Ground-based Sense-and-Avoid Display System (SAVDS) for unmanned aerial vehicles

• US 20060253254A1
• Filed: 05/03/2005
• Published: 11/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stanley R. Herwitz
• Original Assignee: Stanley R. Herwitz
• Inventors: Herwitz, Stanley R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,269,513 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/86 Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/91 for traffic control G01S13/93 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft

Abstract

The present invention is a Sense-and-Avoid Display System (SAVDS) that integrates data from a ground-based short-range tracking radar with positional data from a global positioning system (GPS) element in the flight management autopilot system in the unmanned aerial vehicle. Using a high-resolution display, the SAVDS shows the GPS location of the unmanned aerial vehicle in relation to other aircraft operating in the same airspace. With the SAVDS co-located on the same tabletop as the computer controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle, the SAVDS operator can instruct the unmanned aerial vehicle pilot to change the heading of the vehicle until any potential aircraft conflict is abated. Ground-based radar data and GPS data are integrated and displayed with georeferenced base maps that provide collision avoidance information, and provide a means for tracking the UAV relative to geographic waypoints.

Claims

1. A ground-based sense and avoid display system for unmanned aerial vehicles comprising:

a data transfer station; and

a mobile ground station;

wherein said data transfer station further comprises a small, short-range ground-based radar and a first wireless, frequency-hopping, spread-spectrum radio transceiver;

wherein said mobile ground station further comprises a receiving antenna, a second wireless, frequency-hopping, spread-spectrum radio transceiver, an unmanned aerial vehicle autopilot system, and a portable computer;

wherein said data transfer station transmits radar data to said mobile ground station;

wherein said computer further includes software for conducting a radar data routine, an unmanned aerial vehicle data routine, a georeferencing routine, a computational routine, and an interface routine;

wherein said radar data routine processes data from said ground-based radar by identifying manned aerial vehicle aircraft targets, removing unnecessary content from said data, comparing the remaining target data with projections based on the previous packet'"'"'s position and velocity vector for each said aircraft target, updating the new position and velocity for each said aircraft target, and converting said target data to a displayable coordinate system;

wherein said unmanned aerial vehicle data routine processes data from said unmanned aerial vehicle autopilot system by comparing unmanned aerial vehicle location data with projections based on the previous known position and velocity vector for said unmanned aerial vehicle, updating the new position and velocity of said unmanned aerial vehicle, and converting said location data to said displayable coordinate system;

wherein said georeferencing routine extracts a geographical background map of the radar coverage area based on global positioning system-coordinated reference maps and the fixed position of said ground-based radar;

wherein said computational routine integrates position, velocity, and heading data from said radar data routine and said unmanned aerial vehicle data routine, computes vectors for both said unmanned aerial vehicle and said aircraft targets, identifies aircraft conflicts, and electronically overlays the resulting information on said background map; and

wherein said interface routine visually renders said resulting information and said background map on a display.

2. The sense and avoid display system according to claim 1,

wherein said ground-based radar consists essentially of the Light and Special Divisions Interim Sensor radar manufactured by Lockheed Martin and its associated control indicator unit.

3. The sense and avoid display system according to claim 1,

wherein said unnecessary content includes radar identification number, port number, grade of data, and rotorcraft identifier.

4. The sense and avoid display system according to claim 1,

wherein the position of said ground-based radar is determined by a hand-held global positioning system locator and typed into said computer.

5. The sense and avoid display system according to claim 1,

wherein said computer is a Macintosh G5 model manufactured by Apple Computer Corporation of Cupertino, Calif.

6. The sense and avoid display system according to claim 1,

wherein said interface routine issues an audible warning when aircraft conflicts are identified by said computational routine.

7. The sense and avoid display system according to claim 1,

wherein said computer is loaded with the Apple Computer Corporation'"'"'s open source code called X11.

8. The sense and avoid display system according to claim 1,

wherein said resulting information and said background map are optimized for use with Apple Computer Corporation'"'"'s 23-inch liquid crystal display.