Flight Control System For Unmanned Aerial Vehicle And Topography Measuring System

Abstract

A flight control system for an unmanned aerial vehicle comprises an unmanned aerial vehicle on which a reflector is mounted and a total station for tracking the reflector and for acquiring measurement data including three-dimensional coordinates of the reflector, wherein the total station comprises a tracking module for tracking the reflector, a data transmitting module having an optical axis parallel or approximately parallel to a tracking optical axis of the tracking module and for emitting a data transmitting light, and a TS-arithmetic control module, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle has a photodetector for receiving the data transmitting light and for emitting a photodetecting signal and a UAV-arithmetic control module for controlling a flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and wherein the TS-arithmetic control module is configured to superimpose the measurement data on the data transmitting light, and the UAV-arithmetic control module is configured to separate the measurement data from the photodetecting signal and obtains a flight position of the unmanned aerial vehicle in real time.

1 . A flight control system for an unmanned aerial vehicle comprising an unmanned aerial vehicle on which a reflector is mounted and a total station for tracking said reflector and for acquiring measurement data including three-dimensional coordinates of said reflector,
 wherein said total station comprises a tracking module for tracking said reflector, a data transmitting module having an optical axis parallel or approximately parallel to a tracking optical axis of said tracking module and for emitting a data transmitting light, and a TS-arithmetic control module,   wherein said unmanned aerial vehicle has a photodetector for receiving said data transmitting light and for emitting a photodetecting signal and a UAV-arithmetic control module for controlling a flight of said unmanned aerial vehicle, and wherein said TS-arithmetic control module is configured to superimpose said measurement data on said data transmitting light, and said UAV-arithmetic control module is configured to separate said measurement data from said photodetecting signal and to obtain a flight position of said unmanned aerial vehicle in real time.   
     
     
         2 . The flight control system for an unmanned aerial vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein said tracking module is configured to pulse-emit a tracking light in a predetermined cycle and to emit said data transmitting light in a time period of each emission interval in such a manner that said data transmitting light does not interfere with the tracking light and a reflected tracking light. 
     
     
         3 . The flight control system for an unmanned aerial vehicle according to  claim 2 , wherein said tracking module is also used as a data transmitting module, and said tracking module is configured to emit the tracking light as said data transmitting light in the time period of each emission interval. 
     
     
         4 . The flight control system for an unmanned aerial vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein said photodetector includes said reflector and has a reflective film formed on a reflection surface of said reflector and for transmitting a part of a light, and a photodetection element for receiving said data transmitting light through said reflective film. 
     
     
         5 . A topography measuring system comprising an unmanned aerial vehicle, on which a reflector and a shape measuring instrument provided at a position known to said reflector are mounted, and a total station for tracking said reflector and for acquiring measurement data including three-dimensional coordinates of said reflector,
 wherein said total station comprises a tracking module for tracking said reflector, a data transmitting module having an optical axis parallel or approximately parallel to a tracking optical axis of said tracking module and for emitting a data transmitting light, and a TS-arithmetic control module,   wherein said unmanned aerial vehicle has a photodetector for receiving said data transmitting light and for emitting a photodetecting signal and a UAV-arithmetic control module for controlling a flight of said unmanned aerial vehicle,   and wherein said TS-arithmetic control module is configured to superimpose said measurement data on said data transmitting light, said UAV-arithmetic control module is configured to acquire topographical shape data by said shape measuring instrument, and said UAV-arithmetic control module is configured to separate said measurement data from said photodetecting signal, to obtain a position of said shape measuring instrument in real time, to associate the position of said shape measuring instrument with said topographical shape data, and to obtain three-dimensional coordinates of said shape measuring instrument at the time of acquiring said topographical shape data.   
     
     
         6 . The topography measuring system according to  claim 5 , wherein said tracking module is configured to pulse-emit a tracking light in a predetermined cycle and to emit said data transmitting light in a time period of each emission interval in such a manner that said data transmitting light does not interfere with the tracking light and a reflected tracking light. 
     
     
         7 . The topography measuring system according to  claim 6 , wherein said tracking module is also used as a data transmitting module, and said tracking module is configured to emit the tracking light as said data transmitting light in the time period of each emission interval. 
     
     
         8 . The topography measuring system according to  claim 5 , wherein said photodetector includes said reflector and has a reflective film formed on a reflection surface of said reflector and for transmitting a part of a light, and a photodetection element for receiving said data transmitting light through said reflective film. 
     
     
         9 . The topography measuring system according to  claim 5 , wherein said total station has a TS-GNSS device, said unmanned aerial vehicle has a UAV-GNSS device, wherein said TS-arithmetic control module is configured to obtain a GNSS time at the time of acquiring said measurement data by said TS-GNSS device and to associate said GNSS time with said measurement data, and wherein said UAV-arithmetic control module is configured to obtain a GNSS time at the time of acquiring shape data by said UAV-GNSS device, to associate said GNSS time with said shape data, and to associate said measurement data with said shape data through said GNSS time. 
     
     
         10 . The topography measuring system according to  claim 5 , wherein said shape measuring instrument is a camera for photographing a ground surface, and said UAV-arithmetic control module is configured to perform a photogrammetry based on image data acquired by said camera and on three-dimensional coordinates, as obtained from said data transmitting light, of said camera at the time of acquiring an image. 
     
     
         11 . The topography measuring system according to  claim 5 , wherein said shape measuring instrument is a laser scanner for acquiring point cloud data, and said UAV-arithmetic control module is configured to convert said point cloud data into three-dimensional data of a ground surface system based on said point cloud data acquired by said laser scanner and on three-dimensional coordinates, as obtained from said data transmitting light, of said laser scanner at the time of acquiring said point cloud data. 
     
     
         12 . The flight control system for an unmanned aerial vehicle according to  claim 2 , wherein said photodetector includes said reflector and has a reflective film formed on a reflection surface of said reflector and for transmitting a part of a light, and a photodetection element for receiving said data transmitting light through said reflective film. 
     
     
         13 . The flight control system for an unmanned aerial vehicle according to  claim 3 , wherein said photodetector includes said reflector and has a reflective film formed on a reflection surface of said reflector and for transmitting a part of a light, and a photodetection element for receiving said data transmitting light through said reflective film. 
     
     
         14 . The topography measuring system according to  claim 6 , wherein said photodetector includes said reflector and has a reflective film formed on a reflection surface of said reflector and for transmitting a part of a light, and a photodetection element for receiving said data transmitting light through said reflective film. 
     
     
         15 . The topography measuring system according to  claim 7 , wherein said photodetector includes said reflector and has a reflective film formed on a reflection surface of said reflector and for transmitting a part of a light, and a photodetection element for receiving said data transmitting light through said reflective film. 
     
     
         16 . The topography measuring system according to  claim 9 , wherein said shape measuring instrument is a camera for photographing a ground surface, and said UAV-arithmetic control module is configured to perform a photogrammetry based on image data acquired by said camera and on three-dimensional coordinates, as obtained from said data transmitting light, of said camera at the time of acquiring an image. 
     
     
         17 . The topography measuring system according to  claim 9 , wherein said shape measuring instrument is a laser scanner for acquiring point cloud data, and said UAV-arithmetic control module is configured to convert said point cloud data into three-dimensional data of a ground surface system based on said point cloud data acquired by said laser scanner and on three-dimensional coordinates, as obtained from said data transmitting light, of said laser scanner at the time of acquiring said point cloud data.