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WO2024142245A1 - Véhicule aérien sans pilote - Google Patents

Véhicule aérien sans pilote Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2024142245A1
WO2024142245A1 PCT/JP2022/048188 JP2022048188W WO2024142245A1 WO 2024142245 A1 WO2024142245 A1 WO 2024142245A1 JP 2022048188 W JP2022048188 W JP 2022048188W WO 2024142245 A1 WO2024142245 A1 WO 2024142245A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
power
internal combustion
combustion engine
unmanned aerial
battery
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/JP2022/048188
Other languages
English (en)
Japanese (ja)
Inventor
大澤　郁郎
Original Assignee
株式会社クボタ
株式会社石川エナジーリサーチ
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by 株式会社クボタ, 株式会社石川エナジーリサーチ filed Critical 株式会社クボタ
Priority to PCT/JP2022/048188 priority Critical patent/WO2024142245A1/fr
Publication of WO2024142245A1 publication Critical patent/WO2024142245A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
    • B64U—UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
    • B64U10/00—Type of UAV
    • B64U10/10—Rotorcrafts
    • B64U10/13—Flying platforms
    • B64U10/16—Flying platforms with five or more distinct rotor axes, e.g. octocopters
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
    • B64U—UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
    • B64U50/00—Propulsion; Power supply
    • B64U50/10—Propulsion
    • B64U50/11—Propulsion using internal combustion piston engines
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
    • B64U—UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
    • B64U50/00—Propulsion; Power supply
    • B64U50/30—Supply or distribution of electrical power
    • B64U50/33—Supply or distribution of electrical power generated by combustion engines

Definitions

  • This disclosure relates to unmanned aerial vehicles.
  • Unmanned aerial vehicles are aircraft that cannot accommodate people due to their structure, but can fly remotely or automatically.
  • Rotary-wing unmanned aerial vehicles are unmanned aerial vehicles that obtain lift using propellers that rotate around an axis, i.e. rotors.
  • Small unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with multiple rotors are also called “drones,” “multirotors,” or “multicopters,” and are widely used for aerial photography, surveying, logistics, and pesticide spraying.
  • the first rotary drive device 3A shown in FIG. 1A has a plurality of electric motors (hereinafter referred to as "motors") 14 that rotate a plurality of rotors 2, and a battery 52 that stores power to be supplied to each motor 14.
  • the battery 52 is, for example, a secondary battery such as a polymer-type lithium-ion battery.
  • Each rotor 2 is connected to the output shaft of the corresponding motor 14 and rotated by the motor 14.
  • the storage capacity of the battery 52 can be increased by making the battery 52 larger, but making the battery 52 larger results in an increase in weight.
  • the mechanical energy generated by the internal combustion engine 7a can also be used to rotate the rotor 2 without being converted into electric power, making it possible to increase the efficiency of energy utilization.
  • This type of drive is called a "parallel hybrid drive.”
  • the control device 4a may include, for example, a flight control device such as a flight controller, and a higher-level computer (companion computer).
  • the companion computer can perform advanced computational processing such as image processing, obstacle detection, and obstacle avoidance based on the sensor data acquired by the sensor group 4b.
  • the sensor group 4b may include an acceleration sensor, an angular velocity sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, an air pressure sensor, an altitude sensor, a temperature sensor, a flow rate sensor, an imaging device, a laser sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, an obstacle contact sensor, and a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver.
  • the acceleration sensor and the angular velocity sensor may be mounted on the aircraft body 4 as components of an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), for example.
  • IMU Inertial Measurement Unit
  • laser sensors may include a laser range finder used to measure the distance to the ground, and a two-dimensional or three-dimensional LiDAR (light detection and ranging).
  • the battery 52 is a secondary battery that can store power by charging and supply power to the motors 14 by discharging.
  • the battery 52 and the multiple motors 14 operate to rotate the multiple rotors 2, making it possible to generate the desired thrust.
  • Each of the multiple rotors 2 generally has multiple blades with a fixed pitch angle, and generates thrust by rotation.
  • the pitch angle may be variable. It is not necessary for all of the multiple rotors 2 to have the same diameter (propeller diameter), and one or more rotors 2 may have a diameter larger than the other rotors 2.
  • the thrust (static thrust) generated by the rotating rotor 2 is generally proportional to the cube of the diameter of the rotor 2. For this reason, when rotors 2 with different diameters are provided, the rotor 2 with a relatively large diameter may be referred to as the "main rotor" and the rotor 2 with a relatively small diameter may be referred to as the "sub rotor".
  • FIG. 1D is a plan view showing a basic configuration example of a multicopter 10 including a second rotary drive device 3B as the rotary drive device 3.
  • an internal combustion engine 7a is supported by the aircraft body 4.
  • the driving force generated by the internal combustion engine 7a is transmitted to the multiple rotors 2 by multiple power transmission systems 23, causing each rotor 2 to rotate.
  • the control device 4a can change the rotation speed of each rotor 2 by controlling each power transmission system 23.
  • the rotary drive device 3B may include a mechanism for changing the pitch angle of each blade of the multiple rotors 2.
  • the control device 4a may adjust the lift generated by each rotor 2 by controlling the mechanism to change the pitch angle of the blades.
  • the diameter of one or more rotors 2 rotated by the internal combustion engine 7a may be made larger than the diameter of the other rotors 2 rotated by the motor 14.
  • the internal combustion engine 7a may be used to rotate the main rotor, and the motor 14 may be used to rotate the sub-rotor.
  • the main rotor is primarily used to generate thrust, and the sub-rotor is used to generate thrust and control attitude.
  • the main rotor may be called the "booster rotor" and the sub-rotor may be called the "attitude control rotor.”
  • Equipping a multicopter with an internal combustion engine and using the engine to generate thrust and/or electricity contributes to an increase in payload and flight time. It is desirable to control the attitude of a multicopter by rotating the propellers with a motor, which has better response characteristics than an internal combustion engine. For this reason, in applications where the attitude of the multicopter needs to be precisely controlled, it is desirable to employ a parallel hybrid drive or series hybrid drive in order to increase the payload and flight time. Note that if the rotary drive device 3 is equipped with a mechanism for changing the pitch angle of each of the blades of the multiple rotors 2, the attitude can also be adjusted by changing the pitch angle of each blade.
  • the multicopter 10 is connected to a working machine 200 that can, for example, spray pesticides or fertilizers on a field or crops in the field.
  • a working machine 200 that can, for example, spray pesticides or fertilizers on a field or crops in the field.
  • the increase in payload and flight time makes it possible to realize a larger and/or more multifunctional working machine 200.
  • ground tasks agricultural tasks
  • the working machine 200 may be equipped with a mechanism such as a robot hand. In that case, one working machine 200 can perform a variety of ground tasks.
  • the multicopter 10 is equipped with a power supply device 76.
  • the power supply device 76 is a device that supplies power to the work machine 200 from a driving energy source such as the battery 52 or the power generation device 8 equipped in the multicopter 10. Various functions of the work machine 200 can be performed by this power.
  • the work machine 200 is equipped with actuators such as motors that operate with power obtained from the power supply device 76 of the multicopter 10. It is preferable that the work machine 200 is equipped with a battery that stores power.
  • FIG. 2C is a block diagram showing an example of the basic configuration of a parallel hybrid drive type multicopter 10.
  • the parallel hybrid drive type multicopter 10 like the series hybrid drive type multicopter 10, includes a plurality of rotors 12, a plurality of motors 14 for driving the rotors 12, a plurality of ESCs 16, a control device 4a, a group of sensors 4b, a communication device 4c, an internal combustion engine 7a, a fuel tank 7b, a power generation device 8, a power buffer 9, and a power supply device 76.
  • the internal combustion engine 7a In a parallel hybrid drive type multicopter 10, the internal combustion engine 7a not only drives the power generation device 8 to generate electricity, but also mechanically transmits energy to the rotor 22 to rotate the rotor 22. On the other hand, in a series hybrid drive type multicopter 10, all of the rotors 12 rotate using the electricity generated by the power generation device 8. For this reason, in a series hybrid drive type multicopter 10, if the power generation device 8 is, for example, a fuel cell, the internal combustion engine 7a is not an essential component.
  • FIG. 3A is a top view that shows a schematic diagram of the multicopter 100 in this embodiment
  • FIG. 3B is a side view thereof.
  • FIG. 3B shows a working machine 200 connected to the multicopter 100.
  • the multicopter 100 may be connected with luggage, agricultural materials, other machines, or containers, cases, or packages that can accommodate them, together with or instead of the working machine 200.
  • the weight of the working machine 200 and the working machine itself may be referred to as a "payload”.
  • the "connection" between the multicopter 100 and the working machine 200, etc., may be performed by various tools or devices.
  • the multicopter 100 shown in FIG. 3A has eight sub-rotors 12 and two main rotors 22.
  • the sub-rotor 12 is composed of four sets of propellers 12a and 12b that rotate in opposite directions on the same axis. Each of the propellers 12a and 12b has two blades.
  • the propellers 12a and 12b are each rotated by a motor 14.
  • the four sets of propellers 12a and 12b that rotate in opposite directions on the same axis are located at the vertices of a square.
  • the main rotor 22 is composed of two propellers 22a that rotate in opposite directions at different positions. Each of the propellers 22a has four blades.
  • the eight propellers 12a and 12b of the sub-rotor 12 have the same pitch angle and diameter as each other.
  • the two propellers 22a of the main rotor 22 also have the same pitch angle and diameter.
  • the diameter of the propeller 22a is 1.2 times or more, for example, 1.4 times or more and 2.0 times or less, the diameter of the propellers 12a and 12b.
  • the aircraft body 120 has a power supply device 76 and an actuator 78 used for connecting to the work machine 200.
  • the power supply device 76 is a device that supplies power generated within the aircraft body 120 to the work machine 200.
  • the actuator 78 is a device such as an electric motor that performs an operation for connecting the work machine 200 to the aircraft body 120 of the multicopter 100.
  • the actuator 78 drives a mechanism that winds up a cable connecting the aircraft body 120 and the work machine 200. This cable may include a power supply line for supplying power from the multicopter 100 to the work machine 200, and a communication line for communication between the multicopter 100 and the work machine 200.
  • FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of a system configuration of the multicopter 100 of this embodiment.
  • the aircraft body 120 of the multicopter 100 has a control device 30 including a flight controller 32, a sensor group 72, and a communication device 74. These are basically the same as the control device 4a, the sensor group 4b, and the communication device 4c of the aircraft body 4 of the multicopter 10 described with reference to FIG. 1A.
  • the multicopter 100 in this embodiment includes eight sub-rotors 12, eight motors 14 that rotate the eight sub-rotors 12, and eight ESCs that control the eight motors 14.
  • Each ESC 16 receives a signal (motor control signal) for controlling the motor 14 from the control device 30 via the wiring 82.
  • the motor control signal is, for example, a PWM (Pulse With Modulation) signal.
  • PWM Pulse With Modulation
  • the duty of the PWM signal can indicate an analog value of the motor rotation speed.
  • Each ESC 16 controls the rotation speed of the motor 14 connected to the ESC 16 based on the motor control signal from the control device 30. In FIG.
  • one set of "sub-rotors 12, motors 14, and ESCs 16" is shown for simplicity, but the multicopter 100 in this embodiment includes eight sets of "sub-rotors 12, motors 14, and ESCs 16.” The number of these sets is not limited to eight.
  • the control device 30 is connected to each ESC 16 via electrically independent wiring 82, and can control each of the eight ESCs 16 individually.
  • the sub rotor 12 is used not only to generate lift but also for attitude control. Attitude control is achieved by the flight controller 32 of the control device 30 obtaining measured or estimated values indicating the attitude of the main body 120 from the sensor group 72, determining the current attitude of the main body 120, and controlling the rotational speed of each motor 14 according to the difference from the target attitude.
  • the aircraft body 120 has a main rotor drive section 24 that drives the main rotor 22, and a main rotor control unit 26 that controls the main rotor drive section 24.
  • the main rotor drive section 24 is an internal combustion engine. Therefore, the main rotor control unit 26 includes an engine control unit (Engine Control Unit: ECU).
  • the main rotor control unit 26 may be called a "controller” that controls the internal combustion engine.
  • the main rotor control unit 26 can acquire sensor data such as the throttle opening, intake temperature, engine speed, and temperature of each part of the main rotor drive section 24, which is an internal combustion engine, to control the internal combustion engine.
  • the main rotor drive unit 24 is preferably an internal combustion engine with little vibration.
  • the main rotor drive unit 24 is, for example, an opposed piston engine.
  • An opposed piston engine is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent No. 5,508,604. The entire contents of Japanese Patent No. 5,508,604 are incorporated herein by reference.
  • the aircraft body 120 further includes a battery 52, which may be, for example, a lithium-ion secondary battery having multiple cells connected in series or parallel, and a battery management device 54 that controls the charging and discharging of the battery 52.
  • a battery 52 which may be, for example, a lithium-ion secondary battery having multiple cells connected in series or parallel
  • a battery management device 54 that controls the charging and discharging of the battery 52.
  • control device 30 is capable of changing the ratio (power ratio) between the first drive power output from the multiple motors 14 and the second drive power output from the main rotor drive unit 24.
  • the second group of electrical components further includes a third electrical component that consumes a third power less than the first power and less than the second power when started up.
  • the first electrical component is a fuel pump 93
  • the second electrical component is a decompression control device 91
  • the third electrical component is a water pump 92.
  • the power consumption at startup is, for example, 2W, 24W, 144W, 72W and 180W for the relay 94, main rotor control unit 26, decompression control device 91, water pump 92 and fuel pump 93, in that order.
  • the fuel pump 93 which is an example of a first electrical component, consumes a first power of 180W at startup.
  • the decompression control device 91 which is an example of a second electrical component, consumes a second power of 144W at startup.
  • the water pump 92 which is an example of a third electrical component, consumes a third power of 72W at startup. In this way, the relationship of first power > second power > third power is established.
  • the aforementioned threshold power is set, for example, in the range of 30W or more and 70W or less.
  • the rated power of the first power supply circuit is, for example, 200W or more and 400W or less.
  • the rated power of the second power supply circuit is, for example, 500W or more and 700W or less. It is preferable that the ratio of the rated power of the second power supply circuit to the rated power of the first power supply circuit is, for example, 1.5 or more and 3.5 or less.
  • the rated power of the DC-DC converter 62, which is the first power supply circuit is 300W
  • the rated power of the DC-DC converter 61 which is the second power supply circuit
  • the control device 30 starts the decompression control device 91, which is the second electrical component included in the second electrical component group, for example, two seconds later (step S20).
  • the decompression control device 91 is started, the already started relay 94, main rotor control unit 26, and fuel pump 93 each consume power in a steady state. Therefore, the power consumption of the electrical components is equivalent to the sum of the power consumption in a steady state of the relay 94, the main rotor control unit 26, and the fuel pump 93 and the power consumption at the start of the decompression control device 91.
  • This total power consumption is 242 W, which is less than the rated power (300 W) of the DC-DC converter 61.
  • the decompression control device 91 which does not consume power in a steady state, is started in the phase between steps S10 and S30 (step S20).
  • the total electric power consumed in a steady state by the first and second electrical component groups illustrated in FIG. 5 is 170 W, which is less than the rated power (300 W) of the DC-DC converter 61.
  • the startup timing of the first to third electrical components included in the second electrical component group is adjusted so that the power peaks generated by the inrush currents that temporarily flow through each of the first to third electrical components included in the second electrical component group do not overlap in time.
  • the startup timing of the second electrical component is shifted to later than the startup timing of the first electrical component
  • the startup timing of the third electrical component is shifted to later than the startup timing of the second electrical component, thereby shifting the respective power peaks.
  • FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the control device 30.
  • the control device 30 includes a processor 34, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 35, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 36, a storage device 37, and a communication I/F 38. These components are interconnected via a bus 39.
  • ROM Read Only Memory
  • RAM Random Access Memory
  • Processor 34 is one or more semiconductor integrated circuits, and is also called a central processing unit (CPU) or microprocessor. Processor 34 sequentially executes computer programs stored in ROM 35 to realize the above-mentioned processing. Processor 34 is broadly interpreted as a term including a CPU-equipped FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), GPU (Graphic Processor Unit), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), or ASSP (Application Specific Standard Product).
  • CPU CPU-equipped FPGA
  • GPU Graphic Processor Unit
  • ASIC Application Specific Integrated Circuit
  • ASSP Application Specific Standard Product
  • RAM 36 provides a working area for loading the programs stored in ROM 35 at boot time.
  • RAM 36 does not have to be a single recording medium, but can be a collection of multiple recording media.
  • the storage device 37 may be, for example, a semiconductor memory, a magnetic storage device, or an optical storage device, or a combination thereof.
  • the storage device 37 may store, for example, map data useful for the autonomous flight of the multicopter 10, and various sensor data acquired by the multicopter 10 during flight.
  • the second group of electrical components further includes a third electrical component that consumes a third power during startup that is smaller than the first power and smaller than the second power; 7.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Remote Sensing (AREA)
  • Charge And Discharge Circuits For Batteries Or The Like (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un véhicule aérien sans pilote pourvu d'une pluralité de rotors et comprenant : un moteur à combustion interne ; un dispositif de génération d'énergie qui est entraîné par le moteur à combustion interne pour générer de l'énergie ; une batterie qui stocke l'énergie ; et une pluralité de composants électriques auxquels l'énergie est fournie à partir de la batterie. La pluralité de composants électriques comprend : un premier groupe de composants électriques qui consomme moins d'énergie que l'énergie seuil au moment du démarrage ; et un second groupe de composants électriques qui consomme plus d'énergie que l'énergie seuil au moment du démarrage. Le second groupe de composants électriques comprend : un premier composant électrique qui consomme une première énergie au moment du démarrage ; et un second composant électrique qui consomme une seconde énergie au moment du démarrage. Après le démarrage du moteur à combustion interne, le moment auquel le premier composant électrique démarre est différent du moment auquel le second composant électrique démarre.
PCT/JP2022/048188 2022-12-27 2022-12-27 Véhicule aérien sans pilote WO2024142245A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/JP2022/048188 WO2024142245A1 (fr) 2022-12-27 2022-12-27 Véhicule aérien sans pilote

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/JP2022/048188 WO2024142245A1 (fr) 2022-12-27 2022-12-27 Véhicule aérien sans pilote

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WO2024142245A1 true WO2024142245A1 (fr) 2024-07-04

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Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH11243640A (ja) * 1998-02-23 1999-09-07 Nec Corp 突入電流抑圧用の電源制御方法および電源制御装置
JP2019501057A (ja) * 2014-11-14 2019-01-17 トップ フライト テクノロジーズ， インコーポレイテッド マイクロハイブリッド発電機システムドローン
JP7004369B1 (ja) * 2021-11-08 2022-01-21 株式会社石川エナジーリサーチ 飛行装置

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH11243640A (ja) * 1998-02-23 1999-09-07 Nec Corp 突入電流抑圧用の電源制御方法および電源制御装置
JP2019501057A (ja) * 2014-11-14 2019-01-17 トップ フライト テクノロジーズ， インコーポレイテッド マイクロハイブリッド発電機システムドローン
JP7004369B1 (ja) * 2021-11-08 2022-01-21 株式会社石川エナジーリサーチ 飛行装置

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