Generic drone control system

• US 5,240,207 A
• Filed: 08/03/1992
• Issued: 08/31/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Kern, Lynn R., Eiband, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huppert, Michael S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARQUIS, LISSI MOJICA
• Application Number:
  US07/923,867
• Time in Patent Office: 393 Days
• Field of Search: 244/190, 364/424.02, 364/424.04, 434/32, 434/35, 434/38, 434/40, 434/44
• US Class Current: 244/190
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/20 using radiated signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0038 by providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras located onboard the vehicle, e.g. tele-operation images analyzed by a computer and used for automatic navigation G05D1/0246

Abstract

The disclosed invention is a generic Drone Control System or alternatively method to remotely pilot an air vehicle. The present invention essentially comprises a converted aircraft or other air vehicle and a ground station from where the drone is remotely controlled. Also disclosed as part of the Drone Control System are a plurality of means to transfer information and data between the ground station and the drone.

Claims

1. A method for remotely controlling an air vehicle comprising the steps of:

installing a plurality of platforms in a cockpit of the air vehicle proximate control equipment, the control equipment on the air vehicle is adapted for governing the operation of the air vehicle;

attaching a plurality of actuators to the platforms and operatively connected to the control equipment;

constructing a ground station remotely located from the air vehicle, the ground station comprising support equipment similar to the control equipment on the air vehicle, the ground station is further adapted for generating flight command signals corresponding to the displacement and orientation of the support equipment;

installing an actuator control system in the cockpit of the air vehicle and in operative connection with the plurality of actuators;

installing a first video camera in the cockpit such that signals corresponding to video image of the interior of the cockpit are recorded;

installing a second video camera in the cockpit such that signals corresponding to video images of conditions external of the cockpit are recorded;

placing a darkened canopy over the cockpit such that external light is prevented from entering the cockpit;

turning cockpit instrument lighting to maximum intensity to increase the first video camera picture resolution;

generating flight command signals at the ground station from the operation of the support equipment;

repeatedly transferring the flight command signals generated at the ground station to the actuator control system on the air vehicle so that the displacement and orientation of the control equipment on the air vehicle match the displacement and orientation of the support equipment at the ground station; and

repeatedly transfer the video image signals recorded by the first and second cameras to the ground station.

2. The method for remotely controlling an air vehicle of claim 1 wherein the step of repeatedly transferring flight command signals further comprise:

collecting displacement and orientation information of the support equipment at the ground station;

telemetering the collected displacement and orientation information to the actuator control system;

process the telemetered displacement and orientation information with the actuator control system;

operatively engaging the plurality of actuators whereby the displacement and orientation of the control equipment on the air vehicle match the displacement and orientation of the support equipment at the ground station; and

repeating the aforementioned four steps.

3. The method for remotely controlling an air vehicle of claim 1 wherein the step of repeatedly transferring the video image signals recorded by the first and second cameras to the ground station further comprise:

collecting the recorded video image signals from the first and second video cameras on the air vehicle;

telemetering the collected video image signals to the ground station;

processing the telemetered video image signals at the ground station;

displaying the processed video image signals on high resolution screens at the ground station; and

repeating the aforementioned four steps.

4. A drone control system comprising:

an operable air vehicle having a cockpit which houses a plurality of control equipment for governing the operation of the air vehicle;

a darkened canopy covering the cockpit such that external light is prevented from entering the cockpit;

a platform means disposed in the cockpit;

a means for operating the control equipment disposed on the platform means;

a ground station remotely located from the air vehicle, the ground station comprising a plurality of support equipment similar to the plurality of control equipment in the cockpit, the ground station is further adapted for generating

flight command signals corresponding to the displacement and orientation of the plurality of support equipment;

a first video camera disposed on the platform means such that a sinal corresponding to video images of the interior of the cockpit are recorded and transmitted to the ground station;

a second video camera disposed in the air vehicle such that a signal corresponding to video images of conditions external of the cockpit are recorded and transmitted to the ground station;

a means for receiving and displaying the video image signals transmitted from the air vehicle, the means for receiving and displaying disposed in the ground station; and

a means to transfer the flight command signals generated at the ground station to the air vehicle so that the means for operating the control equipment changes the displacement and orientation of the plurality of control equipment on the air vehicle to match the displacement and orientation of the plurality of support equipment at the ground station.

5. The drone control system of claim 4 wherein the means for operating the control equipment further comprises:

a plurality of actuators disposed on the platform means and operatively connected to the plurality of control equipment in the cockpit; and

an actuator control system disposed in the cockpit and operatively connected to the plurality of actuators.

6. The drone control system of claim 5 wherein the plurality of actuators are linear actuators.

7. The drone control system of claim 4 wherein the platform means further comprises a plurality of platforms disposed proximate the plurality of control equipment.