CN113138603A

CN113138603A - Tether management system and method

Info

Publication number: CN113138603A
Application number: CN202110062186.3A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 于飞; R·昆哈; J·马尤
Original assignee: Flir Unmanned Aerial Systems ULC
Current assignee: Flir Unmanned Aerial Systems ULC
Priority date: 2020-01-19
Filing date: 2021-01-18
Publication date: 2021-07-20
Anticipated expiration: 2041-01-18
Also published as: CN113138603B

Abstract

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and related techniques are provided to improve the operation of unmanned mobile sensors or measurement platforms. The tether management system includes a logic device configured to communicate with a directional sensor coupled to a tethered Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and a communication module, wherein the communication module is configured to establish a communication link with a base station associated with the tethered UAV, the directional sensor configured to provide a heading of the tethered UAV when the tethered UAV maneuvers within an area of investigation. The logic device is configured to determine a cumulative twist of a tether coupled between the base station and the tethered UAV, and generate a tether damage warning notification based at least in part on the determined cumulative twist and a maximum allowed cumulative twist associated with the tether coupled between the base station and the tethered UAV.

Description

Tether management system and method

Cross reference to related patent applications

The benefit and priority of U.S. provisional patent application No.62/963,143, entitled "TETHER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND METHODS", filed on 19.1.2020, is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

The present application relates to international patent application PCT/US2019/025458 filed on 2.4.2019 AND entitled "RADIO LINK COVERAGE MAP AND LOSS tigation SYSTEMS AND METHODS," which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. PCT/US2019/025458 claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No.62/664,719 entitled "RADIO LINK COVERAGE MAP AND LOSS MITITITITITION SYSTEMS AND METHODS", filed 2018, 30/4, AND incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

This application is related to the benefit of U.S. patent application No.16/088,040 entitled "PERSISTENT AERIAL RECONNAISSANCE AND communiation SYSTEM," filed 24/9 in 2018, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. U.S. patent application No.16/088,040 is a national phase according to 35u.s.c.371 of PCT patent application PCT/US2017/024152 filed 24.3.2017 AND entitled "PERSISTENT AERIAL RECONNAISSANCE AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEM", which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. PCT/US2017/024152 claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No.62/312,887 filed on 24/2016, U.S. provisional patent application No.62/315,873 filed on 31/2016, U.S. provisional patent application No.62/321,292 filed on 12/4/2016, U.S. provisional patent application No.62/420,548 filed on 10/11/2016, and U.S. provisional patent application No.62/463,536 filed on 24/2/2017, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to unmanned sensor platforms, and more particularly to systems and methods for tether management for unmanned aerial vehicles.

Background

Modern unmanned sensor platforms, such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), remotely controlled underwater vehicles (ROVs), unmanned (water) surface vehicles (USVs), and Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) can operate remotely in all environments; rural, urban and even underwater. The operation of these platforms typically involves real-time data transmission between the unmanned sensor platform and a base station, which typically includes a display to effectively communicate telemetry, images, and other sensor data captured by the platform to an operator. Throughout the task, operators or systems incorporating these platforms are often required to manipulate or control or monitor the unmanned sensor platforms solely on the data received from the unmanned sensor platforms. As such, non-automated or unreliable automation aspects related to the safe and accurate control of the unmanned sensor platform can significantly reduce the operational flexibility of the platform and/or its constituent systems.

Accordingly, there is a need in the art for methods for automating or more reliably automating the control of unmanned sensor platforms and increasing the operational flexibility of these systems.

Disclosure of Invention

Tether management systems and related techniques are provided to improve operation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and/or unmanned aerial vehicle systems (UASs) incorporating one or more such UAVs. One or more embodiments of the tether management system described may advantageously include: a communication module to establish one or more wired and/or wireless communication links between a ground station and a UAV of the UAS; a directional sensor configured to provide a heading of the tethered UVA when the UAV maneuvers within the area of investigation; and a controller for controlling operation of the communication module, the orientation sensor and/or the mobile platform; and one or more additional sensors to measure and provide sensor data corresponding to the manipulation and/or other operations of the mobile platform. In various embodiments, such additional sensors may include a remote sensor system configured to capture sensor data of the area of investigation from which a two-dimensional and/or three-dimensional spatial map of the area of investigation may be generated. For example, the mapping system may include one or more visible spectrum and/or infrared cameras and/or other remote sensor systems coupled to the UAV.

In one embodiment, the system includes a logic device configured to communicate with a directional sensor coupled to the tethered UAV and a communication module, wherein the communication module is configured to establish a communication link with a base station associated with the tethered UAV, the directional sensor configured to provide a heading of the tethered UAV when the tethered UAV maneuvers within the area of investigation. The logic device may be configured to receive heading data from the directional sensor corresponding to one or more locations of the tethered UAV within the survey area; determining an accumulated twist of a tether coupled between the base station and the tethered UAV, wherein the accumulated twist of the tether is based at least in part on the received heading data; and generate a tether damage warning notification based at least in part on the determined cumulative twist and a maximum allowable cumulative twist associated with a tether coupled between the base station and the tethered UAV.

In another embodiment, a method comprises: receiving heading data from a directional sensor coupled with a tethered UAV, the heading data configured to provide a heading of the tethered UAV when the tethered UAV maneuvers within a survey area, wherein the heading data corresponds to one or more locations of the tethered UAV within the survey area; determining an accumulated twist of a tether coupled between the base station and the tethered UAV, wherein the accumulated twist of the tether is based at least in part on the received heading data; and generate a tether damage warning notification based at least in part on the determined cumulative twist and a maximum allowable cumulative twist associated with a tether coupled between the base station and the tethered UAV.

The scope of the invention is defined by the claims, which are incorporated into this section by reference. One skilled in the art will more fully appreciate the embodiments of the invention and realize additional advantages thereof by consideration of the following detailed description of one or more embodiments. Reference will now be made to the drawings, which will first be described briefly.

Drawings

FIG. 1 shows a diagram of an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

Fig. 2 shows a diagram of a mobile platform (UAV) of a UAS, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 3A shows a diagram of a UAS including a tethered UAV, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 3B shows a diagram of communication and power interconnections for a UAS including a tethered UAV, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 4 shows a diagram of a UAS including a tethered UAV experiencing an unexpected tether twist, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Figure 5 illustrates a diagram of a state machine for providing tether management according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Figure 6 illustrates a flow diagram of various operations for providing tether management in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

Embodiments of the present invention and their advantages are best understood by referring to the detailed description that follows. It should be appreciated that like reference numerals are used to identify like elements in one or more of the figures.

Detailed Description

Tether management systems and related techniques are provided to improve operational flexibility and reliability of a drone system (UAS) including a drone sensor platform, such as a drone (UAV). UAVs, commonly referred to as drones, when connected to a power source by a tether, can extend flight time. However, conventional tethers often suffer from undesirable side effects such as limited flight distance and additional weight. In some tethered flight scenarios, the UAV may rotate multiple times for purposes of tracking targets, etc. As a result, the tension that accumulates due to the resulting twist may eventually damage the tether. As such, it may be necessary to eliminate or at least reduce the accumulated twist by counter-rotating (e.g., counter-yawing) the aircraft to unwind the tether. Multiple manual counter-rotations of the UAV may be a daunting task for an operator of a UAS system that includes a tethered UAV. Embodiments described herein counteract this frustration by: tracking the accumulated twist in the tether and informing the operator of the accumulated twist (e.g., or yaw of the UAV); alerting an operator when the tether is twisted to and/or exceeds a preselected maximum allowable cumulative twist; and/or autopilot the UAV to untwist the tether such that the accumulated twist is less than the maximum allowable accumulated twist.

The tether management system may advantageously comprise: a communication module configured to establish a communication link with a base station associated with a tethered UAV; a logic device configured to communicate with a communication module; and a direction sensor coupled to the tethered UAV; and one or more additional sensors for measuring and providing sensor data corresponding to the maneuvering and/or other operations of the mobile platform. In various embodiments, such additional sensors may include a remote sensor system configured to capture sensor data of the area of investigation from which a two-dimensional and/or three-dimensional spatial map of the area of investigation may be generated. For example, the mapping system may include one or more visible spectrum and/or infrared cameras and/or other remote sensor systems coupled to the UAV.

Fig. 1 shows a block diagram of a UAS 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the system 100 may be configured to fly over a scene, through a structure, or near a target, and image or sense the scene, structure, or target, or portions thereof, by aiming the imaging system/sensor payload 140 at the scene, structure, or target, or portions thereof, using the gimbal system 122. The resulting images and/or other sensor data may be processed (e.g., by sensor payload 140, platform 110, and/or base station 130) and displayed to a user using user interface 132 (e.g., one or more displays, such as a multi-function display (MFD), a portable electronic device (such as a tablet, laptop, or smartphone), or other suitable interface), and/or stored in memory for subsequent viewing and/or analysis. In some embodiments, as described herein, system 100 may be configured to use such images and/or sensor data to control operation of platform 110 and/or sensor payload 140, e.g., control gimbal system 122 to aim sensor payload 140 in a particular direction, or control propulsion system 124 to move platform 110 to a desired position in a scene or structure or relative to a target.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 1, the UAS 100 includes a platform 110, an optional base station 130, and at least one imaging system/sensor payload 140. Platform 110 may be a mobile platform configured to move or fly and to position and/or aim sensor payload 140 (e.g., relative to a designated or detected target). As shown in FIG. 1, the platform 110 may include one or more controllers 112, orientation sensors 114, gyroscopes/accelerometers 116, Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS)118, communication modules 120, gimbal systems 122, propulsion systems 124, and other modules 126. The operation of the platform 110 may be substantially autonomous and/or controlled partially or entirely by an optional base station 130, which base station 130 may include one or more of a user interface 132, a communication module 134, and other modules 136. In other embodiments, platform 110 may include one or more elements of base station 130, such as manned aircraft, land vehicles, and/or surface or underwater vehicles of various types. Sensor payload 140 may be physically coupled to platform 110 and configured to capture sensor data (e.g., visible spectrum images, infrared images, narrow-aperture radar data, and/or other sensor data) of a target location, area, and/or object selected and/or imaged by operation of platform 110 and/or base station 130. In some embodiments, one or more elements of the system 100 may be implemented in a combined housing or structure that may be coupled to the platform 110 or located within the platform 110 and/or held or carried by a user of the system 100.

The controller 112 may be implemented as any suitable logic device (e.g., a processing device, microcontroller, processor, Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), memory storage device, memory reader, or other device or combination of devices) adapted to execute, store, and/or receive suitable instructions, e.g., software instructions implementing control loops for controlling various operations of the platform 110 and/or other elements of the system 100. Such software instructions may also implement methods for processing infrared images and/or other sensor signals, determining sensor information, providing user feedback (e.g., via user interface 132), querying a device for operating parameters, selecting operating parameters for a device, or performing various operations described herein (e.g., operations performed by logic devices of various devices of system 100).

Additionally, a non-transitory medium may be provided for storing machine-readable instructions for loading into and execution by the controller 112. In these and other embodiments, the controller 112 may be implemented with other components, where appropriate, such as volatile memory, non-volatile memory, one or more interfaces, and/or various analog and/or digital components for interacting with devices of the system 100. For example, the controller 112 may be adapted to store sensor signals, sensor information, parameters for coordinate system transformation, calibration parameters, calibration point sets, and/or other operating parameters, e.g., over time, and provide such stored data to a user using the user interface 132. In some embodiments, controller 112 may be integrated with one or more other elements of platform 110, for example, or distributed as multiple logical devices within platform 110, base station 130, and/or sensor payload 140.

In some embodiments, controller 112 may be configured to substantially continuously monitor and/or store status and/or sensor data provided by one or more elements of platform 110, sensor payload 140, and/or base station 130 (e.g., location and/or orientation of platform 110, sensor payload 140, and/or base station 130), as well as status of communication links established between platform 110, sensor payload 140, and/or base station 130 (e.g., including data packet loss between elements of system 100, e.g., to send and receive data using digital communication links). In particular, packet loss is typically estimated as the percentage of packets lost to packets sent to a specified destination. However, the controller 112 may also be configured to classify packet loss, such as a simplified scaling method that may classify the amount of packet loss that is acceptable for a particular use of the platform 110 and/or the sensor payload 140. Regardless, such communication links may be established and configured to substantially continuously transmit data between elements of the system 100 throughout operation of the system 100, wherein such data includes various types of sensor data, control parameters, and/or other data.

The orientation sensor 114 may be implemented as one or more of a compass, a float, an accelerometer, and/or other device capable of measuring the orientation (e.g., the magnitude and direction of roll, pitch, and/or yaw relative to one or more reference directions (e.g., gravity and/or magnetic north)) of the platform 110, gimbal system 122, imaging system/sensor payload 140, and/or other elements of the system 100, and providing the measurements as sensor signals and/or data that can be communicated to the various devices of the system 100. The gyroscope/accelerometer 116 may be implemented as one or more electronic sextants, semiconductor devices, integrated chips, accelerometer sensors, accelerometer sensor systems, or other devices capable of measuring angular velocity/acceleration and/or linear acceleration (e.g., direction and magnitude) of the platform 110 and/or other elements of the system 100 and providing the measurements as sensor signals and/or data that may be communicated to other devices of the system 100 (e.g., user interface 132, controller 112).

The GNSS118 may be implemented according to any global navigation satellite system including GPS, GLONASS, and/or galileo based receivers and/or other devices capable of determining the absolute and/or relative position of the platform 110 (e.g., or elements 110 of the platform) based on wireless signals received from space and/or terrestrial sources (e.g., eLoran and/or other at least partially terrestrial systems) and capable of providing these measurements as sensor signals and/or data (e.g., coordinates) that can be communicated to the various devices of the system 100. In some embodiments, the GNSS118 may comprise an altimeter, for example, or may be used to provide absolute altitude.

The communication module 120 may be implemented as any wired and/or wireless communication module configured to send and receive analog and/or digital signals between elements of the system 100. For example, the communication module 120 may be configured to receive flight control signals and/or data from the base station 130 and provide them to the controller 112 and/or the propulsion system 124. In other embodiments, the communication module 120 may be configured to receive images and/or other sensor information (e.g., visible spectrum and/or infrared still images or video images) from the sensor payload 140 and relay the sensor data to the controller 112 and/or the base station 130. In some embodiments, the communication module 120 may be configured to support, for example, spread spectrum transmissions and/or multiple simultaneous communication channels between elements of the system 100. As described herein, the wireless communication link may include one or more analog and/or digital radio communication links, such as WiFi or the like, and may be, for example, a direct communication link established between elements of the system 100, or may be relayed through one or more wireless relay stations configured to receive and retransmit wireless communications.

In some embodiments, the communication module 120 may be configured to monitor the status of communication links established between the platform 110, the sensor payload 140, and/or the base station 130 (e.g., packet loss including data sent and received between elements of the system 100, such as using a digital communication link). Such status information may be provided to, for example, controller 112, or sent to other elements of system 100 for monitoring, storage, or further processing, as described herein. In particular, the communication module 120 may be configured to monitor packet loss for communications between the platform 110 and the base station 130 and/or classify such packet loss according to an acceptable level of packet loss for a particular use or application associated with the operation and/or state of the platform 110 and/or other elements of the system 100. Regardless, the communication link established by the communication module 120 may be configured to substantially continuously transmit data between elements of the system 100 throughout operation of the system 100, wherein such data includes various types of sensor data, control parameters, and/or other data, as described herein.

In some embodiments, gimbal system 122 may be implemented as an actuated gimbal, which may be controlled by controller 112 to stabilize sensor payload 140 relative to a target or align sensor payload 140 according to a desired orientation and/or relative position, for example. As such, the gimbal system 122 may be configured to provide the relative orientation of the sensor payload 140 (e.g., the orientation relative to the platform 110) to the controller 112 and/or the communication module 120 (e.g., the gimbal system 122 may include its own orientation sensor 114). In other embodiments, the gimbal system 122 may be implemented as a gravity-driven (e.g., non-actuated) carriage. In various embodiments, gimbal system 122 may be configured to provide power, support wired communication, and/or otherwise support operation of articulated sensor/sensor payload 140. In further embodiments, gimbal system 122 may be configured to couple to a laser pointer, a rangefinder, and/or other devices, e.g., to support, stabilize, power, and/or aim multiple devices (e.g., sensor payload 140 and one or more other devices) substantially simultaneously.

Propulsion system 124 may be implemented as one or more propellers, turbines, or other thrust-based propulsion systems, and/or other types of propulsion systems that may be used to provide power and/or lift to platform 110 and/or steer platform 110. In some embodiments, propulsion system 124 may include a plurality of propellers (e.g., three, four, six, eight, or other types of "rotors") that may be controlled (e.g., by controller 112) to provide lift and motion to platform 110 and to provide orientation to platform 110. In other embodiments, the propulsion system 110 may be primarily configured to provide thrust while other structures of the platform 110 provide lift, such as in fixed wing embodiments (e.g., wings provide lift) and/or aerostat embodiments (e.g., balloons, airships, hybrid aerostats). In various embodiments, propulsion system 124 may be implemented with a portable power source, such as a battery and/or an internal combustion engine/generator and fuel supply.

For example, the other modules 126 may include other and/or additional sensors, actuators, communication modules/nodes, and/or user interface devices, and may be used to provide additional environmental information related to the operation of the platform 110, for example. In some embodiments, other modules 126 may include humidity sensors, wind and/or water temperature sensors, barometers (e.g., flight barometers), altimeters, radar systems, proximity sensors, visible or infrared cameras (with additional mounts), irradiance detectors, and/or other environmental sensors to provide measurements and/or other sensor signals that may be displayed to a user and/or used by other devices of system 100 (e.g., controller 112) to provide operational control of platform 110 and/or system 100.

In some embodiments, the other modules 126 may include one or more actuated and/or articulated devices (e.g., multispectral active illuminators, visible and/or IR cameras, radar, sonar, and/or other actuated devices) coupled to the platform 110, wherein each actuated device includes one or more actuators adapted to adjust an orientation of the device relative to the platform 110 in response to one or more control signals (e.g., provided by the controller 112). In particular, the other modules 126 may include a stereo vision system configured to provide image data that may be used, for example, to calculate or estimate the position of the platform 110, or to calculate or estimate the relative position of navigation hazards in the vicinity of the platform 110. In various embodiments, controller 130 may be configured to use such proximity and/or location information to help safely manipulate platform 110 and/or monitor communication link quality, as described herein. One or more such camera/vision systems (e.g., other modules 126) may function as position sensors and be configured to provide the position of the platform 110 via visual ranging, simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM), and/or other techniques in addition to and/or in lieu of the GNSS118, such as when GNSS signals are effectively blocked or obstructed by walls, buildings, and/or ambient electromagnetic noise.

The user interface 132 of the base station 130 may be implemented as one or more of a display, touch screen, keyboard, mouse, joystick, knob, steering wheel, flight stick, and/or any other device capable of accepting user input and/or providing feedback to a user. In various embodiments, the user interface 132 may be adapted to provide user input (e.g., as a type of signal and/or sensor information transmitted by the communication module 134 of the base station 130) to other devices of the system 100, such as the controller 112. The user interface 132 may also be implemented using one or more logic devices (e.g., similar to the controller 112) that may be adapted to store and/or execute instructions, such as software instructions, to implement any of the various processes and/or methods described herein. For example, the user interface 132 may be adapted to, for example, form communication links, send and/or receive communications (e.g., infrared images and/or other sensor signals, control signals, sensor information, user input, and/or other information), or perform various other processes and/or methods described herein.

In one embodiment, the user interface 132 may be adapted to display a time series of various sensor information and/or other parameters as part of or overlaid on a chart or map, which may reference the location and/or orientation of the platform 110 and/or the platform 110, and/or other elements of the system 100. For example, the user interface 132 may be adapted to display a time series of positions, headings, and/or directions of the platform 110 and/or other elements of the system 100 overlaid on a geographic map, which may include one or more charts indicating actuator control signals, sensor information, and/or other sensors and/or respective time series of control signals.

In some embodiments, the user interface 132 may be adapted to, for example, accept user input including a user-defined target heading, waypoint, course and/or orientation for an element of the system 100, and to generate control signals to move the platform 110 according to the target heading, course and/or orientation, or aim the sensor payload 140 accordingly. For example, in other embodiments, the user interface 132 may be adapted to accept user input that modifies control loop parameters of the controller 112.

In further embodiments, the user interface 132 may be adapted to accept user input including, for example, a user-defined target pose, orientation, and/or position of an actuated or articulated device (e.g., sensor payload 140) associated with the platform 110, and to generate control signals to adjust the direction and/or position of the actuated device according to the target pose, orientation, and/or position. Such control signals may be sent to the controller 112 (e.g., using the communication modules 134 and 120), which may then control the platform 110 accordingly.

The communication module 134 may be implemented as any wired and/or wireless communication module configured to send and receive analog and/or digital signals between elements of the system 100. For example, the communication module 134 may be configured to transmit flight control signals from the user interface 132 to the communication module 120 or 144. In other embodiments, the communication module 134 may be configured to receive sensor data (e.g., visible spectrum and/or infrared still or video images, or other sensor data) from the sensor payload 140. In some embodiments, the communication module 134 may be configured to support, for example, spread spectrum transmissions and/or multiple simultaneous communication channels between elements of the system 100. In various embodiments, as described herein, the communication module 134 may be configured to monitor the status of a communication link established between the base station 130, the sensor payload 140, and/or the platform 110 (e.g., packet loss including data transmitted and received between elements of the system 100, such as when employing a digital communication link). Such status information may be provided to, for example, user interface 132, or sent to other elements of system 100 for monitoring, storage, or further processing, as described herein.

Other modules 136 of base station 130 may include, for example, other and/or additional sensors, actuators, communication modules/nodes, and/or user interface devices for providing additional environmental information associated with base station 130. In some embodiments, other modules 136 may include humidity sensors, wind and/or water temperature sensors, barometers (e.g., marker barometers), radar systems, visible spectrum cameras, infrared cameras, GNSS and/or other environmental sensors that provide measurement and/or other sensor signals that may be displayed to a user and/or used by other devices of system 100 (e.g., controller 112) to provide operational control of platform 110 and/or system 100 or process sensor data to compensate for environmental conditions, such as moisture in the atmosphere at approximately the same altitude and/or within the same area as platform 110 and/or base station 130. In some embodiments, other modules 136 may include one or more actuated and/or articulated devices (e.g., multispectral active illuminators, visible and/or IR cameras, radar, sonar, and/or other actuated devices), wherein each actuated device includes one or more actuators adapted to adjust an orientation of the device in response to one or more control signals (e.g., provided by user interface 132).

In embodiments where imaging system/sensor payload 140 is implemented as an imaging device, imaging system/sensor payload 140 may include an imaging module 142, which may be implemented as a cooled and/or uncooled array of detector elements, such as visible spectrum and/or infrared sensitive detector elements, including quantum well infrared photodetector elements, bolometer or microbolometer based detector elements, type II superlattice based detector elements, and/or other infrared spectrum detector elements that may be arranged in a focal plane array. In various embodiments, imaging module 142 may include one or more logic devices (e.g., similar to controller 112) that may be configured to process images captured by the detector elements of imaging module 142 before providing the images to memory 146 or communication module 144. More generally, the imaging module 142 may be configured to perform, at least in part, or in combination with the controller 112 and/or the user interface 132, any of the operations or methods described herein.

In some embodiments, for example, sensor payload 140 may be implemented with a second or additional imaging module similar to imaging module 142, which may include detector elements configured to detect other electromagnetic spectra (e.g., visible, ultraviolet, and/or other electromagnetic spectra or a subset of these spectra). In various embodiments, such additional imaging modules may be calibrated or registered to imaging module 142 such that images captured by each imaging module occupy known and at least partially overlapping fields of view of the other imaging modules, thereby allowing different spectral images to be geometrically registered (e.g., by scaling and/or positioning) relative to one another. In some embodiments, in addition to or instead of relying on known overlapping fields of view, pattern recognition processing may be used to register the different spectral images with one another.

Communication module 144 of sensor payload 140 may be implemented as any wired and/or wireless communication module configured to send and receive analog and/or digital signals between elements of system 100. For example, the communication module 144 may be configured to transmit infrared images from the imaging module 142 to the communication module 120 or 134. In other embodiments, the communication module 144 may be configured to receive control signals (e.g., control signals directing capture, focusing, selective filtering, and/or other operations of the sensor payload 140) from the controller 112 and/or the user interface 132. In some embodiments, communications module 144 may be configured to support, for example, spread spectrum transmissions and/or multiple simultaneous communication channels between elements of system 100. In various embodiments, as described herein, the communication module 144 may be configured to monitor the status of a communication link established between the sensor payload 140, the base station 130, and/or the platform 110 (e.g., packet loss including data transmitted and received between elements of the system 100, such as when employing a digital communication link). Such status information may be provided to, for example, imaging module 142, or sent to other elements of system 100 for monitoring, storage, or further processing, as described herein.

For example, the memory 146 may be implemented as one or more machine-readable media and/or logic devices configured to store and provide software instructions, sensor signals, control signals, operating parameters, calibration parameters, infrared images, and/or other data to the various elements of the system 100 that facilitate operation of the system 100. The memory 146 may also be at least partially implemented as a removable memory, such as a secure digital memory card, including, for example, an interface for such memory.

The orientation sensor 148 of the sensor payload 140 may be implemented similar to the orientation sensor 114 or the gyroscope/accelerometer 116 and/or any other device capable of measuring the orientation (e.g., the magnitude and direction of roll, pitch, and/or yaw relative to one or more reference directions (e.g., gravity and/or magnetic north)) of the sensor payload 140, the imaging module 142, and/or other elements of the sensor payload 140, which also provides these measurements as sensor signals that may be communicated to various devices of the system 100. The gyroscope/accelerometer (e.g., angular motion sensor) 150 of sensor payload 140 may be implemented as one or more electronic sextants, semiconductor devices, integrated chips, accelerometer sensors, accelerometer sensor systems, or other devices capable of measuring angular velocity/acceleration (e.g., angular motion) and/or linear acceleration (e.g., direction and magnitude) of sensor payload 140 and/or various elements of sensor payload 140 as sensor signals that are communicated to various devices of system 100.

Other modules 152 of sensor payload 140 may include, for example, other and/or additional sensors, actuators, communication modules/nodes, cooled or uncooled optical filters, and/or user interface devices for providing additional environmental information associated with sensor payload 140. In some embodiments, other modules 152 may include humidity sensors, wind and/or water temperature sensors, barometers (e.g., load barometers), radar systems, visible spectrum cameras, infrared cameras, GNSS, and/or other environmental sensors that provide measurement and/or other sensor signals that may be displayed to a user and/or used by imaging module 142 or other devices of system 100 (e.g., controller 112) to provide operational control of platform 110 and/or system 100 or process images to compensate for environmental conditions.

In general, the various elements of system 100 may be implemented with any suitable logic device (e.g., a processing device, a microcontroller, a processor, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), a memory storage device, a memory reader, or other device or combination of devices) adapted to execute, store, and/or receive suitable instructions, such as software instructions implementing methods for providing sensor data and/or images or transmitting and/or receiving communications (e.g., sensor signals, sensor information, and/or control signals) between one or more devices of system 100.

Additionally, one or more non-transitory media may be provided to store machine-readable instructions for loading into and execution by any logic device implemented by one or more devices of system 100. In these and other embodiments, the logic device may be implemented with other components, where appropriate, such as volatile memory, non-volatile memory, and/or one or more interfaces (e.g., an integrated circuit (I2C) interface, a Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI), a Joint Test Action Group (JTAG) interface (e.g., IEEE 1149.1 standard test access port and boundary scan architecture), and/or other interfaces, such as an interface for one or more antennas or an interface for a particular type of sensor).

Sensor signals, control signals, and other signals may be communicated between elements of system 100 using a variety of wired and/or wireless communication techniques, including, for example, voltage signaling, ethernet, WiFi, bluetooth, Zigbee, Xbee, micro net, or other media and/or short-range wired and/or wireless networking protocols and/or implementations. In such embodiments, each element of system 100 may include one or more modules that support wired, wireless, and/or a combination of wired and wireless communication technologies. In some embodiments, for example, various elements of system 100 or portions of elements may be integrated with each other or onto a single Printed Circuit Board (PCB) to reduce system complexity, manufacturing costs, power requirements, coordinate system errors, and/or timing errors between various sensor measurements.

Each element of the system 100 may, for example, include one or more batteries, capacitors, or other power storage devices, and may include one or more solar modules or other power generation devices. In some embodiments, one or more of the devices may be powered by the power supply of platform 110 using one or more power cords. Such power lines may also be used to support one or more communication technologies between elements of the system 100.

Fig. 2 shows a diagram of mobile platforms (UAVs) 110A and 110B of a UAS 200 including an imaging system/sensor payload 140 and an associated gimbal system 122 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the embodiment shown in fig. 2, UAS 200 includes base station 130, UAV 110A having articulated imaging system/sensor payload 140 and gimbal system 122, and UAV 110B having articulated imaging system/sensor payload 140 and gimbal system 122, where base station 130 may be configured to control the motion, position, and/or orientation of UAV 110A, UAV 110B and/or sensor payload 140.

Many UAVs are designed to be powered by an onboard battery that needs to power the propulsion system, onboard sensors, and other electronics when flying or hovering during reconnaissance or observation tasks. Thus, battery life provides the UAV with the maximum mission duration. Other UAVs may be configured to extend mission duration by powering microwires (microfilaments) deployed from the ground during operation, while in most cases limiting mission flight area based on length of the microwires. Embodiments described herein may include controlled operation of a tethered UAV through which power, control, and communication signals are sent to the UAV. The control station (e.g., base station 130) and UAV include power management systems and control circuitry to control takeoff, flight operations, and landing of the UAV. One or more controllers located on the UAV or on a control station connected by a communications network are configured to execute instructions to operate the system. In one embodiment, the UAV may obtain power from a remote power source (via a tether), an onboard battery, or both, as required by operator commands or autonomous control. It is worth mentioning that this functionality could also enable a ground or water based UAV to have a power source to land safely and controllably when the mooring power is interrupted.

As described herein, various embodiments of the UAS include tether management systems having relatively high tether deployment and retraction rates. A static assembly may be used upon which a tether may be placed for deployment and retrieval. The movable actuator may contact the tether during deployment or retraction in response to commands from a control system responsive to manual and stored instructions to coordinate tether management with UAV flight control functions to decouple the tether from the static assembly.

In some embodiments, a UAS incorporating a tethered UAV may be referred to as a Persistent Aerial Reconnaissance and Communication (PARC) system that provides the UAV with extended flight time by using a microwire, which may be implemented by a pair of wire-like wires, that may transmit power in excess of one kilowatt to the UAV, while also transmitting bi-directional control and/or sensor data, including high-definition video. PARC systems can be quickly deployed as low maintenance UAV based UAS that allows cameras, radios, or other payloads to remain operational for long periods of time. PARC systems can be designed to intuitively ease startup/landing, while a smaller logistics footprint may make the system suitable for harsh environments. PARC systems may require minimal operational and maintenance training. PARC systems can be designed for rapid and simplified deployment to minimize operator management while maximizing capabilities in terms of communication expansion, troop protection, persistent gaze, and tactical intelligence.

Fig. 3A shows a diagram of a UAS 300 including a tethered UAV110 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the UAS 300 may be implemented as a PARC system. The UAS 300 includes a tethered UAV110 equipped with a payload 140, a tether management system 360, and a base station 330. UAS 300 may also include a data platform adapter/media converter (DPA/MC)334 coupled to an Operator Control Unit (OCU) 332. Payload 140 may be a camera, radar, or other type of surveillance, communication, or other sensor as desired for a particular application of the PARC system. In general, system 300 may be an embodiment of system 100 of fig. 1, where each of base station 330, OCU 332, DPA/MC334, and/or tether management system 360 may be an element of base station 130 (e.g., and/or other modules 136) of system 100.

The tether management system 360 may be a ground-based component that includes a spool assembly that houses a tether spool assembly, which may be a cylindrical axle that holds a pre-wound amount of microwire tether to be attached to the UAV 110. For example, in one embodiment, the spool assembly may accommodate 167.6 meters (550 feet) of microwire tether. In one embodiment, the micro-wire tether may be an insulated twisted copper pair with a kevlar sheath that provides a power link and a communication link between the tether management system 360 and the UAV 110. The base station 330 may be connected to a tether management system 360. The base station 330 may include components that house the AC power input and high voltage conversion electronics in an environmentally sealed enclosure. The base station 330 may also include a high voltage output port to supply high voltage to the tether management system 360, the tether management system 360 transmitting the high voltage to the UAV110 via the microwire. Data platform adapter/media converter (DPA/MC)334 may function to connect OCU 332 to base station 330 while also providing shock hazard isolation. DPA/MC334 may include an optical port connected to base station 330 via fiber optic cable and may also include an ethernet port connected to OCU 332. OCU 332 may be a ruggedized laptop or other computing device equipped with and capable of executing an OUA application to enable control of UAV 110. Further details regarding the operation of tethered and untethered vehicles can be found in U.S. patents 7,510,142 and 7,631,834, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Fig. 3B shows a diagram of the communication and power interconnections for the UAS 300, according to an embodiment of the disclosure. As shown in fig. 3B, the base station 330 may convert power (e.g., provided by the source 336) to high voltage power and provide the high voltage power to the tether management system 360. The base station 330 may also provide a communication link over ethernet and low voltage power to the tether management system 360. The tether management system 360 may provide high voltage power on the microwire tether to the UAV110 for energy intensive operations, such as radar sensing and propulsion during flight operations. As described above, the microwires can also provide a communication path for operators of OCU 332 and/or UAS 300 to communicate with UAV 110. DPA/MC334 may communicate with base station 330 over fiber optics and with OCU 332 over an ethernet connection.

As described herein, a UAS incorporating a tethered UAV typically includes: UAVs that can carry various sensor payloads; a tether for power and/or data transmission; and a base station and/or tether management system, which typically includes a winch to reel/extend the tether and provide transmission or generation of external power for transmission through the tether to the drone. It is common for drones to yaw during flight for mission purposes. Tethered UAVs typically fly longer than non-tethered UAVs, and therefore, during flight lasting hours or days, tethered UAVs may accumulate sufficient yaw such that a large amount of twist (e.g., full/360 degrees of yaw rotation) is accumulated in a single direction (e.g., clockwise may be positive twist and counterclockwise may be negative twist). If most of the twist is balanced in one direction rather than both, the accumulated twist in the tether may cause damage, such as damage to the tether interface components due to mechanical fatigue and/or shorten the reliable life of the tether. Whether the base station is placed on the ground or mounted on a moving vehicle, rotating the base station/tether management system to unwind the tether is often difficult due to its relatively large weight, and adding a mechanism to rotate the winch adds significant complexity to the tether management system and/or requires an entirely new mechanical design. Therefore, it is more desirable to rotate the other end of the tether, i.e., the UAV.

For example, fig. 4 shows a diagram of a UAS 400 including a tethered UAV110 that experiences unexpected tether twists, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in fig. 4, the UAS 400 includes a UAV110 tethered to a base station 130/330 and/or a tether management system 360 by a tether 362. Additionally, UAV110 has yawed sufficiently in one direction to accumulate approximately 3.5 cycles of twist in tether 362.

To reduce the effect of such distortion on the completion of the flight mission, the following problems should be solved: typically, the rope 362 need not be unwound until the accumulated twist reaches or exceeds a preset maximum allowable accumulated twist; the unlocking should be automated (e.g., to relieve the UAS 400 operator of operational burden); in some cases, the operator of the UAS 400 should decide when to initiate the unlatch; at any time, the cumulative twist of the tether 362 and the maximum allowable cumulative twist approaching the tether 362 should be monitored by the UAS 400 and provided to the operator of the UAS 400 by appropriate indicators and/or warning mechanisms; before the launching process begins, the heading of the UAV110 should be stored, and when the launching process is complete, the UAV110 should return to the stored heading, if possible; where possible, tether 362 should be fully or as much as possible unwound prior to landing UAV110 to eliminate twisting of tether 362 as tether 362 is wound (e.g., when the UAV110 is guided to land and unwinding is complete prior to touchdown, the unwinding process may be initiated); also, the UAS 400 and/or the operator of the UAS 400 should suspend/cancel the initiated deactivation process at any time (e.g., for safety/emergency situations).

Figure 5 illustrates a diagram of a state machine 500 for providing tether management in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the state machine includes an initial state 502 and three cycle states: an idle state 504, an unlocked state 506, and a heading state 508. Linking each cycle state is three state change operators: an initiating operator 514, a completing operator 516, and an idle operator 518. It is contemplated that other states and/or operators, such as an emergency idle operator, link each of the unlocked state 506 and the heading state 508 to the idle state 504 and bypass the other states and/or operators shown in fig. 5.

In general, manual activation and deactivation may be user input provided by an operator of system 100/400, and may trigger automatic activation, for example, when UAV110 is directed to land, or when the accumulated distortion reaches and/or exceeds a maximum allowable accumulated distortion. The untwisted state 506 may be configured to store a heading of the UAV110 prior to performing the untwisting process, which may include counter-yawing the UAV110 as quickly as possible to untwist the tether 362, and the heading state 508 may be configured to yaw the UAV110 to the stored heading, thus each state may use different control logic.

Key parameters of state machine 500 may include a maximum allowable skew or skew tolerance (unit: rev/m), which may be determined by benchmark testing. One possible way to perform the benchmarking is to secure one end of the tether 362 and rotate the other while transmitting power and/or data on the tether 362 until any temporary or permanent performance issues arise. The maximum allowable distortion may be determined by: the number of revolutions (in causing the detected damage) is divided by the length of the tether being tested and then optionally the number is reduced by a percentage tolerance to account for uneven tether material (e.g., 10%).

Another key parameter may include a maximum allowable cumulative twist or warning tolerance (units: weeks) which may be defined as the maximum allowable twist multiplied by the length of the tether being reeled out of the tether management system 360. If the unwound length of tether 362 is not available, then UAV ALTITUDE AGL (above ground ALTITUDE), which may be provided by a differential fly height ESTIMATION system as described in U.S. patent application No.62/963,128 entitled "FLIGHT ALITUDE ESTIMATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS," filed 1, 19, 2020, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, may be used as a rough selection. Another key parameter may include the maximum untwisting speed (in: rad/s), which may be defined as the maximum yaw speed of the UAV110 to estimate the minimum possible untwisting time.

In various embodiments, the state machine 500 may be used to generate notifications for an operator that are sent to the UAS 100/400 (e.g., an autopilot of the UAS 100/400) and/or the UAS 400 communication. One such notification may include a message or trigger including an indication that the tether 362 is over-twisted and instructions for untwisting the tether 362, such as presenting a tether damage warning message on a display of the user interface 132, which may include, for example, "tether over-twisted, please unwind. Such a notification may be generated by monitoring the accumulated yaw (e.g., using the directional sensor 114), dividing the absolute value of the accumulated yaw by 360 degrees to determine the accumulated twist, and monitoring the accumulated twist relative to the maximum allowable accumulated twist.

Another such notification may include a message or trigger (e.g., communicated when transitioning from the idle state 504 to the unlatch state 506) that includes an indication that the unlatching process has begun, e.g., presenting a tether unlatching process initiation message on a display of the user interface 132, which may include, for example, "tether unlatching has begun". In some embodiments, initiating operator 514 may include a process of generating such a notification. Another such notification may include a message or trigger (e.g., communicated when transitioning from the heading state 508 to the idle state 504) that includes an indication that the unlatching process has been completed, such as presenting a message on a display of the user interface 132 that the tether unlatching process is complete, including "tether unlatching has been completed". In some embodiments, completion operator 516 and/or idle operator 518 may include processes to generate such notifications. In various embodiments, presenting such messages on the display of user interface 132 is the preferred way to communicate these notifications to the operator, but any other suitable way of making the operator and/or other elements of UAS 100/400 aware of the state transition/condition may be acceptable. As mentioned above, the operator should have easy access to any start/cancel button for the cord untwisting.

Fig. 6 illustrates a flow diagram 600 of various operations for providing tether management using the UAS 100 and/or 300 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the operations of fig. 6 may be implemented as software instructions executed by one or more logic devices or controllers associated with the respective electronics, sensors, control loops, and/or structures depicted in fig. 1-5. More generally, the operations of fig. 6 may be implemented with any combination of software instructions, mechanical elements, and/or electronic hardware (e.g., inductors, capacitors, amplifiers, actuators, or other analog and/or digital components). It should also be appreciated that any steps, sub-processes or blocks of the process 600 may be performed in a different order or arrangement than the embodiment shown in fig. 6. For example, in other embodiments, one or more blocks may be omitted from or added to the process. Further, the block inputs, block outputs, various sensor signals, sensor information, calibration parameters, and/or other operating parameters may be stored to one or more memories before moving to a subsequent portion of the corresponding process. Although process 600 is described with reference to the systems described in fig. 1-5, process 600 may be performed by other systems different from those systems and including different choices of electronics, sensors, components, mechanisms, platforms, and/or platform attributes.

At block 602, heading data is received. For example, the controller 112, the communication module 120, the user interface 132, and/or the communication module 134 may be configured to receive heading data from the directional sensors corresponding to one or more locations of the tethered UAV within the survey area. At block 604, the accumulated distortion is determined. For example, the controller 112, the communication module 120, the user interface 132, and/or the communication module 134 may be configured to determine an accumulated twist of a tether coupled between the base station and the tethered UAV, wherein the accumulated twist of the tether is based at least in part on the received heading data. In various embodiments, the controller 112, communication module 120, user interface 132, and/or communication module 134 may be configured to determine the cumulative twist of the tether, e.g., based on control signals for manipulating the tethered UAV, to compensate for sensor errors associated with directional sensors, or to compensate for wrap (wrap) errors related to a relatively fast yaw of the tethered UAV and/or a relatively slow update rate of the heading of the tethered UAV. In block 606, a tether damage warning notification is generated. For example, the controller 112, the communication module 120, the user interface 132, and/or the communication module 134 may be configured to generate a tether damage warning notification based at least in part on the determined cumulative twist and a maximum allowable cumulative twist associated with a tether coupled between the base station and the tethered UAV.

By providing such systems and techniques for tether management, embodiments of the present disclosure substantially improve the operational flexibility and reliability of the unmanned sensor platform. In addition, such systems and techniques may be used to increase the operational safety of unmanned mobile sensor platforms beyond that which is achievable with conventional systems. Thus, embodiments provide significantly increased monitoring convenience and performance for mobile sensor platform systems.

Where applicable, the various embodiments provided by the present disclosure can be implemented using hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. Also where applicable, the various hardware elements and/or software elements listed herein may be combined into composite elements comprising software, hardware, and/or both without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. Where applicable, the various hardware elements and/or software elements set forth herein may be separated into sub-components, including software, hardware, or both, without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. Further, where applicable, it is contemplated that software elements may be implemented as hardware elements, and vice versa.

Software (e.g., non-transitory instructions, program code, and/or data) according to the present disclosure may be stored in one or more non-transitory machine-readable media. It is also contemplated that software identified herein can be implemented using one or more general purpose or special purpose computers and/or computer systems, networks, and/or otherwise. Where applicable, the order of various steps described herein can be varied, combined into composite steps, and/or divided into sub-steps to provide features described herein.

The embodiments described above are exemplary and not limiting of the invention. It should be understood that numerous modifications and variations are possible in accordance with the principles of the present invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a logic device configured to communicate with a directional sensor coupled to a tethered Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and a communication module, wherein the communication module is configured to establish a communication link with a base station associated with the tethered UAV, the directional sensor is configured to provide a heading of the tethered UAV when the tethered UAV maneuvers within a survey area, and the logic device is configured to:

receiving, from a directional sensor, heading data corresponding to one or more locations of a tethered UAV within the area of investigation;

determining an accumulated twist of a tether coupled between the base station and the tethered UAV, wherein the accumulated twist of the tether is based at least in part on the received heading data; and

generating a tether damage warning notification based at least in part on the determined cumulative twist and a maximum allowable cumulative twist associated with a tether coupled between the base station and the tethered UAV.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic device is configured to:

automatically steering the tethered UAV to counter-yaw the tethered UAV, thereby reducing cumulative twisting of a tether coupled between the base station and the tethered UAV.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the logic device is configured to:

generating a tether untwist process initiation notification to reduce cumulative twisting of the tether prior to autopiloting the tethered UAV.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the logic device is configured to:

prior to autopilot of the tethered UAV, determining an initial heading of the tethered UAV to reduce cumulative twisting of the tether; and

automatically steering the tethered UAV according to the initial heading to orient the tethered UAV.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the logic device is configured to:

generating a notification that the tether untwisting process is complete after autopiloting the tethered UAV to reduce cumulative twisting of the tether and/or after autopiloting the tethered UAV to orient the tethered UAV in accordance with an initial heading.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein determining the cumulative twist of the tether comprises:

determining a cumulative yaw of the tethered UAV based on the received heading data corresponding to one or more locations of the tethered UAV within the survey area; and

the cumulative twist of the tether is determined as the absolute value of the cumulative yaw of the tethered UAV divided by 360 degrees.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic device is configured to determine a maximum allowable cumulative twist prior to generating the tether damage warning notification, wherein determining the maximum allowable cumulative twist comprises:

receiving an unwound tether length from a tether management system of a base station;

obtaining a predetermined maximum allowable twist associated with the tether; and

the maximum allowable cumulative twist is determined as the maximum allowable twist multiplied by the unwound tether length.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic device is configured to determine a maximum allowable cumulative twist prior to generating the tether damage warning notification, wherein determining the maximum allowable cumulative twist comprises:

determining a flight altitude estimate for a tethered UAV;

the maximum allowable cumulative twist is determined as the maximum allowable twist multiplied by the fly height estimate.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the logic apparatus is coupled to a tethered UAV; and is

A tether damage warning notification is received from the base station over the communication link.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the logic device is coupled to a base station; and is

A tether damage warning notification is received from the UAV over a communications link.

11. A method, comprising:

receiving heading data from a directional sensor coupled to a tethered Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), the directional sensor configured to provide a heading of the tethered UAV when the tethered UAV maneuvers within a survey area, wherein the heading data corresponds to one or more locations of the tethered UAV within the survey area;

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

16. The method of claim 11, wherein determining the cumulative twist of the tether comprises:

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining a maximum allowable cumulative twist prior to generating the tether damage warning notification, wherein determining the maximum allowable cumulative twist comprises:

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining a maximum allowable cumulative twist prior to generating the tether damage warning notification, wherein determining the maximum allowable cumulative twist comprises:

determining a flight altitude estimate for a tethered UAV;

19. The method of claim 11, wherein:

a tether damage warning notification is received from the base station over a communication link established on the tether.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein:

a tether damage warning notification is received from the UAV over a communications link established on the tether.