Unmanned aerial vehicle support device and unmanned aerial vehicle support system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12338013-B2
Application number	US-202218719857-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2022
Priority date	Apr 20, 2022
Publication date	Jun 24, 2025
Grant date	Jun 24, 2025

Abstract

The consumption of stored energy by an unmanned aerial vehicle is reduced by raising the unmanned aerial vehicle through an unmanned aerial vehicle support device, and accordingly, the cruising distance is increased. An unmanned aerial vehicle support device 10 includes a loading unit 1 and a control unit that controls raising and lowering of the loading unit. The loading unit 1 is raised to a predetermined height to enable the unmanned aerial vehicle 100 to take off. An unmanned aerial vehicle support system includes a server 5 that can communicate with the unmanned aerial vehicle support device 10 and selects a route on which the unmanned aerial vehicle 100 flies and one or more unmanned aerial vehicle support devices 10 on the route based on movement information including at least a departure point and a destination of the unmanned aerial vehicle input from the outside.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle support system, comprising:
an unmanned aerial vehicle support device that includes a loading unit on which an unmanned aerial vehicle is loaded and a control unit that controls raising and lowering of the loading unit and raises the loading unit to a predetermined height to enable the unmanned aerial vehicle to take off;
a server that is able to communicate with the unmanned aerial vehicle support device and selects a route on which the unmanned aerial vehicle flies and one or more unmanned aerial vehicle support devices on the route based on movement information including at least a departure point and a destination of the unmanned aerial vehicle input from an outside; and
a user terminal that is connected to the server through a network to input cargo weight information,
wherein the server calculates net power information consumed for raising the unmanned aerial vehicle based on power information measured inside the control unit and power information measured inside the loading unit,
wherein the server corrects the net power information consumed for raising the unmanned aerial vehicle using the cargo weight information.

2. The unmanned aerial vehicle support system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the loading unit includes a detection unit that detects the unmanned aerial vehicle loaded on the loading unit, and
wherein the control unit controls raising and lowering of the loading unit based on a detection result of the detection unit.

3. The unmanned aerial vehicle support system according to claim 2 ,
wherein the control unit raises the loading unit when the detection unit detects landing or loading of the unmanned aerial vehicle on the loading unit.

4. The unmanned aerial vehicle support system according to claim 2 ,
wherein the control unit lowers the loading unit when the detection unit detects takeoff of the unmanned aerial vehicle from the loading unit.

5. The unmanned aerial vehicle support system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a storage battery capable of supplying power to the loading unit; and
a means for charging the storage battery.

6. The unmanned aerial vehicle support system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the control unit includes:
a motor that drives the loading unit up and down; and
an inverter that supplies power to the motor and controls rotation of the motor.

7. The unmanned aerial vehicle support system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle support device is located at a relay point on the route on which the unmanned aerial vehicle flies.

8. The unmanned aerial vehicle support system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the loading unit includes a detection unit that detects the unmanned aerial vehicle loaded on the loading unit,
wherein the detection unit detects identification information of the loaded unmanned aerial vehicle,
wherein the movement information includes identification information of the unmanned aerial vehicle reserved for loading onto the loading unit, and
wherein the control unit controls raising and lowering of the loading unit when the identification information of the loaded unmanned aerial vehicle matches the identification information of the unmanned aerial vehicle reserved for loading onto the loading unit.

9. The unmanned aerial vehicle support system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the server transmits reservation information that is a time to raise and lower the loading unit, and
wherein the control unit controls the loading unit based on the reservation information.

10. The unmanned aerial vehicle support system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the server transmits a height command to give an instruction for a height to which the loading unit is raised, and
wherein the control unit raises the loading unit based on the height command.

11. The unmanned aerial vehicle support system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle support device includes a renewable energy generation facility, and
wherein the server calculates a power component supplied from the renewable energy generation facility from power consumption or an amount of power consumption of the unmanned aerial vehicle support device required for raising the loading unit and transmits the calculated power component to the outside.

12. The unmanned aerial vehicle support system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the server predicts changes in at least one of an operating rate, a sales balance, and environmental effects of the unmanned aerial vehicle support device when a new unmanned aerial vehicle support device is installed, and outputs candidate locations and a prediction result.

Assignees

• Hitachi Industry Equipment Systems Co Ltd

Inventors

• Takeda Kenji

Classifications

• H02J2105/30

  the load networks being external to vehicles, i.e. exchanging power with vehicles · CPC title

• H02J2101/20

  Dispersed power generation using renewable energy sources · CPC title

• H02P27/00

  Arrangements or methods for the control of AC motors characterised by the kind of supply voltage (of two or more motors H02P5/00; of synchronous motors with electronic commutators H02P6/00; of DC motors H02P7/00; of stepping motors H02P8/00) · CPC title

• H02M7/5387

  in a bridge configuration · CPC title

• H02J3/38

  Arrangements for feeding a single network from two or more generators or sources in parallel; Arrangements for feeding already energised networks from additional generators or sources in parallel · CPC title