Self-orienting reticle for UAV aiming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Operators controlling vehicles with multiple axes of rotational freedom, such as UAVs, face challenges in determining the orientation and flight path of the vehicle to intercept or evade targets due to the lack of non-instrument cues, making it difficult to use traditional sighting reticles effectively.
Innovation Solution
A modified sighting reticle system that overlays vehicle information and spatial referencing onto a graphical image, using a sighting ring with a central reference symbol and additional indices to indicate the vehicle's state and orientation, allowing the operator to accurately aim at a target by displaying the vehicle's heading and state relative to a reference direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional sighting reticles are used in vehicles with multiple axes of rotational freedom, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ease of operation deteriorates because operators cannot determine vehicle orientation and flight path
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds a new dimension of information display by overlaying reticle elements that represent vehicle orientation, heading, and flight path onto the traditional sighting ring. This transforms the 2D reticle into a multi-dimensional information display that encodes spatial relationships and vehicle state without adding physical complexity to the sighting device itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate visual elements (orientation indicators, heading markers, flight path vectors) that mediate between the complex vehicle state data and the operator's spatial understanding. These intermediaries translate abstract vehicle orientation data into intuitive visual cues that operators can interpret quickly.
2Reliability
If auto-stabilization and auto-tracking devices are used to maintain lock on target, then the stability of target acquisition is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to reduced operator control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by displaying real-time visual indicators of vehicle orientation, heading, and predicted flight path on the reticle. This feedback loop allows operators to see the direct relationship between vehicle state and target position, enabling them to make informed manual adjustments while maintaining awareness of vehicle dynamics.
Solution Approach 2:
The reticle elements dynamically adjust based on vehicle state changes, with orientation indicators and flight path vectors updating in real-time as the vehicle moves. This dynamic display adapts to changing conditions while maintaining operator control and situational awareness.
Data Source
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AI summary
There is described a method and a system for providing a sighting reticle oriented to aim at a target from a vehicle within an environment of the target. The method improves the situational awareness of the operator regardless of the orientation and motion of the aiming instrument and thus finds applications for the control of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The method comprises providing a graphical image representing the environment as seen from the vehicle when aiming at the target; determining a state of the vehicle with respect to a spatial reference point; overlaying the sighting reticle onto the graphical image, the sighting reticle indicating the target on the graphical image with respect to the spatial reference point, the sighting reticle comprising a marking defining the spatial reference point; positioning the sighting reticle to orient the marking based on the state of the vehicle; and displaying on a display device the sighting reticle positioned on the graphical image to enable aiming at the target.