Drone Information Collection via Vehicle Relay Communication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems fail to collect information from a destination using a drone when there is no wireless information communication network covering the range from the departure point to the destination, such as in areas affected by disasters.
Innovation Solution
An information collection device, method, and program that utilize a small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to fly to a destination by transmitting control signals via a vehicle located between the departure point and the destination, enabling information collection even without a wireless communication network, using a vehicle-to-UAV communication system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a drone is used to fly from departure point to destination for information collection, then information collection capability is improved, but communication reliability deteriorates when no wireless network covers the route
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a wireless communication relay device as an intermediary to establish communication between the drone and the external network. The relay device receives control signals from the external device and forwards them to the drone, and also transmits collected information back through the relay. This mediator enables communication in areas where direct wireless network coverage is unavailable, resolving the contradiction between maintaining information collection capability and ensuring communication reliability.
2Device complexity
If direct wireless communication is used from departure point to destination, then communication simplicity is improved, but communication coverage deteriorates in areas without network infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The wireless communication relay device serves as an intermediary node that extends communication coverage to areas without direct network infrastructure. By positioning the relay device along the drone's flight path or at strategic locations, the system maintains relative simplicity while significantly expanding adaptability and coverage to previously unreachable destinations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a wireless communication relay device is introduced to enable communication without network coverage, then communication coverage is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The relay device is designed as a dedicated intermediary component with specific functions: receiving control signals from external devices, forwarding them to the drone, and transmitting collected information back. This specialized mediator approach allows the system to gain extended coverage while keeping the complexity localized to the relay device itself, rather than complicating the entire system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication system is segmented into distinct functional components: the external control device, the relay device, and the drone. Each segment has a specific role, allowing the relay device to handle the complexity of bridging communication gaps while the other components remain relatively simple. This segmentation enables the system to achieve extended coverage without uniformly increasing complexity throughout the entire system.
Data Source
AI summary
An information collection device according to the present disclosure is an information collection device that causes a small unmanned aerial vehicle to fly from a departure point to a destination and collects information at the destination using the small unmanned aerial vehicle, and includes a control device that causes the small unmanned aerial vehicle to fly from the departure point to the destination by transmitting a control signal to the small unmanned aerial vehicle by wireless information communication via a vehicle when determination is made that the wireless information communication is able to be executed with the small unmanned aerial vehicle via the vehicle located between the departure point and the destination.