SYSTEMS AND METHODS COUNTERING AN UNMANNED AIR VEHICLE

• US 20160023760A1
• Filed: 07/16/2015
• Published: 01/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Insitu Incorporated (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: Insitu Incorporated (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: Goodrich, Wayne
• Granted Patent: US 10,399,674 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 11/48 Units of two or more coaxial propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 5/06 Fins B64C5/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/15 for conventional or electronic warfare
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/14 ducted or shrouded
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/02 Anti-aircraft or anti-guided missile or anti-torpedo defence installations or systems cartridges or missiles for producing smoke or for dispensing radar chaff or infrared material F42B5/15, F42B12/48, F42B12/70; informative reference: details of radar or sonar systems G01S7/00; jamming or electronic countermeasures G01S7/38, G01S7/495, H04K3/00
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/0006 Ballistically deployed systems for restraining persons or animals, e.g. ballistically deployed nets
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/12 Target-seeking control

Abstract

Systems and methods for countering an unmanned air vehicle are disclosed. Representative methods include directing an interceptor UAV toward a target UAV, and directing the interceptor UAV back to ground along a controlled flight path, for example, in response to an instruction not to engage with the target UAV, and/or in response to an unsuccessful engagement. Another representative method includes disabling the target UAV by deploying a disabling element (e.g., a net) from the interceptor UAV to contact the target UAV. Representative systems include a target acquisition system, a launch control system, and an engagement system carried by the interceptor UAV. In particular embodiments, the interceptor UAV can have a generally cylindrical fuselage, one or more fins carried by the fuselage, counter-rotating propellers carried by the fuselage, and a disabling system that is configured to disable the target UAV.

Claims

1. An interceptor UAV for disabling a target UAV, the interceptor UAV comprising:

a flight vehicle having;

a generally cylindrical fuselage;

a fin carried by the fuselage;

a propulsion system that includes;

a first propeller;

a second propeller; and

a power source coupled to the first and second propellers to rotate the first propeller in a first direction and rotate the second propeller in a second direction opposite the first direction;

at least one control surface;

a guidance system carried by the flight vehicle and coupled to the at least one control surface; and

a disabling system carried by the flight vehicle and having a first, inactive mode and a second, active mode, wherein in the second mode, the disabling system is positioned to disable the target UAV.

2. The interceptor UAV of claim 1 wherein the guidance system is configured to direct the vehicle along a controlled flight path to ground.

3. The interceptor UAV of claim 1 wherein the guidance system is configured to direct the vehicle along a controlled flight path to ground upon receiving at least one of the following indications:

(a) an indication to not engage with the target UAV;

or

(b) an indication that the interceptor UAV did not sufficiently disable the target UAV.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the fin is one of four fins arranged in a cruciform shape.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the fin is one of three fins.

6. An interceptor UAV for disabling a target UAV, the interceptor UAV comprising:

a flight vehicle having;

a cylindrical fuselage elongated along a fuselage axis;

four fins carried by the fuselage and arranged in a cruciform, each fin having a fin slot extending from the fuselage in an outboard direction transverse to the fuselage axis;

a propulsion system that includes;

a first propeller carried by the fuselage and rotatable about the fuselage axis in a first direction to sequentially pass in and out of successive fin slots;

a second propeller carried by the fuselage and rotatable about the fuselage axis in a second direction opposite the first direction to sequentially pass in and out of the successive fin slots;

a power source carried by the fuselage, the power source including a first electric motor coupled to the first propeller to rotate the first propeller in the first direction, and a second electric motor coupled to the second propeller to rotate the second propeller in the second direction; and

a stored electrical energy source coupled to the first and second electric motors;

at least one control surface carried by at least one of the fins;

a guidance system coupled to the at least one control surface; and

a deployable net carried by the flight vehicle and having a first, inactive mode and a second, active mode, wherein in the second mode, the deployable net is deployed from the flight vehicle to disable the target UAV.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the net is configured to detach from the interceptor UAV after deploying.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the net is configured to remain attached to the interceptor UAV after deploying.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein the stored energy source includes a single source for both the first and second motors.

10. The system of claim 6 wherein the stored energy source includes a first source for the first motor and a second source for the second motor.

11. An interceptor UAV system for disabling a target UAV, the system comprising:

an interceptor UAV;

a target acquisition system directable to an airspace to detect, track, or detect and track an incoming target UAV;

a launch control system coupleable to the target acquisition system, the launch control system including instructions that, when executed, automatically direct the interceptor UAV to launch; and

an engagement system carried by the interceptor UAV and in communication with the target acquisition system, the engagement system being programmed with instructions that, when executed,

(a) direct the interceptor UAV to the target UAV; and

(b) direct the interceptor UAV to land if the interceptor UAV does not successfully disable the target UAV.

12. The interceptor UAV system of claim 11, further comprising a disablement system carried by the interceptor UAV and being activatable to disable the target UAV.

13. The interceptor UAV system of claim 12 wherein the disablement system includes a deployable net.

14. The interceptor UAV system of claim 11 wherein the interceptor UAV includes:

a generally cylindrical fuselage;

a fin carried by the fuselage; and

a propulsion system that includes;

a first propeller;

a second propeller; and

a power source coupled to the first and second propellers to rotate the first propeller in a first direction and rotate the second propeller in a second direction opposite the first.

15. An interceptor UAV system for disabling a target UAV, the system comprising:

an interceptor UAV;

a radar scanner directable to an airspace to detect an incoming target UAV;

a ground-based targeting radar system coupleable to the scanner to

(a) receive a location and track of the target UAV; and

(b) determine an interception track for the interceptor UAV;

a launch control system coupled to the targeting radar system, the launch control system including instructions that, when executed, automatically direct the interceptor UAV to launch;

a ground-based optics system coupleable to the ground-based targeting radar system to acquire a first image of the target UAV;

an interceptor optics system carried by the interceptor UAV and positionable to acquire a second image of the target UAV;

an engagement system carried by the interceptor UAV and programmed to direct at least one of;

an engagement flight path;

or

a non-engagement flight path, wherein the non-engagement path includes a return controlled flight path to ground; and

a disabling system carried by the interceptor and deployable to disable the target UAV.

16. The interceptor UAV system of claim 15 wherein the engagement system is programmed to automatically direct the engagement flight path or the non-engagement flight path based on a comparison of the first and second optical images.

17. The interceptor UAV system of claim 15 wherein the interceptor UAV is a first interceptor UAV and wherein the launch control system includes instructions that, when executed, automatically direct a second interceptor UAV to launch before the first interceptor UAV disables the target UAV.

18. A UAV system for use with an interceptor UAV, comprising:

an engagement system programmed with instructions that, when executed;

(a) direct the interceptor UAV to a target UAV; and

(b) direct the interceptor UAV to land if the interceptor UAV does not successfully disable the target UAV.

19. The UAV system of claim 18 wherein the engagement system is programmed with instructions that, when executed, direct the interceptor UAV to disable the target UAV.

20. The UAV system of claim 18 wherein the engagement system is programmed with instructions that, when executed, direct the interceptor UAV to disable the target UAV by striking the UAV.

21. The UAV system of claim 18 wherein the engagement system is programmed with instructions that, when executed, direct the interceptor UAV to land if the target UAV has already been disabled by another interceptor UAV.

22. The UAV system of claim 18 wherein the engagement system is programmed with instructions that, when executed, direct the interceptor UAV to land after the target UAV has been disabled by the interceptor UAV.

23. A method for disabling a target UAV, comprising:

directing an interceptor UAV toward the target UAV; and

disabling the target UAV by deploying a disabling element from the interceptor UAV to contact the target UAV.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the disabling element includes a net.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

detaching the net from the interceptor UAV; and

directing the interceptor UAV to land.

26. A method for disabling a target UAV, comprising:

directing an interceptor UAV toward the target UAV; and

directing the interceptor UAV back to ground along a controlled flight path.

27. The method of example 26 wherein directing the interceptor UAV back to ground is performed in response to an instruction not to engage with the target UAV.

28. The method of example 26 wherein directing the interceptor UAV back to ground is performed in response to an unsuccessful attempt by the interceptor UAV to engage with the target UAV.

29. The method of example 26 wherein directing the interceptor UAV back to ground is performed in response to successfully deploying a disabling element to disable the target UAV.

30. A method for disabling a target UAV, comprising:

detecting an incoming target UAV;

directing an interceptor UAV to launch vertically and fly toward the target UAV;

in response to a decision not to engage with the target UAV, directing the interceptor UAV along a controlled flight path to the ground; and

in response to a decision to engage with the target UAV;

(a) continue tracking the target UAV from the interceptor UAV; and

(b) when the target UAV is within a target range of the interceptor UAV, deploying a net from the interceptor UAV to contact the target UAV.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

comparing a ground-based first image of the target UAV with an interceptor UAV-based second image of the target UAV; and

based at least on a comparison of the first and second images, determine whether or not to engage with the target UAV.

32. The method of example 30 wherein deploying a net includes directing weights at an outer region of the net to move in an outward direction.

33. The method of example 30, further comprising maintaining a connection between the net and the interceptor UAV after the net has entangled the target UAV.

34. The method of example 30, further comprising:

identifying that deploying the net has not disabled the target UAV; and

directing the interceptor UAV along a controlled flight path to the ground.