CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Korea Patent Application No. 10-2019-0104751 filed on Aug. 26, 2019, which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an unmanned aerial system, and more particularly, to a method for increasing a flight duration by controlling flight of an unmanned aerial robot and an apparatus supporting the same.

Related Art

An unmanned flight object collectively refers to an unmanned aerial vehicle (or uninhabited aerial vehicle) (UAV) that is provided in a shape of an aircraft or a helicopter, and flies and steers by induction of radio waves without a pilot. In recent years, the unmanned flight object is widely used in various private commercial fields such as capturing of images, an unmanned delivery service, and a disaster observation, in addition to the military purposes such as reconnaissance and attack.

Meanwhile, an unmanned flight object for a private commercial is operated with limitation due to the lack of infrastructures such as various regulations and authentications, legal systems, and the like, and it is difficult for a person who uses an unmanned flight object to realize potential dangers or dangers to the public. In particular, occurrences of collision accidents, flight on a security region, invasion of privacy, and the like are increasing due to indiscriminate use of the unmanned flight object.

Many countries are trying to improve new regulations, standards, policies, and procedures related to the operation of the unmanned flight object.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for controlling flight of an unmanned aerial robot using a 5G system.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for increasing a flight duration and a moving distance of an unmanned aerial robot using a parachute provided in the unmanned aerial robot.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for preventing a crash of an unmanned aerial robot due to a collision between a parachute and a propeller of the unmanned aerial robot when the parachute provided in the unmanned aerial robot is deployed.

Objects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned objects. That is, other objects that are not mentioned may be obviously understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains from the following description.

In an aspect, a method for controlling flight of an unmanned aerial robot includes: determining whether or not a specific condition for deploying a parachute during the flight is satisfied; stopping an operation of at least one propeller for deploying the parachute when the specific condition is satisfied; deploying the parachute, the parachute being deployed toward an area beside the unmanned aerial robot; and controlling the flight of the unmanned aerial robot by adjusting a rotation speed of each of the at least one propeller.

The specific condition may be one of receiving a control message instructing deployment of the parachute from a base station, whether or not the unmanned aerial robot reaches a destination, a flight duration increase, or a crash.

The method may further include, when the specific condition is whether or not the unmanned aerial robot reaches a destination: calculating an expected flight distance based on a remaining amount of a battery; and comparing the expected flight distance with a flight distance to the destination, wherein the parachute is deployed when the expected flight distance is smaller than the flight distance.

A propeller closest to the parachute among the at least one propeller may be not operated.

The controlling may comprises: controlling the rotation speed of each of the at least one propeller to prevent a collision between the at least one propeller and the parachute; controlling the rotation speed of each of the at least one propeller to change a direction of the unmanned aerial robot; and controlling the rotation speed of each of the at least one propeller to change a speed of the unmanned aerial robot.

The controlling of the rotation speed of each of the at least one propeller to prevent a collision with the parachute may be performed by comparing an angle between the unmanned aerial robot and the parachute with a threshold value, and the threshold value may mean a minimum angle between the parachute and the unmanned aerial robot for preventing a collision between the at least one propeller and the parachute.

When the angle is equal to or greater than the threshold value, a rotation speed of a propeller positioned in a middle portion of the unmanned aerial robot among the at least one propeller may be increased or decreased, and a rotation speed of a propeller positioned in a lower portion of the unmanned aerial robot among the at least one propeller may be increased or decreased.

In the controlling of the rotation speed of each of the at least one propeller to change a direction of the unmanned aerial robot, a rotation speed of a propeller positioned in a middle portion of the unmanned aerial robot among the at least one propeller may be increased or decreased according to a direction change of the unmanned aerial robot, and a rotation speed of a propeller positioned in a lower portion of the unmanned aerial robot among the at least one propeller may be increased or decreased.

The controlling of the rotation speed of each of the at least one propeller to prevent a collision with the parachute may be performed by comparing a distance between the unmanned aerial robot and the parachute with a threshold value, and the threshold value may mean a minimum distance between the parachute and the unmanned aerial robot for preventing a collision between the at least one propeller and the parachute.

The distance may be measured by a first sensor of the parachute and a second sensor of the unmanned aerial robot.

When the distance is equal to or less than the threshold value, a rotation speed of a propeller positioned in a middle portion of the unmanned aerial robot among the at least one propeller may be increased or decreased, and a rotation speed of a propeller positioned in a lower portion of the unmanned aerial robot among the at least one propeller may be increased or decreased.

The controlling of the rotation speed of each of the at least one propeller to prevent a collision with the parachute may be performed by comparing a first speed of the unmanned aerial robot with a second speed of the parachute.

When the first speed is less than the second speed, the first speed may be decreased by decreasing the rotation speed of each of the at least one propeller.

In another aspect, an unmanned aerial robot includes: a main body; one or more motors; at least one propeller connected to the one or more motors, respectively; a transmitter and a receiver, respectively, transmitting and receiving a radio signal; and a processor electrically connected to the one or more motors to control the one or more motors and functionally connected to the transmitter and the receiver, wherein the processor is configured to: determine whether or not a specific condition for deploying a parachute during flight is satisfied; stop an operation of each of the at least one propeller for deploying the parachute when the specific condition is satisfied; deploy a parachute based on the control message, wherein the parachute is deployed to the side of the unmanned aerial robot; and control the flight of the unmanned aerial robot by adjusting a rotation speed of each of the at least one propeller.

