HUMAN INDICATION OF TARGET DRONE FOR INTERCEPTION

• US 20180364741A1
• Filed: 02/27/2017
• Published: 12/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Raytheon BBN Technlogies Corp. (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon BBN Technlogies Corp. (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Van Voorst, Brian R.
• Application Number:
  US15/443,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20180364741A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• 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: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• 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 for tracking a drone includes a device where a human designates a drone as a target drone and a second autonomous intercept drone having an on-board sensor to track the target drone and self pilots to the location of the target drone

Claims

1. A system for tracking a drone comprising:

a device to designate a drone as a target drone;

a second autonomous intercept drone having an on-board sensor to track the target drone and self pilots to the location of the target drone; and

a payload disposed with the intercept drone capable to disable the target drone.

2. The system for tracking a drone as recited in claim 1 wherein the device comprises a laser pointer device where a human designates a target drone by illuminating the target drone with a laser.

3. The system for tracking a drone as recited in claim 1 wherein the device comprises a tablet displaying an image of the target drone where a human designates a target drone by selecting the target drone on the tablet.

4. The system for tracking a drone as recited in claim 1 comprising a tablet displaying an image of a target drone as seen from the intercept drone where a human can confirm the target drone by selecting the target drone on the tablet.

5. The system for tracking a drone as recited in claim 1 comprising a tablet with a GPS receiver where a human can determine the approximate GPS coordinate of a target drone and communicate the GPS coordinate to the second autonomous intercept drone.

6. The system for tracking a drone as recited in claim 5 wherein the tablet is capable of displaying an image of a target drone as seen from the intercept drone where a human can confirm the target drone by selecting the target drone on the tablet.

7. The system for tracking a drone as recited in claim 6 wherein the intercept drone communicates with the tablet to provide feedback during a flight to the target drone.

8. The system for tracking a drone as recited in claim 1 wherein the intercept drone is provided a predetermined path with waypoints to self pilot to the location of the target drone.

9. The system for tracking a drone as recited in claim 1 wherein the intercept drone follows the motion of the target drone to update destination coordinates using the onboard sensors.

10. A method for tracking a drone comprising:

designating a drone as a target drone;

confirming the designation of the drone as a target drone;

initializing a second autonomous intercept drone to track the target drone;

deploying the second autonomous intercept drone having an on-board sensor to track the target drone and self pilots to the current location of the target drone as the target drone changes position;

providing a payload disposed with the intercept drone capable to disable the target drone; and

monitoring progress of the target drone and the intercept drone on a tablet where an operator can abort an intercept when needed.

11. The method for tracking a drone as recited in claim 10 wherein designating a drone as a target drone comprises pointing a laser pointer device where a human designates a target drone by illuminating the target drone with a laser.

12. The method for tracking a drone as recited in claim 10 wherein designating a drone as a target drone comprises displaying an image of the target drone on a tablet where a human designates a target drone by selecting the target drone on the tablet.

13. The method for tracking a drone as recited in claim 10 comprising displaying an image of a target drone on a tablet as seen from the intercept drone where a human can confirm the target drone by selecting the target drone on the tablet.

14. The method for tracking a drone as recited in claim 10 comprising determining an approximate GPS coordinate of a target drone using a tablet with a GPS receiver and communicating the GPS coordinate to the second autonomous intercept drone.

15. The method for tracking a drone as recited in claim 14 comprising displaying an image of a target drone as seen from the intercept drone on the tablet where a human can confirm the target drone by selecting the target drone on the tablet.

16. The method for tracking a drone as recited in claim 15 comprising communicating with the tablet to provide feedback by the intercept drone during a flight to the target drone.

17. The method for tracking a drone as recited in claim 10 comprising providing a predetermined path with waypoints to the intercept drone to self pilot to the location of the target drone.

18. The method for tracking a drone as recited in claim 10 wherein the intercept drone follows the motion of the target drone to update destination coordinates.

19. A system for tracking a drone comprising:

a device where a human designates a drone as a target drone; and

a second autonomous intercept drone having an on-board sensor to track the target drone and self pilots to the location of the target drone.

20. The system for tracking a drone as recited in claim 19 wherein the device comprises a tablet displaying an image of the target drone where a human designates a target drone by selecting the target drone on the tablet.