JP6770911B2 - How to transport flying objects and unmanned aerial vehicles for unmanned aerial vehicle transportation - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a technique for transporting an unmanned aerial vehicle, and is particularly useful for transporting an unmanned aerial vehicle to a target airspace at a high speed and suitably starting flight.

In general, an unmanned aerial vehicle capable of staying in the air for a certain period of time does not have a structural strength that can withstand a high dynamic pressure environment due to weight reduction and the like. Therefore, this type of unmanned aerial vehicle has a relatively slow flight speed, and it takes time to advance to the target airspace.
On the other hand, an unmanned aerial vehicle capable of high-speed flight can reach the target airspace in a short time, but the flight time in the target airspace becomes short due to its high weight and the like.
In other words, with the flight performance of the unmanned aerial vehicle itself, it is difficult to achieve both advancement to the target airspace in a short time and flight stay in the target airspace for a certain period of time.

To solve this problem, it is conceivable to apply a structure (for example, see Patent Document 1) in which a payload of an artificial satellite or the like is protected by a fairing at the time of launching a rocket.
That is, an unmanned aerial vehicle that can stay in the air for a certain period of time is transported at high speed while being protected by a fairing, and when the target airspace is reached, the fairing is divided and separated to expose the unmanned aerial vehicle, and then the unmanned aerial vehicle is transported. You just have to separate it from your body.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2011-235793

However, when this fairing structure is applied, unlike the operation with a rocket, the fairing is divided and separated in the atmosphere, so that the separated fairing may collide with an unmanned aerial vehicle. In addition, there is a demerit that the structure becomes complicated because a fairing division mechanism is required.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to preferably transport an unmanned aerial vehicle and start a flight with a simple configuration.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is an unmanned aerial vehicle transport projectile for transporting an unmanned aerial vehicle.
A housing member that accommodates the unmanned aerial vehicle and has an opening through which the unmanned aerial vehicle can be inserted.
A deceleration means for decelerating the accommodating member when the drone for transporting the unmanned aerial vehicle is in flight,
After the accommodating member is decelerated by the deceleration means, the opening is opened downward in the vertical direction, and the unmanned aerial vehicle is dropped from the opening to the outside of the accommodating member.
Equipped with a,
The deceleration means includes a first connecting portion of the accommodating member connected to the peripheral edge of the opening and a second connecting portion of the accommodating member connected to an end opposite to the opening. Have
The opening control means disconnects the first connecting portion after the accommodating member is decelerated by the decelerating means, and the end portion is suspended and supported by the decelerating means by the second connecting portion to open the opening. It is characterized in that the posture of the accommodating member is changed so that the portion is opened downward in the vertical direction .

The invention according to claim 2 is the invention for transporting an unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1.
The deceleration means is accommodated in the accommodating member and is discharged from the opening to the outside of the accommodating member when the flying vehicle for transporting the unmanned aerial vehicle is flying to decelerate the accommodating member.
The opening control means is characterized in that after the accommodating member is decelerated by the decelerating means, the posture of the accommodating member is changed so that the opening opens downward in the vertical direction.

The invention according to claim 3 is the invention for transporting an unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 2.
The deceleration means
Drag chute der to decelerate said housing member to expand the umbrella body is,
After decelerating the accommodating member, the accommodating member is suspended and supported by the first connecting portion while the opening is directed upward in the vertical direction.
The opening control means
When the accommodating member is lowered by the deceleration means, the first connecting portion is disconnected, and the accommodating member is in a state where the end portion is suspended and supported by the deceleration means by the second connecting portion. It is characterized by having a disconnection means for changing the posture of the.

The invention according to claim 4 is the invention for transporting an unmanned aerial vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3.
The opening control means is characterized in that the unmanned aerial vehicle is freely dropped from the opening to the outside of the accommodating member.

The invention according to claim 5 is the invention for transporting an unmanned aerial vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
A lid member separably coupled to the accommodating member while closing the opening,
A separating means for separating the lid member from the accommodating member to open the opening, and
It is characterized by further providing.

The invention according to claim 6 is the invention for transporting an unmanned aerial vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5.
The opening is characterized in that it opens in a direction opposite to the flight direction of the accommodating member.

The invention according to claim 7 is a method for transporting an unmanned aerial vehicle having the same characteristics as the flying object for transporting an unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1.

According to the present invention, when the flying vehicle for transporting an unmanned aerial vehicle in which an unmanned aerial vehicle is housed in the housing member is flying, the housing member is decelerated by the deceleration means. Then, after the accommodating member is decelerated, the opening of the accommodating member opens downward in the vertical direction, and the unmanned aerial vehicle falls out of the accommodating member through the opening.
As a result, the unmanned aerial vehicle can be safely transported in a protected state inside the accommodating member, and then the unmanned aerial vehicle can be separated from the accommodating member by being dropped from the downward opening without splitting the accommodating member. ..
Therefore, unlike the case where the fairing structure is applied, the unmanned aerial vehicle can be suitably transported and started in flight with a simple configuration.

It is a figure which shows the flying object for transporting an unmanned aerial vehicle in an embodiment, (a) is a figure which shows the state which accommodated a drag chute in a canister, and (b) is a figure which shows the state which released the drag chute. is there. It is a block diagram which shows the schematic control structure of the flying object for transporting an unmanned aerial vehicle in an embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the operation of the flying object for transporting an unmanned aerial vehicle in an embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the operation of the flying object for transporting an unmanned aerial vehicle in an embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[Structure of flying object for unmanned aerial vehicle transportation]
First, the configuration of the unmanned aerial vehicle transport flying object (hereinafter, simply referred to as “transporting flying object”) 1 in the present embodiment will be described.
1A and 1B are views showing a transport flying object 1, in which FIG. 1A shows a state in which a drag chute 4 described later is housed in a canister 2, and FIG. 1B releases a drag chute 4. It is a figure which shows the state. In FIG. 1, the canister 2 is shown in cross section.

As shown in FIG. 1A, the transport flying object 1 is for transporting the unmanned aerial vehicle UAV at high speed. The unmanned aerial vehicle UAV is an unmanned aerial vehicle capable of autonomous flight, and is not particularly limited, but is an aircraft capable of flying at low speed for a certain period of time.
Specifically, the transport flying body 1 includes a canister 2, a lid member 3, and a drag chute (parachute) 4.

The canister 2 is a housing member formed in a substantially conical shape, and the inside thereof is a storage chamber 2a for accommodating the unmanned aerial vehicle UAV. In the accommodation chamber 2a, the unmanned aerial vehicle UAV is accommodated with its wings folded and the rear of the aircraft facing the tip side of the canister 2. The canister 2 has wings corresponding to the flight direction with the tip side as the front side in the flight direction, and has sufficient strength to withstand high-speed flight.
Further, at the bottom (rear end) of the canister 2, a rearward-facing opening 21 for mainly accommodating and taking out the unmanned aerial vehicle UAV in the accommodation chamber 2a is formed over substantially the entire surface of the bottom. However, the opening 21 may be at least large enough to allow the unmanned aerial vehicle UAV to be inserted.
In the following explanation, the direction of the transport flying object 1 (canister 2) is made to correspond to the flight direction, and the tip side of the canister 2 is "front (front side)" and the bottom side is "rear (rear side)". ) ”.

The lid member 3 is for closing the opening 21 at the rear end of the canister 2 and for rectifying the air flow after the canister 2 during flight. The lid member 3 is coupled to the canister 2 so as to be separable from the canister 2 via a separation mechanism 11 described later.

The drag chute 4 is a deceleration means for decelerating the flying transport flying body 1 (canister 2). The drag chute 4 is housed in the rear part of the storage chamber 2a in a folded state when not in use, and as shown in FIG. 1 (b), the canister 2 is housed from the opening 21 by the release mechanism 12 described later when in use. It is released to the outside and expands the canopy (umbrella body) 41 to decelerate the canister 2.

Further, the drag chute 4 has a first riser 42 and a second riser 43 connected to different portions of the canister 2.
Of these, the first riser 42 is connected to the rear end portion (periphery of the opening 21) of the canister 2. The first riser 42 is released from the connection with the rear end portion of the canister 2 by the connection release mechanism 13 described later.
On the other hand, the second riser 43 goes around the outside of the canister 2 and is connected to the tip end portion (front end portion) of the canister 2. When the drag chute 4 is not used, the second riser 43 is pulled into the accommodation chamber 2a from the opening 21 in a state of being along the outer surface of the canister 2. Further, the second riser 43 is provided longer than the first riser 42, and the deceleration load by the drag chute 4 does not act on the front end portion of the canister 2, but acts only on the rear end portion. There is.

Subsequently, the control configuration of the transport flying object 1 will be described.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic control configuration of the transport flying object 1.

As shown in this figure, the transport flying object 1 includes a separation mechanism 11, a release mechanism 12, a disconnection mechanism 13, and a control unit 15.

The separation mechanism 11 is a mechanism for separating the lid member 3 from the canister 2.
The release mechanism 12 is a mechanism for releasing the drag chute 4 from the inside of the accommodation chamber 2a of the canister 2 through the opening 21.
The connection release mechanism 13 is a mechanism for disconnecting the drag chute 4 and the rear end portion of the canister 2 by cutting the first riser 42 or the like.
Conventionally known techniques can be applied to these various mechanisms. For example, explosives, explosion bolts, separation nuts, and the like can be applied to the separation mechanism 11 and the disconnection mechanism 13. Further, a structure for pulling out the drag chute 4 from the lid member 3 separated from the canister 2, a gas injection structure, or the like can be applied to the release mechanism 12.

The control unit 15 controls the operation of the various mechanisms. Specifically, the control unit 15 is, for example, a sequencer including a timer, and as will be described later, the various mechanisms are individually operated in a predetermined order.
Instead of the control unit 15, the flight control unit (not shown) of the unmanned aerial vehicle UAV in the accommodation chamber 2a may control the operation of the various mechanisms. Further, when the above-mentioned various mechanisms capable of mechanically controlling the operation timing are applied, the mechanism does not have to be controlled by the control unit 15.

[Operation of flying object for unmanned aerial vehicle transportation]
Subsequently, the operation of the transport flying object 1 when transporting the unmanned aerial vehicle UAV at high speed will be described.
3 and 4 are diagrams for explaining the operation of the transport flying object 1.

As shown in FIG. 3A, first, the transport flying object 1 starts flying (flying) at high speed by being put into a predetermined flight trajectory by, for example, an aircraft AP flying at high speed.

Then, after the transport flying object 1 reaches a predetermined deceleration point, the control unit 15 operates the separation mechanism 11 to separate the lid member 3 from the canister 2, as shown in FIG. 3 (b). Let me. As a result, the opening 21 at the rear end of the canister 2 opens rearward.

After opening the opening 21, the control unit 15 operates the release mechanism 12 to discharge the drag chute 4 from the opening 21 to the rear of the canister 2. As shown in FIG. 3C.
Then, as shown in FIG. 3D, the drag chute 4 expands the canopy 41 and decelerates the transport vehicle 1 (canister 2). Then, when the canister 2 is sufficiently decelerated, as shown in FIG. 4A, the canister 2 is the first of the drag chute 4 with the opening 21 at the rear end facing upward (upward in the vertical direction). It descends while being suspended by the riser 42.
In the present embodiment, the "deceleration of the transport flying object 1 (canister 2) by the drag chute 4" refers to the speed reduction in the flight direction after being thrown in by the aircraft AP, and does not include the one during the subsequent descent. I will do it.

After that, as shown in FIG. 4B, the control unit 15 operates the connection release mechanism 13 to release the connection between the first riser 42 of the drag chute 4 and the rear end portion of the canister 2.
Then, the canister 2 loses the support of the rear end portion, and the posture changes to a state in which the front end portion is suspended and supported by the drag chute 4 by the second riser 43. That is, the canister 2 changes its posture so as to be turned upside down, and the opening 21 is opened downward (downward in the vertical direction).

As a result, as shown in FIG. 4 (c), while the canister 2 is suspended from the drag chute 4 by the second riser 43, the unmanned aerial vehicle UAV loses support and freely falls out of the canister 2 from the opening 21. To do.
As a result, the unmanned aerial vehicle UAV is in a state where it can fly independently, and the folded wings are deployed to start autonomous flight.

[effect]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, when the transport flying object 1 containing the unmanned aerial vehicle UAV is flying in the canister 2, the canister 2 is decelerated by the drag chute 4. Then, after the canister 2 is decelerated, the opening 21 of the canister 2 opens downward, and the unmanned aerial vehicle UAV falls out of the canister 2 from the opening 21.
As a result, the unmanned aerial vehicle UAV is safely transported in the canister 2 in a protected state, and then the unmanned aerial vehicle UAV is dropped from the downward opening 21 without being divided, and the unmanned aerial vehicle UAV is separated from the canister 2. be able to.
Therefore, unlike the case where the fairing structure is applied, the unmanned aerial vehicle UAV can be suitably transported and started in flight with a simple configuration. As a result, the unmanned aerial vehicle UAV, which can stay in the air for a certain period of time, can be transported to the target airspace at high speed.

Further, after the canister 2 is decelerated by the drag chute 4, the posture of the canister 2 is changed so that the opening 21 that has released the drag chute 4 opens downward.
Therefore, by changing the posture of the canister 2, the opening 21 can be used for both the drag chute 4 release and the unmanned aerial vehicle UAV drop.

Further, the drag chute 4 has a first riser 42 connected to the peripheral edge of the opening 21 of the canister 2, and a second riser 43 connected to the front end portion on the opposite side of the opening 21. .. After decelerating the canister 2, the drag chute 4 lowers the canister 2 while suspending it by the first riser 42 with the opening 21 facing upward. Then, at the time of this descent, the connection of the first riser 42 is released by the connection release mechanism 13, and the posture of the canister 2 changes to a state in which the front end portion is suspended and supported by the drag chute 4 by the second riser 43.
Therefore, by using the connecting portion between the drag chute 4 and the canister 2 and the means for releasing the connection, the posture of the canister 2 can be appropriately changed and the unmanned aerial vehicle UAV can be separated from the canister 2.

Further, since the unmanned aerial vehicle UAV is detached from the canister 2 by free fall, unlike the case where the unmanned aerial vehicle UAV is pushed out and detached, the load associated with this detachment is not applied to the unmanned aerial vehicle UAV.
Therefore, it is possible to safely transport the unmanned aerial vehicle UAV by preventing damage at the time of detachment.

[Modification example]
The embodiment to which the present invention can be applied is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

For example, in the above embodiment, by changing the posture of the canister 2, the unmanned aerial vehicle UAV is dropped with the opening 21 directed downward in the vertical direction. However, the configuration of the opening 21 is not particularly limited as long as it opens downward in the vertical direction after the canister 2 is decelerated and causes the unmanned aerial vehicle UAV to fall out of the canister 2. Therefore, for example, an opening / closing opening may be provided below the unmanned aerial vehicle UAV, and opening / closing control may be performed so as to open the opening after the canister 2 is decelerated. Further, the opening may be different for releasing the drag chute 4 and for dropping the unmanned aerial vehicle UAV, or may be provided in a portion of the canister 2 other than the rear end portion.

Further, if the unmanned aerial vehicle UAV falls out of the canister 2 from the opening 21 and is separated from the canister 2, the way of falling does not have to be a free fall. It may be provided.

Further, the deceleration means according to the present invention is not limited to a drag chute (parachute) as long as it can decelerate the accommodating member (canister 2).

1 Flying body for transporting unmanned aerial vehicles 2 Canisters (accommodation members)
21 Opening 3 Lid member 4 Drag chute (deceleration means)
42 First riser (first connection part)
43 Second riser (second connecting part)
11 Separation mechanism (separation means)
12 Release mechanism 13 Decoupling mechanism (disconnection means)
15 Control unit UAV unmanned aerial vehicle

Claims (7)

An unmanned aerial vehicle transport vehicle that transports unmanned aerial vehicles
A housing member that accommodates the unmanned aerial vehicle and has an opening through which the unmanned aerial vehicle can be inserted.
A deceleration means for decelerating the accommodating member when the drone for transporting the unmanned aerial vehicle is in flight,
After the accommodating member is decelerated by the deceleration means, the opening is opened downward in the vertical direction, and the unmanned aerial vehicle is dropped from the opening to the outside of the accommodating member.
Equipped with a,
The deceleration means includes a first connecting portion of the accommodating member connected to the peripheral edge of the opening and a second connecting portion of the accommodating member connected to an end opposite to the opening. Have
The opening control means disconnects the first connecting portion after the accommodating member is decelerated by the decelerating means, and the end portion is suspended and supported by the decelerating means by the second connecting portion to open the opening. A flying object for transporting an unmanned aerial vehicle, characterized in that the posture of the accommodating member is changed so that the portion is opened downward in the vertical direction . The deceleration means is accommodated in the accommodating member and is discharged from the opening to the outside of the accommodating member when the flying vehicle for transporting the unmanned aerial vehicle is flying to decelerate the accommodating member.
The opening control means according to claim 1, wherein after the accommodating member is decelerated by the deceleration means, the posture of the accommodating member is changed so that the opening opens downward in the vertical direction. Unmanned aerial vehicle transport flight body. The deceleration means
Drag chute der to decelerate said housing member to expand the umbrella body is,
After decelerating the accommodating member, the accommodating member is suspended and supported by the first connecting portion while the opening is directed upward in the vertical direction.
The opening control means
When the accommodating member is lowered by the deceleration means, the first connecting portion is disconnected, and the accommodating member is in a state where the end portion is suspended and supported by the deceleration means by the second connecting portion. The flying object for transporting an unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising a disconnection means for changing the posture of the vehicle. The flying object for transporting an unmanned aerial vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the opening control means allows the unmanned aerial vehicle to freely fall from the opening to the outside of the accommodating member. A lid member separably coupled to the accommodating member while closing the opening,
A separating means for separating the lid member from the accommodating member to open the opening, and
The flying object for transporting an unmanned aerial vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising. The flying object for transporting an unmanned aerial vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the opening is opened in a direction opposite to the flight direction of the accommodating member. Unmanned aerial vehicle transportation A method of transporting unmanned aerial vehicles that transports unmanned aerial vehicles to flying objects.
The flying object for transporting unmanned aerial vehicles
A housing member that accommodates the unmanned aerial vehicle and has an opening through which the unmanned aerial vehicle can be inserted.
A deceleration means for decelerating the accommodating member when the drone for transporting the unmanned aerial vehicle is in flight,
An opening control means for controlling the position of the opening or its opening and closing,
With
The deceleration means includes a first connecting portion of the accommodating member connected to the peripheral edge of the opening and a second connecting portion of the accommodating member connected to an end opposite to the opening. Have
After the deceleration means decelerates the accommodating member, the opening control means disengages the first connecting portion, and the end portion is suspended and supported by the deceleration means by the second connecting portion. A method for transporting an unmanned aerial vehicle , which comprises changing the posture of the accommodating member so that the opening is opened downward in the vertical direction, and dropping the unmanned aerial vehicle from the opening to the outside of the accommodating member.

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