TOWED SENSOR ARRAY MANEUVERING SYSTEM AND METHODS

• US 20130062464A1
• Filed: 09/12/2011
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Speer, Thomas E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,910,902 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/1.TD
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 3/00 Aircraft adaptations to facilitate towing or being towed B64D39/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 3/02 for towing targets

Abstract

A towed sensor array maneuvering system and methods are disclosed. A towed airborne vehicle comprising a sensor array is actively maneuvered via a plurality of surfaces coupled thereto. The surfaces are controlled such that a desired path is tracked based on and as a function of desired tracking parameters.

Claims

1. A towed sensor array maneuvering system comprising:

a towed airborne vehicle operable to be pulled by a towing airborne vehicle and operable to track a desired path;

a sensor array coupled to the towed airborne vehicle and operable to receive sensed signals from the desired path; and

a plurality of aerodynamic surfaces coupled to the towed airborne vehicle and operable to actively maneuver the towed airborne vehicle such that the desired path is tracked based on and as a function of desired tracking parameters.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the aerodynamic surfaces provide an aerodynamic configuration such that the towed airborne vehicle is operable to aggressively maneuver while the towed airborne vehicle is being towed by the towing airborne vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the aerodynamic surfaces are further operable to provide stable lateral maneuverability via using direct lift and a large side force generated therefrom so as to maintain an orientation of the sensor array and a substantially constant altitude above the desired path.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the aerodynamic surfaces are sized to accommodate the large side force on the towed airborne vehicle, and the aerodynamic surfaces comprise at least one member selected from the group consisting of:

vertical surfaces, and horizontal wings.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the towed airborne vehicle comprises an X-wing configuration.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the aerodynamic surfaces comprise upper wing panels and lower wing panels each comprising a rear panel and a forward panel hinged together in tandem to form a wing, and a tail surface attached to the rear panel.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the towed airborne vehicle comprises a box-wing configuration.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the aerodynamic surfaces comprise at least one flap comprising three or more segments, at least one stabilizer, at least one fixed horizontal surface coupled to at least one stabilizer, and at least one vertical surface coupled to the at least one flap.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the towed airborne vehicle comprises a biplane configuration.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the aerodynamic surfaces comprise an array of vertical surfaces in a multi-plane configuration end-plated by horizontal wings in the biplane configuration, a tail boom, a tail coupled to the tail boom and one of the horizontal wings.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a tow cable operable to be removably coupled to the towing airborne vehicle and operable to engage with a winch cable.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the tow cable comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of:

an in-line load cell operable to detect a tension load on the tow cable, a power line operable to transmit power to the towed airborne vehicle, and a communication link operable to communicate data between the towed airborne vehicle and the towing airborne vehicle.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a controller operable to actively control the aerodynamic surfaces based on and as a function of the desired tracking parameters.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the tracking parameters comprise at least one member selected from the group consisting of:

an orientation of the sensor array, an altitude of the sensor array above the desired path, a control authority, a control bandwidth, handling characteristics to allow proper tracking from a remote operator for mitigating a coupled dynamic interaction effect between the towed airborne vehicle and the towing airborne vehicle, a towed vehicle airspeed, a towed vehicle weight, a tow cable weight, an actuator rate, and a system latency.

15. A method for maneuvering a towed sensor array, the method comprising:

actively maneuvering a towed airborne vehicle comprising a sensor array via a plurality of surfaces coupled thereto; and

controlling the surfaces such that a desired path is tracked based on and as a function of desired tracking parameters.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

coupling the sensor array to the towed airborne vehicle;

pulling the towed airborne vehicle by a tow cable coupled to the towing airborne vehicle;

providing a stable lateral maneuverability via using a direct lift and a side force from the surfaces;

maintaining an orientation of the sensor array and a constant altitude above the desired path;

receiving sensed signals from the desired path at the sensor array; and

sending the sensed signals to the towing airborne vehicle.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the tracking parameters comprise at least one member selected from the group consisting of:

an orientation of the sensor array, an altitude of the sensor array above the desired path, a control authority, a control bandwidth, handling characteristics to allow proper tracking from a remote operator for mitigating a coupled dynamic interaction effect between the towed airborne vehicle and the towing airborne vehicle, a towed vehicle airspeed, a towed vehicle weight, a tow cable weight, an actuator rate, and a system latency.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the towed airborne vehicle comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of:

an X-wing configuration, a box-wing configuration, and a bi-plane configuration.

19. A method for providing a towed airborne vehicle, the method comprising:

providing a towed airborne vehicle operable to be pulled by a towing airborne vehicle and operable to track a desired path;

providing a sensor array coupled to the towed airborne vehicle and operable to receive sensed signals from the desired path; and

providing a plurality of aerodynamic surfaces coupled to the towed airborne vehicle and operable to actively maneuver the towed airborne vehicle such that the desired path is tracked based on and as a function of desired tracking parameters.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the towed airborne vehicle comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of:

an X-wing configuration, a box-wing configuration, and a bi-plane configuration.