Pest control system

Abstract

The present inventors consider it desirable that a UAV equipped with a battery be more widely put into practical use for the purpose of agricultural use and the like. However, the present inventors have noticed that various obstacles must be overcome in order to more widely put the UAV equipped with a battery into practical use.　This pest control system for exterminating pests 600 flying in an agricultural field 500 by laser sniping comprises a small unmanned aerial vehicle 100 having an irradiation device 110 that emits a laser beam for the laser sniping.

Description

Pest Control System

[0001] The present invention relates to a pest control system for agricultural use.

[0002] UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) such as unmanned exploration helicopters have been researched for military use in countries including the United States.

[0003] In recent years, lithium-ion battery technology has developed rapidly, and UAVs equipped with batteries such as LiPo (Lithium Polymer) batteries have been put into practical use for purposes including agricultural applications.

[0004] Accordingly, UAVs equipped with such batteries are known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0005] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2014-76676

[0006] By the way, the present inventor considers it desirable that battery-equipped UAVs be more widely put into practical use for purposes including agricultural applications.

[0007] However, the present inventor has recognized that various obstacles must be overcome in order to more widely put battery-equipped UAVs into practical use.

[0008] In consideration of the above-described conventional problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a pest control system capable of effectively exterminating pests.

[0009] A first aspect of the present invention provides a pest control system for exterminating flying pests in a farm field by laser sniping, the pest control system being characterized by comprising a small unmanned aerial vehicle including an irradiation device that emits a laser beam for the laser sniping.

[0010] A second aspect of the present invention provides the pest control system according to the first aspect of the present invention, characterized in that the small unmanned aerial vehicle includes an imaging device that captures an image of the flying pests, and the irradiation device emits the laser beam toward the flying pests based on the image of the flying pests captured by the imaging device.

[0011] The third aspect of the present invention is a pest control system of the second aspect of the present invention, characterized in that the imaging device is an imaging device that acquires information in three-dimensional space.

[0012] The fourth aspect of the present invention is a pest control system of the third aspect of the present invention, which includes an aircraft station on which the small unmanned aircraft lands, and in the state in which the small unmanned aircraft has landed on the aircraft station, the imaging device takes images of the flying pest, and the irradiation device irradiates the flying pest with the laser beam based on the images of the flying pest taken by the imaging device.

[0013] The fifth aspect of the present invention is a pest control system of the fourth aspect of the present invention, comprising: a data storage device for storing pest flight pattern data for each type of pest; and a calculation device that calculates the estimated pest flight position of the flying pest after a predetermined time by utilizing the pest flight pattern data based on imaging of the flying pest performed by the imaging device, wherein the irradiation device uses at least one of fuzzy control and random number generation to irradiate the laser beam by sweeping toward a predetermined three-dimensional area including the estimated pest flight position.

[0014] The sixth aspect of the present invention is a pest control system of the fifth aspect of the present invention, characterized in that the small unmanned aerial vehicle has a spraying device for spraying a repellent that repels the pests, the small unmanned aerial vehicle flies along the periphery of the field before landing on the aircraft station, the spraying device sprays the repellent except for areas of the periphery of the field that are not sprayed with the repellent, and the aircraft station is erected near the areas not sprayed with the repellent.

[0015] The seventh aspect of the present invention is a pest control system according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, characterized in that the small unmanned aerial vehicle flies over the field before landing on the aerial vehicle station, and the pests are made to fly away.

[0016] The eighth aspect of the present invention is a pest control system according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, characterized in that the flying vehicle station is erected outside the periphery of the field.

[0017] The ninth aspect of the present invention is a pest control system according to the eighth aspect of the present invention, characterized in that when the small unmanned aerial vehicle is flying along the periphery of the field before landing on the aerial vehicle station, the irradiation device irradiates the field with a laser beam in a horizontal sweeping manner so that the flying pests do not escape from the space above the field.

[0018] The tenth aspect of the present invention is a pest control system according to the ninth aspect of the present invention, characterized in that the small unmanned aerial vehicle has an attractant device for attracting the pests.

[0019] The present invention provides a pest control system that can effectively eliminate pests.

[0020] Schematic front view (1) of a small unmanned aerial vehicle and aircraft station of an embodiment of the pest control system according to the present invention Schematic front view (2) of a small unmanned aerial vehicle and aircraft station of an embodiment of the pest control system according to the present invention Block diagram of a pest control system according to an embodiment of the present invention Perspective view of a small unmanned aerial vehicle of a pest control system according to an embodiment of the present invention Explanatory diagram of the irradiation device of a pest control system according to an embodiment of the present invention Schematic plan view (1) of a small unmanned aerial vehicle and aircraft station of an embodiment of the pest control system according to the present invention Schematic plan view (2) of a small unmanned aerial vehicle and aircraft station of an embodiment of the pest control system according to the present invention Schematic plan view (3) of a small unmanned aerial vehicle and aircraft station of an embodiment of the pest control system according to the present invention

[0021] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0022] The same applies below, however, some components may not be shown in the drawings, or they may be shown in perspective or in an abbreviated form.

[0023] While describing the operation of the pest control system according to the embodiment of the present invention, a method for controlling the operation of the pest control system, which is implemented by the control unit 150 and the like, will also be described.

[0024] (1) First, the configuration and operation of the pest control system according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 1 to 4.

[0025] Here, Figures 1 and 2 are schematic front views (I and II) of the small unmanned aerial vehicle 100 and the aerial vehicle station 200 of the pest control system according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3 is a block diagram of the pest control system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 4 is a perspective view of the small unmanned aerial vehicle 100 of the pest control system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] The pest control system according to the embodiment of the present invention is a system for eliminating flying pests 600 in a field 500 by laser targeting.

[0027] Typically, pest 600 is the beet armyworm, a troublesome pest in the Asian region. Adult beet armyworms, which are about 15-20 millimeters in length, also fly to Japan, and the damage caused by their larvae is often widespread in various vegetables, beans, flowers, and fruit trees such as soybeans, cabbage, tomatoes, strawberries, and chrysanthemums. However, controlling beet armyworms with simple pesticide spraying is not always easy due to so-called pesticide resistance.

[0028] The small unmanned aerial vehicle 100 is an aircraft equipped with an illumination device 110 that emits a laser beam for laser targeting.

[0029] The small unmanned aerial vehicle 100 is a pest control drone that can operate unmanned at night. It is equipped with a lithium-ion battery, such as a semi-solid lithium-ion battery, and can fly continuously for approximately 1 to 2 hours using the flight unit 160.

[0030] The small unmanned aerial vehicle 100 has an imaging device 120 that takes images of flying insects 600.

[0031] The adult beet armyworm, which flies irregularly in three-dimensional space, has a flight speed of approximately 1 to 2 meters per second, and the insect's flight trajectory C in the XYZ coordinate space is measured by the camera 121 of the imaging device 120 at an imaging rate of approximately 55 times per second.

[0032] Based on the imaging of the flying insect 600 performed by the imaging device 120, the irradiation device 110 directs the laser beam towards the flying insect 600.

[0033] The laser gun 111 of the irradiation device 110 emits a high-power blue laser beam that exhibits pest-killing capabilities at the level of chemical pesticides with a laser hit rate of approximately 20 percent.

[0034] The imaging device 120 is an imaging device that acquires information in three-dimensional space.

[0035] The depth distance from the irradiation device 110 to the pest 600 can be calculated based on the magnitude of the image displacement between two cameras 121, such as a stereo camera, which are arranged in parallel. Of course, it is also conceivable that such a depth distance is not necessarily calculated, and that a single camera 121 is used, positioned at a location that approximately coincides with the location where the irradiation device 110 is located.

[0036] Aircraft Station 200 is a station where small unmanned aircraft 100 land.

[0037] The number of aircraft stations 200, which are so-called helipads for the small unmanned aircraft 100, is arbitrary. The landing error of the small unmanned aircraft 100 on the aircraft station 200 is suppressed to not exceed approximately 10 centimeters by acquiring positional information using radio waves for mobile terminal devices with the GPS unit 170.

[0038] The station diameter D, which is the stage width of the station landing stage 210 of the aircraft station 200, is approximately 1.2 meters. The station height H, which is the pole length of the station fixing pole 220 of the aircraft station 200, is approximately 3 to 4 meters.

[0039] The station fixing wires 230 of the aircraft station 200 are wires used to securely connect the station landing stage 210 to the field 500, and are preferably used in multiples.

[0040] As shown in Figure 2, when fruit trees 550 planted in the field 500 are located near the aircraft station 200, it is often preferable that the station landing stage 210 be made of a mesh material or the like that allows sunlight to pass through, so as to prevent an unintended reduction in solar radiation from occurring.

[0041] With the small unmanned aerial vehicle 100 landed on the aerial vehicle station 200, the imaging device 120 takes images of the flying insect 600, and the illumination device 110, based on the images of the flying insect 600 taken by the imaging device 120, directs a laser beam towards the flying insect 600.

[0042] It is also conceivable that the irradiation device 110 irradiates a flying insect 600 with a laser beam while the small unmanned aerial vehicle 100 is in flight, such as by hovering. However, since a decrease in the laser hit rate is easily caused by the shaking of the small unmanned aerial vehicle 100, it is often preferable that the laser beam irradiation be performed when the small unmanned aerial vehicle 100 has landed on the aircraft station 200 and is in a stable state.

[0043] As shown in Fig. 4, an embodiment is also conceivable in which the imaging device 120 and the irradiation device 110 are provided on a lid or the like of a chemical tank 131 of a spraying device 130 that stores a chemical such as a repellent that repels pests 600. Since an open empty space is often formed above the lid of the chemical tank 131 so that the operation of replenishing the chemical tank 131 with the chemical is facilitated, the imaging of the pest 600 by the imaging device 120 and the irradiation of the laser beam by the irradiation device 110 are less likely to be obstructed.

[0044] (2) Next, the configuration and operation of the pest control system according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described more specifically with principal reference to Fig. 5.

[0045] Here, Fig. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the irradiation device 110 of the pest control system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] The data storage device 300 is a device that stores pest flight pattern data for each type of pest 600.

[0047] An embodiment in which the data storage device 300 is mounted on the small unmanned aerial vehicle 100 is also conceivable. However, since weight reduction of the small unmanned aerial vehicle 100 is often required, it is often preferable that the data storage device 300 is, for example, a part of a general-purpose high-function system provided via the Internet or the like.

[0048] The arithmetic device 400 is a device that calculates an estimated pest flight position P of a flying pest 600 after a predetermined time by using pest flight pattern data based on imaging of the flying pest 600 performed by the imaging device 120.

[0049] An embodiment in which the arithmetic device 400 is mounted on the small unmanned aerial vehicle 100 is also conceivable. However, as described above, since weight reduction of the small unmanned aerial vehicle 100 is often required, it is often preferable that the data storage device 300 is also, for example, a part of a general-purpose high-function system provided via the Internet or the like.

[0050] The irradiation device 110 uses at least one of fuzzy control and random number generation to irradiate a laser beam by sweeping towards a predetermined three-dimensional area including the estimated insect flight position P.

[0051] Since the flight position of the 600 flying insects changes moment by moment, even if the laser beam is applied based solely on the image of the flying insects, it is difficult to expect a high laser hit rate.

[0052] It is expected that the laser hit rate of a sweeping laser beam, utilizing fuzzy control and random number generation, will be improved compared to the laser hit rate of a single laser beam fired at the estimated insect flight location P using simple pinpoint targeting.

[0053] Typically, the three-dimensional area containing the estimated insect flight position P is a sphere whose center coincides with the estimated insect flight position P. It is also conceivable that such a sphere may be deformed, for example, into an ellipsoid whose major axis coincides with the flight direction of the flying insect 600. Of course, it is also conceivable that the laser beam irradiation by sweeping is directed not towards the three-dimensional area itself in three-dimensional space, but towards the projection figure of the three-dimensional area onto a virtual screen plane.

[0054] The computing device 400 calculates the estimated flight position P of the flying insect 600 with an accuracy of approximately 1.4 centimeters.

[0055] Based on the insect flight positions of the pests 600 measured in real time by the imaging device 120, the estimated insect flight position P can be calculated with high accuracy and without significant delay using insect flight pattern data generated from AI data modeling using machine learning algorithms. For example, the processing time required from the time imaging by the imaging device 120 until the estimated insect flight position P of the pests 600 is calculated is approximately 0.03 seconds. Although the distance traveled by the beet armyworm during this 0.03-second processing time is 2-3 centimeters, which is greater than its body length, the estimated insect flight position P after 0.03 seconds can be predicted with almost accuracy, and a high laser hit rate is expected.

[0056] In addition to tracking multiple pests 600, it is also conceivable that a simulator in a computer virtual space, which incorporates control of the laser beam's irradiation direction, could be applied, along with a model capable of predicting the estimated flight positions P of multiple pests 600.

[0057] (3) Next, the configuration and operation of the pest control system of the embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail, mainly with reference to Figures 6 to 9.

[0058] Herein, Figures 6 to 9 are schematic plan views (1 to 4) of the small unmanned aerial vehicle 100 and the aerial vehicle station 200 of the pest control system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0059] The small unmanned aerial vehicle 100 has a spraying device 130 that sprays a repellent that repels pests 600.

[0060] As the repellent is sprayed, the insect pests 600 that are flying without falling will either move outside the periphery 510 of the field 500 or move inside the periphery 510 of the field 500.

[0061] Before landing on the aircraft station 200, the small unmanned aircraft 100 flies along the periphery 510 of the field 500, and the spraying device 130 sprays the repellent in all areas except the non-sprayed area 520, which is a part of the periphery 510 of the field 500.

[0062] Since the repellent is sprayed along the periphery 510 of the field 500, excluding the area 520 where the repellent is not sprayed, most of the pests 600 that enter inside the periphery 510 of the field 500 will eventually try to exit from the area 520 where the repellent is not sprayed to the outside of the periphery 510 of the field 500.

[0063] The aircraft station 200 is erected near the non-repellent area 520.

[0064] When the small unmanned aerial vehicle 100 has landed on the aerial vehicle station 200 erected near the area 520 where the repellent is not sprayed, the irradiation device 110 can effectively irradiate the pests 600 that are flying out of the area 520 where the repellent is not sprayed and beyond the periphery 510 of the field 500 with a laser beam.

[0065] Furthermore, the small unmanned aircraft 100 may fly over the field 500 and the pests 600 may be displaced before landing at the aircraft station 200.

[0066] The pests 600 are allowed to fly without the application of repellent, and when the small unmanned aerial vehicle 100 has landed on the aerial vehicle station 200, the irradiation device 110 can effectively irradiate the flying pests 600 with a laser beam.

[0067] The aircraft station 200 is erected outside the periphery 510 of the field 500.

[0068] It is also conceivable that the aircraft station 200 is erected inside the periphery 510 of the field 500. However, when the small unmanned aircraft 100 lands on the aircraft station 200 erected outside the periphery 510 of the field 500, the irradiation device 110 can irradiate the laser beam to intercept the pests 600 that are flying out of the non-repellent area 520 and attempting to leave the periphery 510 of the field 500, thereby improving the laser beam's accuracy.

[0069] Before the small unmanned aircraft 100 lands on the aircraft station 200, while it is flying along the periphery 510 of the field 500, the irradiation device 110 irradiates the field 500 with a horizontal laser beam to prevent flying pests 600 from escaping from the space above the field 500.

[0070] As shown in Figure 9, when the field 500 is covered by laser beam irradiation via horizontal sweeping, flying pests 600 have difficulty escaping from the space above the field 500, and most of the pests 600 that enter inside the periphery 510 of the field 500 will eventually try to leave the area 520 where the repellent is not applied and go outside the periphery 510 of the field 500, so the laser beam's hit rate is often improved.

[0071] The small unmanned aerial vehicle 100 has an attractant device 140 that attracts insect pests 600.

[0072] The LED 141 of the attractant device 140 is a light source that attracts pests 600. Since multiple LED wavelengths corresponding to pest preferences are often required for effective insect collection, the LED 141 is a mixed-wavelength LED capable of outputting, for example, four wavelengths. It is also conceivable that the LED 141 functions as an imaging illumination light for the imaging device 120, extracting the flight position of the flying pests 600 as a feature point.

[0073] Furthermore, the program of the invention related to the present invention is a program that causes a computer to execute all or part of the steps (or processes, operations, and actions, etc.) of the pest control system operation control method of the invention related to the present invention described above, and is a program that operates in cooperation with the computer.

[0074] Furthermore, the recording medium of the invention related to the present invention is a recording medium that records a program for causing a computer to execute all or part of the steps (or processes, operations, and actions, etc.) of the pest control system operation control method of the invention related to the present invention described above, and is a computer-readable recording medium in which the read program is used in cooperation with the computer.

[0075] The "some steps (or processes, actions, and functions, etc.)" mentioned above refer to one or more of those steps.

[0076] Furthermore, the "actions of the steps (or processes, movements, and actions, etc.)" mentioned above refer to the actions of all or part of the steps mentioned above.

[0077] Furthermore, one form of use of the program of the invention related to the present invention may be that it is transmitted through a transmission medium such as the internet, light, radio waves, or sound waves, read by a computer, and operates in cooperation with the computer.

[0078] Furthermore, recording media include ROM (Read Only Memory), among others.

[0079] Furthermore, a computer may include not only pure hardware such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), but also firmware, an OS (Operating System), and even peripheral devices.

[0080] As mentioned above, the configuration of the present invention may be implemented in software or in hardware.

[0081] The pest control system of the present invention can effectively eliminate pests and is useful for use as a pest control system for agricultural purposes.

[0082] 100 Small unmanned aerial vehicle 110 Irradiation device 111 Laser gun 120 Imaging device 121 Camera 130 Spraying device 131 Chemical tank 140 Attracting device 141 LED 150 Control unit 160 Flight unit 170 GPS unit 200 Aerial vehicle station 210 Station landing stage 220 Station fixing pole 230 Station fixing wire 300 Data storage device 400 Calculation unit 500 Field 510 Periphery 520 Area not sprayed with repellent 550 Fruit tree 600 Pest C Pest flight trajectory D Station diameter H Station height P Estimated pest flight position

Claims

1. A pest control system for eliminating flying insects in a field by laser targeting, characterized in that it comprises a small unmanned aerial vehicle having an irradiation device for irradiating a laser beam for the laser targeting.

2. The pest control system according to claim 1, wherein the small unmanned aerial vehicle has an imaging device that takes images of the flying pest, and the irradiation device irradiates the flying pest with the laser beam based on the images of the flying pest taken by the imaging device.

3. The pest control system according to claim 2, characterized in that the imaging device is an imaging device that acquires information in three-dimensional space.

4. The pest control system according to claim 3, comprising a flight station to which the small unmanned aircraft lands, wherein, when the small unmanned aircraft has landed on the flight station, the imaging device performs imaging of the flying pest, and the irradiation device irradiates the flying pest with the laser beam based on the imaging of the flying pest performed by the imaging device.

5. A pest control system according to claim 4, comprising: a data storage device for storing pest flight pattern data for each type of pest; and a calculation device that calculates the estimated pest flight position of the flying pest after a predetermined time by using the pest flight pattern data based on imaging of the flying pest performed by the imaging device, wherein the irradiation device uses at least one of fuzzy control and random number generation to irradiate the laser beam by sweeping toward a predetermined three-dimensional area including the estimated pest flight position.

6. The pest control system according to claim 5, characterized in that the small unmanned aerial vehicle has a spraying device for spraying a repellent that repels the pests, the small unmanned aerial vehicle flies along the periphery of the field before landing at the aircraft station, the spraying device sprays the repellent except for areas of the periphery of the field that are not sprayed with the repellent, and the aircraft station is erected near the area not sprayed with the repellent.

7. The pest control system according to claim 5, characterized in that the small unmanned aerial vehicle flies over the field before landing on the aerial vehicle station, and the pests are made to fly away.

8. The pest control system according to claim 6, characterized in that the aircraft station is erected outside the periphery of the field.

9. The pest control system according to claim 8, characterized in that, when the small unmanned aerial vehicle is flying along the periphery of the field before landing on the aerial vehicle station, the irradiation device irradiates the field with a laser beam in a horizontal sweeping manner so that the flying pests do not escape from the space above the field.

10. The pest control system according to claim 9, characterized in that the small unmanned aerial vehicle has an attractant device for attracting the pests.

Images