Flight plan management device, flight plan management method, and program

Abstract

In the present invention, a flight plan acquisition means acquires a flight plan. An equipment information acquisition means acquires equipment information relating to a mobile object. A weather information acquisition means acquires weather information. A movement speed prediction means predicts the movement speed of the mobile object on the basis of the flight plan, the equipment information, and the weather information. A flight plan management means manages the flight plan on the basis of the result of prediction.

Description

Flight plan management device, flight plan management method, and recording medium

[0001] The present disclosure relates to managing flight plans for mobile objects.

[0002] To fly a drone, it is necessary to reserve the space-time (three-dimensional space and time) to be used. Therefore, if there is uncertainty about wind direction and wind speed during the planned drone flight time period and the space-time to be used is not determined, a large reservation slot may be reserved as a buffer. However, setting a large reservation slot reduces the space utilization efficiency and is undesirable from a public perspective. On the other hand, if the reservation slot is set small, a new reservation will be required if the wind direction or wind speed changes significantly, which is time-consuming. Patent Document 1 describes a method of creating a new flight plan and setting it for an unmanned aerial vehicle when an abnormal situation such as a sudden deterioration in weather occurs.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-163992

[0004] However, Patent Document 1 does not consider a method for adjusting time and space using weather information.

[0005] One object of the present disclosure is to provide an operation plan management system that adjusts the time and space to be used depending on the wind direction and wind speed.

[0006] In order to solve the above problem, in one aspect of the present disclosure, an operation plan management device comprises an operation plan acquisition means for acquiring an operation plan, an equipment information acquisition means for acquiring equipment information of a moving object, a weather information acquisition means for acquiring weather information, a movement speed prediction means for predicting the movement speed of the moving object based on the operation plan, the equipment information, and the weather information, and an operation plan management means for managing the operation plan based on the result of the prediction.

[0007] In another aspect of the present disclosure, an operation plan management method includes acquiring an operation plan, acquiring equipment information of a moving object, acquiring weather information, predicting a movement speed of the moving object based on the operation plan, the equipment information, and the weather information, and managing the operation plan based on the result of the prediction.

[0008] In yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a recording medium records a program that causes a computer to execute a process of acquiring an operation plan, acquiring equipment information of a moving object, acquiring weather information, predicting a movement speed of the moving object based on the operation plan, the equipment information, and the weather information, and managing the operation plan based on the results of the prediction.

[0009] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to adjust the space-time to be used depending on the wind direction and wind speed.

[0010] 1 shows the overall configuration of an operation plan management system according to a first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of a terminal device; FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of a server; FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a server; FIG. 5 shows an example of an equipment information and operation plan input screen; FIG. 6 shows an example of an operation plan; FIG. 7 shows an example of an operation plan adjustment; FIG. 8 shows another example of an operation plan adjustment; FIG. 9 shows an example of a display of an adjusted operation plan transmitted by the server; FIG. 10 is a flowchart of operation plan adjustment processing; FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of an operation plan management device according to a second embodiment; FIG. 12 is a flowchart of processing by an operation plan management device according to a second embodiment.

[0011] First Embodiment [Overall Configuration] Fig. 1 shows the overall configuration of a flight operation plan management system to which a flight operation plan management device according to the present disclosure is applied. The flight operation plan management system 1 includes a drone 5, a server 100, and a terminal device 200. The server 100 is an example of a flight operation plan management device. The server 100 and the terminal device 200 can communicate with each other via wired or wireless communication. The terminal device 200 and the drone 5 can communicate with each other via wireless communication. It is also assumed that there are a plurality of drones 5 and a plurality of terminal devices 200.

[0012] The terminal device 200 is operated by the drone operator or the like. Information such as equipment information and an operation plan for the drone 5 is input to the terminal device 200. The equipment information is information about the drone 5 itself, and includes information such as the model. The equipment information is transmitted from the drone 5 to the terminal device 200. The operation plan is a flight plan for the drone 5, and includes information such as the departure date and time, the scheduled arrival date and time, and the flight route. The operator registers the operation plan in advance in the server 100 as a reservation of the time and space to be used.

[0013] The server 100 manages operation plans for multiple drones in a database. The server 100 also adjusts the drone operation plans. Specifically, the server 100 receives information such as the drone 5's equipment information and operation plans from the terminal device 200. The server 100 also acquires weather information for the drone 5's departure date from an external website or the like at predetermined intervals. The weather information includes information such as predicted wind direction and predicted wind speed for each predetermined interval. The server 100 then predicts the drone 5's movement speed using the drone 5's equipment information, operation plans, and weather information. If the server 100 determines that the drone 5's flight at the predicted movement speed will deviate from the range of the original operation plan, it changes the operation plan and updates the database. The server 100 makes the updated database available to other operators. The server 100 also transmits the changed operation plan to the terminal device 200.

[0014] In this way, the server 100 predicts the drone's movement speed and adjusts the flight plan, so the operator does not need to check the weather every time and can concentrate on preparations before the flight.

[0015] 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the terminal device 200. The terminal device 200 is, for example, a PC or a tablet. As shown in the figure, the terminal device 200 includes an interface (I / F) 211, a processor 212, a memory 213, a recording medium 214, a database (DB) 215, a display unit 216, and an input unit 217.

[0016] The I / F 211 transmits and receives data to and from external devices. Specifically, the terminal device 200 receives device information of the drone 5 from the drone 5 via the I / F 211. The terminal device 200 also transmits device information, an operation plan, and the like of the drone 5 to the server 100 via the I / F 211.

[0017] The processor 212 is a computer such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and executes a pre-prepared program to control the entire terminal device 200. The processor 212 may be a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), a TPU (Tensor Processing Unit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), an FPU (Floating point number Processing Unit), a PPU (Physics Processing Unit), a quantum processor, or an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array).

[0018] The memory 213 is configured by a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The memory 213 is also used as a working memory while the processor 212 is executing various processes.

[0019] The recording medium 214 is a non-volatile, non-transitory recording medium such as a disk-shaped recording medium or a semiconductor memory, and is configured to be detachable from the terminal device 200. The recording medium 214 records various programs to be executed by the processor 212. When the terminal device 200 executes various processes, the programs recorded on the recording medium 214 are loaded into the memory 213 and executed by the processor 212.

[0020] The DB 215 stores data used and data generated by the terminal device 200. Specifically, the DB 215 stores device information transmitted from the drone 5, an operation plan input by the operator, and the like.

[0021] The display unit 216 is, for example, a liquid crystal display, and displays a screen for inputting a flight plan, etc. to the operator. The display unit 216 also displays information transmitted from the server 100. The input unit 217 is, for example, an input device such as a keyboard or a mouse, and is used by the operator to input a flight plan, etc.

[0022] 3 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the server 100. As shown in the figure, the server 100 includes an interface (I / F) 111, a processor 112, a memory 113, a recording medium 114, and a database (DB) 115.

[0023] The I / F 111 transmits and receives data to and from external devices. Specifically, the server 100 receives information such as equipment information and an operation plan of the drone 5 from the terminal device 200 through the I / F 111. The server 100 also transmits a changed operation plan to the terminal device 200 through the I / F 111. The server 100 also obtains weather information for the departure date of the drone 5 from an external website or the like through the I / F 111.

[0024] The processor 112 is a computer such as a CPU, and executes a program prepared in advance to control the entire server 100. The processor 112 may be a GPU, a TPU, a quantum processor, or an FPGA. The processor 112 executes the flight plan adjustment process, as described below.

[0025] The memory 113 is configured by a ROM, a RAM, etc. The server 100 may use the memory 113 as a working memory while the processor 112 is executing various processes.

[0026] The recording medium 114 is a non-volatile, non-transitory recording medium such as a disk-shaped recording medium or a semiconductor memory, and is configured to be detachable from the server 100. The recording medium 114 records various programs to be executed by the processor 112. When the server 100 executes various processes, the programs recorded on the recording medium 114 are loaded into the memory 113 and executed by the processor 112.

[0027] The DB 115 stores data used by the server 100. Specifically, the DB 115 stores operation plans for a plurality of drones. The server 100 may include an input unit such as a keyboard or mouse for an administrator to give instructions or input, and a display unit such as a liquid crystal display.

[0028] 4 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the server 100. Functionally, the server 100 includes a device information acquisition unit 11, an operation plan acquisition unit 12, a weather information acquisition unit 13, a travel speed prediction unit 14, an operation plan management unit 15, and an operation plan presentation unit 16.

[0029] The terminal device 200 acquires information from the drone and the operator. Specifically, the terminal device 200 acquires the device information transmitted by the drone and the operation plan input by the operator, and transmits them to the server 100.

[0030] FIG. 5 shows an example of an input screen for equipment information and an operation plan. The terminal device 200 transmits data entered on the input screen to the server 100. In FIG. 5, the input screen 20 displays basic information 21 and a route 22. The basic information 21 includes a user ID, drone equipment information, and an operation plan. The drone equipment information is, for example, information such as the drone model. The operation plan is, for example, information about the cargo to be loaded onto the drone, the drone's departure date and time, and the expected arrival date and time. The operator may directly input the equipment information, or the terminal device 200 may automatically reflect information received from the drone. The operator may directly input the drone's expected arrival date and time. The server 100 or the terminal device 200 may also predict the drone's expected arrival time and automatically reflect the result. The route 22 is the drone's flight route. The route 22 is part of the operation plan. The operator may set the route 22, or the terminal device 200 may receive the departure and arrival points set by the operator and generate an optimal flight route.

[0031] 4 , the server 100 receives the device information and the flight plan from the terminal device 200. The device information acquisition unit 11 receives the device information from the terminal device 200, and the flight plan acquisition unit 12 receives the flight plan from the terminal device 200. In addition, the weather information acquisition unit 13 acquires weather information from the website of the Japan Meteorological Agency or the like at predetermined time intervals.

[0032] The device information acquisition unit 11 acquires information on the performance and specifications of the drone, such as its standard speed, maximum speed, and maximum flight time, from a database prepared in advance, based on the drone model included in the device information. The device information acquisition unit 11 then outputs the device information, including the performance and specifications, to the travel speed prediction unit 14 and the operation plan management unit 15.

[0033] The operation plan acquisition unit 12 outputs the operation plan to the movement speed prediction unit 14 and the operation plan management unit 15. In addition, the weather information acquisition unit 13 outputs weather information to the movement speed prediction unit 14 and the operation plan management unit 15.

[0034] The movement speed prediction unit 14 acquires device information from the device information acquisition unit 11, acquires an operation plan from the operation plan acquisition unit 12, and acquires weather information from the weather information acquisition unit 13. The movement speed prediction unit 14 then predicts the movement speed of the drone. Specifically, the movement speed prediction unit 14 calculates the movement speed of the drone based on the flight path of the drone included in the operation plan, the standard speed of the drone included in the device information, and the predicted wind direction and predicted wind speed included in the weather information.

[0035] For example, when a tailwind is blowing, the movement speed prediction unit 14 calculates the movement speed by adding a predetermined value corresponding to the wind speed to the standard speed of the drone. When a headwind is blowing, the movement speed prediction unit 14 calculates the movement speed by subtracting a predetermined value corresponding to the wind speed from the standard speed of the drone. When the wind is blowing from another direction, the movement speed prediction unit 14 represents the wind direction and speed as a vector, using the direction of travel of the drone as the reference direction, and calculates the component of the wind in the reference direction. Then, the movement speed prediction unit 14 calculates the movement speed by adding a predetermined value corresponding to the component of the wind in the reference direction to the standard speed of the drone. The movement speed prediction unit 14 outputs the predicted movement speed of the drone (hereinafter also referred to as the "predicted movement speed") to the operation plan management unit 15.

[0036] In the above description, the travel speed prediction unit 14 calculates the travel speed using the drone's standard speed, but a predetermined speed may be used instead of the drone's standard speed. The travel speed prediction unit 14 may set the predetermined speed within a range that does not exceed the drone's maximum speed, depending on the operator's piloting skill, for example. Furthermore, if laws or regulations stipulate a legal speed for a drone's flight area, the travel speed prediction unit 14 may calculate the travel speed using the legal speed.

[0037] The operation plan management unit 15 acquires device information from the device information acquisition unit 11, acquires an operation plan from the operation plan acquisition unit 12, acquires weather information from the weather information acquisition unit 13, and acquires a predicted movement speed from the movement speed prediction unit 14. The operation plan management unit 15 predicts the drone's trajectory in space-time based on the operation plan and the predicted movement speed. The operation plan management unit 15 then determines whether the predicted result is within the range of the drone's operation plan. If the predicted result is not within the range of the drone's operation plan, the operation plan management unit 15 adjusts the operation plan. The operation plan management unit 15 then updates the operation plan stored in the database 115 based on the adjusted operation plan (hereinafter also referred to as the "adjusted operation plan"). The operation plan management unit 15 also outputs the adjusted operation plan to the operation plan presentation unit 16. The operation plan management unit 15 makes the above-mentioned determination at predetermined intervals from before the drone departs until the drone arrives at its destination, and adjusts the operation plan.

[0038] 6 to 9 show examples of adjustment of flight plans by the flight plan management unit 15.

[0039] FIG. 6 shows an example of a flight plan. FIG. 6 includes a departure time 41, a space-time route 42, and a flight plan space 43. The departure time 41 is the drone's departure time as determined by the flight plan. The space-time route 42 indicates the drone's space-time route, i.e., the drone's trajectory in space-time. The space-time route 42 is generated from the geographical route from the starting point to the end point, the drone's departure time, and the drone's movement speed. The drone's movement speed is determined based on information such as the drone's standard speed and the predicted wind direction and predicted wind speed for the departure date at the time the flight plan is created. The flight plan space 43 is a space generated by adding a buffer (excess space) to the space-time route 42. In FIG. 6, the drone's departure time 41 is 11:30, and a buffer is provided within a range of five minutes before and after the departure time. The operator registers the flight plan space in the database 115 in advance.

[0040] FIG. 7 shows an example of an adjusted flight schedule. In addition to a departure time 41, a space-time route 42, and a flight schedule space 43, FIG. 7 also includes a current time 44, a predicted space-time route 45, and a predicted flight schedule space 46. The predicted space-time route 45 indicates a space-time route predicted by the flight schedule management unit 15. The predicted space-time route 45 is generated from a geographical route from the starting point to the end point, the drone's departure time, and the drone's predicted flight speed. The flight speed prediction unit 14 predicts the drone's predicted flight speed using the latest predicted wind direction and predicted wind speed as of the current time 44. In FIG. 7, the predicted space-time route 45 is outside the flight schedule space 43, so it is assumed that the operator cannot fly the drone within the flight schedule space 43. Therefore, the flight schedule management unit 15 generates a predicted flight schedule space 46 by adding a buffer (excess space) to the predicted space-time route 45. The predicted flight schedule space 46 is an example of the adjusted flight schedule described above.

[0041] 8 and 9 show other examples of flight schedule adjustments. As time passes from the departure time 41, the predicted wind direction and predicted wind speed are likely to change from the initial predictions, i.e., the uncertainty of the prediction increases. Therefore, the flight schedule management unit 15 addresses this uncertainty by widening the width of the surplus space over time. In FIG. 8, the flight schedule management unit 15 generates a predicted flight schedule space 46a by widening the width of the surplus space every predetermined time t1 from the departure time. In FIG. 9, the flight schedule management unit 15 generates a predicted flight schedule space 46b by gradually widening the width of the surplus space over time from the departure time. The predicted flight schedule space 46a and the predicted flight schedule space 46b are examples of the above-mentioned adjusted flight schedule.

[0042] Returning to FIG. 4 , the flight operation plan presentation unit 16 generates display data based on the adjusted flight operation plan acquired from the flight operation plan management unit 15 and transmits the display data to the terminal device 200 .

[0043] In the above configuration, the equipment information acquisition unit 11 is an example of equipment information acquisition means, the operation plan acquisition unit 12 is an example of operation plan acquisition means, the weather information acquisition unit 13 is an example of weather information acquisition means, the movement speed prediction unit 14 is an example of movement speed prediction means, and the operation plan management unit 15 and the operation plan presentation unit 16 are examples of operation plan management means.

[0044] [Display Example] Figure 10 shows a display example of an adjusted flight plan transmitted by the server 100. In this example, basic information 21a, a route 22, and an arrival time 23 are displayed on an input screen 20a for equipment information and flight plans. The basic information 21a includes the user ID, drone equipment information, flight plan, as well as wind direction and wind speed information. The arrival time 23 indicates the arrival time if the flight is performed according to the adjusted flight plan. From a display such as that shown in Figure 10, the operator can understand that the arrival time will change due to changes in weather.

[0045] [Operation Plan Adjustment Processing] Next, the operation plan adjustment processing described above will be explained. Fig. 11 is a flowchart of the operation plan adjustment processing performed by the server 100. This processing is realized by the processor 112 shown in Fig. 3 executing a prepared program and operating as each element shown in Fig. 4.

[0046] First, the device information acquisition unit 11 acquires device information from the terminal device 200 and outputs it to the movement speed prediction unit 14 and the operation plan management unit 15 (Step S11). The operation plan acquisition unit 12 acquires an operation plan from the terminal device 200 and outputs it to the movement speed prediction unit 14 and the operation plan management unit 15 (Step S12). The weather information acquisition unit 13 acquires weather information from the terminal device 200 and outputs it to the movement speed prediction unit 14 and the operation plan management unit 15 (Step S13).

[0047] Next, the movement speed prediction unit 14 predicts the movement speed of the drone based on the device information, the operation plan, and the weather information (step S14). The movement speed prediction unit 14 outputs the predicted movement speed of the drone to the operation plan management unit 15.

[0048] Next, the operation plan management unit 15 determines whether the drone has reached the destination (step S15). If the drone has not reached the destination (step S15: No), the operation plan management unit 15 predicts the drone's trajectory in space-time based on the operation plan and the predicted movement speed. Then, the operation plan management unit 15 determines whether the predicted result is within the range of the drone's operation plan (step S16). If the predicted result is within the range of the drone's operation plan (step S16: Yes), the processing returns to step S13. On the other hand, if the predicted result is outside the range of the drone's operation plan (step S16: No), the operation plan management unit 15 changes the operation plan and registers the changed operation plan in the database 115. Then, the operation plan presentation unit 16 presents the changed operation plan to the operator (step S17).

[0049] In this way, the flight plan is modified as necessary until the drone arrives at the destination, and when the drone arrives at the destination (step S15: Yes), the flight plan adjustment process ends.

[0050] [Modifications] Next, modifications of the first embodiment will be described. The following modifications can be applied to the first embodiment in appropriate combinations. (Modification 1) In the first embodiment described above, drone operation plans are managed, but the objects of management are not limited to drones and may include various unmanned aerial vehicles and unmanned guided vehicles that fly under external control.

[0051] (Variation 2) In the first embodiment described above, the server 100 updates the database 115 based on the adjusted flight schedule and then transmits the adjusted flight schedule to the terminal device 200. However, the application of the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the server 100 may first transmit the adjusted flight schedule to the terminal device 200 to request approval for the change to the flight schedule, and update the database 115 only when the operator approves.

[0052] 12 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of an operation plan control device 50 according to a second embodiment. The operation plan control device 50 according to the second embodiment includes an operation plan acquisition unit 51, an equipment information acquisition unit 52, a weather information acquisition unit 53, a travel speed prediction unit 54, and an operation plan management unit 55.

[0053] 13 is a flowchart of processing by the operation plan management device 50. The operation plan acquisition means 51 acquires an operation plan (step S51). The equipment information acquisition means 52 acquires equipment information of the moving object (step S52). The weather information acquisition means 53 acquires weather information (step S53). The movement speed prediction means 54 predicts the movement speed of the moving object based on the operation plan, the equipment information, and the weather information (step S54). The operation plan management means 55 manages the operation plan based on the prediction result (step S55).

[0054] According to the flight plan control device 50 of the second embodiment, it is possible to adjust the time and space to be used in accordance with weather information.

[0055] A part or all of the above-described embodiments can be described as, but not limited to, the following supplementary notes.

[0056] (Supplementary Note 1) An operation plan management device comprising: an operation plan acquisition means for acquiring an operation plan; an equipment information acquisition means for acquiring equipment information of a moving object; a weather information acquisition means for acquiring weather information; a movement speed prediction means for predicting the movement speed of the moving object based on the operation plan, the equipment information, and the weather information; and an operation plan management means for managing the operation plan based on the result of the prediction.

[0057] (Supplementary Note 2) The flight plan includes a flight plan space, the flight plan space includes surplus space, and the flight plan management means adjusts the flight plan space by changing the width of the surplus space at predetermined time intervals.

[0058] (Supplementary Note 3) The flight plan management device according to Supplementary Note 1, wherein the flight plan includes a flight plan space, the flight plan space includes surplus space, and the flight plan management means adjusts the flight plan space by increasing the width of the surplus space over time.

[0059] (Supplementary Note 4) The operation plan management device according to Supplementary Note 1, wherein the operation plan management means, when adjusting the operation plan of the moving object, registers the adjusted operation plan.

[0060] (Supplementary Note 5) The operation plan management device according to Supplementary Note 1, wherein the operation plan management means, when adjusting the operation plan of the moving object, outputs a result of the adjustment to a terminal device of an operator.

[0061] (Supplementary Note 6) The flight plan management device according to Supplementary Note 5, wherein the flight plan management means registers the result of the adjustment when the operator approves the result of the adjustment.

[0062] (Supplementary Note 7) An operation plan management method comprising: acquiring an operation plan; acquiring equipment information of a moving object; acquiring weather information; predicting a movement speed of the moving object based on the operation plan, the equipment information, and the weather information; and managing the operation plan based on the result of the prediction.

[0063] (Appendix 8) A recording medium having recorded thereon a program that causes a computer to execute the following processes: acquire an operation plan; acquire equipment information of a moving object; acquire weather information; predict the movement speed of the moving object based on the operation plan, the equipment information, and the weather information; and manage the operation plan based on the results of the prediction.

[0064] Although the present disclosure has been described above with reference to the embodiments and examples, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and examples. Various modifications that can be understood by a person skilled in the art can be made to the configuration and details of the present disclosure within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0065] 5 Drone 11 Equipment information acquisition unit 12 Flight plan acquisition unit 13 Weather information acquisition unit 14 Travel speed prediction unit 15 Flight plan management unit 16 Flight plan presentation unit 100 Server 200 Terminal device

Claims

1. a flight plan acquisition means for acquiring a flight plan; device information acquisition means for acquiring device information of a mobile object; weather information acquisition means for acquiring weather information; a travel speed prediction means for predicting a travel speed of the moving object based on the flight plan, the equipment information, and the weather information; an operation plan management means for managing an operation plan based on the result of the prediction; An operation plan management device comprising:

2. The flight plan includes a flight plan space, The flight planning space includes excess space, 2. The flight schedule control device according to claim 1, wherein the flight schedule control means adjusts the flight schedule space by changing the width of the surplus space at predetermined time intervals.

3. The flight plan includes a flight plan space, The flight planning space includes excess space, 2. The flight schedule control device according to claim 1, wherein the flight schedule control means adjusts the flight schedule space by increasing the width of the surplus space as time passes.

4. 2. The operation plan management device according to claim 1, wherein the operation plan management means, when adjusting the operation plan of the moving object, registers the adjusted operation plan.

5. 2. The operation plan management device according to claim 1, wherein, when the operation plan of the mobile object is adjusted, the operation plan management means outputs the result of the adjustment to a terminal device of the operator.

6. 6. The flight schedule control device according to claim 5, wherein the flight schedule control means registers the result of the adjustment when the operator approves the result of the adjustment.

7. A flight plan management method executed by a computer, comprising: Obtain flight plans, Acquires device information of the mobile device, Get weather information, predicting a moving speed of the moving object based on the flight plan, the equipment information, and the weather information; A flight plan management method for managing flight plans based on the results of the prediction.

8. Obtain flight plans, Acquires device information of the mobile device, Get weather information, predicting a moving speed of the moving object based on the flight plan, the equipment information, and the weather information; A program that causes a computer to execute a process for managing flight plans based on the results of the prediction.