SYSTEM AND METHOD OF MANAGING A PROJECTILE MODULE ON A FLYING DEVICE

• US 20200132416A1
• Filed: 10/31/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fortem Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Fortem Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: TOWNSEND, Eric Christopher, ARGYLE, Matthew Elliott, FONG, Norman
• Granted Patent: US 10,859,346 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/04 the articles being explosive, e.g. bombs arming or setting bomb fuzes F42C
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/60 Tethered aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/60 UAVs characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/16 for controlling, capturing or immobilising other vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/08 with means for compensating for speed, direction, temperature, pressure, or humidity of the atmosphere measuring G01
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/22 for vehicle-borne armament, e.g. on aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 5/18 Tracking systems for guns on aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/007 Preparatory measures taken before the launching of the guided missiles

Abstract

A flying vehicle is disclosed with a projectile module or component that contains a projectile for projecting at another flying device. The flying vehicle receives an identification of a target flying device and applies a projectile model which generates a determination that indicates whether a projectile, if fired from the projectile component, the projectile will hit the target flying device. The projectile model taking into account one or more of a wind modeling in an area around the flying vehicle based on an inference of wind due to a tilt of the flying vehicle, a projected path of the target device based on its identification and a drag on the projectile as it deploys from the projectile component. When the determination indicates that the projectile will hit the targeted device according to a threshold value, the flying vehicle fires the projectile at the targeted flying device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a flying vehicle, information associated with a target flying device, wherein the flying vehicle comprises a projectile module containing a projectile;

applying a projectile model which generates a probability value that the projectile, if fired from the projectile module, will hit the target flying device, the projectile model taking into account a wind modeling in an area around the flying vehicle based on an inference of wind due to a tilt of the flying vehicle, the wind modeling also considering one or more (1) how the projectile travels through air in which the air has a particular air density, (2) how the projectile travels through the air at a projectile deployment velocity, (3) a drag on the projectile as it travels through the air and (4) a drag on weights attached to corners of the projectile; and

when the probability value indicates that the projectile will hit the targeted device according to a threshold, firing the projectile at the target flying device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the projectile comprises one or more of a net, a streamer, a pellet, a bean bag, a weighted net having a weight attached to each corner, or an explosive.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the projectile module comprises one or more characteristics comprising:

(1) being attached to the flying vehicle in a fixed position, (2) having a protective cover that is broken upon deploying the projectile, (3) containing two or more projectiles, and (4) having containers that store weights attached to the projectile.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the projectile module is attached to the flying vehicle and comprises an adjustment component that enables the projectile module to change its orientation independent of a position of the flying.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a control module adjusts an orientation of the projectile module.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the projectile model further considers one or more of a flying vehicle position, a flying vehicle pitch, a flying vehicle yaw, a flying vehicle velocity, a target flying device manufactured specification, a target flying device current position, a target flying device velocity, a geographically defined safe area, known flying capabilities of the target flying device and a wind velocity.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the projectile module further considers two or more of the flying vehicle position, the flying vehicle pitch, the flying vehicle yaw, the flying vehicle velocity, the target flying device manufactured specification, the target flying device current position, the target flying device velocity, the geographically defined safe area, the known flying capabilities of the target flying device and the wind velocity.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein applying a projectile model is performed based on an orientation of the flying vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

applying the projectile model to generate a new orientation of the flying vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

adjusting the orientation of the flying vehicle to the new orientation of the flying vehicle before firing the projectile from the projectile module.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising reapplying the projectile model after adjusting the orientation of the flying vehicle.

12. A method comprising:

receiving, at a flying vehicle, an identification of a target flying device, wherein the flying vehicle comprises a projectile module containing a projectile;

applying a projectile model which generates a determination which indicates whether, if fired from the projectile module, the projectile will hit the target flying device, the projectile model taking into account a wind modeling in an area around the flying vehicle based on an inference of wind due to a tilt of the flying vehicle; and

when the determination indicates that the projectile will hit the targeted device according to a threshold value, firing the projectile from the projectile module at the targeted flying device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the flying vehicle has a first orientation, wherein the method further comprises:

when the determination does not meet the threshold value at the first orientation, identifying a new orientation of the flying vehicle at which the determination would meet the threshold value;

reorienting the flying vehicle at the new orientation; and

firing the projectile from the projectile module on the flying vehicle at the new orientation.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

rerunning the projectile model at the new orientation to yield a new determination; and

when the new determination indicates that the projectile will hit the target flying vehicle within a second threshold value, firing the projectile from the projectile module.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the threshold value is one of the same as or different from the second threshold value.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the projectile model takes into account one or more of (1) how the projectile travels through air in which the air has a particular air density, (2) how the projectile travels through the air at a projectile deployment velocity and (3) a drag on the projectile as it travels through the air to yield the determination.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the projectile model further takes into account one or more of a projected path of the target flying vehicle and known navigation capabilities of the target flying vehicle.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the projectile comprises one or more of a net or a weighted net having a respective weight attached to each corner of the net, and wherein the projectile model comprises a model of drag associated with a net deployment expansion relative to wind.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the projectile model applies net model parameters comprising how fast the projectile exits the projectile module upon firing, an air density, and an amount of drag on the projectile.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising adjusting an orientation of one of the flying vehicle or the projectile module to a new orientation to meet the threshold value before firing the projectile.

21. A flying vehicle comprising:

a processor;

a projectile component; and

a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving an identification of a target flying device;

applying a projectile model which generates a determination which indicates whether a projectile, if fired from the projectile component, the projectile will hit the target flying device, the projectile model taking into account one or more of a wind modeling in an area around the flying vehicle based on an inference of wind due to a tilt of the flying vehicle and a projected movement of the target flying device based on the identification of the target flying device; and

when the determination indicates that the projectile will hit the targeted device according to a threshold value, firing the projectile at the targeted flying device.