Lightweight small airborne laser weapon tracking and pointing device

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of laser weapons, in particular to a lightweight small airborne laser weapon tracking and pointing device which comprises an optical system, a load system and a servo rotary table. The servo turntable is made of a hollow thin-wall aluminum alloy material; the optical system and the load system are arranged in the servo turntable; the primary and secondary lens frames of the optical system and supporting pieces of the optical lenses are made of titanium alloy materials; the size of the tracking and pointing device is # imgabs 0 #, and the weight of the tracking and pointing device is 30-40 kg. Through the innovative design of light-weight materials and the structure, the tracking and pointing device has smaller size and lower weight while meeting the requirements of real-time tracking and accurate striking in a high-dynamic environment, deployment flexibility and applicability are improved, the requirements of various platforms such as vehicle-mounted platforms and airborne platforms can be met, and the tracking and pointing device is suitable for popularization and application. And the current application requirements of efficient strike and convenient deployment are met.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of laser weapons, and particularly to a lightweight small airborne laser weapon tracking and aiming device. Background Art

[0002] The airborne laser weapon tracking and aiming system is an advanced weapon equipment integrating laser emission and target tracking functions, mainly used to deal with dynamic threats such as unmanned aerial vehicles, missiles and ground targets. Such systems are usually installed on airborne vehicle platforms such as fighter jets, helicopters and large unmanned aerial vehicles, and rely on high-power laser beams to achieve long-range and precise strikes on targets. However, the existing airborne laser weapon tracking and aiming systems are generally large in size and high in weight, posing relatively high requirements on the bearing capacity and power supply of the vehicle platform, restricting their deployment, and particularly difficult to be flexibly applied on small and medium-sized platforms.

[0003] Currently, the high-power laser weapon tracking and aiming systems are large in size and weight. The typical system has a diameter of 80 - 120 cm, a length of 1 - 2 m, and a weight of up to 500 kg or even over a ton, which usually requires large fixed-wing aircraft or ship platforms. For medium-power systems, although the weight is reduced, it still reaches 100 - 500 kg, with a diameter of 40 - 70 cm and a length of 80 - 150 cm, restricting their application on light platforms such as small fighter jets and unmanned aerial vehicles. The huge size and weight not only increase the burden on the vehicle platform, but also limit the tactical flexibility, which is not conducive to rapid deployment and the multi-platform combat requirements.

[0004] Therefore, developing a miniaturized and lightweight airborne laser weapon tracking and aiming device has become an important requirement for the current technological development. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to overcome the above defects, the present application provides a lightweight small airborne laser weapon tracking and aiming device, including an optical system, a payload system, and a servo turntable; the servo turntable is made of hollow thin-walled aluminum alloy material, and the optical system and the payload system are arranged inside the servo turntable; the main and secondary frames of the optical system and the support members of the optical lenses are all made of titanium alloy material; the size of the tracking and aiming device is with a weight of 30 - 40 kg.

[0006] Further, the servo turntable includes an azimuth axis component, an azimuth axis motor, an elevation axis component, an elevation axis motor, and a U-shaped frame.

[0007] Further, the optical system includes a hollow slip ring, a Coudé optical path, a telescopic system, and a fast steering mirror.

[0008] Further, the barrel structure of the telescopic system is made of aluminum matrix silicon carbide material.

[0009] Further, the payload system includes a visible light camera, a laser illuminator, a laser rangefinder, a launch window, a focusing structure, and an infrared camera.

[0010] Further, the working process of the tracking and aiming device includes:

[0011] According to the external guidance data, use the servo turntable to drive the optical base to point to the area where the target is located, and use the infrared camera to capture the target image;

[0012] Based on the target image, track the target to align the tracking and aiming device with the target, and use a high-energy laser to strike the target.

[0013] Further, the tracking of the target based on the target image includes:

[0014] According to the center of the target image and the deflection angle of the tracking and aiming device, control the servo turntable to perform rough tracking on the target;

[0015] Use the fast steering mirror, the visible light camera, and the laser rangefinder to perform fine tracking on the target.

[0016] Further, the control of the servo turntable to perform rough tracking on the target according to the center of the target image and the deflection angle of the tracking and aiming device includes:

[0017] Calculate the miss distance according to the center of the target image and the deflection angle of the tracking and aiming device;

[0018] Control the servo turntable to adjust the optical base according to the miss distance to ensure that the target is aligned and perform rough tracking.

[0019] Further, the use of the fast steering mirror, the visible light camera, and the laser rangefinder to perform fine tracking on the target includes:

[0020] Use the laser rangefinder to measure the distance between the tracking and aiming device and the target, and adjust the focal length of the visible light camera according to the distance;

[0021] Use the visible light camera and the fast steering mirror to adjust the optical axis to perform fine tracking on the target.

[0022] Further, the use of the visible light camera and the fast steering mirror to adjust the optical axis to perform fine tracking on the target includes:

[0023] Calculate the miss distance based on the image returned by the visible light camera, generate the control parameters of the fast steering mirror according to the miss distance, and control the fast steering mirror to adjust the optical axis to achieve fine tracking.

[0024] The above technical solution of the present application has the following advantages:

[0025] The lightweight small airborne laser weapon tracking and aiming device provided by the present application uses a hollow thin-walled aluminum alloy material for the servo turntable, and the optical system and payload system are arranged inside the servo turntable. The main and secondary frames of the optical system and the support parts of the optical lenses are all made of titanium alloy materials. Through the innovative design of lightweight materials and structures, the tracking and aiming device has a smaller volume and lower weight while meeting the requirements of real-time tracking and precise strike in a high-dynamic environment, improving the deployment flexibility and applicability, and being able to adapt to the needs of various platforms such as vehicle-mounted and airborne, meeting the current application requirements of efficient strike and convenient deployment. Description of the Drawings

[0026] In order to more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for use in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are some embodiments of the present application. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings.

[0027] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the tracking and aiming device provided by the present application;

[0028] Figure 2 It is a sectional view of the tracking and aiming device provided by the present application;

[0029] Figure 3 It is a design drawing of the miniaturized optical system provided by the present application;

[0030] Figure 4 It is a working flow chart of the tracking and aiming device provided by the present application.

[0031] Reference numerals: 1 is the azimuth axis component, 2 is the hollow slip ring, 3 is the Coudé optical path, 4 is the telescopic system, 5 is the elevation axis component, 6 is the elevation axis motor, 7 is the fast steering mirror, 8 is the U-shaped frame, 9 is the azimuth axis motor, 10 is the visible light camera, 11 is the laser illuminator, 12 is the laser rangefinder, 13 is the emission window, 14 is the focusing structure, 15 is the infrared camera. Detailed Description of the Embodiments

[0032] The following will further describe in detail the specific embodiments of the present application in conjunction with the drawings and embodiments. The following embodiments are used to illustrate the present application, but not to limit the scope of the present application.

[0033] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationships indicated by the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc. are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and thus should not be construed as a limitation to the present application. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0034] In the description of the present application, it should be noted that unless otherwise clearly specified and defined, the terms "installed", "connected", and "coupled" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it may be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it may be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it may be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it may be the communication inside two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0035] The reference to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" etc. described in the specification of the present application means that a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment is included in one or more embodiments of the present application. Thus, the statements "in one embodiment", "in some embodiments", "in other some embodiments", "in still other embodiments", etc. that appear in different places in this specification do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment, but mean "one or more but not all of the embodiments", unless otherwise specifically emphasized in other ways.

[0036] The present application provides a lightweight small airborne laser weapon tracking and aiming device. Through miniaturization and lightweight design, this device ensures high-efficiency laser strike capabilities while being adaptable to various medium and small-sized flight platforms, such as small unmanned aerial vehicles, fighter jets, etc., and realizes the whole process from target acquisition to high-energy laser strike in the working process.

[0037] The following will further describe in detail the specific implementation manners of the present application in conjunction with the drawings and embodiments. The following embodiments are used to illustrate the present application but are not used to limit the scope of the present application.

[0038] As Figures 1 to 3 shown, the embodiment of the present application provides a lightweight small airborne laser weapon tracking and aiming device, including an optical system, a payload system, and a servo turntable; the servo turntable uses a hollow thin-walled aluminum alloy material, and the optical system and the payload system are arranged inside the servo turntable; the main and secondary frames of the optical system and the supports of the optical lenses all use titanium alloy materials; the size of the tracking and aiming device is The weight is 30 - 40 kg.

[0039] In some embodiments, the servo turntable includes an azimuth axis component 1, an azimuth axis motor 9, an elevation axis component 5, an elevation axis motor 6, and a U-shaped frame 8.

[0040] In some embodiments, the optical system includes a hollow slip ring 2, a Coudé optical path 3, a telescopic system 4, and a fast steering mirror 7.

[0041] In some embodiments, the barrel structure of the telescopic system 4 is made of aluminum matrix silicon carbide material.

[0042] In some embodiments, the payload system includes a visible light camera 10, a laser illuminator 11, a laser rangefinder 12, a launch window 13, a focusing structure 14, and an infrared camera 15.

[0043] To meet the requirements of miniaturization and lightweight, this application has carried out optimized designs in each module of the device:

[0044] Overall size and weight: This device adopts a lightweight design. The external dimensions of the turntable are approximately The overall weight is only 40 kg, significantly reducing the volume and weight, enhancing the mobility and deployment flexibility of the device. While ensuring high-precision tracking and strike capabilities, each module has been designed for miniaturization and lightweight, making full use of the space.

[0045] Miniaturization design of the optical system: The primary and secondary lens frames and the support members are all made of high-strength lightweight titanium alloy materials. In addition, a hollow slip ring design is adopted to improve the optical path stability. The layout of each lens is compact, avoiding the weight and volume limitations in traditional mechanical structures.

[0046] Servo turntable design: The turntable frame is made of hollow thin-walled aluminum alloy material and is designed to be installed from top to bottom, which is convenient for assembly, adjustment, and maintenance. Moreover, the inside of the frame is a hollow structure, meeting the requirements of the optical path corridor and reducing the weight and volume.

[0047] Compact and rich payload system: Equipped with a visible light camera, an infrared camera, a laser rangefinder, and a laser illuminator, the layout of each payload is compact, with precise detection and zoom capabilities, and supports night operation functions, enhancing the comprehensive combat capabilities of the system.

[0048] Through the small and compact structural design and the application of high-strength lightweight materials, the device of this application can significantly reduce the volume and weight on the premise of maintaining high power output and precise tracking and aiming capabilities, thereby broadening the applicable platforms of the system and enhancing the deployment flexibility.

[0049] In some embodiments, the workflow of the tracking device includes: according to external guidance data, using the servo turntable to drive the optical base to point to the area where the target is located, and using the infrared camera to capture the target image; tracking the target based on the target image to align the tracking device with the target, and using a high-energy laser to strike the target.

[0050] In some embodiments, the tracking of the target based on the target image includes: according to the center of the target image and the deflection angle of the tracking device, controlling the servo turntable to perform rough tracking on the target; using the fast steering mirror, the visible light camera, and the laser rangefinder to perform fine tracking on the target.

[0051] In some embodiments, the controlling the servo turntable to perform rough tracking on the target according to the center of the target image and the deflection angle of the tracking device includes: calculating the miss distance according to the center of the target image and the deflection angle of the tracking device; controlling the servo turntable to adjust the optical base according to the miss distance to ensure that the target is aligned and rough tracking is performed.

[0052] In some embodiments, the using the fast steering mirror, the visible light camera, and the laser rangefinder to perform fine tracking on the target includes: using the laser rangefinder to measure the distance between the tracking device and the target, and adjusting the focal length of the visible light camera according to the distance; using the visible light camera and the fast steering mirror to adjust the optical axis to perform fine tracking on the target.

[0053] In some embodiments, the using the visible light camera and the fast steering mirror to adjust the optical axis to perform fine tracking on the target includes: calculating the miss distance using the image returned by the visible light camera, generating the control parameters of the fast steering mirror according to the miss distance, and controlling the fast steering mirror to adjust the optical axis to achieve fine tracking.

[0054] When the device is working, it mainly goes through the following six working processes:

[0055] The first step, initial pointing: The system, according to external guidance (e.g., search turntable) data, uses the servo turntable to drive the optical base to point to the area where the target is located, preparing for subsequent precise tracking.

[0056] The second step, capture: The infrared camera captures the target image, and the turntable is controlled to complete the precise capture of the target.

[0057] The third step, rough tracking: After capturing the target signal, the image processing module extracts the center of the target image and the deflection angle of the tracker optical axis, and calculates the miss distance. The servo turntable adjusts the optical base according to the miss distance to ensure that the target is aligned and rough tracking is performed. This process forms a closed loop, and real-time adjustment is performed using the infrared camera and the servo turntable.

[0058] Step 4, Laser ranging: The device performs laser ranging to obtain the distance information between the target and the tracking and aiming device, providing data support for subsequent precise strikes.

[0059] Step 5, Fine tracking (real-time optical path calibration): After the target image enters the fine tracking field of view, the optical axis is further adjusted through the fast steering mirror to ensure accurate alignment with the target and improve the accuracy of target tracking.

[0060] Step 6, High-energy laser precision alignment: The system activates the high-energy laser to irradiate the target and complete the laser strike.

[0061] The lightweight and miniaturized airborne laser weapon tracking and aiming device provided by this application, through its miniaturized and lightweight design, enables the device to effectively adapt to a variety of small flight platforms and maintain high-efficiency target strike capabilities. The working process of the device is simple and efficient, and each functional module cooperates closely, ensuring the whole process of target acquisition, tracking, ranging, and precise strike.

[0062] Miniaturization: The external dimensions and module design of the device have been optimized to make the overall volume smaller and capable of adapting to compact flight platforms.

[0063] Lightweight: Through material selection and structural design, the overall weight of the device is greatly reduced, reducing the burden on the platform and improving the payload capacity.

[0064] This device has significant technical advantages and broad application prospects, and is particularly suitable for platforms such as unmanned aerial vehicles and light fighter aircraft in modern combat environments, with the advantages of flexibility, rapid response, and high-precision strikes.

[0065] The following is illustrated through specific embodiments.

[0066] Embodiment

[0067] The overall structure of the lightweight and miniaturized airborne laser weapon tracking and aiming device provided in this embodiment is as Figure 1 shown. The turret adopts a top-down installation structure, which has the advantages of convenient assembly, adjustment, and maintenance. The external dimensions of the device are The turret is composed of a load frame, a vertical axis system, and a horizontal axis system. The main frame parts are all made of high-strength and low-density aluminum alloy materials. The inside of the frame is hollow for the optical path, and it is a thin-walled cavity structure, manufactured by casting technology.

[0068] The cross-section of the device is as Figure 2 shown, which details the miniaturized structural design inside the device, including the payload system, the optical system, and the servo turret. Considering that the turret needs to withstand high-intensity impacts and vibrations and other dynamic performance requirements, under the condition of being restricted by the structural dimensions and the installation slip ring dimensions, a DC brushless torque motor with the largest possible torque is selected.

[0069] The payload system is configured with an infrared camera, a visible light camera, a laser rangefinder, and a laser illuminator, capable of precisely detecting small targets at long distances and targets at close distances, and having a continuous zoom function to adapt to the detection requirements at different distances and target sizes. The laser illumination ensures its efficient operation even at night and in low-light environments.

[0070] The miniaturized system's optical system is as Figure 3 shown. The barrel structure of the telescopic system plays a crucial role in the stability of the system. At the same time, the requirement of light weight needs to be ensured. Aluminum matrix silicon carbide material is used, and the support parts of the primary and secondary frames and optical lenses are all made of titanium alloy materials. This not only ensures high strength and light weight but also ensures that when the temperature changes or there is a temperature gradient, the relative position change between the primary and secondary mirrors meets the requirements. In addition, a hollow slip ring design is adopted, which improves the optical path stability and avoids the weight and volume limitations in traditional mechanical structures.

[0071] The lightweight miniaturized airborne laser weapon tracking and aiming device provided in this embodiment is mainly used for target detection and precise strike in a high-dynamic environment. Its working process is as Figure 4 shown, including six steps: initial pointing, acquisition, coarse tracking, laser ranging, fine tracking, and high-energy laser strike.

[0072] Initial pointing: Drive the servo turntable through external guidance data (such as the positioning information of the search turntable) to point the optical base to the area where the target is located. Through the precise adjustment of the servo turntable, rapid pointing to the initial area is achieved, laying a foundation for subsequent precise acquisition.

[0073] Acquisition: After the initial pointing is completed, the infrared camera is activated to capture the target image, and precise acquisition operations on the target are carried out through the turntable. Control the turntable to achieve detailed acquisition of the target, ensuring that the target image successfully enters the field of view.

[0074] Coarse tracking: After capturing the target signal, extract the deflection angle between the center of the target image and the optical axis of the tracking and aiming device, and calculate the "miss distance". The servo turntable adjusts the position of the optical base in real time according to the miss distance information to complete the coarse tracking operation. In this process, the infrared camera and the servo turntable form a closed-loop feedback system for real-time tracking and adjustment.

[0075] Laser ranging: When the target is locked by coarse tracking, enter the laser ranging process, measure the target distance through the laser rangefinder, and provide accurate distance data support for the fine tracking and laser strike links.

[0076] Fine tracking: After the target image enters the fine tracking field of view, further fine-tune the optical axis direction through the fast steering mirror to improve the tracking accuracy of the target. Optimize the optical path through real-time calibration to achieve high-precision alignment of the target and ensure the accuracy of laser strike.

[0077] Fine tracking and coarse tracking are independent control processes. The field of view of coarse tracking is relatively large. The purpose of coarse tracking is to introduce the target into the fine tracking field of view. The field of view of fine tracking is relatively small (because the resolution of the visible light camera for fine tracking is fixed, and a lens with a small field of view is selected, so the target will be very large, and thus the target can be seen more clearly in the fine tracking field of view). The centers of these two fields of view coincide.

[0078] Fine tracking uses a fast steering mirror to track the target. The fast steering mirror has a higher accuracy than the servo turntable, so the tracking accuracy of fine tracking is higher. The laser rangefinder measures the distance to the target in order to adjust the focal length of the camera in real time, so that the target in the field of view is clear regardless of the distance of the target.

[0079] High-energy laser precision alignment: After fine tracking is completed, the high-energy laser is activated to precisely irradiate the target. The high-energy laser emits laser according to the calibration data of fine tracking to achieve the function of accurately hitting the target.

[0080] Those skilled in the art can clearly understand that for the convenience and conciseness of description, only the above-mentioned division of each functional unit and module is used as an example for illustration. In practical applications, the above-mentioned functions can be allocated to different functional units and modules according to needs, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional units or modules to complete all or part of the functions described above. Each functional unit and module in the embodiment can be integrated in a processing unit, or each unit can exist physically alone, or two or more units can be integrated in one unit. In addition, the specific names of each functional unit and module are only for the convenience of mutual distinction and do not limit the protection scope of the present application.

[0081] It should be clear that each embodiment in this specification is described in a progressive manner. For the same or similar parts between each embodiment, reference can be made to each other. Each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments. The present application is not limited to the specific structure described above and shown in the drawings. And for the sake of brevity, the detailed description of known method technologies is omitted here.

[0082] The above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit it; although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or perform equivalent replacements on some of the technical features; and these modifications or replacements do not make the essence of the corresponding technical solutions deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of each embodiment of the present application, and should all be included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A lightweight small airborne laser weapon tracking and aiming device, characterized in that, It includes an optical system, a payload system, and a servo turntable; the servo turntable is made of hollow thin-walled aluminum alloy material, and the optical system and the payload system are arranged inside the servo turntable; the main and secondary frames of the optical system and the supports of the optical lenses are all made of titanium alloy material; the size of the tracking and aiming device is with a weight of 30 - 40 kg.

2. The lightweight small airborne laser weapon tracking and aiming device according to claim 1, characterized in that The servo turntable includes an azimuth axis component, an azimuth axis motor, an elevation axis component, an elevation axis motor, and a U-shaped frame.

3. The lightweight small airborne laser weapon tracking and aiming device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The optical system includes a hollow slip ring, a Coudé optical path, a telescopic system, and a fast steering mirror.

4. The lightweight small airborne laser weapon tracking and aiming device according to claim 3, characterized in that The barrel structure of the telescopic system is made of aluminum matrix silicon carbide material.

5. The lightweight small airborne laser weapon tracking and aiming device according to claim 3, characterized in that The payload system includes a visible light camera, a laser illuminator, a laser rangefinder, a launch window, a focusing structure, and an infrared camera.

6. The lightweight small airborne laser weapon tracking and aiming device according to claim 5, characterized in that The working process of the tracking and pointing device includes: According to external guidance data, use the servo turntable to drive the optical base to point to the area where the target is located, and use the infrared camera to capture the target image; Based on the target image, track the target, align the tracking and pointing device with the target, and use a high-energy laser to strike the target.

7. The lightweight small airborne laser weapon tracking and aiming device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The tracking of the target based on the target image includes: According to the center of the target image and the deflection angle of the tracking and pointing device, control the servo turntable to perform coarse tracking on the target; Use the fast steering mirror, the visible light camera, and the laser rangefinder to perform fine tracking on the target.

8. The lightweight small airborne laser weapon tracking and aiming device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The controlling the servo turntable to perform coarse tracking on the target according to the center of the target image and the deflection angle of the tracking and pointing device includes: Calculate the miss distance according to the center of the target image and the deflection angle of the tracking and pointing device; Control the servo turntable to adjust the optical base according to the miss distance to ensure that the target is aligned and perform coarse tracking.

9. The lightweight small airborne laser weapon tracking and aiming device according to claim 7, characterized in that The using the fast steering mirror, the visible light camera, and the laser rangefinder to perform fine tracking on the target includes: Use the laser rangefinder to measure the distance between the tracking and pointing device and the target, and adjust the focal length of the visible light camera according to the distance; Use the visible light camera and the fast steering mirror to adjust the optical axis to perform fine tracking on the target.

10. The lightweight small airborne laser weapon tracking and aiming device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The using the visible light camera and the fast steering mirror to adjust the optical axis to perform fine tracking on the target includes: Calculate the miss distance using the image returned by the visible light camera, generate the control parameters of the fast steering mirror according to the miss distance, control the fast steering mirror to adjust the optical axis, and achieve fine tracking.

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