System for protecting high-altitude tethered rotary-wing platform from unmanned aerial vehicles
The high-altitude tethered rotary-wing platform uses a video camera and dual voltage system to automatically detect and avoid UAVs and birds, enhancing collision prevention and ensuring operational continuity.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- RU · RU
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- FEDERALNOE GOSUDARSTVENNOE BJUDZHETNOE UCHREZHDENIE NAUKI INST PROBLEM UPRAVLENIJA IM V A TRAPEZNIKOVA ROSSIJSKOJ AKADI NAUK
- Filing Date
- 2025-03-13
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-30
AI Technical Summary
Existing high-altitude tethered rotary-wing platforms face challenges in protecting themselves from collisions with unauthorized unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and birds due to insufficient mobility and security, and existing systems pose safety risks to people and design complexities.
A high-altitude tethered rotary-wing platform equipped with a rotating video camera, signal processing unit, microprocessor, and dual voltage distribution system, allowing for automatic detection and avoidance of collisions by adjusting altitude and enabling emergency landing, with backup power supply via a battery and second voltage distributor.
Enhances protection against UAVs and birds by preventing collisions through automatic video recording and altitude adjustment, ensuring continued operation during power outages, and providing enhanced mobility and safety.
Smart Images
Figure 00000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] The invention relates to the field of operational protection of tethered high-altitude rotary-wing platforms from the physical impacts of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and can be used in the development of systems for combating them and preventing illegal penetration of UAVs of various sizes and purposes into the territory of controlled facilities.
[0002] A method and device for multi-factor protection against miniature unmanned aerial vehicles are known (see RU 27718661 C1, 13.05.2022). This technical solution utilizes a multi-position radar system and the simultaneous use of several damaging factors, including electronic suppression of the mini-UAV's onboard receiving devices and the creation of a cloud of damaging elements, causing physical damage to the structural elements of the miniature unmanned aerial vehicle or preventing it from performing its intended missions.The device implementing this method is positioned on the terrain to create a radar monitoring field and an electronic suppression zone within the facility's boundaries and immediate approaches, formed by illumination and jamming signals, respectively. A functional kill zone for mini-UAVs is created by a salvo of fireworks rockets from each multi-barrel pyrotechnic launcher. To achieve this, the multi-factor protection of facilities against mini-UAVs is based on the principle of multi-position detection and suppression (kill) systems, which requires the creation of a spatially distributed network of transmitters for multi-position radar facilities.
[0003] The disadvantages of this well-known technical solution include the design difficulties associated with the organization and placement on the ground of a multi-position radar detector, in particular N signal transmitters and multi-barrel pyrotechnic launchers for the salvo launch of fireworks rockets, as well as the safety of people in the observed area.
[0004] The closest technical solution to the proposed system is a high-altitude rotary-wing platform for wireless information transmission networks, adopted by the authors as a prototype (see RU 70067 U1, 10.01.2008). This high-altitude rotary-wing platform comprises a lift-generating unit (aircraft), a signal receiving and transmitting station connected to this unit in a given geographic region, serving information consumers. The lift-generating unit is designed, for example, in the form of a fuselage with an instrument compartment and is connected to a propeller propulsion unit in the form of at least one nacelle in which an electric motor with a gearbox and a traction propeller are installed. The fuselage is connected by means of a two-axis gimbal suspension with a cable - a rope, the second end of which is fixed with the possibility of changing the length of the cable - a rope, for example, on a cable reel at a given point on the surface of the geographic region and is connected to a source of electrical energy at this point.The signal reception and transmission station for a given geographic region is designed as a base station for a wireless broadband access system and is housed in an instrument compartment, which also contains a battery, voltage converters, and secondary power sources. The instrument compartment also houses a surveillance camera. The presence of a signal reception and transmission station and a video camera on the high-altitude platform allows for rapid monitoring of unwanted flying objects, including birds, in a given area.
[0005] The disadvantage of this technical solution can be considered the low level of platform security due to its insufficient and ineffective mobility.
[0006] The technical result of this system is to increase the degree of protection of a high-altitude tethered rotary-wing platform from the impacts of aircraft occurring in its area of operation and to prevent collisions with them.
[0007] The technical result is achieved in that the system for protecting a high-altitude tethered rotary-wing platform from unmanned aerial vehicles contains a cable - a hummock, an electrical energy source, a microprocessor, a battery, a video camera and a voltage converter, first and second voltage distributors are introduced into it, a signal receiving and processing unit with the possibility of transmitting a signal to the ground and receiving it from the ground and converting a video signal, a switching device in the form of a relay, the electrical energy source is located on a pallet in the form of a vehicle movable in existence with a winch used for winding and unwinding a cable - a cable on its drum, which carries out electrical power supply to the platform, and the output of the electrical energy source is connected to the beginning of the cable - a cable, the end of the cable - a cable is connected to the input of a voltage converter located on the frame of the tethered rotary-wing platform,the output of the latter is connected to the input of the first voltage distributor located on the platform frame, the first output of the first voltage distributor is connected to the relay coil, the second output of the first voltage distributor and the first output of the second voltage distributor are connected to the power supply input of a video camera rotating around its axis, the third output of the first voltage distributor and the second output of the second voltage distributor are connected to the power supply input of the microprocessor, the fourth output of the first voltage distributor and the third output of the second voltage distributor are connected to the power supply input of the signal processing unit, the terminals of the storage battery are connected through normally closed contacts of the relay to the input of the second voltage distributor, the output of the microprocessor is connected to the engine block with propellers of the rotary-wing platform, the input of the microprocessor is connected to the output of the signal processing unit, the input of the signal processing unit is connected to the output of the video camera,wherein the switching device, battery, video camera, signal receiving and processing unit, second voltage distributor and microprocessor are located on the frame of the rotary-wing platform.
[0008] The essence of the claimed invention, characterized by the combination of the above-mentioned features, is that automatic video recording of foreign aircraft appearing in the operating area of the high-altitude platform makes it possible to exclude its collision with other unwanted aircraft and thereby protect it from mechanical damage.
[0009] The presence of the set of listed existing features in the claimed method makes it possible to solve the problem of protecting a high-altitude tethered rotary-wing platform from unauthorized aircraft appearing in its area of operation by means of their automatic video recording, i.e. to increase its level of protection and prevent collisions with them.
[0010] The drawing shows the functional diagram of the proposed system.
[0011] This system contains a high-altitude tethered rotary-wing platform 1 in the form of an unmanned aerial vehicle, a block of engines with propellers 2, a microprocessor 3, a signal receiving and processing unit 4, a switching device 5, a video camera 6, a battery 7, a first voltage distributor 8, a voltage converter 9, a cable - rope 10, a winch with a unit for starting and stopping it 11, an electric power source 12 and a second voltage distributor 13.
[0012] According to the proposed technical solution, a high-altitude tethered rotary-wing platform can be implemented on the basis of an unmanned aerial vehicle, such as a copter or drone.
[0013] Before lifting the aircraft upwards (transforming the apparatus into a high-altitude platform), all electrical and mechanical manipulations associated with preparing the apparatus for takeoff are performed on the ground. For this purpose, the output alternating voltage of the electric power source 12 is fed to the input of the voltage converter 9 via the cable - rope 10, unwinding and winding onto the drum of the winch 11. Part of the output voltage of the electric power source, converted in the winch start / stop unit, is used to start it. This unit is not shown in the figure. The rectified direct voltage of this converter is then directed to the input of the first voltage distributor 8. Thanks to this distributor (in the absence of the second voltage distributor), its fourth output voltages (of different magnitudes) provide electric power to the microprocessor 3, the signal receiving and processing unit 4, the switching device 5 and the video camera 6.The microprocessor's output signal is transmitted to the motor and propeller unit 2. After these manipulations are completed, the copter is launched at the desired altitude to perform the assigned task. The copter hovers in the air, forming a high-altitude tethered rotary-wing platform 1. In hover mode, the copter performs various economic research tasks, such as environmental monitoring of the area. First, a video camera 6 records the area around the platform, including the objects required for the task. In some cases, the platform's height from the ground may be unacceptable (too high or too low) for the successful completion of a particular task.In such cases, a signal is sent from the ground to the input of the signal receiving and processing unit, the output signal of which affects the operation of the microprocessor, thanks to which the engine speed is changed upon reaching the required altitude (higher, lower) of the platform for further optimal balanced work on environmental monitoring of the area, for example.
[0014] While the high-altitude platform is hovering, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) such as copters or drones (or birds) may enter its coverage area, causing an unpredictable collision with the tethered platform. To prevent this undesirable occurrence, this system utilizes a rotating video camera, which can automatically detect the presence of these flying objects within the platform's coverage area (key camera characteristics, such as resolution, viewing angle, aperture, and light sensitivity, should be considered). This camera then transmits a video signal about an undesired flying object from the camera's output to the input of the signal receiving and processing unit.In this unit, after the video signal about an unwanted flying object is appropriately converted, this converted signal from its output, indicating the presence of an unwanted object within the high-altitude platform's operational range, is then fed to the microprocessor's input. The microprocessor's output signal acts on the motor unit, causing the platform to rise or fall to prevent collisions with unauthorized aircraft, including birds. In other words, all of this combined will ensure the high-altitude platform is protected from foreign flying objects (mechanical damage). Furthermore, all manipulations related to transmitting signals from the ground and receiving them from the platform can be performed by an operator, who can monitor the ongoing processes of platform control and the deflection of unwanted objects away from the rotary-wing high-altitude platform.Once the testing is completed, the copter can be landed on the pallet at the operator's command.
[0015] During operation of this high-altitude platform, an emergency situation may occur, such as a power outage due to a cable break or a power source failure (inoperative primary voltage distributor). In such emergencies, provision is made for an emergency landing of the high-altitude platform drone on the ground and continued operation of the high-altitude platform. According to this protection system, a power outage in the platform's auxiliary power supply will de-energize switching device 5 (relay) and other electrical units. As a result, the open (relay coil energized) relay contacts will close (relay coil de-energized).Since the terminals of battery 7 are connected to the input of the second voltage distributor 13 via normally closed relay contacts, restoring electrical power to the actuator and control units (microprocessor, video camera, and signal receiving and processing unit) via the second voltage distributor and battery will allow the platform to continue functioning (for a while) and, if necessary, perform an emergency landing of the copter. In an emergency, the winch drum can be rotated manually.
[0016] One of the advantages of this technical solution is the continuation of research work for some time due to the use of batteries, a second voltage distributor and a relay in the electrical part of the high-altitude platform, even if the electrical energy supplied from the ground is cut off.
[0017] Thus, in the proposed protection system, through automatic video recording of flying and dangerous devices from the point of view of mechanical damage to a high-altitude tethered rotary-wing platform and the conversion of a video signal about them, it is possible to increase the degree of protection of the platform in question and prevent collisions with them.
Claims
A system for protecting a high-altitude tethered rotary-wing platform from unmanned aerial vehicles, comprising a toroidal cable, an electrical energy source, a microprocessor, a battery, a video camera and a voltage converter, characterized in that it includes first and second voltage distributors, a signal receiving and processing unit with the ability to transmit a signal to the ground and receive it from the ground and convert a video signal, a switching device in the form of a relay, the electrical energy source is located on a pallet in the form of a vehicle moving on land with a winch used for winding and unwinding a cable-rope on its drum, which carries out electrical power supply to the platform, wherein the output of the electrical energy source is connected to the beginning of the cable-rope, the end of the cable-rope is connected to the input of a voltage converter located on the frame of the tethered rotary-wing platform,the output of the latter is connected to the input of the first voltage distributor located on the platform frame, the first output of the first voltage distributor is connected to the relay coil, the second output of the first voltage distributor and the first output of the second voltage distributor are connected to the power supply input of a video camera rotating around its axis, the third output of the first voltage distributor and the second output of the second voltage distributor are connected to the power supply input of the microprocessor, the fourth output of the first voltage distributor and the third output of the second voltage distributor are connected to the power supply input of the signal processing unit, the terminals of the battery are connected through normally closed contacts of the relay to the input of the second voltage distributor, the output of the microprocessor is connected to the engine block with propellers of the rotary-wing platform, the input of the microprocessor is connected to the output of the signal processing unit, the input of the signal processing unit is connected to the output of the video camera,wherein the switching device, battery, video camera, signal receiving and processing unit, second voltage distributor and microprocessor are located on the frame of the rotary-wing platform.