Inductive Energy Capsule for Localized UAV Electronics Disruption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for combating rogue unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are inadequate, as they are often bulky, expensive, or require significant time and resources, and fail to effectively disrupt swarms of UAVs.
Innovation Solution
The development of directed energy delivery systems that use inductive magnetic fields generated by a directed energy device, housed within a capsule, to inductively couple with UAV electronics, disrupting their control and destabilizing them.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If RF jamming devices are used to interrupt communications with UAVs, then the functionality of UAVs is disrupted, but the devices are high power, expensive, and affect other nearby electronic devices and systems
Solution Approach 1:
The directed energy device delivers electromagnetic energy in a highly localized manner through a focused beam, affecting only the targeted UAV's electronics while leaving surrounding electronic devices unaffected. This resolves the contradiction by providing reliable UAV disruption without collateral damage to other electronics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a capsule as an intermediary carrier that delivers the directed energy device to the UAV. The capsule protects the directed energy device during transport and enables precise delivery to the target, thereby achieving localized disruption without affecting surrounding electronics.
2Reliability
If nets are used to physically capture UAVs, then the UAVs are captured, but the nets are bulky and difficult to deliver at higher altitudes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical net capture system with a directed energy device that uses electromagnetic fields to disrupt UAV electronics. This substitution eliminates the bulkiness and deliverability issues of physical nets while maintaining the capability to neutralize UAVs, including those at higher altitudes.
3Reliability
If hacking and redirecting UAVs is used to disable them, then the UAV is disabled, but it requires an undesirable amount of time and can only disable one UAV at a time
Solution Approach 1:
The directed energy device can be rapidly fired in periodic sequences to disable multiple UAVs in a swarm. Each pulse targets a different UAV or the same UAV, enabling rapid neutralization of multiple threats rather than the time-consuming hacking process that handles only one UAV at a time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system can pre-position capsules or pre-aim the directed energy device at detected UAVs, enabling immediate disruption when threats are identified. This eliminates the time required for hacking operations and allows simultaneous or rapid sequential disabling of multiple UAVs.
4Reliability
If trained eagles are used to capture small UAVs, then the UAVs are captured, but this approach is not implemented easily on a large scale
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the capture function from biological systems (eagles) and implements it through an engineered directed energy device. This extraction enables scalable deployment of the capture/disruption capability, as the device can be replicated and deployed in numbers far exceeding what is possible with trained animals.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a cost-effective and efficient means to disable or disrupt UAVs, including swarms, without causing collateral damage, and can be deployed in various forms, such as handheld or turret-mounted systems, offering protection for critical infrastructure and public events.
Implementation Method 1
a first inductor configured to generate an inductive magnetic field that is able to inductively couple into one or more electronics of the UAV
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes a capsule configured to be launched or carried towards an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The apparatus also includes a directed energy device within or carried by the capsule. The directed energy device includes a first inductor configured to generate an inductive magnetic field that is able to inductively couple into one or more electronics of the UAV in order to disable or destabilize the UAV. The capsule can be configured to be launched towards the UAV and can include a loiter mechanism (such as a rotor, umbrella, or parachute) configured to maintain a position of the capsule or to slow a descent of the capsule after launch. The capsule can also be configured to be carried towards the UAV by a different UAV, and the apparatus can further include a tether coupling the capsule to the different UAV.