Search

EP-4739583-A1 - MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR AIRBORNE VEHICLES

EP4739583A1EP 4739583 A1EP4739583 A1EP 4739583A1EP-4739583-A1

Abstract

Airborne vehicle management system (1) comprising a plurality of airborne vehicles (1) and at least one logistic support unit (2) of said airborne vehicles (1). Each airborne vehicle (1) comprises a service container (10) adapted to contain service material, which service container (10) comprises at least one inlet port of said service material, said service container (10) being fixed to the airborne vehicle (1) through a connecting cable (11), said logistic support unit (2) comprising at least one resupply compartment (20), which resupply compartment (20) has an inlet opening (21), an outlet opening (22) and is delimited by one or more side walls (23) and by a ceiling wall (24). The resupply compartment (20) comprising means for resupply of said service container (W). The inlet opening (21) of the resupply compartment (20) has a capture system (4) of said cable (11) and a funnel element (3) comprising one or more walls (31, 32, 33) configured to converge the service container (10) towards the inlet opening (21), said ceiling wall (24) comprising a slot (25) communicating with the capture system (4) of the cable (11) and configured for the passage of the cable (11), in such a way that the airborne vehicle (1) flies over the resupply compartment (20), with the ceiling wall (24) interposed between the drone (1) and the service container (10).

Inventors

  • GHIO, MARCO

Assignees

  • Inspire S.r.l.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240704

Claims (10)

  1. 1 . Airborne vehicle management system (1) comprising a plurality of airborne vehicles (1) and at least one logistic support unit (2) of said airborne vehicles (1), each airborne vehicle (1) comprising a service container (10) adapted to contain service material, which service container (10) comprises at least one inlet port of said service material, said service container (10) being fixed to the airborne vehicle (1) through a connecting cable (11), said logistic support unit (2) comprising at least one resupply compartment (20), which resupply compartment (20) has an inlet opening (21), an outlet opening (22) and is delimited by one or more side walls (23) and by a ceiling wall (24), the resupply compartment (20) comprising means for resupply of said service container (10), characterized in that the inlet opening (21) of the resupply compartment (20) has a capture system (4) of said cable (11) and a funnel element (3) comprising one or more walls (31 , 32, 33) configured to converge the service container (10) towards the inlet opening (21), said ceiling wall (24) comprising a slot (25) communicating with the capture system (4) of the cable (11) and configured for the passage of the cable (11), so that the airborne vehicle (1) flies over the resupply compartment (20), with the ceiling wall (24) interposed between the airborne vehicle (1) and the service container (10).
  2. 2. System according to Claim 1 , wherein the resupply compartment (20) comprises at least one replacement container (100) filled with service material and positioned at the outlet opening (22) and decoupling means of the airborne vehicle (1) from the service container (10) and coupling means of the airborne vehicle (1) to the replacement container (100), during the decoupling/coupling of the airborne vehicle (1) with the service (10) and replacement (100) containers of the airborne vehicle (1) flying over the resupply compartment (20), with the ceiling wall (24) interposed between the airborne vehicle (1) and the service (10) and replacement (100) containers.
  3. 3. System according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said capture system (4) of the cable (11) consists of an upper portion of the funnel element (3), comprising two elongated elements (410) arranged with their longitudinal axes converging in the direction of the inlet opening (21), so as to identify a "V" shape, the apex of which communicates with said slot (25).
  4. 4. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the resupply compartment (20) comprises cable coupling and transfer means (11).
  5. 5. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said funnel element (3) comprises at leasttwo walls (31 ,32) arranged perpendicular to the horizontal plane and arranged converging towards the inlet opening (21), the upper edges of the two said walls (31 ,32) forming a fork element configured to intercept the cable (11) during the flight of the airborne vehicle (1) and guide it towards said slot (25).
  6. 6. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said funnel element (3) has a rectangular-shaped section along a plane parallel to the inlet opening (21), said funnel element (3) having three walls (31 ,32,33) arranged converging in the direction of the inlet opening (21) and arranged at the vertical sides and the lower side of the rectangular-shaped section.
  7. 7. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said airborne vehicle (1) comprises a sensor aimed at detecting the mechanical tension of the cable (11).
  8. 8. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the coupling means and the decoupling means consist of a first flange fixed to the end of the cable (11) opposite to the end fixed to the airborne vehicle (1), of a second flange fixed to the service container and of a third flange fixed to the replacement container (100), there being means for coupling/uncoupl i ng the first flange with the second and/or with the third flange.
  9. 9. System according to Claim 8, wherein the resupply compartment (20), at the slot (25), has a guide track (26) at least of said first flange.
  10. 10. System according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said logistic support unit comprises two resupply compartments, arranged on two different levels with reference to a horizontal plane.

Description

Management system for airborne vehicles. Technical Field The object of the present invention is a management system for airborne vehicles comprising a plurality of airborne vehicles and at least one logistic support unit for said airborne vehicles. Each airborne vehicle comprises a service container adapted to contain service material, which service container comprises at least one inlet port of the service material. The service container is fixed to the airborne vehicle through a connecting cable. In addition, the logistic support unit comprises at least one resupply compartment, which has an inlet opening, an outlet opening and is delimited by one or more side walls and by a ceiling wall, the resupply compartment comprising resupply means for the service container. As will be apparent from the following description, the system that is the object of the present invention may provide for the management of any airborne vehicle, whether piloted by a pilot or relating to a remotely piloted vehicle (UAV). The system that is the object of the present invention has, however, particularly advantageous characteristics with regard to remotely piloted vehicles, with particular reference to drones. State of the art In the field of known technology in the field of drones, one of the main problems is the "precision landing" or the correct identification of a precise landing point. An incorrect estimate of the landing point, in fact, causes not only a possible breakage of the drone due to unwanted impacts, but also possible malfunctions of the service platforms, i.e. the logistic support units, with the risk of temporary downtimes of the platforms, which would not be able to perform the required services. This problem is particularly relevant in the case of fleets of drones, used for example for firefighting or video surveillance services, as in the case of patent EP3463592, Italian and i international patent applications 102020000007225 and W02022112964, the content of which is to be considered an integral part of the present patent application. In the state of the art there are two main types of solutions to achieve a precise landing. A first type, preferably aimed at non-professional areas, is related to optical systems, which includes an object on board the drones that communicates with an optical device, so that the drone can be guided once it reaches the landing point. The disadvantages of such systems are evident, as they are excessively affected by external conditions, such as the lack of visibility produced by atmospheric events, fog, suspended particles, soiling of the devices, etc. The second solution is the one most used in the professional field and is related to the use of radio signals, positioning systems such as GPS or similar. Such systems measure the position of the object relative to satellites, but have induced errors and are generally not below one metre. Through expensive systems, GPS accuracy can be improved and centimetre accuracy can also be achieved. However, such systems are affected by the configuration in which they operate, as any structures, buildings or trees can create disturbances that disturb the reception and processing of the signal. In addition to the problem of "precision landing", especially with regard to drone fleets, a particularly relevant parameter is the service time for resupplying each drone. One of the requirements is to have a very fast drone service time, that is, to have few logistic support units that manage a large number of drones with limited time. This need becomes particularly relevant in the case of fleets of drones used for fire management, wherein the drones comprise a container of fire-fighting liquid that must be recharged by the logistic support unit. In this case the service time could also depend on the necessary recharge times of each container. Objects of the invention As will become evident from the following description, the present invention is not limited to firefighting operations, but can preferably be used in all those activities involving the expulsion of material from a raised position, such as operations aimed at sowing fields or the like. The system that is the object of the present invention can for example also be used in material transport operations, from one point to another, in which it is necessary to envisage multiple journeys by the drones and a resupply step of the material to be transported. Regardless of the specific application, the resupply of the containers also requires long times, with the risk of creating "queues" of the resupply means, since the management of several drones at the same time is particularly complex. There is therefore a need, not satisfied by the systems known in the state of the art, to obtain a management system for airborne vehicles that solves the disadvantages outlined above, in particular to obtain an airborne vehicle management system which allows an efficient resupply of at least the service mate