Turret assemblies for small aerial platforms, including unmanned aircraft, and associated methods

An aircraft system, comprising:

• a turret assembly carried proximate to a nose portion of an unmanned aircraft, the turret assembly including—
• an imaging device having an imaging aperture configured to receive radiation along a line of sight;
• a gimbal system carrying the imaging device, the gimbal system including:
• a pan axis spindle operably coupled between a first support and a pan actuator to rotate the first support about the pan axis;
• and
• a second support carried by the first support and coupled to a tilt actuator to rotate about a tilt axis transverse to the pan axis, the second support carrying the imaging device;
• a surveillance dome at least partially surrounding the imaging device and the gimbal system;
• and
• a controller operably coupled to the gimbal system and programmed with instructions to direct movement of at least one of the pan actuator and the tilt actuator such that the line of sight is directed above a horizon relative to the aircraft before the surveillance dome contacts the ground or another external structure during landing or capture operations;
• and
• one or more turret engagement portions carried by the aircraft proximate to the turret assembly and spaced apart from the turret assembly during airborne operation, the one or more engagement portions being positioned to engage the turret assembly after the turret assembly impacts the ground or another external structure to limit movement of the turret assembly toward the aircraft and prevent the pan axis spindle from flexing past an elastic limit of the pan axis spindle.

An aircraft system, comprising:

• a turret assembly carried proximate to a nose portion of an unmanned aircraft, the turret assembly including—
• an imaging device having an imaging aperture configured to receive radiation along a line of sight;
• a gimbal system carrying the imaging device, the gimbal system including:
• a roll axis spindle operably coupled between a first support and a roll actuator to rotate the first support about a roll axis, the roll axis being generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the aircraft;
• and
• a second support carried by the first support and coupled to a tilt actuator to rotate about a tilt axis transverse to the roll axis, the second support carrying the imaging device;
• a surveillance dome at least partially surrounding the imaging device and the gimbal system;
• and
• a controller operably coupled to the gimbal system and programmed with instructions to direct movement of at least one of the roll actuator and the tilt actuator such that the line of sight is directed above a horizon relative to the aircraft before the surveillance dome contacts the ground or another external structure during landing or capture operations;
• and
• one or more turret engagement portions carried by the aircraft proximate to the turret assembly and spaced apart from the turret assembly during airborne operation, the one or more engagement portions being positioned to engage the turret assembly after the turret assembly impacts the ground or another external structure during landing or capture operations to limit movement of the turret assembly toward the aircraft and prevent the roll axis spindle from flexing past its elastic limit.

A surveillance apparatus for tracking a target from the air, the surveillance apparatus comprising:

• first support means;
• first actuation means for rotating the first support means about a first axis;
• second support means carried by the first support means and configured to carry a surveillance payload having a line of sight;
• second actuation means for rotating the second support means relative to the first support means about a second axis transverse to the first axis;
• housing means at least partially surrounding the surveillance payload;
• and
• control means to direct movement of at least one of the first actuation means and the second actuation means such that the line of sight of the surveillance payload is pointed away from a point of impact before the surveillance apparatus contacts the ground or another external structure during landing or capture operations.

A vehicle, comprising:

• a movable body;
• a turret assembly carried by the body, the turret assembly including—
• a payload having a line of sight to a target;
• a gimbal system carrying the payload, wherein the gimbal system is movable about an axis;
• a housing at least partially surrounding the payload and the gimbal system;
• and
• a controller operably coupled to the gimbal system to direct movement of the gimbal system about the axis such that the line of sight is pointed away from a point of impact before the turret assembly contacts the ground or another external structure during operation.