UAV-AGV Inspection System for 3D Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Determination of the three-dimensional position of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) within dynamic storage facilities is challenging due to the presence of movable and unpredictable elements, often requiring human operators or additional reference targets for localization.
Innovation Solution
An inspection system comprising an automatic guided vehicle and an unmanned aerial vehicle, equipped with a bidimensional positioning system, propulsion units, altitude sensors, and communication systems, which allows the UAV to maintain a stable vertical position above the AGV, transmitting tridimensional coordinates for accurate data acquisition and measurement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If additional reference targets are added to help locate the UAV, then positioning accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a bidimensional positioning system as an intermediary component that mediates between the UAV and the storage facility environment. This positioning system provides the necessary location information without requiring additional reference targets in the facility, thus improving positioning capability while avoiding increased system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the positioning function from the environmental context (reference targets in the facility) and relocates it to a dedicated subsystem (bidimensional positioning system onboard the UAV). This separation allows accurate positioning without modifying the storage facility environment or adding reference targets
2Reliability
If a human operator is used to locate and control the UAV, then positioning reliability is improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by equipping the UAV with an autonomous bidimensional positioning system that independently determines its location without human intervention. The UAV autonomously navigates and positions itself above the AGV, eliminating the need for human operators while maintaining positioning reliability and significantly improving inspection productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical human operator system with an automated electronic positioning and control system. The bidimensional positioning system combined with automated control algorithms substitutes human manual operation, achieving both reliable positioning and high productivity through automation
3Measurement precision
If the UAV performs tridimensional positioning in a dynamic environment, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the three-dimensional positioning problem into two independent components: bidimensional horizontal positioning (handled by the bidimensional positioning system) and vertical positioning (handled by altitude sensor and position control system). This segmentation simplifies each subsystem while achieving complete tridimensional position determination
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the positioning approach by maintaining the UAV in a vertical dimension above the AGV rather than requiring full three-dimensional autonomous navigation. The vertical position is controlled relative to the AGV's horizontal position, reducing the complexity of tridimensional positioning while achieving accurate spatial location for inspection
Data Source
AI summary
An inspection system for a storage facility including an automatic guided vehicle with a bidimensional positioning system, an unmanned aerial vehicle with a measurement sensor, a position control system to maintain the unmanned aerial vehicle above the automatic guided vehicle, an altitude sensor to acquire a relative vertical distance between the unmanned aerial vehicle and the automatic guided vehicle, and a communication system to transmit the measurement data to a remote server. The inspection system transmits to the remote server a set of tridimensional coordinates associated with the measurement data comprising horizontal coordinates function of the bidimensional location of the automatic guided vehicle on the floor of the storage facility and a vertical coordinate function of the relative vertical distance of the unmanned aerial vehicle with respect to the automatic guided vehicle.