Work machine support device, flight route creation method, and program

Abstract

Provided are a work machine support device, a flight route creation method, and a program capable of determining an appropriate flight route with a simple setting even when a boom is inclined in a lateral direction. This work machine support device supports a work machine having a boom supported so as to be capable of rising and lowering on a body part, by using an unmanned flight body. The work machine support device determines a flight route of the unmanned flight body on the basis of a positional deviation in a lateral direction between the body part and a tip of the boom.

Description

Work machine support device, flight path creation method and program

[0001] The present invention relates to a support device for a work machine, a flight path creation method, and a program.

[0002] A support device has been developed that flies an unmanned aerial vehicle, such as a drone, near a boom to provide work support (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] International Publication No. 2020 / 218433

[0004] When a work machine with a boom is installed in a location with a left-right slope, the boom will tilt left and right. When flying an unmanned aerial vehicle near a boom with such a slope, it is necessary to determine the flight path taking the slope into consideration. When the boom tilts left and right, the boom may bend. For this reason, it was thought that it would be difficult to determine an appropriate flight path with simple slope information settings.

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a work machine support device, a flight path creation method, and a program that can determine an appropriate flight path with simple settings even when the boom is inclined left or right.

[0006] The work machine support device of the present invention is a work machine support device that uses an unmanned aerial vehicle to support a work machine having an unmanned aerial vehicle and a boom that is supported on a main body in a manner that allows it to be raised and lowered, and determines the flight path of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the left-right positional deviation between the main body and the tip of the boom.

[0007] The flight path creation method of the present invention is a method for creating a flight path for flying an unmanned aerial vehicle around a boom that is supported on the main body of a work machine in a manner that allows it to be raised or lowered, and includes suspending an object from the tip of the boom, placing the unmanned aerial vehicle at a position corresponding to the suspended object, obtaining position information for the placed unmanned aerial vehicle, and creating a flight path for the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the position information and the position information of the main body.

[0008] The program of the present invention causes a computer that uses an unmanned aerial vehicle to support a work machine having a boom that can be raised and lowered on a main body to function as a means for determining the flight path of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the left-right positional deviation between the main body and the tip of the boom.

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a work machine support device and a flight path creation method that can determine an appropriate flight path with simple settings even when the boom is inclined in the left or right direction.

[0010] 8 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing a support device for a work machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a control system of an unmanned aerial vehicle. FIG. 2 is a side view of a work machine. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the control system of the work machine. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a management server. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the general control system of an information terminal. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an example of a flight path created by the support device. FIG. 7 is a front view showing a work machine installed on slopes on the left and right. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the procedure of work support processing including flight path creation processing. FIG. 9 is a front view of the work machine during a detailed example of the processing of step S1 of FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is a plan view of the work machine during a detailed example of the processing of step S1 of FIG. 8. FIG. 11 is a front view of the work machine during a detailed example of the processing of step S2 of FIG. 8. FIG. 12 is a side view of the work machine during a detailed example of the processing of step S2 of FIG. 8. FIG. 13 is a diagram explaining a detailed example of the processing of step S3 of FIG. 8. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a top screen as a detailed example of a setting screen in the work support processing. FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a model specification confirmation screen as a detailed example of a setting screen in the work support processing. 1 is a diagram showing a model information change screen as a detailed example of a setting screen in the work support processing. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a model information change screen as a detailed example of a setting screen in the work support processing. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a model information change screen as a detailed example of a setting screen in the work support processing. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a model specification change screen as a detailed example of a setting screen in the work support processing. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a left / right tilt registration screen as a detailed example of a setting screen in the work support processing. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a coordinate input screen as a detailed example of a setting screen in the work support processing. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a numerical value input screen as a detailed example of a setting screen in the work support processing. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a flight route setting screen as a detailed example of a setting screen in the work support processing. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a flight plan confirmation screen as a detailed example of a setting screen in the work support processing.

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0012] [Overview of the construction machine support device] Figure 1 is a diagram showing an overview of a construction machine support device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 1, the support device 100 includes an unmanned aerial vehicle 40 that moves around the construction machine 20 to be inspected, information terminals 60, 70 and a management server 50 as processing units that perform predetermined processing on data acquired by the unmanned aerial vehicle 40, and a remote control 80.

[0013] The management server 50 is connected to a network 130, such as a general public line network. In addition to the management server 50, base stations 120 and 150, information terminals 60 and 70, and the like are connected to the network 130. The management server 50 can exchange data with these nodes connected to the network 130, namely, the base stations 120 and 150, the unmanned aerial vehicle 40, and multiple information terminals 60 and 70. The remote control 80 is configured to be able to communicate with the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 and the information terminal 60, and mediates the transmission and reception of information (e.g., image information acquired by the unmanned aerial vehicle 40) between them. The remote control 80 is also configured to be able to control the operation of the unmanned aerial vehicle 40, and can, for example, manually operate the unmanned aerial vehicle 40.

[0014] Base station 120 is a base station for a satellite communication line that can send and receive radio waves via satellite 110, and base station 150 is a base station for a so-called mobile phone communication line. When base stations 120 and 150 receive various types of data from unmanned aerial vehicles 40, work machines 20, etc., they transmit the data to management server 50 via network 130.

[0015] As will be described later, the work machine 20 has various sensors that detect the state of each part of the work machine 20 itself, and a controller 31 (see FIG. 4). The controller 31 transmits information detected by the various sensors to the base stations 120, 150 and receives predetermined information, using a first communication unit 351 and a second communication unit 352 (see FIG. 4).

[0016] An inspection information database 140 and a customer information database 160 are connected to the management server 50. A control device 51 (see FIG. 5 ) possessed by the management server 50 stores, in the inspection information database 140, diagnostic information data (described below) received from the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 and the work machine 20 via the base stations 120, 150, and status information data generated from the diagnostic information data. The control device 51 possessed by the management server 50 transmits the status information data stored in the inspection information database 140 to predetermined information terminals 60, 70 via the network 130. The control device 51 possessed by the management server 50 determines the destination of the information based on the contents of the customer information database 160. The information is transmitted to, for example, an information terminal 60 used by a user of the work machine 20, such as a site supervisor or a serviceman of the crane manufacturer, or an information terminal 70 used by a user who is involved in work using the work machine 20 away from the work site, and is displayed on the display screen of the information terminal 60, 70. 1 shows only one work machine 20 and one information terminal 60, 70, in reality, the management server 50 is configured to send and receive information to and from a large number of work machines 20 and a large number of information terminals 60, 70. Furthermore, the communication paths for the above-mentioned multiple data are not limited to this, and, for example, relay paths in the communication paths may be omitted. For example, the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 and the information terminals 60, 70 may communicate directly, or the above-mentioned multiple databases may be provided within the information terminals 60, 70.

[0017] [Unmanned Aerial Vehicle] Here, we will explain the unmanned aerial vehicle 40. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the control system of the unmanned aerial vehicle 40.

[0018] The unmanned aerial vehicle 40 is an unmanned aircraft (unamanned aerial vehicle) known as a drone, which has multiple rotors and flies by controlling the output of the motors that drive each rotor, and is capable of freely ascending and descending, moving forward, backward, left and right, turning forward and backward, etc. The unmanned aerial vehicle 40 moves around the work machine 20 to be inspected, taking images of each part of the work machine, and transmits the acquired image data to predetermined information terminals 60, 70 and management server 50.

[0019] 2, the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 includes a camera 41 (detection unit) as an imaging means, a positioning unit 421 as a position measuring device, a direction sensor 422, a height sensor 423, an attitude sensor 424, a microphone (sound detection sensor) 425 used for inspection, a temperature sensor 426, a drive unit 43, a control unit 44, a data storage unit 45, a memory 46, a first communication unit 471, and a second communication unit 472. Note that not all of the sensors, such as the positioning unit 421, direction sensor 422, height sensor 423, attitude sensor 424, microphone 425, and temperature sensor 426, described above, need to be mounted on the unmanned aerial vehicle 40. It is sufficient for the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 to include at least the camera 41, the positioning unit 421, and the direction sensor 422.

[0020] The camera 41 (detection unit) is supported on the body of the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 and points in a predetermined direction. It captures images of the scene ahead of the line of sight according to the orientation of the body. The camera 41 can continuously capture captured images. For example, the camera 41 may continuously capture captured images at a constant frame rate, or the flight path and the capture position may be preset and the captured images may be captured continuously at the predetermined capture position. This allows for capturing images of multiple locations, including inspection locations. The image signal obtained by the capture is output to an image processing unit 411 connected to the camera 41, and the image processing unit 411 generates captured image data in a predetermined format and stores it in the memory 46. The camera 41 is not limited to a camera that captures visible light images; an infrared camera that captures infrared light may also be used. When an infrared camera is used, distance image data can be obtained using a phase contrast method or the like. The camera 41 is also not limited to a monocular camera; a stereo camera may also be used. In this case, distance image data can also be obtained.

[0021] The positioning unit 421 is a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver and measures the current position of the unmanned aerial vehicle 40. The positioning unit 421 of this embodiment uses RTK (Real Time Kinematic), which has higher accuracy than GPS (Global Positioning System). The orientation sensor 422 is a three-axis gyro azimuth sensor and detects the direction of travel and the inclination angle of the unmanned aerial vehicle 40. The height sensor 423 is, for example, optical, and projects light downward and detects the height of the vehicle from the phase difference generated in the reflected light. The attitude sensor 424 is a three-dimensional acceleration sensor and detects acceleration in each of the X-, Y-, and Z-axes defined for the unmanned aerial vehicle 40. The attitude of the vehicle can be detected from the gravitational acceleration detected about each of these axes. The microphone 425 is directional and detects the sound of an object in the same direction as the line of sight of the camera 41. The temperature sensor 426 is a non-contact type so-called radiation thermometer, and detects the temperature of an object located in the same direction as the line of sight of the camera 41. Note that each of these sensors may be any sensor capable of detecting desired information, and the sensor type, detection principle, etc. are not limited to those described above.

[0022] The first communication unit 471 performs data communication with the base station 120 via the satellite 110. The second communication unit 472 performs data communication with the base station 150 directly.

[0023] The drive unit 43 is configured to output thrust for the movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle 40, and includes multiple rotors and multiple motors serving as rotational drive sources provided on each rotor. The drive unit 43 is controlled by the control unit 44 so that the vehicle moves in the target movement direction.

[0024] The data storage unit 45 is a non-volatile storage device that stores the control program of the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 and various information related to the control. The memory 46 stores captured image data captured by the camera 41, detection data detected by the microphone 425 and the temperature sensor 426, and the like. The memory 46 may be configured as a non-volatile storage device. The memory 46 may also be configured as a removable recording medium. In this case, the removed recording medium can be used to transfer captured image data and detection data to external information terminals 60, 70, management server 50, etc., without going through the network 130.

[0025] The control unit 44 comprehensively controls each part of the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 based on the control program stored in the data storage unit 45 and control commands transmitted from the information terminals 60, 70. For example, the control unit 44 acquires information on the position and attitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 at the time of image capture and detection from the orientation sensor 422 and the attitude sensor 424, associates it with the captured image data and detection data, and records it in the memory 46 (hereinafter, the captured image data and detection data associated with the information on the position and attitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 at the time of image capture and detection are referred to as "diagnostic information data"). The control unit 44 also transmits this diagnostic information data to the information terminals 60, 70 and the management server 50 via the first communication unit 471 and the second communication unit 472.

[0026] [Work Machine] Next, the work machine 20 will be described. FIG. 3 is a side view of the work machine 20. In this embodiment, a so-called mobile crawler crane is used as the work machine 20. In the following description of the work machine 20, the direction in which the rope hangs from the boom as viewed from the center of rotation of the work machine 20 is referred to as the "front," the direction opposite to the front (in other words, the side from the center of rotation on which the counterweight is located) is referred to as the "rear," the left side when facing forward is referred to as the "left," and the right side when facing forward is referred to as the "right." Note that the expressions "front" and "back" of specific locations on the work machine 20 can be expressed relatively as appropriate. For example, when comparing a first specific location on the "front" side of the work machine 20 with a second specific location on the "front" side in the fore-and-aft direction, if the second specific location is located between the first specific location and the center of rotation of the work machine 20, the second specific location will be relatively expressed as being located "rear" as viewed from the first specific location. Furthermore, when comparing a first specific location on the "rear" side in the fore-and-aft direction of the work machine 20 with a second specific location on the "rear" side, if the second specific location is located between the first specific location and the turning center of the work machine 20, the second specific location is relatively expressed as being located on the "forward" side when viewed from the first specific location.

[0027] As shown in Figure 3, the work machine 20 comprises a lower traveling body 21 as a main body, and an upper rotating body 22. The lower traveling body 21 is a self-propelled crawler-type traveling body, and the upper rotating body 22 is mounted so as to be able to rotate on the lower traveling body 21. The work machine 20 further comprises a front attachment 23 attached to the front side of the upper rotating body 22 so as to be able to rise and fall.

[0028] The upper revolving body 22 has a revolving frame 221 extending in the front-to-rear direction. A boom mounting portion 222 is provided on the front side of the revolving frame 221, and a base end 249 of the boom 24 (described later) is rotatably mounted to the boom mounting portion 222.

[0029] A mast mounting portion 223 is provided on the revolving frame 221 near the rear side of the boom mounting portion 222. A base end of a mast 224 (described later) is rotatably mounted to the mast mounting portion 223. Furthermore, a base end of a backstop 225 (described later) is rotatably mounted on the revolving frame 221 rearward of the mast mounting portion 223.

[0030] A main hoisting winch (not shown) is attached to the revolving frame 221. A counterweight 226 that balances the weight of the front attachment 23 and the suspended load is disposed at the rear of the revolving frame 221. A boom hoisting winch and other components (not shown) are also disposed at the rear of the revolving frame 221. Meanwhile, a cab 227 is provided at the front right side of the revolving frame 221, where a driver's seat and various operating devices (neither of which are shown) are located.

[0031] The front attachment 23 is provided on the upper rotating body 22 and transports loads such as materials between the ground and high places. The front attachment 23 has a boom 24. The front attachment 23 may be configured to include a tower boom, a tower jib, and a tower strut. The boom according to the present invention is a concept that includes the tower boom and the tower jib.

[0032] The boom 24 is attached to the upper rotating body 22 so as to be able to be raised and lowered. The boom 24 is composed of a lower boom 241 whose base end (foot portion) 249 is attached to the boom mounting portion 222 of the rotating frame 221 so as to be able to be raised and lowered, multiple (e.g., three stages) intermediate booms 242 whose base ends are attached to the tip of the lower boom 241, and an upper boom 243 attached to the tip of the intermediate boom 242 located nearest to the tip. A guide sheave 254 and a point sheave 255 are rotatably attached to the tip side of the upper boom 243. A main hoisting rope 256, which will be described later, is wound around the guide sheave 254 and the point sheave 255.

[0033] As shown in the figure, adjacent posts of the intermediate boom 242 in the longitudinal direction are connected by connecting pins. The lowest intermediate boom 242 and the lower boom 241, and the highest intermediate boom 242 and the upper boom 243 are also connected by connecting pins.

[0034] One end of a main hoisting rope 256 is wound around a main hoisting winch (not shown). The other end of the main hoisting rope 256 is attached to the hoisting device 28 via a point sheave 255 at the tip of the boom 24. Therefore, the hoisting device 28 can be raised and lowered by winding and unwinding the main hoisting rope 256 with the main hoisting winch.

[0035] The backstop 225 is provided between the revolving frame 221 and the lower boom 241 of the boom 24. The backstop 225 supports the erected boom 24 from behind.

[0036] The base end of the mast 224 is rotatably attached to the mast mounting portion 223 of the revolving frame 221. The tip of the mast 224 is a free end that can rotate up and down and back and forth. A boom spreader 228 is attached to the tip of the mast 224, and this boom spreader 228 is connected to the upper boom 243 of the boom 24 via a pendant rope 229 having a certain length. A boom hoist rope 291 is wound sequentially between the boom spreader 228 and a spreader (not shown) on the revolving frame 221 side, and is then wound around a boom hoist winch (not shown) attached to the revolving frame 221.

[0037] Therefore, by winding or unwinding the boom hoisting rope 291 using the boom hoisting winch, the boom 24 can be raised or lowered via the pendant rope 229.

[0038] Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the control system of the work machine 20. As shown in this figure, the work machine 20 is equipped with a controller 31 that performs overall control of each section of the work machine 20. More specifically, the controller 31 controls various operations of the work machine 20, such as traveling, turning, and lifting loads, and performs abnormality detection processing, etc. The controller 31 is configured to include an arithmetic processing unit that has a CPU, memory devices such as ROM and RAM, and other peripheral circuits.

[0039] The work machine 20 is also equipped with sensors for acquiring information regarding the state of each part of the work machine 20, such as a load cell 321, a boom angle sensor 322, an operation amount sensor 323, a jib angle sensor 324, an inclination sensor 325, a lifting height indicator 326, and a swing angle sensor 327. Note that these sensors do not necessarily have to be equipped on the work machine 20, and instead of values ​​measured by these sensors, sensors not equipped on the work machine 20 or values ​​measured visually by an operator may be used.

[0040] The load cell 321 is attached to the boom spreader 228 and detects the tension acting on the boom hoisting rope 291 that raises and lowers the boom 24, and outputs a control signal corresponding to the detected tension to the controller 31.

[0041] The boom angle sensor 322 is attached to the base end 249 side of the boom 24, detects the hoisting angle of the boom 24 (hereinafter also referred to as the boom angle), and outputs a control signal corresponding to the detected boom angle to the controller 31. The boom angle sensor 322 detects, for example, the ground angle, which is the angle with respect to the horizontal plane, as the boom angle.

[0042] The jib angle sensor 324 is attached to the base end side of the tower jib when the tower jib is in use, detects the angle at which the tower jib is raised and lowered (hereinafter also referred to as the jib angle), and outputs a control signal corresponding to the detected jib angle to the controller 31. The jib angle sensor 324 detects, for example, the ground angle, which is the angle with respect to the horizontal plane, as the jib angle.

[0043] The operation amount sensor 323 detects, for example, the operation amount of a hydraulic pilot type operation lever, and outputs a control signal corresponding to the detected operation amount to the controller 31.

[0044] The inclination sensor 325 detects the inclination of the work machine 20, i.e., the inclination of the ground on which the work machine 20 is located, and outputs the result to the controller 31. The lifting height meter 326 detects the height position of the hoisting device 28, and outputs the result to the controller 31. The swing angle sensor 327 measures the swing angle of the upper swing body 22 relative to the lower traveling body 21, and outputs the result to the controller 31.

[0045] The work machine 20 also includes an input unit 331 , a display device 332 , an alarm 341 , a stop device 342 , a first communication unit 351 , a second communication unit 352 , an operation lever 37 , and a control valve 38 .

[0046] The input unit 331 is, for example, a touch panel, and outputs a control signal corresponding to an operation by the operator to the controller 31. The operator can operate the input unit 331 to set the number of reels of the main hoisting rope 256, the boom length, the configuration of the boom 24, the mass of the hoisting device 28, etc. The display device 332 includes, for example, a touch panel display that is also used as the input unit 331, and displays information on the lifting load, working posture, etc. on the display screen based on the control signal output from the controller 31.

[0047] The alarm device 341 issues an alarm based on a control signal output from the controller 31. The stop device 342 stops the driving of the hydraulic motors (not shown) connected to the main hoisting winch and the jib hoisting winch, respectively, based on a control signal output from the controller 31. The stop device 342 is, for example, an electromagnetic switching valve that can cut off the supply of pressure oil from the hydraulic pump to the hydraulic motors.

[0048] The first communication unit 351 performs data communication with the base station 120 via the satellite 110. The second communication unit 352 performs data communication with the base station 150 directly.

[0049] The control valve 38 is made up of a plurality of valves that can be switched in response to control signals from the controller 31. For example, the control valve 38 includes a valve that switches between supplying and cutting off hydraulic pressure and switching the rotation direction from a hydraulic pump provided in the work machine 20 to a hydraulic motor that rotationally drives the drive wheels of the lower traveling body 21, a valve that switches between supplying and cutting off hydraulic pressure and switching the rotation direction from the hydraulic pump to a hydraulic motor that performs the swing operation of the upper rotating body 22, a valve that switches between supplying and cutting off hydraulic pressure and switching the rotation direction from the hydraulic pump to a hydraulic motor that rotationally drives the boom hoisting winch, a valve that switches between supplying and cutting off hydraulic pressure and switching the rotation direction from the hydraulic pump to a hydraulic motor that rotationally drives the jib hoisting winch, and a valve that switches between supplying and cutting off hydraulic pressure and switching the rotation direction from the hydraulic pump to a hydraulic motor that rotationally drives the main hoisting winch.

[0050] The operating levers 37 are composed of multiple levers that input control signals via the controller 31 to individually switch various valves of the control valves 38. For example, the travel lever, which is one of the operating levers 37, inputs a switching signal to a valve that supplies, stops, and switches the rotation direction of hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic motor that drives the drive wheels of the lower traveling body 21. The swing lever, which is also one of the operating levers 37, inputs a switching signal to a valve that supplies, stops, and switches the rotation direction of hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic pump to the hydraulic motor that drives the upper rotating body 22. The boom hoist lever, which is also one of the operating levers 37, inputs a switching signal to a valve that supplies, stops, and switches the rotation direction of hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic pump to the hydraulic motor that drives the boom hoist winch. The jib hoist lever, which is also one of the operating levers 37, inputs a switching signal to a valve that supplies, stops, and switches the rotation direction of hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic pump to the hydraulic motor that drives the jib hoist winch when the tower boom and tower jib are in use. In addition, the hoisting lever, which is one of the operating levers 37, inputs a switching signal to a valve that supplies, stops, and switches the rotation direction of hydraulic pressure from the aforementioned hydraulic pump to the hydraulic motor that drives the main hoisting winch.

[0051] The controller 31 controls each hydraulic motor by inputting control signals corresponding to the supply, stop, and switching of rotation direction of hydraulic pressure to each valve constituting the corresponding control valve 38 in accordance with the operation of the various levers constituting the operation lever 37. As a result, by operating the operation lever 37, the operator can perform the traveling operation of the work machine 20, the swinging operation of the upper rotating body 22, the raising and lowering operation of the boom 24, the raising and lowering operation of the tower jib when the tower jib is used, and the lifting and lowering operation of the hoisting device 28.

[0052] [Management Server] FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the management server 50. As shown in this figure, the management server 50 has a control device 51, a storage unit 52, and a communication unit 53. The control device 51 is configured to include an arithmetic processing unit having a CPU, peripheral circuits, etc. The control device 51 controls each unit of the management server 50 by reading and executing a control program pre-stored in the storage unit 52. The storage unit 52 is, for example, a non-volatile storage device. The communication unit 53 performs data communication (transmission and reception) via the network 130 in accordance with a predetermined procedure. A display device 54 is connected to the control device 51, and the control device 51 displays information stored in the storage unit 52, the test information database 140, and the customer information database 160 on the display screen of the display device 54.

[0053] An inspection information database 140 and a customer information database 160 are connected to the control device 51. The inspection information database 140 stores, in association with each other, date and time information, the work machine ID of the work machine 20, diagnostic results, and the like, which are received by the control device 51 from the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 via the base stations 120, 150 (including when via the work machine 20). The customer information database 160 stores, in association with each other, the work machine ID of the work machine 20, customer information related to the customer who owns the work machine 20, and the customer's delivery address. Note that the customer's delivery address corresponding to one work machine ID can be set arbitrarily. In this way, when information in the work machine inspection information database 140 for a specific work machine 20 is updated, the control device 51 identifies the customer and their delivery address, and transmits the updated information about the work machine 20 or notifies the customer of the update. Furthermore, when accessed by a customer, the control device 51 may transmit or permit viewing of various information recorded in the work machine inspection information database 140 related to the customer's work machine 20. In this case, a password or the like may be set for each customer in the customer information database 160, and the customer may be required to enter the password when accessing the database. It is preferable that the password is also registered in the customer information database 160.

[0054] The control device 51 performs a diagnostic process to determine whether or not an abnormality has occurred with respect to the following inspection items at the inspection points of the work machine 20, based on diagnostic information data including captured image data and detection data acquired from the unmanned aerial vehicle 40. The inspection items are, for example, as follows: (1) Cracks, deformation, damage, corrosion of the boom (tower boom and tower jib when used) (2) Wear and damage of foot pins, joint pins, and bushings (3) Wear, damage, irregular winding, terminal condition, and corrosion of the wire rope (4) Damage and corrosion of the pendant rope (5) Cracks, deformation, damage, and corrosion of each spreader, hanger, and tower strut (6) Cracks, deformation, wear, and corrosion of the load hook (7) Operational condition, deformation, and damage of the wire stopper of the load hook (8) Looseness of nuts, damage and corrosion of the threads of the load hook (9) Wear, deformation, damage, and corrosion of each sheave (10) Operational condition of the over-hoisting prevention device of the load hook and boom (tower boom and tower jib when used) (11) Operational condition of the load cell and boom angle sensor (12) Deformation, damage, and corrosion of the backstop (13) Whether or not the attachment is installed in the correct position, and installation condition (bolts forgotten to be tightened, fallen off, etc.)

[0055] [Information Terminal] Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing an outline of the control system of the information terminals 60 and 70. Since the information terminals 60 and 70 of this embodiment have the same configuration, the following description will focus on the information terminal 60, and a description of the information terminal 70 will be omitted. The information terminal 60 is a terminal device such as a personal computer, smartphone, or tablet terminal, and includes an input unit 61, a display unit 62, a communication unit 63, a storage unit 64, and a control unit 65, as shown in Fig. 6.

[0056] The input unit 61 is equipped with, for example, a touch panel, and outputs an input signal corresponding to the operation content of the touch panel by the user to the control unit 65. The display unit 62 is equipped with, for example, a touch panel display, and displays various information on the display based on a display signal input from the control unit 65. The communication unit 63 is capable of data communication (sending and receiving) with the work machine 20, unmanned aerial vehicle 40, management server 50, etc. via the network 130. This communication unit 63 also functions as an information transmission means that transmits flight information to the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 for flying the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 along the flight path set by the control unit 65 (flight path setting means). Note that the communication unit 63 may be configured to be able to communicate directly with the work machine 20, unmanned aerial vehicle 40, and management server 50.

[0057] The storage unit 64 is a memory configured from RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), etc., and stores various programs and data, and also functions as a work area for the control unit 65. In this embodiment, the storage unit 64 pre-stores a program 641 for executing the flight path creation process (see FIG. 9 ), which will be described later.

[0058] The storage unit 64 also has a work machine information database (DB) 642 that stores various information related to work machines. The work machine information DB 642 stores multiple pieces of model information (model names) and information related to the structure of each model (including the shape and main dimensions of each part), in association with each other. Information related to the structure of the work machine includes, for example, the hoisting method (A-frame, live mast, or both), tower jib hoisting method (swing lever, laffer), and front specifications (crane only, tower only, or both). The work machine information DB 642 does not need to store all of the above information, and may store at least one of the above pieces of information. The work machine information DB 642 may also be stored in another device (such as the management server 50) with which the information terminal 60 can communicate (from which information can be read).

[0059] The control unit 65 performs overall control of the information terminal 60 based on user operations, etc. Specifically, the control unit 65 reads various programs from the storage unit 64 in response to operation signals, etc. input from the input unit 61, executes predetermined processing in accordance with the programs, temporarily stores the processing results in the storage unit 64, and outputs them to the display unit 62 as appropriate.

[0060] [Outline of the process for creating a flight path for an unmanned aerial vehicle] Figure 7 is a perspective view showing an example of a flight path R created by the support device 100. Figure 8 is a front view showing a work machine 20 installed on slopes on the left and right. Below, as an example, a case will be described in which a flight path R is created in which the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 flies at a height that changes in multiple stages from near the tip of the boom 24 to the height of the upper rotating body 22 while circling around the boom 24, as shown in Figure 7.

[0061] First, an overview will be provided. As shown in Figure 8, when the work machine 20 is installed on sloped ground with left and right sides, the boom 24 will tilt left and right. In addition, the boom 24 may flex left and right. Without flex, when the work machine 20 is viewed from the front, the perpendicular line L0 to the sloped ground and the center line L2 of the boom 24 will be parallel. However, when flexion occurs, a deviation occurs between the perpendicular line L0 and the center line L2 of the boom 24. The deviation in position of the center line L2 of the boom 24 is greater at the tip end side than at the base end 249 side. Therefore, if a flight path is created based on the left and right tilt angles of the installation surface without taking flexion into consideration, the flight path may come too close to the boom 24 at the tip end of the boom 24.

[0062] Therefore, in this embodiment, the control unit 65 determines the flight path based on the positional deviation ΔX in the left-right direction between the upper rotating body 22 and the tip of the boom 24. This positional deviation ΔX represents the relative position of the tip of the boom 24 in the left-right direction from a reference position (e.g., the center) of the upper rotating body 22 where the base end 249 of the boom 24 is located. In other words, the positional deviation ΔX makes it possible to identify the line segment L1 connecting the base end 249 and the tip of the boom 24. As shown in Figure 8, even if the boom 24 has flexion in the left and right directions, the deviation of this line segment L1 from the center line L2 of the boom 24 does not become large when viewed from the front of the work machine 20.

[0063] Therefore, the flight path determined based on the positional deviation ΔX is an appropriate path that does not get too close to the boom 24 and does not interfere with work support.

[0064] When the boom 24 bends left and right, the line segment L1 connecting the tip and base ends 249 of the boom 24 and the center line L2 of the boom 24 will not overlap, and the amount of deviation will be relatively large at the longitudinal center of the boom 24. Therefore, the flight path determined based on the positional deviation ΔX will not be a flight path that strictly reflects the left and right bending of the boom 24.

[0065] On the other hand, it is possible to create a flight path that accurately reflects the lateral bending of the boom 24 by precisely measuring the amount of lateral bending and inputting the detailed amount of lateral bending into the control unit 65. However, in this case, measuring the amount of lateral bending and inputting the data on the amount of lateral bending becomes extremely cumbersome.

[0066] In this embodiment, by measuring the positional deviation in the left-right direction between the upper rotating body 22 and the tip of the boom 24 and inputting the data on this positional deviation, it is possible to simply take into account the bending of the boom 24 within a range that does not interfere with work support. Therefore, in this embodiment, the above-mentioned complicated measurement processing and complicated data input are not required.

[0067] [Details of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Flight Path Creation Process] Details will now be explained. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the work support process including the flight path creation process. The flight path creation process is realized by the computer of the support device 100 executing the above-mentioned path setting program. This computer is the control unit 65 of the information terminals 60, 70, but it may also be executed by another computer that communicates with and links to the information terminals 60, 70. FIGS. 10A and 10B are diagrams explaining a detailed example of the process of step S1 in FIG. 9. FIGS. 11A and 11B are diagrams explaining a detailed example of the process of step S2 in FIG. 9. FIG. 12 is a diagram explaining a detailed example of the process of step S3 in FIG. 9. FIG. 10A is a front view of the work machine 20 during the process of step S1, and FIG. 10B is a plan view of the work machine 20 during the process of step S1. FIG. 11A is a front view of the work machine 20 during the process of step S2, and FIG. 11B is a side view of the work machine 20 during the process of step S2. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the display image output to the display unit 62 in step S3.

[0068] When the worker inputs a command to start the work support process from the input unit 61, the control unit 65 starts the work support process. The control unit 65 then first performs a process to acquire information on the position and orientation of the upper rotating body 22 in cooperation with the worker (step S1). In step S1, the control unit 65 first outputs the worker's processing details from the display unit 62, prompting the worker to sequentially place the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 at the predetermined positions P1 to P3 shown in Figures 9A and 9B and notify the worker by inputting an input operation once the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 has been placed. When a notification of placement is received, the control unit 65 inputs the position information of the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 at that time as the position information for the predetermined positions P1 to P3. This position information is obtained by measurement by the positioning unit 421 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 and is transmitted from the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 to the control unit 65 via wireless communication. The predetermined positions P1 to P3 are set, for example, to three points on the crawler 211 of the lower running body 21. Therefore, the control unit 65 can calculate the position and orientation of the lower traveling structure 21 based on the position information.

[0069] Furthermore, in step S1, the control unit 65 acquires information on the swing angle of the upper swing unit 22 measured by the swing angle sensor 327. This information may be received by wireless communication from the controller 31 of the work machine 20, or may be received by communication via the management server 50. The control unit 65 then acquires the position and orientation of the upper swing unit 22 by calculation from the position and orientation of the lower running unit 21 based on the position information of the predetermined positions P1 to P3 and the swing angle information.

[0070] In step S1, the control unit 65 may place the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 at multiple locations on the upper rotating body 22 and acquire position information for those locations. In this case, the control unit 65 can calculate the position and orientation of the upper rotating body 22 without using the output of the rotation angle sensor 327.

[0071] Next, the control unit 65, in cooperation with the worker, performs a process to acquire left-right position information of the tip of the boom 24 (step S2). As a specific example, in step S2, the control unit 65 first outputs the worker's processing content from the display unit 62, instructing the worker to operate the work machine 20 to lower the hoisting device 28 to the same height as the upper revolving body 22 or the lower running body 21, and then place the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 below the hoisting device 28 and notify the worker by inputting an input operation once the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 has been placed. Then, as shown in Figures 11A and 11B, once the hoisting device 28 is lowered and the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 is placed and a notification of the placement is received, the control unit 65 inputs the position information of the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 at that time. Furthermore, the control unit 65 calculates the left-right direction from the orientation information of the upper revolving body 22 acquired in step S1, and calculates the relative distance ΔXa in the left-right direction of the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 relative to the upper revolving body 22 from the position information of the unmanned aerial vehicle 40. At this time, the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 is positioned vertically below the tip of the boom 24, so the relative distance ΔXa is a value correlated to the lateral positional shift ΔX between the upper rotating body 22 (e.g., its center) and the tip of the boom 24.

[0072] In step S2, if the magnitude of the calculated positional deviation ΔX exceeds a threshold value representing an excessive positional deviation, the control unit 65 may make an error determination and output a warning to the operator to urge him or her to be careful.

[0073] Next, the control unit 65 outputs information from the display unit 62 so that the operator can compare and verify whether the magnitude of the positional deviation ΔX acquired in step S2 matches the actual positional deviation (step S3). This information output is an output that allows the operator to compare the actual positional deviation in the left-right direction between the main body (undercarriage 21 or upper rotating body 22) of the work machine 20 and the tip of the boom 24 with the positional deviation acquired by the support device 100. As shown in FIG. 12 , the displayed image is a virtual image of the work machine 20 viewed from the front, and an image E1 of the hoisting device 28 is superimposed on the image at a position corresponding to the positional deviation calculated in step S2. Furthermore, scales g1 to g9 indicating the amount of positional deviation (for example, scales g1 to g9 spaced at unit distances (e.g., 25 cm) from the center) are superimposed on the image.

[0074] By comparing the output in Figure 12 with the actual state of the work machine 20 as viewed from the front, the worker can confirm whether there is a large error in the positional deviation calculated by the control unit 65. The cause of the large error in the positional deviation described above may be an error in the pre-registered information about the type of front attachment 23 or the hoisting angle of the boom 24. Therefore, the worker can also confirm whether there are any errors in this information based on the output in Figure 12.

[0075] The control unit 65 then performs a process of determining whether the calculated positional deviation is consistent (step S4), and if it is consistent, the process proceeds to the next step. On the other hand, if it is inconsistent, the process returns to step S2, and the process from step S2 is repeated. The determination process of step S4 is realized by outputting an inquiry to the operator regarding whether it is consistent or inconsistent via the display unit 62, and having the operator input the determination result of whether it is consistent or inconsistent via the input unit 61.

[0076] Next, the control unit 65 calculates the positions of the base end 249 and the tip of the boom 24 based on the information acquired in steps S1 and S2 and other information related to the boom 24 (step S5). Specifically, in step S5, the control unit 65 first calculates the position of the base end 249 of the boom 24 based on the information in step S1. Next, the control unit 65 calculates the position of the tip of the boom 24 based on the information in steps S1 and S2 and other information related to the boom 24. The other information includes information on the position and height of the boom 24 in the fore-and-aft direction, and the control unit 65 receives this information from the controller 31 of the work machine 20 via communications. The reason why the control unit 65 does not calculate this information itself will be described in detail later. The control unit 65 can calculate the position of the tip of the boom 24 from the amount of positional deviation of the tip of the boom 24 in the left-right direction and the position and height in the fore-and-aft direction.

[0077] Next, the control unit 65 estimates the spatial coordinates where the boom 24 will be located (step S6). Specifically, in step S6, the control unit 65 reads information on the external shape of the boom 24 (location information for each main member and each diagonal member) from the work machine information database 642. The control unit 65 then calculates the spatial coordinates where the boom 24 will be located by applying the external shape information to the positions of the base end 249 and tip end of the boom 24 calculated in step S5. The spatial coordinates represent a group of coordinates where the boom 24 is located in a coordinate system set in the space in which the work machine 20 is installed.

[0078] If the boom 24 is configured by connecting a tower boom and a tower jib, the information on the external shape of the boom 24 further includes information on the hoisting angle of the tower jib relative to the tower boom. The information on the hoisting angle makes it possible to identify the overall external shape of the boom 24, which is an integrated tower boom and tower jib, and the spatial coordinates at which the boom 24 is located can be calculated by the calculation in step S6.

[0079] In step S6, the control unit 65 may calculate the above spatial coordinates assuming that the boom 24 does not bend in the left-right direction. Alternatively, the control unit 65 may calculate the above spatial coordinates after correcting the information about the external shape of the boom 24 assuming that an average amount of bending occurs. In the left-right direction, as shown in FIG. 8 , the errors e1 to e3 in the position of the boom 24 caused by the bending of the boom 24 become larger near the center of the boom 24 in the longitudinal direction. However, if the positions of the tip and base ends 249 of the boom 24 are accurate, the errors e1 to e3 fall within a range that does not affect the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle 40.

[0080] Next, the control unit 65 determines a flight path R for flying the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 around the boom 24, as shown in FIG. 7, based on the spatial coordinates where the boom 24 is located estimated in step S6 (step S7). The flight path R is calculated by expanding a predetermined path pattern into a spatial coordinate system in accordance with the location of the boom 24. The path pattern may include various path patterns, such as a path pattern that circles the boom 24 at multiple heights from the tip of the boom 24 to the height of the upper rotating body 22 (see FIG. 7), and a path pattern that moves at multiple heights along a specific side of the boom 24 (e.g., the front, left, rear surface, etc.). A configuration may be adopted in which one of the multiple path patterns is selected by a selection operation or the like by the operator. These path patterns are patterns that approach the boom 24 with a margin of error, and the error e2 due to the flex of the boom 24 (see FIG. 8) is smaller than the margin of error. Therefore, the flight path R determined in step S7 does not contact the boom 24.

[0081] The data of the flight route R created in step S7 may be a set of coordinates of a plurality of ordered points. An example of the plurality of points is represented by black dots in Fig. 7. The data structure representing the flight route R may be a route connecting two consecutive coordinate points with a predetermined line (e.g., a straight line).

[0082] Once the flight path R has been created, the control unit 65 outputs an image that simply shows the work machine 20 and the flight path R (step S8), and waits for an instruction to start the work support process from the worker (step S9). Then, when a start instruction is given via the input unit 61, the control unit 65 causes the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 to fly along the flight path R and executes the work support process of the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 (step S10).

[0083] [Regarding the Fore-and-aft Height Information Used in Step S5] Here, the fore-and-aft height information used in step S5, i.e., the fore-and-aft position information and height information of the tip of the boom 24, will be described in detail. The boom 24 can change its hoisting angle, and as the hoisting angle is changed, the angle of inclination in the fore-and-aft direction changes. Furthermore, when the angle of inclination in the fore-and-aft direction changes, the amount of flex of the boom 24 in the fore-and-aft direction changes. Meanwhile, the controller 31 of the work machine 20 performs correction processing corresponding to the amount of flex of the boom 24 in the fore-and-aft direction in order to accurately determine the position of the suspended load. In other words, the controller 31 holds position information of the tip of the boom 24 (position information in the fore-and-aft direction and height direction) that accurately reflects the flex in the fore-and-aft direction.

[0084] Therefore, in step S5, the control unit 65 of the support device 100 does not separately calculate position information for the tip of the boom 24 that reflects bending in the fore-and-aft direction, but instead receives already calculated information from the controller 31 of the work machine 20. This processing eliminates duplication of calculation processing, making it possible to improve processing efficiency.

[0085] In step S5, the control unit 65 may calculate position information of the tip of the boom 24 that reflects bending in the fore-and-aft direction. The control unit 65 may also calculate the fore-and-aft direction position of the tip of the boom 24 based on fore-and-aft direction position information among the position information below the hoisting device 28 acquired in the processing of step S2. Furthermore, the control unit 65 may output a warning when the difference between the calculated fore-and-aft direction position and the fore-and-aft direction position received from the controller 31 exceeds a threshold value.

[0086] According to the work support process described above, even when the boom 24 has a lateral tilt and lateral bending, the operator can create a flight path R that corresponds to the tilt and bending by simply performing a simple setting process. The simple setting process involves the operator lowering the hoisting device 28 to the height of the upper rotating body 22 or the lower running body 21, placing the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 below the hoisting device 28 at that height, and performing input operations. Therefore, even when providing work support to a work machine 20 installed in a sloping location, the operator can perform appropriate work support without being bothered by complicated setting input.

[0087] The lateral flex of the boom 24 may be determined by performing complex structural calculations based on structural data of the boom 24 and the tilt angle of the installation surface. Alternatively, the lateral flex of the boom 24 may be measured using surveying techniques. However, to accurately perform the structural calculations, accurate structural data for each part of the boom 24 must be prepared. Furthermore, the surveying is very complicated, and the surveying itself may be difficult if the site is small. The support device 100 of this embodiment has the advantage of greatly simplifying the setting process compared to the above-mentioned means.

[0088] [Detailed Example of Setting Screen] Next, a detailed example of the setting screen output to the display unit 62 in the work support process will be shown. Figures 13 to 19B show detailed examples of the setting screen output to the display unit 62 in the work support process.

[0089] Figure 13 shows the top screen 701 of the settings screen. This screen displays buttons 721 to 727: flight settings, model use registration, flight information settings, position registration, left / right tilt registration, live view, and reset. The flight settings button 721 is a button that calls up the flight route setting screen 710 of Figure 19A. The model specification registration button 722 is a button that calls up a screen for registering the model specifications of the work machine 20. The flight information setting button 723 is a button that calls up a screen for setting flight information for the unmanned aerial vehicle 40. The position registration button 724 is a button that calls up a position information registration screen for the work machine 20. This position information registration screen is a screen for registering the position information obtained in the position information of step S2 of Figure 9. The left / right tilt registration button 725 is a button that calls up the registration screen 707 of Figure 17A. The live view button 726 is a button that calls up a screen that outputs video currently being captured by the camera 41 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 40. The reset button 727 is a button for resetting the registration information and setting information to the default information.

[0090] 14A shows a confirmation screen 702 for the model specifications of the work machine 20. This screen 702 is a screen that is output by pressing the model specification registration button 722 described above, or a screen that can be further called up from this screen. This screen outputs information 731 to 734, including the model of the work machine 20, the specifications of the front attachment 23, the attitude of the work machine 20, and the shoe width of the crawler.

[0091] Furthermore, the confirmation screen 702 outputs information on each part of the front attachment 23 according to the specifications of the front attachment 23. Fig. 14A shows a case where a tower specification including a tower boom and a tower jib is selected as the specification of the front attachment 23. In this case, the confirmation screen 702 outputs information 735 to 745, such as the type, length, and angle of the tower boom, the weight of the hook (hoisting device) suspended from the tower boom (including whether or not a hook is included), the length and angle of the tower jib, the weight of the jib hook (hoisting device) suspended from the jib (including whether or not a jib hook is included), the suspension length of the hook, whether or not a short jib is included, the weight of the short jib hook suspended from the short jib (including whether or not a short jib hook is included), and the suspension length of the short jib hook.

[0092] Furthermore, the confirmation screen 702 includes a change button 746 for changing information 731 to 734, a change button 747 for changing information 735 to 745, and an OK button 748 indicating completion of confirmation. By operating the change button 746 and operating the row to be changed among the information 731 to 734, the information to be changed can be changed. Similarly, by operating the change button 747 and operating the row to be changed among the information 735 to 745, the information to be changed can be changed.

[0093] 14B shows a change screen 703 for the model information 731 of the work machine 20. A window 751 displaying a list of multiple change candidate model names is output on the change screen 703. The worker can select a post-change model name from the list displayed in window 751, and the model information 731 of the work machine 20 is changed to the selected model name.

[0094] 15A shows a change screen 704 for information 736 on the length of the tower boom of the front attachment 23. A window 752 is output on the change screen 704, displaying a list of multiple lengths that are candidates for change. The worker can select a new length from the list displayed in window 752, and the information 736 on the length of the tower boom is changed to the selected length.

[0095] 15B shows a change screen 705 for changing information 741 about the weight of the jib hook of the front attachment 23. A window 753 is output on the change screen 705, displaying a list of multiple weights that can be changed. The worker can select a new weight from the list displayed in the window 753, and the jib hook weight information 741 is changed to the selected weight.

[0096] Figure 16 shows a screen 706 for registering the model specifications of the work machine 20. This screen 706 is called up by operating the model specification registration button 722 on the top screen 701 in Figure 13. Screen 706 is a scrollable screen, and multiple items 761 (items corresponding to information 737 to 745 in Figure 16) corresponding to the multiple pieces of information 731 to 745 shown in Figure 14A are output. The multiple items 761 include items in which measurement data of the work machine 20 is registered via communication with the work machine 20, and items 761 to be input by the worker (items indicated by ">" in Figure 16). When the worker selects an item 761 to input, output similar to that of screens 703 to 705 in Figures 14B, 15A and 15B is displayed, allowing the worker to input data.

[0097] FIG. 17A shows a lateral tilt registration screen 707. This screen 707 is displayed when the lateral tilt registration button 725 on the top screen 701 is pressed. This screen 707 displays a frame 770 in which the entered lateral tilt information is displayed, an image frame 771 in which an explanation of the input method is displayed, and buttons 772 to 774 for coordinate input, numerical input, and OK. The coordinate input button 772 is a button for registering data using the positioning function of the unmanned aerial vehicle 40. The numerical input button 773 is a button for the operator to input numerical values ​​for the lateral tilt. The OK button 774 is a button for returning to the top screen 701.

[0098] Figure 17B shows a coordinate input screen 708 that is called up by operating the coordinate input button 772 in Figure 17A. Screen 708 displays an image 776 explaining the coordinate input method, multiple information items 777 that output the input information, a hook type selection button 778 that selects the type of hook (hanging device) on which the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 will be placed when acquiring coordinates, a position acquisition button 779 that notifies the timing of coordinate position acquisition, and an OK button 780. Image 776 is an image that explains the processing content of the worker in step S2 in Figure 9. The position acquisition button 779 is a button that notifies the placement of the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 in step S2 in Figure 9. The multiple information items 777 include the latitude and longitude measured by the unmanned aerial vehicle 40, the working radius calculated from the latitude and longitude, the working radius calculated from the model specifications, the left and right tilt angles, the left and right distance from the base end 249 (foot portion) of the boom 24 to the tip of the boom 24, and the reference station used for RTK (Real Time Kinematic) positioning. Of these, the latitude, longitude, the working radius calculated from the latitude and longitude, the left and right tilt angles, and the left and right distance from the base end 249 to the tip are automatically input based on the positioning of the unmanned aerial vehicle 40. The working radius calculated from the model specifications is calculated based on the registered data of the model specifications.

[0099] 18 shows a numerical value input screen 709 that is called up by operating the numerical value input button 773 in FIG. 17A. This screen displays a field 781 in which a numerical value for left and right tilt can be input, an image 782 indicating the positive and negative directions of the tilt, and an OK button 783. The worker can input the tilt angle value obtained by the worker's measurement into field 781 and return to the original setting screen by pressing the OK button 783.

[0100] Figure 19A shows a flight route setting screen 710 that is called up by operating the flight setting button 721 in Figure 17A. Screen 710 displays a schematic diagram of the work machine 20 in use that was registered during model specification registration, and a schematic diagram of the created flight route R. Screen 710 displays a cursor button 785 for selecting a plurality of ordered points that represent the flight route R and for increasing or decreasing the value, a flight point selection button 787 that starts the operation of selecting one of the plurality of points, an edit button 786 for editing the selected point, and an OK button 788 for exiting the flight route setting screen 710.

[0101] Figure 19B shows the flight plan confirmation screen 711 called up by the OK button 788 in Figure 19A. This screen outputs information about the photography process when the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 flies, information about the flight, and information about the status of the work machine 20. The worker can confirm this information and operate the complete button 789 to complete the process of creating the flight route R.

[0102] As described above, the support device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention determines the flight path R of the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 based on the lateral positional deviation between the upper rotating body 22 and the tip of the boom 24. Therefore, a flight path R that corresponds to the lateral bending of the boom 24 can be created with simple settings. Note that the lateral positional deviation may be determined by attaching an inclinometer and a position measuring device to the tip of the boom 24 and using the measured values ​​to allow the support device 100 to determine the positional deviation. Alternatively, the position of the tip of the boom 24 may be measured using a surveying instrument (e.g., a transit), and the support device 100 may determine the positional deviation based on the measured values.

[0103] Furthermore, according to the support device 100 of an embodiment of the present invention, the positional deviation is determined by acquiring left-right positional information of the undercarriage 21 and the upper revolving body 22 measured by the positioning unit 421 of the unmanned air vehicle 40, and left-right positional information of the tip of the boom 24 measured by the positioning unit 421 of the unmanned air vehicle 40. Therefore, the support device 100 can acquire the positional deviation without requiring dedicated surveying equipment. Note that the means for acquiring left-right positional information of the undercarriage 21 and the upper revolving body 22 is not limited to the above example, and a separate positioning unit such as a GNSS receiver may be mounted on the main body of the upper revolving body 22, etc., and the information may be acquired by positioning by the positioning unit.

[0104] Furthermore, according to the support device 100 of the embodiment of the present invention, the left-right position of the tip of the boom 24 is set based on position information of the hoisting device 28 suspended from the tip of the boom 24 to the same height as the lower traveling body 21 or the upper rotating body 22. The same height means a height at which they partially overlap when viewed horizontally. In this embodiment, the position information of the hoisting device 28 in a state in which the hoisting device 28 is suspended to the same height as the crawler of the lower traveling body 21 is applied. Therefore, the position information of the tip of the boom 24 can be easily obtained by measuring at a low position. Note that the acquisition of the left-right position information of the tip of the boom 24 is not limited to the method used in this embodiment. For example, similar measurements may be performed by suspending another object instead of the hoisting device 28, or a configuration may be adopted in which the above-mentioned position information is acquired by flying an unmanned aerial vehicle 40 to the tip of the boom 24 and performing positioning.

[0105] Furthermore, according to the support device 100 of the embodiment of the present invention, the position information of the suspending device 28 lowered to a low position as described above is information measured by the positioning unit 421 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 arranged in correspondence with the suspended suspending device 28. With this configuration, the above position information can be obtained without the need for dedicated surveying equipment.

[0106] Furthermore, according to the support device 100 of the embodiment of the present invention, the flight path R of the unmanned aerial vehicle is determined based on the longitudinal and vertical positions of the tip of the boom 24, which are determined based on the boom hoisting angle, in addition to the lateral positional deviation. Therefore, the support device 100 can create a flight path R corresponding to the boom 24 when the boom 24 is at various hoisting angles, and can provide work support.

[0107] Furthermore, according to the support device 100 of the embodiment of the present invention, information is output that allows a comparison and verification of the lateral positional deviation of the tip of the boom 24 with the actual positional deviation (see the output image in FIG. 12 ). Therefore, the operator can recognize a situation that may contain some kind of data error early on through the above-mentioned comparison and verification. Note that the above-mentioned information output that allows for comparison and verification is not limited to the example of the embodiment. For example, it may be configured to output a schematic image of the main body (undercarriage 21 or upper revolving body 22) of the work machine 20 and the hoisting device 28, or it may be configured to output an image showing the position of the hoisting device 28 determined by measurement superimposed on an image of the actual main body (undercarriage 21 or upper revolving body 22) of the work machine 20 and the hoisting device 28. Any information output may be used as long as the above-mentioned comparison and verification is possible.

[0108] Furthermore, according to the support device 100 of the embodiment of the present invention, an error determination is made based on the lateral positional deviation of the tip of the boom 24 when the positional deviation exceeds a threshold. Therefore, the error determination allows the operator to recognize that the lateral tilt is excessive. The error determination can inform the operator of the possibility of an error in the setting items in which the data used to calculate the positional deviation is set, and can alert the operator. Note that the error determination does not only alert the operator when there is a possibility of an error, but also includes a configuration for determining whether the setting was successful. Note that the positional deviation used as an indicator for error determination may be a vertical positional deviation instead of a horizontal positional deviation.

[0109] The above describes an embodiment of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the above embodiment, position information measured by the positioning unit 421 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 40 is used to obtain the amount of misalignment between the upper rotating body 22 and the tip of the boom 24 in the left-right direction. However, the amount of misalignment may be obtained by other methods. For example, with the sling 28 lowered to the height of the upper rotating body 22, an operator views the upper rotating body 22 from the front, while the display unit 62 outputs an image of the front of the upper rotating body 22 and the scales g1 to g9. The operator then checks where the sling 28 appears to overlap on the front of the upper rotating body 22 and compares it with the image on the display unit 62 to measure the amount of misalignment using the scales g1 to g9 in the image. The operator may then input the measured amount of misalignment numerically via the input unit 61, and the control unit 65 may obtain the amount of misalignment in the left-right direction.

[0110] In addition, in the above embodiment, a crawler crane was used as an example of a work machine. However, the work machine for which the support device of the present invention provides work support may be any other mobile crane, such as a wheeled crane, a truck crane, a rough terrain crane, or an all-terrain crane. The work machine may also be any other work machine as long as it has a boom and the boom can tilt left or right. In addition, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the work support provided by the unmanned aerial vehicle was primarily to support the inspection of a work machine. However, various types of work support may also be applied, such as support for properly controlling the orientation of a suspended load by pulling a rope used to control the orientation of the suspended load, or support for monitoring the surroundings of the work machine. Furthermore, the details shown in the embodiment may be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0111] The disclosures of the specification, drawings and abstract contained in Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-209991, filed on December 13, 2023, are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0112] The present invention can be used in a work machine support device, a flight path creation method, and a program.

[0113] 20 Work machine 21 Undercarriage (main body) 22 Upper rotating body (main body) 24 Boom 40 Unmanned aerial vehicle 41 Camera (detection unit) 421 Positioning unit (position measuring device) 60 Information terminal 65 Control unit 100 Support device ΔX Position deviation in the left-right direction R Flight path

Claims

1. A work machine support device that uses an unmanned aerial vehicle to support a work machine having a boom that is supported on a main body in a manner that allows it to be raised or lowered, and determines the flight path of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the left-right positional deviation between the main body and the tip of the boom.

2. A support device for a work machine as described in claim 1, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle has a position measuring device that measures its own position, and obtains, as the position deviation, position information in the left-right direction of the main body and position information in the left-right direction of the tip of the boom measured by the position measuring device.

3. A support device for a work machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the left-right position of the tip of the boom is set based on position information of an object suspended from the tip of the boom at the same height as the main body.

4. An assistance device for a work machine as described in claim 3, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle has a position measuring device that measures its own position, and the position information of the object is measured by the position measuring device of the unmanned aerial vehicle positioned in correspondence with the suspended object.

5. A support device for a work machine as described in claim 1, which determines the flight path of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the positional deviation as well as the forward / rearward and vertical positions of the tip of the boom based on the boom elevation angle.

6. A support device for a work machine as set forth in claim 1, which outputs information that enables a comparison between an actual positional deviation in the left-right direction between said main body and the tip of said boom and said positional deviation acquired by said support device.

7. A support device for a work machine as described in claim 2, which makes an error judgment suggesting an error in the setting data based on the difference between the magnitude of positional deviation calculated from the acquired position information of the main body and the acquired position information of the tip of the boom, and the magnitude of the positional deviation calculated based on setting data.

8. A method for creating a flight path for flying an unmanned aerial vehicle around a boom supported on the main body of a work machine in a manner that allows it to be raised or lowered, comprising the steps of: hanging an object from the tip of the boom, placing the unmanned aerial vehicle in a position corresponding to the hung object, obtaining position information of the placed unmanned aerial vehicle, and creating a flight path for the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the position information and the position information of the main body.

9. A program for causing a computer that uses an unmanned aerial vehicle to support a work machine having a boom that can be raised or lowered on a main body to function as a means for determining the flight path of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the left-right positional deviation between the main body and the tip of the boom.

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