Rogue Drone Interception Using Coded Sky Illumination

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for intercepting rogue drones are challenging due to their small and fast-moving nature, making it difficult for interceptor UAVs to locate and engage them effectively.

Innovation Solution

A system utilizing a broad-angle electromagnetic radiation emitter to illuminate a cone of sky with coded radiation, combined with an air vehicle equipped with a detector and controller to determine the rogue drone's position based on reflected radiation, and a notch filter to disregard other light sources, allowing for quicker and more accurate interception.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If an interceptor UAV is used to locate and intercept a rogue drone, then interception capability is improved, but the difficulty of locating the rogue drone increases due to its small size and fast movement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterception capabilityVSAvoiddifficulty of locating rogue drone
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a laser illuminator as an intermediary device that projects coded laser patterns onto the sky background. The rogue drone reflects these patterns, making it visible to the detector. This intermediary illumination system solves the detection difficulty by creating a high-contrast visual signature that the small, fast-moving drone would otherwise be impossible to detect against the sky background.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses coded laser illumination that creates specific optical patterns and color signatures reflected from the drone. The detector is tuned to recognize these specific coded patterns, effectively using optical signature recognition to distinguish the drone from the background. This allows the system to detect the drone's position, velocity, and acceleration by analyzing the reflected coded light patterns.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

2Measurement precision

If a broad-angle electromagnetic radiation emitter with coded radiation and notch filter is used, then detection precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveposition determination accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-encodes the laser illumination with specific temporal and spatial patterns before emission. These coded patterns are designed in advance to carry information about the illumination geometry and timing. When reflected from the drone, these pre-encoded patterns allow the detector to precisely calculate the drone's position, velocity, and acceleration through decoding the reflected signal, thereby achieving high measurement precision with a relatively simple detector.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The laser illuminator emits coded radiation in periodic pulse sequences with specific temporal patterns. This periodic coding allows the detector to distinguish between different reflection sources and calculate the drone's motion parameters by analyzing the time-varying reflected signal. The periodic nature of the coded illumination simplifies the detection process while maintaining high precision in position determination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

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

This solution reduces the burden on human operators and enables faster interception of rogue drones by providing precise location data for the air vehicle to target and neutralize the drone.

Implementation Method 1

a broad-angle electromagnetic radiation emitter for illuminating a cone of sky with coded electromagnetic radiation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic radiation emission: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

an electromagnetic radiation detector for receiving coded electromagnetic radiation reflected from a rogue drone

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic radiation reflection: Reflection

Implementation Method 3

the detector comprising a notch filter for selecting the coded electromagnetic radiation and for disregarding light from other sources

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectNotch filter frequency selection: Filter (optical)

Implementation Method 4

a controller for determining the position of the rogue drone based on the received coded electromagnetic radiation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPosition calculation from reflected radiation:

Data Source

PatentEP4115257B1Drone interception
Publication Date: 2024.02.21 BAE SYSTEMS PLC
  • EP4115257B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4115257B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4115257B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present disclosure provides a system for intercepting a rogue drone, the system comprising: a broad-angle electromagnetic radiation emitter for illuminating a cone of sky with coded electromagnetic radiation; and an air vehicle. The air vehicle comprises: an electromagnetic radiation detector for receiving coded electromagnetic radiation reflected from a rogue drone operating in the cone of sky, the detector comprising a notch filter for selecting the coded electromagnetic radiation and for disregarding light from other sources; and a controller for determining the position of the rogue drone based on the received coded electromagnetic radiation. The present invention also provides an air vehicle for intercepting a rogue drone and a method of intercepting a rogue drone.