Landing zone evaluation and rating sharing among multiple users

• US 10,482,776 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2017
• Issued: 11/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Loussides, George N., Sane, Harshad S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Calvin
• Application Number:
  US15/710,328
• Publication Number:
  US 20180090017A1
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2045/008 Devices for detecting or indicating hard landing
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/06 mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/08 optical
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/87 Mounting of imaging devices, e.g. mounting of gimbals
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913

Abstract

A landing zone evaluation and rating sharing system includes a central processor unit (CPU), at least one sensor input operatively connected to the CPU, a communication controller operatively connected to the CPU, the communication controller being operable to pass data to other systems associated with the aerial vehicle, and a landing zone (LZ) evaluation controller operatively coupled to a non-volatile computer readable storage medium having computer readable program instructions embodied therewith. The computer readable program instructions are executable by the central processor unit to receive data received through the at least one sensor input, evaluate the data to determine a LZ rating for a particular landing zone, and communicate the LZ rating to one or more systems associated with the aerial vehicle.

Claims

1. A landing zone evaluation and rating sharing system comprising:

a central processor unit (CPU);

at least one sensor input operatively connected to the CPU;

a communication controller operatively connected to the CPU, the communication controller being operable to pass data to other systems associated with the aerial vehicle; and

a landing zone (LZ) evaluation controller operatively coupled to a non-volatile computer readable storage medium having computer readable program instructions embodied therewith, the computer readable program instructions being executable by the central processor unit to;

receive data received through the at least one sensor input;

evaluate the data to determine a LZ rating for a particular landing zone; and

communicate the LZ rating to one or more systems associated with the aerial vehicle and to one or more additional aerial vehicles.

2. The landing zone evaluation and sharing system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a LZ update controller, wherein data received through the at least one sensor input includes data received by the LZ update controller from sensors directed toward a LZ.

3. The landing zone evaluation and rating sharing system according to claim 2, wherein the data received from sensors directed toward the LZ includes data pertaining to one of physical attribute and a geometrical attribute of the LZ.

4. The landing zone evaluation and rating sharing system according to claim 2, wherein the sensors directed toward the LZ include one of a light detecting and ranging (LiDAR) sensor, a radio detection and ranging (RADAR) sensor, and cameras directed toward the LZ.

5. The landing zone evaluation and rating sharing system according to claim 1, wherein data received through the at least one sensor input includes data received through sensors arranged to detect a condition of the aerial vehicle.

6. The landing zone evaluation and rating sharing system according to claim 5, wherein the sensors arranged to detect a condition of the aerial vehicle include one or more of a weight on wheels (WOW) sensor, an embedded inertial navigation system (EGI) sensor, an inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor, an engine torque sensor, a collective sensor.

7. The landing zone evaluation and rating sharing system according to claim 1, wherein the LZ rating communicated to one or more systems associated with the aerial vehicle includes communicating the LZ rating to one or more ground stations.

8. An aerial vehicle comprising:

an airframe;

a prime mover coupled to the airframe;

one or more aerodynamic surfaces supported by the airframe;

one or more support members supported by the airframe, the one or more support members operable to facilitate a transition between air operations and ground operations;

at least one sensor mounted to the airframe; and

a landing zone evaluation and rating sharing system comprising;

a central processor unit (CPU);

a landing zone (LZ) evaluation controller;

at least one sensor input operatively connected to the at least one sensor;

a communication controller operatively connected to the CPU, the communication controller being operable to pass data from the LZ evaluation controller to other systems associated with the aerial vehicle; and

a LZ evaluation controller operatively coupled to a non-volatile computer readable storage medium having computer readable program instructions embodied therewith, the computer readable program instructions being executable by the central processor unit to;

receive data received from the at least one sensor;

evaluate the data to determine a LZ rating for a particular landing zone; and

communicate the LZ rating to one or more systems associated with the aerial vehicle and to one or more additional aerial vehicles.

9. The aerial vehicle according to claim 8, further comprising:

a LZ update controller, wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one sensor operatively coupled to the LZ update controller and directed toward a LZ.

10. The aerial vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one of a light detecting and ranging (LiDAR) sensor, a radio detection and ranging (RADAR) sensor, cameras directed toward the landing zone.

11. The aerial vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the at least one sensor comprises an aerial vehicle sensor arranged to detect a condition of the aerial vehicle.

12. The aerial vehicle according to claim 11, wherein aerial vehicle sensor includes at least one of a weight on wheels (WOW) sensor, an embedded inertial navigation system (EGI) sensor, an inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor, an engine torque sensor, a collective sensor.

13. The aerial vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the landing zone rating communicated to one or more systems associated with the aerial vehicle includes communicating the landing zone rating to one or more ground stations.