Unmanned aircraft turn and approach system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018356822-A1
Application number	US-201816051481-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 31, 2018
Priority date	Nov 18, 2015
Publication date	Dec 13, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An aircraft including a wing system, a plurality of control surfaces, a camera mounted on a camera pod, and a control system. The camera pod is configured to vary the orientation of the camera field of view only in yaw, relative to the aircraft, between a directly forward-looking orientation and a side-looking orientation. The control system controls the control surfaces such that they induce a significant aircraft yaw causing an identified target to be within the field of view of the camera with the camera in the directly forward-looking orientation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An unmanned aircraft system including an aircraft, comprising:
a wing system configured to carry the majority of the aircraft weight when in flight; a plurality of control surfaces configured to control aircraft pitch, aircraft roll and aircraft yaw in flight; a camera characterized by a field of view, the camera being mounted on a camera pod, wherein the camera pod is configured to vary the orientation of the camera field of view only in yaw, relative to the aircraft, between a directly forward-looking orientation and a directly side-looking orientation; and a control system configured to control the control surfaces, and further configured to control the camera pod to change the camera position in yaw relative to the aircraft; wherein the control system is programmed with a commit function for use when the camera is observing an identified target that is not directly in front of the aircraft; and wherein the commit function controls the camera position in yaw such that the camera continuously maintains the identified target within its lateral field of view.

2 . An unmanned aircraft system including an aircraft, comprising:
a wing system configured to carry the majority of the aircraft weight when in flight; a plurality of control surfaces configured to control aircraft pitch, aircraft roll and aircraft yaw in flight; a camera characterized by a field of view, the camera being mounted on a camera pod, wherein the camera pod is configured to vary the orientation of the camera field of view only in yaw, relative to the aircraft, between a directly forward-looking orientation and a side-looking orientation; and a control system configured to control the control surfaces, and further configured to control the camera pod to change the camera position in yaw relative to the aircraft; wherein the control system is programmed with a commit function that controls the aircraft flight and the camera yaw to guide the aircraft toward the target when the target is not directly ahead of the aircraft and the camera is observing an identified target; wherein the commit function controls the control surfaces such that they induce a significant aircraft yaw causing the identified target to be within the field of view of the camera with the camera in the directly forward-looking orientation; and wherein the commit function controls the camera position in yaw such that the camera continuously maintains the identified target within its field of view.

3 . The unmanned aircraft system of claim 1 , wherein the commit function further controls the control surfaces such that they induce a significant aircraft roll when the identified target is within the field of view of the camera and the camera is in the directly forward-looking orientation.

4 . The unmanned aircraft system of claim 1 , wherein the camera pod is configured to vary the orientation of the camera field of view, relative to the aircraft, between an orientation 45 degrees aft of a side-looking orientation and a forward-looking orientation.

Assignees

• Aerovironment Inc

Inventors

• Nicoloff William J
• Sornborger Eric M
• Cremean Lars B

Classifications

• B64U2201/00

  UAVs characterised by their flight controls · CPC title

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• B64C9/00

  Adjustable control surfaces or members, e.g. rudders (trimming stabilising surfaces B64C5/10) · CPC title

• F41G7/2253

  Passive homing systems, i.e. comprising a receiver and do not requiring an active illumination of the target · CPC title

• G05D1/0094 Primary

  involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target · CPC title