High altitude reconnaissance vehicle

• US 7,073,749 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2004
• Issued: 07/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johns Hopkins University
• Original Assignee: Johns Hopkins University
• Inventors: Krill, Jerry A., Roth, Michael W., Riedel, Frederick W., Darrin, Margaret Ann, Feinstein, Matthew R., Neradka, Vincent F., Mason, William T. III, Szczepanowski, Rafal P.
• Primary Examiner(s): BAREFOOT, GALEN L
• Application Number:
  US10/892,911
• Publication Number:
  US 20050151006A1
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 244/2, 244/63, 244 96- 97, 244125-128, 244/5, 455/431, 455/12.1, 89/11.1, 416/84
• US Class Current: 244/2
• CPC Class Codes: B64B 1/02 Non-rigid airships B64B1/58 takes precedence; balloons B64B1/40
• CPC Class Codes: B64B 1/24 Arrangement of propulsion plant B64B1/34 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 11/28 Collapsible or foldable blades
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/24 using steam or spring force jet aircraft B64D27/16
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/353 using solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 5/00 Aircraft transported by aircraft, e.g. for release or reberthing during flight flying units formed by separate aircraft B64C37/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/50 On board measures aiming to increase energy efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

An airship deployment system comprises an airship of unique shape having laminar flow over this shape to enable low power propulsion, capable remote control, comprising an inflatable body; a propeller assembly for station keeping and repositioning said airship and capable of being folded into a compacted position and unfolded into an operational position; and a payload, comprising gas for inflating said inflatable body; and means for transferring data between said airship and a remote location; and a missile for carrying said airship in a compacted state to a predetermined location and altitude, and releasing said airship at said predetermined location and altitude. When said airship is released from said missile said inflatable body is inflated and said propeller assembly is unfolded into said operational position.

Claims

1. A method of deploying an airship having un inflatable body, an airship payload and at least one propeller assembly comprising the steps of:

packaging said airship in a compacted state for high altitude deployment as a missile payload within a missile;

flying said missile to a general area of deployment;

separating said missile payload from said missile at the general area of deployment;

boosting said separated missile payload to a predetermined location and a predetermined altitude;

releasing said airship from said boosted missile payload; and

deploying said airship at said predetermined location and predetermined altitude, wherein said deploying comprises the steps of;

inflating said inflatable body with one of a compressed gas and a chemically generated gas carried in said airship payload at a rate to maintain said predetermined altitude; and

deploying said at least one propeller assembly into an operational position for station keeping and relocating said airship, wherein said at least one propeller assembly is one of a foldable propeller assembly and an inflatable propeller assembly.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said general area of deployment is at a first altitude and said predetermined location and predetermined altitude is at a second altitude higher than said first altitude.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said deploying step further comprises:

initializing a communications system contained in said payload for transferring data between said airship and at least one remote location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said deploying step further comprises:

initializing at least one sensor system contained in said airship payload for collecting data relating to at least one object or condition remote from said airship.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined altitude is greater than an effective altitude range of a conventional surface-to-air missile.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said deployed airship relays radio communications signals.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said deployed airship is capable of collecting data relating to at least one object or condition remote from said platform.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said missile payload is contained in a missile launched from one of a surface, sub-surface, ground-based and airborne launch platform.

9. An airship deployment system comprising:

an airship capable of remote control comprising;

an inflatable body having a shape to achieve laminar flow;

at least one propeller assembly, for station keeping and repositioning said airship, capable of being folded into a compacted position and unfolded into an operational position; and

a payload, comprising;

at least one of a chemically generated and compressed gas for inflating said inflatable body; and

means for transferring data between said airship and at least one remote location;

a missile payload having packaged therein said airship in a deflated and folded state; and

a missile configured to retain and fly said missile payload to a general area of deployment and separate from said missile payload at said area of deployment, whereat said missile payload boosts itself to a predetermined location and predetermined altitude, whereat said missile payload releases said airship,

wherein when said airship is released from said missile payload said inflatable body is inflated and said at least one propeller assembly is unfolded into said operational position.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said inflatable body is made of a material that is ultra-violet cured by exposure to the sun once it is unfolded and inflated.

11. The airship deployment system of claim 9, wherein said payload also comprises at least one remote sensing device for collecting data and information related to at least one object or condition remote from said airship.

12. The airship deployment system of claim 9, wherein said predetermined altitude is greater than or equal to an altitude range of a conventional surface-to-air missile.

13. The airship deployment system of claim 9, further, comprising:

a regenerative power source comprising;

one of a rechargeable battery and a regenerative hydrogen fuel cell power system; and

a solar power system for providing power to regenerate said hydrogen fuel cell power system or to recharge said rechargeable battery.

14. The airship deployment system of claim 13, wherein said solar power system comprises solar panels located on said inflatable body.

15. The airship deployment system of claim 9, wherein said missile is capable of being launched from one of a surface, sub-surface, ground-based and airborne launch platform.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein said missile payload includes a rocket booster for boosting said separated missile payload from said general area of deployment to said predetermined location and predetermined altitude.

17. A high altitude reconnaissance Vehicle (HARVe) having an inflatable body, at least one foldable propeller assembly, and a payload, said payload comprising:

a deployment module for controlling deployment of said HARVe

a flight system module for controlling flight systems of said HARVe;

a power module for providing and regenerating power for said HARVe;

a communications module for providing data networking with another communications equipped HARVe; and

a control unit for providing overall control of said HARVe,

wherein said inflatable body is deflated and said at least one foldable propeller assembly is folded in a missile payload, said HARVe is released at a predetermined location and a predetermined altitude, said inflatable body is inflated, and said at least one foldable propeller assembly is unfolded, and

wherein said inflatable body is made of a material that is ultra-violet cured by exposure to the sun once it is unfolded and inflated.

18. The HARVe of claim 17, wherein said communications module relays radio communication signals.

19. The HARVe of claim 17, wherein said payload further comprises a sensor module for collecting data related to at least one object or condition remote from said HARVe.

20. The HARVe or claim 17, wherein said deployment module controls the inflation of said inflatable body and the unfolding of said at least one foldable propeller assembly.

21. The HARVe of claim 20, wherein said flight system module controls said at least one propeller assembly for station keeping and relocating a deployed HARVe.

22. The HARVe of claim 17, wherein said power module comprises:

a regenerative hydrogen fuel cell system for providing power to the HARVe; and

a solar power system for providing power to recharge said hydrogen fuel cell system.

23. The HARVe of claim 17, wherein said predetermined altitude is at or above 100,000 feet.

24. The HARVe of claim 21, wherein said station keeping occurs at an altitude at or above 100,000 feet.

25. The HARVe of claim 17, wherein said HARVe is configured to be packaged along with a booster rocket in said missile payload for boosting said missile payload.