Small unmanned air vehicle system for deploying and towing a sensor in a tow medium and methods related thereto

• US 7,673,831 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2006
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Goodemote, John H., Erickson, David J., Steele, Daniel W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Collins; Timothy D
• Application Number:
  US11/422,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20090224099A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,370 Days
• Field of Search: 244/1.TD
• US Class Current: 244/1.0TD
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 3/02 for towing targets
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/60 Tethered aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/365 Projectiles transmitting information to a remote location using optical or electronic means F42B12/385 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 15/08 for carrying measuring instruments; Arrangements for mounting sensitive cargo within a projectileadaptations for meteorology G01W1/08; Arrangements for acoustic sensitive cargo within a projectile

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention are directed to an unmanned air vehicle (UAV) system and a small unmanned air vehicle (SUAV) system for deploying and towing a sensor in a tow medium, and to methods related thereto. A UAV-sensor towing package comprises a fixed-wing UAV including a control and signal processing platform, a long range data RF link operably connected to the control and signal processing platform, a UAV wireless data link operably connected to the control and signal processing platform, and a tow body deployment system operably connected to the control and signal processing platform; a tow line attached at an end thereof to the UAV; a tow body attached to another end of the tow line; and a communications link including a transmitter/receiver component coupled to the tow line, and a T/R wireless data transmission link (194) operably connected with the transmitter/receiver component and the UAV wireless data link.

Claims

1. A UAV-sensor towing package, comprising:

a fixed-wing UAV including a control and signal processing platform, a long range data RF link operably connected to the control and signal processing platform, a UAV wireless data link operably connected to the control and signal processing platform, and a tow body deployment system operably connected to the control and signal processing platform;

a tow line attached at an end thereof to the UAV;

a tow body attached to another end of the tow line; and

a communications link including a transmitter/receiver component coupled to the tow line, and a transmitter/receiver wireless data transmission link (194) operably connected with the transmitter/receiver component and the UAV wireless data link.

2. The UAV package of claim 1, wherein the communications link further includes a physical data transmission medium (196) operably connected at one end thereof to the transmitter/receiver component and at the other end thereof to the tow body.

3. The UAV package of claim 1, wherein the tow line is a composite tow line including a first tow line portion having a first length and a first tow line elasticity characteristic, and a second tow line portion having a second length and a second tow line elasticity characteristic that are different than the first tow line length and elasticity characteristic.

4. The UAV package of claim 3, wherein the first tow line length is greater than the second tow line length, further wherein the tow line elasticity characteristic is expressed as elongation as a function of tension, and the first tow line elasticity characteristic is less than the second tow line elasticity characteristic.

5. The UAV package of claim 1, wherein the tow body is a SONAR based sensor for use in an underwater tow medium.

6. The UAV package of claim 1, wherein the tow body is controllably releasable from the tow line.

7. The UAV package of claim 1, wherein the tow body is controllably navigable in an underwater tow medium.

8. The UAV package of claim 1, wherein the tow body is a CBRN-based sensor for use in an atmospheric tow medium.

9. The UAV package of claim 1, wherein the UAV is an SUAV.