Remotely controllable aeronautical ordnance
AssigneeOverwerx Ltd.
InventorJeffrey Hill
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An ordnance for air-borne delivery to a target under remotely controlled in-flight navigation. In one embodiment, self-powered aerial ordnance includes upper and lower cases. A plurality of co-axial, deployable blades is powered by a motor positioned in the upper case. When deployed, the blades are rotatable about the upper case to impart thrust and bring the vehicle to a first altitude above a target position. An explosive material and a camera are positioned in a lower case which is attached to the upper case. The camera generates a view along the ground plane and above the target when the ordinance is in flight. When the vehicle is deployed it is remotely controllable to deliver the vehicle to the target to detonate the explosive at the target. The ordnance may drop directly on a target as a bomb does.
Claims20
An aeronautical ordnance for vertical take-off and flight above a ground plane, comprising:
- a tubular shaped body having first and second opposing end portions and an explosive component positioned therein;
- a plurality of blades connected to the body at or near the first end portion for rotation about the body under powered operation to impart thrust and bring the ordnance to a first altitude above a target position;
- a motor positioned within the tubular shaped body, connected to selectively provide the powered operation to impart the thrust and thereby provide propulsive lift to the ordnance via the blade rotation;
- an imaging device mounted along the second end portion to generate frames of image data representative of a view of a ground plane while the ordnance is airborne;
- first receiver circuitry configured to receive radio frequency (rf) control signals and coupled to effect operation of other components of the ordnance in response to the received signals;
- and
- rf video transmission circuitry coupled to receive the frames of image data and transmit rf signals comprising a stream of the image data, wherein, when the ordnance is airborne above a ground plane:
- (i) the blades are positioned above the motor and are connected to the motor via a shaft for rotation about a central axis, and
- (ii) the imaging device can generate frames of image data representative of a view of a portion of the ground plane directly below the ordnance, and
- after the powered operation is initiated to impart the propulsive lift to the ordnance, frames of image data, representative of a view of a portion of the ground plane vertically below the ordnance, can be generated based on image data acquired with the imaging device positioned on the ordnance, and one or more first control signals can be sent from a remote control device to navigate movement of the ordnance to an airborne position above the target position;
- and
- with the ordnance in an airborne position above the target position, one or more second control signals can be sent from the remote-control device to cause the ordnance to descend toward the target position and detonate the explosive component.
An aeronautical device for vertical take-off and flight above a ground plane, comprising:
- a case comprising an upper-case portion and a lower-case portion, the lower-case portion connected to a bottom portion of the upper-case portion;
- a plurality of deployable coaxial blades connected to the upper case such that, when deployed, the blades are rotatable about the upper case to impart thrust and bring the aeronautical device to a first altitude;
- a motor attached to the upper-case portion and connected to selectively provide power to rotate the blades to enable vertical take-off and flight;
- a payload attached to the case;
- an imaging system, attached to the lower case, which can be oriented to generate image data representative of a view from the aeronautical device of a portion of the ground plane directly below the aeronautical device during flight;
- and
- a switch connected to drop the aeronautical device from the first altitude and on to a target, wherein one or more first control signals can be sent from a remote-control device to navigate movement of the aeronautical device to an airborne position at the first altitude and above the target.
An aeronautical device for vertical take-off and flight above a ground plane, comprising:
- a case comprising an upper-case portion and a lower-case portion, the lower-case portion connected to a bottom portion of the upper-case portion;
- a plurality of deployable coaxial blades connected to the upper case such that, when deployed, the blades are rotatable about the upper case to impart thrust and bring the aeronautical device to a first altitude above a desired position;
- a motor attached to the upper-case portion and connected to selectively provide power to rotate the blades to enable vertical take-off and flight;
- and
- an imaging system, attached to the lower case, which can be oriented to generate image data representative of views from the aeronautical device of portions of the ground plane directly below the aeronautical device during flight, including a view of a desired position, the aeronautical device configured to carry at least one of a radiation detector, a chemical detector, a biological agent detector, or a lighting system configured to illuminate an area around the aeronautical device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.