Patent Publication Number: US-2022234731-A1

Title: Information processing apparatus and information processing method

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a technique for remotely checking a state of animals such as livestock. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A technique for analyzing animal behavior has been proposed. For example, Japanese Patent Application No. JP-2016-208065A discloses a technique for investigating habitats of wild animals using a drone, and displaying the habitats of the wild animals via overlay on a map. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     There are cases where a health or the like of livestock can be approximately estimated from the livestock&#39;s external appearance. In such cases, it is convenient if a mechanism is remotely available to enable efficient observation of an external appearance of a large number of livestock. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique that enables efficient checking of a state of an animal group such as livestock. 
     To achieve the stated object, the present invention provides an information processing apparatus including: a specifying unit configured to specify a checking area for checking a state of an animal group based on a movement history of the animal group; and a control unit configured to control flight of an aerial vehicle to the checking area specified by the specifying unit for capture of images of the group of animals. 
     The specifying unit may specify a checking area in which animals of a threshold number or more that face in a same direction as determined from a movement direction specified from a movement history of the animal group, and the control unit may cause the aerial vehicle to fly in a direction directly facing the animal group so as to capture faces of the animals in a checking area specified by the specifying unit. 
     The specifying unit may specify the checking area and a time within which the animal group stays in the checking area based on a movement history of the animal group, and the control unit may perform control such that the aerial vehicle is caused to fly so as to arrive at the checking area specified by the specifying unit at the time specified by the specifying unit. 
     The specifying unit may specify the checking area based on weather information history when the animal group moved, in addition to the movement history of the animal group. 
     The specifying unit may specify the checking area based on a difference between the movement route of the animal group that was estimated based on the movement history of the animal group and latest position information of the animal group. 
     The specifying unit may further specify the checking area based on image capture conditions when the aerial vehicle captures images of the animal group. 
     The specifying unit may extract individual animals from the animal group, which were not regularly captured in a first checking area in which the state of the animal group is checked, and specify a second checking area in which states of the extracted individuals animals are checked, and the control unit may perform control such that the aerial vehicle is caused to fly to the first checking area and second checking area specified by the specifying unit. 
     The present invention also provides an information processing method including: specifying a checking area for checking a state of an animal group based on a movement history of the animal group; and performing control such that an aerial vehicle that captures images of the animal group is caused to fly to the checking area specified by the specifying unit. 
     According to the present invention, a state of an animal group such as livestock can be efficiently checked. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of flight system in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of aerial vehicle in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of server apparatus in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of flight system in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating an example of a machine learning operation performed by server apparatus in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation for checking a state of an animal group performed by server apparatus in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Configuration 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of flight system  1 . Flight system  1  is a system for checking states of a large number of livestock (animal group) such as cattle or sheep that are put out to pasture on a stock farm, for example. Flight system  1  includes unmanned aerial vehicle  10 , referred to as a drone, server apparatus  20 , wireless terminal  40  attached to a predetermined part of animal  30 , and communication network  2  for communicably connecting these apparatuses. Server apparatus  20  functions as an information processing apparatus for controlling aerial vehicle  10 . Communication network  2  includes a wireless communication network that conforms to LTE (Long Term Evolution) or another communication standard, for example. 
     Server apparatus  20 , by controlling aerial vehicle  10 , causes aerial vehicle  10  to fly within close range of an animal group, and capture images of the animal group. Aerial vehicle  10  transmits captured image data of the animal group to server apparatus  20  via communication network  2 , and server apparatus  20  checks a health state of animals using the captured image data by way of a method such as image analysis. Server apparatus  20  performs machine learning using position information history of wireless terminals  40  attached to animals  30  (that is, movement history of the animal group), specifies an area suitable for checking the state of the animal group (hereinafter, “checking area”), and causes aerial vehicle  10  to fly to the specified checking area and capture images of the animal group. 
       FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of aerial vehicle  10 . Physically, aerial vehicle  10  is configured as a computer apparatus that includes processor  1001 , memory  1002 , storage  1003 , communication unit  1004 , input unit  1005 , output unit  1006 , flight unit  1007 , sensor  1008 , GPS unit  1009 , a bus for connecting these apparatuses, and the like. These apparatuses operate using power supplied from a battery (not illustrated). It is of note that in the following description the term “apparatus” can be replaced with “circuit,” “device,” “unit” or the like. The hardware configuration of aerial vehicle  10  may also be configured to include, with respect to each apparatus shown in the diagram, one or a plurality of the apparatuses, or may also be configured to not include some apparatuses. 
     Functions of aerial vehicle  10  are realized by causing predetermined software (programs) to be loaded in hardware such as processor  1001  and memory  1002  and processor  1001  that perform computational operations to control communication by communication unit  1004 , and to control at least one of reading and writing of data in memory  1002  and storage  1003 . 
     Processor  1001  controls the computer as a whole by causing an operating system to run, for example. Processor  1001  may be constituted of a central processing unit (CPU) including an interface with peripheral apparatuses, a control apparatus, a computational operation apparatus, registers, and the like. Also, a baseband signal processing unit, a call processing unit, and the like may be realized by processor  1001 , for example. 
     Processor  1001  reads a program (program code), a software module, data, and the like from at least one of storage  1003  and communication unit  1004  into memory  1002 , and executes various processing in accordance with the read-out program and the like. A program that causes a computer to execute at least some of the later-described operations is used as the program. The functional blocks of aerial vehicle  10  may be realized by a control program that is stored in memory  1002  and runs in processor  1001 . The various types of processing may be executed by one processor  1001 , or may be executed simultaneously or sequentially by two or more processors  1001 . Processor  1001  may be implemented using one or more chips. It is of note that a program may be transmitted from communication network  2  to aerial vehicle  10  over an electrical communication line. 
     Memory  1002  is a computer-readable recording medium, and may be constituted of at least one of a ROM (Read Only Memory), an EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM), an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and so on, for example. Memory  1002  may also be referred to as a “register,” “cache,” “main memory” (a main storage apparatus), or the like. Memory  1002  can store an executable program (program code) for implementing a method according to the present embodiment, software modules, and the like. 
     Storage  1003  is a computer-readable recording medium, and for example, may be constituted of at least one of an optical disk such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc ROM), a hard disk drive, a flexible disk, a magneto-optical disk (for example, a compact disk, a digital versatile disk, or a Blu-ray (registered trademark) disk), a smartcard, a flash memory (for example, a card, a stick, or a key drive), a Floppy (registered trademark) disk, a magnetic strip, and the like. Storage  1003  may be referred to as an auxiliary storage apparatus. Storage  1003  stores identification information of aerial vehicle  10  (referred to as aerial vehicle identification information), for example. This aerial vehicle identification information is used by server apparatus  20  to identify and control aerial vehicle  10 . 
     Communication unit  1004  is hardware (a transmitting and receiving device) for performing communication between computers via communication network  2 , and is also referred to as a network device, a network controller, a network card, and a communication module, for example. Communication unit  1004  may be constituted of a high frequency switch, a duplexer, a filter, a frequency synthesizer, and the like, in order to realize at least one of frequency division duplex (FDD) and time division duplex (TDD), for example. For example, a transmitting and receiving antenna, an amplifier unit, a transmitting and receiving unit, a transmission path interface, and the like may also be realized by communication unit  1004 . The transmitting and receiving unit may be implemented by physically or logically separating the transmission control unit and the receiving unit. 
     Input unit  1005  is an input device (e.g., key, microphone, switch, button, and the like) that receives an input from an external apparatus, and in particular, includes an image capturing apparatus. Output unit  1006  is an output device (e.g., display, speaker, LED lamp, and the like) that performs output to an external apparatus. 
     Flight unit  1007  is a mechanism that enables aerial vehicle  10  to fly (in the air), and includes a propeller, a motor and a driving mechanism for driving the propeller, for example. 
     Sensor  1008  is constituted of a group of sensors including a temperature sensor, a rotation speed sensor for detecting a number of rotations of a motor, a sensor for detecting a value relative to an input/output such as a current/voltage (e.g., a battery power remaining capacity sensor), a gyrosensor, an acceleration sensor, an atmospheric pressure (altitude) sensor, a magnetic (direction) sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, and the like. 
     GPS unit  1009  measures a three-dimensional position of aerial vehicle  10 . GPS unit  1009  is a GPS receiver, and measures a position of aerial vehicle  10  based on GPS signals received from a plurality of satellites. 
     Apparatuses such as processor  1001  and memory  1002  are connected via a bus for communicating information. The bus may be constituted of a single bus, or may be constituted of a plurality of buses for connections between apparatuses. 
     Aerial vehicle  10  may be constituted of hardware such as a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a PLD (Programmable Logic Device), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), and the like, and some of or all of the functional blocks may be realized by the hardware. For example, processor  1001  may be implemented using at least one piece of hardware. 
     Wireless terminal  40  includes a GPS unit and a communication unit similar to those of aerial vehicle  10 , and transmits position information (including a time stamp indicating a time at which positioning is performed and terminal identification information of wireless terminal  40 ) obtained by positioning performed by the GPS unit from the communication unit to server apparatus  20  via communication network  2 . From the position information history of wireless terminal  40 , the position where animal  30  stayed in the past and the time during which animal  30  stayed can be specified. 
       FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of server apparatus  20 . Physically, server apparatus  20  is configured as a computer apparatus that includes processor  2001 , memory  2002 , storage  2003 , communication unit  2004 , input unit  2005 , output unit  2006 , and a bus for connecting these apparatuses. Functions of server apparatus  20  are realized by causing predetermined software (programs) to be loaded in hardware such as processor  2001  and memory  2002 , and processor  2001  performing computational operations to control communication by communication unit  2004 , and to control at least one of reading and writing of data in memory  2002  and storage  2003 . As hardware, processor  2001 , memory  2002 , storage  2003 , communication unit  2004 , and the bus for connecting these apparatuses are similar respectively to processor  1001 , memory  1002 , storage  1003 , communication unit  1004 , and the bus for connecting these apparatuses as described with regard to aerial vehicle  10 , and thus description thereof will be omitted. 
     Storage  2003  stores terminal identification information and the position information history of each wireless terminal  40  in association. It is of note that the terminal identification information of wireless terminal  40  corresponds to an animal type, and a type of an animal to which wireless terminal  40  is attached can be specified from the terminal identification information. 
     Input unit  2005  is an input device (e.g., keyboard, mouse, microphone, switch, button, sensor, joystick, ball controller, and the like) for receiving input from an external apparatus. Output unit  2006  is an output device (e.g., display, speaker, LED lamp, and the like) for performing output to an external apparatus. It is of note that input unit  2005  and output unit  2006  may be integrally configured (e.g., may be a touch panel). 
       FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of flight system  1 . In server apparatus  20 , acquiring unit  21  acquires various types of data (e.g., a measured position and various types of (behavior) data such as an attitude of aerial vehicle  10  and captured image data obtained by aerial vehicle  10 ) from aerial vehicle  10  via communication network  2 . Also, acquiring unit  21  acquires position information of wireless terminal  40  from wireless terminal  40  via communication network  2 . Further, acquiring unit  21  acquires a past weather history, a current weather state, and a future weather forecast from a weather information accumulation apparatus (not shown). 
     Specifying unit  22  specifies a checking area in which a state of an animal group is checked and a checking time at which the check is performed, based on the position information history (that is, the movement history of the animal group) of wireless terminal  40 . Specifically, specifying unit  22  generates an artificial intelligence model by performing machine learning in which a type of animal  30  and past weather corresponding to a time stamp included in the position information of animal  30  are explanatory variables, and a position of animal  30  and a time at which animal  30  remained at the position are objective variables. Then, specifying unit  22  inputs into the artificial intelligence model a type of animal  30  to be observed (e.g., sheep) and a weather forecast (e.g., tomorrow&#39;s weather forecast) for a period during which animal  30  of interest is scheduled to be observed, and specifies the position of animal  30  for this period and a time (that is, a future time based on an estimated movement route of animal  30 ) . The estimated movement route is specified for each individual animal  30 , and therefore specifying unit  22  specifies the checking area and checking time by performing statistical processing on the estimated movement routes of individual animals of animals  30 . Specifically, if an area and time can be specified within which a maximally large and dense number of animals  30  congregate , a large number of animals can be captured using a small number of image capture times. Thus, an area and time are specified as the checking area and the checking time. 
     Control unit  23  performs control such that aerial vehicle  10  is caused to fly to the checking area specified by specifying unit  22  and perform image capturing. Specifically, control unit  23  causes aerial vehicle  10  to fly to a position corresponding to the centroid or center of the checking area specified by specifying unit  22 , and to exhaustively capture images of the animal group in an area within a range of aerial vehicle  10  by causing aerial vehicle  10  to rotate  360  degrees in a horizontal plane. 
     Operations 
     Next, operations of server apparatus  20  will be described. It is of note that in the following description, when server apparatus  20  is described as an agent of processing, the meaning of the description is that the processing is executed by processor  2001  that performs computation responsive to predetermined software (program) being loaded into hardware such as processor  2001  and memory  2002 , and control of communication by communication unit  2004  and reading and/or writing of data in memory  2002  and storage  2003 . This description is also applicable to aerial vehicle  10 . 
     First, the machine learning operation performed by server apparatus  20  will be described with reference to  FIG. 5 . In  FIG. 5 , acquiring unit  21  of server apparatus  20  regularly acquires position information from wireless terminal  40  via communication network  2 , for example (step S 11 ). The acquired position information is stored in storage  2003  of server apparatus  20  as movement history of an animal group. 
     Next, specifying unit  22  generates an artificial intelligence model by performing machine learning by which the type of animal  30  and the past weather corresponding to a time stamp included in position information of wireless terminal  40  are explanatory variables and the position of the wireless terminal  40  and the time stamp (that is, the position of animal  30  and a time during which animal  30  remained at the position) are objective variables (step S 12 ). As described above, the terminal identification information included in position information of wireless terminal  40  corresponds to the type of animal  30 , and therefore specifying unit  22  need only specify the type of animal  30  from the terminal identification information included in the position information of wireless terminal  40 . 
     Specifying unit  22  then stores the generated artificial intelligence model in storage  2003  (step S 13 ). 
     Next, operations for checking a state of an animal group performed by server apparatus  20  will be described with reference to  FIG. 6 . In  FIG. 6 , specifying unit  22  of server apparatus  20  inputs into the artificial intelligence model a type of animal  30  to be observed and a weather forecast for a period during which animal  30  of interest is scheduled to be observed (step S 21 ), and specifies the estimated movement route of animal  30  in the period that is scheduled for observation (step S 22 ). 
     Then, specifying unit  22  specifies, for example, an area and a time within which a maximally large and dense number of animals  30  congregate, as the checking area and checking time of the animal group based on the estimated movement route (step S 23 ). A plurality of checking areas and checking times may also be specified for a single animal group. 
     Control unit  23  generates a flight schedule for aerial vehicle  10  to reach the specified checking area at the specified checking time (step S 24 ), and controls aerial vehicle  10  following the flight schedule (step S 25 ). The flight control is repeated until the flight of aerial vehicle  10  ends (step S 26 ; YES). 
     According to the embodiment described above, a state of an animal group such as livestock can be efficiently performed. 
     Modifications 
     The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and the embodiment above may be modified as described below. Moreover, two or more of the following modifications may be combined, as appropriate. 
     Modification 1 
     The configuration may also be such that specifying unit  22  specifies a checking area and checking time at which animals  30  of a threshold number or more are facing in the same direction, based on the movement direction specified from the movement history of the animal group, and control unit  23  causes aerial vehicle  10  to fly in a direction directly facing the animal group so as to capture faces of animals  30  in the checking area and at the checking time specified by specifying unit  22 . Specifically, when specifying the checking area and checking time by performing statistical processing on estimated movement routes of individual animals, specifying unit  22  specifies a checking area and a checking time at which animals of a threshold number or more are moving in the same direction within a predetermined range (e.g., the difference in movement direction is less than ±10 degrees). Here, it is assumed that a face of each animal  30  is directed in its direction of movement. Control unit  23  controls aerial vehicle  10  to fly in a direction directly facing a plurality of animals of a threshold number or more that face in the same direction in the specified checking area and at the checking time, so as to capture the faces of animals  30 . In many cases, a health state of an animal can be determined mainly by observing the face of the animal, and therefore health states of animals can be efficiently and accurately checked by use of this method. 
     Modification 2 
     Specifying unit  22  may also specify the checking area and checking time based on the difference between the movement route of an animal group that is estimated based on the movement history of the animal group and latest position information of the animal group. That is, there are cases where the movement route of an animal group estimated based on the movement history of the animal group differs from the actual movement route of the animal group. In such a case, specifying unit  22  need only correct the movement route of the animal group estimated based on the movement history of the animal group from the latest position information of the animal group. 
     Modification 3 
     Specifying unit  22  may also specify the checking area and checking time based on image capturing conditions at a time when aerial vehicle  10  captures images of an animal group. The image capturing conditions referred to here include weather (whether a light level suitable for image-capturing can be secured), a time slot (daytime, night time, or the like, whether the time slot is a time slot in which a light level suitable for image-capturing can be secured), a land condition (e.g., whether the landform provides good visibility for image-capturing), a relationship between sunlight and animal face direction (that is, whether the sunlight is direct light or backlight relative to the faces of the animals for image capture), and the like. 
     Modification 4 
     In this embodiment, the checking area and checking time are an area and a time in which a maximally large and dense number of animals  30  congregate within the checking area and the checking time; although, it may be the case that a number of individual animals that are not a part of the group of animals  30  may also be present. Such individual animals may behave independently from the group. To reduce incidence of capturing such individual animals. specifying unit  22  may specify a checking area and a checking time for capturing only such individual animals. Therefore, the terminal identification information is provided on wireless terminal  40  as a bar code or as characters, for example, and specifying unit  22  specifies terminal identification information of an individual animal hitherto not regularly captured upon performing image analysis on a plurality of pieces of past captured image data of aerial vehicle  10 . Specifying unit  22  then specifies the estimated movement route of such an individual using the generated artificial intelligence model, and specifies the checking area and checking time for the individual. Here, when there are a plurality of individual animals that were not regularly captured, specifying unit  22  may specify the checking area and checking time such that the plurality of individual animals can be collectively captured to as great an extent as possible. In this way, specifying unit  22  may extract individual animals, of an animal group, that were not frequently captured in a first checking area to checking a state of the animal group, and specify a second checking area for determining the states of the extracted individual animals, and control unit  23  may perform control such that aerial vehicle  10  is caused to fly to the first checking area and the second checking area specified by specifying unit  22 . 
     Modification 5 
     The animals to be image captured are not limited to livestock. Also, information on weather is not necessarily essential when specifying the checking area and checking time. Further, specifying unit  22  need only specify the checking area, and need not essentially specify the checking time. If only aerial vehicle  10  is caused to fly to a checking area without specifying a checking time, it is still assured that the animals will pass through the checking area covered by aerial vehicle  10 . 
     Other Modifications 
     It is of note that the block diagram used in the description of the above embodiment shows functional unit blocks. These functional blocks (constituent units) can be realized by any combination of at least one of hardware and software. The method of realizing each functional block is not particularly limited. That is, each functional block may be realized by using a physically or logically coupled single apparatus, or may be realized by directly or indirectly connecting two or more apparatus that are physically or logically separate (by way of, for example, a wired connection, a wireless connection, or the like), and using the plurality of apparatus. Functional blocks may also be realized by combining with software one or a plurality of apparatus. 
     Examples of functions include determining, deciding, summing, calculating, processing, deriving, surveying, searching, confirming, receiving, transmitting, outputting, accessing, solving, selecting, setting, establishing, comparing, assuming, expecting, considering, broadcasting, notifying, communicating, forwarding, configuring, reconfiguring, allocating, mapping, assigning, and the like, but these are not limitations. For example, a functional block (constituent unit) that causes transmission to function is referred to as a transmission control unit (transmitting unit) or a transmitter (transmitter). As described above, the method of realizing a function is not particularly limited. 
     For example, the server apparatus or the like in one embodiment of present disclosure may function as a computer that performs processing of present disclosure. 
     The modes/embodiment described in the present disclosure can be applied to at least one of a system that uses LTE (Long Term Evolution), LTE-A (LTE-Advanced), SUPER 3G, IMT-Advanced, 4G (4th generation mobile communication system), 5G (5th generation mobile communication system), FRA (Future Radio Access), NR (new Radio), W-CDMA (registered trademark), GSM (registered trademark), CDMA2000, UMB (Ultra Mobile Broadband), IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi (registered trademark)), IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX (registered trademark)), IEEE 802.20, UWB (Ultra-WideBand), Bluetooth (registered trademark), or another appropriate system, and a next-generation system expanded from the systems described above. Also, a plurality of systems can be applied in a combined mode (e.g., combination of at least one of LTE and LTE-A and 5G). 
     The order of the processing procedures, sequences, flowcharts and the like of the modes/embodiment described in the present disclosure can be changed, as long as no inconsistencies result from such change. For example, with regard to the methods described in the present disclosure, the elements of various steps are presented using an illustrative order, and are not limited to the specific order in which they are presented. 
     Information and the like that has been input/output may be saved in a specific location (for example, a memory), or may be managed using a management table. The information and the like that is input/output can be overwritten, updated, or augmented. Information and the like that has been output may be deleted. Information and the like that has been input may be transmitted to another apparatus. 
     Determination may be performed according to a value (0 or 1) represented by 1 bit, or may be performed according to a Boolean value (Boolean: true or false), or may be performed by comparing numerical values (for example, comparison with a predetermined value). 
     Although the present disclosure has been described above in detail, it will be evident to a person skilled in the art that the disclosure is not limited to the embodiment described in the disclosure. The present disclosure can be implemented in revised and modified modes without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure, which is defined by the description in the claims. Accordingly, the description of the present disclosure is an illustrative description and is not restrictive with respect to the disclosure. 
     Regardless of whether software is referred to as software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description language, or by another name, “software” should be interpreted broadly as meaning commands, command sets, code, code segments, program code, programs, sub programs, software modules, applications, software applications, software packages, routines, subroutines, objects, executable files, execution threads, sequences, functions, and the like. Additionally, software, commands, and the like may be exchanged over a transmission medium. For example, when software is transmitted from a website, a server, or another remote source using hardwired technologies such as coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair cabling, or digital subscriber line (DSL), and/or wireless technologies such as infrared light, radio waves, or microwaves, at least one of these hardwired technologies and wireless technologies is included in the definition of “transmission medium.” 
     The information, signals, and the like described in the present disclosure may be expressed by using any of a variety of different techniques. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, chips, and the like that may be referred to throughout all of the foregoing descriptions may be expressed by voltages, currents, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or magnetic particles, photo fields or photons, or any desired combination thereof. 
     It is of note that a term that has been described in the present disclosure and a term that may be required to understand the present disclosure may be replaced by a term that has the same or a similar meaning. 
     Also, information, a parameter, or the like that has been described in the present disclosure may be represented by an absolute value, by a relative value from a predetermined value, or by other corresponding information. 
     The phrase “based on” used in the present disclosure does not mean “based only on” unless specified as such. In other words, the phrase “based on” means both “based only on” and “based at least on.” 
     Any reference to an element for which a phrase such as “first” or “second” that is used in the present disclosure does not generally limit an amount or order of such an element. These phrases may be used in the present disclosure as a convenient way of distinguishing between two or more elements. Therefore, reference to first and second elements does not mean that only the two elements are adopted, or the first element must precede the second element in any form. 
     The term “unit” in the configuration of each apparatus described above may be replaced by a “means,” a “circuit,” a “device,” or the like. 
     In the present disclosure, use of the terms “include” and “including” and variations thereof, are comprehensively similar to the term “comprising.” Moreover, the term “or” used in the present disclosure is not used exclusively with a meaning of “or.” 
     Use of an article such as a, an, or the in the English translation of the present disclosure may include a case where a noun following these articles takes a plural form. 
     In the present disclosure, the phrase “A and B are different” may mean “A and B are different from each other.” Thus, this phrase may mean that “A and B are each different from C.” Terms such as “away” and “coupled” may be construed in a similar manner as “different.” 
     REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
       1  Flight system 
       2  Communication network 
       10  Aerial vehicle 
       1001  Processor 
       1002  Memory 
       1003  Storage 
       1004  Communication unit 
       1005  Input unit 
       1006  Output unit 
       1007  Flight unit 
       1008  Sensor 
       1009  GPS unit 
       20  Server apparatus 
       21  Acquiring unit 
       22  Specifying unit 
       23  Control unit 
       2001  Processor 
       2002  Memory 
       2003  Storage 
       2004  Communication unit 
       2005  Input unit 
       2006  Output unit 
       30  Animal 
       40  Wireless terminal