Counter drone system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11385659-B2
Application number	US-201916415924-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2019
Priority date	May 17, 2019
Publication date	Jul 12, 2022
Grant date	Jul 12, 2022

Abstract

The system comprises a plurality of sensor systems, a counter drone, and a processor. A sensor system of the plurality of sensor systems comprises one or more sensors that are connected to a network. The counter drone is connected to the network. The processor is configured to receive an indication of a potential target from the plurality of sensor systems; generate a fused data set for the potential target, determine whether the potential target comprises the threat drone based at least in part on the fused data set; and in response to determining that the potential target comprises the threat drone, provide counter drone instructions to the counter drone.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for countering a threat drone, comprising:
a plurality of sensor systems, wherein a sensor system of the plurality of sensor systems comprises one or more sensors that are connected to a mesh network;
a counter drone, wherein the counter drone is connected to the mesh network; and
a processor configured to:
receive an indication of a potential target from the plurality of sensor systems;
generate a fused data set of the potential target, wherein the fused data set comprises the indication of the potential target and one or more of: another indication of the potential target, a raw sensor information, and/or a derived sensor information, wherein generating the fused data set comprises determining that the one or more of the another indication of the potential target, the raw sensor information, and/or the derived sensor information are all associated with the potential target and combining the one or more of the another indication of the potential target, the raw sensor information, and/or the derived sensor information;
determine that the potential target comprises the threat drone based at least in part on the fused data set, comprising:
determine that the potential target exists within a geofenced area; and
in response to a determination that the potential target exists within the geofenced area:
determine a first probability that a potential target image matches a threat drone image, a second probability that a potential target vibration profile matches a threat drone vibration profile, and a third probability that a potential target sound profile matches a threat drone sound profile;
determine a combined weighted average probability, comprising:
 obtain a first weighted probability by combining a first weight with the first probability;
 obtain a second weighted probability by combining a second weight with the second probability, the first weight being different from the second weight; and
 determine the combined weighted average probability based on the first weighted probability, the second weighted probability, and the third probability;
determine whether the combined weighted average probability is equal to or exceeds a threshold; and
in response to a determination that the combined weighted average probability is equal to or exceeds the threshold, determine that the potential target comprises the threat drone; and

in response to determining that the potential target comprises the threat drone, provide counter drone instructions to the counter drone.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor system of the plurality of sensor systems comprises a sensor tower sensor system, a vehicle mounted sensor system, a counter drone mounted sensor system, a human mounted sensor system, a telephone pole sensor system, or a building sensor system.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the counter drone intercepts the threat drone by performing terminal guidance.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the counter drone is launched or propelled toward the threat drone based on the counter drone instructions.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor comprises a sensor system processor or a counter-drone processor.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the indication of the potential target comprises the raw sensor information.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the raw sensor information comprises one or more of the following: a radio frequency data, a radar data, an infrared data, an optical data, a lidar data, a vibrometer data, an audio data, and/or an ultrasonic data.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the derived sensor information comprises an altitude, a position data, a location within a geo-fenced area, a target trajectory, a radar image, an infrared image, an optical image, a lidar image, a vibration profile, an RF profile, a sound profile, and/or an absence or a presence of an RF immunity beacon.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein one sensor system of the plurality of sensor systems generates the derived sensor information.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor generates the derived sensor information.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the derived sensor information is generated based on the raw sensor information.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein determining that the potential target comprises the threat drone includes determining that a characteristic of the potential target is within a range, wherein the characteristic comprises size, altitude, velocity, acceleration, or any combination thereof.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein a counter drone instruction of the counter drone instructions comprises a counter drone standby instruction, a destroy instruction, a disable instruction, and/or a capture the threat drone instruction.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the counter drone is equipped with one or more payloads, wherein a payload of the one or more payloads comprises a kinetic payload, an explosive payload, a capture net, or a signal marker.

15. A method for countering a threat drone, comprising:
receiving an indication of a potential target from a plurality of sensor systems, wherein a sensor system of the plurality of sensor systems comprises one or more sensors that are connected to a mesh network;
generating a fused data set of the potential target, wherein the fused data set comprises the indication of the potential target and one or more of: another indication of the potential target, a raw sensor information, and/or a derived sensor information, wherein generating the fused data set comprises determining that the one or more of the another indication of the potential target, the raw sensor information, and/or the derived sensor information are all associated with the potential target and combining the one or more of the another indication of the potential target, the raw sensor information, and/or the derived sensor information;
determining, using a processor, that the potential target comprises the threat drone based at least in part on the fused data set, comprising:
determining that the potential target exists within a geofenced area; and
in response to a determination that the potential target exists within the geofenced area:
determining a first probability that a potential target image matches a threat drone image, a second probability that a potential target vibration profile matches a threat drone vibration profile, and a third probability that a potential target sound profile matches a threat drone sound profile;
determining a combined weighted average probability, comprising:
obtaining a first weighted probability by combining a first weight with the first probability;
obtaining a second weighted probability by combining a second weight with the second probability, the first weight being different from the second weight; and
determining the combined weighted average probability based on the first weighted probability, the second weighted probability, and the third probability;

determining whether the combined weighted average probability is equal to or exceeds a threshold; and
in response to a determination that the combined weighted average probability is equal to or exceeds the threshold, determining that the potential target comprises the threat drone; and

in response to determining that the potential target comprises the threat drone, providing counter drone instructions to the counter drone, wherein the counter drone is connected to the mesh network.

16. A computer program product for countering a threat drone, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory comp

Assignees

• Anduril Industries Inc

Inventors

• Levin Jason
• Luckey Palmer F
• Hammerstein Julian
• Chen Joseph

Classifications

• H04W4/185

  by embedding added-value information into content, e.g. geo-tagging · CPC title

• H04W4/027

  using movement velocity, acceleration information · CPC title

• H04W4/02

  Services making use of location information · CPC title

• G01S13/89

  for mapping or imaging · CPC title

• G01S13/867

  Combination of radar systems with cameras · CPC title