an airspace user initiates the procedure for using the airspace, the airspace user terminal 3 accesses the airspace usage management device 1A via the network 4, and a request for airspace use is made (step S701).
[0052] Therefore, if a request for new registration or editing of airspace is received from the airspace owner terminal 2 (step S502), the process moves to step S503, where basic information is entered or edited on the airspace owner terminal 2 (step S602), and the basic information of the owner storage TBL 11 shown in Figure 3 is updated by the registration or editing.
[0053] Furthermore, additional information is entered or edited at the airspace owner terminal 2 (step S603), and the additional information is updated by registration or editing (step S504).
[0054] In this way, the registration or editing of the airspace is performed between the airspace owner terminal 2 and the airspace utilization management device 1A, and this process is completed.
[0055] Next, if an airspace usage request is received from the airspace user terminal 3 (step S502), the user storage TBL 13 is referenced and the registration information of the accessing airspace user is read (step S505). The registration information read in this way is sent to the airspace user terminal 3 and becomes editable by display on that terminal.
[0056] Then, during the verification of registration information, if there are any deficiencies in the registration details for the airspace user (YES route in step S506), a request to supplement the registration information is made through the display screen of the airspace user terminal 3 (step S507), although this is not shown in the diagram, and the process of supplementing the registration information is executed (step S508).
[0057] In this context, the items that fall under the category of insufficient registration information are piloting skills and compensation capacity. Regarding piloting skills, examples include cases where the pilot is unlicensed, or where piloting history or accident history is not recorded. Regarding compensation capacity, examples include cases where the aircraft itself is not registered, or where insurance has not been processed or renewed.
[0058] If a request for additional registration information is made at the airspace user terminal 3 (YES route in step S703), the additional information is entered (step S704). If insurance procedures are required at this time, the airspace usage management device 1A accesses the insurance company system 6 to support online processing for insurance enrollment or renewal procedures for the airspace user terminal 3. Once the registration information has been entered at the airspace user terminal 3, a request for airspace or flight route is made to the airspace usage management device 1A (step S705).
[0059] In this way, when registration information is added to the airspace utilization management device 1A (step S508), a request for airspace or flight route is received from the airspace user terminal 3, and the utilization permission determination process is executed (step S509). Details of this utilization permission determination process will be described later with reference to Figure 7.
[0060] Furthermore, if no missing registration information is detected in the airspace utilization management device 1A (NO route in step S506), the process proceeds to step S509. Also, if no additional registration information is needed in the airspace user terminal 3 (NO route in step S703), the process proceeds to step S705.
[0061] Then, in the airspace use management device 1A, if airspace use is permitted (YES route in step S510), a usage permission notification is sent to the airspace user terminal 3 (step S512). On the other hand, if it is not permitted (NO route in step S510), a usage denial notification is sent to the airspace user terminal 3 (step S511).
[0062] On the airspace user terminal 3, a notification from the airspace usage management device 1A is displayed. In the case of a permission notification, if the airspace user terminal 3 performs a confirmation operation (step S706), the airspace usage management device 1A accepts the confirmation operation (step S512) and executes the completion process (step S513). In this completion process, the payment remains valid, management information including usage calculations is generated, the generated management information is displayed on the airspace user terminal 3, and the completion process ends with an agreement operation (step S707).
[0063] Then, in the airspace utilization management device 1A, the flight plan and information approved in the utilization permission decision process are set and registered in the flight plan DB 16 (step S514), and this process ends. At this point, the calendar information in the flight plan DB 16 is updated, so duplicate registrations of simultaneous utilization at the same time are avoided.
[0064] In step S706, if the airspace user performs an operation to change the airspace or flight route using the airspace user terminal 3, the airspace usage management device 1A repeatedly performs the usage permission determination process. If the operation is a cancellation operation, although not shown in the diagram, a cancellation setting is made in the flight plan DB 16, and this process ends.
[0065] Next, the process for determining permission to use the airspace will be explained using Figure 7. In the process for determining permission to use the airspace, first, the registration information of the airspace user requested from the airspace user terminal 3 (see Figure 3) is read (step S801), and then, the registration information of the airspace owner corresponding to the airspace or flight route desired by the airspace user (see Figure 4) is read (step S802).
[0066] The registered information retrieved in this manner is compared (step S803), and a determination is made as to whether there is any airspace that does not meet the conditions for granting permission (step S804). If, as a result, there is no airspace that does not meet the conditions (NO route in step S804), the process moves to step S808 to decide on permission to use the airspace. In this case, the permitted airspace or flight route is provisionally registered as a flight plan in the flight plan DB15 (step S809), and the process returns to Figure 6.
[0067] Furthermore, if there is airspace that does not meet the conditions (YES route in step S804), the owner memory TBL11 is searched for registration information associated with the desired airspace or airspace surrounding the flight route (step S805).
[0068] As a result, if an alternative airspace or flight route can be identified (YES route in step S806), a decision to grant permission for use is made (step S808), and the process proceeds to step S809. On the other hand, if no alternative airspace or flight route can be identified (NO route in step S806), a decision to deny permission for use is made (step S807), and the process returns to Figure 6.
[0069] In the decision-making process in step S804, it is preferable to avoid overlapping airspaces at the airspace level, specifically by avoiding situations where multiple airspace users utilize even one of their flight routes during the same time period.
[0070] Furthermore, in step S803, if it is determined that an application for flight permission from the public authority system 7 is required for the airspace or flight route desired by the airspace user, online support will be provided (though not shown in the diagram). If a certain period of time is required for the application to be approved, a hold flag may be set for the relevant request, allowing the airspace usage procedure to be resumed. In this case, the airspace user will be notified by email or other means when the application is approved.
[0071] As explained above, this embodiment makes it possible to balance the benefits for both airspace owners and airspace users during the matching process, and to realize a smooth, end-to-end matching procedure.
[0072] Furthermore, even if an airspace user forgets to complete the insurance procedure or their insurance period has expired, the insurance procedure can be completed within the matching process. Therefore, for airspace users, the end-to-end procedure reduces operational hassle and prevents interruptions or withdrawals from the process.
[0073] Furthermore, by providing a flight plan memory unit, the flight plans of not only the airspace user themselves but also other airspace users are updated to the latest state each time a match is made. This makes it possible to set a flight route by referring only to airspace where flight is possible when creating a flight plan.
[0074] Furthermore, since both airspace users and airspace owners can cancel their flight plans online, it is possible to achieve flexible matching that accommodates the needs of both airspace users and airspace owners.
[0075] This cancellation can be initiated by either the airspace user or the airspace owner. However, if the weather on the day of the drone flight changes rapidly and becomes unsuitable for drone flight, the airspace usage management device 1A may, at the last minute, prioritize safety and notify the user of the cancellation. In this case, although not shown in the diagram, weather forecasts and other information will be obtained minute by minute from the weather information system connected to network 4, and a decision on whether or not to cancel will be made in real time.
[0076] Furthermore, since the system includes mechanisms for payment of usage fees by airspace users, as well as revenue sharing payments to airspace owners and operators of this device, all procedures that can be done online can be completed, thus reducing the amount of manual work required.
[0077] Next, other embodiments will be described. Functions and configurations similar to those described above will not be explained.
[0078] First, the functions will be explained using Figure 8. Figure 8 is a block diagram showing the functions of an airspace utilization management device according to another embodiment of the present invention. The airspace utilization management device 1B shares many functions with the airspace utilization management device 1A in Figure 2, and only the different functions will be explained below. The different functions are that a flight route determination unit 15B is provided instead of a flight route determination unit 15A, and a flight route proposal unit and a notification unit 17B are provided instead of a notification unit 17A.
[0079] In another embodiment, when an airspace user inputs two points, a departure point and a destination point, the airspace utilization management device 1B proposes multiple types of flight routes, such as the shortest flight route connecting the two points, or a flight route that allows passengers to enjoy the scenery at both points, similar to a car navigation system.
[0080] Next, we will explain the operation using Figure 9. The overall operation is the same as in Figure 6 described above, so we will omit the explanation and focus on explaining the usage permission determination process. Figure 9 is a flowchart that explains the usage permission determination process in another embodiment.
[0081] In this other embodiment, first, the registration information of the airspace user requested from the airspace user terminal 3 (see Figure 3) is read (step S901), and then, the registration information of the airspace owner corresponding to the airspace to be registered between the departure point and destination desired by the airspace user (see Figure 4) is read (step S902).
[0082] Here, it is assumed that multiple recommended flight routes are available for airspace users to choose from. When requesting airspace use, airspace users can input, for example, whether they prefer the shortest flight route or a route that prioritizes scenery. Of course, in addition to shortest and most scenic routes, the types of recommendations may also include options for ease of flight and flight time, and are not limited to those mentioned above.
[0083] The registered information retrieved in this way is used to automatically search for a flight route according to the type of recommendation (step S903). This automatic search uses a method similar to the route search algorithm of car navigation systems, but with the difference that, in addition to the registered information of airspace owners, it is not possible to fly or hover over airspace owned by individuals or companies without permission. These factors are also taken into consideration when recommending a flight route.
[0084] In this way, when one or more candidate recommended flight routes are obtained through automatic search (YES route in step S904), permission to use the route is granted as there are available flight routes (step S906), and the candidate recommended flight routes are temporarily stored in the flight plan DB16 (step S907). If multiple recommended flight routes are presented to the airspace user, the airspace user can select a recommended flight route from the airspace user terminal 3. This operation is performed by step S706 as shown in Figure 6.
[0085] Furthermore, if no recommended flight routes can be extracted (step S904), a decision is made to deny permission for use as there are no candidate recommended flight routes (step S905), and the process returns to Figure 6.
[0086] As explained above, in other embodiments, the same effects as in the previously described embodiments can be obtained, and moreover, by simply setting the departure point and destination, it is possible to automatically search for a flight path, taking into account the conditions of the airspace owner, similar to the route search of a car navigation system. As a result, the procedures for airspace users are made more efficient and simpler.
[0087] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are included. Furthermore, the embodiments described above are explained in detail for the purpose of clearly illustrating the present invention, and are not necessarily limited to those having all the configurations described.
[0088] Furthermore, it is possible to add, delete, or replace some of the configurations of the embodiments described above. In addition, some or all of the above configurations, functions, processing units, processing means, etc., may be implemented in hardware, for example, by designing them as integrated circuits. Alternatively, each of the above configurations, functions, etc., may be implemented in software by having a processor interpret and execute a program that realizes each function.
[0089] Information such as programs, tables, and files that implement each function may be stored in memory, a storage device such as a hard disk or SSD, or a recording medium such as an IC card, SD card, or DVD. [Explanation of Symbols]
[0090] 1A Airspace usage management device 1B Airspace usage management device 2. Airspace Owner Terminal 3. Airspace User Terminals 5. Payment System 6. Insurance Company System 11 Owner memory TBL 12. Permit Information Registration Section 13 User memory TBL 14 Additional Information Registration Section 15A Flight Route Determination Unit 15B Flight Route Determination Unit 16 Flight Plan Database 17A Notification Department 17B Flight Route Proposal and Notification Section 18. Procedure Processing Section 21 Input / output section 31 Input / output section 101 CPU 102 Programs 103 memory 104 Operating Devices 105 External storage device 106 Communication IF 107 Bus
Claims
1. An airspace utilization management device that connects via a network to the terminal of an owner who owns airspace with air rights and to the terminal of a user who uses the airspace with an unmanned mobile vehicle, and processes airspace utilization matching, An owner storage unit that stores owner identification information in association with identification information of the airspace demarcated by the aforementioned air rights, A user storage unit that stores user identification information in association with the identification information of an unmanned mobile object, An additional information registration unit that accepts access from a user's terminal using identification information stored in the user storage unit, and registers additional information, including at least one of piloting skills and compensation ability, in association with the user in the user storage unit, A permission information registration unit that accepts access from the owner's terminal using identification information stored in the owner memory unit, and registers permission information in the owner memory unit in association with the owner, including at least one of the pilot skill level and compensation capability level that indicates the level at which airspace use is permitted. When a request for use of airspace is received from a user's terminal stored in the user storage unit, the determination unit refers to the owner storage unit and the user storage unit and determines whether or not to allow use of the airspace based on permission information corresponding to one or more owners who own the airspace within the scope of the airspace use and additional information corresponding to the requesting user. A notification unit that, if the determination unit determines that use is permitted, notifies the user's terminal of permission to use the requested airspace, and if the determination unit does not determine that use is permitted, notifies the user's terminal of denial of permission to use the requested airspace. An airspace utilization management device characterized by comprising the following features.
2. An airspace utilization management device according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit receives a flight route request from a user's terminal stored in the user storage unit, and determines whether or not to allow airspace use based on permission information corresponding to one or more owners who own airspace in the requested flight route and additional information corresponding to the user who made the request.
3. An airspace utilization management device according to claim 2, characterized in that the notification unit notifies the user of the requested flight route, and the determination unit accepts a change in the flight route from the user's terminal.
4. An airspace utilization management device according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit receives a request including a departure point and destination from a user's terminal stored in the user storage unit, automatically searches for one or more recommended flight routes from the airspace of the requested departure point and destination, and determines whether or not to allow airspace use based on permission information corresponding to one or more owners who own airspace in the one or more recommended flight routes and additional information corresponding to the user who made the request.
5. An airspace utilization management device according to claim 4, characterized in that the notification unit notifies the user of one or more recommended flight routes, and the determination unit accepts changes to the recommended flight routes from the user's terminal.
6. An airspace utilization management device according to claim 1, further comprising a storage unit that stores and updates a flight plan using the permitted airspace as a flight route on the user's terminal when the determination unit obtains a determination result that the airspace is usable, and the determination unit makes a determination including other flight plans stored in the storage unit.
7. An airspace utilization management device according to claim 6, wherein the storage unit stores the revenue distribution ratio in association with the owner of the airspace of the flight route, and further has a procedure processing unit that performs payment processing according to the revenue distribution ratio stored in the storage unit.
8. An airspace utilization management device according to claim 1, further characterized in that it is connected to an insurance company terminal via the network, the compensation capacity includes information regarding insurance enrollment, and the determination unit connects to the insurance company terminal and executes an insurance enrollment procedure when it determines that insurance enrollment is necessary based on the information regarding insurance enrollment.
9. An airspace utilization management device according to claim 1, further characterized in that it is connected to a public agency terminal that performs processing corresponding to a flight permission application via the network, and performs the flight permission application procedure with the public agency terminal.
10. An airspace utilization management device according to claim 1, further characterized in that it is connected to a payment terminal that performs payment processing via the network, and performs payment procedures with the payment terminal.
11. An airspace utilization management device according to claim 1, characterized in that the unmanned mobile body is a drone.
12. An airspace utilization management system that performs airspace utilization matching, The owner's terminal of the owner who owns the airspace under air rights, A user terminal for a user using airspace with an unmanned mobile vehicle, A device for matching airspace usage, Insurance company system for processing insurance procedures, Equipped with, The owner terminal, the user terminal, the device, and the insurance company system are connected to each other via a network so as to be able to communicate. The airspace utilization management system is characterized by having a memory, storing in the memory airspace for which use is permitted with usage permission conditions including insurance procedures from the owner terminal, receiving a request for use of the airspace stored in the memory from the user terminal, and connecting to the insurance company system to support the user's insurance procedures if the user of the user terminal does not meet the usage permission conditions in the insurance procedures, and performing airspace utilization matching.
13. An airspace utilization management method in a device that connects to the terminal of an owner who owns airspace with air rights via a network and the terminal of a user who uses the airspace with an unmanned mobile vehicle, and processes matching of airspace utilization, The device stores owner identification information associated with the identification information of the airspace demarcated by the air rights, and also stores user identification information associated with the identification information of the unmanned mobile body in its memory. An additional information registration step involves accepting access from a user's terminal using identification information stored in the memory, and registering additional information, including at least one of piloting skills and compensation ability, in association with the user in the memory. A permission information registration step involves using the identification information stored in the memory to accept access from the owner's terminal, and registering permission information in the memory in association with the owner, including at least one of the pilot skill level and compensation capability level that indicates the level at which airspace use is permitted. A decision step in which, when a request for use of airspace is received from a user's terminal stored in the memory, the memory is referenced, and a decision is made to determine whether or not to allow use of the airspace based on permission information corresponding to one or more owners who own the airspace within the scope of the airspace to be used and additional information corresponding to the user who made the request, A notification step which notifies the owner's terminal and the user's terminal of the determination result of the determination step, An airspace utilization management method characterized by including the following.