Drone-based delivery apparatus and method

Abstract

A drone-based delivery device and method are disclosed for accurately and stably delivering goods to a target marker location even in environments where movement and shaking exist, such as on a ship. The device comprises a delivery drone configured to hover at a target location, a delivery box suspended from the delivery drone by a wire, a sensor unit that recognizes a marker using a downward image and calculates a relative position error, an auxiliary propulsion unit that controls the horizontal position and attitude of the delivery box, and a control unit. The control unit accumulates the relative position error measured over time and selectively controls either the hovering position of the delivery drone or the auxiliary propulsion of the delivery box based on the accumulated relative position error. Accordingly, delivery accuracy and operational safety in a maritime environment can be improved without the drone directly landing on the ship.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a drone-based delivery device and method, and more specifically, to a drone-based delivery device and method for delivering goods to ships, etc. Background Technology

[0002] The parcel delivery logistics market is on a continuous upward trend, and recently, its size has been growing rapidly in collaboration with the online retail industry. As the market expands, there are increasing instances of drone-based delivery services being provided across various fields, one of which is the delivery of marine supplies.

[0003] Large vessels, such as cargo ships, cannot dock at piers and must anchor in offshore waters several kilometers away, using smaller boats to transport goods to and from land. Since utilizing drones for delivery allows for safer and faster shipments, this is gaining attention as the next-generation drone delivery industry.

[0004] Landing a drone on a ship to deliver marine supplies is more dangerous than landing on land. Because ships move slightly with the currents, it is actually safer to deliver the goods by attaching a wire to the cargo bed rather than landing directly on the ship. However, existing wire-based delivery services do not utilize video precision delivery technology. Even if a camera is mounted on the underside of the delivery drone to recognize markers placed on the ship, delivering marine supplies to precise locations is impossible using conventional methods because the goods traveling down the wire can obstruct the camera's field of view. The problem to be solved

[0005] The objective of the present invention, which aims to solve the aforementioned problems, is to provide a drone-based delivery device capable of accurately and stably delivering goods to a target marker location even in environments where movement and shaking exist, such as on a ship.

[0006] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a drone-based delivery method that can improve the accuracy of product drop and delivery safety by effectively correcting delivery errors without the drone landing directly on a ship. means of solving the problem

[0007] A drone-based delivery device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure for solving these problems is a drone-based delivery device that delivers goods to a marker location and may include a delivery drone, a delivery box, a sensor unit, an auxiliary propulsion unit, and a control unit. The delivery drone may be configured to fly to a target location and then perform a hovering flight. The delivery box is connected to the delivery drone so as to be able to ascend and descend along a wire and may accommodate goods. The sensor unit may be provided in the delivery box and configured to recognize the marker using a downward image and to calculate the relative position error of the delivery box with respect to the marker. The auxiliary propulsion unit may control the horizontal position and attitude of the delivery box based on the relative position error. After driving the auxiliary propulsion unit, the control unit may accumulate the newly measured relative position error and, based on the accumulated relative position error, selectively control either the flight of the delivery drone or the driving of the auxiliary propulsion unit.

[0008] The control unit can control the delivery drone to move its stationary flight position toward the marker direction when the accumulated relative position error exceeds a set reference value, and can control the auxiliary propulsion unit to move the position of the delivery box toward the marker direction when the accumulated relative position error does not exceed a set reference value.

[0009] The above control unit may include a delivery drone control system, a wire control system, and a delivery box control system. The delivery drone control system can control the flight of the delivery drone. The wire control system can control a wire that performs the raising and lowering of the delivery box. The delivery box control system can control the position and attitude of the delivery box.

[0010] The above delivery drone control system may include a flight control unit and a mothership control unit. The flight control unit may control the delivery drone to perform a hovering flight after flying to the target location. The mothership control unit may control the delivery drone to move its hovering flight position based on the accumulated relative position error.

[0011] The sensor unit may include at least one of an image sensor for recognizing the marker by photographing the lower part of the delivery box, a distance sensor for measuring the relative distance between the marker and the delivery box, or a position sensor for determining the location of the delivery box.

[0012] The above auxiliary propulsion unit may include a plurality of auxiliary propellers and a plurality of motors. The plurality of auxiliary propellers may be driven for horizontal movement and attitude control of the delivery vessel. The plurality of motors may each drive the auxiliary propellers.

[0013] The above plurality of auxiliary propellers can be placed on each side of the delivery box.

[0014] The above plurality of auxiliary propellers can each be placed on the four sides of the delivery box.

[0015] The above auxiliary propeller can be rotatably coupled to the side of the above delivery box.

[0016] The above marker may be a marker placed on a vessel.

[0017] A drone-based delivery method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is a drone-based delivery method performed by a control unit of a drone-based delivery device that delivers goods to a marker location, and may include: a step of controlling a delivery drone to fly until it reaches a target location; a step of controlling the delivery drone to hover when it reaches the target location; a step of controlling a delivery box connected to the delivery drone to descend along a wire; a step of recognizing a marker based on a downward image acquired using a sensor unit provided in the delivery box; a step of calculating a relative position error of the delivery box with respect to the marker; a step of accumulating the calculated relative position error to a previously calculated relative position error; a step of calculating and accumulating the relative position error until the accumulated relative position error becomes less than a reference value, and controlling the position of the delivery box by selectively controlling either the flight of the delivery drone or the driving of an auxiliary propulsion unit based on the accumulated relative position error; and a step of opening a downward hatch of the delivery box so that goods are dropped to the marker location.

[0018] This drone-based delivery method may further include a step of controlling the delivery drone to move its hovering position toward the marker direction when the accumulated relative position error exceeds a set threshold.

[0019] This drone-based delivery method may further include a step of driving the auxiliary propulsion unit to move the position of the delivery box in the direction of the marker when the accumulated relative position error does not exceed a set threshold.

[0020] The above downward image can be obtained using an image sensor that captures the bottom of the delivery box.

[0021] The above relative position error can be obtained using relative distance information between the marker recognized based on the above downward image and the delivery box.

[0022] The driving of the above auxiliary propulsion unit can be achieved by driving a plurality of auxiliary propellers included in the above auxiliary propulsion unit.

[0023] The driving of the above auxiliary propulsion unit can be achieved by driving auxiliary propellers positioned on each side of the above delivery box.

[0024] The driving of the above auxiliary propulsion unit can be achieved by driving auxiliary propellers each positioned on the four sides of the above delivery box.

[0025] The operation of the above auxiliary propulsion unit can be performed after deploying a plurality of propellers rotatably coupled to the side of the delivery box.

[0026] The above marker may be a marker placed on a vessel. Effects of the invention

[0027] According to the present invention as described above, by configuring the delivery box to recognize a marker through a sensor unit equipped with a delivery box rather than a delivery drone and to calculate the relative position error between the delivery box and the marker, the sensor unit is prevented from being obscured by the delivery box, and the delivery location can be recognized precisely, thereby improving delivery accuracy.

[0028] In addition, due to the configuration that manages relative position errors by accumulating them over time, it has the effect of mitigating the impact of instantaneous errors caused by waves, wind, wire swaying, etc.

[0029] In addition, due to a configuration that selectively performs at least one of flight control of the delivery drone or auxiliary propulsion control of the delivery box based on accumulated relative position error, it has the effect of stably correcting the delivery position even when the local control limit of the delivery box is exceeded.

[0030] In addition, due to the configuration that controls the horizontal position and attitude of the delivery box using an auxiliary propulsion unit, it has the effect of enabling precise alignment with respect to the marker position even when the delivery box is suspended from a wire.

[0031] In addition, due to the configuration in which multiple auxiliary propellers are placed on both sides or four sides of the delivery box, horizontal movement and rotational control of the delivery box can be performed simultaneously, thereby improving precision delivery performance.

[0032] In addition, due to the configuration in which the auxiliary propeller is rotatably coupled to the side of the shipping box, it has the effect of minimizing air resistance and external interference when not in use. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0033] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a drone-based delivery device according to embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a front view of a drone-based delivery device according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 3 is a drawing showing the delivery box lowered by the operation of the wire drive unit of the drone-based delivery device illustrated in Figure 2. Figures 4 and 5 are front views illustrating the delivery box in detail. Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the position control of a delivery box. FIGS. 7a and 7b are flowcharts of a drone-based delivery method according to embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a generalized configuration of an apparatus for performing a drone-based delivery method according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0034] The present invention is susceptible to various modifications and may have various embodiments; specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the detailed description. However, this is not intended to limit the invention to specific embodiments, and it should be understood that the invention includes all modifications, equivalents, and substitutions that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention. Similar reference numerals have been used for similar components in the description of each drawing.

[0035] Terms such as first, second, A, B, etc., may be used to describe various components, but said components should not be limited by said terms. These terms are used solely for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the first component may be named the second component, and similarly, the second component may be named the first component. The term "and / or" includes a combination of a plurality of related described items or any of a plurality of related described items.

[0036] When it is stated that one component is "connected" or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that while it may be directly connected or connected to that other component, there may also be other components in between. On the other hand, when it is stated that one component is "directly connected" or "directly connected" to another component, it should be understood that there are no other components in between.

[0037] The terms used in this application are used merely to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this application, terms such as "comprising" or "having" are intended to specify the presence of the features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and should be understood as not precluding the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0038] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant technology, and should not be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined in this application.

[0039] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0040] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a drone-based delivery device according to embodiments of the present disclosure, and FIG. 2 is a front view of a drone-based delivery device according to embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a delivery box lowered by the operation of a wire drive unit of the drone-based delivery device shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are front views showing the delivery box in detail.

[0041] As disclosed in FIGS. 1 to 5, a drone-based delivery device (1000) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include a delivery drone (100), a delivery box (450), a sensor unit (410), an auxiliary propulsion unit (430), and a control unit (500), as a drone-based delivery device (1000) for delivering goods to a marker location. The marker may be a marker placed on a ship.

[0042] The above marker may be installed on the deck of a vessel, in a loading space, or at a specific location where goods can be transferred, and may include a visual pattern, a geometric shape, or an identifiable mark.

[0043] The delivery drone (100) may be configured to fly to a target location and then perform hovering flight. The delivery drone (100) may hover after flying to a target location via waypoint flight. The waypoint flight may be performed automatically according to a pre-set path or coordinates, and the hovering flight may refer to an action that allows the delivery drone (100) to maintain its position in the air while the delivery box (450) is lowered and precise controlled.

[0044] The delivery box (450) is connected to the delivery drone (100) so as to be able to move up and down along a wire, and can accommodate goods. The wire can support the load of the delivery box (450) and serve to connect the delivery drone (100) and the delivery box (450), and the length of the wire can be variably controlled by a wire drive unit (310) controlled by a wire control system (300).

[0045] The sensor unit (410) is provided in the delivery box (450) and recognizes the marker using a downward image, so that the control unit (500) can calculate the relative position error of the delivery box with respect to the marker. The sensor unit (410) may include at least one of an image sensor (411) for recognizing the marker by photographing the lower side of the delivery box, a distance sensor (412) for measuring the relative distance between the marker and the delivery box, or a position sensor (413) for determining the position of the delivery box (450). The relative position error may include a horizontal position difference between the delivery box (450) and the marker, a rotational direction error, or a combination thereof.

[0046] The image sensor (411) may include, for example, a camera such as a CCD or CMOS. The distance sensor (412) may include, for example, a one-dimensional LiDAR. The position sensor (413) may include a GPS sensor. The information obtained from the sensor unit (410) may be used alone or in combination with each other, thereby allowing the current location of the delivery box (450) and the relative positional relationship with respect to the marker to be calculated more precisely.

[0047] The auxiliary propulsion unit (430) can control the horizontal position and attitude of the delivery box based on the relative position error. The auxiliary propulsion unit (430) may include a plurality of auxiliary propellers (431) and a plurality of motors (432). The plurality of auxiliary propellers (431) can be driven to control the horizontal movement and attitude of the delivery box. The plurality of motors (432) can each drive the auxiliary propellers.

[0048] Accordingly, the auxiliary propulsion unit (430) can perform horizontal movement and rotation control even when the delivery box (450) is suspended by a wire.

[0049] The plurality of auxiliary propellers (431) can be positioned on each side of the delivery box (450). By positioning the plurality of auxiliary propellers (431) on each side of the delivery box (450), the thrust generated by each auxiliary propeller (431) can be controlled independently. Accordingly, when the auxiliary propellers (431) are driven with the same amount of thrust, the delivery box (450) can be controlled to move in a horizontal direction, and when the auxiliary propellers (431) are driven with different amounts of thrust, a rotational moment is generated in the delivery box (450) to control the attitude of the delivery box. As a result, horizontal position control and attitude control of the delivery box (450) can be performed simultaneously, making precise alignment with respect to the marker position possible.

[0050] Additionally, the plurality of auxiliary propellers (431) may each be positioned on the four sides of the delivery box (450). In this way, when the auxiliary propellers (431) are positioned on the four sides, the delivery box (450) can be moved along the X-axis and Y-axis in addition to the thrust rotational force as described above.

[0051] The auxiliary propeller (431) can be rotatably coupled to the side of the delivery box (450). Due to the rotatable structure, the auxiliary propeller (431) can be unfolded outward to generate thrust when in use, and kept in a folded state when not in use to minimize air resistance or external interference.

[0052] The control unit (500) can accumulate a new relative position error measured after driving the auxiliary propulsion unit (430), and selectively control either the flight of the delivery drone (100) or the driving of the auxiliary propulsion unit (430) based on the accumulated relative position error. Here, the accumulated relative position error may not be an error at a single point in time, but may refer to an accumulated state that reflects changes in relative position errors measured repeatedly over time.

[0053] The control unit (500) can control the delivery drone (100) to move its stationary flight position in the direction of the marker when the accumulated relative position error exceeds a set reference value, and can control the auxiliary propulsion unit (430) to move the position of the delivery box (450) in the direction of the marker when the accumulated relative position error does not exceed a set reference value. Accordingly, by changing the stationary flight position of the delivery drone (100) only when the local position correction by the delivery box (450) reaches a limit, the stability and energy efficiency of the entire system can be improved.

[0054] In addition, even if instantaneous relative position errors occur due to the movement of the vessel caused by waves and currents, the shaking of the wire, or the rotation of the delivery vessel, the instantaneous relative position error can be mitigated by applying the accumulated relative position error.

[0055] The above control unit (500) may include a delivery drone control system (200), a wire control system (300), and a delivery box control system (400). The control systems (200, 300, 400) are connected to communicate with each other so as to cooperatively perform a sequence of operations throughout the delivery process.

[0056] The above delivery drone control system (200) can control the flight of the delivery drone (100). The above wire control system (300) can control the wire that performs the raising and lowering of the delivery box (450). For example, the above wire control system (300) can control the withdrawal speed and length of the wire so that the delivery box (450) reaches a height where marker recognition is possible.

[0057] The above delivery box control system (400) can control the position and attitude of the above delivery box (450). The above delivery box control system (400) is linked with the sensor unit (410), the marker recognition unit (420), and the auxiliary propulsion unit (430) to control the delivery box (450) so that it is stably aligned above the marker position.

[0058] The above delivery drone control system (200) may include a flight control unit (220) and a mothership control unit (210). The flight control unit (220) may control the delivery drone (100) to perform a hover flight after flying to the target location. The mothership control unit (210) may control the delivery drone (100) to move its hover flight position based on the accumulated relative position error.

[0059] In this way, the drone-based delivery device (1000) according to the present embodiment can perform stable precision delivery even in environments where movement is possible or shaking exists, such as on a ship, by hierarchically combining the precision control of the delivery box (450) and the flight control of the delivery drone (100).

[0060] FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the position control of a delivery box. More specifically, FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a free-body diagram (hereinafter FBD) for calculating the thrust required for an auxiliary propeller to control the position of a delivery box.

[0061] First, looking at the force equilibrium equation in the Z direction, it can be expressed as Equation 1 below.

[0062]

[0063] In the above mathematical formula 1, T represents tension, M represents the weight of the shipping box, and m represents the weight of the shipping item.

[0064] Next, the force equilibrium equation in the X direction can be expressed as Equation 2 below.

[0065]

[0066] In Equation 2 above, F1 and F2 are the thrusts of auxiliary propellers positioned opposite each other. Since thrust is generated in the form of conjugate forces to the left and right, it can be expressed as the sum and difference of the force used for horizontal movement of the delivery vessel and the force responsible for rotation.

[0067] From the above mathematical formulas 1 and 2, the following mathematical formulas 3 and 4 can be derived.

[0068]

[0069]

[0070] In mathematical formula 4, Δx is the absolute distance from the camera in the X direction when the marker is recognized and the position is estimated by the downward camera, Xc is the X-axis coordinate value of the delivery box, Xp is the X-axis coordinate value of the delivery drone, Zc is the Z-axis coordinate value of the delivery box, and Zp is the Z-axis coordinate value of the delivery drone.

[0071] Therefore, rearranging the above equations, if the position of the delivery drone, the position of the delivery box, and the relative distance from the camera when the marker is recognized are known, the force F to be applied to the delivery box can be calculated as Equation 5 below.

[0072]

[0073] Also, since it can be dangerous if the delivery box is twisted or rotated, the direction of the delivery box is controlled to always be in the same direction as the delivery drone. To do this, rotation can be created using the difference between the two propellers. First, the equilibrium equation for the moment can be expressed as Equation 6 below.

[0074]

[0075] In the above mathematical equation 6, l1, l2, and l3 represent the lengths in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions of the vessel, respectively, r is the radius of the auxiliary propeller, and Izz is the moment of inertia with respect to the vertical axis of the vessel.

[0076] At this time, the torque generated occurs at a distance equal to half the size l2 in the Y direction of the delivery box and the radius r of the auxiliary propeller, so it can be expressed as above. In this case, the moment of inertia Izz can be expressed as shown on the right side of Equation 6, assuming that the mass distribution of the hexahedron is uniform. By substituting the conjugate force defined in Equation 2 and rearranging, it can be expressed as Equation 7 below.

[0077]

[0078] By using the horizontal moving force derived from Equation 5 and the torque derived from Equation 7, position control and heading control of the delivery box can be performed simultaneously using an auxiliary propeller.

[0079] If, even though force is applied and F becomes Fmax, Δx continues to accumulate without decreasing, and the accumulated value exceeds a threshold, it means that the delivery drone's hovering position is too far from the marker, so a command is given to the mothership flight control system to move the current hovering position toward the marker.

[0080] FIGS. 7a and 7b are flowcharts of a drone-based delivery method according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0081] As shown in FIGS. 7a and 7b, a drone-based delivery method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is a drone-based delivery method performed by a control unit of a drone-based delivery device that delivers goods to a marker location, comprising: a step of controlling a delivery drone to fly until it reaches a target location (200-a); a step of controlling the delivery drone to hover when it reaches the target location (200-b) (200-c); a step of controlling a delivery box connected to the delivery drone to descend along a wire (300a); a step of recognizing a marker based on a downward image obtained using a sensor unit provided in the delivery box (400a); a step of calculating a relative position error of the delivery box with respect to the marker (400-d); and a step of accumulating the calculated relative position error to a previously calculated relative position error (400e). The method may include the step (200-g) of calculating and accumulating the relative position error until the accumulated relative position error becomes less than a reference value (400-f), and controlling the position of the delivery box by selectively controlling either the flight of the delivery drone or the operation of the auxiliary propulsion unit based on the accumulated relative position error; and the step (400-h) of opening the lower hatch of the delivery box so that an item is dropped at the marker position.

[0082] This drone-based delivery method may further include a step (200e) of controlling the delivery drone to move its stationary flight position toward the marker direction when the accumulated relative position error exceeds a set threshold (400-f).

[0083] This drone-based delivery method may further include a step (400c) of driving the auxiliary propulsion unit (400-b) to control the position of the delivery box to move in the direction of the marker when the accumulated relative position error does not exceed a set threshold (400-f).

[0084] With reference to FIGS. 1 to 7b, the above steps are described in more detail. A drone-based delivery method according to embodiments of the present disclosure is a method for precisely delivering goods to a marker location on the upper part of a ship anchored in the near sea using a delivery drone (100), and is performed by a delivery drone (100) and a delivery box (450) control unit (450).

[0085] First, a delivery drone (100) loaded with delivery items flies toward a target vessel based on pre-set waypoint information (step 200-a). At this time, the delivery drone (100) continuously checks its current location using GPS information or a navigation sensor and performs waypoint flight until it reaches the location of the target vessel. When the delivery drone (100) reaches the airspace above the target vessel (step 200-b), it is controlled to maintain a hovering flight state at that location (step 200-c).

[0086] When the delivery drone enters a hovering state, the hatch formed at the bottom of the cargo compartment is opened (step 200-d), and the delivery compartment (450) is controlled to descend along the wire by the wire control system (300). As the delivery compartment (450) descends near the top of the ship, it acquires a downward image using an image sensor (411) positioned facing downward.

[0087] The delivery box control system (400) determines whether there is a marker placed on the upper part of the ship based on the acquired downward image (step 400-a). If the delivery box (450) does not recognize the marker while descending, it repeats the operation of further lowering the wire until the marker is recognized (step 300-a). On the other hand, if the marker is recognized, the delivery box is switched to a state where it can perform precise position control based on the marker.

[0088] When a marker is recognized, an auxiliary propeller (431) equipped in the delivery box (450) is deployed, and the delivery box (450) is controlled to move to the top of the marker through the auxiliary propeller drive (step 400-b) (step 400-c). At this time, the delivery box control system (400) calculates the relative position error between the marker and the delivery box (450) and performs horizontal movement and attitude control of the delivery box (450) to reduce the relative position error.

[0089] If the relative position error does not decrease below a reference value even by driving the auxiliary propeller of the delivery box (450) (step 400-d), the delivery box control system (400) accumulates the calculated relative position error to the previously calculated relative position error (step 400-e). If the accumulated relative position error exceeds a preset reference value (step 400-f), this means that the hovering flight position of the delivery drone is excessively far from the marker, so the delivery box control system (400) requests the delivery drone control system (200) to change the hovering flight position via communication.

[0090] The delivery drone control system (200) moves the stationary flight position toward the marker in accordance with the request (step 200-e), thereby reducing the relative position error between the delivery box (450) and the marker again. When the relative position error of the delivery box (450) decreases below a reference value (step 400-d), the delivery box (450) measures the relative altitude with respect to the upper part of the ship using a distance sensor (412) provided on the lower side.

[0091] When the relative elevation reaches a preset lower limit standard (step 400-g), the delivery box (450) opens the hatch formed at the bottom (step 400-h) and lowers or places the delivery item at a designated location on the marker (step 400-i). This completes the precise delivery of the item.

[0092] After the delivery of goods is completed, the delivery box (400) is controlled to rise again along the wire, and the delivery drone (100) performs a subsequent mission or a return flight.

[0093] According to this method, the delivery drone (100) can accurately deliver goods to a marker location through precise control of the delivery vessel itself without landing directly on the top of the ship, thereby improving safety in a marine environment and delivery accuracy at the same time.

[0094] FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a generalized configuration of an apparatus for performing a drone-based delivery method according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0095] Referring to FIG. 8, a computing system (3000) according to one embodiment of the present invention may include at least one processor (3100) and a memory (3200) that stores instructions instructing the at least one processor (3100) to perform at least one step described above. At least some steps of a method according to one embodiment of the present invention may be performed by the at least one processor (3100) loading instructions from the memory (3200) and executing them.

[0096] The processor (3100) may mean a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or a dedicated processor on which methods according to embodiments of the present invention are performed.

[0097] A drone-based delivery method performed by such a processor (3100) is a drone-based delivery method performed by a control unit of a drone-based delivery device that delivers goods to a marker location as described in FIG. 7a and 7b, and may include: a step of controlling a delivery drone to fly until it reaches a target location; a step of controlling the delivery drone to hover when it reaches the target location; a step of controlling a delivery box connected to the delivery drone to descend along a wire; a step of recognizing a marker based on a downward image obtained using a sensor unit provided in the delivery box; a step of calculating a relative position error of the delivery box with respect to the marker; a step of accumulating the calculated relative position error to a previously calculated relative position error; a step of calculating and accumulating the relative position error until the accumulated relative position error becomes less than a reference value, and controlling the position of the delivery box by selectively controlling either the flight of the delivery drone or the driving of an auxiliary propulsion unit based on the accumulated relative position error; and a step of opening a downward hatch of the delivery box so that goods are dropped to the marker location.

[0098] This drone-based delivery method may further include a step of controlling the delivery drone to move its hovering position toward the marker direction when the accumulated relative position error exceeds a set threshold.

[0099] This drone-based delivery method may further include a step of driving the auxiliary propulsion unit to move the position of the delivery box in the direction of the marker when the accumulated relative position error does not exceed a set threshold.

[0100] Each of the memory (3200) and the storage device (3400) may be composed of at least one of a volatile storage medium and a non-volatile storage medium. For example, the memory (3200) may be composed of at least one of read-only memory (ROM) and random access memory (RAM).

[0101] Additionally, the computing system (3000) may include a communication interface (3300) that performs communication through a wired / wireless network.

[0102] Additionally, the computing system (3000) may further include a storage device (3400), an input interface (3500), an output interface (3600), etc.

[0103] Additionally, each component included in the computing system (3000) can communicate with each other by being connected by a bus (3700).

[0104] A device including a processor (3100) according to one embodiment of the present invention may be, for example, a communicable desktop computer, laptop computer, notebook, smartphone, tablet PC, mobile phone, smart watch, smart glass, e-book reader, PMP (portable multimedia player), portable game console, navigation device, digital camera, DMB (digital multimedia broadcasting) player, digital audio recorder, digital audio player, digital video recorder, digital video player, PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), etc.

[0105] The operation of the method according to an embodiment of the present invention can be implemented as a computer-readable program or code on a computer-readable recording medium. A computer-readable recording medium includes all types of recording devices in which information that can be read by a computer system is stored. Additionally, the computer-readable recording medium may be distributed across networked computer systems, allowing computer-readable programs or code to be stored and executed in a distributed manner.

[0106] In addition, computer-readable recording media may include hardware devices specifically configured to store and execute program instructions, such as ROM, RAM, and flash memory. Program instructions may include machine code, such as that generated by a compiler, as well as high-level language code that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter, etc.

[0107] Some aspects of the invention have been described in the context of a device, but may also be described according to a corresponding method, wherein a block or device corresponds to a method step or a feature of a method step. Similarly, aspects described in the context of a method may also be described according to a corresponding block or item or a feature of a corresponding device. Some or all of the method steps may be performed by (or using) a hardware device, such as, for example, a microprocessor, a programmable computer, or an electronic circuit. In some embodiments, at least one of the most important method steps may be performed by such a device.

[0108] In the embodiments, a programmable logic device (e.g., a field-programmable gate array) may be used to perform some or all of the functions of the methods described herein. In the embodiments, a field-programmable gate array may operate with a microprocessor to perform one of the methods described herein. Generally, it is preferable that the methods be performed by some hardware device.

[0109] Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and changes can be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as described in the following claims.

[0110] As described above, according to the present invention, by configuring the delivery box, rather than the delivery drone, to recognize a marker through a sensor unit equipped in the delivery box and calculate the relative position error between the delivery box and the marker, the sensor unit is prevented from being obscured by the delivery box, and the delivery location can be recognized precisely, thereby improving delivery accuracy.

[0111] Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and changes can be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as described in the following claims. Explanation of the symbols

[0112] 1000: Drone-based delivery device 100: Delivery drone 200: Delivery Drone Control System 210: Busbar Control Unit 220: Flight Control Unit 300: Wire Control System 310: Wire drive unit 400: Delivery Box Control System 410: Sensor section 411: Image sensor 412: Distance sensor 413: Position sensor 420: Marker recognition unit 430: Auxiliary propulsion unit 431: Auxiliary Propeller 432: Motor 450: Shipped 500: Control unit

Claims

Claim 1 A drone-based delivery device for delivering goods to a marker location, comprising: a delivery drone configured to fly to a target location and then perform a hovering flight; a delivery box connected to the delivery drone so as to be able to ascend and descend along a wire and containing goods; a sensor unit provided in the delivery box and configured to recognize the marker using a downward image and calculate a relative position error of the delivery box with respect to the marker; an auxiliary propulsion unit that controls the horizontal position and attitude of the delivery box based on the relative position error; and a control unit that, after driving the auxiliary propulsion unit, accumulates a newly measured relative position error and selectively controls either the flight of the delivery drone or the driving of the auxiliary propulsion unit based on the accumulated relative position error. Claim 2 A drone-based delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the stationary flight position of the delivery drone to move in the direction of the marker when the accumulated relative position error exceeds a set reference value, and controls the auxiliary propulsion unit to move the position of the delivery box in the direction of the marker when the accumulated relative position error does not exceed a set reference value. Claim 3 A drone-based delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises: a delivery drone control system for controlling the flight of a delivery drone; a wire control system for controlling a wire for raising and lowering the delivery box; and a delivery box control system for controlling the position and attitude of the delivery box. Claim 4 A drone-based delivery device according to claim 3, wherein the delivery drone control system comprises: a flight control unit that controls the delivery drone to perform a hovering flight after flying to the target position; and a mothership control unit that controls the delivery drone to move its hovering flight position based on the accumulated relative position error. Claim 5 A drone-based delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit comprises at least one of an image sensor for recognizing the marker by photographing the lower side of the delivery box, a distance sensor for measuring the relative distance between the marker and the delivery box, or a position sensor for determining the location of the delivery box. Claim 6 A drone-based delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary propulsion unit comprises: a plurality of auxiliary propellers driven for horizontal movement and attitude control of the delivery box; and a plurality of motors each driving the auxiliary propellers. Claim 7 A drone-based delivery device according to claim 6, wherein the auxiliary propellers are each disposed on both sides of the delivery box. Claim 8 A drone-based delivery device according to claim 7, wherein the auxiliary propellers are each disposed on the four sides of the delivery box. Claim 9 A drone-based delivery device according to claim 6, wherein the auxiliary propeller is rotatably coupled to the side of the delivery box. Claim 10 A drone-based delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the marker is a marker placed on a vessel. Claim 11 A drone-based delivery method performed by a control unit of a drone-based delivery device that delivers goods to a marker location, comprising: a step of controlling a delivery drone to fly until it reaches a target location; a step of controlling the delivery drone to hover when it reaches the target location; a step of controlling a delivery box connected to the delivery drone to descend along a wire; a step of recognizing a marker based on a downward image acquired using a sensor unit provided in the delivery box; a step of calculating a relative position error of the delivery box with respect to the marker; a step of accumulating the calculated relative position error to a previously calculated relative position error; a step of calculating and accumulating the relative position error until the accumulated relative position error becomes less than a reference value, and controlling the position of the delivery box by selectively controlling either the flight of the delivery drone or the driving of an auxiliary propulsion unit based on the accumulated relative position error; and a step of opening a downward hatch of the delivery box so that goods are dropped to the marker location. Claim 12 A drone-based delivery method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of controlling the stationary flight position of the delivery drone to move toward the marker direction when the accumulated relative position error exceeds a set reference value. Claim 13 A drone-based delivery method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of driving the auxiliary propulsion unit to move the position of the delivery box in the direction of the marker when the accumulated relative position error does not exceed a set reference value. Claim 14 A drone-based delivery method according to claim 11, wherein the downward image is obtained using an image sensor that captures the lower side of the delivery box. Claim 15 A drone-based delivery method according to claim 11, wherein the relative position error is obtained using relative distance information between a marker recognized based on the downward image and the delivery box. Claim 16 A drone-based delivery method according to claim 11, wherein the driving of the auxiliary propulsion unit is achieved through the driving of a plurality of auxiliary propellers included in the auxiliary propulsion unit. Claim 17 A drone-based delivery method according to claim 11, wherein the driving of the auxiliary propulsion unit is achieved through the driving of auxiliary propellers each disposed on both sides of the delivery box. Claim 18 A drone-based delivery method according to claim 11, wherein the driving of the auxiliary propulsion unit is achieved through the driving of auxiliary propellers each disposed on the four sides of the delivery box. Claim 19 A drone-based delivery method according to claim 16, wherein the driving of the auxiliary propulsion unit is performed after deploying a plurality of propellers rotatably coupled to the side of the delivery box. Claim 20 A drone-based delivery method according to claim 11, wherein the marker is a marker placed on a vessel.

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