TURRET ASSEMBLIES FOR SMALL AERIAL PLATFORMS, INCLUDING UNMANNED AIRCRAFT, AND ASSOCIATED METHODS
First Claim
1. An aircraft system, comprising:
- a turret assembly carried by an unmanned aircraft, the turret assembly includinga payload having a line of sight to a target;
a support assembly carrying the payload, the support assembly being movable about a first axis and a second axis generally transverse to the first axis;
a housing at least partially surrounding the payload and the gimbal system; and
a controller operably coupled to the support assembly to direct movement of the support assembly about at least one of the first axis and the second axis such that the line of sight is pointed away from a point of impact before the turret assembly contacts the ground or another external structure during landing or capture operations.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Turret assemblies for small aerial platforms, including unmanned aircraft, and associated methods are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an aircraft system can include a turret assembly having a payload with a line of sight to a target and a gimbal system carrying the payload. The gimbal system can include (a) a first support coupled to a first actuator to rotate about a first axis, and (b) a second support carried by the first support and coupled to a second actuator to rotate about a second axis generally transverse to the first axis. The payload can be carried by the second support. A housing at least partially surrounds the payload and the gimbal system. The turret assembly can also include a controller configured to direct movement of at least one of the first actuator and the second actuator such that the line of sight is pointed away from a point of impact before the turret assembly contacts the ground or another external structure during landing or capture operations.
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Citations
56 Claims
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1. An aircraft system, comprising:
a turret assembly carried by an unmanned aircraft, the turret assembly including a payload having a line of sight to a target; a support assembly carrying the payload, the support assembly being movable about a first axis and a second axis generally transverse to the first axis; a housing at least partially surrounding the payload and the gimbal system; and a controller operably coupled to the support assembly to direct movement of the support assembly about at least one of the first axis and the second axis such that the line of sight is pointed away from a point of impact before the turret assembly contacts the ground or another external structure during landing or capture operations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An aircraft system, comprising:
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a turret assembly carried proximate to a nose portion of an unmanned aircraft, the turret assembly including an imaging device having an imaging aperture configured to receive radiation along a line of sight; a gimbal system carrying the imaging device, the gimbal system including; a pan axis spindle operably coupled between a first support and a pan actuator to rotate the first support about a pan axis; and a second support carried by the first support and coupled to a tilt actuator to rotate about a tilt axis transverse to the pan axis, the second support carrying the imaging device; a surveillance dome at least partially surrounding the imaging device and the gimbal system; and a controller operably coupled to the gimbal system and programmed with instructions to direct movement of at least one of the pan actuator and the tilt actuator such that the line of sight is directed above a horizon relative to the aircraft before the surveillance dome contacts the ground or another external structure during landing or capture operations; and one or more turret engagement portions carried by the aircraft proximate to the turret assembly and spaced apart from the turret assembly during airborne operation, the one or more engagement portions being positioned to engage the turret assembly after the turret assembly impacts the ground or another external structure to limit movement of the turret assembly toward the aircraft and prevent the pan axis spindle from flexing past its elastic limit. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An aircraft system, comprising:
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a turret assembly carried proximate to a nose portion of an unmanned aircraft, the turret assembly including an imaging device having an imaging aperture configured to receive radiation along a line of sight; a gimbal system carrying the imaging device, the gimbal system including; a roll axis spindle operably coupled between a first support and a roll actuator to rotate the first support about a roll axis, the roll axis being generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the aircraft; and a second support carried by the first support and coupled to a tilt actuator to rotate about a tilt axis transverse to the roll axis, the second support carrying the imaging device; a surveillance dome at least partially surrounding the imaging device and the gimbal system; and a controller operably coupled to the gimbal system and programmed with instructions to direct movement of at least one of the roll actuator and the tilt actuator such that the line of sight is directed above a horizon relative to the aircraft before the surveillance dome contacts the ground or another external structure during landing or capture operations; and one or more turret engagement portions carried by the aircraft proximate to the turret assembly and spaced apart from the turret assembly during airborne operation, the one or more engagement portions being positioned to engage the turret assembly after the turret assembly impacts the ground or another external structure during landing or capture operations to limit movement of the turret assembly toward the aircraft and prevent the roll axis spindle from flexing past its elastic limit. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A surveillance apparatus for tracking a target from the air, the surveillance apparatus comprising:
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first support means; first actuation means for rotating the first support means about a first axis; second support means carried by the first support means and configured to carry a surveillance payload having a line of sight; second actuation means for rotating the second support means relative to the first support means about a second axis transverse to the first axis; housing means at least partially surrounding the surveillance payload; and control means to direct movement of at least one of the first actuation means and the second actuation means such that the line of sight of the surveillance payload is pointed away from a point of impact before the surveillance apparatus contacts the ground or another external structure during landing or capture operations. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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37. A vehicle, comprising:
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a movable body; a turret assembly carried by the body, the turret assembly including a payload having a line of sight to a target; a gimbal system carrying the payload, wherein the gimbal system is movable about an axis; a housing at least partially surrounding the payload and the gimbal system; and a controller operably coupled to the gimbal system to direct movement of the gimbal system about the axis such that the line of sight is pointed away from a point of impact before the turret assembly contacts the ground or another external structure during operation. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A method for operating an unmanned aircraft, the method comprising:
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flying an unmanned aircraft having a payload carried by a turret assembly, the payload having a line of sight to a target; before landing the aircraft, moving the payload to direct the line of sight away from an impact point on the ground or another external structure; landing the aircraft; and transferring landing forces from the turret assembly to other portions of the aircraft by allowing the turret assembly to move into contact with one or more turret engagement portions carried by the aircraft upon impact with the ground or external structure, the one or more engagement portions being positioned to restrict or otherwise inhibit movement of the turret assembly relative to the aircraft during landing. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A method for landing an unmanned aircraft having a turret assembly including an imaging device configured to receive radiation along a line of sight, a gimbal system carrying the imaging device, and a surveillance dome at least partially surrounding the imaging device and gimbal system, the method comprising:
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pivoting the turret assembly about at least one of a first axis and a second axis transverse to the first axis such that (a) the line of sight is directed above a horizon relative to the aircraft, and (b) one or more skid pads carried by the surveillance dome are positioned to directly contact the ground or external structure during landing; landing the aircraft; and transferring the landing forces from the turret assembly to other portions of the aircraft by allowing the turret assembly to move into contact with one or more turret support structures carried by the aircraft proximate to the turret assembly, the support structures being positioned to restrict or otherwise inhibit movement of the turret assembly relative to the aircraft during landing operations. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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Specification