Unmanned aircraft, information processing method, and recording medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11760479-B2
Application number	US-202117146944-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 12, 2021
Priority date	Feb 1, 2019
Publication date	Sep 19, 2023
Grant date	Sep 19, 2023

Abstract

An unmanned aircraft includes: at least two generators generating forces to fly the unmanned aircraft, each including a rotor blade generating an airflow; a sensor detecting a tilt of the unmanned aircraft; and a processor controlling the generators to control flight of the unmanned aircraft. The processor: obtains an output force adjustment trigger for the generators; obtaining the trigger, causes each generator to individually operate at least until the tilt of the unmanned aircraft detected by the sensor satisfies a predetermined condition; determines a reference value related to an output force of each generator from a value related to the output force of each generator when the tilt of the unmanned aircraft satisfies the predetermined condition and a positional relationship between the generators; and controls the flight of the unmanned aircraft, using the reference values determined.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An unmanned aircraft comprising:
at least two supporting legs;
at least two generators that generate forces to fly the unmanned aircraft, the at least two generators each including a rotor blade that generates an airflow;
a sensor that detects a tilt of the unmanned aircraft; and
a processor that controls the at least two generators to control flight of the unmanned aircraft,
wherein the processor:
obtains, in a state in which the unmanned aircraft is placed on a ground that is horizontal, an output force adjustment trigger for the at least two generators;
upon obtaining the output force adjustment trigger, causes each of the at least two generators to individually operate in a state in which at least one of the at least two supporting legs is in contact with the ground and at least until the tilt of the unmanned aircraft detected by the sensor satisfies a predetermined condition;
determines a reference value related to an output force of each of the at least two generators from (i) a value related to the output force of each of the at least two generators at a timing at which the tilt of the unmanned aircraft satisfies the predetermined condition and (ii) a positional relationship between the at least two generators; and
controls the flight of the unmanned aircraft, using the reference values determined.

2. The unmanned aircraft according to claim 1 ,
wherein the predetermined condition is that the tilt of the unmanned aircraft changes.

3. The unmanned aircraft according to claim 1 ,
wherein the reference value is an output force value at which the unmanned aircraft is able to fly in a horizontal attitude in hovering flight.

4. The unmanned aircraft according to claim 1 ,
wherein the processor determines the reference value of each of the at least two generators, based on (i) the value related to the output force of each of the at least two generators at the timing at which the tilt of the unmanned aircraft satisfies the predetermined condition and (ii) a center of gravity of the unmanned aircraft that is calculated from the positional relationship between the at least two generators.

5. The unmanned aircraft according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a communication unit,
wherein the output force adjustment trigger is an output force adjustment instruction or a flight instruction obtained via the communication unit.

6. The unmanned aircraft according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an operation interface,
wherein the output force adjustment trigger is an output force adjustment instruction obtained via the operation interface.

7. The unmanned aircraft according to claim 1 ,
wherein the processor further determines whether the reference value is within an acceptable range, and presents information indicating that the reference value is not within the acceptable range via a presentation unit when the reference value is not within the acceptable range.

8. The unmanned aircraft according to claim 1 ,
wherein the processor further determines whether a determination of the reference value has been completed, and presents information indicating that the determination of the reference value has been completed via a presentation unit when the determination of the reference value has been completed.

9. An information processing method of controlling an unmanned aircraft that includes: at least two supporting legs; at least two generators that generate forces to fly the unmanned aircraft, the at least two generators each including a rotor blade that generates an airflow; and a sensor that detects a tilt of the unmanned aircraft, the information processing method being executed by a computer to control the unmanned aircraft by controlling the at least two generators, the information processing method comprising:
obtaining, in a state in which the unmanned aircraft is placed on a ground that is horizontal, an output force adjustment trigger for the at least two generators;
upon obtainment of the output force adjustment trigger, causing each of the at least two generators to individually operate in a state in which at least one of the at least two supporting legs is in contact with the ground and at least until the tilt of the unmanned aircraft detected by the sensor satisfies a predetermined condition;
determining a reference value related to an output force of each of the at least two generators from (i) a value related to the output force of each of the at least two generators at a timing at which the tilt of the unmanned aircraft satisfies the predetermined condition and (ii) a positional relationship between the at least two generators; and
controlling the flight of the unmanned aircraft, using the reference values determined.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having a program recorded thereon that causes a computer to execute an information processing method of controlling an unmanned aircraft that includes: at least two supporting legs; at least two generators that generate forces to fly the unmanned aircraft, the at least two generators each including a rotor blade that generates an airflow; and a sensor that detects a tilt of the unmanned aircraft, the information processing method being executed by a computer to control the unmanned aircraft by controlling the at least two generators, the information processing method comprising:
obtaining, in a state in which the unmanned aircraft is placed on a ground that is horizontal, an output force adjustment trigger for the at least two generators;
upon obtainment of the output force adjustment trigger, causing each of the at least two generators to individually operate in a state in which at least one of the at least two supporting legs is in contact with the ground and at least until the tilt of the unmanned aircraft detected by the sensor satisfies a predetermined condition;
determining a reference value related to an output force of each of the at least two generators from (i) a value related to the output force of each of the at least two generators at a timing at which the tilt of the unmanned aircraft satisfies the predetermined condition and (ii) a positional relationship between the at least two generators; and
controlling the flight of the unmanned aircraft, using the reference values determined.

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Man Co Ltd

Inventors

• Inoue Kazuo
• Konishi Kazunobu
• John Stephen
• Asai Katsuhiko
• Kuhara Shunsuke

Classifications

• G08G5/30 Primary

  Flight plan management · CPC title

• B64U2101/64

  for parcel delivery or retrieval · CPC title

• B64U10/14

  with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters · CPC title

• B64U70/80 Primary

  Vertical take-off or landing, e.g. using rockets (rotorcrafts B64U10/10; VTOL aircraft B64U10/20) · CPC title

• B64U2201/20

  Remote controls · CPC title