Problems to be Solved

To provide a control apparatus for an unmanned aerial vehicle and an unmanned aerial system capable of pruning a tree by appropriately specifying a pruning position to prune a branch of the tree and further adjusting a shape of the tree.

[Solution]

A control apparatus 3 for an unmanned aerial vehicle 2 according to the present invention includes a tree shape information generation section 312 capable of generating tree shape information of a target tree T1 targeted for pruning by using two or more tree images P of the target tree T1 taken from different directions and a shape generating neural network N1; a pruning position specifying section 316 capable of specifying a pruning position of the target tree T1 by using the tree shape information; an operation control section 318 capable of controlling a flight state of the unmanned aerial vehicle and an operation of the pruning structure in accordance with the pruning position P; a tree shape evaluation receiving section 313 capable of receiving a tree shape evaluation related to the tree shape information; and a shape learning section 314 capable of causing the shape generation neural network N1 to machine-learn a shape of the tree on the basis of the tree images, the tree shape information, and the tree shape evaluation.

A method for determining information (Info) about a state (Z) of a drive motor system (2) and/or of a drive battery pack (11) of a gardening, forestry and/or construction device (1), includes the steps of: acquiring at least one sensor temperature (TS) of at least one temperature component (3) of the drive motor system (2) and/or of the drive battery pack (11) by way of at least one component temperature sensor (4) at the same time as and/or at a time after operation of the drive motor system (2) and/or of the drive battery pack (11) and/or of a heater (300) and/or of a cooler (310) and/or of a fan (320) for heating and/or for cooling the drive battery pack (11), wherein the temperature component (3) heats up or cools down due to the operation; ascertaining operating data (BD) of the operation, wherein the operating data (BD) are of a different kind than the sensor temperature (TS); comparing the acquired sensor temperature (TS) or a variable based on the sensor temperature and the ascertained operating data (BD) or a variable (TM) based on the operating data (BD) by way of a temperature model (MOD), wherein the temperature model (MOD) is based on at least one model state (AZyes) of the drive motor system (2) and/or of the drive battery pack (11); and determining the information (Info) on the basis of a result of the comparison.

The present invention relates to an intelligent gardening system, for monitoring and controlling gardening apparatuses in a gardening area, including: multiple sensors that collect environmental information of the gardening area; one or more gardening apparatuses that perform gardening work according to a control instruction; and a control center that generates the control instruction based on the environmental information; wherein the sensors, the gardening apparatuses and the control center communicate with each other to form an Internet of Things.

An outdoor tool includes a powerhead, a tool unit powered by the powerhead, and a shaft assembly extending between the powerhead and the tool unit. The tool unit includes a transmission housing, a support plate, a guide bar adjustably supported by the support plate, a drive gear, and a chain circumscribing a portion of the drive gear and a portion of the guide bar, the drive gear operatively coupled to the powerhead. The tool unit further includes a tension adjustment mechanism for adjusting a position of the guide bar relative to the drive gear to increase and decrease a tension in the chain. The tension adjustment mechanism includes an adjustment screw, a threaded adjustment bolt, at least one adjustment gear, and a member coupled to the adjustment bolt and the guide bar. Rotation of the adjustment screw causes translation of the guide bar relative to the drive gear.

A safety cutting tool has an electrically conductive cutting element, an electrically controlled actuating motor drivingly connected to the cutting element, a gripping handle electrically insulated from the cutting element and adapted to receive a hand of an operator therein, a cutting trigger control electrically insulated from the cutting element and adapted to be actuated by the hand of the operator, and an emergency stop device that is able to respond to a contact of the operator with the cutting element. The emergency stop device includes a first manual contact, electrode and a second manual contact electrode with an electrical monitoring circuit connected thereto.

A field-configurable apparatus for different aerial applications is provided. The field-configurable apparatus attaches to an aerial boom on a mobile carrier. The apparatus can perform rapid semi-precise cutting of vegetation. Additionally, the apparatus can perform more precise trimming of one or more areas (e.g., limbs) and optionally use a limb clamp to prevent cut limbs/vegetation from arbitrarily falling on objects below the cutting area. Still further, the apparatus can have a grapple or similar device attached to the end of the boom for use in relocating debris or for loading debris. Other industrial applications are also possible (e.g., commercial water blasting, deicing of planes, etc.). In each configuration, the apparatus comprises one or more rotatable or pivoting couplings to allow for rotation about one or more axis and therefore allow precise manipulation of an aerial tool assembly from an operator in the vehicle or on the ground.

Embodiments of the present invention pertain to a plant trimming device having a removable cutting cartridge. A direct-drive motor is magnetically coupled to the cutting cartridge. The cutting cartridge houses a blade and a set of rotating blades. Plant parts are cut by the rotating blades across the razor. The cartridge is mounted on rails and has a handle to facilitate the ease of inserting and removing the cutting cartridge. Thereby, an old cutting cartridge is readily removed and replaced by a new cutting cartridge. Furthermore, the cutting cartridge can easily be removed for cleaning and later re-inserted back into the plant trimming device.

Embodiments of the present invention pertain to a modular plant trimming system. A number of plant trimming machines are placed side by side. These plant trimming machines trim leaves from a plant. A sensor detects when one or more of the plant trimming machines are added or removed from the system. A processor then balances a load of plants to be trimmed to be split between the currently available number of plant trimming machines.

Embodiments of the present invention pertain to a tiltable tumbler for use in a plant trimming machine. Plants are placed in a tumbler. As the tumbler rotates, leaves extending through slots in the tumbler by a vacuum are trimmed off. A mechanism is used to adjust the tilt of the tumbler. Thereby, the rate by which the plant material in the tumbler is processed is faster with a higher tilt or slower with a lower tilt. The degree of tilt is adjustable either manually or automatically via a computer.

A power tool includes a tool head having a working element and a powerhead configured to provide power to the working element. The powerhead includes a fluid tank configured to hold a combustible fuel and defines an initial internal volume having an internal pressure. A diaphragm is formed of a flexible material and forms at least a portion of the fluid tank. The diaphragm moves from an unexpanded state to an expanded state when a temperature of the combustible fuel increases above a threshold value. Movement of the diaphragm to the expanded state increases the internal volume of the fluid tank to allow the internal pressure of the fluid tank to remain approximately constant.