VOL.50 Authentic LTE's over -the -sided service service [Hisoku Haruhara's Drone Trend Watching] | DRONE

In the column last August, I wrote the content of "thinking about using a mobile phone, etc.", but the full -fledged service was finally started.

LTE above sky usage service

NTT DOCOMO announced "LTE above LTE Use Service" in July.It is a mobile network in the sky by inserting a plan -compatible SIM card or a LTE -compatible device inserted with the SIM card.

When using a mobile network in the sky, after a plan contract, you need to make advance reservations such as the date and time, location, number, altitude, etc. with the "LTE above the sky reservation" for the contractor.

Reference: docomo SKY "LTE above skyplaging plan"

Regarding the fact that the monthly fee is 49,800 yen and the amount of data available is 120GB, there are still issues when using it, but it will be a full -fledged flow by each user, and the other carriers are the same.It will be improved in the development of a service.

Changing by using LTE over the sky

What changes with the Use of LTE (equipped with a drone SIM)?If you use it exaggeratedly, it may be a turning point where the use of the drone itself changes completely by using the sky.

Until now, drones have been described as "flying smartphones", but until now it was a "smartphone" that was not online online.To make little use of "smartphones" that are not online online, the parts used there have been a common part of the "smartphone" until then, and the "smartphone" function is drone in that content.Was not satisfied.

From now on, a function similar to the "smartphone" will be equipped with a drone.Before talking about such a near future, I would like to describe the points and issues that are currently attracting attention in the drone industry.

Preparation for Level4

The system design is currently underway at a rapid pace for Level4 (no assistant in a manned zone), which will be realized next year (2022).The pillars are the following two.

Among them, the part of the use of the LTE above the LTE is the part of the aircraft authentication.Still, what will happen to the aircraft authentication will show the direction of the safety standard of the aircraft during this fiscal year (FY2021), and the following is the technical point for aircraft performance.。

Regarding the use of LTE above the sky (communication), it is greatly involved in the ground safety.Although it is still unknown, the details of the aircraft performance in LEVEL3 (unmanned area visual flight) are still indicated, and Level4 will be set on the extension.

In the use of LTE above the LTE, the first two of the above have been greatly involved, and the use of LTE over LTE has been used in the test station system in the demonstration experiment in Level3.Therefore, in order to realize LEVEL4, the use of LTE over the LTE is the point that the following is attracting attention among the drone industry officials.

In this regard, the use of LTE as a long -distance communication that can be transmitted to long -distance is attracting attention.

Assignments for use above LTE

In the future, what are the tasks for using the LTE over the sky?The first is communication at each flight site.

In the future, it is necessary to verify the above in order to use the LTE over the future.

First of all, it is necessary to verify such LTE over the sky and proceed to the next step according to the contents.The next step is to determine the contents of FPV and telemetry.

Depending on the communication status of LTE, the data content (still image / video) and transmission capacity (resolution and transmission cycle) are determined (it is more preferable to respond variable according to the communication status).In addition, it is necessary to decide on fertile and alternative means when LTE is no longer connected.

Depending on the communication status of LTE, it is more preferable to determine the telemetry content (flight position, altitude, flight speed, aircraft status, etc.) (according to the communication status, etc., that can be transmitted from high -priorities.)In addition, it is necessary to decide on fertile and alternative means when LTE is no longer connected.

Companies and organizations that are considering utilization of non -visual flights without assistants, not just Level4, will need to conduct the above verification and take measures against the measures.。

The drone LTE is an essential junction of drone utilization

So far, the drone LTE is used based on the visual flight without assistant, including Level4 and Level3, but that is not the only thing that is the essential junction of drone utilization.Naturally, various things will change in the future as the visual flight without assistant is possible.

Until now, the non -visual flight, which has been conducted in the demonstration experiment, would have been a logistics, one of which was a wide -area survey.In logistics, the rule of visual flight without assistant will be determined to be a concrete plan about what to do with business models (in terms of personal subjectivity.I think that medical delivery such as drugs and blood, which is highly urgent and high unit price per weight, is easy to get into its context, but I would like to do so separately for that consideration).

If you go to the area of the wide -area survey, there is also a SDGs relationship in Japan from next year, and there is a movement to make forests and forest surveys in full swing, so in that case the visual flight rules without assistants will be determined.There is one aspect that it is easier to make such a survey plan, but on the other hand, the connection of LTE in the sky is a concern.

I have been conducting some surveys in such areas so far, but there are many cases where smartphone LTEs are not connected even on the ground (it may be 3G even if it is connected), over the sky in this wide -area survey.It is necessary to verify the use of LTE, and if you use it in earnest, you will need something like a moving base station (but there is a problem that LTE is the optimal choice.Red).

With such an existing extension, the drone LTE is installed, but in this movement, the important thing is the visual flight without assistant.

I think the realization will be about the next year, but the drone solution that is expected to be active in the future is a drone solution that take off as necessary from the drone station.

What kind of solution is, for example, if this drone station is placed in a disaster dangerous area, and if any disaster occurs, the drone take off in accordance with instructions from remote areas, investigate the disaster point, and to the station.It will come back automatically.The drone that returns to the drone station sends the data to the central center and charging the drone or replacing the battery (at that time, the drone is equipped with LTE, so it may be remote location.It is possible, and if something obstacle occurs, it will be possible to send commands to the aircraft and remotely control them.)

These needs will be more common not only in disaster surveys, but also in other investigations and monitoring.This will greatly expand the potential of drones.If the cost is balanced, the number of cases will be used in relatively daily life, such as growth surveys and inspections of farmland (since elemental technology is already available, so we will conduct demonstration experiments in various places next year.So, as early as next year, it may be operated in this fiscal year.)

In the future, we predict that all drones will be equipped with LTE in a couple of years, but it is not only the above use, but also the actual operation of various other drones.This is because the benefits of LTE are greatly.

1. 機体運用管理今後、ドローンの実運用が本格化してくるにしたがって、企業として重要になってくるのは、各機体の運用管理である。これはTAXI会社の配車システムなどを想像してほしい。例えば、各点検でドローンを実運用しようとした場合、各機体やフリート（オペレーター）の申請許可、実際の飛行場所、各機体の飛行時間、機体のログデータ、次フライトに向けた準備など実管理する項目は多い。こういった項目がLTE搭載ドローンであれば、そのドローンの内部情報をクラウドに送信し処理するようなソリューションを構築することで、一気に解決する（DJIのFlight Hubが参考になるだろう）。
2. 取得データのリアルタイム送信現在のドローンの産業利用において用途として多いのは、搭載したカメラやセンサーでの情報収集である。測量・点検・調査・探索・監視などの業務活用において、取得したデジタルデータを合成や解析し、業務に役立てようとしている。実際、そういった業務を行っている中において、苦労するのは取得したデータ処理である。多くがカメラやセンサーのSDカードにデータが入っており、それを多くの場合は、インターネットがつながる環境において、PCなどからクラウドにあるデータ格納スペースやクラウドアプリケーションにアップロードを行うというプロセスを取る。そのため、その処理には半日～2日程度かかるケースが大半だ。この取得データのリアルタイム送信は、その処理時間を圧倒的に短縮するものだ。例えば、災害調査などの例が分かりやすいだろう。通常、災害調査は、災害調査の地域でドローンを写真測量や農地のリモートセンシングと同様にオーバーラップやサイドラップを計算し、自動航行にてジグザグに飛行させ静止画のデータを取得する。その数十枚から数百枚、広さによっては数千枚のデータをクラウドもしくはPC上のアプリケーションで合成し、オルソ画像を作成し、そのオルソ画像をベースに解析を行う。通常、その解析まで半日程度はかかってしまう。もし、飛行中にデータをクラウドに送信することが出来れば、その処理に関して、数分から数時間と短縮が可能だろう。また、もし画像もしくは映像とその飛行位置情報が対策センターにライブで届くことが出来れば、そういった合成処理をしない手法も可能となり、災害時において、迅速な対応が可能となってくるだろう。
3. 画像や映像解析におけるAIの活用現在において、ドローン上でAIを使うには、そのリソースに制約があり困難なケースも多い。SLAMといった自己位置推定と環境地図作成を搭載したGPUを利用する形で、GNSSが取得できないような空間での自律飛行の手法が進んできてはいるが、どうしても多くの電力を消費することもあり、飛行時間に影響を与えている。今後、こういった処理においても、クラウドと連携することでより高度な処理も可能になっていく可能性がある。現在、IoTとクラウド上のAIが連携する中で多くのソリューションが生まれているが、空飛ぶIoTであるドローンはその可能性を各段に広げていくだろう。それは例えば、現在、顔認識はAIの中で進んでいるソリューションの一つだけれど、ある特定人物を探し、その人物を追尾する（徘徊老人の探索など）といったこともAI＋ドローンの中で可能になっていくだろう。

Next Action

Companies or organizations that use or consider using drones should first plan for a demonstration experiment regarding the use of the LTE above (equipped with a drone).In the future, the range of drones will expand in each stage in two to three years.

However, at present, NTT DOCOMO has announced a service over LTE, but there are various cases regarding how to connect the dedicated SIM or dedicated SIM device to the drone.

Drone Japan, the CEO, provides consulting services and POC (demonstration) packages for LTE drone implementation.If you are interested, please contact us.

Drone Japan Inquiry: info@drone-j.com