# US 12,001,225 B2 · Drone system, drone, movable body, demarcating member, control method for drone system, and drone system control program > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,001,225 B2 - Document ID: US12001225B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/423,123 - Filed: 2020-01-15 - Published: 2022-05-05 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2019-01-16 - Assignees: Nileworks Inc. - Applicants: Nileworks Inc. - Inventors: Chihiro Wake; Hiroshi Yanagishita - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12001225B2 ## CPC - B64D 45/04: Landing aids; Safety measures to prevent collision with earth's surface - A01M 7/00: Special adaptations or arrangements of liquid-spraying apparatus for purposes covered by this subclass - B64C 13/18: using automatic pilot - B64U 70/93: for use on a land or nautical vehicle - B64U 70/95: Means for guiding the landing UAV towards the platform, e.g. lighting means - B64U 70/97: Means for guiding the UAV to a specific location on the platform, e.g. platform structures preventing landing off-centre - B64U 80/86: Land vehicles - G05D 1/0055: {with safety arrangements} - G05D 1/0676: {specially adapted for landing} - G05D 1/0684: {on a moving platform, e.g. aircraft carrier} - G05D 1/617: Safety or protection, e.g. defining protection zones around obstacles or avoiding hazards (arrangements for controlling the position or course of two or more vehicles for avoiding collisions therebetween G05D1/693; arrangements for reacting to or preventing system or operator failure G05D1/80) - G05D 1/6542: {on a moving platform, e.g. aircraft carrier} - G08B 13/19: using infrared-radiation detection systems {(G08B13/194 takes precedence)} - G08G 1/16: Anti-collision systems (road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08) - G08G 5/80: Anti-collision systems - B64U 30/24: Coaxial rotors - B64U 30/299: Rotor guards (ducted or shrouded rotors B64U30/26; guards used as ground propulsion B64U60/60) - B64U 50/37: Charging when not in flight - B64U 80/25: for recharging batteries; for refuelling - B64U 2101/30: for imaging, photography or videography - B64U 2101/40: for agriculture or forestry operations - B64U 2101/45: for releasing liquids or powders in-flight, e.g. crop-dusting - B64U 2201/10: autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS] - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - A01M: CATCHING, TRAPPING OR SCARING OF ANIMALS (appliances for catching swarms or drone-catching A01K57/00; fishing A01K69/00 - {A01K99/00}; biocides, pest repellants or attractants A01N); APPARATUS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF NOXIOUS ANIMALS OR NOXIOUS PLANTS - B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS - B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS - G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93}) ## Abstract There is provided a drone system in which a drone and a movable body operate in coordination with each other, the movable body being capable of moving with the drone aboard and allowing the drone to make a takeoff and a landing, the drone system includes a demarcating member that demarcates an operation area and detects an intruder into the operation area, the operation area being an area where at least one of the drone and the movable body performs an operation, the movable body includes a movement control section that stops movement of the movable body based on the detection of the intruder by the demarcating member, and the drone includes a landing position determining section that determines a landing position based on a stop position of the movable body. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A drone system in which a drone and a movable body operate in coordination with each other, the movable body being capable of moving with the drone aboard and allowing the drone to make a takeoff and a landing, the drone system comprising: a demarcating member, which is separate from the drone and the movable body, and that demarcates an operation area where at least one of the drone and the movable body performs an operation, the demarcating member for detecting an intruder into the operation area, wherein the movable body includes a movement control section that stops movement of the movable body based on the detection of the intruder by the demarcating member, and the drone includes a landing position determining section that determines a landing position based on a stop position of the movable body. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The drone system according to claim 1, wherein the demarcating member further includes an exit detection section that detects that the intruder exits the operation area, and the movement control section resumes the movement of the movable body in response to the exit of the intruder. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The drone system according to claim 1, wherein the drone system comprises a plurality of the demarcating members, and the demarcating member each send, to the movable body, information indicating that at least any one of intrusion and exit of the intruder is detected, together with specific information on the demarcating member that detects the intrusion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The drone system according to claim 1, wherein the drone further includes a landing position determining section that determines whether the stop position of the movable body is within a region where the drone is able to land on the movable body and that determines that the drone is to land on the movable body in a case where the stop position is within the region where the drone is able to land on the movable body. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The drone system according to claim 4, wherein the landing position determining section determines that the drone is to land at a point other than the movable body in a case where the movable body stops at a position where the drone is unable to land on the movable body. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The drone system according to claim 4, wherein the landing position determining section determines a landing position of the drone at an exit point through which the drone exits the operation area of the drone. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The drone system according to claim 4, wherein the drone system comprises a plurality of the movable bodies, and the landing position determining section determines whether a stop position of one of the movable bodies on which the drone is to make a landing is within a region where the drone is able to make the landing. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The drone system according to claim 1, wherein the demarcating member further includes a movement detection section that detects that the demarcating member is moved, and the movable body stops moving in accordance with the movement of the demarcating member. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The drone system according to claim 1, wherein the movable body further includes: an area determining section that determines whether a position of the movable body is within a region where the drone is able to land on the movable body; and a stop position determining section that determines that the movable body is to move to a position where the drone is able to land on the movable body when a distance between the demarcating member that detects the intrusion of the intruder and the movable body is not less than a predetermined value in a case where the movable body is out of a region where the drone is able to land on the movable body. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The drone system according to claim 1, wherein the movable body determines whether a distance between the demarcating member that detects intrusion of the intruder and the movable body is not less than a predetermined value, and the movement control section causes the movable body to move to and stop at a position where the drone is able to land on the movable body when a distance between the demarcating member that detects the intrusion of the intruder and the movable body is not less than a predetermined value in a case where the stop position is out of the region where the drone is able to land on the movable body. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The drone system according to claim 1, wherein the drone further includes an evacuating action determining section that determines that the drone is to take an evacuating action, and when a distance between the drone and the demarcating member that detects intrusion of the intruder is less than a predetermined value, the evacuating action determining section determines that the drone is to take an evacuating action, and when the distance between the drone and the demarcating member that detects the intrusion of the intruder is not less than the predetermined value, the evacuating action determining section causes the drone to continue an operation. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The drone system according to claim 1, further comprising a portable terminal capable of issuing a warning to a user, wherein the portable terminal notifies, when the demarcating member detects at least any one of intrusion and exit of the intruder, the user of the detection. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The drone system according to claim 1, wherein the demarcating member and the movable body each further include a warning section that issues a warning of intrusion of the intruder. ### Claim 14 A control method for a drone system in which a drone and a movable body operate in coordination with each other, the movable body being capable of moving with the drone aboard and allowing the drone to make a takeoff and a landing, the drone system including a demarcating member, which is separate from the drone and the movable body, and that demarcates an operation area where at least one of the drone and the movable body performs an operation, the control method comprising: a step of detecting, by the demarcating member, an intruder into the operation area where at least one of the drone and the movable body performs an operation; a step of stopping movement of the movable body based on the detection of the intruder; and a step of determining a landing position of the drone based on a stop position of the movable body. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing thereon a control program for a drone system in which a drone and a movable body operate in coordination with each other, the movable body being capable of moving with the drone aboard and allowing the drone to make a takeoff and a landing, the drone system including a demarcating member, which is separate from the drone and the movable body, and that demarcates an operation area where at least one of the drone and the movable body performs an operation, the control program causing a computer to execute: a command to detect, by the demarcating member, an intruder into the operation area where at least one of the drone and the movable body performs an operation; a command to stop movement of the movable body based on the detection of the intruder; and a command to determine a landing position of the drone based on a stop position of the movable body. ### Claim 16 A movable body that is included in a drone system in which a drone and the movable body operate in coordination with each other, the movable body being capable of moving with the drone aboard and allowing the drone to make a takeoff and a landing, the drone system including a demarcating member, which is separate from the drone and the movable body, and that demarcates an operation area where at least one of the drone and the movable body performs an operation, the demarcating member for detecting an intruder into the operation area, the movable body comprising a movement control section that stops movement of the movable body based on the detection of the intruder by the demarcating member. ### Claim 17 A drone that is capable of being moved by being aboard a movable body and capable of taking off from and landing on the movable body, the drone comprising: a demarcating member, which is separate from the drone and the movable body, and that demarcates an operation area where at least one of the drone and the movable body performs an operation, the demarcating member for detecting an intruder into the operation area, wherein the movable body stops movement of the movable body based on the detection of the intruder by the demarcating member, and the drone includes a landing position determining section that determines a landing position based on a stop position of the movable body. ### Claim 18 A entrance detecting system for a drone system, the drone system including: a drone; a movable body that is capable of moving with the drone aboard and allows the drone to make a takeoff and a landing; and a demarcating member, which is separate from the drone and the movable body, and that demarcates an operation area where at least one of the drone and the movable body performs an operation, wherein the demarcating member detects an intruder into the operation area, and wherein the demarcating member includes an intrusion-exit information transmission section that sends, to the movable body, information on at least any one of intrusion and exit of the intruder into and from the operation area.