JP7786864B2 - Defense Systems - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a defense system using unmanned aerial vehicles.

Unmanned aerial vehicles known as drones have traditionally been used in work areas such as factories and warehouses. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a guidance system that includes a manned guided vehicle operated by an operator, an unmanned aerial vehicle capable of hovering in mid-air, and a management device that controls the unmanned aerial vehicle.

In the guidance system described in Patent Document 1, the unmanned aerial vehicle is equipped with a projector that projects a guidance image onto the road surface. The guidance image, for example, displays an arrow pointing in a specific direction and is projected onto the road surface in front of the manned guided vehicle. As a result, the operator operating the manned guided vehicle can be guided to the loading position by checking the guidance image.

In recent years, automated guided vehicles (AGVs) have become more commonplace, reducing the workload by replacing manned vehicles with automated systems. However, when automated systems are used in work areas such as factories or warehouses, there is a risk that unauthorized individuals (hereafter referred to as "intruders") may enter the work area and steal or destroy cargo stored on shelves in the work area. In this regard, if it were possible to photograph an intruder, this could lead to the identification of the intruder, which could be expected to have a deterrent effect and protect the cargo.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-52629

The present invention was made in consideration of the above circumstances, and its objective is to provide a defense system that can photograph intruders who enter work areas such as factories or warehouses.

In order to solve the above problem, a defense system according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises:
a first unmanned aerial vehicle and a second unmanned aerial vehicle capable of hovering in a predetermined working area;
a moving body that moves in the working area;
a management device that controls the first unmanned aerial vehicle, the second unmanned aerial vehicle, and the mobile vehicle;
A defense system comprising:
The first unmanned aerial vehicle is
a detection unit for detecting an intruder who has entered the work area;
The second unmanned aerial vehicle is
a photographing unit for photographing the intruder,
The moving body is
a lighting unit that outputs dazzling light to block the view of the intruder,
The management device
When the detection unit of the first unmanned aerial vehicle detects the intruder, the lighting unit of the moving body outputs the dazzling light until the photographing unit of the second unmanned aerial vehicle photographs the intruder.

In this configuration, the lighting unit of the mobile vehicle outputs dazzling light (visible light) to block the intruder's view until the second unmanned aerial vehicle's imaging unit captures a photograph of the intruder, making it difficult for the intruder to notice the presence of the second unmanned aerial vehicle, thereby enabling the second unmanned aerial vehicle to capture a photograph of the intruder.

In the defense system,
The lighting unit of the moving body includes:
As the dazzling light, a flashing light that repeatedly turns on and off at a predetermined cycle is output,
The management device
The second unmanned aerial vehicle can be configured to have the imaging unit capture an image of the intruder at least at the timing of the lighting on or the lighting off.

In the defense system,
The management device
When the detection unit of the first unmanned aerial vehicle detects the intruder,
determining a first movement path for the second unmanned aerial vehicle to approach the intruder and a second movement path for the moving vehicle to approach the intruder;
It is preferable that an obstacle larger than the second unmanned aerial vehicle exists between the end point of the first movement path and the intruder.

In the defense system,
The management device
When the work area is viewed in a plane, the first movement path and the second movement path can be determined so as to satisfy the condition that the intruder is present in a triangular area whose vertices are the first unmanned aerial vehicle, the end point of the first movement path, and the end point of the second movement path.

In the defense system,
The management device
The second unmanned aerial vehicle can be configured to have the lighting unit of the moving body continue to output the dazzling light even after the imaging unit of the second unmanned aerial vehicle has captured an image of the intruder.

In the defense system,
the moving body is a forklift equipped with forks,
The management device
The forklift may be configured to emit the dazzling light from the lighting unit and to raise and lower the forks at a predetermined timing.

In the defense system,
The moving body may be a third unmanned aerial vehicle capable of hovering in the air.

A defense system according to another embodiment of the present invention includes:
an unmanned aerial vehicle capable of hovering in the air in a predetermined work area;
a moving body that moves in the working area;
a management device that controls the unmanned aerial vehicle and the mobile vehicle;
A defense system comprising:
The unmanned aerial vehicle is
a photographing unit for photographing an intruder who has invaded the work area;
The moving body is
a lighting unit that outputs dazzling light to block the view of the intruder,
The management device
The method is characterized in that the lighting unit of the moving body outputs the dazzling light while the unmanned aerial vehicle is flying towards the intruder and while the photographing unit of the unmanned aerial vehicle is photographing the intruder.

The present invention provides a defense system that can photograph intruders who enter work areas such as factories or warehouses.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a defense system of the present invention. 1A is a diagram showing a first unmanned aerial vehicle of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a block diagram of a control unit of the first unmanned aerial vehicle. 1A is a diagram showing a forklift according to the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a block diagram showing a control unit of the forklift. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a management device according to the present invention. FIG. 10 is a flow chart of a defense process performed by the management device of the present invention. A diagram showing an example of the movement path of the second unmanned aerial vehicle and forklift of the present invention. 10A is a diagram showing a third unmanned aerial vehicle according to a modified example, and FIG. 10B is a block diagram showing a control unit of the third unmanned aerial vehicle.

An embodiment of the defense system according to the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 shows a defense system 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The defense system 1 is a system capable of photographing an intruder X who has entered a specified work area 10 without permission.

The defense system 1 according to this embodiment is composed of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles 100, at least one forklift 200 (corresponding to the "mobile body" of the present invention), and a management device 300 that controls the multiple unmanned aerial vehicles 100 and at least one forklift 200.

The work area 10 is an area where the unmanned aerial vehicle 100 and/or the forklift 200 perform work. In this embodiment, the work area 10 is an area within any facility, including a factory or warehouse. The work area 10 is provided with multiple shelves 11, and cargo is stored on the shelves 11. The shelves 11 may be fixed shelves, or may be movable shelves configured to be movable under the control of the management device 300, or may include both. In addition, the work area 10 (e.g., on the wall of the facility) is provided with multiple reflectors 12 for laser guidance of the forklift 200. Note that if the forklift 200 is not laser guided, the multiple reflectors 12 can be omitted.

The multiple unmanned aerial vehicles 100 include at least one first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 and at least one second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2. In this embodiment, the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 and the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 have different roles but the same configuration. The following description of the configuration will only focus on the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1.

As shown in FIG. 2(A), the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 comprises a main body 110, rotors 120, legs 130, a camera 140, a speaker 150, and a control unit 160. In this embodiment, the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 is a drone.

The main body 110 comprises a body housing a speaker 150 and a control unit 160, and multiple arms (four in this embodiment) extending radially from the body. A rotor 120 is provided at the top end of each arm, and a pair of legs 130 and a camera 140 are provided at the bottom of the body.

Under the control of the control unit 160, the camera 140 takes video and/or still images during flight and transmits image data of the captured images to the management device 300. The camera 140 may also be equipped with an infrared sensor and a light that emits light when capturing images. The camera 140 of the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 corresponds to the "detection unit" of the present invention, and the camera 140 of the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 corresponds to the "capture unit" of the present invention.

The speaker 150 outputs a warning sound under the control of the control unit 160. The warning sound may be a message sound urging the intruder X to leave the work area 10, or it may simply be a sound effect, or it may be both.

As shown in FIG. 2(B), the control unit 160 includes a position information acquisition unit 161, a flight control unit 162, a camera control unit 163, and an alarm unit 164. The control unit 160 may be configured, for example, by a digital circuit using a microcontroller or DSP, or may be configured by a circuit that combines a digital circuit and an analog circuit.

The location information acquisition unit 161 is configured to acquire location information for the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1, for example, using a satellite positioning system such as GPS. The location information includes, for example, latitude, longitude, and altitude information. The location information acquisition unit 161 outputs the acquired location information to the flight control unit 162 and transmits the location information to the management device 300. The location information acquisition unit 161 is not limited to a satellite positioning system such as GPS, and any known configuration can be employed, such as the configuration described in Patent Document 1. However, if the configuration described in Patent Document 1 is employed, a ceiling marker must be installed on the ceiling of the work area 10. Furthermore, the location information acquisition unit 161 may identify the direction in which its own camera 140 is facing and transmit information regarding this direction to the management device 300 together with the location information. Alternatively, the management device 300 may analyze the image data from the camera 140 to identify the direction in which the camera 140 is facing.

The flight control unit 162 performs flight control of the main body unit 110 based on the position information from the position information acquisition unit 161 and the movement commands (flight commands) from the management device 300. Specifically, the flight control unit 162 controls the rotation of the rotors 120 as part of the flight control of the main body unit 110. The flight control unit 162 includes a processing unit that determines the rotation speeds of the four electric motors and four electric motors for rotating the rotors 120 at the determined rotation speeds. For example, if the rotation speeds of the four electric motors are set to the same speed, the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 will hover (stop in mid-air). If the rotation speeds of the four electric motors are increased simultaneously and by the same amount from that state, the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 will ascend. If the rotation speeds of the four electric motors are changed at different rates, the direction of travel of the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 can be changed. This allows the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 to fly to its destination along the movement path (flight path) determined by the management device 300.

The camera control unit 163 causes the camera 140 to take video and/or still images during flight and transmit the image data to the management device 300. If the camera 140 is equipped with an infrared sensor and/or lighting, the camera control unit 163 also controls the infrared sensor and/or lighting. The camera control unit 163 also has a memory unit that stores the captured video and/or still images. This allows the captured video and/or still images to be stored even if communication with the management device 300 is unstable.

If an image captured by the camera 140 includes an intruder X, the alarm unit 164 outputs an alarm sound from the speaker 150 based on an alarm command from the management device 300. The management device 300, for example, compares the image of a person captured by the camera 140 with an image of a pre-registered person (e.g., an employee authorized to enter the work area 10), and if the two do not match, determines that the person captured by the camera 140 is an intruder X and sends an alarm command to the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 to cause the speaker 150 to output an alarm sound.

As shown in FIG. 3(A), the forklift 200 includes a vehicle body 210, a loading device 220, a laser scanner 230 provided on the top of the vehicle body 210, an illumination unit 240, and a control unit 250. In this embodiment, the forklift 200 is an unmanned forklift using a laser guidance system. However, the forklift 200 may be an unmanned forklift other than a laser guidance system as long as it is capable of unmanned travel, or may be an unmanned forklift that can switch between manned and unmanned travel.

The loading and unloading device 220 includes a mast and forks. The forks move up and down along the mast under the control of the control unit 250.

The laser scanner 230 includes a laser light source and a calculation unit. The laser scanner 230 rotates the laser light source to project a laser beam around the surrounding area and detects the light reflected from multiple reflectors 12 installed in the work area 10. The calculation unit of the laser scanner 230 stores the positions of the reflectors 12 on a predetermined map and calculates the current location (self-position) of the vehicle body 210 based on the principles of triangulation. In this way, the forklift 200 travels along the travel route determined by the management device 300 while acquiring current location information related to the current location of the vehicle body 210.

The lighting unit 240 outputs dazzling light L (visible light) to block the view of the intruder X. The lighting unit 240 is composed of, for example, at least one LED light.

The lighting unit 240 is equipped with an illumination angle adjustment mechanism, and can vary the illumination angle of the dazzling light L under the control of the control unit 250. For example, as shown in FIG. 3(A), the lighting unit 240 can illuminate the dazzling light L toward the road surface in the forward direction of the vehicle body 210 (L1), or illuminate the dazzling light L toward the front in the forward direction (L2). Note that the dazzling light L in the L1 state also functions as a warning light to notify workers in the work area 10 of the presence of the forklift 200 under normal circumstances.

Under the control of the control unit 250, the lighting unit 240 changes the output state of the dazzling light L. The output state of the dazzling light L changes the blinking speed of the dazzling light L, and includes, for example, five patterns: constant lighting, slow blinking, medium blinking, fast blinking, and off. When the dazzling light L is blinking light, the dazzling light L repeatedly turns on and off at a predetermined cycle.

As shown in FIG. 3(B), the control unit 250 includes a position estimation unit 251, a travel control unit 252, a cargo handling control unit 253, and a lighting control unit 254. The control unit 250 may be configured, for example, by a digital circuit using a microcontroller or DSP, or may be configured by a circuit that combines a digital circuit and an analog circuit.

The position estimation unit 251 recognizes the current location (self-position) of the vehicle body 210 and acquires position information related to the current location of the vehicle body 210. In this embodiment, the position estimation unit 251 corresponds to the calculation unit of the laser scanner 230. The position estimation unit 251 outputs the acquired position information to the driving control unit 252 and also transmits the position information to the management device 300. Note that the position estimation unit 251 may acquire its own position using a satellite positioning system such as GPS, or may acquire its own position using a system such as an electromagnetic induction sensor. If its own position is acquired using these methods, the laser scanner 230 is not required.

The travel control unit 252 controls the travel of the vehicle body 210 based on the position information from the position estimation unit 251 and the movement command (travel command) from the management device 300. This allows the forklift 200 to travel to the destination according to the travel route determined by the management device 300.

The cargo handling control unit 253 controls the cargo handling of the cargo handling device 220 based on cargo handling commands from the management device 300. In this embodiment, the cargo handling commands include not only normal cargo handling commands related to the movement of cargo, but also commands to raise and lower the forks to attract the attention of intruder X.

The lighting control unit 254 controls the lighting unit 240. Specifically, the lighting control unit 254 controls the variation of the irradiation angle of the dazzling light L and the variation of the output state of the dazzling light L.

As shown in FIG. 4, the management device 300 includes a communication unit 301, a display unit 302, an overall control unit 303, a mode setting unit 304, and a defense processing unit 305. The management device 300 is preferably located outside the work area 10 as shown in FIG. 1, but may also be located within the work area 10.

The communication unit 301 communicates wirelessly with the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1, the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2, and the forklift 200. For example, the communication unit 301 receives image data from the camera 140 from the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 and the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2, and transmits various commands to the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1, the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2, and the forklift 200.

The display unit 302 is composed of, for example, an LCD display. Images captured by the cameras 140 of the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 and the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 are displayed on the display unit 302. The display unit 302 may also display driving information and loading/unloading operation information for the forklift 200, or may display the movement paths of the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1, the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2, and the forklift 200 along with a model diagram of the work area 10.

The overall control unit 303 manages the travel and loading/unloading operations of the forklift 200. For example, the overall control unit 303 creates a schedule for loading/unloading operations by the forklift 200 and determines a travel route to ensure smooth loading/unloading operations. The overall control unit 303 notifies the forklift 200 of the travel route via the communication unit 301.

When the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 and the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 are to perform support work for a manned forklift (not shown) (e.g., guiding the manned forklift), the overall control unit 303 manages the flight of the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 and the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2. The overall control unit 303, for example, creates a flight schedule for the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 and the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 and determines a movement route to smoothly carry out the support work. The overall control unit 303 notifies the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 and the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 of the movement route via the communication unit 301.

The mode setting unit 304 sets the mode of the defense system 1 to either the first mode (defense mode) or the second mode (normal mode). The first mode (defense mode) is a mode for photographing an intruder X who has invaded the work area 10. The second mode (normal mode) is a mode in which it is not necessary to photograph an intruder X, for example, a mode used when there are multiple workers in the work area 10 and the possibility of intruder X invading is low.

When the first mode (defense mode) is set in the mode setting unit 304, the defense processing unit 305 performs the defense processing shown in Figure 5. For ease of explanation, it is assumed that at the start of the defense processing, the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 is flying in a specified area of the work area 10, and the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 and the forklift 200 are waiting at a specified waiting location in the work area 10.

At the start of the defense processing shown in Figure 5, the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 is capturing video of itself in flight with its camera 140. The defense processing unit 305 receives image data from the camera 140 from the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 in real time and determines whether the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 has detected an intruder X (S1). If the image data shows an intruder X, the defense processing unit 305 determines that the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 has detected an intruder X (YES in S1). If the image data does not show an intruder X, the defense processing unit 305 determines that the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 has not detected an intruder X (NO in S1).

If the defense processing unit 305 determines YES in step S1, it sends an alarm command to the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 (S2). Upon receiving the alarm command, the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 outputs an alarm sound from the speaker 150 to the intruder X. It is preferable that the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 continue to output the alarm sound until the intruder X leaves the working area 10.

Next, the defense processing unit 305 determines the movement route for the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 and the forklift 200 and sends a movement command to the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 and the forklift 200 (S3).

As shown in FIG. 6, the defense processing unit 305 determines a first movement route R1 for the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 to approach intruder X, and a second movement route R2 for the forklift 200 to approach intruder X. Here, the defense processing unit 305 can acquire the position information (position coordinates) of intruder X by analyzing image data captured by the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 using a known method. Furthermore, if the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 is equipped with a distance sensor (e.g., LiDAR, millimeter-wave radar, or stereo camera) for measuring the distance to the target object (intruder X), the defense processing unit 305 may calculate the position coordinates of intruder X based on the position information of the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 (acquired from the position information acquisition unit 161), information related to the measurement results measured by the distance sensor, and the direction in which the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 (camera 140) is facing.

The first movement route R1 and the second movement route R2 are determined so as to satisfy at least the following first, second, third, and fourth conditions.

The first condition is that an obstacle (in this embodiment, a shelf 11) larger than the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 exists between the end point A1 of the first movement route R1 of the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 and the intruder X. By satisfying this condition, the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 will be hidden by the shelf 11, which is expected to make the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 less likely to be discovered by the intruder X. It is preferable that the end point A1 be set in a location where the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 can photograph the intruder X while hiding (for example, a location where the front of the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 is between the luggage stored on the shelf 11).

The second condition is that the above-mentioned obstacle (in this embodiment, the shelf 11) does not exist between the end point A2 of the second movement path R2 of the forklift 200 and the intruder X. By satisfying this condition, the forklift 200 will be able to attract the attention of the intruder X more than the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2, and similarly to the above, it can be expected that the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 will be less likely to be discovered by the intruder X.

The third condition is that the timing at which the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 arrives at the terminal point A1 is later than the timing at which the forklift 200 arrives at the terminal point A2. By meeting this condition, it is expected that the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 will arrive at the terminal point A1 first, preventing the intruder X from noticing the presence of the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2. In order to meet the third condition, the defense processing unit 305 may include commands regarding the flight speed of the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 and the driving speed of the forklift 200 in the movement command.

The fourth condition is that in a plan view, intruder X is present in a triangular area T whose vertices are the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1, the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 (end point A1), and the forklift 200 (end point A2). By meeting this condition, intruder X can be surrounded by the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1, the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 (the shelf 11 on which the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 is hidden), and the forklift 200. This is expected to have the effect of ensuring that intruder X can be photographed reliably.

After performing step S3, the defense processing unit 305 sends a light output command to the forklift 200 (S4). Upon receiving the light output command, the forklift 200 travels along the second movement route R2 to the end point A2 while emitting dazzling light L.

The forklift 200 continues to output the dazzling light L even after arriving at the destination A2. In this example, the dazzling light L is a flashing light. The forklift 200 may directly illuminate the dazzling light L at the intruder X, or may indirectly illuminate the dazzling light L at the intruder X by reflecting it off the road surface or the shelf 11. Whether to illuminate the light directly or indirectly can be set in advance in the management device 300, for example. Furthermore, after arriving at the destination A2, the forklift 200 may output the dazzling light L and perform a lifting operation to raise and lower the forks to attract the intruder X's attention.

Next, the defense processing unit 305 determines whether the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 is able to photograph the intruder X (S5). While checking the position information of the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2, if the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 arrives at the destination point A1, the defense processing unit 305 determines that the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 is able to photograph the intruder X (YES in S5).

On the other hand, if the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 has not arrived at the destination point A1, the defense processing unit 305 determines that the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 cannot photograph the intruder X (NO in S5) and proceeds to processing in step S3. If the intruder X moves, the defense processing unit 305 determines a new first movement route R1 and a new second movement route R2 according to the position of the intruder X and sends a movement command (S3).

When the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 arrives at the terminal point A1, the defense processing unit 305, which has determined YES in step S5, sends a photographing command to the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 (S6). Even if the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 arrives at the terminal point A1, it may not be possible to photograph the intruder X at the terminal point A1 due to the influence of luggage stacked on the shelf 11 between the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 and the intruder X (for example, luggage being placed out of place).

In this case, the defense processing unit 305 sends a movement command to move the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 to a location where it can photograph intruder X, and sends a photography command after the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 has moved. For example, the defense processing unit 305 sends a movement command to raise or lower the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 to move it in front of an area of shelf 11 where there is no cargo, to move it to a position higher than shelf 11, or to land it on shelf 11, and sends a photography command after the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 has moved. Note that because the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 can fly to destination point A1 while photographing video, the defense processing unit 305 can determine whether it is possible to photograph intruder X at destination point A1 based on the image data of the video.

Furthermore, in this case, since there is a risk that the intruder X will become aware of the presence of the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2, it is preferable that the defense processing unit 305 transmits a command to the forklift 200 at the destination point A2 to perform a loading and unloading operation, thereby attracting the intruder X's attention to the forklift 200. The above loading and unloading operation may simply be a lifting and lowering operation of the forks, regardless of the cargo. In other words, the forklift 200 raises and lowers the forks while emitting dazzling light L.

Upon receiving the photography command, the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 takes still images of the intruder X. The photography command sets the photography time and/or number of images to be taken, and the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 takes still images for the set photography time and/or number of images, and transmits the image data to the defense processing unit 305.

In addition, the photography command sets the photography timing so that a still image of intruder X is taken at least when the dazzling light L is turned on and when it is turned off. In this embodiment, the photography timing is set so that multiple still images of intruder X are taken both when the dazzling light L is turned on and when it is turned off. Therefore, in this embodiment, intruder X can be photographed reliably.

In this embodiment, the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 takes still images of the intruder X, but it may also take video of the intruder X, or it may take both still images and video. The video may be a continuation of the video taken while flying along the first movement route R1.

Upon receiving the image data of intruder X, the defense processing unit 305 sends a standby command to the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 and the forklift 200 to remain in place, while sending a movement command to the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 to return to the waiting location (the starting point of the first movement route R1) (S7). The first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 continues to output a warning sound to intruder X, and the forklift 200 continues to output dazzling light L and/or raise and lower its forks. This allows the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 to return to the waiting location without being noticed by intruder X.

As described above, in the defense system 1, the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1, the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2, and the forklift 200 form a group to deal with the intruder X. For this reason, in the defense system 1, it is preferable to increase the number of groups of the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1, the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2, and the forklift 200 depending on the number of intruders X. For example, it is preferable to have three groups of the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1, the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2, and the forklift 200 deal with three intruders X in different locations in the work area 10.

Furthermore, in the defense system 1, the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 issues a warning to intruder X, the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 photographs intruder X, and the forklift 200 outputs dazzling light L, dividing up the roles among the three. Therefore, even if the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 is destroyed by intruder X and is no longer able to output a warning sound, the forklift 200 can continue to output dazzling light L, making it difficult for intruder X to notice the presence of the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2. Therefore, with the defense system 1 according to this embodiment, the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 can photograph intruder X.

The above describes an embodiment of the defense system according to the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

[Modification]
For example, in the defense system 1, the third unmanned aerial vehicle 100-3 shown in Figure 7(A) can be used instead of the forklift 200. The third unmanned aerial vehicle 100-3 has the same configuration as the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 and the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 of the above embodiment, except for the control unit 160' and the lighting unit 170.

As shown in Figure 7(B), the control unit 160' of the third unmanned air vehicle 100-3 has the same configuration as the control unit 160 of the first unmanned air vehicle 100-1 and the second unmanned air vehicle 100-2 in the above embodiment, except that it is equipped with a lighting control unit 165.

The lighting unit 170 has the same function as the lighting unit 240 of the forklift 200 in the above embodiment. That is, the lighting unit 170 outputs dazzling light L (visible light) to block the view of the intruder X. The lighting unit 170 is composed of, for example, at least one LED light (multiple in this modified example).

The lighting unit 170 is equipped with an illumination angle adjustment mechanism, and can vary the illumination angle of the dazzling light L under the control of the lighting control unit 165. Furthermore, the lighting unit 170 changes the output state of the dazzling light L under the control of the lighting control unit 165. The output state of the dazzling light L varies the blinking speed of the dazzling light L, and includes five patterns, for example: constant lighting, slow blinking, medium blinking, fast blinking, and off. When the dazzling light L is blinking light, the dazzling light L repeatedly turns on and off at a predetermined cycle.

The lighting control unit 165 has the same functions as the lighting control unit 254 of the forklift 200 in the above embodiment. That is, the lighting control unit 165 controls the variation of the irradiation angle of the dazzling light L and the variation of the output state of the dazzling light L.

In the defense system according to the modified example, the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1, the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2, and the third unmanned aerial vehicle 100-3 work together as a group to respond to intruder X. The three unmanned aerial vehicles share roles: the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 issues a warning to intruder X, the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 photographs intruder X, and the third unmanned aerial vehicle 100-3 outputs dazzling light L. Therefore, even if the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 is destroyed by intruder X and is no longer able to output a warning sound, the third unmanned aerial vehicle 100-3 can continue to output dazzling light L, making it difficult for intruder X to notice the presence of the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2.

In addition, since the third unmanned aerial vehicle 100-3 is smaller in size than the forklift 200, from the perspective of attracting the attention of intruder X, the defense system 1 using the forklift 200 allows the second unmanned aerial vehicle 100-2 to more reliably photograph the intruder X.

[Other Modifications]
The defense system of the present invention is a defense system comprising an unmanned aerial vehicle capable of hovering in the air in a designated work area, a mobile vehicle that moves in the work area, and a management device that controls the unmanned aerial vehicle and the mobile vehicle, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle is equipped with a camera unit for photographing an intruder who has entered the work area, the mobile vehicle is equipped with a lighting unit that outputs dazzling light to block the intruder's view, and the management device can be configured as appropriate so long as it causes the lighting unit of the mobile vehicle to output the dazzling light while the unmanned aerial vehicle is flying towards the intruder and while the camera unit of the unmanned aerial vehicle is photographing the intruder.

For example, the management device may be configured to be able to communicate data with a surveillance camera (e.g., a pan-tilt-zoom camera) placed in the work area. If the management device 300 of the above embodiment is configured to be able to communicate data with the surveillance camera, the surveillance camera will detect intruder X, and therefore the first unmanned aerial vehicle 100-1 can be omitted from the defense system 1 of the above embodiment.

The mobile object of the present invention may be a mobile object other than a forklift, or an aerial object other than a drone. However, from the perspective of attracting the attention of intruders, a forklift is suitable as a mobile object because it can raise and lower its forks. In other words, under the control of the management device, the forklift can make it difficult for intruders to notice the presence of the unmanned aerial object by emitting dazzling light L (and in some cases, further raising and lowering its forks) at least until the unmanned aerial object photographs the intruder.

1 Defense system 10 Work area 11 Shelf 12 Reflector 100 Unmanned aerial vehicle 110 Main body 120 Rotor 130 Leg 140 Camera 150 Speaker 160 Control unit 161 Position information acquisition unit 162 Flight control unit 163 Camera control unit 164 Alarm unit 165 Lighting control unit 170 Lighting unit 200 Forklift 210 Vehicle body 220 Cargo handling device 230 Laser scanner 240 Lighting unit 250 Control unit 251 Position estimation unit 252 Travel control unit 253 Cargo handling control unit 254 Lighting control unit 300 Management device 301 Communication unit 302 Display unit 303 General control unit 304 Mode setting unit 305 Defense processing unit

Claims (8)

a first unmanned aerial vehicle and a second unmanned aerial vehicle capable of hovering in a predetermined working area;
a moving body that moves in the working area;
a management device that controls the first unmanned aerial vehicle, the second unmanned aerial vehicle, and the mobile vehicle;
A defense system comprising:
The first unmanned aerial vehicle is
a detection unit for detecting an intruder who has entered the work area;
The second unmanned aerial vehicle is
a photographing unit for photographing the intruder,
The moving body is
a lighting unit that outputs dazzling light to block the view of the intruder,
The management device
A defense system characterized in that, when the detection unit of the first unmanned aerial vehicle detects the intruder, the lighting unit of the moving body outputs the dazzling light until the photographing unit of the second unmanned aerial vehicle photographs the intruder. The lighting unit of the moving body includes:
As the dazzling light, a flashing light that repeatedly turns on and off at a predetermined cycle is output,
The management device
The defense system according to claim 1, characterized in that the imaging unit of the second unmanned aerial vehicle is caused to photograph the intruder at least at the timing of the lighting and/or the turning off. The management device
When the detection unit of the first unmanned aerial vehicle detects the intruder,
determining a first movement path for the second unmanned aerial vehicle to approach the intruder and a second movement path for the moving vehicle to approach the intruder;
2. The defense system according to claim 1, wherein an obstacle larger than the second unmanned aerial vehicle exists between the end point of the first movement path and the intruder. The management device
The defense system described in claim 3, characterized in that the first movement path and the second movement path are determined so as to satisfy the condition that, when the work area is viewed in a plane, the intruder is present in a triangular area whose vertices are the first unmanned aerial vehicle, the end point of the first movement path, and the end point of the second movement path. The management device
The defense system according to claim 1, characterized in that the lighting unit of the moving body continues to output the dazzling light even after the photographing unit of the second unmanned aerial vehicle photographs the intruder. the moving body is a forklift equipped with forks,
The management device
2. The defense system according to claim 1, wherein the illumination unit of the forklift emits the dazzling light and the forks are raised and lowered at a predetermined timing. 2. The defense system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile body is a third unmanned aerial vehicle capable of hovering in the air. an unmanned aerial vehicle capable of hovering in the air in a predetermined work area;
a moving body that moves in the working area;
a management device that controls the unmanned aerial vehicle and the mobile vehicle;
A defense system comprising:
The unmanned aerial vehicle is
a photographing unit for photographing an intruder who has invaded the work area;
The moving body is
a lighting unit that outputs dazzling light to block the view of the intruder,
The management device
A defense system characterized by outputting the dazzling light from the lighting unit of the moving body while the unmanned aerial vehicle is flying toward the intruder and while the photographing unit of the unmanned aerial vehicle is photographing the intruder.