CA2467010A1

CA2467010A1 - Expendable sonobuoy flight kit with aerodynamically assisted sonobuoy separation

Info

Publication number: CA2467010A1
Application number: CA 2467010
Authority: CA
Inventors: Derek Bilyk; Patrick Zdunich; Marc Macmaster
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-05-14
Filing date: 2004-05-14
Publication date: 2005-11-14
Anticipated expiration: 2024-05-14
Also published as: CA2467010C

Abstract

The invention is a flight kit that can be retrofitted to existing navy sonobuoys. The invention gives sonobuoys the capability of self-deployment, allowing them to be sent to a location remotely without the use of manned aircraft or recoverable unmanned air vehicles. This capability is advantageous in instances where it is desired to place a sonobuoy in an area hostile or hazardous to manned aircraft. The invention is an attachment of a GPS
navigation and control system, wings, control surfaces, and a propulsion system, onto a naval size-A
sonobuoy, using the sonobuoy as the central structural load bearing component of the assembly.
The invention navigates from a launch point on a ship to a designated position, where the sonobuoy separates from the invention, using the wings' aerodynamic forces to mechanically assist in separating the sonobuoy from the flight kit. The sonobuoy and the flight kit enter the water separately to ensure no interference with the sonobuoy.

Claims

1. An expendable flight kit, which attaches to and makes use of an unmodified A-size sonobuoy as the central structural load-bearing component of a flying assembly, comprising:
aerodynamic surfaces for lift and stability, said aerodynamic surfaces being in a rigid-winged tailless configuration;
a propulsion system, said propulsion system consisting of an electric motor, motor controller, battery and propeller;
a flight control system capable of receiving mission parameters, including sonobuoy deployment co-ordinates, through a wireless link and autonomously navigating and steering the vehicle in flight using information from a GPS receiver and attitude sensors and airspeed sensors, and by sending signals to control surfaces via the control surface actuators;
a plurality of control actuators, said control actuators consisting of servomotors;
a plurality of control surfaces;
a method for said flying assembly to be launched from a ship;
a method of separating the sonobuoy from the flight kit components while in flight at an acceptable proximity to a pre-designated set of geographic co-ordinates;
wherein after separation of the sonobuoy from the flight kit, both the sonobuoy and the flight kit components fall into the water.

2. The flight kit recited in claim 1 wherein the aerodynamic surfaces are of:
a conventional rigid wing configuration, having a main wing with a stabilizing surface aft of it;
a canard rigid wing configuration, having a main wing with a stabilizing surface ahead of it;

a tandem rigid wing configuration, having are two lifting surfaces of approximate equal size;
a flying wing configuration;
a three-surface rigid wing configuration, having a main wing with a stabilizing surface ahead of the main wing, and an additional stabilizing surface aft of the main wing;
a biplane configuration, having two main wings of approximate equal size wherein one is placed above the other;
a delta wing configuration;
a sesquiplane configuration, wherein there is a main wing and a wing of smaller size placed above or below it;
a diamond wing configuration, having two main wings, one placed ahead of the other, wherein the forward wing is swept back, the aft wing is swept forward, and the wings are connected at the wing tips;
a ring wing configuration.

3. The flight kit recited in claims 1 and 2 wherein the battery is replaced or augmented by an alternative means of providing electrical power.

4. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 3 wherein the propulsion system consists of a fuel-burning engine, with associated fuel tank, turning a propeller.

5. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 4 wherein the propeller is replaced by a fan or ducted fan.

6. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 5 wherein there exists more than one means of propulsion.

7. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 6 wherein the sonobuoy axis of symmetry is placed in an orientation other than the direction of flight.

8. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 7 wherein the flight control system has the ability to communicate with a control station located on a ship using a radio link.

9. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 8 wherein the flight control system has the ability to communicate with a control station located on land using a radio link.

10. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 9 wherein the flight control system has the ability to communicate with a control station located aboard a manned aircraft using a radio link.

11. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 10 wherein the mission parameters may be transferred to the flight control system over a wired electrical link rather than a wireless link.

12. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 11 wherein the mission parameters may be transferred to the flight control system over an optical link rather than a wireless link.

13. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 12 wherein a human pilot remotely controls the aircraft.

14. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 13 wherein the flight control system has a lesser set of sensors, receivers or capabilities.

15. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 14 wherein the flight control system has a magnetometer or magnetic compass for determining magnetic heading in place of or in addition to a GPS navigation system.

16. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 15 wherein the flight control system has an inertial navigation system in place of or in addition to a GPS navigation system.

17. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 16 wherein an alternative satellite navigation system is used in place of a GPS navigation system.

18. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 17 wherein navigational information is provided to the flight kit from a ship or land or aircraft based transmitter in place or in addition to the a GPS navigation system.

19. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 18 wherein the sonobuoy is a standard sonobuoy other than an unmodified naval A-size sonobuoy.

20. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 19 wherein the sonobuoy is a modified or custom sonobuoy.

21. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 20 wherein there is more than one sonobuoy.

22. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 21 wherein the flight kit attaches to and makes use of an alternative sonobuoy-shaped item instead of the sonobuoy as the central structural load-bearing component.

23. The flight kit recited in claim 22 wherein the alternative sonobuoy-shaped component contains a radio relay capable of re-transmitting signals from one or more sonobuoys that are in the water to a receiving site that is over-the-horizon from the sonobuoys.

24. The flight kit recited in claim 23 wherein a portion of the alternative sonobuoy-shaped item is occupied by additional batteries or fuel.

25. The flight kit recited in claims 22 through 24 wherein the alternative sonobuoy-shaped item contains a chemical sensor or biological agent sensor.

26. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 25 wherein sonobuoy separation from the other flight kit components is achieved by triggering a mechanism that uses the aerodynamic lift loads on the wings to release the sonobuoy from the other components.

27. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 25 wherein sonobuoy separation from the other flight kit components is assisted by triggering a mechanism that uses the aerodynamic lift loads on the wings to release the sonobuoy from the other components.

28. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 25 and claim 27 wherein sonobuoy separation from the other flight kit components is achieved or assisted by triggering the release of a pre-loaded spring mechanism.

29. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 25, 27 and 28 wherein sonobuoy separation from the other flight kit components is achieved or assisted through a flight manoeuvre.

30. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 29 wherein sonobuoy separation from the other flight kit components is triggered, achieved, or assisted by an active mechanism controlled by the flight control system.

31. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 30 wherein the sonobuoy separates from the flight kit after hitting the water.

32. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 31 wherein the flight kit remains expendable and sonobuoy is not the central structural load bearing component of the assembly.

33. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 32, except that the flight kit is re-useable.

34. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 33, except that the flight kit independently retains the ability to fly after separation from the sonobuoy.

35. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 34, wherein said flying assembly is launched into flight using a pneumatic launcher.

36. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 34, wherein said flying assembly is launched into flight using an elastomer or bungee-type launch mechanism.

37. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 34, wherein said flying assembly is launched into flight using a rocket-assisted take-off method.

38. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 34, wherein said flying assembly includes a method to be launched from land.

39. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 34, wherein said flying assembly includes a method to be released from an aircraft.

40. The flight kit recited in claim 3 wherein the alternative means of providing electrical power is a fuel cell.

41. The flight kit recited in claim 3 wherein the alternative means of providing electrical power is a solar cell.

42. The flight kit recited in claim 3 wherein the alternative means of providing electrical power is a fuel-powered generator.

43. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 42 wherein the propulsion system is a rocket.

44. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 43 wherein the propulsion system is a fuel-burning turbine engine.

45. The flight kit recited in claims 1 through 44 wherein the sonobuoy is oriented in such a way as to act as a wing spar.