Drone Formation Control via Master-Slave Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current drone formation control systems require multiple pilots to operate a group of drones, leading to high training and personnel costs due to the need for individual control of each drone, with no existing solutions allowing a single or small number of pilots to simultaneously control multiple drones effectively.
Innovation Solution
A drone formation control apparatus that receives a unified drone control command, generates a movement command for each drone to reach a specific destination, and transmits this command to at least one drone, which can then relay it to the others, using a network and a master drone to coordinate the movement of all drones within the formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple pilots control each drone individually, then each drone can be precisely controlled, but training costs and personnel expenses increase excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the control function by designating one drone as a master drone that receives control commands and separately identifies other drones as slave drones that follow the master's movements. This segmentation allows a single pilot to control the entire formation by controlling only the master drone, reducing personnel requirements while maintaining control precision through the master-slave coordination mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The master drone acts as an intermediary between the pilot and the slave drones. The pilot controls the master drone, which then transmits movement information to the slave drones, enabling indirect control of the entire formation. This intermediary mechanism reduces the number of direct control connections needed from multiple pilots to each drone, thereby reducing training and personnel costs.
2Productivity
If drone formation movement is coordinated through a master drone, then control efficiency improves, but communication and coordination requirements between drones increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the master drone receives position information from all drones in the formation, processes this information to determine formation center movement, and generates appropriate control commands. Slave drones provide feedback on their positions and statuses, enabling the master drone to coordinate movements efficiently while maintaining awareness of the entire formation's state, thus improving control efficiency without sacrificing communication reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A drone formation control apparatus for controlling a plurality of drones included in a drone formation includes: an input unit which receives a drone control command which is a command for controlling the plurality of drones together; a movement command generating unit which generates a drone movement command which is a command to move the plurality of drones to a specific destination, based on the drone control command; and a movement command transmitting unit which transmits the drone movement command to at least one drone of the plurality of drones.