Aerial vehicle, battery replacement method, and program

Abstract

This aerial vehicle has a body part, a first battery, a battery attachment part, and an attachment / detachment mechanism. The body part has a drive part for flying. The first battery is attached to the body part and supplies electrical power to the drive part. During a condition in which a second battery capable of supplying electrical power to the drive part by being attached to a lower surface of the body part is not attached, if the aerial vehicle descends and lands from above the second battery, which has been arranged, the battery attachment part can receive the second battery. In the landed position in which the second battery has been received, the attachment / detachment mechanism can hold and release the second battery. Thus, provided are an aerial vehicle and similar wherein simple battery replacement is possible.

Description

Flying vehicle, battery replacement method and program

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an aircraft, a battery replacement method, and a program.

[0002] In the field of drones, there is a demand for longer flight distances. To achieve this, technologies have been proposed that supply power during flight.

[0003] For example, the energy supply method described in Patent Document 1 includes power supply from a battery, reliability evaluation and selection of two types of backup energy sources, and a function as an energy source when the battery is disconnected.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-172255

[0005] However, with the above-mentioned technology, the equipment for battery replacement becomes long and large.

[0006] In view of the above-mentioned problems, the object of the present disclosure is to provide an aircraft or the like that allows for easy battery replacement.

[0007] The aircraft disclosed herein has a main body, a first battery, a battery mounting unit, and an attachment / detachment mechanism. The main body has a drive unit for flight. The first battery is mounted to the main body and supplies power to the drive unit. The battery mounting unit is capable of receiving a second battery when it descends from above the placed second battery and lands, without a second battery mounted on the underside of the main body that can supply power to the drive unit. The attachment / detachment mechanism is capable of retaining and releasing the second battery in a position after receiving the second battery and landing.

[0008] In the battery replacement method disclosed herein, a computer executes the following processes: The computer receives mounting position information regarding a mounting position where a second battery to be attached to the aircraft is placed; The computer sets a release position for the aircraft to release the second battery in use within a range that allows the aircraft to move to the mounting position using the remaining power of the first battery; The computer lands at the set release position and releases the second battery in use; The computer takes off with the second battery still released and lands at the mounting position; The computer attaches the second battery to the mounting position and takes off.

[0009] The program disclosed herein causes a computer to execute the following battery replacement method. The computer receives mounting position information regarding a mounting position where a second battery to be attached to the aircraft is placed. The computer sets a release position for the aircraft to release the second battery in use within a range that allows the aircraft to move to the mounting position using the remaining power of the first battery. The computer lands at the set release position and releases the second battery in use. The computer takes off with the second battery still released and lands at the mounting position. The computer attaches the second battery to the mounting position and takes off.

[0010] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an aircraft that allows for easy battery replacement, a method for easy battery replacement, and a program for performing easy battery replacement.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an aircraft according to the present disclosure; FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an aircraft according to the present disclosure; FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a battery replacement method for an aircraft; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state in which an aircraft undergoes battery replacement; FIG. 5 is a second configuration diagram of an aircraft according to the present disclosure; FIG. 6 is a second block diagram of an aircraft according to the present disclosure; FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the center of gravity position of an aircraft; FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of a computer.

[0012] The present invention will be described below through embodiments of the invention, but the invention according to the claims is not limited to the following embodiments. Furthermore, not all of the configurations described in the embodiments are necessarily essential means for solving the problems. For clarity of explanation, the following description and drawings have been omitted and simplified as appropriate. In each drawing, the same elements are assigned the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations are omitted as necessary.

[0013] First Embodiment An aircraft 10 will be described with reference to FIG. 1 . The configuration of the aircraft 10 according to the first embodiment will be described using FIG. 1 . The aircraft 10 is an unmanned aerial vehicle, also known as a drone. The aircraft 10 may also be referred to as a UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), an RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems), or a UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems). The aircraft 10 according to the present disclosure is configured to allow a second battery 200 to be attached or detached. The aircraft 10 mainly includes a main body 100, a first battery 110, a battery attachment section 121, and an attachment / detachment mechanism 122.

[0014] The main body 100 is the housing of the flying vehicle 10 and contains various components. For example, the main body 100 has a drive unit 103 for flight. The drive unit 103 includes a motor that rotates a propeller 104. The main body 100 also has legs 102. The legs 102 come into contact with the landing surface when the flying vehicle 10 lands to support the main body 100. The main body 100 also has a first battery 110, a control circuit, etc.

[0015] The first battery 110 is attached to the main body 100 and supplies power to the drive unit 103. The first battery 110 may be a primary battery or a secondary battery. The first battery 110 may be detachable.

[0016] The battery mounting section 121 is provided on the underside of the main body 100 and receives the second battery 200 on the underside of the main body 100. When the second battery 200 is mounted on the aircraft 10, the aircraft 10 without the second battery 200 mounted descends from above the second battery 200 placed on a predetermined surface to the second battery 200. In this case, the attachment / detachment mechanism 122 can receive the second battery 200 when it descends from above the placed second battery 200 and lands. The battery mounting section 121 is provided with an attachment / detachment mechanism 122 and a connector 123.

[0017] The attachment / detachment mechanism 122 is capable of retaining and releasing the second battery 200 when the second battery 200 is received and in a landed attitude. The attachment / detachment mechanism 122 corresponds to the attachment / detachment mechanism 202 of the second battery 200. The attachment / detachment mechanism 122 engages with the attachment / detachment mechanism 202 when the second battery 200 is attached to the battery attachment section 121. This allows the attachment / detachment mechanism 122 to hold the second battery 200 without rattle. The attachment / detachment mechanism 122 may include, for example, a locking mechanism that uses the elasticity of a spring. The attachment / detachment mechanism 122 may also include a holding mechanism that uses the attractive force of a magnetic material. The attachment / detachment mechanism 122 may also have both of these.

[0018] The connector 123 corresponds to the connector 203 of the second battery 200. The connector 123 is configured to be able to supply power from the second battery 200 to the drive unit 103 when the second battery 200 is attached to the underside of the main body 100. The connector 123 is configured, for example, to be energized when the contacts come into direct contact with the connector 203. The connector 123 may also be configured, for example, to transmit power from the second battery 200 to the aircraft 10 by utilizing short-range electromagnetic induction.

[0019] The battery mounting section 121 may have a mechanism for vertical displacement. If such a mechanism is provided, the battery mounting section 121 can be displaced downward, for example, when attaching or detaching the second battery 200. Therefore, after the aircraft 10 lands above the second battery 200, the battery mounting section 121 can be lowered to hold the second battery 200 stably and securely.

[0020] The above describes the flying vehicle 10. The flying vehicle 10 can fly using the power of the first battery 110. Furthermore, when the second battery 200 is attached, the flying vehicle 10 can fly by receiving power from the attached second battery 200. When the second battery 200 is attached, the flying vehicle 10 descends from above the second battery 200 and lands above the second battery 200. The flying vehicle 10 then attaches the second battery 200 to the battery attachment section 121. The above-described configuration of the flying vehicle 10 allows for easy battery attachment.

[0021] Furthermore, the aircraft 10 can land at a predetermined location with the second battery 200 attached and release the second battery 200. After the second battery 200 is released, the aircraft 10 can take off with the second battery 200 released, using the power of the first battery 110. The above-described configuration of the aircraft 10 allows for easy battery replacement.

[0022] <Second Embodiment> Next, the aircraft 10 will be further described with reference to Fig. 2. A block diagram of the aircraft 10 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 2. In addition to the configuration described above, the aircraft 10 has a control unit 130 and a power management unit 131.

[0023] The control unit 130 is a control circuit including a calculation device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The control unit 130 is communicatively connected to the drive unit 103, the detachment mechanism 122, and the power management unit 131 and controls these components. The control unit 130 also includes non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory stores programs for implementing the functions described herein. That is, the control unit 130 controls various movements of the aircraft 10 by executing the programs stored in the non-volatile memory. The various movements of the aircraft 10 include control of normal operation as well as operations when replacing the second battery 200.

[0024] The control unit 130 is communicatively connected to the power management unit 131 to manage information related to the power supply source for the aircraft 10 and to control the power management unit 131. The aircraft 10 operates by receiving power from either the first battery 110 or the second battery 200. The control unit 130 provides instructions to the power management unit 131 to select the battery from which the power will be supplied.

[0025] The power management unit 131 has the function of selecting whether to use the power received from the first battery 110 or the power received from the second battery 200 via the connector 123 as the power supply source for the aircraft 10. The power management unit 131 performs the above selection upon receiving instructions from the control unit 130. The power management unit 131 may also receive data regarding the usage status of the first battery 110 and the second battery 200 and supply the received data to the control unit 130. The data regarding the usage status of the first battery 110 and the second battery 200 may include, for example, the supply voltage and the supply voltage history.

[0026] For example, when the second battery 200 is attached to the main body 100, the power management unit 131 supplies power to the drive unit 103 from the first battery 110 or the second battery 200. On the other hand, when the second battery 200 is removed, the power management unit 131 controls the current of the first battery 110 and the second battery 200 so that power is supplied to the drive unit 103 from the first battery 110.

[0027] Next, a battery replacement method executed by the aircraft 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing the battery replacement method executed by the aircraft 10. The battery replacement method shown in Fig. 3 shows the processing executed by the control unit 130. The flowchart shown in Fig. 3 starts from a state in which the aircraft 10 is flying while holding the second battery 200.

[0028] The control unit 130 receives mounting position information regarding the mounting position where the second battery for mounting to the aircraft is placed (step S11).

[0029] Next, the control unit 130 sets a release position for releasing the second battery in use within a range that allows the aircraft to move to the mounting position using the remaining power of the first battery (step S12).

[0030] Next, the control unit 130 lands the drone at the set release position and releases the second battery that is in use (step S13).

[0031] Next, the control unit 130 takes off with the second battery disconnected (step S14) and lands at the mounting position (step S15).

[0032] Next, the control unit 130 mounts the second battery at the mounting position and takes off (step S16).

[0033] The above describes the battery replacement method performed by the aircraft 10. The aircraft 10 may perform a part of the above-described method or a part of the above-described method with a modification, so as to only remove the second battery 200. Similarly, the aircraft 10 may only install the second battery 200.

[0034] Next, the state of the aircraft 10 undergoing battery replacement will be described with reference to Figure 4. Figure 4 is a diagram showing the state of the aircraft 10 undergoing battery replacement. Figure 4 shows several states of the aircraft 10 superimposed on one diagram as time T passes from time T1 to time T5. Note that in the following description, the second batteries 200A and 200B installed in the aircraft 10 are both second batteries 200. In Figure 4, these batteries are distinguished by adding the letters "A" or "B" after their reference numerals to indicate that they are different batteries.

[0035] First, at time T1, the aircraft 10 is flying while holding the second battery 200A. The aircraft 10 is flying toward the release position P1 to release the second battery 200A. In this state, the aircraft 10 may fly while receiving power from the first battery 110 or the second battery 200A.

[0036] Next, at time T2 after time T1, the aircraft 10 lands at release position P1 and releases the second battery 200A. When the second battery 200A is released, the battery mounting section 121 may descend. With the second battery 200A released, the aircraft 10 operates by receiving power from the first battery 110. When the second battery 200A is released, the aircraft 10 takes off.

[0037] Next, at time T3 after time T2, the aircraft 10 moves from the release position P1 to the attachment position P2. In this state, the aircraft 10 flies while receiving power from the first battery 110. The distance D1 from the release position P1 to the attachment position P2 is set to the distance that can be traveled using the remaining power of the first battery 110.

[0038] Next, at time T4 after time T2, the aircraft 10 lands above the replacement second battery 200B and attaches the second battery 200B to the battery attachment section 121. In this case, the battery attachment section 121 may be lowered to attach the second battery 200B. Once attachment of the second battery 200B is complete, the aircraft 10 may switch the battery being used from the first battery 110 to the second battery 200B. Once attachment of the second battery 200B is complete, the aircraft 10 takes off from attachment position P2.

[0039] Next, at time T5 after time T4, the aircraft 10 is flying with the second battery 200B attached. At this time, the aircraft 10 may fly by receiving power from the first battery 110 or the second battery 200A.

[0040] The above describes the flying vehicle 10. In the present disclosure, the capacity of the first battery 110 of the flying vehicle 10 may be smaller than the capacity of the second battery 200. That is, for example, the first battery 110 is assumed to be used primarily when replacing the second battery 200, and may have a capacity sufficient to fly the above-mentioned distance D1.

[0041] With this configuration, for example, an administrator managing the operation of the aircraft 10 can easily replace the battery in the aircraft 10 by securing the release position and the attachment position and then placing the second battery 200 for attachment in the attachment position.

[0042] Furthermore, for example, if only one landing location is available, the operations manager of the aircraft 10 may set the release position and the attachment position to the same position. In this case, after the aircraft 10 releases the second battery 200 and takes off, the operations manager replaces the second battery 200 in the release position with the second battery 200 for attachment. The aircraft 10 then lands again in the same position as the release position where a new second battery 200 has been placed, attaches the new second battery 200, and takes off.

[0043] The release position P1 and the mounting position P2 may be fixed locations such as the rooftop of a building, a plaza, or a vertiport (airport for vertical takeoff and landing), or may be transportable landing and takeoff sites. The release position P1 and the mounting position P2 may also be on a moving object such as a ship, truck, or airplane.

[0044] The battery replacement state of the aircraft 10 in this disclosure has been described above. When both the first battery 110 and the second battery 200 are attached to the aircraft 10, the aircraft 10 may control the batteries to interchange their power. That is, for example, the aircraft 10 may have a function to supply power from the second battery 200 to the first battery 110. By having such a function, the aircraft 10 can ensure that the capacity of the first battery 110 is sufficient for battery replacement.

[0045] When the flying vehicle 10 releases or attaches the second battery 200, the main body 100 may descend after landing instead of the battery attachment unit 121. In this case, for example, the flying vehicle 10 may have a mechanism that allows the legs 102 and the main body 100 to be displaced in the vertical direction.

[0046] The control unit 130 of the aircraft 10 may be realized by a general-purpose or dedicated circuit, processor, or a combination thereof. These may be configured by a single chip or by multiple chips connected via a bus. Some or all of the components of each device may be realized by a combination of the above-mentioned circuits and programs. Furthermore, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or the like may be used as the processor. Some or all of the functions of the control unit 130 may be built into the aircraft 10, or may be provided by a computer or server connected to the aircraft 10 in a wireless communication manner.

[0047] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide an aircraft that allows for easy battery replacement, a simple battery replacement method, and a program for executing easy battery replacement.

[0048] <Third Embodiment> Next, a third embodiment will be described. The configuration of an aircraft 20 according to the third embodiment will be described using Fig. 5. The aircraft 20 according to the present embodiment differs from the above-described aircraft 10 in that it has a luggage compartment 105, a positioning unit 124, and a distance measurement sensor 125.

[0049] The luggage compartment 105 is provided on the top of the main body 100 and has an openable and closable lid. The flying vehicle 20 can fly with any luggage loaded in the luggage compartment 105.

[0050] The attachment / detachment mechanism 122 according to this embodiment includes a magnetic body on the main body side and a magnetic control unit that controls the magnetic body on the main body side. The magnetic body is, for example, an electromagnet. The magnetic control unit is, for example, a circuit that switches the magnetic properties of the electromagnet. The magnetic body may be a permanent magnet. In this case, the magnetic control unit is a reversing mechanism that reverses the permanent magnet. The magnetic control unit switches the magnetic properties in response to instructions from the control unit 130.

[0051] When the second battery 200 is attached, the magnetic control unit of the attachment / detachment mechanism 122 generates an attractive force between the battery-side magnetic material of the attachment / detachment mechanism 202 of the second battery 200 and the main body-side magnetic material of the battery attachment unit 121. This allows the flying vehicle 20 to hold the second battery 200 in an appropriate manner.

[0052] Furthermore, when the second battery is released, the magnetic control unit of the detachment mechanism 122 generates a repulsive force between the battery-side magnetic material of the detachment mechanism 202 and the main body-side magnetic material of the battery mounting unit 121. This allows the aircraft 20 to appropriately release the second battery 200 and take off smoothly from the released position. Note that the detachment mechanism 122 and the detachment mechanism 202 may also have a mechanical locking mechanism in addition to the holding and release functions using the magnetic material.

[0053] The positioning portion 124 is a positioning pin that corresponds to the positioning portion 204 of the second battery 200. The positioning portion 124 includes a slope that can absorb any misalignment in the planar direction between the main body 100 and the second battery 200 when the second battery 200 is attached to the battery attachment portion 121. In other words, the tip of the positioning portion 124 has a conical shape. Therefore, even if there is a misalignment between the position of the battery attachment portion 121 and the corresponding position of the second battery 200, the positioning portion 124 can absorb the misalignment and guide the second battery 200 into the battery attachment portion 121 as long as the misalignment is smaller than the width of the slope.

[0054] The positioning portion 204 is a positioning hole corresponding to the positioning portion 124. The opening of the positioning portion 204 may have a slope. This further increases the amount of positional deviation absorbed when the battery mounting portion 121 mounts the second battery 200. The relationship between the positioning portion 124 and the positioning portion 204 may be reversed. That is, the positioning portion 124 may be a hole, and the positioning portion 204 may be a pin. Alternatively, the positioning portion 124 may include a slope that can absorb such misalignment in the planar direction on at least one of the battery mounting portion 121 or the second battery 200.

[0055] The distance measurement sensor 125 is disposed on the underside of the main body 100. When the flying object 20 lands at the release position, the distance measurement sensor 125 measures the relative position of the second battery 200 and supplies the measurement data to the control unit 130. This enables the control unit 130 to control the drive unit 103 to ensure a suitable landing above the second battery 200.

[0056] The flying object 20 will be further described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a block diagram of the flying object 20. The control unit 130 of the flying object 20 is communicably connected to the distance measurement sensor 125 and receives measurement data generated by the distance measurement sensor 125. Upon receiving the measurement data from the distance measurement sensor 125, the control unit 130 controls the drive unit 103 in accordance with the measurement data.

[0057] The magnetic control unit of the attachment / detachment mechanism 122 controls the direction of magnetism of the magnetic body in response to instructions from the control unit 130. As a result, when attaching the second battery 200, the attachment / detachment mechanism 122 generates an attractive force between the magnetic body of the attachment / detachment mechanism 202 that is close to it. When releasing the second battery 200, the attachment / detachment mechanism 122 generates a repulsive force between the magnetic body of the main body and the magnetic body of the second battery 200 that are in contact with or close to each other.

[0058] Next, changes in the center of gravity position of the flying object 20 will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing the center of gravity position of the flying object 20. Fig. 7 shows centers of gravity G1 to G4.

[0059] First, the center of gravity G1 will be described. The center of gravity G1 is the position of the center of gravity of the flying vehicle 20 when it is not holding the second battery 200 and the luggage compartment 105 is empty. The height direction position of the center of gravity G1 is below the height H1 of the plane formed by the propeller 104.

[0060] The center of gravity G2 is the position of the center of gravity of the flying vehicle 20 when the second battery 200 is held and the luggage compartment 105 is empty. The height direction position of the center of gravity G2 is lower than the height H1 of the plane formed by the propeller 104 and is lower than the center of gravity G1.

[0061] The center of gravity G3 is the position of the center of gravity of the aircraft 20 when the second battery 200 is not held and the cargo compartment 105 is carrying the heaviest cargo permitted by regulations. The height direction position of the center of gravity G3 is below the height H1. The center of gravity G3 is also closer to the height H1 than the center of gravity G1.

[0062] The center of gravity G4 is the position of the center of gravity of the aircraft 20 when the second battery 200 is held and the cargo compartment 105 is carrying the heaviest cargo permitted by regulations. The height direction position of the center of gravity G4 is below the height H1. The center of gravity G3 is closer to the height H1 than the center of gravity G2.

[0063] Thus, the position of the center of gravity when cargo is loaded is closer to the plane formed by the propeller 104, whether the second battery 200 is installed or not, compared to the position of the center of gravity when cargo is not loaded. That is, for example, when the second battery 200 is installed, the center of gravity of the aircraft 20 is set lower than the plane formed by the multiple propellers 104 rotated by the drive unit 103. The aircraft 20 also has a cargo compartment 105 above the center of gravity. This configuration allows the aircraft 20 to easily replace its battery and reduces the moment of inertia added to the propeller 104 when cargo is loaded. Therefore, the aircraft 20 can be operated in a stable attitude after easily replacing the battery when cargo is loaded.

[0064] The above describes the flying vehicle 10 and the flying vehicle 20, but the flying vehicle 10 and the flying vehicle 20 are not limited to the above configurations. For example, the first battery 110 and the second battery 200 may have the same configuration, and the battery mounting section 121 may have a first attachment / detachment mechanism that can hold and release the first battery 110 and a second attachment / detachment mechanism that can hold and release the second battery 200.

[0065] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide an aircraft that allows for easy battery replacement, a simple battery replacement method, and a program for executing easy battery replacement.

[0066] <Example of Hardware Configuration> Hereinafter, a case where each functional configuration in the present disclosure is realized by a combination of hardware and software will be described.

[0067] FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating an example hardware configuration of a computer. All or part of the functions executed by the control unit 130 in the present disclosure can be realized by a computer 500 including the hardware configuration shown in the figure. The computer 500 may be a portable computer such as a smartphone or tablet terminal, or a stationary computer such as a PC. The computer 500 may be a dedicated computer designed to realize each device, or may be a general-purpose computer. The computer 500 can realize desired functions by installing a predetermined application.

[0068] The computer 500 has a bus 502, a processor 504, a memory 506, a storage device 508, an input / output interface (I / F) 510, and a network interface (I / F) 512. The bus 502 is a data transmission path for the processor 504, the memory 506, the storage device 508, the input / output interface 510, and the network interface 512 to transmit and receive data to and from each other. However, the method of connecting the processor 504 and the like to each other is not limited to bus connection.

[0069] The processor 504 is a processor such as a CPU, a GPU, an FPGA, etc. The memory 506 is a main storage device realized using a RAM (Random Access Memory) or the like.

[0070] The storage device 508 is an auxiliary storage device realized using a hard disk, an SSD, a memory card, a ROM (Read Only Memory), etc. The storage device 508 stores programs for realizing desired functions. The processor 504 reads the programs into the memory 506 and executes them to realize the respective functional components of each device.

[0071] The input / output interface 510 is an interface for connecting the computer 500 with input / output devices. For example, the input / output interface 510 is connected to an input device such as a keyboard and an output device such as a display device.

[0072] The network interface 512 is an interface for connecting the computer 500 to a network.

[0073] Although the present disclosure has been described above with reference to the embodiments, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Various modifications that can be understood by those skilled in the art can be made to the configuration and details of the present disclosure within the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, each embodiment can be combined with other embodiments as appropriate.

[0074] The drawings referenced above are merely examples for illustrating one or more embodiments. Each drawing may relate not only to one particular embodiment, but also to one or more other embodiments. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, various features or steps described with reference to any one drawing can be combined with features or steps shown in one or more other drawings to create, for example, an embodiment not explicitly shown or described. Not all features or steps shown in any one drawing are necessary to describe an exemplary embodiment, and some features or steps may be omitted. The order of steps described in any drawing may be changed as appropriate.

[0075] Some or all of the above embodiments may be described as, but are not limited to, the following supplementary notes. (Supplementary Note 1) An aircraft comprising: a main body having a drive unit for flight; a first battery attached to the main body and supplying power to the drive unit; a battery attachment unit capable of receiving a second battery attached to the underside of the main body and capable of supplying power to the drive unit when the aircraft descends from above the placed second battery and lands in a state where the second battery is not attached; and a detachment mechanism capable of holding and releasing the second battery in an attitude where the aircraft has received the second battery and landed. (Supplementary Note 2) The detachment mechanism includes: a main body-side magnetic body; and a magnetic control unit that controls the main body-side magnetic body, and the magnetic control unit generates an attractive force between the battery-side magnetic body of the second battery and the main body-side magnetic body when the second battery is attached, and generates a repulsive force between the battery-side magnetic body and the main body-side magnetic body when the second battery is released. (Supplementary Note 3) The aircraft described in Supplementary Note 1, wherein at least one of the battery mounting section or the second battery has a positioning section including a slope that can absorb misalignment in a planar direction between the main body and the second battery when the battery mounting section mounts the second battery. (Supplementary Note 4) The aircraft described in Supplementary Note 1, wherein, when the second battery is mounted, the center of gravity of the aircraft is set at a position lower than a plane formed by multiple propellers rotated by the drive section, and a luggage compartment is provided above the center of gravity. (Supplementary Note 5) The aircraft described in Supplementary Note 1, wherein the capacity of the first battery is smaller than the capacity of the second battery. (Supplementary Note 6) The aircraft described in Supplementary Note 1, wherein the first battery and the second battery have the same configuration, and the battery mounting section has a first attachment / detachment mechanism that can hold and release the first battery, and a second attachment / detachment mechanism that can hold and release the second battery. (Supplementary Note 7) The aircraft described in any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 6, further comprising a power management unit that controls the current of the first battery and the second battery so that when the second battery is attached to the main body, power is supplied from the first battery or the second battery to the drive unit, and when the second battery is detached, power is supplied from the first battery to the drive unit.(Supplementary Note 8) The aircraft according to Supplementary Note 7, further comprising a control unit that controls the aircraft when replacing the second battery, wherein the control unit, when receiving mounting position information regarding the mounting position where a second battery is placed, executes a battery replacement method in which the control unit sets a release position for the aircraft to release the second battery in use within a range that can be moved to the mounting position with the remaining power of the first battery, lands at the set release position to release the second battery in use, takes off with the second battery released and lands at the mounting position, attaches the second battery to the mounting position and takes off. (Supplementary Note 9) A battery replacement method in which a computer receives mounting position information regarding the mounting position where a second battery to be attached to the aircraft is placed, sets a release position for the aircraft to release the second battery in use within a range that can be moved to the mounting position with the remaining power of the first battery, lands at the set release position to release the second battery in use, takes off with the second battery released and lands at the mounting position, attaches the second battery to the mounting position and takes off. (Supplementary Note 10) The battery replacement method according to Supplementary Note 9, wherein the flying object comprises: a main body having a drive unit for flight, a first battery attached to the main body and supplying power to the drive unit, a battery attachment unit that can accept a second battery that can be attached to the underside of the main body and supply power to the drive unit when the battery attachment unit descends from above the placed second battery and lands in a state where the second battery is not attached, and an attachment / detachment mechanism that can hold and release the second battery in an attitude where it has accepted the second battery and landed. (Supplementary Note 11) The battery replacement method according to Supplementary Note 10, wherein the attachment / detachment mechanism has: a main body-side magnetic body, and a magnetic control unit that controls the main body-side magnetic body, and the magnetic control unit generates an attractive force between the battery-side magnetic body of the second battery and the main body-side magnetic body when the second battery is attached, and generates a repulsive force between the battery-side magnetic body and the main body-side magnetic body when the second battery is released.(Supplementary Note 12) The battery replacement method described in Supplementary Note 10, wherein at least one of the battery mounting section or the second battery has a positioning section including a slope that can absorb misalignment in a planar direction between the main body section and the second battery when the battery mounting section mounts the second battery. (Supplementary Note 13) The battery replacement method described in Supplementary Note 10, wherein, when the second battery is mounted, the center of gravity of the aircraft is set at a position lower than a plane formed by multiple propellers rotated by the drive section, and a luggage compartment is provided above the center of gravity. (Supplementary Note 14) The battery replacement method described in Supplementary Note 10, wherein the capacity of the first battery is smaller than the capacity of the second battery. (Supplementary Note 15) The battery replacement method described in Supplementary Note 10, wherein the first battery and the second battery have the same configuration, and the battery mounting section has a first attachment / detachment mechanism that can hold and release the first battery, and a second attachment / detachment mechanism that can hold and release the second battery. (Supplementary Note 16) The battery replacement method of any one of Supplementary Notes 10 to 15, wherein the current of the first battery and the second battery is controlled so that when the second battery is attached to the main body, power is supplied to the drive unit from the first battery or the second battery, and when the second battery is detached, power is supplied to the drive unit from the first battery. (Supplementary Note 17) A program that causes a computer to execute a battery replacement method, comprising: receiving attachment position information relating to an attachment position where a second attachable battery to be attached to an aircraft is placed; setting a release position for the aircraft to release the second battery in use within a range that allows the aircraft to move to the attachment position with the remaining power of the first battery; landing the aircraft at the set release position and releasing the second battery in use; taking off with the second battery detached and landing at the attachment position; and attaching the second attachable battery at the attachment position and taking off. (Appendix 18) The program described in Appendix 17, wherein the attachment / detachment mechanism has a main body side magnetic body and a magnetic control unit that controls the main body side magnetic body, and the magnetic control unit generates an attractive force between the battery side magnetic body of the second battery and the main body side magnetic body when the second battery is attached, and generates a repulsive force between the battery side magnetic body and the main body side magnetic body when the second battery is released.(Supplementary Note 19) The program according to Supplementary Note 17, wherein at least one of the battery mounting unit and the second battery has a positioning unit including a slope that can absorb misalignment in a planar direction between the main body and the second battery when the battery mounting unit mounts the second battery. (Supplementary Note 20) The program according to Supplementary Note 17, wherein, when the second battery is mounted, the center of gravity of the aircraft is set at a position lower than a plane formed by multiple propellers rotated by the drive unit, and a luggage compartment is provided above the center of gravity.

[0076] Some or all of the elements described in Supplementary Notes 2 to 8 that are dependent on Supplementary Note 1 may also be dependent in a similar manner on the method of Supplementary Note 9 or the program of Supplementary Note 17. Some or all of the elements described in any Supplementary Note may be applied to various hardware, software, recording means for recording software, systems, and methods.

[0077] The program includes instructions (or software code) that, when loaded into a computer, cause the computer to perform one or more functions described in the embodiments. The program may be stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium or a tangible storage medium. By way of example and not limitation, computer-readable media or tangible storage media include random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, solid-state drive (SSD) or other memory technologies, CD-ROM, digital versatile disc (DVD), Blu-ray disc or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassette, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage device. The program may also be transmitted on a transitory computer-readable medium or communication medium. By way of example and not limitation, transitory computer-readable media or communication media include electrical, optical, acoustic, or other forms of propagated signals.

[0078] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-213225, filed December 18, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0079] 10 Aircraft 20 Aircraft 100 Main body 102 Legs 103 Drive unit 104 Propeller 105 Luggage compartment 110 First battery 121 Battery mounting unit 122 Attachment / detachment mechanism 123 Connector 124 Positioning unit 125 Distance measurement sensor 130 Control unit 131 Power management unit 200 Second battery 201 Battery housing 202 Attachment / detachment mechanism 203 Connector 204 Positioning unit 500 Computer 502 Bus 504 Processor 506 Memory 508 Storage device 510 Input / output I / F 512 Network I / F 900 User terminal P1 Release position P2 Mounting position

Claims

1. An aircraft comprising: a main body having a drive unit for flight; a first battery attached to the main body and supplying power to the drive unit; a battery attachment unit capable of receiving a second battery when the aircraft descends from above the second battery and lands in a state in which a second battery capable of supplying power to the drive unit by being attached to the underside of the main body is not attached; and an attachment / detachment mechanism capable of retaining and releasing the second battery in a position in which the aircraft has received the second battery and landed.

2. The flying vehicle described in claim 1, wherein the attachment / detachment mechanism has a body-side magnetic body and a magnetic control unit that controls the body-side magnetic body, and the magnetic control unit generates an attractive force between the battery-side magnetic body of the second battery and the body-side magnetic body when the second battery is attached, and generates a repulsive force between the battery-side magnetic body and the body-side magnetic body when the second battery is released.

3. The aircraft described in claim 1, wherein at least one of the battery mounting section or the second battery has a positioning section including a slope capable of absorbing misalignment in the planar direction between the main body section and the second battery when the battery mounting section mounts the second battery.

4. The aircraft described in claim 1, wherein, when the second battery is installed, the center of gravity of the aircraft is set at a position lower than the plane formed by the multiple propellers rotated by the drive unit, and a luggage compartment is provided above the center of gravity.

5. The flying vehicle of claim 1, wherein the capacity of the first battery is less than the capacity of the second battery.

6. The aircraft described in claim 1, wherein the first battery and the second battery have the same configuration, and the battery mounting section has a first attachment / detachment mechanism capable of holding and releasing the first battery, and a second attachment / detachment mechanism capable of holding and releasing the second battery.

7. An aircraft as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a power management unit that controls the current of the first battery and the second battery so that when the second battery is attached to the main body, power is supplied from the first battery or the second battery to the drive unit, and when the second battery is detached, power is supplied from the first battery to the drive unit.

8. The aircraft of claim 7, further comprising a control unit that controls the aircraft when the second battery is replaced, wherein the control unit, when receiving mounting position information regarding the mounting position where an attachable second battery is placed, executes a battery replacement method in which the control unit sets a release position for the aircraft to release the second battery in use within a range that allows the aircraft to move to the mounting position using the residual power of the first battery, lands at the set release position to release the second battery in use, takes off with the second battery released and lands at the mounting position, and attaches the second battery to be attached at the mounting position and takes off.

9. A battery replacement method in which a computer receives mounting position information regarding an attachment position where a second battery to be attached to an aircraft is placed, sets a release position for the aircraft to release the second battery in use within a range that can be moved to the attachment position using the residual power of the first battery, lands the aircraft at the set release position and releases the second battery in use, takes off with the second battery released and lands at the attachment position, and attaches the second battery to the aircraft at the attachment position and takes off.

10. The battery replacement method described in claim 9, wherein the flying vehicle comprises: a main body having a drive unit for flight; a first battery attached to the main body and supplying power to the drive unit; a battery attachment unit capable of receiving the second battery when the flying vehicle descends from above the second battery placed on the main body and lands in a state in which a second battery capable of supplying power to the drive unit by being attached to the underside of the main body is not attached; and a detachment mechanism capable of holding and releasing the second battery in a position in which the flying vehicle has received the second battery and landed.

11. The battery replacement method described in claim 10, wherein the attachment / detachment mechanism has a main body side magnetic body and a magnetic control unit that controls the main body side magnetic body, and the magnetic control unit generates an attractive force between the battery side magnetic body of the second battery and the main body side magnetic body when the second battery is attached, and generates a repulsive force between the battery side magnetic body and the main body side magnetic body when the second battery is released.

12. The battery replacement method described in claim 10, wherein at least one of the battery mounting section or the second battery has a positioning section including a slope that can absorb misalignment in the planar direction between the main body section and the second battery when the battery mounting section mounts the second battery.

13. The battery replacement method described in claim 10, wherein, when the second battery is installed, the center of gravity of the flying object is set at a position lower than a plane formed by multiple propellers rotated by the drive unit, and a luggage compartment is provided above the center of gravity.

14. The battery replacement method according to claim 10, wherein the capacity of the first battery is less than the capacity of the second battery.

15. The battery replacement method described in claim 10, wherein the first battery and the second battery have the same configuration, and the battery attachment section has a first attachment / detachment mechanism capable of holding and releasing the first battery, and a second attachment / detachment mechanism capable of holding and releasing the second battery.

16. A battery replacement method as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 15, wherein the current of the first battery and the second battery is controlled so that when the second battery is attached to the main body, power is supplied to the drive unit from the first battery or the second battery, and when the second battery is removed, power is supplied to the drive unit from the first battery.

17. A program causing a computer to execute a battery replacement method, which includes receiving mounting position information regarding a mounting position where a second battery to be attached to an aircraft is placed, setting a release position for the aircraft to release the second battery in use within a range that can be moved to the mounting position using the residual power of the first battery, landing at the set release position and releasing the second battery in use, taking off with the second battery released and landing at the mounting position, and attaching the second battery to be attached at the mounting position and taking off.

18. The program described in claim 17, wherein the attachment / detachment mechanism has a main body side magnetic body and a magnetic control unit that controls the main body side magnetic body, and the magnetic control unit generates an attractive force between the battery side magnetic body of the second battery and the main body side magnetic body when the second battery is attached, and generates a repulsive force between the battery side magnetic body and the main body side magnetic body when the second battery is released.

19. The program described in claim 17, wherein at least one of the battery mounting section or the second battery has a positioning section including a slope that can absorb misalignment in the planar direction between the main body section and the second battery when the battery mounting section mounts the second battery.

20. The program described in claim 17, wherein, when the second battery is installed, the center of gravity of the flying body is set at a position lower than the plane formed by the multiple propellers rotated by the drive unit, and a luggage compartment is provided above the center of gravity.

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