Multi-stage detection of buried IEDs
First Claim
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1. A system comprising:
- a multi-propeller aircraft having a plurality of wing unit propellers for vertical takeoff and landing;
a housing that houses a main propeller and the wing unit propellers, the housing having a diameter of approximately 1.5 feet to 3 feet;
an ultra-wideband (UWB) radar imaging system housed in the housing;
an optical camera within the housing;
a control system, housed in the housing, for controlling flight of the multi-propeller aircraft from a remote location;
a microwave transmitter configured to heat water within or on one or more ground surfaces;
an infrared camera for detecting a heat signature of a ground surface in response to the heating from the microwave transmitter; and
a telemetry system, housed in the housing, for providing information from the ultra-wideband (UWB) radar imaging system and the optical camera to the remote location, wherein the system is configured tofirst interrogate a ground surface with the optical camera to locate disturbed ground surfaces and with the microwave transmitter and the infrared camera to locate a disturbed ground surface by detecting a thermal profile of the disturbed ground in response to the heating from the microwave transmitter based on the disturbed ground having a different dewpoint and thus a correspondingly different thermal profile from undisturbed ground andto subsequently interrogate the disturbed ground surface with the UWB radar imaging system, wherein the system is further configured to;
scan, from the aircraft, a general area of interest using a first UWB radar system operating at a first center frequency;
perform a coarse analysis using data provided by the first radar system to isolate a target of interest from clutter;
display imaging of the target of interest on a display at the remote location;
remotely direct the aircraft to scan the target of interest using a second ultra-wideband (UWB) radar system operating at a second center frequency that is higher than the first center frequency;
perform a fine analysis using narrow beam data provided by the second radar system; and
display imaging of the results of the fine analysis on the display at the remote location.
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Abstract
A surveillance system includes a multi-propeller aircraft having a main propeller and a plurality of wing unit propellers; a housing that houses the main propeller and the wing unit propellers; an optical video camera; an ultra-wideband (UWB) radar imaging system; a control system for controlling flight of the multi-propeller aircraft from a remote location; and a telemetry system for providing information from the optical camera and the ultra-wideband (UWB) radar imaging system to a remote location.
58 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a multi-propeller aircraft having a plurality of wing unit propellers for vertical takeoff and landing; a housing that houses a main propeller and the wing unit propellers, the housing having a diameter of approximately 1.5 feet to 3 feet; an ultra-wideband (UWB) radar imaging system housed in the housing; an optical camera within the housing; a control system, housed in the housing, for controlling flight of the multi-propeller aircraft from a remote location; a microwave transmitter configured to heat water within or on one or more ground surfaces; an infrared camera for detecting a heat signature of a ground surface in response to the heating from the microwave transmitter; and a telemetry system, housed in the housing, for providing information from the ultra-wideband (UWB) radar imaging system and the optical camera to the remote location, wherein the system is configured to first interrogate a ground surface with the optical camera to locate disturbed ground surfaces and with the microwave transmitter and the infrared camera to locate a disturbed ground surface by detecting a thermal profile of the disturbed ground in response to the heating from the microwave transmitter based on the disturbed ground having a different dewpoint and thus a correspondingly different thermal profile from undisturbed ground and to subsequently interrogate the disturbed ground surface with the UWB radar imaging system, wherein the system is further configured to; scan, from the aircraft, a general area of interest using a first UWB radar system operating at a first center frequency; perform a coarse analysis using data provided by the first radar system to isolate a target of interest from clutter; display imaging of the target of interest on a display at the remote location; remotely direct the aircraft to scan the target of interest using a second ultra-wideband (UWB) radar system operating at a second center frequency that is higher than the first center frequency; perform a fine analysis using narrow beam data provided by the second radar system; and display imaging of the results of the fine analysis on the display at the remote location. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4)
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2. The system of clam 1, wherein the multi-propeller aircraft further includes an explosive discoloration agent spray system to spray the interrogated disturbed ground surface with explosive discoloration agent to authenticate the presence of buried IEDs.
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5. A method comprising:
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remotely controlling flight of an aircraft using a plurality of wing unit propellers for vertical take off and landing; operating an optical video camera mounted on the aircraft to detect the presence of disturbed ground patches; operating a microwave transmitter configured to heat water within or on one or more ground patches; operating an infrared camera for detecting a heat signature of at least one of the ground patches in response to the heating from the microwave transmitter to locate a disturbed ground patch having a different dewpoint and thus a correspondingly different thermal profile from undisturbed ground in response to the heating from the microwave transmitter; operating an ultra-wideband (UWB) radar imaging system from the aircraft to image the disturbed ground patches for the presence of buried improvised explosive devices (IEDs) from a height of approximately 1 to 5feet from the disturbed ground patches; scanning, from the aircraft, a general area of interest using a first UWB radar system operating at a first center frequency; performing a coarse analysis using data provided by the first radar system to isolate a target of interest from clutter; transmitting information from the UWB radar imaging system to a display at a location remote from the aircraft; displaying imaging of the target of interest on the display at the location remote from the aircraft; remotely directing the aircraft to scan the target using a second ultra-wideband (UWB) radar system operating at a second center frequency that is higher than the first center frequency; performing a fine analysis using narrow beam data provided by the second radar system; and displaying imaging of the results of the fine analysis on the display at the location remote from the aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A method comprising:
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remotely controlling flight of an aircraft using a plurality of wing unit propellers for vertical take off and landing; operating an optical video camera mounted on the aircraft to detect the presence of disturbed ground patches; operating an ultra-wideband (UWB) radar imaging system from the aircraft to image the disturbed ground patches for the presence of buried improvised explosive devices (IEDs) from a height of approximately 1to 5feet from the disturbed ground patches; transmitting information from the UWB radar imaging system to a display at a location remote from the aircraft; from the aircraft, exciting a disturbed surface of at least one of the disturbed ground patches with a microwave transmitter configured to heat water within the disturbed surface, wherein the optical video camera comprises an infrared camera configured to detect a heat signature of the excited disturbed surface having a different dewpoint and thus a correspondingly different heat signature from undisturbed ground in response to the heating from the microwave transmitter; scanning, from the aircraft, a general area of interest using a first UWB radar system operating at a first center frequency; performing a coarse analysis using data provided by the first radar system to isolate a target of interest from clutter; displaying imaging of the target of interest on the display at the location remote from the aircraft; remotely directing the aircraft to scan the target using a second ultra-wideband (UWB) radar system operating at a second center frequency that is higher than the first center frequency; performing a fine analysis using narrow beam data provided by the second radar system; and displaying imaging of the results of the fine analysis on the display at the location remote from the aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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Specification