CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-38075, filed on Mar. 1, 2019; the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

Implementations described herein relate generally to a rotorcraft and a method of controlling a rotorcraft.

BACKGROUND

Conventionally, a rotorcraft having a plurality of rotors is known. In particular, a rotorcraft having not less than three rotors is also called a multi-copter. Conventionally, attitude control of a rotorcraft mounting rotors is performed by detecting the attitude of the rotorcraft using a gyroscope sensor or the like (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Application Publication JP2006-051841 A). Moreover, in order to stabilize a flight of a multi-copter or the like which carries freight, a technique of calculating and displaying a barycentric position by load sensors has also been proposed (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Application Publication JP2017-159873 and Japanese Patent Application Publication JPH11-310199).

However, in the method of controlling an attitude by detecting the attitude by a gyroscope sensor or the like, control command signals for changing thrust are output to rotors after the attitude changed. Therefore, control directions and responses of an attitude are delayed, which causes instability of the attitude at the time of a takeoff of a rotorcraft. When an attitude of a rotorcraft becomes unstable, the risk of falling increases.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to improve the safety at the time of a takeoff of a rotorcraft having rotors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In general, according to one implementation, a rotorcraft includes rotors, a fuselage, at least three rods, at least one load sensor and a control device. The rotors obtain lift. The fuselage is coupled to the rotors. The at least three rods support the fuselage. The at least one load sensor detects loads applied on the at least three rods. The control device automatically controls the rotors so that measured values of the loads detected by the at least one load sensor are brought to targeted values of the loads.

Further, according to one implementation, a method of controlling a rotorcraft, having rotors for obtaining lift, a fuselage coupled to the rotors, and at least three rods that support the fuselage, includes: detecting loads applied on the at least three rods; and automatically controlling the rotors so that measured values of the detected loads are brought to targeted values of the loads.

