Moving body, control method, and program

Abstract

[PROBLEM] To maintain the position of a moving body while ensuring the safety of the moving body and an object. [SOLUTION] A moving body includes: a drive part which generates propulsion force and advances toward an object; and an arm which comes into contact with the object and maintains a fixed space between the object and the drive part. The arm has an impact mitigating part which mitigates the pressure applied to the object by the drive part.

Description

Mobile object, control method, and program

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a mobile object, a control method, and a program.

[0002] In recent years, unmanned aerial vehicles such as drones have been used for a variety of purposes. For example, a technology has been proposed for inspecting the wall surface of a building using an unmanned aerial vehicle while maintaining a constant distance from the wall surface of the building (see Patent Document 1).

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-181972

[0004] In hammering inspections of building walls, a mobile object, including an unmanned aerial vehicle, strikes the target with a hammer or other tool. This strike generates a reaction that moves the mobile object backward. In response, the mobile object generates a thrust force that moves it forward toward the target, thereby offsetting the reaction and maintaining its own position.

[0005] However, if the forward propulsive force and the backward reaction force are not balanced, the moving body will not be able to stably maintain its own position. Furthermore, if the moving body collides with an object, the moving body and the object may be damaged. Patent Document 1 does not disclose a method for maintaining the moving body's position while keeping the moving body and the object safe.

[0006] Therefore, the present disclosure provides a mobile body, a control method, and a program that can maintain its own position while maintaining the safety of the mobile body and an object.

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, according to the present disclosure, there is provided a moving body comprising: a drive unit that generates a propulsive force and moves forward relative to an object; and an arm that contacts the object and maintains a constant distance between the object and the drive unit, wherein the arm has an impact absorbing part that absorbs the pressure that the drive unit applies to the object.

[0008] The robot may further include a working member that performs a predetermined task on the object, and the drive unit may generate the propulsive force so as to cancel out a reaction that causes the working member to move backward due to the task.

[0009] The impact absorbing portion may include a damper that expands and contracts in response to pressure applied to the object.

[0010] The impact absorbing portion may have at least one of an elastic body, a ball roller, or a suction cup that comes into contact with the object.

[0011] The impact absorbing portion may have a suction cup that adheres to the contact surface of the object, the suction cup having a handle portion for removing the suction cup from the contact surface, and the damper may have a hook portion that is positioned so as to catch on the handle portion when the damper contracts.

[0012] The device may include a sounding rod that sounds the object, and an inspection unit that inspects the state of the object based on the sounding sound of the sounding rod, wherein the sounding rod sounds a predetermined sounding position of the object multiple times, and the suction cup may be attached to the contact surface so as to fix the positional relationship between the drive unit and the sounding position during the multiple soundings.

[0013] The device may include a sounding rod that sounds the object, and an inspection unit that inspects the state of the object based on the sounding sound of the sounding rod, wherein the arm has a ball roller that rolls against the contact surface of the object, the ball roller moves in parallel on the contact surface as the drive unit moves, and the sounding rod may translate the percussion point of the object in accordance with the translation of the ball roller.

[0014] The robot may further include a lift generating unit that generates lift to lift the drive unit, and a landing gear that deploys the arm in response to the drive unit being lifted.

[0015] The driving unit may be provided with at least one of a distance sensor that detects the distance between the object and the driving unit, or a pressure sensor that detects the pressure that the driving unit applies to the object, and the driving unit may adjust the propulsion force according to the measurement value of the distance sensor or the pressure sensor.

[0016] The device may be equipped with at least one of a distance measurement sensor that detects the distance between the object and the drive unit, or a pressure sensor that detects the pressure that the drive unit applies to the object, wherein the distance measurement sensor or the pressure sensor measures the distance or pressure after the landing gear deploys the arm, and the drive unit may adjust the propulsion force according to the measurement value of the distance measurement sensor or the pressure sensor.

[0017] The device comprises the distance measuring sensor and the pressure sensor, and a control unit that controls the measurements of the distance measuring sensor and the pressure sensor, and when the distance measuring sensor cannot detect the distance between the drive unit and the object, the control unit may cause the pressure sensor to detect the pressure that the drive unit applies to the object, or when the pressure sensor cannot detect the pressure that the drive unit applies to the object, the control unit may cause the distance measuring sensor to detect the distance between the drive unit and the object.

[0018] It could also be a drone.

[0019] The present disclosure also provides a control method comprising the steps of: moving a moving body forward with a predetermined propulsive force toward an object; bringing an arm into contact with the object to maintain a positional relationship with the object; and using at least one of a distance sensor or a pressure sensor to detect the distance to the object or the pressure exerted on the object, and adjusting the propulsive force according to the distance or pressure detected by the distance sensor or pressure sensor.

[0020] Furthermore, according to the present disclosure, a program is provided for causing a computer to execute the steps of: moving a moving body forward toward an object with a predetermined propulsive force; bringing an arm into contact with the object to maintain a positional relationship with the object; and using at least one of a distance sensor or a pressure sensor to detect the distance to the object or the pressure applied to the object, and adjusting the propulsive force according to the distance or pressure detected by the distance sensor or pressure sensor.

[0021] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a moving body according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a moving body according to a first configuration example of the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a side view showing a moving body according to a second configuration example of the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a moving body according to a third configuration example of the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a first configuration example of an arm according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a second configuration example of an arm according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a third configuration example of an arm according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a system configuration of a moving body according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a configuration of a moving body according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a system configuration of a moving body according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 11 is a first example of a flowchart for realizing a method for maintaining self-position of a moving body according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 12 is a second example of a flowchart for realizing a method for maintaining self-position of a moving body according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is a third example of a flowchart for realizing a method for maintaining self-position of a moving body according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] Hereinafter, embodiments of a mobile object, a control method, and a program will be described with reference to the drawings. The following description will focus on the main components of the mobile object, the control method, and the program, but the mobile object, the control method, and the program may include components and functions that are not shown or described. The following description does not exclude components and functions that are not shown or described.

[0023] 1 is a diagram showing a mobile object 1 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. The mobile object 1 has a working member 2, a drive unit 3, and an arm (self-positioning arm) 10. In this specification, an example in which the mobile object 1 is a drone will be described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the mobile object 1 may also be a vehicle, a robot, a manned aircraft, or the like.

[0024] The mobile body 1 uses the work member 2 to perform a predetermined task on the object A. The predetermined task includes inspection and repair work that involves physical contact between the work member 2 and the object A, such as a hammering test on the object A or painting with a roller or the like. The predetermined task also includes work that does not involve physical contact between the work member 2 and the object A, such as spraying onto the object A. The object A is, for example, the wall surface of a building.

[0025] The working member 2 is, for example, a spray can for painting, a painting roller, or a tapping rod (e.g., a hammer) for tapping inspection. The working member 2 may be held by the arm 10, or may be held by an arm different from the arm 10. The working member 2 may also be attached to the main body of the moving body 1. Fig. 1 shows an example in which the working member 2 is a spray can.

[0026] The drive unit 3 generates thrust to drive the moving body 1. The drive unit 3 has, for example, multiple propellers (lift generating units) 4. The drive unit 3 also has control devices such as a propeller motor that drives and controls the propellers 4, and a motor driver. The drive unit 3 controls the rotation speed of each of the multiple propellers 4 to generate thrust for moving the moving body 1.

[0027] In this specification, the main body of the moving body 1, including the propeller 4, the propeller arm 5, the frame 6, etc., may be referred to as the drive unit 3.

[0028] The work of the working member 2 generates a reaction force that moves the moving body 1 back from the object A. The driving unit 3 of the present disclosure generates a thrust force against the object A to cancel out the reaction force caused by the work.

[0029] Here, if the propulsive force on the object A is too large, the moving body 1 may collide with the object A, resulting in damage to the moving body 1 or the object A. The moving body 1 according to the present disclosure is characterized by being able to solve this problem.

[0030] The arm 10 is used to maintain the self-position of the mobile body 1. The arm 10 maintains a constant distance between the mobile body 1 and the object A by bringing the tip of the arm 10 into contact with the object A. The mobile body 1 can maintain its own position relative to the object A by performing work while bringing the arm 10 into contact with the object A.

[0031] The arm 10 also has an impact absorbing unit 11 that absorbs the pressure that the moving body 1 applies to the object A. The impact absorbing unit 11 has, for example, a damper 12. The damper 12 expands and contracts in response to the pressure that the arm 10 applies to the object A, thereby absorbing the impact on the object A.

[0032] The arm 10 can prevent the moving body 1 from colliding with the object A. Furthermore, the impact absorbing section 11 can prevent the pressure between the arm 10 and the object A from increasing, thereby preventing damage to the arm 10 or the object A.

[0033] As a comparative example, it is possible to consider a case where the distance between the target A and the moving body is kept constant using a distance measuring sensor or the like, without using the arm 10. However, in this case, if the driving force of the drive unit 3 and the reaction force from the working member 2 cancel each other out and the reaction force from the working member 2 suddenly disappears, for example, when the tapping rod moves away from the target A or the spray can stops spraying, there is a risk that the moving body will collide with the target A due to the driving force.

[0034] In contrast to the comparative example, the mobile body 1 in Figure 1 performs work while physically maintaining a distance from the object A using the arm 10, so even if the reaction force from the working member 2 disappears, there is no risk of the main body of the mobile body 1 colliding with the object A.

[0035] The drive unit 3 may generate a thrust force toward the object A for purposes other than canceling out the reaction force. For example, if the object A is a blower or the like, the drive unit 3 may generate a thrust force toward the object A to cancel out the pressure caused by the blowing air. Even in this case, the arm 10 can maintain the self-position of the moving body 1 while avoiding the risk of the moving body 1 colliding with the object A. Alternatively, the arm 10 according to the present disclosure may be used as a self-position maintaining arm when the moving body 1 is sucked into the object A by the air blower or the like.

[0036] Fig. 2 is a diagram showing a moving body 1a according to a first configuration example of the first embodiment of the present disclosure. The moving body 1a has an arm 10 attached to a frame 6. Note that the working member 2 and the damper 12 are not shown in Fig. 2.

[0037] Fig. 3A is a side view showing a moving body 1b according to a second configuration example of the first embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 3B is a top view of the moving body 1b shown in Fig. 3A. The moving body 1b differs from the moving body 1a of Fig. 2 in that the arm 10 is fixed between two propeller arms 5. The arm 10 may be fixed by an arm different from the propeller arms 5, or may be fixed by one or three or more arms.

[0038] 4 is a diagram illustrating a moving body 1c according to a third configuration example of the first embodiment of the present disclosure. The moving body 1c differs from the moving body 1a in FIG. 2 in that the arm 10 also serves as an arm of the landing gear 21.

[0039] The landing gear 21 prevents the frame 6 of the mobile body 1c from coming into contact with the ground when the mobile body 1c lands. The landing gear 21 has a counterweight 22 whose weight corresponds to the weight of the arm 10. The counterweight 22 adjusts the position of the center of gravity of the mobile body 1c. The landing gear 21 deploys horizontally as the mobile body 1c takes off, and enables the arm 10 to come into contact with the target A.

[0040] 2 to 4, the arm 10 may be attached at any position. The moving body 1 may also be configured to have a plurality of arms 10.

[0041] 5A to 5D are diagrams showing various configuration examples of the tip end of the arm 10. Fig. 5A is a diagram showing a first configuration example of the arm 10 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 5A shows an arm 10a having a basic configuration. The tip end 31 of the arm 10a is not machined, but an arm cap or the like may be attached to the tip end 31.

[0042] 5B is a diagram showing a second configuration example of the arm 10 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. The arm 10b shown in FIG. 5B has a tip portion 32 made of an elastic material (e.g., rubber or sponge). The damper 12 and the tip portion 32 of the arm 10b can alleviate the pressure that the arm 10b applies to the object A, thereby further improving the safety of work performed by the mobile body 1.

[0043] 5C is a diagram showing a third configuration example of the arm 10 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. The arm 10c shown in FIG. 5C has a ballpoint pen-shaped tip 33. The tip 33 has a ball roller 34. The ball roller 34 is in rolling contact with the contact surface of the object A and can rotate in at least one of the vertical and horizontal directions. The movable body 1 can move in parallel in the vertical or horizontal direction on the contact surface of the object A while maintaining a constant distance from the object A by the arm 10c.

[0044] The arm 10c can be used, for example, for painting work or hammering inspection. By moving the movable body 1 in a parallel motion on the contact surface of the object A, the painting point of the paint spray or paint roller, or the tapping point of the tapping rod, can be moved in a parallel motion on the contact surface of the object A.

[0045] Fig. 5D is a diagram showing a fourth configuration example of the arm 10 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. The arm 10d shown in Fig. 5D has a suction cup-shaped tip 35. Furthermore, the damper 12 in Fig. 5D has a hook 36. The tip 35 has a handle 37 corresponding to the hook 36. When the arm 10d is pressed against the object A, the tip 35 adheres to the contact surface of the object A, the damper 12 contracts, and the hook 36 gets caught on the handle 37. When the arm 10d moves away from the object A, the damper 12 expands to pull the hook 36, allowing the tip 35 to be peeled off from the contact surface of the object A.

[0046] The arm 10d may be configured to peel the tip portion 35 off from the contact surface of the object A by blowing air into the tip portion 35 using a compressor or the like.

[0047] The tip 35 can hold the moving body 1 stationary relative to the object A. The arm 10d can be used for hammering tests, etc., in which the same spot on the object A is hammered multiple times. The arm 10d may also be used for applying a substance to a fixed point on the object A using a spray or the like.

[0048] The impact absorbing portion 11 may have a configuration including the tip portion 32 of FIG. 5B, the ball roller 34 of FIG. 5C, or the tip portion 35 of FIG. 5D instead of the damper 12.

[0049] Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the system configuration of the moving body 1 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. The moving body 1 includes a sensing device 41, a vision sensing processor 42, a flight controller 43, an application processor 44, and an actuator 45. Each component shown in Fig. 6 may be omitted as desired.

[0050] The sensing device 41 senses the surrounding environment of the mobile object 1. The sensing device 41 is mounted, for example, within the frame 6 or attached to the frame 6 or a predetermined arm. The sensing device 41 has a vision sensor 51 that outputs the surrounding environment of the mobile object 1 as image data, and a flight sensor 52 that acquires information necessary for the flight of the mobile object 1. Furthermore, when the mobile object 1 is used for a hammering test or the like, the sensing device 41 has an inspection unit 53 that acquires the inspection results of the hammering test or the like.

[0051] The vision sensor 51 includes a stereo camera 61 and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) 62 that measures the position and orientation of the moving body 1 and corrects the images captured by the stereo camera 61 .

[0052] The flight sensor 52 includes an infrared ranging sensor 63, a geomagnetic sensor 64, a barometric pressure sensor 65, a temperature sensor 66, and a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 67. The flight sensor 52 also includes an inertial measurement unit 68 that corrects the information acquired by each sensor.

[0053] The inspection unit 53 inspects the state of the object A based on the percussion sound of a percussion rod or the like. The inspection unit 53 is composed of at least one of a sound sensor 69 that measures the percussion sound, or a vibration sensor 70 that measures the vibration of the object A.

[0054] The vision sensing processor 42 controls the imaging operation of the vision sensor 51. The vision sensing processor 42 performs predetermined corrections (e.g., calibration based on the measurement results of the inertial measurement unit 62) on the image data acquired from the stereo camera 61, and provides the corrected image data to the flight controller 43 and the application processor 44.

[0055] The flight controller 43 instructs the flight sensor 52 to perform sensing. The flight controller 43 acquires information from the flight sensor 52 and controls the actuator 45 to make the moving body 1 fly.

[0056] The application processor 44 executes a predetermined application not shown in Fig. 6. The predetermined application includes an application that stores image data acquired from the vision sensing processor 42, flight information of the mobile object 1 acquired from the flight controller 43, hammering test results acquired from the inspection unit 53, etc. in a storage unit within the mobile object 1 or transmits the same to an external computer, etc., or an application that controls the flight of the mobile object 1 via the flight controller 43 and causes the mobile object 1 to perform a predetermined task.

[0057] The actuator 45 drives the moving body 1 under the control of the flight controller 43 etc. The actuator 45 has an auxiliary unit 54 equipped with auxiliary functions, and a main body unit 55 used for flight control of the moving body 1 etc.

[0058] The auxiliary unit 54 has a main gimbal 71 and a working member 2. The main gimbal 71 detects vibrations of the moving body 1 and keeps the stereo camera 61 horizontal. In addition, the auxiliary unit 54 operates the working arm and the like based on work instructions from the application processor 44, and performs work on the target A using the working member 2.

[0059] The main body 55 flies the moving body 1 based on instructions from the flight controller 43. The main body 55 has the propeller 4, a motor 72 that rotates the propeller 4, an ESC (Electric Speed ​​Controller) 73 that controls the rotation speed of the motor 72, and the landing gear 21.

[0060] As described above, the moving body 1 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure includes the arm 10 having the impact absorbing unit 11. When the driving unit 3 generates a thrust force on the object A to offset the reaction force caused by the work, the arm 10 maintains a constant distance between the object A and the moving body 1, and the impact absorbing unit 11 absorbs the pressure that the object A receives from the arm 10. This allows the moving body 1 to maintain its own position relative to the object A while maintaining the safety of the moving body 1 and the object A.

[0061] 1 can be realized with a simple structure and does not require an imaging device or a distance measuring device. Note that the moving object 1 may be configured to have a distance measuring device as described below in order to more precisely maintain its own position.

[0062] Furthermore, the mobile object 1 can maintain its own position even in an environment where positioning cannot be performed using a GPS (Global Positioning System) or the like (for example, under a bridge, in a tunnel, or indoors), allowing work to be performed on the target object A stably.

[0063] Furthermore, the mobile unit 1 can be realized not only by developing a dedicated drone, but also by adding accessory parts such as the arm 10 to an existing drone product. Therefore, the mobile unit 1 is highly versatile and can easily be manufactured at low cost.

[0064] Second Embodiment Fig. 7 is a diagram showing the configuration of a moving body 1d according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. The moving body 1d in Fig. 7 has a distance maintenance sensor 80. Specifically, the distance maintenance sensor 80 is composed of at least one of a distance measurement sensor 81 that measures the distance to the object A, or a pressure sensor 82 that measures the pressure that the arm 10 receives from the object A. The moving body 1d can precisely maintain the distance between the moving body 1d and the object A by using feedback control that adjusts the thrust of the drive unit 3 in accordance with measurements successively acquired by the distance maintenance sensor 80.

[0065] The movable body 1 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure maintains its own position by mechanical control of the arm 10. The movable body 1d according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure is characterized in that it can maintain its own position more precisely by software control in addition to mechanical control.

[0066] 8 is a diagram showing a system configuration of a moving object 1d according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. The moving object 1d has a distance maintaining sensor 80 as a sensing device 41. The moving object 1d also has a distance maintaining module 90.

[0067] The distance maintenance module 90 receives information about the flight status of the moving body 1d from the flight controller 43 and instructs the distance maintenance sensor 80 to perform sensing. The information about the flight status includes, for example, information about whether the landing gear 21 is deployed. The distance maintenance module 90 detects the actual distance between the object A and the moving body 1d from the information acquired from the distance maintenance sensor 80. The distance maintenance module 90 controls the flight of the moving body 1d via the flight controller 43 so that the distance between the object A and the moving body 1d is constant.

[0068] 9A to 9C are flowcharts for realizing a method for maintaining the self-position of a moving body 1d according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 9A is a flowchart in the case where a distance measurement sensor 81 is used.

[0069] First, the distance maintaining module 90 determines whether the moving body 1d is in flight (step S1). If the arm 10 also serves as an arm of the landing gear 21, in step S1, the moving body 1d is considered to be in flight when the landing gear 21 is deployed horizontally after the moving body 1d has taken off and the arm 10 is able to contact the target A.

[0070] If it is determined in step S1 that the moving body 1d is in flight, it is determined whether or not to start measurement by the distance keeping sensor 80 (the distance measuring sensor 81 in FIG. 9A) (step S2). For example, when the moving body 1d approaches the vicinity of the object A and preparations are complete for a hammering test or a coating operation on the object A, the distance keeping module 90 starts measurement by the distance keeping sensor 80.

[0071] If the moving body 1d is not in flight in step S1 and measurement by the distance maintaining sensor 80 is not started, the distance maintaining module 90 does not activate the distance maintaining sensor 80 or use for feedback control the data acquired by the distance maintaining sensor 80. This makes it possible to prevent feedback control for maintaining a constant distance from the object A from being started even when the moving body 1d is not in the vicinity of the object A.

[0072] When measurement by the distance maintaining sensor 80 is started in step S2, it is determined whether or not to use the data acquired by the distance maintaining sensor 80 (step S3). Fig. 9A illustrates an example in which the distance maintaining sensor 80 is started in step S3. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the distance maintaining sensor 80 may be started before step S3 or before the start of the flowchart in Fig. 9A.

[0073] Next, the movable body 1d moves toward the target object A (step S4). In step S4, the movable body 1d moves to a position where, for example, the arm 10 reaches the target object A when deployed and the distance between the arm 10 and the target object A is appropriate for the work.

[0074] The distance measurement sensor 81 acquires the distance between the moving body 1d and the object A acquired in step S4 (step S5). The distance maintaining module 90 controls the moving body 1d in a feedback control to be described later so that the distance between the moving body 1d and the object A is the distance acquired in step S5 (hereinafter also referred to as the reference value). Note that the reference value may be stored in the moving body 1d in advance before the start of the flowchart of FIG. 9A.

[0075] The moving body 1d deploys the arm 10 (step S6). The moving body 1d also moves toward the object A (step S7) and presses the arm 10 against the object A.

[0076] In the state of step S7, the mobile body 1d starts work using the working member 2. Furthermore, the drive unit 3 generates a thrust force toward the object A to offset the reaction force generated by the working member 2. The distance maintaining module 90 uses the distance measuring sensor 81 to monitor whether the distance between the mobile body 1d and the object A is maintaining a reference value (step S10).

[0077] The distance maintaining module 90 checks at regular intervals whether the value of the distance measuring sensor 81 is a reference value (step S11). That is, the distance maintaining module 90 adjusts the propulsive force generated by the drive unit 3 depending on whether the distance between the moving body 1d and the target object A is maintaining the reference value (step S12).

[0078] If the distance between the moving body 1d and the object A acquired in step S11 is larger than the reference distance, the distance maintaining module 90 increases the propulsive force of the drive unit 3 to narrow the distance between the moving body 1d and the object A, and if the distance is smaller than the reference distance, decreases the propulsive force of the drive unit 3 to widen the distance between the moving body 1d and the object A. If the distance acquired in step S11 substantially matches the reference distance, the distance maintaining module 90 maintains the propulsive force of the drive unit 3.

[0079] While the moving body 1d is working, the distance maintaining module 90 repeatedly acquires the value of the distance measuring sensor 81 and adjusts the propulsive force of the drive unit 3 at regular intervals. The distance maintaining module 90 controls the moving body 1d and the target A to maintain a reference distance by using feedback control that adjusts the propulsive force according to the position of the moving body 1d.

[0080] When the work of the moving body 1d is completed, the distance maintenance module 90 ends the feedback control and stops using the data acquired by the distance maintenance sensor 80 (step S13). While Fig. 9AA illustrates an example in which the power supply to the distance maintenance sensor 80 is turned off in step S13, the present invention is not limited to this, and the power supply to the distance maintenance sensor 80 may be turned off in processing subsequent to step S13. After stopping the use of the data acquired by the distance maintenance sensor 80, the flight controller 43 lands the moving body 1d using the landing gear 21.

[0081] 9B is a flowchart for the case where the pressure sensor 82 is used. As in FIG. 9A, when measurement by the pressure sensor 82 is started in step S2, the pressure sensor 82 is activated in step S3, or the acquired data is used for feedback control (hereinafter also simply referred to as activation, etc.). Note that the pressure sensor 82 does not detect pressure unless it is in contact with the object A, etc., so activation, etc. may be performed before the flowchart of FIG. 9B. Furthermore, if the arm 10 also serves as an arm of the landing gear 21, the pressure sensor 82 is activated, etc., after the moving body 1d has taken off.

[0082] After step S3, the distance maintaining module 90 deploys the arm and presses the arm 10 against the object A (steps S6 and S7). The reference value of the pressure sensor 82 may be stored in advance for each material of the object A, or the value detected by the pressure sensor 82 in step S7 may be used as the reference value.

[0083] 9B, the distance maintaining module 90 uses the pressure sensor 82 to monitor whether the pressure that the moving body 1d receives from the object A is maintaining a reference value (step S21). If the pressure is lower than the reference value, the distance maintaining module 90 increases the propulsive force of the drive unit 3 to press the arm 10 firmly against the object A, and if the pressure is higher than the reference value, decreases the propulsive force of the drive unit 3 to weaken the force pressing the arm 10 against the object A.

[0084] 9C is a flowchart for the case where both the distance measurement sensor 81 and the pressure sensor 82 are used. Steps S1 to S7 of the flowchart in FIG. 9C are the same as those in FIG. 9A. In step S10 of FIG. 9C, it is first confirmed whether the distance measurement sensor 81 can measure the distance between the object A and the moving body 1d (step S31). For example, if the object A is made of a transparent material such as glass, it is difficult for the distance measurement sensor 81 to sense the distance.

[0085] If it is determined in step S31 that sensing by the distance measurement sensor 81 is difficult, the distance maintenance module 90 performs feedback control using the pressure sensor 82. That is, similar to Fig. 9B, the distance maintenance module 90 compares the detection value of the pressure sensor 82 with a reference value in step S21, and adjusts the propulsive force of the drive unit 3 in step S12.

[0086] If it is determined in step S31 that sensing by the distance measurement sensor 81 is possible, the distance maintaining module 90 performs feedback control using the distance measurement sensor 81. That is, similar to Fig. 9A, the distance maintaining module 90 compares the detection value of the distance measurement sensor 81 with a reference value in step S11, and adjusts the propulsive force of the drive unit 3 in step S12.

[0087] The distance maintaining module 90 may determine whether sensing is possible using the pressure sensor 82 in step S31, etc. For example, if the object A is made of a soft material, it may be difficult to sense using the pressure sensor 82. In this case, the distance maintaining module 90 performs the above-mentioned feedback control using the distance measuring sensor 81.

[0088] At least some of the functions of the distance maintenance module 90, vision sensing processor 42, flight controller 43, and application processor 44 (hereinafter simply referred to as the distance maintenance module 90, etc.) in the above-described embodiment may be configured as hardware or software. If configured as software, a program that realizes at least some of the functions of the distance maintenance module 90, etc. may be stored on a recording medium such as a flexible disk or CD-ROM, and may be read and executed by a computer. The recording medium is not limited to removable media such as magnetic disks and optical disks, but may also be fixed recording media such as a hard disk drive or memory.

[0089] In addition, a program that realizes at least some of the functions of the distance maintaining module 90, etc., may be distributed via a communication line (including wireless communication) such as the Internet. Furthermore, the program may be encrypted, modulated, or compressed and distributed via a wired line or wireless line such as the Internet, or stored on a recording medium.

[0090] The present technology can be configured as follows: (1) A moving body including: a drive unit that generates a propulsive force and moves forward relative to an object; and an arm that contacts the object and maintains a constant distance between the object and the drive unit, wherein the arm has an impact absorbing unit that absorbs pressure applied to the object by the drive unit. (2) The moving body described in (1), including a working member that performs a predetermined task on the object, wherein the drive unit generates the propulsive force so as to cancel out a reaction that causes the working member to retreat, which is generated by the task. (3) The moving body described in (1) or (2), wherein the impact absorbing unit has a damper that expands and contracts in response to the pressure applied to the object. (4) The moving body described in any one of (1) to (3), wherein the impact absorbing unit contacts the object and includes at least one of an elastic body, a ball roller, and a suction cup. (5) The moving body according to (3), wherein the impact absorbing unit has a suction cup that adheres to the contact surface of the object, the suction cup has a handle for removing the suction cup from the contact surface, and the damper has a hook that is arranged to be caught on the handle when the damper contracts. (6) The moving body according to (5), comprising: a sounding rod that percusses the object, and an inspection unit that inspects the state of the object based on a percussion sound of the sounding rod, wherein the sounding rod percusses a predetermined percussion position of the object multiple times, and the suction cup adheres to the contact surface during the multiple percussions so as to fix the positional relationship between the drive unit and the percussion position. (7) The mobile body according to (3), comprising: a sounding rod that sounds the object; and an inspection unit that inspects the state of the object based on the sounding sound of the sounding rod, wherein the arm has a ball roller that rolls against a contact surface of the object, the ball roller moves in parallel on the contact surface as the drive unit moves, and the sounding rod translates a percussion point of the object in accordance with the translation of the ball roller. (8) The mobile body according to any one of (1) to (7), comprising: a lift generating unit that generates lift that levitates the drive unit, and a landing gear that deploys the arm in accordance with the levitation of the drive unit.(9) The moving body according to any one of (1) to (8), comprising at least one of a distance measurement sensor that detects the distance between the object and the drive unit, or a pressure sensor that detects the pressure that the drive unit applies to the object, and the drive unit adjusts the propulsion force according to the measurement value of the distance measurement sensor or the pressure sensor. (10) The moving body according to (8), comprising at least one of a distance measurement sensor that detects the distance between the object and the drive unit, or a pressure sensor that detects the pressure that the drive unit applies to the object, and the distance measurement sensor or the pressure sensor measures the distance or pressure after the landing gear deploys the arm, and the drive unit adjusts the propulsion force according to the measurement value of the distance measurement sensor or the pressure sensor. (11) The moving body according to (9) or (10), comprising: the distance measurement sensor and the pressure sensor; and a control unit that controls measurements by the distance measurement sensor and the pressure sensor, wherein the control unit causes the pressure sensor to detect the pressure applied by the drive unit to the object when the distance measurement sensor cannot detect the distance between the drive unit and the object, or causes the distance sensor to detect the distance between the drive unit and the object when the pressure sensor cannot detect the pressure applied by the drive unit to the object. (12) The moving body according to any one of (1) to (11), which is a drone. (13) A control method comprising: moving the moving body forward with a predetermined propulsive force toward the object; bringing an arm into contact with the object to maintain a positional relationship with the object; detecting the distance to the object or the pressure applied to the object using at least one of the distance measurement sensor or the pressure sensor, and adjusting the propulsive force according to the distance or pressure detected by the distance measurement sensor or the pressure sensor. (14) A program for causing a computer to execute the steps of: moving a moving body forward toward an object with a predetermined propulsive force; bringing an arm into contact with the object to maintain a positional relationship with the object; and using at least one of a distance sensor or a pressure sensor to detect the distance to the object or the pressure applied to the object, and adjusting the propulsive force according to the distance or pressure detected by the distance sensor or pressure sensor.

[0091] The aspects of the present disclosure are not limited to the individual embodiments described above, but include various modifications that may be conceived by those skilled in the art, and the effects of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-described contents. In other words, various additions, modifications, and partial deletions are possible within the scope of the conceptual idea and spirit of the present disclosure, which is derived from the contents defined in the claims and their equivalents.

[0092] 1, 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d Mobile body, 2 Working member, 3 Drive unit, 4 Propeller, 5 Propeller arm, 6 Frame, 10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d Arm, 11 Impact absorbing unit, 12 Damper, 21 Landing gear, 22 Counterweight, 31, 32, 33, 35 Tip, 34 Ball roller, 36 Hook, 37 Handle, 41 Sensing device, 42 Vision sensing processor, 43 Flight controller, 44 Application processor, 45 Actuator, 51 Vision sensor, 52 Flight sensor, 53 Inspection unit, 54 Auxiliary unit, 55 Main body, 61 Stereo camera, 62, 68 Inertial measurement unit, 63 Infrared ranging sensor, 64 Geomagnetic sensor, 65 Barometric pressure sensor, 66 Temperature sensor, 67 GNSS receiver, 69 Sound sensor, 70 Vibration sensor, 71 main gimbal, 72 motor, 73 ESC, 80 distance keeping sensor, 81 distance measuring sensor, 82 pressure sensor, 90 distance keeping module

Claims

1. A moving body comprising: a drive unit that generates a propulsive force and moves forward against an object; and an arm that comes into contact with the object and maintains a constant distance between the object and the drive unit, wherein the arm has an impact absorbing part that absorbs the pressure that the drive unit applies to the object.

2. The mobile body according to claim 1, further comprising a working member that performs a predetermined task on the object, and wherein the drive unit generates the propulsive force so as to counteract a reaction that causes the working member to move backward due to the task.

3. The moving body according to claim 1, wherein the impact absorbing section has a damper that expands and contracts in response to pressure applied to the object.

4. The moving body according to claim 1, wherein the impact absorbing portion has at least one of an elastic body, a ball roller, or a suction cup that comes into contact with the object.

5. A moving body as described in claim 3, wherein the impact absorbing part has a suction cup that adheres to the contact surface of the object, the suction cup has a handle part for removing the suction cup from the contact surface, and the damper has a hook part that is arranged to catch on the handle part when the damper contracts.

6. A moving body as described in claim 5, comprising: a sounding rod that sounds the object; and an inspection unit that inspects the state of the object based on the sounding sound of the sounding rod, wherein the sounding rod sounds a predetermined sounding position of the object multiple times, and the suction cup adheres to the contact surface so as to fix the positional relationship between the drive unit and the sounding position during the multiple soundings.

7. A mobile body as described in claim 3, comprising: a sounding rod for sounding the object; and an inspection unit for inspecting the state of the object based on the sounding sound of the sounding rod, wherein the arm has a ball roller that rolls against the contact surface of the object, the ball roller moves in parallel on the contact surface as the drive unit moves, and the sounding rod moves the percussion point of the object in parallel in accordance with the parallel movement of the ball roller.

8. A moving body according to claim 1, comprising: a lift generating unit that generates lift to lift the drive unit; and landing gear that deploys the arm in response to the drive unit being lifted.

9. A moving body as described in claim 1, comprising at least one of a distance sensor that detects the distance between the object and the drive unit, or a pressure sensor that detects the pressure that the drive unit applies to the object, and the drive unit adjusts the propulsive force according to the measurement value of the distance sensor or the pressure sensor.

10. A moving body as described in claim 8, comprising at least one of a distance sensor that detects the distance between the object and the drive unit, or a pressure sensor that detects the pressure that the drive unit applies to the object, wherein the distance sensor or the pressure sensor measures the distance or pressure after the landing gear deploys the arm, and the drive unit adjusts the propulsion force according to the measurement value of the distance sensor or the pressure sensor.

11. A moving body as described in claim 9, comprising the distance measuring sensor and the pressure sensor, and a control unit that controls the measurements of the distance measuring sensor and the pressure sensor, wherein the control unit, when the distance measuring sensor cannot detect the distance between the drive unit and the object, causes the pressure sensor to detect the pressure that the drive unit applies to the object, or, when the pressure sensor cannot detect the pressure that the drive unit applies to the object, causes the distance measuring sensor to detect the distance between the drive unit and the object.

12. The mobile object according to claim 1, which is a drone.

13. A control method comprising the steps of: moving a moving body forward with a predetermined propulsive force toward an object; bringing an arm into contact with the object to maintain a positional relationship with the object; and using at least one of a distance sensor or a pressure sensor to detect the distance to the object or the pressure exerted on the object, and adjusting the propulsive force according to the distance or pressure detected by the distance sensor or pressure sensor.

14. A program for causing a computer to execute the steps of: moving a moving body forward with a predetermined propulsive force toward an object; bringing an arm into contact with the object to maintain a positional relationship with the object; and using at least one of a distance sensor or a pressure sensor to detect the distance to the object or the pressure exerted on the object, and adjusting the propulsive force according to the distance or pressure detected by the distance sensor or pressure sensor.

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