UAV Formation Alignment Using Relative Distance Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing unmanned aerial vehicle formation control systems based on GPS coordinates suffer from GPS coordinate errors that lead to formation errors, resulting in control overlap zones and no-control zones, causing crop damage and inefficiency in pest control.
Innovation Solution
A formation control system that uses location and distance data to align and maintain the formation of unmanned aerial vehicles, with real-time error detection and automatic realignment, utilizing a data processing unit, formation alignment unit, and formation error determination unit to minimize errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If GPS coordinates are used for formation control, then the system can provide location data for each unmanned aerial vehicle, but GPS coordinate errors of at least ±1 m are generated and accumulate as the number of vehicles increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a relative position measurement system as an intermediary between GPS coordinates and formation control. This intermediary system measures the relative positions between unmanned aerial vehicles directly, bypassing the accumulation of GPS errors. The relative position data serves as a mediator that provides accurate formation information without being affected by GPS coordinate errors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the actual relative positions of unmanned aerial vehicles are continuously measured and compared with the ideal formation positions. The position correction values calculated from this feedback are used to adjust the formation control, thereby compensating for GPS errors and maintaining accurate formation alignment.
2Device complexity
If GPS coordinate errors are not corrected, then the formation control system can operate without additional complexity, but control overlap zones and no-control zones are generated causing crop damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a relative position measurement system as an intermediary to eliminate harmful control overlap zones and no-control zones. This intermediary provides accurate relative position information that enables precise formation control, ensuring that pesticide spraying coverage is uniform and complete without creating zones that harm crops.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the number of unmanned aerial vehicles in formation is increased, then more complex purposes can be performed, but GPS coordinate errors accumulate and increase exponentially
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the formation control problem into individual relative position measurements between adjacent unmanned aerial vehicles. Instead of relying on a single global GPS coordinate system for all vehicles, the control system measures relative positions in segmented pairs, preventing error accumulation across the entire formation regardless of its size.
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment of the present disclosure provides an unmanned aerial vehicle formation control system that performs formation control of a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles, the system including a data processing unit that receives the location data and distance data of the unmanned aerial vehicles and provides the received location data and distance data to other unmanned aerial vehicles belonging to a formation of the unmanned aerial vehicles; a formation alignment unit that selectively uses the location data and the distance data to align the formation of the unmanned aerial vehicles; and a formation error determination unit that calculates an overall formation error value due to formation alignment mismatch based on the location data of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and compares the formation error value with a preset allowable threshold value to determine whether a formation error of the unmanned aerial vehicle has occurred, wherein when it is determined that the formation error has occurred, the formation alignment unit realigns the unmanned air vehicle based on the location data of the unmanned air vehicle, and combines location data-based formation control of the unmanned air vehicle and distance data-based formation control of the unmanned air vehicle to align the unmanned air vehicle so as to maintain a constant formation form using two of the distance data.