Laser-Based Flow Modification to Remotely Control Air Vehicle Flight Path
OwnerKevin Kremeyerinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems, equipment, and methods to deposit energy to modify and control air flow, lift, and drag, in relation to air vehicles, and methods for seeding flow instabilities at the leading edges of control surfaces, primarily through shockwave generation through deposition of laser energy at a distance.
Claims19
An energy deposition system to remotely control one or more air vehicles, comprising:
- one or more pulsed laser sources to provide the energy to be deposited;
- and
- targeting and control hardware and algorithms to ensure the correct placement and timing of the laser pulses for the desired control.
A method to alter or interfere with the movement of at least one air vehicle, comprising:
- depositing energy on, near or proximate at least one control surface of at least one remote air vehicle to modify or control the aerodynamic flow along said control surface.
A system of controlling an air vehicle, in which the leading edge of one or more control surfaces is tracked, in order to deliver energy to said leading edge, capable of modifying the air flow along said surface(s).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.