Unmanned moving vehicle piloting method and unmanned moving vehicle watching device

• US 10,308,348 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2016
• Issued: 06/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Prodrone Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Prodrone Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ichihara, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Cattungal, Rowina J
• Application Number:
  US15/567,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20180086433A1
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/20 using radiated signals
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/06 with single rotor
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/08 with two or more rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/02 characterised by special use
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/102 adapted for flying in formations
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/008 combined with inclination sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0033 by having the operator tracking the vehicle either by direct line of sight or via one or more cameras located remotely from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/104 involving a plurality of aircrafts, e.g. formation flying traffic control systems for aircraft G08G5/00

Abstract

An unmanned moving vehicle piloting method and an unmanned moving vehicle watching device enabling it to pilot an unmanned moving vehicle, while keeping in visual contact with the vehicle from the vicinity of the vehicle from a third person viewpoint. In the vicinity of an unmanned moving vehicle, a watching aircraft is positioned, which is an unmanned aerial vehicle and includes a single or a plurality of rotors and image capturing means capable of capturing an image of surroundings of the watching aircraft and is able to stand still at one point in the air and piloting the unmanned moving vehicle, while viewing a third person viewpoint image captured by the watching aircraft. Moreover, the watching aircraft includes accompanying flight means for causing the watching aircraft to fly automatically, following movement of an unmanned moving vehicle. This enables the manipulator to concentrate solely on piloting the unmanned moving vehicle.

Claims

1. An unmanned moving vehicle piloting method using the following:

a watching aircraft, which is an unmanned aerial vehicle, the watching aircraft including a single or a plurality of rotors and image capturing means capable of capturing an image of surroundings of the watching aircraft, and is able to stand still at one point in the air;

a maneuvering terminal capable of remotely manipulating an unmanned moving vehicle by wireless communication; and

a display device which is wirelessly connected with the watching aircraft and capable of displaying an image captured by the image capturing means,

the unmanned moving vehicle piloting method comprising;

a step of making the watching aircraft hover in the vicinity of the unmanned moving vehicle;

a step of displaying an image of the unmanned moving vehicle captured by the image capturing means on the display device; and

a step of enabling an operator to operate the maneuvering terminal to manipulate the unmanned moving vehicle while the operator is observing the image of the unmanned moving vehicle that is captured by the watching aircraft on the display device.

2. The unmanned moving vehicle piloting method according to claim 1, wherein the unmanned moving vehicle is an unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with a plurality of rotors.

3. An unmanned moving vehicle watching device comprising:

a watching aircraft, which is an unmanned aerial vehicle, the watching aircraft including a plurality of rotors, a control unit which controls flight by the plurality of rotors, and image capturing means capable of capturing images of an unmanned moving vehicle; and

a maneuvering terminal capable of remotely manipulating the unmanned moving vehicle by wireless communication; and

a display device capable of displaying the images of the unmanned moving vehicle, which the watching aircraft captures by the image capturing means,

wherein the control unit includes accompanying flight means for causing the watching aircraft to fly automatically, following movement of an unmanned moving vehicle which is an object for image capturing, and is configured to enable an operator to operate the maneuvering terminal to manipulate the unmanned moving vehicle while the operator is observing the image of the unmanned moving vehicle that is captured by the watching aircraft on the display device.

4. The unmanned moving vehicle watching device according to claim 3, wherein the unmanned moving vehicle is an unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with a plurality of rotors.

5. The unmanned moving vehicle watching device according to claim 3,

wherein each of the unmanned moving vehicle and the watching aircraft includes means for acquiring flying position information that is information representing its position in the air;

the control unit is able to acquire the flying position information detected by the unmanned moving vehicle by wireless communication; and

the accompanying flight means keeps a relative positional relation between the watching aircraft and the unmanned moving vehicle based on the flying position information of both the watching aircraft and the unmanned moving vehicle.

6. The unmanned moving vehicle watching device according to claim 5, wherein, when accuracy of positioning regarding the flying position information of the watching aircraft has become less than a predetermined threshold, the control unit deactivates the accompanying flight means, causes the watching aircraft to move back to a position at which the accuracy of positioning becomes at or above the predetermined threshold, and makes the watching aircraft hover in that position.

7. The unmanned moving vehicle watching device according to claim 3, wherein the accompanying flight means identifies the current position of the unmanned moving vehicle from an image of the unmanned moving vehicle captured by the image capturing means of the watching aircraft and keeps a relative positional relation between the watching aircraft and the unmanned moving vehicle.

8. The unmanned moving vehicle watching device according to claim 7,

wherein the unmanned moving vehicle includes a marker portion which is identified as a marker in its image when captured by the image capturing means of the watching aircraft;

and

the accompanying flight means identifies the current position of the unmanned moving vehicle from the location and shape of the marker portion in the image and keeps a relative positional relation between the watching aircraft and the unmanned moving vehicle.

9. The unmanned moving vehicle watching device according to claim 3,

wherein the unmanned moving vehicle is remotely manipulated by a radio signal from a maneuvering terminal;

and

the watching aircraft includes relay means capable of relaying the radio signal.

10. The unmanned moving vehicle watching device according to claim 9,

wherein the control unit includes communication monitoring means for monitoring condition of communication via the relay means;

and

when the communication monitoring means has detected interruption of communication via the relay means, the control unit deactivates the accompanying flight means, causes the watching aircraft to move back to a position at which wireless communication with the maneuvering terminal is enabled, and makes the watching aircraft hover in that position.

11. The unmanned moving vehicle watching device according to claim 3,

wherein the watching aircraft includes distance measurement means capable of measuring a distance from the watching aircraft to a circumjacent obstacle;

and

the control unit includes collision prevention means for monitoring output of the distance measurement means and maintaining a distance from the watching aircraft to the circumjacent obstacle at a given distance or more.