Unmanned air vehicle transmission line docking surveillance

• US 7,543,780 B1
• Filed: 01/13/2006
• Issued: 06/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force
• Original Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force
• Inventors: Williams, Robert, Marshall, Patrick T., Abner, Douglas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mansen; Michael R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Michener; Joshua J
• Application Number:
  US11/344,631
• Time in Patent Office: 1,243 Days
• Field of Search: 244/175, 244/183, 244/190, 244/194, 244/195, 244/110.C, 244/110.E, 244/110.F, 244/110.R, 244/110.G, 244 53 R- 53 B, 244/1.R, 244/100.R, 701/3, 701/200, 701/207, 701/11, 320/108, 320/109, 191/10
• US Class Current: 244/194
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/10 Air crafts
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/31 for surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/13 using external fans or propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/37 Charging when not in flight
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling

Abstract

A small unmanned air vehicle system having autonomous electrical energy transmission line docking capability and especially usable in military or other surveillance situations. Transmission line field sensing by the small unmanned air vehicle is used as an addition to global position system and other navigation methods and is especially applied to vehicle docking maneuvers. A plurality of vehicle carried electromagnetic fields-responsive sensors provides transmission line based signals to the vehicle guidance system in both far field and near field environments. Surveillance sensors are included in the vehicle payload. Vehicle battery charging energy procurement from the transmission line docking is included. Related commonly assigned patent documents are identified.

Claims

1. A small unmanned air vehicle electrical transmission line docking surveillance apparatus comprising the combination of:

a small unmanned air vehicle having a combination closable magnetic circuit and docking support magnetic field energy responsive element received therein;

a plurality of electric and magnetic field sensing elements disposed on dispersed external physical portions of said small unmanned air vehicle;

a small unmanned air vehicle flight control apparatus having an electrical signal input port and a plurality of said small unmanned air vehicle flight surface connected mechanical output signals;

small unmanned air vehicle electrical propulsion apparatus having an electrical energy input port and an electrical control signal input port;

a rechargeable electrical battery received within said small unmanned air vehicle and selectively connected with said closable magnetic circuit, said flight surface control apparatus, and said electrical propulsion apparatus; and

a programmable electronic computer apparatus energized by said rechargeable electrical battery and having electrical output signals controlling said closable magnetic circuit, said flight surface control apparatus, and said electrical propulsion apparatus;

said programmable electronic computer apparatus including a transmission line catenary shape detection algorithm responsive to signals generated in said electric and magnetic field sensing elements and an unmanned air vehicle guidance algorithm responsive to said vehicle approaching a selected docking location along a vehicle encountered transmission line catenary curve; and

said small unmanned air vehicle is configured to dock and recharge while docked on a transmission line.

2. The small unmanned air vehicle electrical transmission line docking surveillance apparatus of claim 1 wherein said programmable electronic computer apparatus also includes a far field navigation algorithm responsive to guidance signals received from a distant electrical transmission line.

3. The small unmanned air vehicle electrical transmission line docking surveillance apparatus of claim 1 wherein said catenary shape detection algorithm selected docking location is an aircraft safety considered catenary center location intermediate transmission line supports.

4. The small unmanned air vehicle electrical transmission line docking surveillance apparatus of claim 1 wherein said plurality of electric and magnetic field sensing elements include sensing elements located on wing segment segregated salient portions of said vehicle.

5. The small unmanned air vehicle electrical transmission line docking surveillance apparatus of claim 1 wherein said plurality of electric and magnetic field sensing elements include Hall effect magnetic sensors.

6. The small unmanned air vehicle electrical transmission line docking surveillance apparatus of claim 1 wherein said programmable electronic computer apparatus includes a programmable aircraft autopilot algorithm.

7. A method of collecting surveillance information from an improved geographic area, said method comprising the steps of:

guiding an electrically propelled small unmanned air vehicle along a selected flight course in said improved geographic area with aid of electric and magnetic field signals emitted by a ground-based electrical transmission line located in said geographic area;

electromagnetic field signal sensing by electric and magnetic field responding transducer elements disposed on selected portions of said air vehicle and sensed signal processing in a digital computer disposed within said small unmanned air vehicle enabling said guiding step;

said guiding step also including converting received transmission line electric and magnetic field electromagnetic signals into aircraft control surface moving signals using an algorithm disposed within said digital computer located in said small unmanned air vehicle;

said digital computer algorithm including a transmission line conductor catenary curve responding portion having a selected catenary curve segment identifying portion therein;

controlling said small unmanned air vehicle in speed, altitude, attitude and course of travel into a state of captivity suspended engaging with a selected catenary curve segment of a selected conductor of said transmission line using instructions retained within said digital computer;

transferring magnetic induction received electrical energy from said transmission line conductor into charging of an electrical propulsion battery located within said small unmanned air vehicle during said state of captive suspended engaging with said selected catenary curve segment of said selected transmission line conductor;

gathering surveillance information relating to said improved geographic area into said small unmanned air vehicle preceding and during said state of captive suspended engaging with said selected catenary curve segment of said selected transmission line conductor;

communicating said surveillance information to a remote location of information using; and

disengaging said small unmanned air vehicle from said transmission line conductor upon command from said remote location of information using.

8. The method of collecting surveillance information from an improved geographic area of claim 7 wherein said step of guiding said air vehicle along a selected flight course includes guiding said vehicle along said ground-based electrical transmission line.

9. The method of collecting surveillance information from an improved geographic area of claim 7 wherein said step of guiding said air vehicle along a selected flight course includes guiding said vehicle along a path oblique to said ground-based electrical transmission line.

10. The method of collecting surveillance information from an improved geographic area of claim 7 wherein said step of guiding said air vehicle along a selected flight course includes guiding said vehicle along a path oblique to a spaced plurality of said ground-based electrical transmission lines.

11. The method of collecting surveillance information from an improved geographic area of claim 7 wherein said selected catenary curve segment comprises an aircraft safe, tower removed catenary central portion.

12. The method of collecting surveillance information from an improved geographic area of claim 7 wherein said step of communicating said surveillance information to a remote location of information using includes communicating by way of a radio frequency communicating link.

13. The method of collecting surveillance information from an improved geographic area of claim 7 wherein said improved geographic area includes a plurality of differing man-made objects.

14. The method of collecting surveillance information from an improved geographic area of claim 7 wherein said step of controlling said small unmanned air vehicle in speed, altitude, attitude and course of travel into a state of captivity suspended engaging with a selected catenary curve segment of a selected conductor of said transmission line includes verifying a suitable level of current flow in said selected conductor.

15. The method of collecting surveillance information from an improved geographic area of claim 7 wherein said step of disengaging said small unmanned air vehicle from said transmission line conductor is also responsive to a signal generated within said air vehicle.

16. The method of collecting surveillance information from an improved geographic area of claim 7 wherein said step of guiding an electrically propelled small unmanned air vehicle along a selected flight course includes use of global position system signals.

17. A method of docking an electrical small unmanned air vehicle on an electrical transmission line conductor comprising the steps of:

guiding said small unmanned air vehicle along a selected flight course with aid of electric and magnetic field signals emitted by a ground-based electrical transmission line, sensed by electric and magnetic field responsive transducer elements disposed on selected portions of said air vehicle and processed in a digital computer disposed within said small unmanned air vehicle;

said guiding step including converting received transmission line electric and magnetic field signals into aircraft control changing surface moving signals using an algorithm disposed within said digital computer located in said small unmanned air vehicle;

said digital computer algorithm including a transmission line conductor catenary curve responsive portion having a selected catenary curve segment locating portion therein;

controlling said small unmanned air vehicle in speed, altitude, attitude and course of travel into a state of captive suspended engagement with a selected catenary curve segment of a selected conductor of said transmission line using docking instructions received within said digital computer; and

transferring magnetic induction received electrical energy from said transmission line conductor into charging of an electrical energization battery located within said small unmanned air vehicle during said state of captive suspended engagement with said selected catenary curve segment of said selected transmission line conductor.

18. The method of docking an electrical small unmanned air vehicle on an electrical transmission line conductor of claim 17 further including performing aerial surveillance during a portion of said vehicle guiding step and a subsequent vehicle releasing step.