Deployable emergency situation awareness support system
AssigneeIsrael Aerospace Industries Ltd.
InventorsRami Skladman, Ron Bublitsky, Haim Korach, Ben Keshales
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A deployable device mountable on a carrier vehicle and configured to collect situation awareness data. The deployable device includes at least one recorder device configured to collect situation awareness data. The deployable device is capable of being ejected from the carrier vehicle and can be configured to operate as a vehicle and/or be towed by the carrier vehicle. The deployable device can continue collection of situation awareness data after being ejected.
Claims30
A deployable device being mountable on a carrier aircraft and configured to collect situation awareness data with respect to the carrier aircraft, the deployable device being designed and configured as an aerial vehicle comprising:
- at least one recorder device, at least one data acquisition device, and a control unit;
- the at least one recorder device being configured, while the deployable device is carried onboard the carrier aircraft to collect and store situation awareness data with respect to the carrier aircraft;
- the deployable device configured to be ejected from the carrier aircraft, responsive to an ejection request;
- wherein the deployable device is configured to be connected to a towing mechanism connected to the carrier aircraft and is configured upon ejection from the carrier aircraft, to be towed by the towing mechanism of the carrier aircraft;
- wherein the control unit is configured to control flight of the deployable device after being ejected;
- and
- wherein the deployable device is configured, while being towed to operate the at least one data acquisition device for collecting situation awareness data with respect to the carrier aircraft and the control unit is configured to maneuver the deployable device while being towed to enable the data acquisition device to collect the situation awareness data with respect to the carrier aircraft from a desired observation angle external to the carrier aircraft.
A method of operating a deployable device mounted onboard a carrier aircraft, the method comprising:
- while the deployable device is carried onboard the carrier aircraft, operating at least one recorder device onboard the deployable device for collecting situation awareness data with respect to the carrier aircraft;
- ejecting the deployable device from the carrier aircraft, responsive to an ejection request;
- towing the deployable device by the carrier aircraft upon ejection;
- and
- while the deployable device is being towed:
- operating at least one data acquisition device for collection of situation awareness data with respect to the carrier aircraft;
- and
- maneuvering the deployable device to enable the data acquisition device to collect the situation awareness data with respect to the carrier aircraft from a desired observation angle external to the carrier aircraft.
A system for collecting situation awareness data of a carrier aircraft, the system comprising:
- a deployable device configured to collect situation awareness data with respect to the carrier aircraft;
- an ejection sub-system including an ejection module and an ejection mechanism configured to eject the deployable device from the carrier aircraft, responsive to an ejection request;
- a towing sub-system including a tow control module and a towing mechanism configured to control the towing of the deployable device by the carrier aircraft after ejection;
- and
- a release sub-system mechanism including a release module and a release mechanism configured to release the deployable device from being towed by the carrier aircraft, responsive to a release request;
- wherein the deployable device is designed and configured as an aerial vehicle comprising:
- at least one recorder device, at least one data acquisition device, and a control unit configured to control the deployable device after being ejected;
- wherein the deployable device is configured while being towed, to operate a data acquisition device for collecting situation awareness data with respect to the carrier aircraft, and
- wherein the control unit is configured to maneuver the deployable device while being towed to enable the data acquisition device to collect the situation awareness data with respect to the carrier aircraft from a desired observation angle external to the carrier aircraft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.