Payload delivery

• US 9,897,417 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2014
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BAE Systems Plc
• Original Assignee: BAE Systems Plc
• Inventors: Tebay, Andrew Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Paige, Tyler D
• Application Number:
  US15/100,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20160356574A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 701 2
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/02 Dropping, ejecting, or releasing articles jettisonable fuel reservoirs B64D37/12
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/87 Mounting of imaging devices, e.g. mounting of gimbals
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/64 for parcel delivery or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• 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 7/007 Preparatory measures taken before the launching of the guided missiles
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 9/002 for guiding a craft to a correct firing position for bombing control F41G9/02
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/106 Change initiated in response to external conditions, e.g. avoidance of elevated terrain or of no-fly zones
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/12 Target-seeking control
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/60 Business processes related to postal services shipping G06Q10/083; franking apparatus G07B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 Control of cameras or camera modules

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for delivering a load on-board an aircraft to a target. The method comprises: acquiring a position of the target; acquiring parameter values relating to aircraft maneuverability; acquiring load properties; acquiring parameter values relating to environmental conditions; using the acquired information, determining a position and a velocity value; performing, by the aircraft, the procedure; and, at a point in the procedure that the aircraft has the determined position and its travelling at a velocity equal to the determined velocity value, releasing the load. The determined position and velocity value are such that, were the aircraft to release the load while having the determined position and velocity, the load would travel to be within a predetermined distance of the target. The procedure is such that the aircraft would have the determined position and velocity at some time-step.

Claims

1. A method for delivering a load to a target, the load being releasably attached to an unmanned aircraft, the method comprising:

acquiring, by one or more processors, a position of the target on the ground, by;

capturing, by a sensor mounted on the aircraft, one or more images of an area of the ground by;

acquiring, by the one or more processors, specification of possible positions and orientations relative to the aircraft to which the sensor may be moved;

acquiring, by the one or more processors, positional information of an area of terrain;

acquiring, by the one or more processors, parameter values relating to the manoeuvrability of the aircraft;

using the acquired specification of the possible positions and orientations of the sensor relative to the aircraft, the acquired specification of the area of terrain, and the acquired parameter values relating to the manoeuvrability of the aircraft, determining, by the one or more processors, an initial procedure to be performed by the aircraft;

performing, by the aircraft, the initial procedure; and

whilst the aircraft performs the initial procedure, capturing, by the sensor, a set of images;

wherein

the initial procedure comprises the aircraft moving with respect to the area of terrain and the sensor moving with respect to the aircraft such that, for each point in the area of terrain, that point is coincident with a footprint of the sensor on the ground for at least some time during the initial procedure; and

capturing the set of images is performed such that, for every point in the area of terrain, that point is present within at least one of the images in the set;

performing, by the one or more processors, a target detection process to detect one or more targets in the captured images; and

using the detected targets in the captured images, determining the position of the target on the ground;

acquiring, by the one or more processors, one or more properties of the load;

acquiring, by the one or more processors, parameter values relating to environmental conditions in which the aircraft is flying;

using the acquired target position, the acquired load properties, and the acquired parameter values relating to the environmental conditions, determining, by the one or more processors, a position for the aircraft and a value of a velocity for the aircraft;

using the determined position and velocity value, determining, by the one or more processors, a procedure for the aircraft;

performing, by the aircraft, the determined procedure; and

at a point in the procedure that the aircraft has the determined position and a velocity equal to the determined velocity value, releasing, by the aircraft, the load;

wherein

the determined position and velocity value are such that, were the aircraft to release the load whilst located at the determined position and travelling at a velocity equal to the determined velocity value, the load would land on the ground within a predetermined distance of the target; and

the determined procedure is such that, were the aircraft to perform that procedure, at least one instance during the procedure, the aircraft would be located at the determined position and be travelling at a velocity equal to the determined velocity value.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the parameter values relating to environmental conditions in which the aircraft is flying include a wind speed and direction with respect to the aircraft.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of acquiring the parameter values relating to environmental conditions in which the aircraft is flying comprises measuring, by a sensor located on the aircraft, the parameter values, the sensor being operatively coupled to the one or more processors.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are located on-board the aircraft.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein

the step of determining the procedure comprises determining a route for the aircraft to follow and determining a velocity profile for the aircraft;

and

the step of the performing, by the aircraft, the procedure comprises the aircraft following the determined route in accordance with the determined velocity profile.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the properties of the load include a drag coefficient of the load in air.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein

the properties of the load include a specification that the load is a steerable or guidable load;

and

the method further comprises, after the load is released from the aircraft, steering or guiding the load towards the target.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the one or more processors are located on-board the aircraft; and

the step of processing the set of images to detect the target and acquire the position of the target on the ground comprises;

for each image in the set, determining, by the one or more processors, a set of properties of that image;

performing, by the one or more processors, a target detection process on the set of images to detect one or more targets within the set of images;

for each detected target, determining, by the one or more processors, a set of properties of that target;

transmitting, by a transmitter on-board the aircraft, for use by an entity remote from the aircraft, the determined image properties;

transmitting, by the transmitter, for use by the entity, the determined target properties;

by the entity, using the received image properties and target properties, identifying a region of interest on the ground;

sending, from the entity to the aircraft, a request for image data relating to the region of interest;

receiving, by a receiver on-board the aircraft, the request;

in response to receiving the request, transmitting, by the transmitter, for use by the entity, the image data relating to the determined region of interest; and

by the entity, using the received image data, selecting a target and sending a specification of the selected target to the aircraft, the specification of the selected target including the position of that target on the ground.

9. A method according to claim 8, the step of capturing the set of images comprises, for each image:

acquiring, by one or more processors, a specification of a region on the ground to be imaged;

measuring, by a position sensor fixedly mounted to a rigid support structure, a position of the position sensor;

measuring, by an orientation sensor fixedly mounted to the rigid support structure, an orientation of the orientation sensor;

using the measured position and orientation and using the acquired region specification, determining, a position and orientation for the sensor, the sensor being mounted to the rigid support structure;

controlling the aircraft and the orientation of the sensor on-board the aircraft such that the sensor has the determined position and orientation, thereby providing that a footprint of the sensor on the ground is coincident with the region on the ground to be imaged; and

when the sensor has the determined position and orientation, capturing, by the sensor, one or more images of the area of the ground within the sensor footprint.

10. Apparatus for delivering a load to a target, the load being releasably attached to an unmanned aircraft, the apparatus comprising:

a sensor mounted on the aircraft configured to capture one or more images of an area of the ground;

one or more processors configured to;

acquire a specification of possible positions and orientations relative to the aircraft to which the sensor may be moved;

acquire positional information of an area of terrain;

acquire parameter values relating to the manoeuvrability of the aircraft;

use the acquired specification of the possible positions and orientations of the sensor relative to the aircraft, the acquired specification of the area of terrain, and the acquired parameter values relating to the manoeuvrability of the aircraft, to determine an initial procedure to be performed by the aircraft; and

capture a set of images by the sensor whilst the aircraft performs the initial procedure;

wherein

in the initial procedure, the aircraft is configured to move with respect to the area of terrain and the sensor is configured to move with respect to the aircraft such that, for each point in the area of terrain, that point is coincident with a footprint of the sensor on the ground for at least some time during the initial procedure; and

for every point in the area of terrain the set of images is captured such that, that point is present within at least one of the images in the set;

the one or more processors being further configured to perform a target detection process to detect one or more targets in the captured images; and

determine the position of the target on the ground using the detected targets in the captured images;

acquire one or more properties of the load;

acquire parameter values relating to environmental conditions in which the aircraft is flying;

using the acquired target position, the acquired load properties, and the acquired parameter values relating to the environmental conditions, determine a position for the aircraft and a value of a velocity for the aircraft; and

using the determined position and velocity value, determine a procedure for the aircraft;

means for controlling the aircraft to perform the determined procedure; and

means for, at a point in the procedure that the aircraft has the determined position and a velocity equal to the determined velocity value, releasing the load from the aircraft;

wherein

the determined position and velocity value are such that, were the aircraft to release the load whilst located at the determined position and travelling at a velocity equal to the determined velocity value, the load would land on the ground within a predetermined distance of the target; and

the determined procedure is such that, were the aircraft to perform that procedure, at least one instance during the procedure, the aircraft would be located at the determined position and travelling at a velocity equal to the determined velocity value.

11. An aircraft comprising apparatus according to claim 10.