42 results about "Aerial reconnaissance" patented technology

An aerial reconnaissance system generates imagery of a scene that meets resolution or field of view objectives automatically and autonomously. In one embodiment, a passive method of automatically calculating range to the target from a sequence of airborne reconnaissance camera images is used. Range information is use for controlling the adjustment of a zoom lens to yield frame-to-frame target imagery that has a desired, e.g., constant, ground resolution or field of view at the center of the image despite rapid and significant aircraft altitude and attitude changes. Image to image digital correlation is used to determine the displacement of the target at the focal plane. Camera frame rate and aircraft INS / GPS information is used to accurately determine the frame to frame distance (baseline). The calculated range to target is then used to drive a zoom lens servo mechanism to the proper focal length to yield the desired resolution or field of view for the next image. The method may be performed based on parameters other than range, such as aircraft height and stand off distance.

An aerial reconnaissance camera and method provides for generating a first image of the terrain of interest with the camera pointing angle oriented or rotated about an azimuthal axis some angular amount (theta1) to a first, typically forward orientation, i.e., forward of a cross-line of flight direction. An image is obtained of the ground at this orientation. Then the camera is rotated about the azimuthal axis to new angular value (theta2), which will typically be aft of the cross line of flight direction. An image is generated at this value. The camera is then rotated back to the value of theta1, and a second image in the forward orientation is generated. The camera is then rotated again to the value of theta2 and another image in the aft orientation is generated. This process of rotating the camera about the azimuthal axis and generating images in forward and aft orientations continues over and over. Eventually, as the aircraft flies past the terrain of interest, any given location in the terrain of interest will have been imaged from two different perspectives-forward and aft. The motion of the aircraft during the interim in combination with the values of theta1 and theta2 provide the high baseline for the stereo image pairs. By selection of suitable values for the angular separation of theta1 and theta2 (such as theta1=+10 degrees and theta2=-10 degrees) the result will be pairs of images of the terrain of interest having a large baseline, producing truly high aspect stereo images from a single camera. The method also works in a similar fashion by rotation back and forth about the pitch axis and imaging the terrain in forward oblique and aft oblique orientations.

Embodiments include a ground scout having an ability to identify the location of rows of crops and the end of the rows so that it can navigate, but in other embodiments, the ground scout can also rely more on an aerial drone to navigate, to act as a communication relay system, and so on. A buddy system including a ground scout and an air scout (e.g. drone) communicate their findings with each other.

A wide field of view monocentric lens system for an infrared aerial reconnaissance camera includes front and rear lens shell elements and a core lens element, with the number of front and rear shell lens elements depending on the IR band of interest (LWIR, MWIR or SWIR). Infrared radiation entering the monocentric lens passes sequentially through the front shell lens element(s), the core lens element, and the rear shell lens element(s) and is focused onto a curved focal surface. The front shell lens element(s) and the rear shell lens element(s) are made of material having a relatively higher refractive index or a relatively higher optical dispersion, or both, in the band of interest, as compared to the core lens element.

A framing aerial reconnaissance camera is described which has a Cassegrain optical system forming an objective lens that directs radiation to a spectrum-dividing prism. The prism directs radiation in the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum into a first optical path having a two-dimensional image-recording medium, such as a framing CCD array. Radiation in the infrared (IR) band of the spectrum is directed to a second optical path, which has a two-dimensional framing IR-sensitive image-recording medium. The entire camera can be either rotated about the aircraft roll axis in a continuous fashion or stepped in a series of steps to generate frames of imagery, providing panoramic coverage of the scene across the line of flight in two bands of the spectrum simultaneously.

An aerial electronic system for detection of surface and underground threats comprises an electromagnetic (EM) gradiometer flown aloft over the possible ground and underground threats to a convoy. The EM gradiometer is disposed in a Styrofoam torpedo shaped pod that is towed in flight behind an airplane. An illumination transmitter and loop antenna mounted to the airplane radiate a primary EM wave that travels down to the ground surface and penetrates beneath. Frequencies of 80 KHz to 1 MHz are selected according to whether the targets are laying on the surface or deeply buried. Detonation wire pairs, buried cables and pipes, and other conductors will re-radiate a secondary wave that can be sensed by the EM gradiometer. A reference sample of the transmitter signal is carried down a fiberoptic from the airplane to the towed pod. This signal is used in the synchronous detection to measure the secondary EM wave phase.

An aerial reconnaissance projectile, such as a mortar, is launched for viewing a battlefield scene. A reconnaissance section is released from the projectile and conveys back pictures of the battlefield scene taken by a camera and transmitted by radio to a ground position for viewing on a video screen. The reconnaissance section; may have an inertia measurement unit for determining its position over the battlefield scene. The projectile containing the reconnaissance equipment may be a convention mortar round or a rocket projectile. This aerial reconnaissance projectile is capable of carrying sensors for chemical, biological or nuclear activity on the surface area being traversed or intercepting radio signals from the ground and conveying this information by radio to a ground position with a radio receiver.

Embodiments include a ground scout having an ability to identify the location of rows of crops and the end of the rows so that it can navigate, but in other embodiments, the ground scout can also rely more on an aerial drone to navigate, to act as a communication relay system, and so on. A buddy system including a ground scout and an air scout (e.g. drone) communicate their findings with each other.

The invention discloses a combined type ducted aerial reconnaissance robot which comprises a coaxial reverse paddle mechanism, a gasoline engine, an engine frame, a duct, a duct support mechanism, four sets of rotary wing paddle support mechanisms and a main support mechanism, wherein the coaxial reverse paddle mechanism is provided with an upper paddle and a lower paddle which are driven by the gasoline engine, so that the differential motion between the upper paddle and the lower paddle can be realized; the coaxial reverse paddle mechanism is arranged in the duct supported by the duct support mechanism; four horizontal rotary wings which are driven by a motor are evenly arranged along the circumferential direction of the robot by rotary wing support rods; the duct support mechanism and the rotary wing paddle support mechanisms are supported by the main support mechanism, and the whole robot is supported by the duct support mechanism and the rotary wing paddle support mechanisms. The combined type ducted aerial reconnaissance robot has the advantages that the characteristics of a ducted robot and the characteristics of a four-rotary-wing robot are combined together; an oil-electricity hybrid flight mode is adopted, the characteristic of large lift force of the duct is utilized, and the flexibility of the four rotary wings is combined, so that the combined type ducted aerial reconnaissance robot makes up the unstable flight characteristics of the duct.

The invention discloses a control method of an air-ground dual-purpose rotorcraft. An aerial reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle cannot be used for knowing conditions of the ground in details, and the maneuverability and the obstacle avoidance ability of a ground reconnaissance robot are poor. The air-ground dual-purpose rotorcraft comprises two carrier plates and four rotor deformation arms. Each rotor deformation arm comprises a first deformation block, a second deformation block, a third deformation block, a fourth deformation block, a motor base, a dual-purpose wheel wing, a first driving piece, a second driving piece, a third driving piece, a fourth driving piece, a wheel wing motor, a controller, a camera and a gyroscope. The two carrier plates are parallel to each other vertically, and are rectangular. The top surfaces of the first deformation blocks of the four rotor deformation arms and four corners of the bottom surface of the carrier plate positioned on the upper part are fixed separately. The air-ground dual-purpose rotorcraft can be controlled to run stably in a flying mode and a walking mode.

The invention provides a passive temperature compensation mechanism for an optical instrument, relating to a mechanism in the technical field of precise optical mechanical system design. The passive temperature compensation mechanism for an optical instrument in the invention comprises a clamping ring, a first lens, a first space ring, a second space ring, a second lens and a lens seat. The optical axis in the lens seat is sequentially provided with the second lens, the second space ring, the first space ring, the first lens and the clamping ring from right to left; the right side of the second space ring is contacted with the left side of the second lens, a convex ring at the right side of the first space ring is put in a concave ring at the left side of the second space ring, the convex ring surface of the convex ring is contacted with the concave ring surface of the concave ring, the right side of the first lens is contacted with the left side of the first space ring, the first lens is clamped by the right surface of the clamping ring, and the edge of the clamping ring and the inner diameter of the lens seat are in thread contact to form a differential unit structure. The passive temperature compensation mechanism is simple in structure and is easy to realize, and good using effect is obtained when the mechanism is applied to an optical instrument used for aerial reconnaissance.

A wide field of view monocentric lens system for an infrared aerial reconnaissance camera includes front and rear lens shell elements and a core lens element, with the number of front and rear shell lens elements depending on the IR band of interest (LWIR, MWIR or SWIR). Infrared radiation entering the monocentric lens passes sequentially through the front shell lens element(s), the core lens element, and the rear shell lens element(s) and is focused onto a curved focal surface. The front shell lens element(s) and the rear shell lens element(s) are made of material having a relatively higher refractive index or a relatively higher optical dispersion, or both, in the band of interest, as compared to the core lens element.

A framing aerial reconnaissance camera is described which has a catoptric Cassegrain optical system forming an objective lens that directs radiation to a spectrum-dividing prism. The prism directs radiation in the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum into a first optical path having a two-dimensional image-recording medium, such as a charge-coupled device. Radiation in the infrared (IR) band of the spectrum is directed to a second optical path, which has a two-dimensional IR-sensitive image-recording medium, such as an electro-optical IR imaging array. The entire camera is rotated about the aircraft roll axis in a continuous fashion to generate frames of imagery providing panoramic coverage of the scene across the line of flight. While the camera is being rotated about the roll axis, the arrays are exposed to the scene repeatedly to al generate a series of two-dimensional frames of imagery. Forward motion compensation is accomplished by rotation of the Cassegrain optical system in the direction of flight. Image motion due to the camera roll is canceled out in the array by moving pixel information through the arrays as the same rate as the image rotation due to roll. The combination of roll motion compensation and forward motion compensation freezes the image relative to the image recording media, allowing high resolution images to be obtained of the terrain of interest in two different bands of the electromagnetic spectrum simultaneously.

The invention relates to a rotor aircraft comprising rotors, a rotor power driving portion, a controlling portion used for controlling taking-off, landing, and steering of the rotor aircraft, and a load portion. The rotor aircraft is characterized in that a torque isolation portion is arranged between the rotors and the load portion. In prior arts, because of the torque differences of rotors on the aircraft, great influence is applied on the rotor aircraft, aircraft flight stability is influenced, and especially parts such as loads arranged on the aircraft would rotate or sway left and right. With the rotor aircraft provided by the invention, the problem is solved. Parts such as loads do not rotate with the rotation of the rotors, such that the parts such as the loads can operates stably. The rotor aircraft is especially suitable to be used in aerial photography or aerial reconnaissance.

The invention provides a targeting system of a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle). The targeting system comprises a multi-rotor UAV, a PTZ (pan / tilt / zoom) camera, a target practice device and an airborne optical sighting device, wherein the PTZ camera is mounted at the bottom of the multi-rotor UAV and is configured to acquire great visual angle video information of a detection zone; the target practice device is mounted on the PTZ camera and rotates along with the PTZ camera; the airborne optical sighting device is mounted on the target practice device and is configured to acquire image information in the direction pointed by the target practice device. According to the system, aerial reconnaissance, image transmission and target shooting of quick response are executed by the multi-rotor UAV, so that task execution staff can be liberated from an adverse environment, and the loss of the own side is reduced.

A method for automatically generating a three-dimensional reference model as terrain information for a seeker head of an unmanned missile. A three-dimensional terrain model formed from model elements obtained with the aid of satellite and / or aerial reconnaissance is provided. Position data of the imaging device at least at one planned position and a direction vector from the planned position of the imaging device to a predetermined target point in the three-dimensional terrain model are provided. A three-dimensional reference model of the three dimensional terrain model is generated that incorporates only those model elements and sections of model elements from the terrain model, which in the viewing direction of the direction vector from the planned position of the imaging device, are not covered by other model elements and / or are not located outside the field of view of the imaging device.

The invention provides a low-detectability air-defense robot. The robot comprises a protection casing top cover, a protection casing body and the like, wherein the protection casing top cover is hinged to the upper part of the protection casing body, the protection casing top cover and the protection casing body form a completed protection casing after the protection casing top cover is closed, the protection casing adopts a polyhedral structure, the inside of the protection casing adopts a hollow structure, the outside of the protection casing is made of a carbon fiber material, and the surface of the protection casing is coated with a material capable of absorbing radar waves. The robot is provided with an unmanned aerial vehicle for aerial reconnaissance, targets can be searched by the aid of phased-array radar carried by the unmanned aerial vehicle, and meanwhile, the unmanned aerial vehicle cannot be found easily.

The invention discloses an aerial reconnaissance robot which comprises an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) body, wherein the lower surface of the UAV body is fixedly connected to the upper surfaces of afirst fixing plate and two second fixing plates; the right side surface of the first fixing plate is fixedly connected to the left side surfaces of the two second fixing plates; the two second fixingplates are positioned on the front side and the rear side of the lower surface of the UAV body separately; the lower surfaces of the first fixing plate and the second fixing plates are all fixedly connected to the upper surface of a supporting plate; and two rolling wheels are fixedly connected to the right side of the upper surface of the supporting plate. By virtue of a first sliding rod, a bearing plate, a first threaded tube, a threaded column, a first protective block, a second sliding rod, a first spring and a pressing block, the aerial reconnaissance robot can quickly replace a storagebattery and save the time for replacing the storage battery, so as to avoid the influence on the use of the UAV body and to better utilize the UAV body for reconnaissance.

Systems and methods that can be used in lightweight vehicles, such as lightweight small Armed Aerial Scout (AAS) vehicles, and can provide small, lightweight weapons capable of “Fire and Forget” type performance to defeat the next generation “Swarm Weapon Systems”, such as, groups of high speed attack boats armed with anti ship weapons, are disclosed.

The invention discloses a low-altitude searching and positioning system. The low-altitude searching and positioning system comprises a ground ejection device, an aerial reconnaissance device and a ground terminal; the ground terminal sends an ejection angle signal to the ground ejection device, the ground ejection device drives a driving motor according to received angle data, and the driving motor rotates the ground ejection device to a preset angle; the ground terminal sends an ejection confirmation signal to the ground ejection device, the ground ejection device launches the aerial reconnaissance device, the aerial reconnaissance device collects real-time synthetic data and sends the real-time synthetic data to the ground terminal, and the ground terminal receives the synthetic data, performs dynamic image composition and target object recognition and analysis and pushes target objected information. According to the low-altitude searching and positioning system, a sensor is rapidlylifted off in a short time, the target object is prevented from being influenced, and meanwhile, precise ground target positioning is realized; and the size of the aerial reconnaissance device is small, and the aerial reconnaissance device can be carried around, is convenient to recycle, can be reused for several times, and can be applied to scenes of search and rescue after an earthquake, wild animal protection, criminal investigation, flood rescue and the like.

The present invention relates to an airborne reconnaissance system for capturing images in a wide field of regard which comprises: (a) An array of a plurality of n prisms being one next to the other, each prism having an essentially flat and rectangular front surface, and at least an output surface wherein: (a1) a front surface of each of the plurality of prism is being directed toward a different section of a strip of terrain transversal to the flight direction of the aircraft, thereby collecting light rays coming mostly from that terrain strip section; (a2) each output surface of each of the prisms directs light rays which are received through said front prism surface toward a front lens of an optical unit; (b) A focal plane array; (c) Optical unit comprising a front lens, the front lens receiving light separately but simultaneously through the output surfaces of all the prisms, said optical unit comprises addition optics for directing the light received from said lens thereby to produce separate corresponding prism images on said focal plane array; (d) Control unit for periodically capturing all the images that are produced on the focal plane array at each instant, and transferring them into an electronic storage; and (e) Processing and combining unit for processing and combining all the separate stored prism images into a full image of the terrain relating to said wide field of regard.

A method for automatically generating a three-dimensional reference model as terrain information for a seeker head of an unmanned missile. A three-dimensional terrain model formed from model elements obtained with the aid of satellite and / or aerial reconnaissance is provided. Position data of the imaging device at least at one planned position and a direction vector from the planned position of the imaging device to a predetermined target point in the three-dimensional terrain model are provided. A three-dimensional reference model of the three dimensional terrain model is generated that incorporates only those model elements and sections of model elements from the terrain model, which in the viewing direction of the direction vector from the planned position of the imaging device, are not covered by other model elements and / or are not located outside the field of view of the imaging device.

The invention provides an aerial reconnaissance positioning system and a method. The system comprises an operation platform and a multi-rotor aircraft, wherein a pocket-size GSM mobile phone positioning instrument, monitoring equipment, image transmission equipment and flight control equipment are arranged on the multi-rotor aircraft; the multi-rotor aircraft is used for shooting the geographicalenvironment of the target area through the cradle head carrying monitoring equipment; the image transmission equipment and the flight control equipment are used for adjusting the height and attitude of the multi-rotor aircraft; the pocket-size GSM mobile phone positioning instrument is used for accurately positioning a target mobile phone, and the operation platform sends an instruction to the pocket-size GSM mobile phone positioning instrument through the Bluetooth wireless module. The method comprises the following steps: acquiring a mobile phone number of a target mobile phone, and a cell number and a public network main frequency of an area where the target mobile phone is located; sending a short message to the target mobile phone to confirm whether the target mobile phone is in a power-on state; and in different gain modes, the target mobile phone is positioned, and the gain modes comprise a high gain mode, a medium gain mode and a low gain mode.

The invention relates to an intelligent full-automatic weapon station comprising a firepower reconnaissance unit, a firepower control unit and a firepower execution unit. The firepower reconnaissanceunit is used for reconnaissance and searching for firepower attacking target information, the firepower control unit is used for generating a firepower control command according to the reconnaissanceresult of the firepower reconnaissance unit, and the firepower execution unit is used for achieving automatic ammunition charging, aiming and attracting on an attacking target according to the firepower control command; and the firepower reconnaissance unit obtains the firepower attacking target information through unmanned aerial vehicle aerial reconnaissance, ground photoelectric searching and aC4ISR system data chain. The intelligent full-automatic weapon station has the high automation degree, can automatically search and lock the target according to various sensing systems, and can meetthe need for fast, accurate, efficient and intelligent front edge supporting.

The invention discloses a split type reconnaissance and detection robot and method. The split type reconnaissance and detection robot comprises a quadruped robot and an unmanned aerial vehicle module, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle module comprises a laminated wing type unmanned aerial vehicle carrying platform and a laminated wing type unmanned aerial vehicle; the laminated wing type unmanned aerial vehicle is installed in a launching cylinder, and a fuel gas ejection device used for launching the laminated wing type unmanned aerial vehicle is arranged in the launching cylinder; and a lifting device is arranged at the bottom of the laminated wing type unmanned aerial vehicle carrying platform and installed on a robot body. According to the split type reconnaissance and detection robot provided by the embodiment of the invention, the laminated wing type unmanned aerial vehicle carried by the quadruped robot is used for carrying out air reconnaissance and detection on an area needing to be detected through the laminated wing type unmanned aerial vehicle, the quadruped robot is used for carrying out land detection, and the split type reconnaissance and detection robot has land and air detection modes and can adapt to various complex working environments.

The invention relates to an intelligent full-automatic weapon station comprising a firepower reconnaissance unit, a firepower control unit and a firepower execution unit. The firepower reconnaissanceunit is used for reconnaissance and searching for firepower attacking target information, the firepower control unit is used for generating a firepower control command according to the reconnaissanceresult of the firepower reconnaissance unit, and the firepower execution unit is used for achieving automatic ammunition charging, aiming and attracting on an attacking target according to the firepower control command; and the firepower reconnaissance unit obtains the firepower attacking target information through unmanned aerial vehicle aerial reconnaissance, ground photoelectric searching and aC4ISR system data chain. The intelligent full-automatic weapon station has the high automation degree, can automatically search and lock the target according to various sensing systems, and can meetthe need for fast, accurate, efficient and intelligent front edge supporting.

The invention belongs to the technical field of aviation aircrafts, and particularly relates to a vertical and horizontal dual-purpose aircraft based on tilting power. The vertical take-off and landing aircraft comprises a fuselage, two main wings, two front canards, a vertical empennage, N tilting ducted fans, an embedded lift ducted fan and an undercarriage. The vertical take-off and landing aircraft adopts a canard layout and a lift / thrust / control integrated power system, can realize the state conversion from vertical flight to horizontal flight, can take off and land in a smaller space, and is flexible to deploy. The power is separated from the wings, the canard layout is adopted, the aspect ratio can be effectively increased, the lift-drag ratio can be improved, and compared with a common vertical take-off and landing aircraft, the aircraft has the advantages of being high in voyage and low in energy consumption and has huge development prospects in the fields of aerial reconnaissance, surveying and mapping, monitoring and the like.

The invention discloses a control method of an air-ground dual-purpose rotorcraft. An aerial reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle cannot be used for knowing conditions of the ground in details, and the maneuverability and the obstacle avoidance ability of a ground reconnaissance robot are poor. The air-ground dual-purpose rotorcraft comprises two carrier plates and four rotor deformation arms. Each rotor deformation arm comprises a first deformation block, a second deformation block, a third deformation block, a fourth deformation block, a motor base, a dual-purpose wheel wing, a first driving piece, a second driving piece, a third driving piece, a fourth driving piece, a wheel wing motor, a controller, a camera and a gyroscope. The two carrier plates are parallel to each other vertically, and are rectangular. The top surfaces of the first deformation blocks of the four rotor deformation arms and four corners of the bottom surface of the carrier plate positioned on the upper part are fixed separately. The air-ground dual-purpose rotorcraft can be controlled to run stably in a flying mode and a walking mode.