Aerial vehicles having countermeasures deployed from a platform for neutralizing target aerial vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11697497-B2
Application number	US-201816151316-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 3, 2018
Priority date	Oct 3, 2018
Publication date	Jul 11, 2023
Grant date	Jul 11, 2023

Abstract

A system for aerial neutralization of a detected target aerial vehicle comprises a plurality of counter-attack unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and an aerial vehicle capture countermeasure coupling together the plurality of counter-attack UAVs, to intercept and capture a detected target aerial vehicle in a coordinated manner. The system comprises an aerial vehicle detection system comprising at least one detection sensor operable to detect the target aerial vehicle, and operable to provide command data to at least one counter-attack UAV for tracking and neutralizing the target aerial vehicle. The counter-attack UAVs and a net can be deployed from a movable base station, and the net can be carried in a low-drag configuration until the counter-attack UAVs operate to deploy or open the net. The counter-attack UAVs and systems may be autonomously operated. Associated systems and methods are provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for aerial neutralization of a target aerial vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of counter-attack unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), each comprising a flight control system operable to facilitate flight of the counter-attack UA V to intercept a detected target aerial vehicle; and
an aerial vehicle capture countermeasure coupled to the plurality of counterattack UAVs, wherein the plurality of counter-attack UAVs are operable in a coordinated manner to capture the target aerial vehicle with the aerial vehicle capture countermeasure,
wherein the aerial vehicle capture countermeasure comprises a transport position, the transport position comprising a low-drag transport position during flight of the plurality of counter-attack UAVs, and the aerial vehicle capture countermeasure is movable to a deployed capturing position via coordinated flight of the plurality of counter-attack UAVs relative to one another to capture the target aerial vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the counter-attack UAV comprises at least one sensor configured to detect a position of the target aerial vehicle, wherein the flight control system comprises a flight controller operable to control autonomous flight of the counter-attack UAV based on the detected position of the target aerial vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one counter-attack UAV comprises a communication device communicatively coupled to other communication devices of at least one other counter-attack UA Voran external aerial vehicle detection system to communicate respective positions of at least one counter-attack UAV, thereby facilitating coordinated flight of the plurality of counter-attack UAVs.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an external aerial vehicle detection system, the external aerial vehicle detection system comprising at least one detection sensor operable to detect the target aerial vehicle and to provide command data to at least one of the plurality of counter-attack UAVs to facilitate interception of the target aerial vehicle by the plurality of counter-attack UAVs.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the external aerial vehicle detection system is associated with a ground-based structure to monitor an airspace, wherein the at least one detection sensor comprises a plurality of detection sensors configured to detect a plurality of target aerial vehicles.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one counter-attack UAV comprises at least one camera movably supported by the counter-attack UAV, the at least one camera movable to establish and modify a pointing position, based on the command data received from the external aerial vehicle detection system, to detect and track the target aerial vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the aerial vehicle capture countermeasure comprises at least one flexible entangling element configured to disrupt operation of the target aerial vehicle upon the counter-attack UA Vs being in close proximity with the target aerial vehicle.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one flexible entangling element comprises at least one of a net, filament, monofilament, braided filament, tendril, fiber, string, cord, strand, thread, rope, or wire.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein each counter-attack UAV comprises a force sensor coupled between the counter-attack UA V and the aerial vehicle capture countermeasure, the force sensor configured to sense a force exerted by the aerial vehicle capture countermeasure to facilitate coordinated flight of the plurality of counter-attack UAVs.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a base platform supporting the plurality of counter-attack UAVs when in a grounded position, the base platform comprising a retainer device supporting the aerial vehicle capture countermeasure when the plurality of counter-attack UAVs are in the grounded position, wherein, upon detecting the target aerial vehicle, the plurality of counter-attack UAVs are operable to depart from the base platform, thereby withdrawing the aerial vehicle capture countermeasure from the retainer device.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the aerial vehicle capture countermeasure comprises a net.

12. The system of claim 11 , further comprising at least one weighted component coupled proximate a lower area of the net, wherein the plurality of counter-attack UAVs support an upper area of the net such that the at least one weighted device at least partially maintains the net in the deployed position.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein each counter-attack UAV comprises a position sensor and a force sensor, the force sensor coupled to the net and configured to sense a drag force exerted by the net, wherein position data generated from each position sensor is communicated between at least one of another counter-attack UAV or an external aerial vehicle detection system, wherein the position data and the force data are processed to facilitate coordinated flight of the counter-attack UAVs.

14. A system for detecting and neutralizing a target aerial vehicle, the system comprising:
a plurality of counter-attack unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), each comprising a flight body and a flight control system that controls flight of the counter-attack UAV;
an aerial vehicle capture countermeasure coupled to the plurality of counter-attack UAVs;
an aerial vehicle detection system comprising at least one detection sensor operable to detect a target aerial vehicle, and to provide command data to at least one counterattack UAV to facilitate interception of the target aerial vehicle by the plurality of counter-attack UAVs;
wherein, upon interception of the target aerial vehicle, the plurality of counter-attack UAVs are operable in a coordinated manner to capture the detected target aerial vehicle with the aerial vehicle capture countermeasure,
wherein the aerial vehicle capture countermeasure comprises a transport position, the transport position comprising a low-drag transport position during flight of the plurality of counter-attack UAVs, and the aerial vehicle capture countermeasure is movable to a deployed capturing position via coordinated flight of the plurality of counter-attack UAVs relative to one another to capture the target aerial vehicle.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the command data comprises at least one of intercept data, aerial vehicle capture countermeasure deployment command data, target aerial vehicle detection data, counter-attack UAV control data, or a combination thereof.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the aerial vehicle detection system comprises an on-board aerial vehicle detection system comprising at least one sensor configured to detect a position of the target aerial vehicle, the flight control system comprising a flight controller operable to control autonomous flight of the counter-attack UAV based on the detected position of the target aerial vehicle.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the aerial vehicle detection system comprises an external aerial vehicle detection system, the external aerial vehicle detection system comprising at least one detection sensor operable to detect the target aerial vehicle and to provide command data to at least one counter-attack UA V to facilitate interception of the target aerial vehicle.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the external aerial vehicle detection system is associated with a ground-based structure to monitor an airspace, wherein the at least one detection sensor comprises a plurality of detection sensors configured to detect a

Assignees

• Sarcos Corp

Inventors

• Smith Fraser M
• Olivier Marc X

Classifications

• G05D1/101

  specially adapted for aircraft · CPC title

• B64C39/024 Primary

  of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV · CPC title

• B64U2101/00

  UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications · CPC title

• G05D1/12

  Target-seeking control · CPC title

• F41H11/02

  Anti-aircraft or anti-guided missile {or anti-torpedo} defence installations or systems (cartridges or missiles for producing smoke or for dispensing radar chaff or infrared material F42B5/15, F42B12/48, F42B12/70; {informative reference: details of radar or sonar systems G01S7/00; jamming or electronic countermeasures G01S7/38, G01S7/495, H04K3/00}) · CPC title