Patent Application
20170032686
This application claims priority to French Patent Application No. 1557294, filed Jul. 30, 2015, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The embodiments described herein relate to a drone pad and to a set for managing such a pad.
It is to be expected that drones will more and more frequently be used for security checks or for detailed visual inspections in particular on sensitive and/or secure sites or of zones that are not easily accessible in the future.
Currently, drones are not legally allowed to fly over urban zones and require clearance to fly over industrial zones and controlled zones of the airspace such as airports.
In particular because of the size of the zone likely to be monitored and the distance to the control center, the management of one or more drones from a single control center is not always easy in such an environment.
The present disclosure provides a remedy the drawback discussed in the Background, and relates to a drone pad including a structure able to be mounted on a base and provided with a platform for at least one drone. According to the present disclosure, the drone pad or simply pad also includes a wireless data transmission system having at least one first data transmission unit able to communicate with at least one control center; at least one second data transmission unit able to communicate with at least one drone; and a central unit linked to the data transmission system.
Thus, by virtue of the embodiment, in addition to providing a site (via the platform) for receiving a drone, for example at the end of its mission or to allow it to recharge its batteries as necessary as specified below, the pad is able, using the data transmission system, to communicate with the control center (and the drone), which may continue to monitor and manage the mission of the drone, as also specified below.
Advantageously, the pad includes at least one data generation unit linked to the central unit and configured to generate data relating to the pad. At least some of these data may be transmitted to the control center via the data transmission system.
Moreover, advantageously, the pad may also include one or more of the following components. The pad may include at least one computing unit configured to compute at least one takeoff path or one landing path of a drone. The pad may include at least one electrical charging system able to charge a battery of a drone located on the platform for the drone. The electrical charging system may include an electrical induction plate supplied with power by an electrical battery. The electric battery is preferably supplied with power using at least one solar panel mounted on the structure. The pad may include at least one positioning unit forming part of a satellite-based positioning system. The pad may also at least one solar panel; at least one meteorological unit; at least one unit for determining a battery state of the battery(ies) of the pad; at least one bird scaring device; and/or at least one data generation unit able to generate data relating to a drone. Furthermore, advantageously, the drone platform is provided with at least one positioning indicator.
The present embodiment also relates to a managing set for managing a pad. According to the embodiment, this managing set includes at least one control center, and at least one pad such as that described above. The pad is linked via the first data transmission unit of the data transmission system to the control center, which is equipped with an interacting data transmission unit.
The present embodiment furthermore relates to a system for managing at least one drone including at least one managing set such as mentioned above, and at least one drone. In one particular embodiment, the drone is equipped with a guiding unit configured to automatically guide the drone toward a pad of the managing set. Furthermore, in another particular embodiment, the drone is equipped with an induction plate that is intended to recharge a battery and configured to interact with an induction plate of a pad of the managing set, when the drone is located on the platform of this pad.
The present embodiment also relates to a method for transmitting data using a system for managing at least one drone, such as described above. According to the embodiment, the data such as may be transmitted from the pad to the control center. Data that may be transmitted from the pad to the control center may include the state of charge of the least one battery of the pad, the availability of the pad, and/or the state of at least one piece of equipment mounted on the pad. Data may also be transmitted from the control center to the pad, which data may include at least one check request to the pad. Data may also be transmitted from the pad to a drone, which data may include at least one order to stop a motor of the drone. Data may also be transmitted from the drone to the pad.
Other advantages, desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from this summary, the preceeding background and the subsequent detailed description, and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
It will be clearly understood how the embodiment(s) may be implemented from the following drawings. The various embodiments will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following figures, in which identical references designate similar components.
With reference now to the drawings, the pad 1 schematically shown in
In the example in
With reference now to
The pad 1 is equipped with the wireless data transmission system 5, which may especially automatically transmit data on the main pieces of equipment of the pad 1, as further specified below. The pad 1 is an autonomous pad, which is able to dock any type of drone, whatever the characteristics (size, weight) of the drone. This pad 1 may be installed in various locations (roof, pylon, façade) of various zones (airport, industrial site, etc.) and on various bases.
The structure 3 of the pad 1 includes a base part 13 that is for example made of metal. In the particular embodiment shown in
As for example shown in
The positioning indicator 20 may, for example, be a marking that is produced directly on the platform 4 or that is produced on a sheet attached to the platform 4 and including a target 21 shown for example in the form of a cross.
The bird scaring device 24 may be an audio device. In one preferred embodiment, this audio device is automatically and randomly triggered, in order to prevent birds from taking up residence. This audio device may also be remotely controlled by the operator of the control center 10.
The antenna 9, 12 and 23 are preferably arranged on the side of the structure 3, as shown in
The solar panel 18 is configured to charge the battery 22, which serves to supply the electrical equipment of the pad 1 with electricity. By virtue of the solar panel(s) 18, the pad 1 is electrically autonomous, and is therefore not limited in its installation, since no electrical connection is required. The solar panel 18 is preferably arranged on a plate 25 (
In one particular embodiment, shown in
The pad 1 also includes an electrical charging system configured to charge a battery of a drone located on the drone platform. The electrical charging system includes the electrical induction plate (the connector 19 of which is visible in
The pad 1 may also include a meteorological unit (or station) 27 especially including at least one of the following components: an anemometer, a barometer, a component for measuring temperature, etc. In
As shown in
Data generated by the meteorological unit 27 are taken into account by the computing unit 29 when calculating the takeoff and landing paths. In particular, the direction and strength of the wind, which are determined by the anemometer 28, are taken into account to optimize the path depending on the actual exterior conditions about the pad 1.
The components 31, 30, 29, 27, 24 and 32 are respectively connected by way of links 33 to 38 to the central unit 6. The computing unit 29 may also be integrated into the central unit 6.
The pad 1 forms part of a set 40 for managing a drone pad. This managing set 40 includes at least one pad 1 such as described above and at least one control center 10, as schematically illustrated in
The control center 10 is preferably remote from the pad 1. The control center 10 includes a data transmission (emission/reception) unit 41 provided with an antenna 42 that interacts with the data transmission (emission/reception) unit 8 installed on the pad 1, in order to allow them to communicate together, as illustrated by a symbol 44 (representing electromagnetic waves) in
This managing set 40 forms part of a system 45 for managing a drone, such as also shown in
Each drone 2 is equipped, as shown for example in
The drone 2 is thus equipped with the video camera 46 which allows it to observe dangerous zones and/or zones that are difficult to access. This video camera 46 also allows the target 21 on the platform 4 of the pad 1 (
The drone 2 is also equipped with the induction plate 47 intended to recharge at least one on-board battery (not shown), which is intended to supply the various pieces of equipment of the drone 2 with electricity. This induction plate 47 is configured to interact with the induction plate of the pad 1, when the drone 2 is located on the platform 4 of this pad 1, as for example illustrated in
The managing system 45 thus includes an electrical charging system including the two magnetic induction plates: one of which is installed on the pad 1 and which is supplied with power by the battery 22, and the other 47 of which is installed on the drone 2. When the drone 2 is located on the platform 4, as shown in
The drone 2 is also equipped with an automatic guiding unit that is configured to automatically guide the drone 2 toward the pad 1 of the managing set 45. To do this, the guiding unit determines guiding orders, from data relating to a position to be reached (GPS coordinates of the pad 1 or position of the positioning indicator 20 on the pad 1 in particular), and it transmits these guiding orders to conventional pieces of equipment of the drone which are intended to control its flight (motor, propellers, etc.). The guidance of the drone 2 (for example from its position in
Such a drone 2, which is therefore autonomous, may especially be used to carry out a visual inspection, for example, of the top of the fuselage of an aircraft in an airport; of a security zone of the airport; of a dangerous military zone; of a chemical warehouse; of vulnerable zones of a company, etc. As for the pad 1, it especially has the aim of docking a drone 2 in a secure zone, recharging the batteries of a docked drone 2, and delivering data on pieces of equipment of the drone 2 and/or of the pad 1.
More generally, the pad 1 is used to exchange data with the drone 2 and/or an operator of the control center 10. The data transmission system 5 is especially able to deliver the following data: the states of the batteries of the drone 2 and of the pad 1; the availability of the video camera 46 (video, calibration, infrared, etc.) of the drone 2; the state of the one or more motors of the drone 2; the availability of the pad 1; and the states of other pieces of equipment associated with the drone 2 and the pad 1.
To do this, each drone 2 includes, as schematically shown in
Moreover, for communication within the managing system 45, each drone 2 also includes, as also schematically shown in
The communication within the managing system 45 from the pad 1 may include: transmitting data from the pad 1 to the control center 10, for example at least one of the following data: the state of charge of the battery of the pad 1, the availability of the pad 1, and/or the state of at least one piece of equipment mounted on the pad 1 (bird scaring device, meteorological unit, solar panel, etc.); transmitting data from the control center 10 to the pad 1, for example at least one of the following data: a check request to the pad 1, and/or commands to pieces of equipment of the pad 1, such as the bird scaring device for example; transmitting data from the pad 1 to a drone 2, for example an order to stop a motor of the drone 2; and/or transmitting data from the drone 2 to the pad 1.
By way of illustration, the operation of the managing system 45, such as described above, may in one particular example involve the following events from E1 to E7, which may occur in any logical and desirably sequence:
While at least one exemplary embodiment of the present invention(s) is disclosed herein, it should be understood that modifications, substitutions and alternatives may be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art and can be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. This disclosure is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the exemplary embodiment(s). In addition, in this disclosure, the terms “comprise” or “comprising” do not exclude other elements or steps, the terms “a” or “one” do not exclude a plural number, and the term “or” means either or both. Furthermore, characteristics or steps which have been described may also be used in combination with other characteristics or steps and in any order unless the disclosure or context suggests otherwise. This disclosure hereby incorporates by reference the complete disclosure of any patent or application from which it claims benefit or priority.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1557294 | Jul 2015 | FR | national |
