DE102019135246A1 - Aircraft and method of intercepting a drone - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an aircraft for intercepting a drone, comprising: a lift unit for generating liftable lift, a fuselage connected to the lift unit, a launching device arranged on the fuselage being provided for intercepting at least one drone which is used to launch a plurality of intercepting threads is designed in a predetermined direction to intercept the drone.

Description

The invention relates to an aircraft for intercepting a drone, the aircraft having a lift unit and a fuselage connected to the lift unit. The invention also relates to a method for intercepting a drone by means of such an aircraft.

With the increasing spread of end customer UAVs, also known as drones or small drones, the importance of suitable defense mechanisms is increasing. Because the infiltration of restricted areas, such as airports, nuclear power plants or other security-critical facilities, by remote-controlled small drones poses a major security risk, since such small drones can also be used for terrorist purposes.

Due to the small size of such small drones, the defense of such aircraft with conventional defense devices (for example weapons) is problematic. The launching of such a drone over an inhabited area is also not uncritical, as collateral damage must be expected.

One way to prevent remote-controlled drones from continuing their flight is to interfere with the radio signal for remote control. However, this measure, known as “jamming”, has the disadvantage that the entire frequency range is disturbed, which means that other radio signals that should not actually be disturbed are also disturbed. This can also be referred to as collateral damage. In addition, this does not prevent the drone from flying autonomously without remote control. "Jamming" is therefore not a reliable hindrance to the onward flight.

From the DE 10 2016 211 371 A1 a defense device for defense against small and manned aircraft is known, the defense device comprising a starter device for a catching body. The impact body is shot from a launching device standing on the ground and catches the drone to be fended off by means of a net that is contained in the impact body. The disadvantage here is that this type of defense is only successful in relatively small areas and, moreover, the drone to be intercepted can evade the impact body by means of suitable evasive maneuvers without preventing the drone from continuing its flight. Since only one attempt is possible with the impact body, the number of defense attempts is limited to the number of impact bodies.

From the DE 10 2015 008 255 A1 a defense drone for defense against small drones is known, the defense drone having an effector which is dropped over and in the immediate vicinity of the small drone. After the effector has been dropped, a pyrotechnic charge is ignited, through which the effector releases a large number of threads that are intended to prevent the small drones from continuing their flight. The disadvantage here is that the defense drone has to be steered very close to the drone to be intercepted, the accuracy being very low due to the dropping of the effector and the subsequent ignition of the effector. There is a risk of evasive maneuvers.

From the DE 10 2015 008 365 A1 a defense drone is known which has a downwardly falling support element in the form of a line to which a plurality of hooks are attached in order to catch the drone to be intercepted with the aid of these hooks and prevent it from continuing its flight. The disadvantage here is that very manoeuvrable drones are difficult to capture using this mechanical solution.

Against this background, it is the object of the present invention to provide an improved aircraft and an improved method for targeting and reliably repelling small drones and preventing them from continuing their flight, regardless of the flight characteristics of the drone to be repelled and largely independent of restrictive weather conditions.

The object is achieved according to the invention with the aircraft for intercepting a drone according to claim 1 and the method for intercepting a drone according to claim 9. Advantageous refinements of the invention can be found in the corresponding subclaims.

According to claim 1, an aircraft, in particular a drone or interception drone / defense drone, is proposed that has a lift unit for generating liftable lift and a fuselage connected to the lift unit. The lift unit can, for example, comprise one or more rotors (with propellers or rotor blades) connected to a motor device. However, other lift units, such as wing structures in conjunction with engines, are also conceivable.

According to the invention it is now provided that the drone has a launching device arranged on the fuselage for intercepting at least one drone, the launching device being designed to launch a plurality of intercepting threads in a predetermined direction in order to intercept the drone.

By firing the interceptor threads in a predetermined direction, in particular in the direction of the drone to be intercepted, the interceptor, in the present case the interceptor threads, can be specifically transported into the immediate vicinity of the drone to be intercepted without having to fear the risk of the interceptor drone or the interceptor. the aircraft itself is affected by the interceptors. The shooting of the intercepting threads from the aircraft enables the targeted and reliable repelling of drones, whereby the influence of the prevailing weather conditions on the accuracy of the intercepting threads is significantly reduced by the shooting of the intercepting threads.

An aircraft in the sense of the present invention is understood to mean a flight object that is in particular unmanned and that flies remotely or autonomously. The aircraft in the sense of the present invention is in particular a drone or defense drone / intercepting drone which has a weight of less than 100 kg, preferably less than 50 kg, particularly preferably less than 30 kg. A defense drone or interception drone is in particular a remotely controlled or autonomously flying drone that includes means for repelling or intercepting other drones.

In the context of the present invention, the drone to be intercepted is in particular a small drone which has a weight of less than 100 kg, preferably less than 50 kg, particularly preferably less than 30 kg.

Fending off or intercepting a drone is understood in particular to mean that the drone is prevented from continuing its flight. With the help of the interception threads, it can be achieved that the drone to be defended or intercepted becomes incapable of flight and can therefore no longer be reached in a targeted manner.

The launching of the intercepting threads from the launching device is understood in particular to mean that the intercepting threads are ejected from the launching device with a certain force in order to move them away from the aircraft.

According to one embodiment it is provided that the intercepting threads are formed from a material suitable for blocking moving parts of the drone to be intercepted.

Such moving parts of the drone to be intercepted are in particular rotors (with propellers or rotor blades), which rotate rapidly around the rotor axis. The intercepting threads disrupt the mechanics of the rotors and, in particular, reduce the rotational speed in such a way that the rotors no longer generate enough lift to keep the drone to be intercepted airworthy.

However, it is also conceivable that the intercepting threads increase the weight of the drone to be intercepted in such a way that the lift generated by the rotors or other lift units is so insufficient that the drone is unable to fly. For this purpose, it is advantageous if the intercepting threads are adherent in such a way that they adhere to the drone to be intercepted (for example by an adhesive agent or by static charge) in order to make the drone incapable of escape.

It is also conceivable, however, that the catch threads are electrically conductive, as a result of which electromagnetic shielding can be achieved which interferes with the reception of radio signals.

According to one embodiment it is provided that the intercepting threads are formed from an at least partially biodegradable material. In this context, biodegradable means in particular that the catch threads are biodegraded in less than 5 years, preferably in less than 3 years, preferably in less than a year, i.e. H. decompose in the environment through biological processes. This means that after the intercepting threads have been used, they do not have to be collected from the contaminated area and disposed of in a costly manner.

For example, the intercepting threads can be formed from an internal material that is not biodegradable (for example metal material, glass fiber, carbon fiber), which is then sheathed by a biodegradable material (for example biodegradable plastics).

According to one embodiment it is provided that the plurality of intercepting threads are received in a first compressed state in the firing device, the intercepting threads interacting with the firing device in such a way that when the intercepting threads are fired they move from the first compressed state into a second unfolded state outside the firing device to intercept the drone.

For example, the intercepting threads can be received in a rolled-up state in the launching device, with the firing of the rolled-up intercepting threads converting them into an unrolled state and thus unfolding them in an elongated manner. By compressing the interceptor threads, a large number of interceptor threads can be accommodated in a very small space without affecting the effectiveness of the interception of the drone.

Compression is understood here to mean that the intercepting threads are in a form in which they are generally not suitable for intercepting the drone. In the compressed form, a large number of intercepting threads can be accommodated in the smallest of spaces so that they can be moved away from the aircraft by the launching device, the intercepting threads then unfolding in such a way that they are suitable for intercepting the drone.

As a result, the intercepting threads in the compressed form are received in the launching device in such a way that they have a higher density (matter / mass per volume) there than in the fired and uncompressed second state in order to intercept the drone.

According to one embodiment it is provided that the interceptor threads are attached to a first end section of an interceptor line which is attached to the aircraft with an opposite second end section.

As a result, the interceptor threads are indirectly connected to the aircraft via the interceptor line, so that the aircraft can be caught with the aid of the interceptor threads. This is particularly advantageous if the interceptor threads get caught and hooked in the moving parts of the drone to be intercepted, for example the rotor blades of the rotor, so that the drone to be intercepted is connected to the aircraft via the interceptor line. The aircraft can transport the captured drone out of the security area and thus clear the danger zone. Both the interception of the drone and the disposal of the drone thus take place in one process step.

According to one embodiment of this, it is provided that the intercepting line together with the intercepting threads are received in the launching device in the first compressed state. In this way, both the interception line and the intercepting threads can be accommodated in the launching device in the smallest of spaces.

According to one embodiment it is provided that the aircraft has a sensor system for recording flight data of the drone to be intercepted and a control and triggering unit which is used to control the aircraft on an interception course to the drone to be intercepted and to trigger the launching device as a function of the recorded flight data the drone to be intercepted is set up.

This makes it possible for the aircraft to autonomously and independently control the drone to be intercepted and then to depend on it by triggering the launching device, whereby the intercepting threads and possibly the intercepting line are fired out of the launching device. An interception course is automatically calculated based on the recorded flight data of the drone to be intercepted, the interception course being calculated continuously in order to take into account changes of direction, changes in altitude and changes in the speed of the drone to be intercepted.

According to one embodiment it is provided that the aircraft is an intercepting drone. Such an intercepting drone can in particular be a small drone weighing less than 100 kg, preferably less than 50 kg and particularly preferably less than 30 kg. The interception drone can have a buoyancy unit in the form of one or more rotors, each of which is rotatably driven with the aid of a motor unit.

The firing device can in principle be set up to shoot the intercepting threads out of the firing device by using the firing device to exert a force on the intercepting threads by the firing device, whereby the intercepting threads are moved in the predetermined direction. This force is an additional force that is in addition to the force of the acceleration due to gravity (natural gravitational force), which also acts on the intercepting threads.

The launching device can be designed in such a way that it shoots the intercepting threads out of the launching device with the aid of a pyrotechnic charge (propellant charge-controlled explosive charge, for example black powder). However, it is also conceivable that the intercepting threads are shot out with the aid of a mechanical force device, for example with the aid of a tensioned spring element or other elastic force elements.

Furthermore, the launching device can be set up to shoot out the intercepting threads in such a way that they are moved away from the aircraft by at least twice the length of the aircraft in one spatial direction (for example the longitudinal axis).

• - Positionieren des Fluggerätes relativ zu der abzufangenden Drohne, und
• - Abschießen einer Vielzahl von Abfangfäden in eine vorgegebene Richtung aus einer Abschusseinrichtung des Fluggerätes, um die Drohne abzufangen.

The object is also achieved according to the invention with the method according to claim 9, the method comprising the following steps

• - Positioning the aircraft relative to the drone to be intercepted, and
• - Launching a large number of intercepting threads in a predetermined direction from a launching device of the aircraft in order to intercept the drone.

According to one embodiment it is provided
According to one embodiment it is provided that the intercepting threads are fired by the aircraft in the direction of the drone to be intercepted in such a way that moving parts of the drone to be intercepted are blocked by the intercepting threads.

According to one embodiment it is provided that when the intercepting threads are fired, they are brought from a first compressed state, in which they are received in the launching device of the aircraft, into a second unfolded state outside the launching device, in order to intercept the drone.

According to one embodiment it is provided that the intercepting threads are held on the aircraft by a intercepting line after they have been launched from the launching device.

According to one embodiment, it is provided that flight data of the drone to be intercepted are continuously recorded by means of a sensor system of the aircraft, with the aircraft of the drone to be intercepted being controlled on an interception course to the drone to be intercepted and the launching device to be controlled by means of a control and triggering unit depending on the recorded flight data Firing of the interceptor threads is triggered.

• 1 schematische Darstellung einer Abfangdrohne als Fluggerät;
• 2 schematische Darstellung des Abfangens einer Drohne;
• 3 schematische Darstellung einer Abschusseinrichtung.

The invention is explained in more detail by way of example with the aid of the accompanying figures. Show it:

• 1 schematic representation of an interceptor drone as an aircraft;
• 2 schematic representation of the interception of a drone;
• 3 schematic representation of a launching device.

1 shows a highly simplified schematic representation of an intercepting drone 10 as an aircraft within the meaning of the present invention, the intercepting drone being a lift unit 11 has to generate an airworthy lift of the interceptor drone 10 is trained. With the buoyancy unit 11 it is in the embodiment of 1 a rotor assembly made up of at least three or four rotors 12th consists. Each of the rotors 12th stands with an independent motor unit 13th the buoyancy unit 11 so in operative connection that the rotors 12th can be set in a rotary motion in order to generate the necessary airborne lift.

The buoyancy unit 11 is also on a fuselage 14th attached to which a landing gear 15th is arranged.

On the fuselage 14th is also a launcher 16 arranged to, as will be shown later, interceptor threads from the interceptor drone 10 to be able to shoot out.

Furthermore, the interceptor drone 10 a sensor system 17th in order to be able to detect a drone to be intercepted. With the help of the sensor system 17th flight data of the drone to be intercepted can be recorded and sent to a control and release unit 18th that is set up, the interceptor drone 10 at least partially self-sufficient to control and the launching device 16 triggered depending on the recorded flight data of the drone to be intercepted.

2 shows schematically an embodiment in which the launching device 16 the interceptor drone 10 was triggered. Thereby were intercepting threads 19th shot from the launcher, with the interceptor threads 19th on a safety line 20th are arranged. The safety line 20th is at the interceptor drone 10 or the launching device 16 attached so that the catch threads 19th with the interceptor drone 10 over the safety line 20th are connected.

The interceptor drone 10 has a drone 100 identified that is considered to be potentially dangerous and therefore interceptable. The interceptor drone 10 it is on course to intercept the drone to be intercepted 100 walked or flown and has a certain range of the drone to be intercepted 100 the catch threads 19th from the launcher 16 shot out.

The catch threads 19th are designed in such a way that they are suitable for blocking moving parts of the drone to be intercepted. The catch threads 19th get caught in a rotor 110 the drone to be intercepted 100 and block it so that it cannot turn any further. This will make the drone 100 unable to fly and is thus prevented from continuing your flight. As the catch threads 19th over the safety line 20th with the interceptor drone 10 are in operative connection, the drone to be intercepted 100 be transported out of the area concerned. Because the catch threads 19th get caught in the rotor 110 such that the drone 100 is more or less captured.

3 shows the launcher 16 as they do on the interceptor drone 10 from the 1 and 2 is known. In the launcher 16 there is a propellant charge 21 that are used to eject or shoot out the in the launcher 16 inserted catch threads 19th is trained. With the propellant charge 21 it can, for example, be a pyrotechnic propellant charge.

The catch threads 19th lie within the launching device 16 in a compressed first state. In the embodiment of 3 are the catch threads 19th in the launcher 16 rolled up. The rolled up catch threads 19th are with the safety line 20th connected.

The intercepting threads thus present in the first state 19th from the launcher 16 ejected or shot out, the intercepting threads unfold 19th and unroll so that they are transferred into a second, compressed state. This one is on the right side of the 3 shown.

List of reference symbols

10

Interceptor drone / aircraft

11

Buoyancy unit

12th

rotor

13th

Motor unit

14th

hull

15th

Landing gear

16

Launcher

17th

Sensor system

18th

Control and release unit

19th

Catch threads

20th

Safety line

21

Propellant charge

100

drone to be intercepted

110

Rotor of the drone to be intercepted

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent literature cited

• DE 102016211371 A1 [0005]
• DE 102015008255 A1 [0006]
• DE 102015008365 A1 [0007]

Claims (13)

Aircraft (10) for intercepting a drone (100), comprising: - a lift unit (11) for generating liftable lift, - a fuselage (14) connected to the lift unit (11), characterized in that one on the fuselage (14) arranged launching device (16) is provided for intercepting at least one drone (100) which is designed to launch a plurality of intercepting threads (19) in a predetermined direction in order to intercept the drone (100). Aircraft (10) according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the intercepting threads (19) are formed from a material suitable for blocking moving parts of the drone (100) to be intercepted. Aircraft (10) according to Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the intercepting threads (19) are formed from an at least partially biodegradable material. Aircraft (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plurality of intercepting threads (19) are received in a first compressed state in the launching device (16), the intercepting threads (19) interacting with the launching device (16) in such a way that that by firing the intercepting threads (19) they are brought from the first compressed state into a second unfolded state outside the launching device (16) in order to intercept the drone (100). Aircraft (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the intercepting threads (19) are attached to a first end section of an intercepting line (20) which is attached to the aircraft (10) with an opposite second end section. Aircraft (10) according to Claim 4 and 5 , characterized in that the intercepting line (20) together with the intercepting threads (19) are received in the firing device (16) in the first compressed state. Aircraft (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the aircraft (10) has a sensor system (17) for detecting flight data of the drone (100) to be intercepted and has a control and release unit (18) which is used to control the The aircraft (10) is set up on an interception course to the drone (100) to be intercepted and for triggering the launching device (16) as a function of the recorded flight data of the drone (100) to be intercepted. Aircraft (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the aircraft (10) is an intercepting drone. A method for intercepting a drone (100) by means of an aircraft (10), the method comprising the following steps: - Positioning the aircraft (10) relative to the drone (100) to be intercepted, and - Firing a plurality of intercepting threads (19) in a predetermined direction from a launching device (16) of the aircraft (10) in order to intercept the drone (100). Procedure according to Claim 9 , characterized in that the intercepting threads (19) are fired in the direction of the drone (100) to be intercepted by the aircraft (10) that moving parts of the drone (100) to be intercepted are blocked by the intercepting threads (19). Procedure according to Claim 9 or 10 , characterized in that when the intercepting threads (19) are fired, they are brought from a first compressed state, in which they are received in the firing device (16) of the aircraft (10), into a second unfolded state outside the firing device (16), to intercept the drone (100). Method according to one of the Claims 9 to 11 , characterized in that the intercepting threads (19) are held on the aircraft (10) by an intercepting line (20) after they have been fired from the firing device (16). Method according to one of the Claims 9 to 12th , characterized in that flight data of the drone (100) to be intercepted are continuously recorded by means of a sensor system (17) of the aircraft (10), with the aircraft (10) of the drone (100) to be intercepted being recorded as a function of the flight data recorded by means of a control and triggering unit (18) The drone (100) is steered on an interception course to the drone (100) to be intercepted and the launching device (16) is triggered to launch the intercepting threads (19).

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