Spraying system having a liquid flow and rotating speed feedback

Abstract

A method of controlling a work schedule of a spraying system of a mobile platform includes receiving operating characteristics of the spraying system, generating a control signal related to the work schedule based on the operating characteristics, and controlling the spraying system according to the control signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of controlling a work schedule of a spraying system of a mobile platform comprising:
 receiving, at a processor of the mobile platform, operating characteristics of the spraying system;   generating a control signal related to the work schedule based on the operating characteristics; and   controlling the spraying system according to the control signal.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the operating characteristics include at least one of a pump speed of a pump of the spraying system, a motor rotating speed of a motor configured to drive the pump, or a working current of the motor. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein controlling the spraying system according to the control signal includes at least one of:
 controlling a spraying width of liquid output from the spraying system;   controlling a direction of the liquid; or   controlling a spraying time of the liquid.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining whether a working current of a motor has fallen below a threshold current according to the control signal, the motor being configured to drive a pump of the spraying system.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 engaging an alarm to indicate that liquid within the pump has fallen below a threshold amount in response to determining that the working current has fallen below the threshold current.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile platform is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein controlling the spraying system includes synchronizing the work schedule of the spraying system with a flying speed of the UAV. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein synchronizing the work schedule with the flying speed includes controlling the spraying system to increase a flux of sprayed liquid as the flying speed of the UAV increases. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein controlling the spraying system includes controlling the spraying system to increase a flux of sprayed liquid as an altitude of the UAV increases. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein controlling the spraying system includes controlling the spraying system to stop spraying when the UAV has stopped moving. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 controlling the UAV to return to a predetermined position or stop moving when the operating characteristics of the spraying system indicate that there is no more liquid to spray.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 measuring the operating characteristics of the spraying system.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein measuring the operating characteristics of the spraying system includes calculating the operating characteristics of the spraying system based on operating characteristics of a motor configured to drive a pump of the spraying system. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 measuring, through an electronic speed controller, at least one of a magnetic flux or a torque of the motor, the operating characteristics of the motor includes the at least one of the magnetic flux or the torque.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the mobile platform is an unmanned aerial vehicle;   the method further comprising:
 initiating operation of the spraying system when the UAV reaches a predetermined altitude. 
   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the spraying system includes a plurality of fluid outlets; and   controlling the spraying system includes controlling the spraying system to use one or more of the plurality of fluid outlets for liquid spraying based on the operating characteristics.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the mobile platform is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV); and   controlling the spraying system to use the one or more of the plurality of fluid outlets includes controlling a number of the one or more of the plurality of fluid outlets to be used by the spraying system based on at least one of a speed or an acceleration of the UAV.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 the mobile platform is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV);   the method further comprising:
 controlling the spraying system to change output of spraying materials based on a flying height of the UAV. 
   
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing program instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
 receive operating characteristics of a spraying system of a mobile platform;   generate a control signal related to a work schedule of the spraying system based on the operating characteristics; and   control the spraying system according to the control signal.   
     
     
         20 . A mobile platform comprising:
 a spraying system; and   one or more processors individually or collectively configured to:
 receive operating characteristics of the spraying system; 
 generate a control signal related to a work schedule of the spraying system based on the operating characteristics; and 
 control the spraying system according to the control signal.