JP2024156360A - Drone landing ports and available loaders at said ports, as well as drone and cargo storage facilities - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a drone landing port newly configured to solve various problems of an existing facility, a loader usable at the port, a drone, and its load storage unit.SOLUTION: A drone landing port 200 has a landing platform 204 at which a drone 100 can land, and a variable loading space 230 into/from which a loading loader 300 can enter/exit is formed below the drone 100 which has landed at the landing platform 204. A part of the landing platform can be formed by a movable member 210 which moves in one of directions. The movable member 210 can be formed by a plurality of members. The movable members can include a plurality of plate-like members arranged in a horizontal direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

This disclosure relates to a drone landing port and a loader available at the port, as well as a drone and its cargo storage area.

In recent years, plans have been made to transport cargo using drones (drone logistics), the technologies for this have been proposed, and actual operations using equipment have been attempted (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). In addition to the drones themselves, logistics using drones like this also requires ground facilities called drone ports for drones to take off and land when transferring cargo.

Patent No. 6924297 JP 2021-46110 A

However, in light of the current state of drone ports and what is expected of them in the future, conventional drone ports and logistics using drone ports have the following problems:
・One of the key factors in improving the accuracy and efficiency of material handling of cargo is to improve the landing accuracy of drones. However, in reality, it is not easy to improve the landing accuracy of drones when used outdoors under changing weather conditions. It may be possible to improve landing accuracy by improving the accuracy of the drone's autonomous control device, but if we try to improve the accuracy of the autonomous control device of all drones, it will be too expensive and the cost performance may decrease.
-If there are practical limits to the landing accuracy of drones, then there will naturally be limits to improving the accuracy and efficiency of material handling.
- In the conventional method of having one drone land at one port to deliver cargo, both a drone positioning mechanism and a mechanism for handing over the cargo from below are required for each port, so the larger the facility, the higher the costs tend to be.

Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a drone landing port with a new configuration that can solve various problems in conventional facilities, a loader that can be used at the port, and a storage area for drones and their cargo.

The inventors conducted various studies to solve these problems. As with conventional facilities, where one drone lands at one port to hand over cargo, it is difficult to improve drone landing accuracy, material handling accuracy and efficiency, and cost reduction, as described above. It is clear that if logistics is reformed or demand increases dramatically in the future, it will be difficult to adequately respond with the current facilities. The inventors focused on these problems and conducted extensive research into the original structure and features of conventional facilities, which led to new insights.

One aspect of the present invention based on this knowledge is a drone landing port that has a landing pad on which a drone can land, and forms a variable loading space below a drone that has landed on the pad, allowing a loading loader to enter and exit the space.

Such a drone landing port can solve the problems associated with conventional facilities as follows:
・Even if the drone's landing position shifts, the variable loading space can be flexibly changed according to the drone's position. This makes it possible to compensate for the drone's landing accuracy (or its lack of it) with equipment on the ground.
- By compensating for the drone's landing accuracy (or any shortcomings) with equipment on the ground, it is possible to improve the accuracy and efficiency of material handling.
・Drone landing ports that can form variable loading and unloading spaces can take advantage of this feature and operate areas (pits) where multiple drones can take off and land together, allowing for a shared configuration of the mechanisms required for cargo transfer and material handling. In such cases, even if the scale of the facilities is increased, it will be easier to keep costs down compared to conventional facilities.

In the drone landing port described above, a portion of the landing pad may be composed of a movable member that moves in either direction.

In the drone landing port described above, the movable member may be composed of multiple members.

In the drone landing port described above, the multiple movable members may include multiple plate-shaped members arranged in a horizontal direction.

The drone landing port described above may be configured to allow selective movement of one of a number of movable members.

In the drone landing port described above, the movable member may be configured to be able to rise and fall.

The drone landing port as described above may be configured to selectively lower one of the multiple movable members that has not been touched down by a drone that has landed on the landing pad.

In the drone landing port described above, the plate-shaped member may be configured to be movable in the horizontal direction.

In the drone landing port described above, among the multiple plate-like members, the plate-like member on which the drone that has landed on the landing pad is located may be moved horizontally.

In the drone landing port described above, the landing pad may be large enough to provide enough space for two or more drones to land.

In the drone landing port described above, a partition member may be provided between the landing pad and the passage area through which the loader passes.

The drone may be capable of being divided into pieces of transportable size at the drone landing port described above.

In the drone landing port described above, the sliding resistance of the plate-shaped member may be set to a value that allows it to be moved by human force or by pushing it with a loader.

In the drone landing port described above, the movable member may be movable to other facilities used for drone maintenance or in their vicinity.

The drone landing port described above may include an actuator that moves the movable member, a sensor that detects the position of the drone, and a controller that controls the actuator based on the information detected by the sensor, and may move the movable member according to the position of the drone while it is landing.

The loader according to one aspect of the present invention is a loader for cargo handling that can be used at the drone landing port described above, and has a loading platform for placing cargo.

The loader as described above may be equipped with a platform lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the platform, a platform moving mechanism for moving the platform horizontally, a mechanism for moving the platform in both the forward/rearward and width directions of the loader, and a platform rotation mechanism for rotating the platform around a predetermined axis.

The loader described above may be equipped with a position adjustment device that adjusts the position of the loading platform relative to the drone or the position of the loading platform relative to the cargo carried by the drone.

In the above-mentioned loader, the position adjustment device may be configured to adjust based on an image captured by an imaging device or a signal from a sensor device.

The loader described above may include a monitor device that displays an image, a receiving device that receives image data from an imaging device mounted on the drone, and a control device that processes the image data received by the receiving device and displays it on the monitor device, and also automatically controls the position adjustment device.

The loader described above may be an UGV (unmanned ground vehicle) or an AGV (automated guided vehicle).

Another aspect of the present invention is a drone that can be used at the drone landing port described above.

Yet another aspect of the present invention is a cargo storage section for carrying cargo that can be installed on a drone as described above.

Yet another aspect of the present invention is a drone having a body, a propeller, legs, and a luggage storage section disposed under the body,
This drone forms a loading space below the cargo storage area that allows loaders to enter and exit when it is in a landing position with its legs either on the landing pad of a drone landing port or on the ground.

The present invention provides a drone landing port with a novel configuration that can solve various problems in conventional facilities, a loader that can be used at the port, and a storage area for drones and their cargo.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of the configuration of a drone. A diagram illustrating the transportation of cargo between ground facilities and drone landing ports. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating positioning of a load below a drone. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating how cargo is raised and lowered beneath a drone. FIG. 13 is a diagram explaining how the drone itself is moved and positioned after landing. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating another configuration example of a drone. This is an oblique view showing a drone landing port provided with a passage area for a trolley loader and a partition member. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a drone landing port. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the drone landing port with a drone landing on the landing pad. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the movable comb with the drone mounted thereon being moved horizontally together with the drone. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the state in which the movable comb on the inner side of the movable comb on which the drone is mounted is lowered. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a drone landing port having an upper flange portion provided on a movable comb. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a state in which some of the movable combs are lowered to hide part of the drone. FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a state in which the inner movable comb is lowered from the state shown in FIG. 13 to form a cargo handling space below the drone. 13A and 13B are diagrams showing examples of a moving mechanism for raising and lowering a movable comb, the examples using a pantograph and a ball screw. 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating an example of a moving mechanism using a hook or the like. FIG. 1A is a diagram showing an example of a moving mechanism using rails and linear guides, and FIG. 1B is a diagram showing the state after the mechanism has been operated. FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a state in which a predetermined movable comb is pushed in by a carriage loader. 1 is a plan view showing an example of a movable member constituted by a movable rod that is long in the vertical direction. FIG. 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating an example of a moving mechanism for raising and lowering a movable rod. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a cart loader and the like. 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating adjustment of the position of the loading platform in the trolley loader.

Below, with reference to the drawings, a detailed description is given of a preferred embodiment of the drone landing port and the trolley loader that can be used at the port, as well as the drone and its cargo storage unit according to the present disclosure (see FIG. 1, etc.).

[Drone]
The drone 100 of this embodiment includes a body 102, a propeller 104, a skid 106, a catcher (luggage storage section) 108, and a downward shooting camera (imaging device) 110 (see Figures 1 to 5, Figure 21, etc.), and is configured as a drone that can be used at the drone landing port 200 described later.

The body 102 is the main body of the drone 100. Multiple propellers 104, for example four, are attached to the body 102 and function as rotors for flying the drone 100. The skids 106 come into contact with the ground when the drone 100 lands, and function as legs that support the body 102, etc. (see FIG. 1, etc.).

The catcher 108 is a part that functions as a luggage storage section for carrying luggage 400, and is arranged, for example, at the bottom of the body 102 (see FIG. 1, etc.). The catcher 108 is, for example, made of hook-shaped members arranged opposite each other and with a lower end that opens and closes. The catcher 108 itself may be configured as a member that can be installed on the body 102 or detached.

Before being stored in the catcher 108, the luggage 400 is transported on the ground by the trolley loader 300 from a ground facility, such as a delivery window 500 at a luggage collection and distribution center, to the drone landing port 200 (see FIG. 2). At this time, in this embodiment, the trolley loader 300 is not moved to precisely position the luggage 400, but is only roughly positioned to a certain extent, and then the position of the loading platform 310 is adjusted using a position adjustment device 320, which will be described later, to precisely position the luggage 400 (see FIG. 3). The loading platform 310 is then raised, and the luggage 400 is stored in the catcher 108 (see FIG. 4).

The downward shooting camera 110 is an imaging device that can capture images below the drone 100 and is provided on the body 102 (see Figure 21, etc.).

[Drone landing port configuration]
The drone landing port 200 constitutes a ground facility for the take-off and landing of drones 100 when transferring cargo. It has a landing pad 204 on which the drone 100 can land, and forms a variable loading space 230 below the drone 100 that has landed on the landing pad 204, allowing a loading trolley loader 300 to enter and exit (see Figures 7 to 20).

In the drone landing port 200 of this embodiment, at least a portion of the landing pad 204 is configured with a movable member 210 that moves in either direction, and by moving the movable member 210, it is possible to move the drone 100 after landing, depending on the configuration of the drone landing port 200. The movable member 210 can take various forms. As an example, a movable member 210 configured with multiple plate-shaped members arranged in a horizontal direction will be described below.

<First Form of Movable Member>
The multiple plate-like members constituting the movable member 210 are, for example, multiple members (referred to as "movable combs" in this specification and indicated by the reference numeral 212 in the figures) arranged in a horizontally stacked state in a state of standing sideways (a state of being arranged upright so that the thickness direction faces the horizontal direction) (see FIGS. 7 to 9). The multiple movable combs 212 are arranged at the same height, and form a flat surface on the upper surface that becomes the landing pad 204 of the drone 100 (see FIG. 8, etc.). The multiple movable combs 212 may be arranged closely so as to be in contact with each other, but in this embodiment, they are arranged at a predetermined interval so that there is a gap between each of them (see FIG. 8, etc.), so that when some of the movable combs 212 are moved, they can be moved without sliding against the adjacent movable combs 212. If this gap is smaller than the ground surface of the skid 106 of the drone 100, there is no problem in forming the landing pad 204. In addition, the movable comb 212 has a length that takes into account the size of the drone 100 as well as landing accuracy, and this length helps to absorb landing position deviations when the drone 100 lands, as described below.

The movable comb 212 is movable, and a predetermined one of the multiple movable combs 212 arranged can be selectively moved. The moving direction of the movable comb 212 may be horizontal or vertical (see FIG. 10, FIG. 11, etc.). For example, by moving the movable comb 212 on which the skid 106 of the drone 100 is mounted horizontally together with the drone 100, a variable loading space 230 (that is, a position and shape that can be changed depending on the situation) through which the loading dolly loader 300 can enter and exit can be formed below the drone 100 after the movement (see FIG. 10). Alternatively, although not shown in particular, a variable loading space 230 through which the dolly loader 300 can enter and exit can be formed below the drone 100 by horizontally moving the movable comb 212 located inside the movable comb 212 on which the skid 106 of the drone 100 is mounted to the opposite side (rear) from the side through which the dolly loader 300 enters and exits. In addition, among the movable combs 212 on which the drone 100 that has landed on the landing platform 204 is not placed, the movable comb 212 located further inside the movable comb 212 in contact with the skid 106 can be lowered to form a variable loading space 230 below the drone 100 that the dolly loader 300 can enter and exit (see FIG. 11). In this manner, in the drone landing port 200 of the present embodiment in which a plurality of movable combs 212 are arranged and a landing platform 204 is configured in which any one of the movable combs 212 can be selectively moved, even if the landing position of the drone 100 deviates from the desired position, the drone 100 itself is not moved, but a specific movable comb 212 of the drone landing port 200 is operated to flexibly change the position, shape, and size of the variable loading space 230 according to the position of the drone 100. In this way, in the drone landing port 200, it is possible to absorb the deviation of the landing position of the moving body on the equipment side, so to speak. Incidentally, a drone landing port 200 in which the movable comb 212 moves horizontally is suitable for use in places where it is difficult to secure underground space (see FIG. 10), while a drone landing port 200 in which the movable comb 212 rises and falls is suitable for use in narrow areas (see FIG. 11).

<Second embodiment of movable member>
The multiple plate-like members constituting the movable member 210 are composed of movable combs (vertical plate-like members) 212 arranged in a horizontally stacked state (uprightly arranged with the thickness direction facing horizontally) and upper flanges (horizontal plate-like members) 214 provided on the movable combs 212 (see Figures 12 to 14). The upper flanges 214 are, so to speak, horizontal plates provided on the upper edge of the movable combs 212, and are provided horizontally to form a uniform horizontal surface. The upper flanges 214 may be provided to protrude on both sides of the movable combs 212 to form a "T" shape (see Figures 12 to 14), or may be provided to protrude on one side to form a "Γ" shape. By providing the upper flanges 214, it is possible to secure the area required for the landing platform 204 even if the number of movable combs 212 is reduced.

The height of part or all of the landing pads 204 can be changed by raising or lowering part or all of the movable combs 212. In addition, by lowering the movable comb 212 on which the drone 100 is mounted and the movable comb 212 inside it, the drone 100 in the landing state also descends and becomes partially or completely hidden (see FIG. 13). This makes it possible to prevent the drone 100 from getting in the way of other drones 100 taking off and landing. In addition, by lowering only the movable comb 212 inside the movable comb 212 on which the drone 100 is mounted from this state, a loading space can be formed below the drone 100 (see FIG. 14).

An example of a moving mechanism for moving the movable comb 212 in the horizontal or vertical direction in the first and second embodiments described above will be described below. First, examples of the moving mechanism 250 for raising and lowering the movable comb 212 include a mechanism using a pantograph 251 and a mechanism using a ball screw 252 (see FIG. 15). A slide mechanism (e.g., one equipped with a guide rail) for moving the pantograph 251 or the ball screw 252 directly below the movable comb 212 to be raised and lowered may also be provided.

As another example of the moving mechanism 250 for raising and lowering the movable combs 212, hook rods 254 are extended from the left and right sides of the movable combs 212 that are not to be raised and lowered, forming a comb-like shape. When the support base 256 is lowered, these movable combs 212 are suspended in mid-air, and only the specified movable combs 212 that are not connected to the hook rods 254 are lowered (see Figure 16).

An example of the moving mechanism 250 for moving the movable comb 212 in the horizontal direction is one that uses a linear guide 261 or a linear guide 262 to push the movable comb 212 out along the X-axis or Y-axis (see FIG. 17). The tip of the linear guide 261 has a gripping mechanism 263, and the linear guide 261 and the gripping mechanism 263 form a push-in actuator 266. In addition, the bottom of the movable comb 212 has a rail, groove, roller, wheel, etc. (not shown), forming a linear movement structure. The movable comb 212 is gripped by the push-in actuator 266 installed in the linear guide 261, and the movable comb 212 is moved in the horizontal direction by the operation of the linear guide 261 and the push-in actuator 266. The linear guide 261 and the linear guide 262 are configured to be perpendicular to each other, and the push-in actuator 266 installed in the linear guide 261 can be moved by the linear guide 262, so that the position of the push-in actuator 266 can be selectively changed. This allows any of the movable combs 212 to be moved horizontally.

The drone landing port 200 in the first and second embodiments described above further includes an actuator 280, a sensor 282, and a controller 284 (see FIG. 17, etc.). The actuator 280 is a power source for moving the movable comb 212. The sensor 282 is for detecting the position of the drone 100, and is composed of a camera, an infrared sensor, a pressure sensor provided on each of the movable combs 212, and the like. The controller 284 controls the actuator 280 based on the information detected by the sensor 282. In the drone landing port 200 configured in this way, for example, it is also possible to control the movable comb 212 to move in accordance with the position of the drone 100 during the landing process before the drone 100 touches the ground.

Another example of moving the movable comb 212 in the horizontal direction is to push a specific movable comb 212 with the dolly loader 300 (see FIG. 18). In this case, the sliding resistance of the movable comb 212 is preferably set to a value that allows it to be moved by pushing it manually or with the dolly loader 300. For example, the sliding resistance is preferably 2 kgf (about 20 N) or less, and more preferably 1 kgf (about 10 N) or less. A locking device 264 may also be provided to stop the movable comb 212 carrying the skid 106 of the drone 100 in place without moving it. A cushion-like buffer material 265 may also be interposed between the dolly loader 300 and the movable comb 212 (see FIG. 18).

<Third Form of Movable Member>
The movable member 210 is composed of a vertically long elongated member (hereinafter also referred to as a movable rod) 218. In this embodiment, a plurality of movable rods 218 are arranged in a lattice along the X-axis and the Y-axis, and a flat surface is formed on the upper surface of the movable rods 218 to serve as the landing pad 204 of the drone 100 (see FIG. 19). The cross-sectional shape of the movable rod 218 is not particularly limited, and may be rectangular, circular, or another shape. In addition, although not particularly illustrated, an upper flange portion (a horizontal plate-shaped member) may be provided at the upper end of the movable rod 218.

Any one of the multiple movable rods 218 can be selectively raised and lowered (see FIG. 19). One example of a movement mechanism 250 for raising and lowering the movable rods 218 is one that combines an X-axis linear guide 271, a Y-axis linear guide 272, and a Z-axis ball screw 273 to enable movement in three orthogonal directions (see FIG. 20). With this type of movement mechanism 250, it is possible to use the X-axis linear guide 271 and the Y-axis linear guide 272 to move the Z-axis ball screw 273 to directly below the movable rod 218 to be raised and lowered (see FIG. 19 and FIG. 20).

The drone landing port 200 in this third configuration further includes an actuator 280, a sensor 282, and a controller 284 (see FIG. 20).

<Fourth Form of Movable Member>
The movable member 210 may be provided so as to be movable to other facilities or their vicinity used for maintenance of the drone 100. Although not particularly illustrated, such a movable member 210 allows the drone 100 to be moved to the facility or its vicinity while still mounted on the movable member 210 when performing maintenance of the drone 100. Specific examples of other facilities include facilities for charging, facilities for inspection and maintenance, facilities for parking the drone, and even transportation facilities and vehicles for transporting the drone to and from a base having the drone landing port 200.

[Another example of a drone landing port (1)]
Another example (variant example) of the drone landing port 200 will be described (see FIG. 7).

The drone landing port 200 shown in FIG. 7 has an area (sometimes referred to as a drone pit 202 in this specification) where multiple drones 100 can land at the same time by expanding the area of the landing pad 204 (see FIG. 7). In addition, by arranging a pair of drone landing ports 200 with the expanded area of the landing pad 204 facing each other in this way, a passage area 240 is provided between the landing pad 204, through which the dolly loader 300 and even workers can pass. Furthermore, a partition member 242 is provided between the passage area and the landing pad 204 as a partition wall. The partition member 242 can function as a safety measure and a windbreak when the drone 100 takes off and lands. If a transparent or semi-transparent acrylic plate or the like is used as the partition member 242, the drone 100 can be viewed directly through the partition member 242 or indirectly using a monitor or the like. When multiple landing pads 204 are arranged, the landing pads 204 may be arranged continuously without any gaps, or may be arranged intermittently with spaces provided between the landing pads 204. In the latter case, a partition member 242 may be provided between adjacent landing platforms 204.

[Another example of a drone landing port (2)]
The drone landing port 200 may be divisible into pieces of transportable size. By dividing the pieces, it becomes possible to transport them manually or using a transport vehicle such as a forklift, which makes it easier to deploy them on-site, add drone landing ports 200 at bases, change the layout, and so on.

[Carriage loader configuration]
The trolley loader 300, which is one aspect of the present invention, is a loader for cargo handling that can be used at the drone landing port 200 described above, and travels between a ground facility such as a delivery window 500 at a cargo collection and distribution center (see FIG. 2) and the drone landing port 200 to transport cargo (see FIGS. 8 to 14, etc.). The trolley loader 300 may be an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) or an automated guided vehicle (AGV), or a loader based on these, or a literal trolley that is moved by the human power of an operator (for example, pushing force, etc.). In the following, the configuration of the trolley loader 300 of this embodiment will be described, focusing on the parts unique to this application. The trolley loader 300 of this embodiment is equipped with a platform 310 for placing cargo, a position adjustment device 320, a monitor device 360, a receiving device 370, a control device 380, and the like (see FIGS. 21 and 22).

The position adjustment device 320 is a device that adjusts the position of the platform 310 when the cart loader 300 receives the cargo 400 carried by the drone 100, or when the cargo 400 carried by the cart loader 300 is loaded onto the drone 100 (see Figures 21 and 22). The position adjustment here also includes adjusting the orientation (angle) of the platform 310. In this embodiment, the position adjustment device 320 includes a platform lifting mechanism 330, a platform moving mechanism 340, and a platform rotating mechanism 350.

The platform lifting mechanism 330 is a mechanism for moving (raising and lowering) the platform 310 in the vertical direction (Z direction). The platform lifting mechanism 330 is composed of, for example, a pantograph (not shown) that expands and contracts, an actuator (not shown), and the like. A rotating handle 332 may be provided so that the operator can operate it (see FIG. 21).

The platform movement mechanism 340 is a mechanism for horizontally moving the platform 310 in the left-right direction (X direction) or the front-back direction (Y direction). Although not specifically shown, the platform movement mechanism 340 can be composed of, for example, a ball screw, or a slide device equipped with rails or linear guides, or even an actuator.

The platform rotation mechanism 350 is a mechanism for rotating the platform 310 around a predetermined vertical axis. Although not specifically shown, the platform rotation mechanism 350 can be composed of gears, bearings, and even actuators for rotating the vertical support axis of the platform 310. The platform rotation mechanism 350 makes it possible to fine-tune the orientation (angle) θ of the platform (see FIG. 22).

The monitor device 360 is a device for displaying an image captured by an imaging device (see FIG. 21). In this case, the imaging device may be mounted on the dolly loader 300 or on the drone 100. In this embodiment, the downward imaging camera 110 installed on the drone 100 is used as the imaging device, and the image data captured by the downward imaging camera 110 is received by the receiving device 370, processed by the control device 380, and displayed on the monitor device 360 (see FIG. 21). Note that in this embodiment, the downward imaging camera 110 is illustrated and described as above, but this is merely one example of an applicable sensor device. Other examples of the sensor device include a displacement sensor, a proximity sensor, and an infrared sensor, and these sensor devices can be used to grasp the relative positional deviation of the drone 100 and send the displacement information to the control device.

The control device 380 processes the image data received by the receiving device 370 and displays it on the monitor device 360. The control device 380 of this embodiment also automatically controls the position adjustment device 320. Automatic control of the position adjustment device 320 corresponds to, for example, adjusting the position of the platform 310 using the platform lifting mechanism 330, platform moving mechanism 340, and platform rotating mechanism 350 based on the results of processing the image data so that the relative position of the baggage 400 with respect to the catcher 108 falls within a predetermined appropriate range.

A small computer such as a tablet PC 390 may be used as the monitor device 360 or the control device 380 (see FIG. 21). In this case, the platform lifting mechanism 330, the platform moving mechanism 340, and the platform rotating mechanism 350 may be operated appropriately by manually inputting information from the screen of the tablet PC 390, thereby adjusting the position of the platform 310 (see FIGS. 21 and 22).

The above-described embodiment is one example of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but is not limited thereto, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, when the drone 100 is in a landing position in which the skid 106 has landed on the landing pad 204 of the drone landing port 200 or is in contact with the ground, a loading space that can be accessed by the trolley loader 300 may be formed below the catcher (baggage storage section) 108 (see FIG. 6).

According to the drone 100, drone landing port 200, and cart loader 300 of the present embodiment described so far, it is possible to solve problems that exist in conventional facilities as follows.
(A) Even if the landing position of the drone 100 shifts, the variable loading space 230 can be flexibly changed according to the position of the drone 100. Therefore, it is possible to compensate for the lack of landing accuracy of the drone 100 with the ground-side facility (drone landing port 200).
(B) In reality, the landing accuracy of current drones is at best ± several centimeters, and usually only ± 1 meter, so that when it is necessary to adjust the position of a landed drone, the drone's skids (legs) are grabbed and moved to correct the positional deviation from the load platform (see FIG. 5). In this regard, in the facility and device of this embodiment, the lack of landing accuracy of the drone 100 is compensated for by the ground-side facility, thereby making it possible to improve the accuracy and efficiency of material handling.
(C) In the drone landing port 200 that can form a variable loading and unloading space 230, an area (drone pit 202) where multiple drones 100 can take off and land can be operated collectively, allowing a configuration in which the mechanisms required for the transfer of luggage 400 and material handling can be shared. In such a case, even if the scale of the facility is increased, it is easier to keep costs down compared to conventional facilities.

(D) Logistics using the drone 100 requires cooperation between the drone 100, the catcher 108, and the drone landing port 200. In addition, the drone landing port 200 requires at least four mechanisms (i.e., a mechanism for horizontal movement in the X direction, a mechanism for horizontal movement in the Y direction, a mechanism for raising and lowering in the Z direction, and a mechanism for rotating at an angle θ around a vertical axis) for the delivery of the cargo 400 to the drone 100. In this regard, it is difficult to share mechanisms in existing drone ports, and there are problems with efficiency and cost-effectiveness. In contrast, the facilities and devices of this embodiment, which consolidate these mechanisms into the dolly loader 300 and share the mechanisms for the delivery of the cargo 400, have the effect of reducing capital investment and can also address such problems.
(E) In existing drone ports, it is difficult to share the above-mentioned mechanisms, and the reality is that the only way to increase the number of drone operations is to increase the number of ports. For this reason, existing drone ports have little benefit from larger scale. In addition, many mechanisms do not operate except when delivering luggage, and the equipment operation rate is low. For these reasons, even if an attempt is made to respond to an increase in logistics volume, the investment amount tends to increase, making it unsuitable for larger scale. In contrast, according to the facilities and devices of this embodiment in which mechanisms are shared, it is easy to obtain the benefits of larger scale, and the drone pits 202 where multiple drones can take off and land can be operated together to increase the operation rate.
(F) In existing drone ports, the drone port may be occupied during tasks such as charging, overnight parking, and maintenance. In addition, it is difficult to provide multiple drone landing sites at one port. Furthermore, the landing sites must be spaced apart to ensure safety. For these reasons, it is ultimately necessary to add one port for each drone. In contrast, the facility and device of this embodiment, which is equipped with a drone pit 202 where multiple drones 100 can land or wait at the same time, can fundamentally solve these problems.
(G) As described above, an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) or an unmanned guided vehicle (AGV) can be used as the cart loader 300, but if a cart moved by the human power of an operator is used instead, the cost required for capital investment can be reduced, and it can be easily introduced even in places with low demand. In addition, it is possible to replace the cart loader 300 with one using an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) or an unmanned guided vehicle (AGV) in response to future increases in demand and technological innovation, and it is also possible to use the cart loader 300 that is no longer needed at a quiet base.

The present invention is suitable for use with drone landing ports and loaders available at those ports, as well as drones and their cargo storage areas.

100... drone 102... body 104... propeller (rotor)
106...Skid (legs)
108... Catcher (mounted on drone) (luggage storage area)
110: downward photographing camera (sensor device)
200... drone landing port 202... drone pit 204... landing platform 210... movable member 212... movable comb (vertical plate-shaped member)
214: Upper flange portion (horizontal plate-shaped member)
218... Movable rod (long member)
230...loading space 240...(loader) passage area 242...partition member 250...moving mechanism 251...pantograph 252...ball screw 254...hook bar 256...support base 261...linear guide 262...linear guide 263...gripping mechanism 264...locking device 265...cushioning material 266...push-in actuator 271...X-axis linear guide 272...Y-axis linear guide 273...Z-axis ball screw 280...actuator 282...sensor 284...controller 300...cart loader (loader)
310...Platform 320...Position adjustment device 330...Platform lifting mechanism 332...Rotary handle 340...Platform moving mechanism 350...Platform rotating mechanism 360...Monitor device 370...Receiving device 380...Control device 390...Tablet PC
400…Luggage 500…Delivery counter (ground facility)

Claims (24)

A drone landing port has a landing platform on which a drone can land, and forms a variable loading space below the drone that has landed on the landing platform, allowing a loading vehicle to enter and exit the space. The drone landing port of claim 1, wherein a portion of the landing platform is composed of a movable member that moves in either direction. The drone landing port of claim 2, wherein the movable member is composed of multiple members. The drone landing port of claim 3, wherein the plurality of movable members includes a plurality of plate-shaped members arranged in a horizontal direction. The drone landing port of claim 3, configured to be capable of selectively moving any one of the plurality of movable members. The drone landing port of claim 5, wherein the movable member is configured to be liftable and lowerable. The drone landing port according to claim 6, which is configured to selectively lower a movable member among the plurality of movable members that is not touched by the drone that has landed on the landing pad. The drone landing port of claim 4, wherein the plate-like member is configured to be movable in a horizontal direction. The drone landing port according to claim 8, which moves the plate member on which the drone that has landed on the landing pad is located horizontally among the plurality of plate members. The drone landing port of claim 4, wherein the landing platform is sized to have enough space for two or more drones to land. The drone landing port according to claim 3, wherein a partition member is provided between the landing platform and a passage area through which the loader passes. The drone landing port of claim 3, which can be divided into transportable sizes. The drone landing port according to claim 9, wherein the sliding resistance of the plate-like member is set to a value that allows it to be moved by human force or by pushing it with the loader. The drone landing port according to claim 3, wherein the movable member is movable to other facilities used for maintenance of the drone or to the vicinity thereof. The drone landing port according to claim 3, comprising an actuator that moves the movable member, a sensor that detects the position of the drone, and a controller that controls the actuator based on information detected by the sensor, and which moves the movable member in accordance with the position of the drone while the drone is landing. A loader for cargo handling that can be used at the drone landing port according to any one of claims 1 to 15,
A loader having a platform for placing cargo. The loader according to claim 16, comprising a platform lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the platform, a platform moving mechanism for moving the platform horizontally, a mechanism for moving the platform in the front-rear and width directions of the loader, and a platform rotation mechanism for rotating the platform about a predetermined axis. The loader according to claim 16 or 17, further comprising a position adjustment device that adjusts the position of the platform relative to the drone or the position of the platform relative to the cargo carried by the drone. The loader according to claim 18, wherein the position adjustment device is configured to adjust based on an image captured by an imaging device or a signal from a sensor device. The loader according to claim 19, comprising a monitor device that displays the image, a receiver device that receives image data from the imaging device mounted on the drone, and a control device that processes the image data received by the receiver device and displays it on the monitor device, and automatically controls the position adjustment device. The loader of claim 20, which is an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) or an unmanned guided vehicle (AGV). A drone that can be used at a drone landing port according to any one of claims 1 to 15. A luggage storage section for carrying luggage that can be installed on the drone described in claim 22. A drone comprising a body, a propeller, legs, and a luggage storage section disposed under the body,
When the drone is in a landing posture with the legs landed on a landing pad of a drone landing port or grounded on the ground, a loading space is formed below the luggage storage section, through which a loading loader can enter and exit.

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