Deployable Vision Sensor System for Aircraft Drag Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional aircraft forward windows are large and heavy, increasing drag and reducing performance, and existing vision systems protrude outside the aircraft, contributing to these issues.

Innovation Solution

A deployable vision sensor system that can retract within and deploy outside the aircraft's outer mold line, using a housing and vision sensor package to collect imaging information and display environmental images to pilots, reducing the need for large windows and minimizing drag.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If large forward windows are used to meet field of view requirements, then pilots can view the surroundings, but the windows become heavy and increase drag

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefield of viewVSAvoidwindow weight

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses camera systems to capture images of the external environment and displays them on screens inside the cockpit, creating a visual copy of what would be seen through traditional windows. This eliminates the need for large physical windows while maintaining the field of view function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical system of large glass windows with an electronic imaging system consisting of cameras, processors, and display screens. This substitution eliminates the weight and drag of large windows while providing the same visual information to pilots.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Loss of information

If conventional vision systems are disposed outside the outer mold line, then imaging information can be collected, but drag increases and performance decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimaging information collectionVSAvoiddrag

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates the camera systems within the aircraft's outer mold line, nesting the imaging components inside the fuselage structure rather than mounting them externally. This eliminates the drag-causing protrusions while maintaining imaging capability through strategically positioned sensors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from external mounting of vision systems to internal integration within the aircraft structure. By changing the spatial dimension from external to internal placement, the system eliminates drag while maintaining imaging function through careful positioning of sensors within the fuselage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS10414515B2Aircraft and deployable vision systems for aircraft

Publication Date: 2019.09.17 GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE CORP

AI summary

Aircraft, vision sensor systems, and methods of operating deployable vision systems are provided. An aircraft includes a fuselage and a vision sensor system. The fuselage defines an outer mold line and the vision sensor system includes a housing and a vision sensor package. The housing is selectively deployable between a retracted position and a deployed position and is disposed within the outer mold line in the retracted position and outside of the outer mold line in the deployed position. The vision sensor package is associated with the housing and is positioned to collect imaging information when the housing is in the deployed position.