Information management device and program

Abstract

A management server 2 comprises: a rice field information storage unit 22 that stores identification numbers (rice field IDs) of target areas (rice fields) where grains are to be planted, angular coordinates of rice fields, and a plurality of parallel virtual striation spacings having prescribed spacings determined on the basis of the angular coordinates, and the radiuses of circles centered on the drop starting points of grain seeds; a rice sowing information storage unit 23 that stores, for each striation number identifying a striation, the drop position of a seed based on the virtual striation spacing and the circle radius, and information indicating seeds dropped by a D direct seed sowing device 4 based on a set drop position; and a processing unit 21 that outputs information regarding positions where seeds were successfully dropped and positions where seeds could not be dropped.

Description

Information management device and program

[0001] This invention relates to an information management device and program.

[0002] It is known to use aircraft such as drones in growing agricultural crops. For example, an aircraft control system for controlling an aircraft that sprays a pesticide on a field includes a quality information acquisition unit that acquires quality information related to the measured quality of crops harvested in a predetermined area of ​​the field from a quality measuring device that measures the quality of the crops, linking the measured quality information with the area, and a plan calculation unit that calculates a pesticide spray plan and a flight plan for the aircraft based on the quality information and the area. The aircraft sprays the pesticide on the field based on the spray plan and the flight plan. The air vehicle also includes a memory unit that stores a spray management table that records the spray plan for the harvested crops and quality information of the harvested crops, linking the spray plan with the area each time the crops are harvested. The plan calculation unit refers to the spray management table and calculates the flight plan by referring to the spray management table and the transition of the quality information of previously harvested crops and the spray plan for each area.

[0003] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-058235

[0004] Due to recent global warming, some areas traditionally known as grain-producing regions are losing conditions suitable for growing grain. High summer temperatures, in particular, inhibit the development of grain ears, resulting in reduced yields. For this reason, growing grain in mountainous regions, where temperatures are relatively low, is being reconsidered. However, mountainous regions can be difficult to move machinery for sowing and harvesting ears due to factors such as rugged terrain and narrow roads. In one aspect, the present invention aims to control an apparatus for direct seeding of any type of grain in a short time, even in areas where it is difficult to transport agricultural machinery.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, an information management device is provided. This information management device includes: a first storage unit that stores an identification number of the area to be planted with grain, the coordinates of the corners of the area, the spacing between multiple virtual parallel lines separated by predetermined intervals based on the coordinates, and the radius of a circle centered on the drop point of the grain seeds; a second storage unit that stores, for each line number that identifies the line, the drop position of the seeds based on the line spacing and the radius of the circle, and information that a drone-type flying object has dropped the seeds based on the set drop position; and an output unit that outputs information for each line regarding the positions where dropping was completed and the positions where dropping was not possible.

[0006] In one embodiment, a device can be controlled to perform direct seeding of any type of grain in a short time, even in locations where it is difficult to bring in agricultural machinery. The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating preferred embodiments as examples of the present invention.

[0007] This is a diagram showing the system of the embodiment. This is a diagram illustrating the hardware of the drone of the embodiment. This is a diagram illustrating the direct seeding device of the embodiment. This is a diagram illustrating the method for calculating the landing point and number of seeds by the drone control unit. This is a diagram illustrating the operation of the D-grain direct seeding device. This is a front view illustrating the harvesting device of the embodiment. This is a side view illustrating the harvesting device of the embodiment. This is a diagram illustrating the harvesting of the embodiment. This is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of the management server of the embodiment. This is a block diagram illustrating the management server of the embodiment. This is a diagram illustrating the information stored in the paddy field information storage unit of the embodiment. This is a diagram illustrating the information stored in the seed rice information storage unit of the embodiment. This is a diagram illustrating the information stored in the initial direct seeding information storage unit of the embodiment. This is a diagram illustrating the information stored in the direct seeding information storage unit of the embodiment. This is a diagram illustrating the information stored in the harvesting information storage unit of the embodiment. This is a diagram illustrating an example of how to find the vertex coordinates of an n-sided paddy field. This is a diagram illustrating the seed rice information setting process. This is a flowchart illustrating the direct seeding operation of the embodiment. This is a flowchart illustrating the seed rice dropping process. It is a flowchart explaining the seed rice dropping process. It is a flowchart explaining the reaping operation of the embodiment. It is a flowchart explaining the reaping process. It is a flowchart explaining the reaping process. It is a diagram explaining the drone collision avoidance process.

[0008] The system of this embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0009] The positions, sizes, shapes, and ranges of each component shown in the following drawings may not represent their actual positions, sizes, shapes, and ranges in order to facilitate understanding of the invention. Therefore, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the positions, sizes, shapes, and ranges disclosed in the drawings. Elements expressed in the singular form in the embodiments shall be considered to include plural forms unless explicitly stated in the text. <Embodiment> Figure 1 is a diagram showing the system of an embodiment.

[0010] The system 100 of the embodiment is a system for, for example, planting rice seeds in paddy fields and harvesting grown rice ears. Rice described in the embodiment is an example of a grain, and the system 100 of the embodiment can be applied to grains other than rice. The system 100 has a drone (air vehicle) 1, a management server 2, a terminal device 3, a direct seeding device 4, and a harvesting device 5. The drone 1, the management server 2, and the terminal device 3 are connected via a network 50. Figure 2 is a diagram explaining the hardware provided in the drone of the embodiment. The drone 1 of the embodiment has a housing 1a and a rotor 1b used for flight. The housing 1a and the rotor 1b are fixed by a fixed shaft 1c.

[0011] A Raspberry Pi 5:101 is installed inside enclosure 1a. The entire drone 1 is controlled by this Raspberry Pi 5:101. Various accessories are connected to the Raspberry Pi 5:101 via interface 107.

[0012] Examples of accessories include a GPS (Global Positioning System) module 102, a camera module 103, a communication module 104, an LED (Light Emitting Diode) warning light 105, and a distance measurement module 106. The GPS module 102 may be of a serial connection type or a USB connection type.

[0013] Drone 1 continuously acquires positional information using a GPS module 102 during flight. Drone 1 also orbits a camera module 103 at predetermined timings to capture still and moving images. Furthermore, Drone 1 transmits and receives data with the management server 2 via a communication module 104 at predetermined timings. The communication method is not particularly limited, but examples include communication via Wi-Fi or satellite internet service. The timing of communication is also not particularly limited; it may be real-time communication or communication at predetermined timings. Drone 1 can also flash an LED warning light 105 in response to instructions from the management server 2. Drone 1 can also measure the distance to other objects using a distance measuring module 106. Drone 1 is equipped with a battery 108 to supply power to the flight and various control units. An attachment 1d for mounting to the harvesting device 5 is provided at the bottom of the housing 1a. Note that a drone with a camera may be used if it is capable of image recognition of the ears of grain. Let's return to Figure 1 for further explanation.

[0014] The management server 2 stores information acquired from the drone 1. The management server 2 also performs various processes based on the information acquired from the drone 1 and issues instructions to the drone 1. The terminal device 3 can access the management server 2 to view various information.

[0015] The direct seeding device 4 is attached to the drone 1. Hereafter, the direct seeding device 4 with the drone 1 attached will be referred to as the "D-type rice direct seeding device". As its name suggests, the direct seeding device 4 can sow rice seeds directly into the main field (or field) without using a nursery bed.

[0016] The reaping device 5 is attached to the drone 1. The reaping device 5 reaps and harvests grain ears. Hereinafter, the reaping device 5 attached to the drone 1 will be referred to as the "D ear reaping device 5." Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating a direct seeding device according to an embodiment. In Figure 3, the drone control unit 11 is a function realized by the Raspberry Pi 5:101. The direct seeding device 4 is controlled by the drone control unit 11. The direct seeding device 4 has a seed rice storage unit 41, a housing 42, and a drop pipe 43. The seed rice storage unit 41 stores the seed rice. The housing 42 is provided with a rice drop rotation device 44, a rice drop lid 45, and a spray unit 46.

[0017] The rice hulling and rotating device 44 includes a rotating cylindrical body 441 with grooves 441a, a rotation sensor 442, and a drive motor 443. The rotating cylindrical body 441 is pivotally supported on a shaft 444.

[0018] When one rice seed enters the groove 441a (see enlarged view) of the rotating cylinder 441 of the rice seed dropping rotation device 44, the rotation sensor 442 drives the drive motor 443, and for example, three rice seeds fall onto the rice seed dropping lid 45 at the bottom of the housing 42. The rotation sensor 442 controls the rotation and stopping of the drive motor 443 so that three rice seeds fall. Note that three grains is just an example, and an error of ±1 grain is acceptable.

[0019] The drone control unit 11 adjusts all aspects of the rice seed dropping mechanism, such as the rotation speed and stopping of the rotating cylindrical body 431, which are conditions that allow rice seeds to easily enter the groove of the rotating cylindrical body 441 from the upper part of the housing 42.

[0020] The rice seed drop cover 45 is located at the lower part of the housing 42, at the connection point with the drop pipe 43. This rice seed drop cover 45 is biased by a coil 451 to a position (hereinafter referred to as position A) that suppresses the falling of seed rice.

[0021] The injection unit 46 injects compressed air in accordance with the instructions of the drone control unit 11. The injected compressed air passes through the air flow pipe 47 and a portion of it is sent to the lower part of the housing 42.

[0022] The drop-in pipe 43 is located at the bottom of the housing 42. The tip 43a of the drop-in pipe 43 has a pointed shape, making it easy for the tip 43a to penetrate the soil. The drop-in pipe 43 forms a passage that guides the rice seeds launched from the housing 42 into the soil. A rice seed direct-seeding sensor 43b is located on the base end side of the drop-in pipe 43. The rice seed direct-seeding sensor 43b counts the number of rice seeds passing through the drop-in pipe 43. An example of the operation of the direct-seeding device 4 will be described below.

[0023] When the rotation sensor 442 recognizes an image of the rice seeds that have passed through the groove 441a of the rotating cylindrical body 441 and fallen onto the seed drop lid 45, the drone control unit 11 signals the injection unit 46 to inject air. The air injected by the injection unit 46 and passing through the air flow pipe 47 has sufficient air pressure. As a result, high-pressure air spreads throughout the entire lower part of the housing 42. Due to the force of some of this injected air, the seed drop lid 45 at position A is pushed down to position B, which is rotated 90 degrees clockwise against the biasing force of the coil 451.

[0024] The high-pressure air flowing into the drop pipe 43 causes the rice seeds to slide down the pipe 43, with their pointed tips 43a digging into the soil of the paddy field. The rice seed drop lid 45, pushed down to position B, is then rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise by the biasing force of the coil 451 as the air flowing into the drop pipe 43 is reduced to 1 atmosphere, causing it to spring up to position A. This mechanism operates on the same principle as firing a bullet with an air gun.

[0025] Although the rice seeds are packed in the upper part of the housing 42, it is not sealed, so part of the injected air is supplied to the upper part of the rotating cylinder 441, which pushes up the rice seeds that are slightly clogged, eliminating the situation where they are difficult to drop. Therefore, it becomes easier for each grain of rice seeds to enter the grooves of the rotating cylinder 441.

[0026] There is a dry-field direct seeding method for rice planting in which water is not added to the rice field beforehand. In this case, too, if the D rice seed direct seeding device 4 increases its descent speed, the tip of the drop pipe 43 penetrates deeper into the dry rice field soil, allowing the rice seeds to be planted underground rather than on the surface. Therefore, dry-field direct seeding can be operated in the same way as in paddy fields. Next, we will explain the drop point of the rice seeds using the D rice seed direct seeding device 4. Figure 4 is a diagram explaining how the drone control unit calculates the drop point and number of dropped rice seeds.

[0027] As shown in Figure 4(a), if the position of the rice seeds to be dropped is point P, the number of rice seeds that can be dropped on all n rows of rows can be defined by the row L passing through point P and the rice drop area AR, which is a circle with a radius R centered at point P. Figure 4(b) is a diagram explaining the virtual row lines and the rice seed drop positions.

[0028] First, the D rice seeding device 4 is flown over the paddy field where direct seeding is planned (hereinafter referred to as the "paddy field"). The GPS module 102 and camera module 103 equipped on the drone 1 are used to photograph the paddy field's banks (north, south, east, west in this figure) and the shape of the paddy field (within the four dashed lines in this figure).

[0029] Considering the growth of rice, seedlings are planted facing the sun in a north-south direction. Therefore, if the boundary between the western levee and the water surface of the rice field in this diagram is taken as line 0 (reference line) L0 based on the shape of the ridge, the drone control unit 11 draws imaginary line 1 L1 parallel to line 0 L0 on the water surface of the rice field, spaced 1 / 2 N cm apart to the left of line 0 L0. N cm is, for example, 20 cm to 25 cm. If an arbitrary value is input in advance as the line spacing n of the drone control unit 11, the drone control unit 11 will calculate and draw M imaginary lines on the water surface of the rice field that are the maximum value, and store this data on the drone control unit 11's recording medium.

[0030] This diagram clearly illustrates the distance between adjacent rice seeds falling on the same row L as a single rice seed, and the distance between adjacent rice seeds falling on the row L adjacent to that row L. If the corners on the north and west sides of the paddy field's levee (i.e., the location where the D-type rice seed direct sowing device 4 begins direct sowing) are defined as the first rice seed drop base point P0, the distance between this base point P0 and the corners on the north and west sides of the levee is approximately a radius R = 1 / 2 N cm. Once this base point P0 is determined, the drone control unit 11 can calculate the exact position and maximum number of rice seeds falling on the M rows (L1, L2, L3, ... Ln) based on data on the shape of the paddy field photographed from above. The left side of Figure 4(b) is an enlarged view of the continuous rice seed drop area. Figure 5 is a diagram explaining the operation of the D-type rice seed direct sowing device.

[0031] First, the D direct rice seeding device 4 inserts the drop pipe 43 into the rice field soil below the water at the first seed rice drop base point and drops the rice seeds (rice drop position #1), and then the D direct rice seeding device 4 immediately rises and moves to the right (flight position #1). The D direct rice seeding device 4 again inserts the drop pipe 43 into the rice field soil below the water and drops the rice seeds (rice drop position #2). After that, the D direct rice seeding device 4 simply repeats the flight movement and rice drop operations along a single line until it reaches flight position #n or rice drop position #n. Next, the reaping device 5 of this embodiment will be described.

[0032] Fig. 6 is a front view illustrating the reaping device of the embodiment, Fig. 7 is a side view illustrating the reaping device of the embodiment, and Fig. 8 is a view illustrating reaping of the embodiment.

[0033] The reaping device 5 is detachably attached to the drone 1 by an attachment 1d. In addition, as shown in Figure 6, a direct seeding device 4 can be attached to the lower part of the reaping device 5. This allows the rice ears harvested by the reaping device 5 to be supplied to the direct seeding device 4 as seed rice. The reaping device 5 has an upper reaping part 51, an ear tip guide part 52, and a lower reaping part 53. A blower 51a, an ear intake port 51b, and an internal sensor 51c are arranged in the upper reaping part 51. The internal sensor 51c detects when the ears taken into the reaping device 5 reach a predetermined amount.

[0034] The ear tip guide section 52 is equipped with a rotary cutting blade 52a, a drive motor 52b, guide plates 52c, 52c, and guide plate support sections 52d, 52d. The rotary cutting blade 52a rotates when driven by the drive motor 52b, allowing the ear tips to be cut. Note that the ear tips are schematically indicated by arrows in Figures 7 and 8. The guide plates 52c, 52c and the guide plate support sections 52d, 52d are partially located outside the lower reaping section 53. The guide plates 52c, 52c are V-shaped and guide the ear tips toward the rotary cutting blade 52a. The guide plate support section 52d supports the guide plate 52c. A rice ear storage layer 53a for storing rice ears is located inside the lower reaping section 53. The lower reaping section 53 is an example of a storage section.

[0035] In addition, the joint 53d between the side surfaces 53b of the lower reaping section 53 is convex. The joint 53d is shaped like the bow of a ship, and the side surfaces 53b and 53b are shaped like the sides of a ship, so the reaped rice stalks are separated into left and right halves at the convex part of the joint 53d and are pushed backward while sliding along the sides of the side surfaces 53b and 53b.

[0036] A discharge section 53c is disposed at the bottom of the lower reaping section 53. The discharge section 53c opens and closes in response to instructions from the drone control section 11. When the discharge section 53c opens, the rice ears stored in the ear accumulation layer 53a pass through the discharge section 53c and are discharged to the outside of the reaping device 5. The side view of the reaping device 5 shown in Figure 7 shows the reaping device 5 reaping ears of grain. An example of the operation of the reaping device 5 will be described below.

[0037] In this embodiment, the grain is rice and the explanation will be given in terms of rice ears. It is assumed that rice is planted in multiple rows (rows) in a paddy field, and how the reaping device harvests one row of rice ears will be explained.

[0038] When the D ear harvesting device 5 moves in the direction of travel (to the right in Figure 7), the camera module 103 captures images of the height, inclination, and ear droop of the uncut rice ear and stalk before the rice ear enters the V-shaped opening 52c1 (see Figure 8) of the guide plate 52c.

[0039] The drone control unit 11 processes the captured image according to the program data, and moves the drone 1 to a position where the cutting rotating blade 52a will reliably cut below the rice ear.

[0040] (Although already cut in Figure 7) When the uncut rice ear a4 and stem s4 enter the V-shaped opening 52c1, the drone 1 moves further to the right in the direction of travel, so the unseparated rice ear a4 and stem s4 come into contact with the cutting rotating blade 52a, and the stem s4 and ear a4 are cut instantly.

[0041] The contact resistance with the rotary blade surface (same as in a rotary blade mower) and the wind force from the blower 51b above the rice ear intake ensure that the rice ears fall to the bottom of the rice ear accumulation layer 53a, where they pile up as accumulated rice ears. The images of rice ears a1, a2, and a3 are discontinuous images of rice ears that were cut by the cutting rotary blade 52a before rice ear a4 and fell into the rice ear accumulation layer. The images of rice ears a5 (stalk s5), a6 (stalk s6), and a7 (stalk s7) are uncut rice ears of the same row that are guided by the guide plate 52c to the cutting rotary blade 52a after rice ear a4 (stalk s4).

[0042] The stalk s4 from which the ear a4 has been cut strikes the joint (convex portion) 53d between the sides 53b and 53b and is cut in the same way as waves are divided by the bow and the following left and right sides when a ship moves on the sea surface. Next, as the drone 1 moves to the right on the page, the cut stalk s4 moves with little resistance along the surfaces (curved surfaces: corresponding to the ship's sides) of the sides 53b of the lower reaping part 53, is pushed downward to the left and right, and the cut surface expands as it is pulled apart and moves rearward.

[0043] When the internal sensor 51c detects that the ear accumulation layer 53a is full of harvested ears, the drone control unit 11 moves the ear harvesting device 5 to a discharge location (not shown) at another location.

[0044] The internal sensor 51c can determine, for example, when the limit of the amount of cut rice ears piled up in the ear-pooling layer 53a has reached the height of the cutting rotary blade 52a, preventing the ears that have accumulated in the ear-pooling layer 53a from coming into contact with the cutting rotary blade 52a and breaking the rice grains.

[0045] When the D ear harvesting device 5 arrives at the discharge location, the drone control unit 11 opens the discharge unit 53c, and the rice ears stored in the ear accumulation layer 53a are discharged. The discharged rice ears are transferred to a thresher. The rice ears transferred to the thresher are hulled.

[0046] Unlike a combine harvester, it does not require the functions of reaping, threshing, and sorting, but above all it is easy to handle, and since it is equipped with a drone control unit 11, it can automate the harvesting of grain ears no matter where the farmland is located, and it is easy to see that it is far more economical.

[0047] In this embodiment, the harvesting of one row of grain has been described, but rather than changing the structure of the ear guide unit 52 to accommodate two-row or three-row harvesting like a combine harvester, it is more efficient and economical to increase the number of D ear harvesting devices 5 in operation. To achieve this, it is preferable to install a collision prevention program in each drone 1 so that multiple D ear harvesting devices 5 can operate simultaneously. The collision prevention program will be described later.

[0048] The vertical width of the V-shaped guide plates 52c, 52c on the side (base end) fixed to the D-ear harvesting device 5 is shorter than the vertical width of the protruding end (tip end), and the lower sides of the guide plates 52c, 52c are inclined toward the base end. This is to allow the stalk s4 from which the ear a4 has been cut to bend smoothly downward without getting caught on the guide plates 52c, 52c when pressed against the joint (convex portion) 53d between the side surfaces 53b.

[0049] In this embodiment, the extent to which the cutting rotary blade 52a extends is adjusted so that the uncut rice ears a4 and stalks s4 are cut just before the innermost part of the V-shaped guide plates 52c, 52c, as shown in Figure 7.

[0050] 7, the harvesting device 5 and the direct seeding device 4 may be integrated. In this case, grain ears stored in a harvested ear storage layer by the harvesting device 5 may be used as seeds and directly sown by the direct seeding device 4. Next, the management server 2 will be described. Figure 9 is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of the management server according to the embodiment.

[0051] The management server 2 is controlled by a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 201. The CPU 201 is connected to a RAM (Random Access Memory) 202 and several peripheral devices via a bus 208.

[0052] RAM 202 is used as the main memory of the management server 2. At least a portion of the OS (Operating System) program and application programs to be executed by the CPU 201 are temporarily stored in RAM 202. In addition, various data used for processing by the CPU 201 are stored in RAM 202.

[0053] The bus 208 is connected to a hard disk drive (HDD) 203, a graphics processing unit 204, an input interface 205, a drive unit 206, and a communication interface 207.

[0054] The hard disk drive 203 performs magnetic writing and reading of data to and from its internal disk. The hard disk drive 203 is used as the secondary storage device for the management server 2. The hard disk drive 203 stores the OS program, application programs, and various data. Alternatively, semiconductor storage devices such as flash memory can also be used as the secondary storage device.

[0055] A monitor 204a is connected to the graphics processing unit 204. The graphics processing unit 204 displays images on the screen of the monitor 204a according to instructions from the CPU 201. Examples of monitors 204a include display devices using a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) and liquid crystal displays.

[0056] The input interface 205 is connected to a keyboard 205a and a mouse 205b. The input interface 205 transmits signals received from the keyboard 205a and mouse 205b to the CPU 201. Note that the mouse 205b is just one example of a pointing device, and other pointing devices can also be used. Other pointing devices include, for example, touch panels, tablets, touchpads, and trackballs.

[0057] The drive device 206 reads data recorded on a portable recording medium such as an optical disc on which data is recorded in a way that makes it readable by light reflection, or a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory. For example, if the drive device 206 is an optical drive device, it uses laser light or the like to read data recorded on the optical disc 200. Examples of optical discs 200 include Blu-ray®, DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), DVD-RAM, CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), CD-R (Recordable) / RW (ReWritable), etc.

[0058] The communication interface 207 is connected to the network 50. The communication interface 207 sends and receives data to and from other computers or communication devices via the network 50. The processing functions of this embodiment can be realized with the hardware configuration described above. Figure 10 is a block diagram illustrating the management server of this embodiment.

[0059] The management server 2 includes a processing unit 21, a paddy field information storage unit 22, a seed information storage unit 23, a seed direct seeding initial information storage unit 24, a seed direct seeding information storage unit 25, and a harvesting information storage unit 26. The processing unit 21 exchanges information with the drone 1. The processing unit 21 also displays various information stored in the management server 2 on the monitor of the terminal device 3 in response to requests from the terminal device 3. Figure 11 is a diagram illustrating the information stored in the paddy field information storage unit of this embodiment. In Figure 11, the information is shown in a table format.

[0060] The paddy field information table T1 has the following columns: Record ID, Paddy Field ID, Name, Paddy Field Coordinates, Image, Angular Coordinates, R, Starting Point, Row Spacing, Registration Date, Planting Flag (TF), Planting Date and Time, Harvesting Flag (HF), Harvesting Date and Time, and Error Flag (EF). The information arranged horizontally is related to each other. The Record ID column is set with a numerical value that identifies the record. The Sequence Number (Paddy Field) column is set with a string that identifies the paddy field. The Paddy Field Name column is set with a string that identifies the paddy field. The shooting date and time may be set as the initial value. The Paddy Field Coordinates column is set with the GPS coordinates of drone 1 at the time the paddy field was photographed. The Paddy Field Image column is set with the file name of the image taken by drone 1. The Angular Coordinates column is set with the angular coordinates of the paddy field. The R column is set with the radius (unit: cm) of the circle centered on the seed drop base point P0. The start point field contains the starting point of the virtual line (the starting position of the line from the north of the ridge, in cm). The line spacing field contains the spacing between adjacent virtual lines (in cm). The registration date field contains the date and time when the paddy field information was registered.

[0061] The rice planting flag field contains a numerical value that identifies the state of rice planting. In this embodiment, "0" indicates unprocessed, "1" indicates rice planting is possible, "2" indicates rice planting is in progress, and "3" indicates rice planting is complete. The initial value is "0." The rice planting date and time field contains the date and time when rice planting was performed.

[0062] The reaping flag field contains a numerical value that identifies the reaping status. In this embodiment, "0" indicates unprocessed, "1" indicates reaping in progress, and "2" indicates reaping complete. The initial value is "0". The reaping date and time field contains the date and time when reaping was performed.

[0063] The error flag column is set with a numerical value that identifies the type of error. In this embodiment, "0" indicates normal, "1" indicates a comparison mismatch (at planting), "2" indicates an error in the rotation sensor 442, "3" indicates an error in the rice direct sowing sensor 43b, and "4" indicates a comparison mismatch (at harvesting). Figure 12 is a diagram explaining the information stored in the seed rice information storage unit of this embodiment. Figure 12 shows the information in a table.

[0064] The seed rice information table T2 has columns for record ID, paddy field ID, row number, seed rice sequence ID, paddy drop position (GPS coordinates), planting completion flag (TCF), planting date and time, harvesting completion flag (HCF), harvesting date and time, and error flag. The information arranged horizontally is associated with each other. Of this information, the paddy field ID, planting date and time, harvesting date and time, and error flag are the same as those in the paddy field information described above, so their explanation will be omitted. The record ID column contains a numerical value that identifies the record. The row number column contains a row number calculated based on the ridges and row spacing. The seed rice sequence ID column contains a character string that identifies the seed rice number. The paddy drop position (GPS coordinates) column contains a character string that identifies the paddy drop position calculated based on the ridges, row spacing, and R. The planting completion flag (TCF) column contains a numerical value that identifies the state of rice planting. In this embodiment, "0" indicates unprocessed and "1" indicates complete rice planting. A numerical value that identifies the state of reaping is set in the Harvesting Completion Flag (HCF) field. In this embodiment, "0" indicates unprocessed and "1" indicates complete reaping. Fig. 13 is a diagram explaining the information stored in the seed rice direct sowing initial information storage unit of this embodiment. Fig. 13 shows the information in a table.

[0065] The initial seed seed direct seeding information table T3 has columns for record ID, descent distance, number of grains, and error number. The information arranged horizontally is related to each other. The record ID column is set with a numerical value that identifies the record. The descent distance column is set with the descent distance (unit: cm) when dropping the seed rice from the D seed direct seeding device 4. The number of grains column is set with the number of grains dropped in one drop. The error number column is set with the allowable error number for the number of grains dropped. The initial seed seed direct seeding information can be set at any time by the user operating the terminal device 3. Figure 14 is a diagram illustrating the information stored in the seed seed direct seeding information storage unit of the embodiment. The seed seed direct seeding information is stored for each paddy field. In Figure 14, the information is shown in a table format.

[0066] The seed seed direct seeding information table T4 includes columns for record ID, paddy field ID, descent distance, number of grains, and error number. The information arranged horizontally is related to each other. The seed seed direct seeding information table T4 is the same as the seed seed direct seeding initial information table T3, except that a paddy field ID is set.

[0067] When the initial direct seed

[0068] The field for the rice ear harvesting comparison image is set to the file name of the image used to determine when to harvest the rice ears. This image can be one captured by the camera module 103 of drone 1.

[0069] The discharge location field contains the coordinates of the location where the rice ears stored in the rice ear storage layer 53a are discharged. These coordinates can be obtained by the GPS module 102 of the drone 1. When direct seeding is performed in the system 100 of this embodiment, the drone 1 is used to obtain information about the paddy field.

[0070] 16 is a flowchart illustrating the paddy field registration process according to the embodiment. Note that the processing procedure shown in the flowchart of the present embodiment is an example, and some of the processing may be replaced with other processing, the order of some of the processing may be changed, or other processing may be added. During the paddy field registration process, the drone 1 continues to acquire its own location information using the GPS module 102.

[0071] [Step S1] After arriving at a rice paddy, the drone control unit 11 activates the camera module 103 to capture an image of the entire rice paddy. At that time, the drone 1 also calculates the coordinates of the banks.

[0072] [Step S2] The drone control unit 11 transmits the coordinates of the levee and an image of the rice paddy to the management server 2 via the communication module 104. The management server 2 references the rice paddy information table T1 and automatically sets a unique record ID and rice paddy ID, respectively. It also sets the date and time the received image of the rice paddy in the name field. It also sets the coordinates of the levee in the rice paddy coordinate field. It also sets the file name of the received image in the image field. It also sets the coordinates of the levee and the date and time the image of the rice paddy was received in the registration date field.

[0073] [Step S3] The drone control unit 11 uses the GPS module 102 to measure the vertex coordinates of the paddy field's corners and transmits the vertex coordinates to the management server 2 via the communication module. The management server 2 references the paddy field information table T1 and enters the vertex coordinates of the paddy field's corners in the corner coordinate column. Paddy fields come in a variety of shapes. For rectangular paddies as shown in Figure 1, the coordinates of four vertices are transmitted to the management server 2, and for hexagonal paddies, the coordinates of six vertices are transmitted to the management server 2. Figure 17 shows an example of how to determine the vertex coordinates of an n-gonal paddy field. Based on the north-south baseline and east-west baseline, multiple vertical and horizontal lines are drawn at right angles at a fixed distance, like graph paper, to define the vertex coordinates. The user operates the terminal device 3 to access the management server 2 and registers the radius, starting point, and row spacing in the paddy field information table T1. Next, the control unit 21 sets the rice seed information. Figure 18 is a diagram illustrating the rice seed information setting process. [Step S11] The control unit 21 sets the paddy field ID in the paddy field information table T1 set in step S2 in the paddy field ID column of the seed rice information table T2. [Step S12] The control unit 21 connects the angular coordinates with lines to construct a virtual paddy field. [Step S13] The control unit 21 sets the longest distance between the north-south ridges and the east-west ridges of the virtual paddy field constructed in step S12 as the baseline. [Step S14] The control unit 21 refers to the row spacing column in the paddy field information table T1 and draws parallel rows spaced the row spacing along the baseline.

[0074] [Step S15] The control unit 21 numbers the parallel lines drawn in step S14 in order from the east side of the levee, and sets them in the line number column of the seed rice information table T2. The points where the east-west and north-south lines intersect become the rice drop positions. The control unit 21 sets the rice drop positions in the rice drop position column of the seed rice information table T2. The control unit 21 also sets a unique seed rice sequence ID for each record. At this time, it is preferable to assign numbers that are partially common to the seed rice sequence IDs for records that have the same line number.

[0075] Next, the direct seeding operation of the system 100 will be explained using a flowchart. In the following explanation, the operation when sowing rice ears in a paddy field will be explained, but the type of grain ear is not limited to rice ears. Also, the growing area for grain is not limited to paddy fields. Figure 19 is a flowchart explaining the direct seeding operation of the embodiment.

[0076] [Preprocessing] The user operates the terminal device 3 to identify the paddy field in which direct seeding is desired. The management server 2 refers to the identified paddy field information table T1 and sets the rice planting flag (TF) of the record having the paddy field ID of the identified paddy field to "1". [Step S21] The drone control unit 11 refers to the paddy field information table T1 and identifies the record whose rice planting flag (TF) is "1". [Step S22] The drone 1 refers to the paddy field coordinates of the record identified in step S21 (hereinafter referred to as the record in question) and acquires the position information of the paddy field. [Step S23] The D rice seed direct seeding device 4 flies to the paddy field based on the paddy field coordinates acquired in step S22.

[0077] [Step S24] When the D rice seeding device 4 arrives at the paddy field, it takes a picture with the camera module 103 and sends the taken image to the management server 2. The management server 2 compares the received image with the image of the paddy field in the file name of the paddy field image of the record. AI-based judgment can be used for the comparison.

[0078] If the management server 2 determines that the image of the rice paddy in the file name of the rice paddy image matches the received image (Yes in step S24), it sets the rice planting flag column of the record to "2" and proceeds to step S25. If the management server 2 determines that the image of the rice paddy in the file name of the rice paddy image does not match the received image (No in step S24), it returns an error and proceeds to step S26.

[0079] [Step S25] The D rice direct sowing device 4 executes the rice seed dropping process, which will be described next. When the rice seed dropping process is completed, the direct sowing operation of FIG. 19 is completed.

[0080] [Step S26] The management server 2 sets "1" in the error flag field of the record and displays a warning on the terminal device 3. It also sends an instruction to the D rice seed direct seeding device 4 to flash the warning light. Figures 20 and 21 are flowcharts illustrating the seed seeding process.

[0081] [Step S25a] The management server 2 transmits to the D rice direct seeding device 4 the record from the seed rice information table T2 and the record from the seed rice direct seeding information table T4 that have a rice field ID that matches the rice field ID of the record.

[0082] [Step S25b] When the D rice direct sowing device 4 receives the records of the seed rice information table T2 transmitted in step S25a, it selects the record to be processed. For example, the record to be processed first is the record with the smallest seed rice sequence ID. Then, it proceeds to step S25c.

[0083] [Step S25c] The D-grain direct seeding device 4 moves to the seed grain placement position on the virtual furrow described above, based on the grain grain placement position included in the record selected in step S25b.

[0084] [Step S25d] The D rice direct seeding device 4 sets the rice seeds to be dropped based on the number of rice seeds in the record of the received rice seed direct seeding information table T4. Then, the process proceeds to step S25e. [Step S25e] The D rice direct seeding device 4 monitors the image with the rotation sensor 442. Then, the process proceeds to step S25f.

[0085] [Step S25f] The D-grain direct seeding device 4 determines, based on the monitoring results of the rotation sensor 442, whether the number of seeds set in step S25d matches the number set in the seed number column of the seed direct seeding information table T4. If the number of seeds set in step S25d matches the number set in the seed number column of the seed direct seeding information table T4, or if the number of seeds set in step S25d does not match the number set in the seed number column of the seed direct seeding information table T4 but the number of mismatches is within the range of the number set in the error number column (Yes in step S25f), the device proceeds to step S25g. If the number of seeds set in step S25d does not match the number set in the seed number column of the seed direct seeding information table T4, and the number of mismatches is outside the range of the number set in the error number column (No in step S25f), the device proceeds to step S25n.

[0086] [Step S25g] The D rice direct seeding device 4 is lowered by the value set in the lowering distance field of the seed rice direct seeding information table T4, and then the process proceeds to step S25h.

[0087] [Step S25h] After descending, the spray unit 45 sprays compressed air in response to an instruction from the drone control unit 11. This pushes down the rice-dropping lid 44, causing the rice seeds to pass through the drop pipe 43 and be dropped onto the soil.

[0088] [Step S25i] The direct seeding sensor 43b counts the number of seeds passing through the drop pipe 43. If the counted number of seeds matches the number set in the number of seeds column of the direct seeding information table T4, or if the counted number of seeds does not match the number set in the number of seeds column of the direct seeding information table T4 but is within the range of the number set in the error number column (Yes in Step S25i), the process proceeds to Step S25j. If the counted number of seeds does not match the number set in the number of seeds column of the direct seeding information table T4, AND is outside the range of the number set in the error number column (No in Step S25i), the process proceeds to Step S25p.

[0089] [Step S25j] The D rice direct sowing device 4 sets the rice planting completion flag (TCF) of the record in question in the seed rice information table T2 to "1." Then, the process proceeds to step S25k.

[0090] [Step S25k] The D rice direct sowing device 4 determines whether or not there are any records in the seed rice information table T2 received in step S25b that have not been processed. Specifically, the D rice direct sowing device 4 determines whether or not the rice planting completion flag of the record immediately below the record in the seed rice information table T2 selected in step S25b is "0". If the rice planting completion flag is "0" (Yes in step S25k), the record immediately below is selected. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S25d, and the processes from step S25d onwards are carried out. If all records have been processed, that is, if the rice planting completion flag fields of the records in the seed rice information table T2 received in step S25b are all "1" (No in step S25k), the process proceeds to step S25m.

[0091] [Step S25m] The D rice direct sowing device 4 transmits the seed rice information table T2 to the management server 2 and returns. The management server 2 updates the contents of the received seed rice information table T2. Furthermore, if all of the rice planting completion flags in the received seed rice information table T2 are "1", the management server 2 sets "3" in the rice planting flag column of the record that has the same paddy field ID in the paddy field information table T1 as the paddy field ID in the seed rice information table T2. Furthermore, the management server 2 sets the rice planting date and time in the paddy field information table T1 and the seed rice information table T2.

[0092] [Step S25n] The D rice direct seeding device 4 sets "2" in the error flag column of the record in question. The D rice direct seeding device 4 also flashes the LED warning light 105. The D rice direct seeding device 4 also notifies the management server 2 that "2" has been set in the error flag column of the record in question. The management server 2 sets "2" in the error flag column of the record that has the same paddy field ID in the paddy field information table T1 as the paddy field ID in the seed rice information table T2. The management server 2 also displays a warning on the screen of the terminal device 3. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S25d (retry).

[0093] [Step S25p] The D-seed rice seeding device 4 sets "3" in the error flag field of the record. The D-seed rice seeding device 4 also flashes the LED warning light 105. The D-seed rice seeding device 4 also sends a message to the management server 2 that "3" has been set in the error flag field of the record. The management server 2 sets "3" in the error flag field of the record that has the same paddy field ID in paddy field information table T1 as the paddy field ID in seed rice information table T2. The management server 2 also displays a warning on the screen of the terminal device 3. After that, the process proceeds to step S25c (try again).

[0094] In the processes shown in Figures 20 and 21, an error flag is immediately set when an error occurs. However, this is not the only option. If the number of errors is less than a certain number, the process may proceed to step S25d without setting the error flag and try again. The error flag may then be set only when the number of errors exceeds a certain number.

[0095] Next, the reaping operation of the system 100 will be explained using a flowchart. In the following explanation, the operation when reaping rice ears from a paddy field will be explained, but the type of grain ear is not limited to rice ears. Also, the growing area of ​​the grain is not limited to paddy fields. Figure 22 is a flowchart explaining the reaping operation of the embodiment.

[0096] [Preprocessing] The user operates the terminal device 3 to identify the paddy field they wish to harvest. The management server 2 references the identified paddy field information table T1 and sets the harvesting flag (HF) of the record having the paddy field ID of the identified paddy field to "1". [Step S31] The drone 1 references the paddy field information table T1 and identifies the record with the harvesting flag set to "1". [Step S32] The drone 1 references the paddy field coordinates of the record identified in step S31 and acquires the position information of the paddy field. [Step S33] The D ear harvesting device 5 flies to the paddy field based on the position information of the paddy field acquired in step S32.

[0097] [Step S34] When the D ear harvesting device 5 arrives at the relevant paddy field, it takes a picture with the camera module 103 of the imaging device and sends the taken image to the management server 2. The management server 2 compares the received image with the image of the paddy field in the file name of the paddy field image of the record identified in step S31. AI-based judgment can be used for the comparison.

[0098] If the management server 2 determines that the image of the paddy field in the paddy field image file name matches the received image (Yes in step S34), it sets the reaping flag column of the record to "2" and proceeds to step S35. If the management server 2 determines that the image of the paddy field in the paddy field image file name does not match the received image (No in step S34), it returns an error and proceeds to step S36. [Step S35] The D ear reaping device 5 executes reaping processing. The reaping processing is described next. When the reaping processing is completed, the reaping operation in FIG. 22 is completed.

[0099] [Step S36] The management server 2 sets "1" in the error flag field of the record identified in step S31 and displays a warning on the terminal device 3. It also sends an instruction to the D ear harvesting device 5 to flash the warning light. Figures 23 and 24 are flowcharts explaining the harvesting process.

[0100] [Step S35a] The management server 2 transmits to the D ear harvesting device 5 the records in the seed rice information table T2 and the records in the seed rice direct sowing information table T4 that have paddy field IDs that match the paddy field ID of the record identified in step S31.

[0101] [Step S35b] When the D ear harvesting device 5 receives the record in the seed rice information table T2 transmitted in step S35a, it selects the record to process. For example, the record to be processed first is the record with the smallest seed rice sequence ID. Then, it proceeds to step S35c. [Step S35c] The D ear harvesting device 5 moves to the rice ear position on the virtual row line based on the rice drop position included in the record selected in step S35b.

[0102] [Step S35d] The D ear harvesting device 5 takes an image with the camera module 103 at the position of the rice ear on the virtual row line to which it has moved, and sends the captured image to the management server 2. The management server 2 compares the received image with the ear harvesting comparison image in the harvesting information table T5, and determines whether harvesting can be carried out. AI-based judgment can be used for the comparison.

[0103] If the management server 2 determines that harvesting can be carried out (Yes in step S35d), it transitions to step S35e. If the management server 2 determines that harvesting cannot be carried out, for example, because the rice ears have not grown sufficiently (No in step S35d), it transitions to step S35h. [Step S35e] The management server 2 sends a harvesting instruction to the D ear harvesting device 5. [Step S35f] The D ear harvesting device 5 harvests using the method described above. When harvesting is complete, the harvesting completion flag in the seed rice information table T2 is set to "1".

[0104] [Step S35g] After reaping is completed, the D ear harvesting device 5 uses the internal sensor 51d to determine whether the number of rice ears in the ear accumulation layer 53a has not reached a certain level. If there is room in the ear accumulation layer 53a and the number of rice ears has not reached a certain level (Yes in step S35g), the process proceeds to step S35h. If the number of rice ears in the ear accumulation layer 53a has reached a certain level (No in step S35g), the process proceeds to step S35j.

[0105] [Step S35h] The D ear harvesting device 5 determines whether or not there are any records in the seed rice information table T2 received in step S35b that have not been processed. Specifically, the D ear harvesting device 5 determines whether or not the harvesting completion flag of the record immediately below the record in the seed rice information table T2 selected in step S35b is "0". If the harvesting completion flag is "0" (Yes in step S35h), the record immediately below is selected. Then, the process proceeds to step S35c, and the processes from step S35c onwards are carried out. If all records have been processed, that is, if the harvesting completion flag fields of all records in the seed rice information table T2 received in step S35b are "1" (No in step S35h), the process proceeds to step S35i.

[0106] [Step S35i] The D ear harvesting device 5 transmits the seed rice information table T2 to the management server 2 and returns. The management server 2 updates the contents of the received seed rice information table T2. Furthermore, if all of the values ​​in the harvest completion flag column of the received seed rice information table T2 are "1", the management server 2 sets "3" in the harvest flag column of the record having the same paddy field ID in the paddy field information table T1 as the paddy field ID in the seed rice information table T2. Furthermore, the management server 2 sets the harvesting date and time in the harvesting date and time columns of the paddy field information table T1 and the seed rice information table T2.

[0107] [Step S35j] The D ear harvesting device 5 moves to the discharge location in the harvesting information table T5 and discharges the rice ears. It then flies to the rice paddy based on the paddy field location information acquired in step S32, and proceeds to step S35h. <Regarding drone collision prevention>

[0108] Up to now, we have explained the operation of one drone 1, but consider the case where direct sowing or harvesting is performed using multiple drones 1. In this case, each drone control unit 11 performs collision avoidance between the drones 1. Figure 25 is a diagram explaining the drone collision avoidance process.

[0109] [Step S41] The management server 2 determines that no other drones are present at the flight destination based on the location information sent from the GPS module 102 of each drone 1. If no other drones are present at the flight destination (Yes in step S41), the process proceeds to step S42. If other drones are present at the flight destination (No in step S41), the flight is canceled. [Step S42] The management server 2 gives permission for the drone 1 to fly. The drone 1 that has been given permission to fly begins flying and heads toward the destination.

[0110] [Step S43] Drone 1 activates the distance measuring module 106 during flight and confirms that there are no other flying objects within a predetermined distance range. If there are no other flying objects within the predetermined distance range (Yes in step S43), the process proceeds to step S44. If there are other flying objects within the predetermined distance range (No in step S43), the process proceeds to step S45. [Step S44] Drone 1 continues flight. When it reaches its destination, the process shown in Figure 25 is terminated.

[0111] As described above, according to the system 100 of the embodiment, the management server 2 has a paddy field information storage unit 22 that stores the identification number (paddy field ID) of the area (paddy field) to be planted with grain, the angular coordinates of the paddy field, the spacing between multiple virtual parallel furrows separated by a predetermined interval determined based on the angular coordinates, and the radius of a circle centered on the drop point of the grain seeds; a seed seed information storage unit 23 that stores the seed drop position based on the spacing between the virtual furrows and the radius of the circle, and information that the D-seed direct seeding device 4 has dropped the seeds based on the set drop position, for each furrow number that identifies the furrow; and a processing unit 21 that outputs information on the positions where dropping was completed and the positions where dropping was not possible for each furrow.Therefore, the D-seed direct seeding device 4, which can directly sow grains of any type in a short time, can be controlled even in places where it is difficult to bring in agricultural machinery.

[0112] Furthermore, the management server 2 has a seed seed direct seeding information storage unit 24 that stores the descent distance when the D-grain direct seeding device 4 drops the seeds, the number of seeds to drop, and the allowable error number for the number of seeds to drop in association with each other. The D-grain direct seeding device 4 drops the seeds when the number of seeds to drop matches the number stored in the seed seed direct seeding information storage unit 24, or when the number does not match but the number of mismatches is within the allowable error number stored in the seed seed direct seeding information storage unit 24. This makes it possible to make the number of seeds dropped approximately uniform.

[0113] Furthermore, the management server 2 instructs the D-ear harvesting device 5 to harvest grain ears at the locations where seeding has been completed, as stored in the seed information storage unit 23, for the paddy fields stored in the paddy field information storage unit 22. The management server 2 stores the harvesting completion information for each seed placement location, and the processing unit 21 outputs information on the locations where harvesting was completed and the locations where harvesting was not possible for each seed placement location. This makes it easier to manage the harvesting locations.

[0114] Furthermore, the management server 2 has a harvesting information storage unit 26 that stores the location where the harvested rice ears are discharged, and the D-ear harvesting device 5 moves to the discharge location and discharges the rice ears when the amount of harvested and stored rice ears reaches a certain amount, and when discharge is complete it refers to the seed rice information storage unit 23 and resumes harvesting from the position where harvesting is not yet complete. This prevents rice ears from overflowing from the D-ear harvesting device 5 during harvesting.

[0115] There are three types of grain sowing: broadcast sowing, row sowing, and spot sowing. However, by using the D direct rice seeding device 4 of the embodiment, seeds can be sown in a short time regardless of the type of grain.

[0116] Currently, most farmers use agricultural machinery such as combine harvesters when harvesting grains such as rice, wheat, and buckwheat, but moving heavy combine harvesters on terraced farmland in mountainous areas is not an easy task.

[0117] Furthermore, the D-head harvesting device 5 can reduce the labor and shorten the working time for farmers when harvesting grains in farmland with elevation differences, such as rice paddies in mountainous areas. Moreover, since the D-grain direct seeding device 4 and the D-head harvesting device 5 can be used interchangeably by replacing some parts, there is no need to have a variety of farm equipment for different farming tasks, making it economically advantageous.

[0118] In recent years, it has been reported that a large-scale eruption of Mount Fuji could result in volcanic ash falling in the Tokyo metropolitan area. The volcanic ash may not necessarily fall in the city center depending on the wind direction, and conversely, if the eruption continues for a long time, the damage caused by ash fall in the Tokyo metropolitan area may be unavoidable.

[0119] If the eruption were to occur just before the rice harvest, and the impact were to reach the most severe stage 4 (30 cm or more), it would be impossible to bring combine harvesters into the ash-covered rice paddies to harvest the rice, and it is likely that all work would have to be done by hand.

[0120] In the case of the D ear harvesting device 5 of the embodiment, the ash covering the ears is blown away by the downward wind from the drone 1 (wind force can be adjusted by the rotor blades), and if the rice is not completely covered in ash, the ears that are above the ash can be harvested. Operating a combine harvester to harvest rice during ashfall is difficult because you cannot see ahead. Of course, receiving GPS signals is even more difficult, just like with radio interference during snowfall. The processing performed by the management server 2 may be distributed among multiple devices. Furthermore, some of the functions of the drone control unit 11 may be performed by the direct seeding device 4 or the harvesting device 5.

[0121] While the information management device and program of the present invention have been described above based on the illustrated embodiments, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the configuration of each component may be replaced with any configuration having similar functions. Furthermore, any other components or processes may be added to the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention may be a combination of any two or more configurations (features) of the above-described embodiments. The above merely illustrates the principles of the present invention. Furthermore, numerous modifications and variations are possible to those skilled in the art, and the present invention is not limited to the exact configurations and applications shown and described above. All corresponding variations and equivalents are considered to be within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0122] The above processing functions can be realized by a computer. In this case, a program is provided that describes the processing details of the functions possessed by the management server 2. By executing the program on a computer, the above processing functions are realized on the computer. The program that describes the processing details can be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. Examples of computer-readable recording media include magnetic storage devices, optical disks, magneto-optical recording media, and semiconductor memories. Examples of magnetic storage devices include hard disk drives, flexible disks (FDs), and magnetic tapes. Examples of optical disks include DVDs, DVD-RAMs, and CD-ROM / RWs. Examples of magneto-optical recording media include MOs (Magneto-Optical disks).

[0123] When distributing a program, for example, the program is recorded on a portable recording medium such as a DVD or CD-ROM and sold. Alternatively, the program can be stored in a storage device of a server computer and transferred from the server computer to other computers via a network.

[0124] A computer that executes a program stores, for example, a program recorded on a portable recording medium or a program transferred from a server computer in its own storage device. The computer then reads the program from its own storage device and executes processing in accordance with the program. Note that the computer can also read the program directly from a portable recording medium and execute processing in accordance with that program. The computer can also execute processing in accordance with the program received each time a program is transferred from a server computer connected via a network.

[0125] At least a part of the above processing functions can also be realized by electronic circuits such as a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), or a PLD (Programmable Logic Device).

[0126] 1 Drone (flying object) 1a Housing 1b Rotor wing 1c Fixed shaft 1d Attachment 11 Drone control unit 2 Management server 21 Processing unit 22 Paddy field information storage unit 23 Seed rice information storage unit 24 Seed rice direct seeding initial information storage unit 25 Seed rice direct seeding information storage unit 26 Harvesting information storage unit 3 Terminal device 4 Direct seeding device 41 Seed rice storage unit 42 Housing 43 Dropping pipe 43a Tip 43b Sensor for direct seeding 44 Rice seed dropping rotation device 441 Rotating circle body 441a Groove 442 Rotation sensor 443 Drive motor 444 Shaft 45 Rice seed dropping lid 451 Coil 46 Injection unit 47 Air flow pipe 5 Harvesting device 51 Harvesting upper part 51a Blower 51b Ear intake 51c Internal sensor 52 Ear tip guide section 52a Cutting rotating blade 52b Drive motor 52c Guide plate 52c1 V-shaped opening 52d Guide plate support section 53 Lower part of harvesting 53a Ear accumulation layer 53b Side 53c Discharge section 100 System 101 Raspberry Pi 5 102 GPS module 103 Camera module 104 Communication module 105 LED warning light 106 Distance measurement module T1 Paddy field information table T2 Seed rice information table T3 Seed rice direct seeding initial information table T4 Seed rice direct seeding information table T5 Harvesting information table

Claims

1. An information management device characterized by having: a first memory unit that stores the identification number of an area where grains are to be planted, the coordinates of the corners of said area, the spacing between multiple virtual parallel rows spaced a predetermined distance apart based on said coordinates, and the radius of a circle with the base point of the grain seed drop as its center; a second memory unit that stores, for each row number that identifies said row, the seed drop position set based on the row spacing and the radius of the circle, and information on the seed drop by a drone-type flying object based on the set drop position; and an output unit that outputs information on the position where dropping was completed and the position where dropping was not possible for each row.

2. An information management device as described in claim 1, which has a third memory unit that stores the descent distance when the flying object drops the seeds, the number of seeds to be dropped, and an allowable error for the number of seeds to be dropped, in association with each other, and the flying object drops the seeds if the number of seeds to be dropped matches the number stored in the third memory unit, or if the numbers do not match but the mismatch is within the allowable error range stored in the third memory unit.

3. An information management device as described in claim 1, which causes a flying object to harvest grain ears at the positions where dropping has been completed stored in the second memory unit in the area stored in the first memory unit, and stores information on the completion of harvesting for each seed rice dropping position, and the output unit outputs information on the positions where harvesting has been completed and the positions where harvesting has not been completed for each seed rice dropping position.

4. An information management device as described in claim 3, which has a fourth memory unit that stores the discharge location of the harvested grain ears, and when the harvested and stored grain ears reach a certain amount, the flying object moves to the discharge location and discharges the grain ears, and when discharge is complete, it refers to the second memory unit and resumes harvesting at locations where harvesting has not been completed.

5. A program that causes a computer to execute the following process: store the identification number of an area where grains are to be planted, the coordinates of the corners of said area, the spacing between multiple parallel virtual rows spaced at a predetermined interval based on said coordinates, and the radius of a circle with the base point of the grain seed drop as its center; store, for each row number that identifies said row, the seed drop position set based on the row spacing and the radius of the circle, and information on the seed drops by a drone-type flying object based on the set drop position; and output information on the positions where dropping was completed and the positions where dropping was not possible for each row.

Images