Information collection device, information collection method, and information collection program

An information collection method that causes a small unmanned aerial vehicle to fly from a departure point to a destination and collects information at the destination using the small unmanned aerial vehicle, the information collection method comprising:

• a step of causing the small unmanned aerial vehicle to fly from the departure point to the destination by transmitting a control signal to the small unmanned aerial vehicle by wireless information communication via a vehicle located between the departure point and the destination when the wireless information communication is able to be executed with the small unmanned aerial vehicle via the vehicle;
• when there is an area in which wireless communication is not able to be executed via the vehicle between the departure point and the destination, and an available wireless information communication network is provided in the area, a step of causing the small unmanned aerial vehicle to fly from the departure point to the destination by transmitting the control signal to the small unmanned aerial vehicle by wireless information communication via the vehicle and the wireless information communication network;
• a step of setting the information on the departure point and the destination by an operator operating the information collection device;
• a step of determining whether the wireless information communication is performed with the small unmanned aerial vehicle from the departure point to the destination using a telecommunication line;
• a step of searching for the vehicle from among a plurality of vehicles that is located within a predetermined range from a set route from the departure point to the destination;
• and
• a step of storing identification information of the available wireless communication network which is updated to a predetermined state at predetermined control cycles.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform one or more operations including:

• causing a small unmanned aerial vehicle to fly from a departure point to a destination and collecting information at the destination using the small unmanned aerial vehicle;
• causing the small unmanned aerial vehicle to fly from the departure point to the destination by transmitting a control signal to the small unmanned aerial vehicle by wireless information communication via a vehicle located between the departure point and the destination when the wireless information communication is able to be executed with the small unmanned aerial vehicle via the vehicle;
• when there is an area in which wireless communication is not able to be executed via the vehicle between the departure point and the destination, and an available wireless information communication network is provided in the area, causing the small unmanned aerial vehicle to fly from the departure point to the destination by transmitting the control signal to the small unmanned aerial vehicle by wireless information communication via the vehicle and the wireless information communication network;
• setting the information on the departure point and the destination by an operator operating the information collection device;
• determining whether the wireless information communication is performed with the small unmanned aerial vehicle from the departure point to the destination using a telecommunication line;
• searching for the vehicle from among a plurality of vehicles that is located within a predetermined range from a set route from the departure point to the destination;
• and
• storing identification information of the available wireless communication network which is updated to a predetermined state at predetermined control cycles.