INTERCEPT DRONE TASKED TO LOCATION OF LIDAR TRACKED DRONE

• US 20170261604A1
• Filed: 02/27/2017
• Published: 09/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Raytheon BBN Technologies Corp. (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon BBN Technologies Corp. (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Van Voorst, Brian R.
• Application Number:
  US15/443,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20170261604A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• 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 2201/20 Remote controls
• 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: G01S 17/04 Systems determining the presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/66 Tracking systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/87 Combinations of systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/933 of aircraft or spacecraft
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4817 relating to scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/495 Counter-measures or counter-counter-measures using electronic or electro-optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/51 Display arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0016 characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/106 Change initiated in response to external conditions, e.g. avoidance of elevated terrain or of no-fly zones
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/12 Target-seeking control
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 : Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/13 : Satellite images
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/17 : taken from planes or by drones
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/07 : Target detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0026 : located on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 : specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0082 : for monitoring traffic from a ground station radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 : Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

A system includes a long range LIDAR tracking system to track a target drone and provide detection and tracking information of the target drone; a control system to process the detection and tracking information and provide guidance information to intercept the target drone; and a high powered intercept drone controlled by supervised autonomy, the supervised autonomy provided by processing the detection and tracking information of the target drone and sending guidance information to the intercept drone to direct the intercept drone to the target drone.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a long range LIDAR tracking system to track a target drone and provide detection and tracking information of the target drone;

a control system to process the detection and tracking information and provide guidance information to intercept the target drone; and

a high powered intercept drone controlled by supervised autonomy, the supervised autonomy provided by processing the detection and tracking information of the target drone and sending guidance information to the intercept drone to direct the intercept drone to the target drone.

4. The system as recited in claim 1 comprising a plurality of detection sensors arranged to detect an object and cue the presence of the object to the long range LIDAR tracking system.

5. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the long range LIDAR tracking system comprises:

a tracking sensor to track an object; and

a tracker to process the tracking data received from the tracking sensor.

6. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the control system comprises:

a command and control processor to convert the detection and tracking information to GPS coordinates;

a ground control station to determine a proper intercept course for the intercept drone and command the velocity and vector of travel for the intercept drone; and

a drone controller, in response to commands from the ground control station, to provide flight commands to control the intercept drone.

7. The system as recited in claim 6 comprising a tablet with a display, the tablet receiving image data from the ground control station.

8. The system as recited in claim 6 wherein the ground control station can trigger a countermeasure implemented by the intercept drone.

9. The system as recited in claim 6 wherein a human can trigger a countermeasure implemented by the intercept drone.

2. The system as recited in claim 2 wherein the tracking system is surveyed so GPS location is known.

3. The system as recited in claim 2 wherein the guidance information includes GPS coordinates.

10. A method comprising:

tracking a target drone and provide detection and tracking information of the target drone;

processing the detection and tracking information and providing guidance information to intercept the target drone; and

guiding a high powered intercept drone controlled by supervised autonomy, the supervised autonomy provided by processing the detection and tracking information of the target drone and sending guidance information to the intercept drone to direct the intercept drone to the target drone.

11. The method recited in claim 10 comprising surveying a tracking system so GPS location is known.

12. The method recited in claim 10 wherein the guidance information includes GPS coordinates.

13. The method recited in claim 10 wherein processing the detection and tracking information and providing guidance information to intercept the target drone comprises:

converting the detection and tracking information to GPS coordinates;

determining a proper intercept course for the intercept drone and commanding the velocity and vector of travel for the intercept drone; and

providing flight commands to control the intercept drone.

14. The method recited in claim 10 comprising triggering a countermeasure implemented by the intercept drone.

15. A drone detection system comprising:

a long range LIDAR tracking system comprising a plurality of detections sensors to track a target drone and provide detection and tracking information of the target drone;

a command and control processor to translate tracking information of a target drone to GPS coordinates of the target drone;

a ground control station, responsive to the GPS coordinates of the target drone, to provide controls to a drone controller; and

a high powered intercept drone controlled by supervised autonomy, the supervised autonomy provided by the drone controller, in response to the ground control station controls, having sending commands to the intercept drone to direct the intercept drone to the target drone.

16. The drone detection system as recited in claim 15 comprising a display device to display image data received by the display device form the ground control station.

17. The drone detection system as recited in claim 15 wherein the intercept drone comprises an on-board GPS receiver and a radio with an ability to receive waypoints.

18. The drone detection system as recited in claim 15 wherein the tracking system is surveyed so GPS location is known.

19. The drone detection system as recited in claim 15 comprising a plurality of detection sensors arranged to detect an object and cue the presence of the object to the long range LIDAR tracking system.

20. The drone detection system as recited in claim 15 wherein the long range LIDAR tracking system comprises:

a tracking sensor to track an object; and

a tracker to process the tracking data received from the tracking sensor.