System and method for interception and countering unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVS)

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12596371-B2
Application number	US-202318095879-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 11, 2023
Priority date	May 17, 2017
Publication date	Apr 7, 2026
Grant date	Apr 7, 2026

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods for identifying a target aerial vehicle, deploying an interceptor aerial vehicle comprising at least one effector, maneuvering the interceptor aerial vehicle to a position to engage a target aerial vehicle, deploying the at least one effector to intercept the target aerial vehicle, and confirming that the target aerial vehicle has been intercepted.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
displaying an identified target aerial vehicle and an interceptor aerial vehicle on a display of a ground control station (GCS) having a processor and addressable memory in communication with the interceptor aerial vehicle; deploying, via the GCS, the interceptor aerial vehicle, wherein the interceptor aerial vehicle comprises at least one gimbal comprising one or more deployment devices detachably attached to the interceptor aerial vehicle, wherein each deployment device comprises: at least one capturing device deployable towards a target and a launcher configured to deploy the at least one capturing device and comprising a gas generator to deploy the at least one capturing device and a safety circuit configured to enable activation of the gas generator only when a measured current supplied to the gas generator is at least a threshold current value for at least a threshold time interval, and wherein the safety circuit is configured to inhibit activation of the gas generator upon transient currents shorter than the threshold time interval; maneuvering, via the GCS, the interceptor aerial vehicle in at least one of: a vertical direction, a horizontal direction toward the target aerial vehicle, and a sideways direction until the interceptor aerial vehicle is positioned above the target aerial vehicle; deploying, via the GCS, the at least one capturing device to intercept the target aerial vehicle; and detaching, via the GCS, the one or more deployment devices along with the intercepted target aerial vehicle when the intercepted target aerial vehicle is released such that the one or more deployment devices remain with the intercepted target aerial vehicle when released.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein maneuvering the interceptor aerial vehicle in the vertical direction comprises an up command from an operator of the GCS.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein maneuvering the interceptor aerial vehicle in the horizontal direction toward the target aerial vehicle comprises an away command from the operator of the GCS.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein maneuvering the interceptor aerial vehicle in the horizontal direction toward the target aerial vehicle comprises moving the interceptor aerial vehicle until the interceptor aerial vehicle is a same physical size as the target aerial vehicle when the interceptor aerial vehicle and the target aerial vehicle are about a same physical size.

5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein maneuvering the interceptor aerial vehicle in the horizontal direction toward the target aerial vehicle comprises moving the interceptor aerial vehicle until the interceptor aerial vehicle is a same relative physical size as the target aerial vehicle when the interceptor aerial vehicle and the target aerial vehicle are different physical sizes.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein maneuvering, via the GCS, the interceptor aerial vehicle is in a radial coordinate system with the GCS at a center point of a coordinates.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein an altitude is a height of the interceptor aerial vehicle above a ground level, wherein a range is a distance of the interceptor aerial vehicle radially away from the GCS, and wherein a position is translating at least one of:
left and right on an arc around the GCS.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to deploying the at least one capturing device:
displaying on the display of the GCS a drop-zone overlay graphic, wherein the drop-zone overlay graphic comprises an aiming point and an outline of effect; wherein the aiming point is aligned with an expected downward path of the at least one capturing device; and wherein the outline of effect comprises an area surrounding the aiming point where the at least one capturing device would neutralize the target aerial vehicle, wherein the outline of effect increases and decreases in size based on a range to the target aerial vehicle.

9 . A system comprising:
an interceptor aerial vehicle, wherein the interceptor aerial vehicle comprises at least one gimbal comprising one or more deployment devices detachably attached to the interceptor aerial vehicle, wherein each deployment device comprises: at least one capturing device deployable towards a target and a launcher to deploy the at least one capturing device; and a ground control station (GCS) having a processor and addressable memory, the GCS in communication with the interceptor aerial vehicle, wherein the processor of the GCS is configured to:
display a target aerial vehicle and the interceptor aerial vehicle on a display of the GCS;
deploy the interceptor aerial vehicle;
maneuver the interceptor aerial vehicle in at least one of: a vertical direction, a horizontal direction toward the target aerial vehicle, and a sideways direction until the interceptor aerial vehicle is positioned above the target aerial vehicle; and
deploying the at least one capturing device to intercept the target aerial vehicle, wherein the one or more deployment devices are configured to be detached along with the intercepted target aerial vehicle when the intercepted target aerial vehicle is released such that the one or more deployment devices remain with the intercepted target aerial vehicle when released;
a gas generator configured to deploy a corresponding capturing device; and a safety circuit configured to enable activation of the gas generator only when a measured current supplied to the gas generator is at least a threshold current value for at least a threshold time interval, and wherein the safety circuit is configured to inhibit activation of the gas generator upon transient currents shorter than the threshold time interval.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein maneuvering the interceptor aerial vehicle in the vertical direction comprises an up command from an operator of the GCS.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein maneuvering the interceptor aerial vehicle in the horizontal direction toward the target aerial vehicle comprises an away command from the operator of the GCS.

12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein maneuvering the interceptor aerial vehicle in the horizontal direction toward the target aerial vehicle comprises moving the interceptor aerial vehicle until the interceptor aerial vehicle is a same physical size as the target aerial vehicle when the interceptor aerial vehicle and the target aerial vehicle are about a same physical size.

13 . The system of claim 10 , wherein maneuvering the interceptor aerial vehicle in the horizontal direction toward the target aerial vehicle comprises moving the interceptor aerial vehicle until the interceptor aerial vehicle is a same relative physical size as the target aerial vehicle when the interceptor aerial vehicle and the target aerial vehicle are different physical sizes.

14 . The system of claim 9 , wherein maneuvering, via the GCS, the interceptor aerial vehicle is in a radial coordinate system with the GCS at a center point of a coordinates.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein an altitude is a height of the interceptor aerial vehicle above a ground level, wherein a range is a distance of the interceptor aerial vehicle radially away from the GCS, and wherein a position is translating at least one of:
left and right on an arc around the GCS.

16 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the processor of the GCS is configured to, prior to deploying the at least one capturing device:
display on the display of the GCS a drop-zone overlay graphic, wherein the drop-zone overlay graphic comprises an aiming point a

Assignees

• Aerovironment Inc

Inventors

• Fisher Christopher Eugene
• Morgan Michael Franklin

Classifications

• G05D1/652

  Take-off (delivering or retrieving payloads G05D1/667) · CPC title

• G05D1/46

  Control of position or course in three dimensions [3D] · CPC title

• G05D1/686

  Maintaining a relative position with respect to moving targets, e.g. following animals or humans (for pointing payloads towards targets G05D1/689; involving controlling the position or course of two or more vehicles G05D1/69) · CPC title

• G05D1/2247

  providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras · CPC title

• B64U20/87

  Mounting of imaging devices, e.g. mounting of gimbals · CPC title