Drone structure for the transport of temperature-controlled material

Abstract

A system for carrying a load at a controlled temperature includes a drone structure having a motor that handles the drone structure, an energy unit that delivers electric energy, and a control unit. The drone structure also includes a thermal container having an insulating casing with at least one layer of heat-insulating material, an inner temperature sensor that measures a value of temperature T.sub.int internal to the insulating casing, an outer temperature sensor configured to measure a value of temperature T.sub.ext external to the insulating casing, and a thermal unit arranged to adjust or keep constant the value of temperature T.sub.int. The control unit is adapted to carry out an acquisition of a flight mission comprising a landing position of the drone structure, a time limit t.sub.max to reach the landing position and a condition on the values of the temperature T.sub.int to keep during the flight mission.

Claims

1. A system for carrying a load at a controlled temperature, said system comprising at least one drone structure including: at least one motor arranged to move said drone structure; an energy unit arranged to deliver electric energy; a thermal container comprising: an insulating casing comprising at least one layer of heat-insulating material; at least one inner temperature sensor configured to measure a value of temperature T.sub.int internal to said insulating casing; at least one outer temperature sensor configured to measure a value of temperature T.sub.ext external to said insulating casing; a thermal unit arranged to adjust or keep constant said value of temperature T.sub.int; and a control unit adapted for carrying out: an acquisition of a flight mission comprising: a landing position of said drone structure; a time limit t.sub.max to reach said landing position; a condition on the values of said temperature T.sub.int to keep during said flight mission; an acquisition of said temperature values T.sub.int and T.sub.ext; an acquisition of a value of energy E.sub.res available in said energy unit; a calculation of a value of energy E.sub.eng to provide to said at least one motor for bringing said drone structure in said landing position in said time limit t.sub.max; wherein: said control unit is also adapted for carrying out: a calculation of a value of energy E.sub.term to provide to said thermal unit in order to respect said condition on the values of said temperature T.sub.int to keep during said flight mission; a calculation of a value of overall energy E.sub.mis=E.sub.eng+E.sub.term necessary to complete said flight mission; and a comparison between said values of energy E.sub.res and E.sub.mis; and said control unit is programmed in such a way that: if E.sub.res≥E.sub.mis then said control unit carries out at least one of the following actions: command to said at least one motor to proceed with said flight mission; transmission of a signal of sufficient energy, in particular sent by means of a warning light and/or a warning sound and/or a remote transmission; and waiting for an order by an operator and/or by a control remote unit; and if E.sub.res<E.sub.mis then said control unit carries out at least one of the following actions: change of said flight mission according to a predetermined algorithm; implementation of strategies for reducing said value of said overall energy E.sub.mis and following new comparison between said values of energy E.sub.res and E.sub.mis; transmission of a signal of insufficient energy, in particular sent by means of a warning light and/or a warning sound and/or a remote transmission; abort of said mission; and waiting for an order by an operator and/or by a control remote unit.

2. The system, according to claim 1, wherein: at least two structures of drone are provided; and said control unit is arranged to carry out an acquisition of a value of energy E.sub.res available in said energy unit of each drone structure, in order to compare each value of energy E.sub.res acquired with said value of E.sub.mis and select a drone structure having the value of energy E.sub.res closer to said value E.sub.mis.

3. The system, according to claim 1, wherein said strategies of reduction of said value of overall energy E.sub.mis comprise alternatively, or in combination: opening at least one inlet present on said thermal container and arranged to allow an air flow to enter in direct contact with said layer of heat-insulating material; changing the flight altitude; changing the flight vertical speed; and/or search of air currents at a lower temperature respect to a predetermined value of temperature.

4. The system, according to claim 1, wherein: said insulating casing is divided inside in at least two compartments; and said thermal unit is adapted to control said value of temperature T.sub.int independently in each of said compartments.

5. The system, according to claim 1, wherein a geo localization system is provided adapted to provide in remote the position of said thermal container.

6. The system, according to claim 1, wherein at least one solar panel is provided arranged to provide electric energy to said energy unit.

7. The system, according to claim 1, wherein said thermal container comprises a locking and unlocking device.

8. The system, according to claim 1, wherein said thermal container is constrained in a removable way to said drone structure.

9. The system, according to claim 8, wherein said energy unit comprises an auxiliary energy source integral to said thermal container.

10. A thermal container for carrying a load at a controlled temperature, said thermal container arranged to be constrained in a removable way to a drone structure, said drone structure including: at least one motor arranged to move said drone structure; an energy unit arranged to deliver electric energy; said thermal container comprising: a control unit; an insulating casing comprising at least one layer of heat-insulating material; at least one inner temperature sensor configured to measure a value of temperature T.sub.int in said insulating casing; at least one outer temperature sensor configured to measure a value of temperature T.sub.ext external to said insulating casing; and a thermal unit arranged to adjust or keep constant said value of temperature T.sub.int; wherein said control unit is adapted to carry out: an acquisition of a flight mission comprising: a landing position of said drone structure; a time limit t.sub.max to reach said landing position; a condition on the values of said temperature T.sub.int to keep during said flight mission; an acquisition of said temperature values T.sub.int and T.sub.ext; an acquisition of a value of energy E.sub.res available in said energy unit; a calculation of a value of energy E.sub.eng to provide to said at least one motor for bringing said drone structure in said landing position in said time limit t.sub.max; a calculation of a value of energy E.sub.term to provide to said thermal unit in order to respect said condition on the values of said temperature T.sub.int to keep during said flight mission; a calculation of a value of overall energy E.sub.mis=E.sub.eng+E.sub.term necessary to complete said flight mission; and a comparison between said values of energy E.sub.res and E.sub.mis.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further characteristic and/or advantages of the present invention are more bright with the following description of an exemplary embodiment thereof, exemplifying but not limitative, with reference to the attached drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a possible exemplary embodiment of the drone structure according to the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a possible exemplary embodiment of the thermal container, according to the present invention;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a logical diagram of the process of processing information by the control unit.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

(5) With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, in a thereof exemplary embodiment, the drone structure 200 according to the present invention comprises six motors 210 arranged to move the drone itself, an energy unit arranged to supply electric energy and a control unit.

(6) Furthermore, the drone structure 200 comprises a thermal container 100 having an insulating casing 110 made of insulating material, at least one inner temperature sensor configured to measure a value of temperature T.sub.int in the insulating casing 110, and at least one outer temperature sensor configured to measure a value of temperature T.sub.ext external to the insulating casing 110. Furthermore, the container 100 comprises a thermal unit arranged to adjust or keep constant the value of temperature T.sub.int.

(7) With reference to the diagram of FIG. 3, the control unit is able to evaluate whether it is possible to transport a controlled temperature load, ensuring compliance with the regulations and flight mission, given the real-time values of some parameters.

(8) In particular, the unit receives as input a flight mission where they are specified: the landing position of the drone 200; the time limit t.sub.max to reach the landing position; a condition on the values of the temperature T.sub.int to keep during the flight mission: this condition is, for example, given on the basis of regulations in force.

(9) Given the flight mission, the control unit can calculate the energy E.sub.eng to be supplied to the motors 210 to bring the drone 200 to the landing position in the time limit t.sub.max. Furthermore, acquiring the values of T.sub.int and T.sub.ext by the respective temperature sensors, the control unit can process the energy value E.sub.term to provide to the thermal unit in order to respect the condition on the values of the temperature T.sub.int to keep during the flight mission. This way, the control unit can calculate the value of overall energy necessary to complete the flight mission:
E.sub.mis=E.sub.eng+E.sub.term

(10) The control unit acquires finally the value of energy residual E.sub.res present in the energy unit. If an auxiliary power source is also available on board the container 100, in addition to the main one, the control unit also acquires the residual energy value E.sub.aux that would increase value of E.sub.res.

(11) In light of the previous processing, the control unit finally evaluates whether it is possible to complete the mission or not, comparing the values of E.sub.res and E.sub.mis.

(12) In case that occurs the condition E.sub.res≥E.sub.mis, the control unit can be programmed to automatically continue the mission, giving the corresponding commands to the 210 engines, or to send a signal of sufficient energy, e.g. by either light or remote transmission, and waiting for instructions from an operator or another control unit.

(13) In case, instead, which occurs the condition E.sub.res<E.sub.mis, the control unit can be programmed to perform various operations, including: change of the flight mission according to a predetermined algorithm; implementation of strategies of reduction of the value of overall energy E.sub.mis, for example changing the flight altitude, opening the inputs for air flow on the container 100, changing the vertical speed of the drone, looking for cold currents of air, and so on; emission of a signal of insufficient energy and waiting for an order by an operator or by another control unit; abort of the mission.

(14) This way, the control unit always ensures compliance with the regulations for the transport of the load, such as for example blood, organs or laboratory material that must be kept within certain temperature ranges.

(15) The foregoing description some exemplary specific embodiments will so fully reveal the invention according to the conceptual point of view, so that others, by applying current knowledge, will be able to modify and/or adapt in various applications the specific exemplary embodiments without further research and without parting from the invention, and, accordingly, it is meant that such adaptations and modifications will have to be considered as equivalent to the specific embodiments. The means and the materials to realise the different functions described herein could have a different nature without, for this reason, departing from the field of the invention. it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology that is employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.