KR20240059400A - Unmanned aerial vehicles and operation method of the same - Google Patents

Abstract

An unmanned flying device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a flight drive unit for driving a plurality of propellers of the unmanned flying device; A detection unit for detecting the front and generating sensing data; A rotation support part coupled to the lower end of the main body of the unmanned flying device and rotatably supporting the detection unit; a control unit for controlling the flight drive unit and the rotation support unit; And a state measuring unit for measuring the flight state of the unmanned flying device and the rotational state of the rotation support, wherein the control unit rotates the rotation support so that the detection unit is oriented in the flight direction of the unmanned flying device. Do it as

Description

Unmanned flying device and method of operation thereof {UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES AND OPERATION METHOD OF THE SAME}

An embodiment of the present invention relates to an unmanned flying device capable of aligning the beam angle of a sensing device according to the flight direction and a method of operating the same, in particular, rotating the support on which the sensing device is installed by 360 degrees to align it along the flight direction of the unmanned flying device, This relates to an unmanned flying device that can track an obstacle when an obstacle appears and a method of operating the same.

Unmanned Aircraft systems (UAS) consist of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), Ground Control System (GCS), and Ground Support System (GCS).

An unmanned flying device is an aircraft that flies automatically or semi-automatically according to a pre-programmed route without an actual pilot directly riding it, and is commonly referred to as a drone. The purpose of drone flight is to load a payload and fly toward a preset flight path or target.

Payload may include various types of equipment depending on the purpose of the drone. For example, if the drone is intended for remote sensing and photogrammetry, the payload may include a video camera, multispectral sensor, hyperspectral sensor, infrared camera, ultrasonic sensor, Lidar, and synthesis. It may include sensing devices such as aperture radar (Synthetic Aperture Radar, SAR).

When conventional unmanned flying devices are equipped with sensing devices to achieve operational purposes, there is a problem in that multiple sensing devices cannot be combined simultaneously.

In addition, the conventional unmanned flying device had a problem in that the mounted sensing device was fixed by a gimbal device and could not rotate freely.

In addition, when an obstacle is detected by a sensing device, the conventional unmanned flying device has a problem in that it cannot smoothly track the obstacle using the sensing device due to avoidance drive for the obstacle.

Korean Patent Publication No. 2020-0089110 ‘Radar device method for drones’ (published on July 24, 2020) Korean Patent Publication No. 2020-0105012 ‘Drone including lidar-based autonomous collision avoidance function and its control method’ (published on September 7, 2020)

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an unmanned flying device and a method of operating the same that can improve convenience of use in order to solve the above problems.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an unmanned flying device and a method of operating the same that can easily orient the sensing device in the flight direction of the unmanned flying device by mounting the sensing device in a 360-degree rotatable state.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an unmanned flying device and a method of operating the same, including a rotation support unit that can easily attach and detach a plurality of gimbal devices for fixing a plurality of sensing devices to the unmanned flying device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an unmanned aerial vehicle and a method of operating the same that can stably mount a plurality of sensing devices on a rotation support coupled to the lower portion of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an unmanned flying device that can easily detect obstacles using a plurality of sensing devices that can freely change the beam angle, and a method of operating the same.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an unmanned flying device that can simultaneously avoid an obstacle and track the obstacle when an obstacle is detected, and a method of operating the same.

An unmanned flying device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a flight drive unit for driving a plurality of propellers of the unmanned flying device; A detection unit for detecting the front and generating sensing data; A rotation support part coupled to the lower end of the main body of the unmanned flying device and rotatably supporting the detection unit; a control unit for controlling the flight drive unit and the rotation support unit; And a state measuring unit for measuring the flight state of the unmanned flying device and the rotational state of the rotation support, wherein the control unit rotates the rotation support so that the detection unit is oriented in the flight direction of the unmanned flying device. Do it as

In addition, the detection unit includes a plurality of detection devices for searching the surroundings of the unmanned flying device; and a plurality of gimbal devices mounted on the rotation supporter and maintaining each of the plurality of sensing devices horizontally from vibrations generated by flight of the unmanned flying device.

Additionally, the control unit may include an obstacle detection unit configured to detect an obstacle based on the sensed data; a flight direction determination unit for determining the flight direction based on the flight state when the obstacle is not detected by the obstacle detection unit; a reference direction determination unit for determining a plurality of reference directions; a comparison unit for comparing the flight direction and the plurality of reference directions; When the flight direction and the plurality of reference directions are all different, a selection unit for selecting one of the plurality of reference directions that is closest to the flight direction; And a first information generation unit for generating first rotation information about the rotation support unit and transmitting it to the rotation support unit based on the difference between the flight direction and any reference direction selected by the selection unit, The plurality of reference directions may indicate directions from the center of the rotation support unit to device fixing units to which the plurality of gimbal devices are coupled.

Additionally, the control unit may include a mode switching unit for executing an obstacle detection mode when the obstacle is detected by the obstacle detection unit; Based on the position of the unmanned flying device and the position of the obstacle, second rotation information about the rotation support is generated and transmitted to the rotation support, and third rotation information about the gimbal device is generated and transmitted to the gimbal device. a second information generator for transmission; a collision determination unit for calculating a possibility of collision between the unmanned flying device and the obstacle based on the flight state and the sensing data; And when the possibility of collision is greater than the reference value, it further includes an avoidance control unit for controlling the flight drive unit to avoid driving the unmanned flying device, and when the avoidance driving of the unmanned flying device is completed, the mode switching unit sets the obstacle detection mode. It is characterized by ending.

In addition, the rotation support unit yaws and rotates with respect to the flight direction based on at least one of the first rotation information and the second rotation information, and the gimbal device rotates the flight direction based on the third rotation information. It is characterized by pitch rotation with respect to.

A method of operating an unmanned flying device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the steps of a flight driving unit driving a plurality of propellers of the unmanned flying device under the control of a control unit; Rotating the rotation support unit to point the detection unit in the flight direction of the unmanned flying device under the control of the control unit; The sensing unit orients the flight direction of the unmanned flying device and generates sensing data; A state measuring unit measuring a flight state of the unmanned flying device and a rotational state of the rotation support unit; And the control unit includes controlling the flight drive unit and the rotation support unit based on the flight state and the rotation state, wherein the rotation support unit is coupled to the lower end of the main body of the unmanned flying device, and the detection unit. It is characterized by being supported so that it can rotate.

In addition, the detection unit includes a plurality of detection devices for searching the surroundings of the unmanned flying device; and a plurality of gimbal devices mounted on the rotation support unit and maintaining each of the plurality of sensing devices horizontally from vibrations generated by flight of the unmanned flying device.

In addition, the control unit controlling the flight drive unit and the rotation support unit includes: an obstacle detection unit detecting an obstacle based on the sensing data; When the obstacle is not detected by the obstacle detection unit, a flight direction determination unit determining the flight direction based on the flight state; A reference direction determination unit determining a plurality of reference directions; A comparison unit comparing the flight direction and the plurality of reference directions; When the flight direction and the plurality of reference directions are all different, a selection unit selecting one of the plurality of reference directions that is closest to the flight direction; And a first information generating unit generating first rotation information about the rotation support unit based on the difference between any reference direction selected by the selection unit and the flight direction and transmitting the first rotation information to the rotation support unit. , the plurality of reference directions represent directions from the center of the rotation support unit to the device fixing units to which the plurality of gimbal devices are coupled.

In addition, the control unit controlling the flight drive unit and the rotation support unit includes: executing an obstacle detection mode when the mode switching unit detects the obstacle by the obstacle detection unit; A second information generator generating second rotation information based on the location of the unmanned flying device and the location of the obstacle and transmitting it to the rotation support unit, and generating and transmitting third rotation information to the gimbal device; A collision determination unit calculating a possibility of collision between the unmanned flying device and the obstacle based on the flight state and the sensed data; When the possibility of collision is greater than a reference value, the avoidance control unit controls the flight driving unit to avoid driving the unmanned flying device; And when the avoidance drive of the unmanned flying device is terminated, the mode switching unit terminates the obstacle detection mode.

In addition, the rotation support unit yaws and rotates with respect to the flight direction based on at least one of the first rotation information and the second rotation information, and the gimbal device rotates the flight direction based on the third rotation information. It is characterized by pitch rotation with respect to.

The unmanned flying device and its operating method of the present invention have the effect of improving convenience of use.

In addition, the unmanned flying device and its operating method of the present invention have the effect of allowing the sensing device to be easily oriented in the flight direction of the unmanned flying device by mounting the sensing device in a 360-degree rotatable state.

In addition, the unmanned flying device and its operating method of the present invention have the effect of allowing a plurality of gimbal devices that fix a plurality of sensing devices to be easily attached and detached to the rotation support of the unmanned flying device.

In addition, the unmanned flying device and its operating method of the present invention have the effect of stably mounting a plurality of sensing devices on a rotation support coupled to the lower part of the unmanned flying device.

In addition, the unmanned flying device and its operating method of the present invention have the effect of easily detecting obstacles using a plurality of sensing devices that can freely change the beam angle.

In addition, the unmanned flying device and its operating method of the present invention have the effect of simultaneously driving to avoid the obstacle and tracking the obstacle when detecting an obstacle.

1 is a diagram showing an unmanned flying device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an unmanned flying device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 is a flowchart showing a method of operating an unmanned flying device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4 is a block diagram showing a control unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 5 is a flowchart showing in detail the operation method of the unmanned flying device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 6 is a diagram showing a rotation support unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 7 is a diagram showing a rotating frame according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention will be described in more detail.

Hereinafter, with reference to the attached drawings, embodiments of the present invention and other matters necessary for those skilled in the art to easily understand the contents of the present invention will be described in detail. However, since the present invention can be implemented in various different forms within the scope described in the claims, the embodiments described below are merely illustrative regardless of whether they are expressed or not.

Like reference numerals refer to like elements. Additionally, in the drawings, the thickness, proportions, and dimensions of components are exaggerated for effective explanation of technical content. “And/or” may include any one or more combinations that the associated configurations may define.

Terms such as first, second, etc. may be used to describe various components, but the components should not be limited by the terms. The above terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, a first component may be named a second component without departing from the scope of the present invention, and similarly, the second component may also be named a first component. Singular expressions may include plural expressions, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

Additionally, terms such as “below,” “on the lower side,” “above,” and “on the upper side” are used to describe the relationship between the components shown in the drawings. The above terms are relative concepts and are explained based on the direction indicated in the drawings.

Terms such as “include” or “have” are intended to designate the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, but do not include one or more other features, numbers, or steps. , it should be understood that it does not exclude in advance the possibility of the existence or addition of operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

In other words, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but can be implemented in various different forms. In the description below, when a part is connected to another part, it is directly connected. In addition, it may also include cases where they are electrically connected with another element in between. In addition, it should be noted that the same components in the drawings are indicated with the same reference numbers and symbols as much as possible, even if they are shown in different drawings.

In this specification, the flight state of the drone is defined as a rotational motion state and a translational motion state, and the rotational motion state is yaw (or rudder, rotating the body while maintaining the drone horizontal, z-axis rotation), Pitch (Pitch or Elevator, moving the nose of the drone up and down to move forward or backward, rotating on the State means longitude, latitude, altitude, and speed.

Figure 1 is a diagram showing an unmanned flying device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an unmanned flying device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

1 and 2, the unmanned flying device 10 includes a flight driver 100, a detection unit 200, a rotation support unit 300, a control unit 400, a state measurement unit 500, and a communication unit 600. may include.

The flight driver 100 may drive a plurality of propellers PP under the control of the controller 400. And, the flight driver 100 can generate a drag force that allows the unmanned flight device 10 to fly. For example, the flight drive unit 100 may include a motor, a propeller (PP), a motor transmission, and a battery. The motor transmission may receive a signal from the control unit 400 and drive the motor. Additionally, the motor transmission can convert direct current power from the battery into alternating current and provide it to the motor. Depending on the embodiment, various types of batteries may be used, and preferably, lithium polymer batteries may be used. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

The sensing unit 200 may detect the front and generate sensing data. To this end, the detection unit 200 may include a plurality of sensing devices (SD) and a plurality of gimbal devices (GD).

The sensing device (SD) can search the surroundings of the unmanned flying device 10 according to the operation purpose of the unmanned flying device 10. The sensing device (SD) can sense the area oriented by the rotation support unit 300 and the gimbal device (GD). Depending on the embodiment, the sensing device (SD) may include a video camera, multispectral sensor, hyperspectral sensor, infrared camera, ultrasonic sensor, Lidar, and SAR for remote sensing and photogrammetry. It can be implemented with various sensors such as:

The gimbal device (GD) is mounted on the rotation support unit 300 and can maintain the level of each of the plurality of sensing devices from vibration generated by the flight of the unmanned flying device 10. For example, the gimbal device GD may be installed on the rotation support unit 300 in such a way that a coupling protrusion is inserted into a coupling groove formed on the rotation support unit 300. The gimbal device (GD) is a structure made to allow an object to rotate around one axis, and can fix the sensing device (SD). For example, it is possible to correct changes in the beam angle of the sensing device (SD) due to vibration and shock caused by the flight of the unmanned flying device 10. Depending on the embodiment, the gimbal device (GD) may be implemented as a 2-axis gimbal or a 3-axis gimbal.

The rotation support unit 300 is coupled to the lower end of the main body (MB) of the unmanned flying device 10 and can support the detection unit 200 to be rotatable. The rotation support unit 300 may be mounted on the unmanned flying device 10. For example, the rotation support portion 300 may be coupled to a payload coupling portion located at the lower end of the main body portion (MB) of the unmanned flying device 10. The rotation support unit 300 fixes the detection unit 200 and can be moved under the control of the control unit 400. For example, the rotation support unit 300 can freely rotate the fixed detection unit 200 in the yaw direction. Through this, the rotation support unit 300 of the present invention can orient the sensing unit 200 according to the moving direction of the unmanned flying device 10.

The control unit 400 may control the overall operation of the unmanned flying device 10. For example, the control unit 400 may control the flight driver 100, the detection unit 200, and the rotation support unit 300. Depending on the embodiment, the control unit 400 may control flight using a flight controller and a sensor fusion unit.

The state measurement unit 500 may measure the flight state of the unmanned flying device 10 and the rotation state of the rotation support unit 300. For example, the state measuring unit 500 may measure the motion state or translational state of the unmanned flying device 10. In addition, the state measurement unit 500 can measure the position, movement speed, posture, etc. of the unmanned flying device 10. Depending on the embodiment, the state measuring unit 500 uses a 3-axis gyro sensor, a 3-axis acceleration sensor, and a 3-axis geomagnetic sensor to measure the rotational motion state, and GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) to measure the translational motion state. ) (e.g., GPS (Global Positioning System)) receiver and barometric pressure sensor can be used. Through this, the state measuring unit 500 can detect the flight state in real time using various sensors in order for the unmanned flying device 10 to fly stably.

The communication unit 600 can transmit and receive data and signals with a manager on the ground. For example, the communication unit 600 may receive flight commands from a central control device on the ground and transmit sensing data to the central control device.

Depending on the embodiment, the communication unit 600 may include a receiver and a transmitter. The receiver can receive flight commands from a central control device on the ground. The transmitter may transmit data detected by the sensing device (SD) to the ground. Additionally, the transmitter can transmit flight status information such as the location, speed, and remaining battery capacity of the unmanned flying device 10 to the ground. Depending on the embodiment, the communication unit 600 may perform communication using at least one of telemetry, WiFi, and wireless mobile communication technology (e.g., 3rd to 5th generation or higher). there is. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and depending on the embodiment, the communication unit 600 may perform communication using various types of communication methods within the scope of achieving the purpose of the present invention.

Depending on the embodiment, the main body MB is a component representing the main body of the unmanned flying device 10 and may include a control unit 400, a state measurement unit 500, and a communication unit 600. A coupling structure and legs for mounting a payload may be formed at the lower part of the main body MB.

Figure 3 is a flowchart showing a method of operating an unmanned flying device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, a method of operating the unmanned flying device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

First, the flight driver 100 may drive a plurality of propellers PP of the unmanned flight device 10 under the control of the controller 400 (S10). For example, the control unit 400 may generate a flight control signal according to a flight command received from the central control device and transmit it to the flight driver 100. The flight driver 100 may start flight according to a flight control signal.

The rotation support unit 300 may rotate under the control of the control unit 400 so that the detection unit 200 is oriented in the flight direction of the unmanned flying device 10 (S20). For example, at least a portion of the rotation support 300 may rotate in a yaw direction with respect to the flight direction. Through this, the rotation support unit 300 can adjust the orientation direction of the sensing unit 200 to be the same as the flight direction. At this time, the rotation support unit 300 is coupled to the lower end of the main body (MB) of the unmanned flying device 10 and can support the sensing unit 200 to be rotatable.

The sensing unit 200 can point the flight direction of the unmanned flying device 10 and generate sensing data (S30). For example, the detection unit 200 includes a plurality of detection devices (SD), and at least one of the plurality of detection devices (SD) is oriented in the flight direction of the unmanned flying device 10 and can generate detection data. there is.

The state measurement unit 500 can measure the flight state of the unmanned flying device 10 and the rotation state of the rotation support unit 300 (S40). For example, the state measuring unit 500 may measure the position, movement state, and posture of the unmanned flying device 10. Additionally, the state measuring unit 500 can measure the rotation angle, rotation speed, and rotation direction of the rotation support unit 300.

The control unit 400 may control the flight driver 100 and the rotation support unit 300 based on the flight state and rotation state (S50). For example, the control unit 400 may control the flight driver 100 based on the measured flight state and rotation state to allow the unmanned flying device 10 to perform the intended flight. Here, the control unit 400 may control the flight drive unit 100 to compensate for the rotational force of the rotation support unit 300.

Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the control unit 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Figures 1 and 4, the control unit 400 of the present invention includes an obstacle detection unit 405, a flight direction determination unit 410, a reference direction determination unit 420, a comparison unit 430, and a selection unit 440. , It may include a first information generation unit 450, a mode switching unit 460, a second information generation unit 470, a collision determination unit 480, and an avoidance control unit 490.

The obstacle detection unit 405 may detect an obstacle based on the sensed data. For example, the obstacle detection unit 405 may detect an obstacle based on sensing data and generate information including the shape, location, movement speed, and posture of the obstacle.

If an obstacle is not detected by the obstacle detection unit 405, the flight direction determination unit 410 may determine the flight direction based on the flight state. For example, the flight direction determination unit 410 may determine the flight direction from the flight state measured by the state measurement unit 500. Depending on the embodiment, the flight direction may be two-dimensional vector data on a horizontal plane or three-dimensional vector data including a vertical component.

The reference direction determination unit 420 may determine a plurality of reference directions. Here, referring to FIG. 7 , the plurality of reference directions may represent directions from the center of the rotation support unit 300 to the device fixing parts 355 to which the plurality of gimbal devices (GD) are coupled.

The comparison unit 430 may compare the flight direction and a plurality of reference directions. For example, the comparison unit 430 may compare the flight direction and each of a plurality of reference directions. Additionally, the comparison unit 430 may determine whether reference directions that are the same as the flight direction exist.

When the flight direction and the plurality of reference directions are all different, the selection unit 440 may select one of the plurality of reference directions that is closest to the flight direction. That is, if there is no reference direction that is the same as the flight direction, this may mean that the flight direction of the unmanned flying device 10 and the detection direction of the sensing device (SD) are different from each other.

Through this, the selection unit 440 of the present invention can minimize the rotation angle of the rotation support unit 300 by selecting one of the plurality of reference directions that is closest to the flight direction.

The first information generation unit 450 may generate first rotation information about the rotation support unit 300 based on the difference between a reference direction selected by the selection unit and the flight direction and transmit it to the rotation support unit. For example, the first information generator 450 may calculate the rotation angle and rotation direction based on the difference between the reference direction and the flight direction, and generate first rotation information including the rotation angle and rotation direction. Additionally, the rotation support unit 300 may rotate the detection unit 200 according to the first rotation information and direct the detection device SD toward the flight direction.

When an obstacle is detected by the obstacle detection unit 405, the mode switching unit 460 may execute the obstacle detection mode. In this specification, the obstacle detection mode refers to a mode for tracking and avoiding obstacles located around the unmanned flying device 10. At this time, the sensing unit 200 of the unmanned flying device 10 may track the obstacle without pointing in the flight direction.

The second information generator 470 generates second rotation information about the rotation support 300 based on the position of the unmanned flying device 10 and the position of the obstacle and transmits it to the rotation support, and the gimbal device (GD) Third rotation information about can be generated and transmitted to the gimbal device (GD).

For example, the second information generation unit 470 is configured to operate the rotation support unit 300 based on the position of the unmanned flying device 10 and the position of the obstacle so that the sensing device SD can track the obstacle along the horizontal direction. Second rotation information can be generated by calculating the rotation angle and direction. In addition, the second information generator 470 is configured to provide information to the gimbal device (GD) based on the position of the unmanned flying device 10 and the position of the obstacle so that the sensing device (SD) can track the obstacle along the vertical direction. Third rotation information can be generated by calculating the rotation angle and direction.

The collision determination unit 480 may calculate the possibility of collision between the unmanned flying device 10 and an obstacle based on the flight state and sensing data. For example, the collision determination unit 480 estimates the expected position of the unmanned flying device 10 and the obstacle based on the position, movement speed, and attitude of each of the unmanned flying device 10 and the obstacle, and determines the possibility of collision based on this. It can be calculated.

If the possibility of collision is greater than a reference value, the avoidance control unit 490 may control the flight drive unit 100 to avoid driving the unmanned flying device 10. For example, the reference value may be a preset value (eg, 50%) or a value input by the user. The avoidance control unit 490 may transmit a flight control signal to the flight drive unit 100 to evasively drive the unmanned flying device 10 until the possibility of collision falls below a reference value.

When the avoidance drive of the unmanned flying device 10 is completed, the mode switching unit 460 may end the obstacle detection mode. That is, when the possibility of collision falls below the reference value, the unmanned flying device 10 may end the avoidance drive and the mode switching unit 460 may end the obstacle detection mode. At this time, the sensing device (SD) may again point the flight direction of the unmanned flying device 10.

That is, the unmanned flying device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention can stably generate sensing data by directing the sensing device (SD) toward the flight direction in a normal flight situation without obstacles. Also, when an obstacle is found, the unmanned flying device 10 controls the sensing device (SD) to track the obstacle, so that it can easily and quickly perform evasive driving.

Figure 5 is a flowchart showing in detail the operation method of the unmanned flying device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5, a step (S50) in which the controller 400 controls the flight drive unit 100 and the rotation support unit 300 based on the flight state and rotation state will be described in detail.

First, the obstacle detection unit 405 may detect an obstacle based on the sensed data (S51). For example, the obstacle detection unit 405 may detect the surroundings of the unmanned flying device 10 and detect obstacles based on the sensing data.

If the obstacle is not detected by the obstacle detection unit 405 (YES in S52), the flight direction determination unit 410 may determine the flight direction based on the flight state (S53). For example, the flight direction determination unit 410 may determine the flight direction based on the position of the unmanned flying device 10 included in the flight state.

The reference direction determination unit 420 may determine a plurality of reference directions (S54). Here, the plurality of reference directions may represent directions from the center of the rotation support part 300 to the device fixing parts 355 to which the plurality of gimbal devices (GD) are coupled.

The comparison unit 430 may compare the flight direction and a plurality of reference directions (S55). For example, the comparison unit 430 may compare the orientation direction and flight direction of the sensing device SD indicated by a plurality of reference directions.

If the flight direction and the plurality of reference directions are all different (YES in S56), the selection unit 440 may select one of the plurality of reference directions that is closest to the flight direction (S57). That is, when the orientation direction and flight direction of the sensing device SD are different, the selection unit 440 may select one of the reference directions in order to minimize the amount of rotation of the rotation support unit 300.

If the flight direction and the plurality of reference directions match (NO in S56), the sensing device (SD) is oriented in the flight direction, and the process can proceed to the step of determining the flight direction (S52).

The first information generation unit 450 generates first rotation information about the rotation support unit 300 based on the difference between the reference direction and the flight direction selected by the selection unit 440 to generate the first rotation information for the rotation support unit 300. ) can be transmitted (S58). The rotation support unit 300 may rotate according to the rotation angle and direction included in the first rotation information. Additionally, the detection unit 200 installed on the rotation support unit 300 may be oriented in the flight direction.

When an obstacle is detected by the obstacle detection unit 405 (NO in S52), the mode switching unit 460 may execute the obstacle detection mode (S60). In obstacle detection mode, the sensing device (SD) can track obstacles.

The second information generator 470 generates second rotation information based on the position of the unmanned flying device 10 and the position of the obstacle and transmits it to the rotation support unit 300, and generates third rotation information to create a gimbal device. It can be transmitted to (GD) (S61). The rotation support unit 300 may rotate yaw based on the second rotation information, and the gimbal device GD may rotate pitch based on the third rotation information.

The collision determination unit 480 may calculate the possibility of collision between the unmanned flying device 10 and an obstacle based on the flight state and sensing data (S62).

If the possibility of collision is greater than the reference value (YES in S63), the avoidance control unit 490 can control the flight driver 100 to avoid driving the unmanned flying device (S64).

If the possibility of collision is less than the reference value (NO in S63), the mode switching unit 460 may proceed to step S65 in which the obstacle detection mode is terminated.

When the avoidance drive of the unmanned flying device 10 ends, the mode switching unit 460 may end the obstacle detection mode (S65).

The rotation support unit 300 may rotate yaw with respect to the flight direction based on at least one of first rotation information and second rotation information. The gimbal device (GD) may rotate pitch with respect to the flight direction based on the third rotation information. Through this, the unmanned flying device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention can easily track obstacles while maintaining the level of the sensing device (SD) from vibration caused by flight.

Figure 6 is a diagram showing a sensing platform device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Figures 1 and 6, the rotation support part 300 includes a main body coupling part 310, a drive motor 320, a central rotation axis 330, a first rotation transmission part 340, a rotation frame 350, and a first rotation transmission part 340. 2 It may include a rotation transmission unit 360, a fixing plate 370, a rotary connector 380, and a battery unit 390.

The body coupling portion 310 may be coupled to the bottom of the main body portion (MB) of the unmanned flying device 10. For example, the body coupling portion 310 may be coupled to a coupling structure located at the bottom of the main body portion (MB) of the unmanned flying device 10. Depending on the embodiment, the main body coupling part 310 can be one-touch coupled to the main body part MB, making it easy to attach and detach. Additionally, the body coupling unit 310 can protect the drive motor 320, the central rotation shaft 330, and the battery unit 390 from the outside through a protection bracket structure.

The drive motor 320 is located inside the body coupling portion 310 and can generate rotational kinetic energy from electrical energy. For example, the driving motor 320 may receive electrical energy from at least one of the battery unit 390 and the main body MB. The drive motor 320 can generate rotational kinetic energy through various possible methods. The drive motor 320 may be coupled and fixed to the inside of the body coupling portion 310.

The central rotation axis 330 is rotatably supported by the body coupling portion 310 and can receive rotational kinetic energy. For example, the central rotation axis 330 may have a cylindrical shape. The central rotation axis 330 may have a structure extending toward the lower part of the main body. As shown in FIG. 6, the central rotation axis 330 is rotatably supported by the body coupling portion 310, and a portion of the central rotation axis 330 may protrude outside the body coupling portion 310 and extend downward. The central rotation shaft 330 may receive rotational kinetic energy generated by the driving motor 320 through the second rotation transmission unit 360. That is, the central rotation shaft 330 may rotate as the driving motor 320 operates.

The first rotation transmission unit 340 is connected to the central rotation shaft 330 and can transmit rotational kinetic energy to the outer surface. For example, the first rotation transmission unit 340 has a structure in which the central rotation shaft 330 rotated by the drive motor 320 is inserted into the central portion, and the rotational kinetic energy transmitted through the central rotation shaft 330 is transmitted to the first rotation. It can be delivered to the outer surface of the delivery unit 340. Depending on the embodiment, the first rotation transmission unit 340 may be implemented in various ways, such as gears or belts. Details related to the first rotation transmission unit 340 are described in FIG. 3.

The rotation frame 350 is coupled to the outer surface of the first rotation transmission unit 340 and can rotate by rotational kinetic energy. For example, the rotation frame 350 is fixed to the outer surface of the first rotation transmission unit 340 and may rotate as the contact surface rotates.

At this time, at least one device fixing part 355 for fixing the sensing device SD may be formed in the rotating frame 350. The device fixing portion 355 may be implemented as a hole into which the sensing device (SD) and the gimbal device (GD) to which the sensing device (SD) is fixed can be inserted and coupled. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be implemented in various ways for fixing the sensing device (SD) and the gimbal device (GD). Details related to the rotating frame 350 are described in FIG. 7 .

The second rotation transmission unit 360 may transmit rotational kinetic energy generated by the driving motor 320 to the central rotation shaft 330. Depending on the embodiment, the second rotation transmission unit 360 may be implemented in various ways, such as gears or belts.

The fixing plate 370 may be coupled to the leg LG of the unmanned flying device 10. For example, the fixing plate 370 is coupled to the leg LG and does not rotate, and may fix the central axis of at least one gear included in the first rotation transmission unit 340.

At this time, the leg LG of the unmanned flying device 10 may penetrate the first rotation transmission unit 340 and the fixing plate 370. Specifically, the leg LG may penetrate the first rotation transmission unit 340 without any separate contact. The leg LG may be connected to the fixing plate 370 and penetrate the fixing plate 370 in a fixed state.

The rotary connector 380 can electrically connect the unmanned flying device 10 and the device fixing unit 355. For example, according to an embodiment in which the rotary connector 380 is included in the main body (MB) of the unmanned flying device 10, the rotary connector 380 may include a slip ring and a brush. You can. The slip ring is connected to the central rotation shaft 330 and can maintain electrical connection with the brush even when rotated. The brush is connected to the unmanned flying device 10, and can transmit electrical signals and data to the device fixture 355 through electrical connection with the slip ring.

The battery unit 390 may supply power to the sensing device (SD). For example, the battery unit 390 may provide power to operate the sensing device (SD). Additionally, the battery unit 390 can be used as an emergency power source for the unmanned flying device 10, or can receive and store power from a battery included in the unmanned flying device 10.

Depending on the embodiment, the rotation support unit 300 may further include at least one bearing BR. In this specification, a bearing (BR) refers to a mechanical element that reduces friction between the rotating shaft and the shaft support. For example, the bearing BR located on the central rotating shaft 330 can reduce friction between the shaft supports (i.e., the body coupling portion 310). Additionally, the bearing BR located between the rotating frame 350 and the fixed plate 370 can reduce friction between the rotating frame 350 and the fixed plate 370.

Figure 7 is a diagram showing a rotating frame 350 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 7, a cross section along line segment L1 of the rotating frame 350 shown in FIG. 6 is shown.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 7 , the rotation frame 350 may have a disk shape with a hole corresponding to the size of the first rotation transmission unit 340 formed therein. That is, the first rotation transmission unit 340 may be inserted into the internal space of the rotation frame 350 and transmit rotational kinetic energy provided to the central rotation axis 330 to the rotation frame 350. Additionally, the rotating frame 350 may rotate according to rotational kinetic energy.

At least one device fixing part 355 may be formed in the rotating frame 350 to fix the sensing device SD. In Figure 5, four device fixing parts 355 are shown, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Depending on the embodiment, various numbers of device fixing parts 355 may be formed on the rotating frame 350.

Depending on the embodiment, the device fixing part 355 may include a magnetic connector. The device fixing unit 355 may be coupled to one of the sensing device (SD) and the gimbal device (GD) using magnetism and may supply power.

The device fixing part 355 may be implemented as a hole into which at least one of the sensing device (SD) and the gimbal device (GD) to which the sensing device (SD) is fixed can be inserted and coupled. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be implemented in various ways for fixing the sensing device (SD) and the gimbal device (GD).

That is, when the rotating frame 350 rotates, the sensing device (SD) fixed to the device fixing part 355 can also rotate. Accordingly, the sensing device (SD) according to an embodiment of the present invention can easily set the beam angle of the sensing device (SD) according to the moving direction of the unmanned flying device 10. Additionally, when the gimbal device (GD) is additionally coupled, the gimbal device (GD) can effectively maintain the beam angle of the sensing device (SD) by reducing vibration and shock.

The reference direction RD may represent the direction from the center of the rotation frame 350 to the device fixing unit 355. That is, as the number and arrangement of the device fixing units 355 change, the number and orientation points of the reference directions RD may vary.

Through the above-described method, the unmanned flying device and its operating method of the present invention have the effect of improving convenience of use.

In addition, the unmanned flying device and its operating method of the present invention have the effect of allowing the sensing device to be easily oriented in the flight direction of the unmanned flying device by mounting the sensing device in a 360-degree rotatable state.

In addition, the unmanned flying device and its operating method of the present invention have the effect of allowing a plurality of gimbal devices that fix a plurality of sensing devices to be easily attached and detached to the rotation support of the unmanned flying device.

In addition, the unmanned flying device and its operating method of the present invention have the effect of stably mounting a plurality of sensing devices on a rotation support coupled to the lower part of the unmanned flying device.

In addition, the unmanned flying device and its operating method of the present invention have the effect of easily detecting obstacles using a plurality of sensing devices that can freely change the beam angle.

In addition, the unmanned flying device and its operating method of the present invention have the effect of simultaneously driving to avoid the obstacle and tracking the obstacle when detecting an obstacle.

The functional operations described herein and embodiments of the subject matter described above may be implemented in digital electronic circuits, computer software, firmware or hardware, including the structures disclosed herein and their structural equivalents, or in a combination of one or more of these. possible.

Embodiments of the subject matter described herein may relate to one or more computer program products, that is, computer program instructions encoded on a tangible program medium for execution by or to control the operation of a data processing device. It can be implemented as a module. The tangible program medium may be a radio signal or a computer-readable medium. A radio signal is an artificially generated signal, such as a machine-generated electrical, optical or electromagnetic signal, that is generated to encode information for transmission to a suitable receiver device for execution by a computer. The computer-readable medium may be a machine-readable storage device, a machine-readable storage substrate, a memory device, a combination of materials that affect a machine-readable radio wave signal, or a combination of one or more of these.

A computer program (also known as a program, software, software application, script, or code) may be written in any form of a programming language, including a compiled or interpreted language, or an a priori or procedural language, as a stand-alone program or module; It can be deployed in any form, including components, subroutines, or other units suitable for use in a computer environment.

Computer programs do not necessarily correspond to files on a file device. A program may be stored within a single file that serves the requested program, or within multiple interacting files (e.g., one or more of which store modules, subprograms, or portions of code), or within files holding other programs or data. Some (e.g., one or more scripts stored within a markup language document) may be stored.

The computer program may be deployed to run on a single computer or multiple computers located at one site or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected by a communications network.

Additionally, the logic flow and structural block diagram described in this patent document describe corresponding actions and/or specific methods supported by corresponding functions and steps supported by the disclosed structural means, It can also be used to build software structures and algorithms and their equivalents.

The processes and logic flows described herein can be performed by one or more programmable processors, each of which executes one or more computer programs to perform functions by operating on input data and generating output.

Processors suitable for executing computer programs include, for example, any one or more processors of both general-purpose and special-purpose microprocessors and any type of digital computer. Typically, the processor will receive instructions and data from read-only memory, random access memory, or both.

The core elements of a computer are one or more memory devices for storing instructions and data and a processor for executing instructions. Additionally, a computer generally includes one or more mass storage devices for storing data, such as magnetic, magneto-optical or optical disks, operable to receive data from, transfer data to, or perform both such operations. It may be combined with or include these. However, a computer does not need to have such a device.

The present description sets forth the best mode of the invention and provides examples to illustrate the invention and to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the invention. The specification prepared in this way does not limit the present invention to the specific terms presented.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art or have ordinary knowledge in the relevant technical field should not deviate from the spirit and technical scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims to be described later. It will be understood that the present invention can be modified and changed in various ways within the scope of the present invention.

Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention should not be limited to what is described in the detailed description of the specification, but should be defined by the scope of the patent claims.

10: Unmanned flying device
100: Flight drive eastern part
200: detection unit
300: rotation support
400: Control unit
500: Status measurement unit
600: Department of Communications
MB: main body
PP: propeller
SD: Sensing device
GD: Gimbal Device
LG: legs

Claims (10)

A flight drive unit for driving a plurality of propellers of the unmanned flying device;
A detection unit for detecting the front and generating sensing data;
A rotation support part coupled to the lower end of the main body of the unmanned flying device and rotatably supporting the detection unit;
a control unit for controlling the flight drive unit and the rotation support unit; and
It includes a state measuring unit for measuring the flight state of the unmanned flying device and the rotation state of the rotation support,
The control unit is characterized in that it rotates the rotation support so that the detection unit points in the flight direction of the unmanned flying device.
Unmanned flying device. According to paragraph 1,
The sensing unit,
a plurality of sensing devices for searching the surroundings of the unmanned flying device; and
It is mounted on the rotation support unit and includes a plurality of gimbal devices for maintaining each of the plurality of sensing devices horizontally from vibrations generated by the flight of the unmanned flying device,
Unmanned flying device. According to paragraph 2,
The control unit,
an obstacle detection unit configured to detect an obstacle based on the sensed data;
a flight direction determination unit for determining the flight direction based on the flight state when the obstacle is not detected by the obstacle detection unit;
a reference direction determination unit for determining a plurality of reference directions;
a comparison unit for comparing the flight direction and the plurality of reference directions;
When the flight direction and the plurality of reference directions are all different, a selection unit for selecting one of the plurality of reference directions that is closest to the flight direction; and
A first information generator for generating first rotation information about the rotation support unit and transmitting it to the rotation support unit based on the difference between the flight direction and any reference direction selected by the selection unit,
Characterized in that the plurality of reference directions indicate directions from the center of the rotation support unit to the device fixing units to which the plurality of gimbal devices are coupled.
Unmanned flying device. According to paragraph 3,
The control unit,
a mode switching unit for executing an obstacle detection mode when the obstacle is detected by the obstacle detection unit;
Based on the position of the unmanned flying device and the position of the obstacle, second rotation information about the rotation support is generated and transmitted to the rotation support, and third rotation information about the gimbal device is generated and transmitted to the gimbal device. a second information generator for transmission;
a collision determination unit for calculating a possibility of collision between the unmanned flying device and the obstacle based on the flight state and the sensing data; and
When the possibility of collision is greater than the reference value, it further includes an avoidance control unit for controlling the flight drive unit to avoid driving the unmanned flight device,
When the avoidance drive of the unmanned flying device is completed, the mode switching unit terminates the obstacle detection mode,
Unmanned flying device. According to paragraph 4,
The rotation support unit yaws and rotates with respect to the flight direction based on at least one of the first rotation information and the second rotation information,
The gimbal device is characterized in that it rotates pitch with respect to the flight direction based on the third rotation information,
Unmanned flying device. A flight driver driving a plurality of propellers of the unmanned flight device according to the control of the controller;
Rotating the rotation support unit to point the detection unit in the flight direction of the unmanned flying device under the control of the control unit;
The sensing unit orients the flight direction of the unmanned flying device and generates sensing data;
A state measuring unit measuring a flight state of the unmanned flying device and a rotational state of the rotation support unit; and
The control unit includes controlling the flight drive unit and the rotation support unit based on the flight state and the rotation state,
The rotation support part is coupled to the lower part of the main body of the unmanned flying device, and supports the sensing part to be rotatable.
How the unmanned flying device operates. According to clause 6,
The sensing unit,
a plurality of sensing devices for searching the surroundings of the unmanned flying device; and
It is mounted on the rotation support unit and includes a plurality of gimbal devices for maintaining each of the plurality of sensing devices horizontally from vibrations generated by the flight of the unmanned flying device,
How the unmanned flying device operates. In clause 7,
The step of the control unit controlling the flight drive unit and the rotation support unit,
An obstacle detection unit detecting an obstacle based on the sensed data;
When the obstacle is not detected by the obstacle detection unit, a flight direction determination unit determining the flight direction based on the flight state;
A reference direction determination unit determining a plurality of reference directions;
A comparison unit comparing the flight direction and the plurality of reference directions;
When the flight direction and the plurality of reference directions are all different, a selection unit selecting one of the plurality of reference directions that is closest to the flight direction; and
A first information generating unit generating first rotation information about the rotation support unit based on the difference between the flight direction and any reference direction selected by the selection unit and transmitting the first rotation information to the rotation support unit,
Characterized in that the plurality of reference directions indicate directions from the center of the rotation support unit to the device fixing units to which the plurality of gimbal devices are coupled.
How the unmanned flying device operates. According to clause 8,
The step of the control unit controlling the flight drive unit and the rotation support unit,
A mode switching unit executing an obstacle detection mode when the obstacle is detected by the obstacle detection unit;
A second information generator generating second rotation information based on the location of the unmanned flying device and the location of the obstacle and transmitting it to the rotation support unit, and generating and transmitting third rotation information to the gimbal device;
A collision determination unit calculating a possibility of collision between the unmanned flying device and the obstacle based on the flight state and the sensed data;
When the possibility of collision is greater than a reference value, the avoidance control unit controls the flight driving unit to avoid driving the unmanned flying device; and
When the avoidance drive of the unmanned flying device is terminated, the mode switching unit further comprises terminating the obstacle detection mode.
How the unmanned flying device operates. According to clause 9,
The rotation support unit yaws and rotates with respect to the flight direction based on at least one of the first rotation information and the second rotation information,
The gimbal device is characterized in that it rotates pitch with respect to the flight direction based on the third rotation information,
How the unmanned flying device operates.

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