Technical field

The present invention relates to a system for lifting and transporting heavy or large objects, independent from ground conditions.

Background

There are many applications where the possibility of lifting and transporting heavy object independently of the ground conditions is necessary. This may for instance be in heavily crowded urban areas, in building, or in cargo handling or in forestry applications. In for instance log harvesting, issues related to the condition of the ground have become more important to consider. The wood industry relies on timely delivery of logs and this means that sometimes logging machines and transports have to be run on soft access roads creating severe environmental damages to the ground, and even in some cases actually delaying the delivery of the logs. Under some conditions it is not even possible to conventionally harvest logs without destroying part of the forest and the ground. Sometimes a site may be too inaccessible for other reasons for it be to harvested from, e.g. the slope may be too steep, or the forest too dense to work through.

In Canada and the US, so called aerial logging systems have been used for a couple of decades, where helium-filled balloons have been used to lift and carry tall timbers and heavy logs. Aerial logging is a definition of a yarding system employing aerial means, such as helicopters and balloons to lift logs. Other aerial transportation systems include cables and wires (such as the Twister Aerial logging). Since the logging machine is in the air environmental damages to streams and soils, and to the trees still standing in the forest can be minimized. Aerial logging balloons are usually anchored and guided by wires or cables, which means that the area of coverage is limited and not easily adjusted, further the maneuvering of the balloons is difficult.

(http://www.foresthistory.org/research/Galleries/Logging_ Yarding_Aerial_Gall ery/pages/FHS6135th.htm. ) In the aerial logging systems, the logs are simply hooked to the balloon or helicopter by a cable and lifted to a landing site for processing or further, transportation.

Aerial logging by using helicopters may also be called heli-logging, where wire ropes, or cables and chokers are used to connect the log to the helicopter.

Drawbacks of using these aerial logging systems are thus that they are not easily maneuvered and that there are limitations with regards to weight of the logs. Further running a helicopter or balloon logging operation may be expensive, not the least since helicopters use large amounts of fossil fuel, and in that the helicopter pilots need to be highly skilled professionals.

Conventional aerial logging also requires good weather, especially for the helicopters, and for the safety of the pilots.

There is thus a need for a more flexible aerial lifting or logging system.

Summary

It is an object of the present disclosure, to provide an improved system for aerial lifting and transporting of heavy objects.

The invention is defined by the appended independent claims. Embodiments are set forth in the appended dependent claims and in the following description.

According to a first aspect there is provided a ground independent aerial lifting and transportation system, for lifting and/or transporting at least one object having a weight in the range of from 100 to 2000 kg, wherein the system comprises at least one aerostat and optionally at least one lifting and transportation device, wherein said aerostat is connected to at least one drone having at least three rotors, wherein said at least one drone is able to lift and carry a work load of at least 150 kg in addition to its own weight, and wherein said at least one aerostat is sized to carry the dead load of the system. By drone is meant an unmanned air craft of airship that can navigate either without or with human control, i.e. which can be either run

autonomously or be guided remotely.

By this lifting and transportation system there is provided a flexible aerial system for lifting and transporting heavy objects even in inaccessible areas, or where it is undesirable to lift and transport the objects on the ground by trucks or other vehicles. The system is flexible both with regards to how much weight the system is able to lift, and to the area in which the system can operate. The system can also be operated remotely. Since a drone is used the operator can stay on the ground instead of having to use pilots flying e.g. a helicopter. The drone is used to steer and control the aerostat as well, which means that the aerostat does not need to be connected to cables or wires.

The drone may be foldable allowing for a safe and easy transportation of the system from one site to another. The drone may further be run on electricity, and this means that the system is more environmentally friendly, and cheaper to run than a helicopter.

Since the aerostat is connected to the drone, and lifts the dead load of the system, i.e. the balloon weight, drone and the lifting/transporting device, and can be used to lift very heavy objects, such as logs or containers.

The drone thus has three principal functions, firstly it must be able to hold the aerostat down when no object is connected to the system, and secondly steer the aerostat and the optional lifting and transportation device to an object location, and thirdly it must be able to regulate or adapt its lifting force or capacity, i.e. how heavy the object that it can lift and transport, when lifting the object.

The lifting capacity of the drone must therefore be adapted according to the weight of the object that is to be lifted and transported.

This system thus allows for lifting and transporting for instance logs from remote or in other ways inaccessible areas to a processing site or a site for further transportation.

It is possible to equip the system with multiple aerostats, and/or multiple drones and/or multiple lifting and transportation devices. The drone may, according to an alternative be able to lift and carry a work load of at least 200 kg, preferably at least 500 kg, or more preferred at least 1000 kg in addition to its own weight.

This means that the total lift capacity, i.e. drone and object preferably at least 1000 kg.

The aerostat may be any one of a gas and hot air balloon. The gas may be any one of helium or hydrogen.

The drone may be equipped with a remote control system.

The drone may be equipped with artificial intelligence system.

The artificial intelligence system may for instance enable autonomous flights to be carried out, such that the range of the system can be extended.

The drone may be equipped with a satellite position device.

That means that the drone may be able to navigate with help from the satellite positioning system, such as a GPS.

According to one alternative, in the system according to the first aspect the optional object lifting and transportation device may comprise any one of cable, a wire, and a holding device. The lifting and transportation device is adapted and constructed depending on the object to be lifted.

The object to be lifted and/or transported is any one of a tree log, a container, a ground working apparatus, a ground sowing apparatus, a pole, a building element, a house, a stone, a car, a scarification device and a construction element, or any other object that can and may be lifted.

The system can be used to lift virtually any object having a weight around 200 to 2000 kg. The examples of objects is thus considered to be non-limiting.

The system could also be used to carry less heavy objects than 200 kg. Depending on the ability to design drones carrying a higher work load, and the design of the aerostat it may be possible to lift very heavy objects.

Normally a tree log has a weight in the range of 500 to 700 kg, but they may in extreme cases weigh up to 1 .5 tons.

The system could also be used in other forest applications such as lifting and transporting a so called ground sowing apparatus, for planting new trees or for scarification applications. The maneuverability of the drone, for instance using GPS and remote control or Al, and the ability to lift the heavy apparatus allows for an efficient sowing procedure.

Alternatively, the lifting and transportation device is itself the object to be lifted and transported.

According to a second aspect there is provided an aerial method of lifting and transporting at least one object having a weight in the range of 100 to 2000 kg, wherein the method comprises the steps of: connecting at least one drone to at least one aerostat; and maneuvering said drone and said at least one aerostat to a site where said at least one object is located;

connecting said at least one drone to at least one object through at least one lifting and transportation device; lifting said object through the simultaneous lifting power of said drone and said aerostat; and transporting said object from an object location to a site of interest.

The site of interest may be a site for collection and further

transportation, or a processing site, or a building site. The object location site may be a site where the object is stored or has been brought by other transportation means, and the site of interest may for instance be where the object is to be placed, or used, or processed or for instance where a scarification operation is to be performed.

The distance between the object location and the site of interest is normally in the range of 10 to 2 000 m, or more preferably in the range of 50 to 1 500 m, but may exceed 2 000 m by far.

The least one drone may be able to lift a work load of at least 150 kg in addition to its own weight, or at least 500 kg in addition to its own weight, or at least 1000 kg in addition to its own weight.

According to a third aspect there is provided the use of a system

according to the first aspect for lifting at least one object having a weight in the range of 50 to 2000 kg. The object to be lifted and transported may be virtually any type of object.

Brief description of drawing

Fig. 1 illustrates a schematic side view of a system according to the invention. Fig. 2 illustrates a schematic side view of a system according the invention. Fig. 3 illustrates one application or use of the system.

Description of Embodiments

Fig.1 illustrates the system 1 for lifting and transporting heavy objects through so called aerial lifting and transporting. An aerostat 3 is connected to a drone 5. The drone 5 may be provided with lifting and transportation devices 4, only schematically illustrated as cables or wires in Fig. 1 . The drone 5 is adapted to lift at least one object 2, hanging or attached underneath the drone 5.

The aerostat 3 is provided such that it lifts, i.e. carries the dead load of the drone 5 and the object 2, and the optional lifting and transportation device 4. The aerostat 3 may be connected to the drone 5 to allow for a flexible movement in all directions of the drone 5.

In Fig. 1 this is illustrated in that the connection of the aerostat is made through multiple wires or cable connected at a center of the drone 5. In Fig. 2 this is illustrated in that a single wire or cable 6 is connected to the drone 5, at a central point thereof. This means that the connection between the aerostat and the drone is constructed such that the drone is not locked in a position, but may move freely in an upwards movement, i.e. vertically, or in any horizontal, or sideways, direction.

The wire or cable 6 connecting the aerostat and the drone may be a flexible, i.e. at least slightly expandable, wire or a rigid wire.

The drone is sized and adapted to carry at least 150 kg in addition to its own weight, that is the work load of the drone is at least 150 kg. Preferably the drone is able to carry a work load of at least 500 kg or even more preferred of at least 1000 kg. This means that the drone is sized and adapted to lift very heavy objects. This is made possible by the lifting aid by the aerostat. The maximum load of the system is thus the total lift capacity of the drone and the additional lift capacity of the aerostat.

This is further illustrated in Fig. 2, wherein the lift capacity of the aerostat 3, is illustrated by arrow LB. The lift capacity of the drone 5 is illustrated by arrow DL, and the downwards drag, i.e. the negative pitch of the drone is illustrated by arrow NP. The aerostat 3 may be a hot air balloon. Alternatively, the aerostat 3 is filled with a gas. The gas may for instance be helium or hydrogen.

The drone is thus placed beneath the aerostat, when in use, such that the aerostat is able to provide a sufficient lifting force for the system 1 .

The drone 5 may have one or multiple rotors 6, i.e. two, three, four or any number of rotors necessary. The number of rotors will be adapted according to the application and operation. By drone is meant an unmanned device, having multiple rotors arranged at a distance from a central portion of the device. The rotors are preferably placed on an upper side of the device.

The drone may be also be called a multicopter. In one embodiment the multicopter is a quadrocopter, i.e. a device having four rotors.

The drone 5 may be provided with or equipped with apparatus to allow the drone to be remote controlled. Remote controlling equipment for drones is well-known to the skilled person. The drone 5 may alternatively be equipped with artificial intelligence (Al) to allow for autonomous flight of the drone. Such equipment is also known to the skilled person.

The drone may also be equipped with, or in addition to the aforementioned remote control or Al equipment, a global satellite positioning system.

The drone may also be provided with different types of sensors, such as height sensors, heat sensors etc.

The drone may also be provided with at least one camera. A camera may allow for an even more controlled flight and operation of the system.

The lifting and transportation device 4 may be any type of device suitable for lifting objects 2. The lifting and transportation device 4 will be sized and configured according to the object to be carried. These types of devices are well-known to the skilled person.

The object 2 may be of any type. In one embodiment the object is a tree log or timber.

In another embodiment the object is a ground sowing device.

The object may also be a building element, or a pole such as a lift pole or a transmission pole, or a container or any other type of object that can be lifted through aerial lifting. The object may have a weight in the range of from 100 to 2000 kg. Most preferably, for the system to be economical, the weight of the object is in the range of 200 to 1500 kg. The size and configuration of the object may be of any kind.

This means that the drone is adapted to lift an object having a weight in this range, and the drone is further able to hold the aerostat down and steer or control the aerostat when no object is attached to the system, and to switch into a lifting mode, i.e. lift and transport the object having a certain weight. This is as described above illustrated in Fig. 2. The negative pitch, illustrated by arrow NP allows for the system, i.e. the drone and aerostat to lowered to the ground if necessary. This also allows for the system to be able to handle load variations.

The system 1 may be sized and adapted to carry, i.e. transport the object for a distance of less than 2 km, or more preferably less than 1 km, or even more preferred less than 500 m.

In Fig. 3 one application of the system is illustrated where the drone and aerostat lifts and transports a log.

In one embodiment the system is used in that the drone and aerostat are first steered or maneuvered to a site of logging, a log may then be connected to the lifting and transportation device, and the system may then lift the log from the site of logging and transport the log to a central collection site, or to a processing site.

The system thus allows for a completely ground independent forest logistic, which minimizes damages in the forest, both to the ground and to the surrounding woods, and also a system where it is possible to transport the logs faster.

The system, e.g. the drone, may be foldable, such that the system can be easily transported from one site to another.

The system may thus be transported in a folded state to a site from where the system is airlifted or operated. The balloon may be filled with gas, or filled by using hot air on site. The system may further be ready-to-use, i.e. all parts may be connected at a factory or the system may be assembled on the site where the system is the be used. The system may also be delivered with different types of object lifting and transportation devices.