TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a technique for controlling flight of air vehicles.

BACKGROUND ART

Techniques for controlling flight of air vehicles are known. For example, Japanese Patent Application No. JP 2017-65297A discloses that if, in a manual control mode, the speed or attitude of an air vehicle is excessive, it is judged that the air vehicle is in a state in which it is required to avoid danger, the manual operation is disabled, and the air vehicle is piloted automatically. Japanese Patent Application No. 2017-7588A discloses that if a control program running on a flight control apparatus is locked or runs away due to noise or a bug, and a driving module of an air vehicle goes out of control, the driving module will be switched from being controlled by the flight control apparatus in accordance with an instruction operation of an operator, to being autonomously controlled by an autonomous flight apparatus irrespective of an instruction operation of the operator.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Unmanned air vehicles such as drones includes an air vehicle that can fly according to a predetermined flight plan without being steered by a person. The flight plan is determined so that a plurality of air vehicles can fly without colliding with each other. Accordingly, if an air vehicle flies significantly behind planned time, the air vehicle may collide with a subsequent air vehicle, or may hinder the flight of the subsequent air vehicle.

The present invention aims to reduce, if an air vehicle cannot arrive at a position on a path within a time limit, the influence on a subsequent air vehicle.

According to the present invention, a flight control apparatus is provided that includes: an acquisition unit configured to acquire a flight plan in which first flight conditions are described, and information that indicates a time limit set with respect to a position on a path along which an air vehicle is to fly; an arrival judging unit configured to judge, based on the acquired information, whether or not the air vehicle has arrived at the position within the time limit; a condition determination unit configured to determine a second flight condition if it is judged that the air vehicle has not arrived at the position within the time limit; and a flight control unit configured to control flight of the air vehicle by selectively adopting a first flight control method which follows the first flight conditions or a second flight control method which follows the second flight condition based on a result obtained by the arrival judging unit.

The flight plan may include a first path and a destination point, and the condition determination unit may determine a second path directed toward the destination point, the second path being different from the first path.

The flight plan may include a destination point, and the condition determination unit may determine, of a plurality of paths directed toward the destination point, a path that passes through a predetermined airspace.

The flight plan may include a destination point, and if a predetermined condition is satisfied, the condition determination unit may change the destination point and may determine a new path directed toward the changed destination point.

A positioning unit configured to measure a position of the air vehicle may be further provided, wherein the flight plan may include a priority level that is added according to a flight purpose, and the predetermined condition may be a distance between the position measured by the positioning unit and the destination point, or a condition relating to the priority level.

According to the present invention, a flight control system is provided that includes: a setting unit configured to set a time limit with respect to a position on a path along which an air vehicle is to fly; an acquisition unit configured to acquire a flight plan in which first flight conditions are described, and information that indicates the set time limit; an arrival judging unit configured to judge, based on the acquired information, whether or not the air vehicle has arrived at the position within the time limit; a condition determination unit configured to determine a second flight condition if it is judged that the air vehicle has not arrived at the position within the time limit; and a flight control unit configured to control flight of the air vehicle by selectively adopting a first flight control method which follows the first flight conditions or a second flight control method which follows the second flight condition based on a result obtained by the arrival judging unit.

The setting unit may set the time limit based on flight performance of the air vehicle and a status of an airspace in which the air vehicle is to fly.

According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce, if an air vehicle cannot arrive at a position on a path within a time limit, the influence on a subsequent air vehicle.

