DE102022002219A1 - Lightning arrestor system for military use - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention is a lightning discharge system capable of channeling the lightning energy of atmospheric lightning in such a way that a lightning strike hits a desired location. The system can be used for both civil and military purposes. In the civil sector, for example, it can be used in airports to control atmospheric lightning in bad weather so that it hits a specific spot so that the aircraft are not hit. The system is suitable for military purposes, for example to sabotage or attack enemy facilities, weapon systems, ammunition depots, power plants, etc., with the naturally occurring lightning being directed artificially and specifically to objects or facilities. The current discharges from the lightning energy are often sufficient to detonate ammunition or mines in a targeted manner. In addition, an EMP effect is generated, which is amplified by a built-in coil.

Description

The invention is a lightning arrestor system that can be used for military purposes. It is capable of directing electrical energy from the charge carriers in the atmosphere to a specific target on the ground or in the air, destroying it in the process.

Laser-controlled lightning energy discharges have been experimented with for several years, whereby lightning is taken from the sky during a thunderstorm. This is achieved using powerful laser devices, which emit a focused laser beam towards the clouds, ionizing the air in the laser beam. The ionization increases the electrical conductivity of the air to such an extent that a lightning discharge can take place.

Devices that enormously increase the electrical conductivity of the air are described in a number of patent applications.

DE 100 12 305 describes a beam weapon that creates two ionized channels in the air and makes them electrically conductive. There, the two air ion channels are generated using laser beams, in which current charge carriers flow almost like in physical power lines. The target is energized by a built-in high-voltage source and thereby neutralized.

The registration DE 10 2006 031 742 describes a more advanced system that uses less energy. There, the air ion channels are not created by a primary laser beam, but by a secondary laser beam, the task of which is to generate and maintain the ionization with relatively low energy with the help of rapidly oscillating focal points. Here, too, high-voltage sources are used to set the current charge carriers in motion.

The invention specified in claims 1 to 36 is based on the object of creating a lightning conductor system in the form of a flight device for military purposes, which is able to direct natural lightning from the atmosphere to an object on the ground in a punctiform and controlled manner .

This problem is solved with the features listed in claims 1-36.

• - kann die Blitzentladung aus der Atmosphäre zu einem beliebigem Ziel in Reichweite auf dem Boden ableiten,
• - kann unbemerkt im feindliches Gebiet Ziele zerstören,
• - hinterlässt keine Spuren und keine Beweismittel,
• - kann Stromversorgung im feindlichem Gebiet lahmlegen,
• - ideal für die Vernichtung von Munitions-Lager geeignet,
• - kann auch für die gezielte Sprengung der Minen in Minenfelder verwendet werden.

Advantages of the invention are:

• - can divert the lightning discharge from the atmosphere to any target within range on the ground,
• - can destroy targets unnoticed in enemy territory,
• - leaves no traces and no evidence,
• - can shut down power supply in enemy territory,
• - ideal for the destruction of ammunition storage,
• - can also be used for the targeted detonation of mines in minefields.

• 1 das Blitzableitungs-System bestehend aus einem Flugkörper (z.B. Drohne) und einem leistungsstarken Laserstrahler am Boden,
• 2 eine Drohne, die in der Lage ist, auch Kurzschlüsse zwischen Hochspannungsleitungen zu erzeugen,
• 3 den Einsatz gegen Sprengsätze auf einem Minenfeld,
• 4 ein kleines Luftschiff,
• 5 ein ferngesteuertes Bodenfahrzeug (RC-Modellfahrzeug) mit einem Spiegel ausgestattet, auf dem der Laserstrahl aus einem anderen Fahrzeug drauf gerichtet wird,
• 6 eine Ausführung mit einem schnell wandernden Brennpunkt aus Laserstrahlen,
• 7 das optische Steuerung-System der Drohne,
• 8 das optisch steuerbares System für die Drohne und die Laserdiode, die die Flugrichtung ansteuert, die in einer elektromagnetisch drehbaren Kugel eingebaut ist,
• 9 eine Drohne, bei der ein Mikrospiegel-Chip (DLP) eingebaut ist,
• 10 der Laserstrahler am Boden, der in einem Kugelgelenk oder Kardanaufhängung eingebaut ist,
• 11 eine Ausführung mit einer EMP-Spule,
• 12 eine Ausführung, wobei der Spiegel seitlich der Drohne angeordnet ist,
• 13 eine Drohne mit Überbrückungs-Leitung.

Examples are based on the 1 until 13 explained. Show it:

• 1 the lightning conduction system consisting of a missile (e.g. drone) and a powerful laser emitter on the ground,
• 2 a drone capable of creating short circuits between high voltage lines as well,
• 3 the use against explosive devices on a minefield,
• 4 a small airship,
• 5 a remote-controlled ground vehicle (RC model vehicle) equipped with a mirror on which the laser beam from another vehicle is directed,
• 6 a version with a rapidly moving focal point of laser beams,
• 7 the optical control system of the drone,
• 8th the optically controllable system for the drone and the laser diode that controls the flight direction, which is built into an electromagnetically rotatable sphere,
• 9 a drone that has a micromirror chip (DLP) built in,
• 10 the laser emitter on the ground, which is installed in a ball joint or gimbal,
• 11 a version with an EMP coil,
• 12 an embodiment in which the mirror is arranged on the side of the drone,
• 13 a drone with a bypass line.

In effect, the invention is a mirror system that can fly by electric propulsion and remote control, which is struck by a highly focused, air-ionizing laser beam from a laser source on the ground. It can be a flight device in the form of a drone 6 or a small airship 23 are designed. The air-ionizing laser radiation comes from a laser source 7 on the ground, which is installed, for example, in a ground vehicle (eg tank), ship, helicopter or airplane.

Unlike a direct laser beam, which would hit the clouds to cause a lightning discharge, the mirror system built into a drone can hit any target on the earth's surface. Here, the laser beam is redirected to hit clouds in the sky and an object on the ground, creating an air ion channel that conducts electricity.

The invention is suitable for destroying mainly stationary targets in enemy territory. However, it needs charge carriers from the atmosphere to achieve the destruction effect. Atmospheric flashes / lightning discharges 1 are practically used and their energy directed to an object (e.g. ammunition or mines) 2 . However, it can also severely disrupt the power supply by causing short circuits between high-voltage lines 3 . In addition, the device can also generate an EMP effect. This is achieved by a built-in coil through which several tens of thousands of amperes flow for a very short time and uses this current to generate an electromagnet pulse. The polarity axis 5 of the coil 4 can be arranged horizontally or vertically. The coil has only a few turns and is able to withstand very high current values for a short time (a few milliseconds).

The lightning conduction system consists of a missile (e.g. in the form of an airship, balloons, or a drone) 6 and a powerful laser emitter 7, which is installed, for example, in a manned or remote-controlled vehicle ( 1 ). This missile, which is described here, does not use its own energy source for the laser beams 8. Its energy source is only used for its own propulsion and control system. A mirror system is installed in the missile (drone) 6, which consists of at least two movable mirrors 9 consists. The two mirrors are made of metal and are each coupled to an actuator 10, by means of which they can be swiveled as required. The two mirrors are connected to one another by a current conductor 11 or a metal hinge 12 . They consist of two surfaces 13 or wings which are pivotally connected (eg by a conductive metal hinge) to a common edge. The angle of the wings can be changed at will by electric actuators 10 . The missile should ideally be a remote-controlled drone or airship, so that a precise arrangement of the mirror surfaces can be achieved. The mirrors, which are made of metal, form a wing construction of two wings joined together at an edge/rim 14 by a hinge 12. The two mirror wings are arranged like an angle of a triangle, with its apex pointing towards the laser beam on the ground. The two mirrors are additionally connected to one another by a flexible Stark power line 11 . The strong laser beam 8 hits the tip 15 of the two mirror-wing construction and is divided into two laser beams and deflected in two directions at the same time. Some of the laser beams are reflected upwards towards the sky and the other part downwards. The laser energy should be so high that the laser beams create air ion channels. Violet, blue, ultraviolet or IR laser beams are suitable for such purposes. The laser beam 16 upwards hits the clouds and can increase the electrical conductivity of the air through the ion channel. The second laser beam 17 hitting the ground or a munitions body 2 also creates an electrically conductive channel 18 into the air. As soon as a storm cloud is hit with such an air-ionizing laser beam, a lightning discharge can take place. The electrical current from the lightning strikes the upper mirror 19, flows through the power line 11 at the lower mirror 20 and will strike downward with the laser beam toward the ground. The two air ion channels act like copper wires connecting the ground or an object on the ground with the cloud.

A current-insulating, transparent disc 21 at the tip of the mirror system decouples the laser emitter on the ground, so that the flash energy does not reach the laser beam source 7 . The disk 21 serves as a window through which the laser beams enter and impinge on the two mirrors.

The two mirrors can be pivoted in such a way that the laser beam 8 is divided, one part being directed upwards and the other downwards. The lightning discharge or energy from the clouds will flow through the ion channel 18 generated by the upper laser beam, hit the upper mirror 19, into the Stark power line 11 (or metal hinge) and then through the lower mirror 20 Guided into the second ion channel at the bottom in the direction of the bottom. By controlling the actuators 22 of the mirrors, the laser beam can be aimed at a target on the ground, which is then hit by the lightning discharge. If you hit ammunition with it (e.g. on a rocket transporter) it can be detonated. The missile (drone, airship) used here for such purposes can also be used against minefields. This allows mines 2 on the ground be purposefully detonated. It should be noted that it is not the laser beam energy that contributes to this, but rather the atmospheric lightning discharge energy that hits the explosive device. After all, there are several tens of thousands of amperes of current flowing through it, causing the explosive to heat up, which can contribute to an explosion.

Because the laser source is not in the drone but on the ground, the laser power can be very high. The advantage of the invention is that the energy supply on the ground is much better and longer-lasting than would be the case with a laser and energy source integrated into the flight device. In addition, the flight device is much lighter because no additional energy source and lamps are installed there. The drone can remain in the air with little energy due to the drive. The costs for such a flight device are also very low, so that if one is damaged or destroyed during flight maneuvers, there is no great financial loss and it can therefore be replaced quickly and cheaply.
The drone is also able to create short circuits between high-voltage lines and in this way cause damage in a substation or power plant ( 2 ). The drone would only have to be positioned between two high-voltage conductors 35 or outside and the mirrors rotated so that they point the air-ionizing laser beam source at the drone, splitting it into two laser beams and thus hitting the high-voltage conductors. The laser beam hits the drone first, it can be split by the two mirrors and hits the two power lines. When positioned outside of the high-voltage lines, it is controlled so that it and the two power lines are almost on the same level. In this case, she can hit the two high-voltage lines simultaneously with a laser beam and short-circuit them through an ion channel. A current bridge is created between the lines in the form of air ion channels, which causes the short circuits. This makes it easy to cause blackouts in enemy territory.

The flight device can be any remotely controllable aircraft that can fly relatively far or high and hover position. The use of a hovering drone 6 would be advantageous because it can be remotely controlled very precisely and its positioning is also fairly easy. Thanks to built-in GPS systems, the drones are able to fly independently to specified coordinates and maintain their position at the previously determined flight altitude despite light crosswinds. Because there is no additional energy source for the radiation source and no laser devices are installed, the drone is quite light, small and therefore not an optimal target for enemy forces. Depending on the purpose, the drone can be very small or a little larger. Multiple drones can also be used at the same time. You can send several bundled, air-ionizing laser beams that hit the mirror systems of the drones and are split into two laser beams by light deflection elements / mirrors, one of which is emitted upwards and the other towards the ground.

One would think that the drone would have to sit in wait for a lightning discharge 24 for a very long time before enough current charges accumulated for a lightning bolt to actually strike. In practice, however, this is somewhat different. If the air ion channels 18 are generated, lightning discharges can be conducted relatively frequently if the charge carriers have formed in the atmosphere through thunderclouds accordingly. Lightning discharges in nature are somewhat rare, not because of the lack of current charge carriers, but because air is an insulator and electrical breakdown requires very high voltages. It takes a while for the necessary tension to build up in the atmosphere. But if you make the air conductive (here with the help of air-ionizing laser beams), then the current discharges will take place much more often because the current conductivity threshold is significantly lower. The longer you wait before creating the air ion channels or create them less frequently, the more violent the lightning discharges are, because the voltage differences increase over time. The air ion channels are not generated permanently, but in the form of short laser flashes. A sensor 25 in the drone, which can measure the electrostatic fields in the environment, can help to determine the time of the laser flash activation. The measured values of the sensors can be sent to the drone on the ground via an evaluation unit 26 and a radio module 27 .

This can also be used to destroy explosive devices 28 on a minefield ( 3 ). The drone would have to aim one laser beam at mine 28 and the other laser beam up into the cloud. As soon as lightning occurs, the drone directs it onto the mine and ignites it. Of course, this invention can be used both in the military and in the civilian sector. In the civil sector, the invention would be ideally suited for research purposes and knowledge expansion about atmospheric lightning discharges.

As an alternative to an electric flight drone, other missiles can also be used. Small airships 23 can be used as an alternative to flying drones ( 4 ). The Mirrors can be installed at the edge of the airship or the airship is built like a ridge / donut and the laser beam is reflected / deflected vertically upwards through the middle or the opening of the construction.

A combination of remote-controlled ground vehicles and flying drones can also be implemented without any problems. In this case, the remote-controlled ground vehicle 29 (depending on the area of application and purpose, can also be an RC model vehicle) would be equipped with a reflector/mirror on which the laser beam from another vehicle is directed, as close as possible to the operational area and then directs a powerful, air-ionizing laser beam on its mirror, which is then reflected upwards and hits the drone in the air, which then splits and redirects the laser beam into the ground direction and cloud direction ( 5 ). Of course, the mirror on the remote-controlled ground vehicle must be able to be swiveled in any direction by electric actuators so that the reflected laser beam is precisely aligned with the drone. Small remote-controlled ground vehicles 29 (RC model vehicles) can be used for the flash detour. It would be sufficient to install two electrically swiveling mirrors on such a model vehicle, which splits a laser beam from a strong, air-ionizing laser source into two laser beams and deflects them in different directions or in a vertical axis. The RC Ground Vehicle 29 can also be used without a drone to retrieve lightning from the sky, although it can be fatal if an explosive device is to be activated with it.

In order not to reveal the location of the laser beam source 7, pulse laser devices should be used that emit very short UV or IR laser pulses.

An excellent method that works with low laser power can be used to reduce the electrical resistance in the air ion channels. With this method, instead of a laser beam, a rapidly moving focal point 30 is generated from laser beams, which quickly moves along a line with the aid of fast actuators 31 and light deflection elements 32 (mirrors or lens systems) ( 6 ). Through the mirrors of the drone, the focal point will be given to the sky and ground direction. It is optimal if you send two such focal points in parallel, which are at a short distance from each other. A distance of 2 - 5cm is sufficient. The two focal points each strike one of the drone's mirrors and one then travels up and the other down. These foci 30 travel back and forth very quickly and several times between the mirror and sky and the other between mirror and ground, ionizing the air in the process. In this way, two air ion channels are generated in which a lightning discharge can take place. The foci travel back and forth several thousands of times/second, burning the dust particles into the air along their journey, forming the air ion channels. The frequency with which the foci travel back and forth can be very high. Electromagnetic or piezo actuators have very short response times and can be built into a lens system, for example, and move a focal point back and forth over distances of a few hundred meters to a few kilometers. At a frequency of 100KHz and a distance of one kilometer, the focal point would reach about 33% of the speed of light, which is sufficient to produce an electrical breakdown in the air. The light deflection elements should be designed in a light deflection system in such a way that the movement amplitude of the light deflection elements is kept as small as possible. This is particularly important for vibration frequencies of over 10KHz to ensure the material integrity of the components. It is important that the light deflectors that send the foci back and forth on the journey are coupled to the laser beam source on the ground. The drone should only deflect the focal point travel direction up and down with its mirrors. You can also install the light deflection elements in the drone, but then it becomes a bit heavier and sluggish, which has a negative effect on the flight duration of the drone. Optical lens systems or mirror systems are suitable as light deflection elements with which a focal point can be generated and which can be moved quickly in a line. Mirror chips 33 (digital light processor, DLP) in particular are optimally designed for such purposes.

The fast-moving focal points ionize the air much more and are able to increase the electrical conductivity of the air ducts, although very briefly, but enormously. A device that causes the foci in a laser beam to travel is disclosed in the application
DE 10 2006 031 742 .4 described. However, when registering, the focal points are sent in a laser beam that has already been generated. The focal points there cause air ionization while the constant laser beams maintain it. Unlike DE 10 2006 031 742 .4, here only the focal points of the laser beams will wander back and forth and ionize the air, without additional laser beams. An additional laser beam is not required because the voltages in the atmosphere during thunderstorms are much higher, favoring dielectric breakdown.

In any case, the remote-controlled flying drone should also have a camera 34 so that the deflection of the laser beam can be better controlled and, from the perspective, it is much easier to hit two high-voltage lines 35 or a target on the ground, for example.

The control of the drone or the positioning over the object 2 to be hit can also be initiated relatively easily by the laser beam source itself from the ground. Small light sensors 36 in the drone, which are built into the periphery of the drone (at the corners of the drone or distributed in a ring) or enclose the drone in a ring, cause a gentle panning / movement of a light beam 37 from the ground, which the drone automatically follows ( 7 ). It should be mentioned that another laser beam source should be used for the light control of the drone, which is significantly weaker than the primary laser beam source and which should only control the light sensors in the drone. IR laser diodes 38 with a laser power of approx. 1 W, for example, are optimally suited for such purposes. Due to the sensors and an automatic drive control, it will automatically always fly in such a way that it receives the weak laser beam 37 in the center and can then simultaneously reflect the primary, strong laser beam upwards and downwards through the mirrors. When the light sensors are arranged in a ring around the drone, the drive of the drone is controlled each time by controlling the drone so that it flies in the direction in which one of the light sensors was hit by the light beam. As soon as the light beam hits the drone in the middle of the reflector, the drone practically hovers on the spot without moving, even if the laser beam is no longer panned. Another light sensor 39 can also be installed in the center of the reflector, which is hit by the light beam from the ground. In order to enable smooth control of the drone, the laser beam, which comes from a device on the ground, should be strongly focused in the middle, but also form a beam cone 40 of weaker light. Such a laser beam, projected onto a wall 41, would form a small circle 42, in the center of which the laser beam shines most intensely. Outside the center 43, the beam is then weaker and weaker the further one moves away from the center. This geometry of the beam allows perfect control of the drone. Once you hit the drone with the laser beam, it automatically follows the beam if you keep panning it. As you pan the beam forward, the drone's light sensors on the front will get more and more light, while those at the back will get less and less light. The drive is controlled by a controller in the drone so that it flies forward until the center of the light cone hits the center of the drone. Pivoting the light beam cone to the right will blast the light sensors on the right side of the drone with more light, causing instantaneous propulsion control for flight to the right. Even the flight altitude of the drone can be automatically controlled by a light beam. If you aim two laser beams towards the drone, and these laser beams meet (cross) at one point, you can use an image sensor or light sensor to detect the light beam meeting point, and the drone can adjust the altitude so that it always flies to the beam meeting point. If you tilt the two laser emitters further towards each other, the height of the laser beam meeting point drops further down and the drone follows them automatically. The drone itself is relatively small and totally lightweight. The reflector is also made of a light material, so that the drone can hover in the air for a relatively long time.

Of course, the drone can also be controlled solely by the primary, strong, air-ionizing laser beam. In this case, the laser beam sensors or light sensors (e.g. photodiodes) would each be protected behind a light window that largely reflects the laser beams and only lets a very small portion through, so that the sensors cannot be damaged.

The drone is built in the form of a ring 44, in the middle of which the two mirrors are installed. The mirrors are installed slightly below the ring 44 so that they can receive the laser beam from the laser source on the ground unhindered and also carry out a proper laser beam splitting unhindered. The two deflected laser beams are emitted one downward towards the ground and the other through the ring opening 45 towards the top of the drone ring. In this case, the flash comes with the upper laser beam through the ring opening of the drone and the two mirrors with the laser beam down towards the ground (or vice versa, depending on the direction in which the flash strikes).

It is conceivable to equip the drone with a light solar module 46 (a solar module in a film version), through which it is additionally supplied with electricity from the light of the laser source on the ground. The whole reflector can consist of a solar panel in foil form, which absorbs a few percent of the laser beams and converts them into electricity for the drone's power supply, while the majority of the light energy is reflected or deflected by a reflector layer. Recently there have been solar cells that can generate up to 2000 times more power from light energy than conventional cells based on the market are located. When you irradiate a small (80x80mm), conventional solar cell with a 100W laser beam, very little power comes out (about 0.2W) because they are designed for solar energy power conversion purposes, but not optimized for laser energy. The situation is different with the special solar cells. Here approx. 10 - 20% of the laser energy is converted into electricity. Such solar cells may very well power the drone in the air and remotely with enough power to remain in the air indefinitely (as long as the laser beam source on the ground is active and hitting it).

For drone control with the light beam, infrared laser beams can be used instead of visible light. Also, instead of individual sensors, a light sensor surface that is directed downwards can be installed in the drone. The sensor surface, e.g. circular (with a diameter of e.g. 8cm), can detect the beam very precisely and also determine the swiveling direction of the beam and automatically control the drive in real time so that the drone always has a position above the beam at which the beam always hits the sensor circle in the middle.

In order to enable sensor-controlled drone tracking by the air-ionizing laser beam from a vehicle on the ground, the laser emitter should be installed in a gimbal or ball joint 47, which can be electrically driven to quickly tilt or position the laser emitter so that the laser beam hits the mirror surface of the drone hits. The laser beam from the ground can also be deflected at will by movable mirror elements. Such deflection devices for a laser emitter are known and are used in numerous devices (eg also in disco clubs as a laser show). The drone can be fitted with a couple of small low power laser diodes or cat eye/retro reflectors that will mark the reflector there and act as landmarks for the laser gun on the ground. As soon as the orientation laser beams from the drone are received as landmarks, an automatic aiming system will deflect the laser beam exactly there and hit the two mirrors of the drone. The aiming system can consist of an image sensor and an optics system, whereby the orientation light beams of the drone (from their LED-s or cat-eye reflectors) are captured and then the laser beam is aimed at the center of the drone. The alignment of the laser beam via ball device, with the ball being rotated by magnetic field interactions, can prompt any correction of the beam direction in real time, so even if the drone is moving fast or is unsteady in the air (due to wind or turbulence), with great confidence whose reflector is always hit by the laser beam. Here, a laser diode 48 is built into the sphere 49 instead of a camera. The ball itself is movably installed in a ball socket 50, which is equipped with numerous small electromagnets 51. The sphere is magnetic (or equipped with a permanent magnet) and is rotated very precisely by activating the electromagnet coils individually or in groups ( 8th ). The laser beam, which is then emitted, also swivels as a result. The flight maneuvers of the drone are recorded very precisely by an image sensor and the ball is then rotated in such a way that the laser emitter always hits the reflector or the mirror of the drone. The beam can be highly focused and still hit the drone perfectly in real time. The ball is aligned very quickly and corrections can be made in fractions of a millisecond. However, the sphere should not be solid, but rather built out of a thin wall like a hollow sphere (eg like a small Christmas tree bauble). However, it can be constructed from lightweight materials, which greatly reduces inertia during rotation. The lighter the sphere, the faster the reaction times. Otherwise, if the mass of the sphere cannot be kept small, then this can be completely compensated for by strong electromagnets.

Somewhat more complicated variants of the drones can have such mirror chips, which consist of a large number of small mirror elements. On the 9 been presented. These mirror elements can be electrically pivoted independently of one another and can therefore deflect the light beams in a desired direction. The mirror chip is controlled by radio control and is controlled from the ground (e.g. by a small, mobile remote control or from an emergency vehicle). With such a mirror chip, you can steer the laser beam towards the ground and towards the sky at will. A wandering focus point 30 can also be implemented in this way. As a result, the air ion channels can be produced with less laser energy.

In variants that have movable mirrors, the reflected laser beam can be controlled even more precisely. An optimal solution is to install the laser emitter on the ground, on a ball joint or gimbal. A ball joint has the advantage of being very simple and robust. It consists of a ball 49 which is installed in a ball socket 50 and can be rotated there in any direction under electromagnetic control. The ball can be equipped with magnets 52 or have magnetized areas. Some electromagnetic coils 51 built into the ball socket can cause the ball to rotate in any direction ( 10 ).

The mirror can also be installed on the side of the drone ( 12 ). In this case, a counterweight (e.g. the drone camera or its battery) should also be placed on the other side so that the flight characteristics of the drone are not negatively affected.

With the corresponding laser beam power, the remote detonation of land mines or ammunition is very well possible. You aim a laser beam from the drone towards the ammo and another towards the sky. The laser beams, which are intended to ionize the air, are not emitted as a continuous beam, but in the form of short or even ultra-short laser flashes. The repetition rate can be set at a frequency of 0.05 to 10Hz. It is usually sufficient to emit a laser flash every 10 to 20 seconds. If an atmospheric discharge occurs, then the lightning energy with the current carriers will be channeled into the air ionizing laser beam and will hit the point where the laser beam hits. The better the air is ionized, or the higher the degree of ionization in the air ion channel, the cleaner and more sharply defined the lightning discharge runs. If the degree of ionization is low, branches of lightning discharge are generated, which escape laterally from the main ion channel, resulting in power losses. This can significantly lower the lightning discharge currents on the ground and thus weaken the effect.

The protective screen 21, which is built into the drone in front of the mirror elements, is very important because it is the barrier that prevents the flow of current towards the laser beam source.

There are specially equipped army vehicles that have a correspondingly powerful IR laser emitter that can be used to ignite mines or ammunition from a few hundred meters away. While you can only operate with a laser blaster from a vehicle within line of sight, you can also use the drone behind an obstacle, e.g. behind a hill or a building to ignite mines or an ammunition depot. The lightning energy is directed from the clouds onto a minne, which the lightning will strike and cause it to ignite. The only (and at the same time the biggest) disadvantage of this system is that you have to wait until storm clouds form at the place where you want to operate. Although lightning discharges are also possible in good weather, the probability of "catching" one decreases enormously.

The drone has two movable mirrors. Here, two mirrors are built into the drone, which reflect the laser beams partly back on the ground and partly up into the sky. The mirrors can be pivoted electrically by remote control. It is also possible to use two fixed mirrors connected at 45°, arranged in such a way that a laser beam striking the top of the angle almost horizontally splits into two laser beams, one emitted upwards and the other downwards .

In variants that have movable mirrors, the reflected laser beam can be controlled even more precisely. An optimal solution is to install the laser emitter on the ground, on a ball joint or gimbal. A ball joint has the advantage of being very simple and robust. It consists of a ball 49 which is installed in a ball socket 50 and can be rotated there in any direction under electromagnetic control. The sphere can be equipped with magnets 52 or have magnetized areas. Some electromagnetic coils 51 built into the ball socket can cause the ball to rotate in any direction ( 10 ). Again, the sphere should not be a massive solid sphere, but rather a hollow sphere with a thin wall made of a light material (e.g. carbon fibers, carbon nanotubes) or a light metal alloy (e.g. titanium alloy) with small built-in permanent magnets. The rotation is very fast and can be controlled precisely. By finely controlling the magnetic field of the electromagnetic coils, the ball can be rotated in any direction and position. Thus, a laser beam deflection is perfectly controllable. Because the sphere is not a solid sphere, but merely a hollow sphere, where the weight is reduced to a minimum, the reaction time is very short. Thus, tracking the drone with the laser beam is easy and very accurate.

On the 11 a version with an EMP coil is shown. Here, a copper coil (air coil) 4 with a few turns is coupled to the drone, which is arranged, for example, in such a way that its polarity axis 5 points vertically. The two end conductors 54 are arranged in the middle and are touched by the vertical laser beam, so that when lightning strikes, it is also conducted through the air-core coil 4, which generates a very strong pulse from an electromagnetic field. The coil can also be installed between the two mirrors. In that case, the hinge that connects the mirrors would have to be made of a non-conductor. This electromagnetic pulse can interfere with electronic devices within a relatively large area or limit their use.

Laser emitters are ideally suited as a light source, which are directed at the drone from a vehicle on the ground, ship, airplane or helicopter, for example, and irradiate it with a strong laser beam. The alignment of the laser beam on the reflector element of the drone and the detection of the drone is carried out automatically by a control system of sensors, which are coupled via a controller with the movement elements of the light source and, for example, small light signal transmitters that are built into the drone and the Orientation of the light source or target acquisition are used. It would be sufficient if one light source is placed in the middle of the mirror or three or four light sources are installed that mark the mirror surface edges of the drone. These can be small laser diodes that emit visible or invisible light (such as UV or IR laser diodes).

A Faraday cage 55 protects the drone from the effects of lightning's electromagnetic fields. A lightning strike on the mirrors of the drone can more or less damage them. However, since they are made of metal, it will mostly affect the top and bottom edges of the mirrors. A specially built, short power line can bridge the two mirrors and thus not hit them at all. The power line should be vertical and slightly bent at both ends. Only the two ends should be placed close to laser beams. These do not have to touch the laser beams, otherwise a shadow would be created in the beam. The laser beams only just travel by (e.g. a few millimeters) and ionize the air along the beams. The flash can also be deflected by the Faraday cage in such a way that it does not "touch" the drone's mirrors at all.

In order to keep a very light drone in the air, the laser beam from the laser beam source on the ground can also at least partially provide the necessary energy for the power supply of the drone. For a very light drone (under 150g) it would be sufficient if the drone is equipped with a conventional solar cell, but for somewhat heavier drones a special solar cell designed for high-power laser beams would have to be installed.

In all variants, the laser beam source on the ground can send a continuous laser beam or pulsed laser beams to the missile (drone). Short laser pulses with a low repetition rate are even better suited for such purposes. Such laser pulses or laser flashes can be generated with much higher power than is the case with a continuous laser beam.

Although the UV laser sources are best suited for air ionization, the air ionization effect can also be achieved with other laser sources such as IR lasers or blue or green laser sources if they have enough power. Although the air is transparent, the smallest particles such as pollen, dust particles, spores, aerosols, etc. are always floating in the air, which are hit by the laser beam and then heated to such an extent that they ionize the air in the laser beam. Atmospheric processes are assisted to conduct lightning discharges in the channel created by the laser beam.

Thanks to automatic tracking or laser beam aiming systems, the drone is always hit precisely on the mirror surfaces by the laser beam. The laser beam hitting the mirrors does not have to be in the visible range. As already mentioned, the laser beam can be in the UV or IR range, but it can also be emitted in a wavelength that is visible to the human eye. If the drone is to be used as inconspicuously as possible in a war zone, the use of IR laser beams makes sense.

The mirror in the drone does not necessarily have to be able to swivel in all directions. This can be simplified quite a bit for straightforward control purposes. It is entirely sufficient if the two mirrors can only be swiveled in one direction, or if only one edge of the two mirrors can be lowered or tilted. This would set the reflection angle. The precise laser beam deflection by the two mirrors can also be achieved by swiveling the entire drone. The drone can be protected against strong laser beams by a light light-reflecting foil 53 or by a highly reflective coating or paint, such as silver paint, should they accidentally hit the drone and not just the mirror. The drone camera should also be protected. This can be done automatically using an iris or shutter on the lens. Some electronic systems can also reliably protect the camera from the laser beams from the ground. Light sensors that register the laser beams hitting there can provide reliable information about the direction of the laser beams in relation to the drone and rotate the drone so that the camera does not "look" directly into the laser beams.

The devices that have been described here are also suitable for other types of electromagnetic radiation, such as X-rays or microwaves. Nowadays there are small, powerful microwave sources that are designed in the form of Gunn elements (e.g. Gunn diodes). The Drones presented here are used for military purposes, but can also be used in various other areas, including civilian ones. For example, the method works quite well as a laser lightning conductor for research purposes. A strong, air-ionizing laser beam is aimed at the drone, which in this case focuses the laser beam towards the ground, towards the sky or in both directions at the same time. The air ionizing effect of the laser beams creates ion channels in the laser beams themselves, which can cause a lightning discharge in the desired direction in thunderclouds. In this case, the drone would have to be equipped with a Faraday cage or a bridging ladder so that it does not take damage when the lightning strikes. By aligning the reflectors, the drone directs part of the laser beams in a bundled form towards the clouds and the other part towards the ground, e.g. hitting an explosive device. The drone waits in this position, hovering in the air, until a lightning strike or a lightning discharge occurs through the laser beams. The laser beam is not emitted continuously, but in the form of very short laser pulses at time intervals (e.g. every 10 seconds), so that the energy source for the laser on the ground is not overloaded in vain. This lightning discharge hits the explosive device and detonates it. It's a method that usually only works in bad weather or thunderstorms, but still. However, this can also damage the power grid or enemy power plants by causing short circuits in high-voltage networks. It is sufficient if the drone aims the air-ionizing laser beam at a high-voltage transformer or substation and causes short circuits there.

On the 13 an embodiment has been presented in which a specially built-in power line (bridging line) 56 is built into the drone, which absorbs the lightning discharge in the drone area and serves as a power bridge. This ensures that the lightning discharge does not hit the drone's mirrors. Two small spheres 57 (can also be hollow spheres) should be installed at both ends of the power line, which do not touch the laser beam but come close to it (a few mm to cm would be sufficient). The lightning discharge can also be bridged by the Faraday cage.

UV laser beams act as a strong air ionizer, but with enough power, infrared laser beams can also have a good effect. Likewise, green, blue, or violet laser beams with enough energy can ionize the air. There are always dust particles, pollen and spores in the air, and when these are hit by high-energy laser beams, micro-explosions occur that ionize the air along the laser beams.

Instead of one laser beam source, several such can be installed on the ground, which aim at the drone's mirrors. They can be arranged with parallel beams so that they each hit one of the mirrors. In the variant with the fast-travelling focal point, the laser beam deflection elements can be controlled in such a way that the focal points run synchronously. If the repetition rate or the movement frequency of the focal points is high, synchronicity is not required.

Reference List

1

Lightning / lightning discharges

2

Object, mine, ammunition

3

high voltage power lines

4

electromagnetic coil

5

polarity axis

6

missile, drone

7

laser emitter, laser beam source

8th

laser beams

9

Mirror

10

actuator

11

conductor

12

metal hinge

13

surfaces

14

edge / border

15

Top of the mirror system

16

Laser beam up

17

Laser beam towards the ground

18

conductive channel

19

upper mirror

20

lower mirror

21

Clear pane / light window

22

actuators

23

airship

24

lightning discharge

25

Electrostatic field sensor for the electrostatic fields

26

evaluation unit

27

radio module

28

explosive devices

29

Remote controlled ground vehicle

30

Focal point of laser beams

31

actuators

32

Light deflection elements (mirrors or lens systems)

33

mirror chip

34

camera

35

High voltage line / high voltage conductor

36

light sensor

37

Beam of light, weak laser beam

38

IR laser diode

39

another light sensor

40

jet cone

41

Wall

42

small circle

43

Focus

44

rings

45

ring opening

46

solar panel

47

gimbal or ball joint

48

laser diode

49

Bullet

50

ball socket

51

electromagnet

52

magnets

53

Light reflecting film

54

end conductor

55

Faraday cage

56

Extra bypass line

57

Power Line Ends, Balls

QUOTES INCLUDED IN DESCRIPTION

This list of documents cited 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 10012305 [0004]
• DE 102006031742 [0005, 0024]

Claims (38)

Lightning discharge system, characterized in that it consists of at least - one remotely controllable or autonomous drone capable of hovering in the air, equipped with two mirrors of metal placed at an angle meeting each other at an edge or edge , which split a light beam that hits the two mirrors from the side or diagonally from below into two light beams, which are deflected upwards and downwards, - a laser beam source that is mobile or stationary on the floor, which is equipped with a focused laser beam aimed at the two mirrors of the drone, which can emit an air-ionizing laser beam, - a flexible high-current electrical conductor that connects the two metal mirrors together, - a sensor or image acquisition system that is coupled to the laser beam source, which the position of the drone's mirror in the air in real time - an electric drive eb, which can move or pivot the laser beam source in any direction, or control a light deflection element installed at the output of the laser beam source, - a controller coupled to the sensor or image acquisition system and the electrical drive that directs the laser beams of the laser beam source on the mirror automatically or manually controlled. Lightning discharge system, comprising: - a remote controllable or autonomous flying drone, capable of hovering in the air, equipped with two metal mirrors arranged meeting each other at an edge or edge at an electrically adjustable angle, which emit a beam of light directed laterally or obliquely from below laterally hitting the two mirrors, split into two light beams that are deflected upwards and downwards, - a flexible electrical power conductor or a metal hinge that connects the two metal mirrors together or forms a current bridge in the drone area for the charge carriers from the lightning energy, - a laser beam source, which is mobile or stationary on the ground, which aims a focused laser beam at the two mirrors of the drone, which can emit an air-ionizing laser beam, - an electrically quickly adjustable laser beam deflection element, which strongly bundles the laser beam at the laser energy output of the laser beam source to a focal point, which moves very quickly back and forth along the laser beam and further away in the laser beams branched off by the two mirrors, - an electric drive that can move or pivot the laser beam source in any direction, or control a light deflector installed at the output of the laser beam source, - a sensor or image acquisition system coupled to the laser beam source drive that can determine the position of the drone's mirrors in the air in real time, - A control, which is coupled to the sensor or image acquisition system and the electric drive, which automatically or manually directs the laser beams of the laser beam source on the mirror. Lightning discharge system after patent claim 2 , characterized in that the rapidly moving focal point is generated by built-in lens systems or mirror systems with focus actuators or by mirror chips. Lightning discharge system according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that instead of or in addition to the heavy current conductor, a current-conducting hinge connects the two mirrors at their meeting point or meeting edge. Lightning discharge system according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the two mirrors are coupled to a remotely controllable actuator which can change the angle of the two mirrors relative to one another. Lightning discharge system according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the two mirrors have an unobstructed view upwards and downwards and can be inclined at will by means of electrical actuators. Lightning discharge system according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that a transparent, high-voltage insulating disc is installed in front of the mirrors, onto which the laser beam falls and which penetrates the two mirrors, which the air-ionizing laser beam from the laser beam source on the ground , electrically decoupled when lightning strikes the drone's mirrors and is directed to the ground. Lightning discharge system according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the drone, which reflects the air-ionizing laser beams and thereby generates conductive air ion channels in the air, is also designed as a laser beam lightning rod and is equipped with a Faraday cage or a bridge current line ter that redirects the electrical discharge of the lightning energy in such a way that the drone is not destroyed. Lightning discharge system according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the laser beam source is coupled to an electrically driven light deflection element and a tracking system which always directs the laser beams onto the small sphere or onto the reflector of the aircraft. Lightning discharge system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the laser beam source is a pulsed laser beam source which emits laser pulses with an adjustable repetition rate and which is installed in a vehicle on the ground or in an aircraft or on a ship. Lightning discharge system according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the laser beam source emits visible light. Lightning discharge system according to one of patent claims 1 until 10 , characterized in that the laser beam source emits laser beams in the infrared range. Lightning discharge system according to one of patent claims 1 until 10 , characterized in that the laser beam source emits laser beams in the UV range. Lightning discharge system according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that instead of or in addition to the laser beam source it has a microwave radiator or a Gunn element or an X-ray source. Lightning discharge system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of laser beam sources, each of which emits laser beams of different wavelengths, all of which are aimed at a target. Lightning discharge system after Claim 15 , characterized in that the mirror is designed for reflection of both types of radiation, both for laser beams and for microwave radiation. Lightning discharge system according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the reflector consists of electrically movable or pivotable mirror elements or of a mirror chip. Lightning discharge system after Claim 17 , characterized in that the mirror elements or the mirror chip can be controlled via a remote control. Lightning discharge system according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the drone with solar cells, which partially converts part of the laser beams from the laser beam source on the ground into electricity for the power supply of a built-in propulsion system. Lightning discharge system according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the drone is equipped with a laser focusing system that can deflect a laser beam incident there onto a target or focus it in a point-like manner. Lightning discharge system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the laser beam source is equipped on the ground with a lens or mirror system that is electrically movable or electromagnetically vibrating in the optical axis and that alternately focuses the laser beam coming from the laser beam source , which creates a rapidly traveling focal point in the direction of the beam. Lightning discharge system according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the laser beam source is on the ground with a light deflection element that deflects the laser beam in such a way that it always hits the two mirrors of the drone alternately and switches between the two mirrors at a high frequency. Lightning discharge system after a patent claims 1 until 21 , characterized in that the laser beam source on the ground consists of two laser beams, which are high-energy pulsed laser devices that are alternately switched on and off by a controller with a high repetition rate, while always matching the two mirrors of the aircraft. Lightning discharge system after Claim 23 , characterized in that the active laser pulse phases last slightly longer than the rest phases or the switch-off times. Lightning discharge system after Claim 23 or 24 , characterized in that the laser beams from the two laser beam learn to be emitted at a distance from each other, radiating almost parallel to each other. Lightning discharge system according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the drone or the missile is constructed in the shape of a ring and the mirrors are built into the ring opening or under the ring opening by means of a holder. Lightning discharge system after Claim 26 , characterized in that the charge carriers pass through the ring opening of the drone during lightning discharge. Lightning discharge system according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the drone is equipped with a toroidal Faraday cage and is therefore protected from lightning. Lightning discharge system according to one of patent claims 2 until 28 , characterized in that the air ionizing focal point journeys take place with a repetition rate of several thousands to millions per second. Lightning discharge system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the two metal mirrors are coupled to one another by means of a large-diameter electromagnet coil. Lightning discharge system after Claim 30 , characterized in that the coil has only a few turns and the current conductor is provided with a high-voltage insulator which prevents voltage breakdown between the turns of the coil. Lightning discharge system after Claim 30 or 31 , characterized in that the coil is arranged so that its magnetic axis is directed vertically or horizontally. Lightning discharge system according to one of patent claims 30 until 32 , characterized in that the coil is designed for the generation of electromagnetic pulse effect or EMP effect. Lightning discharge system according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the drone is equipped with sensors that can detect electrostatic fields or electric field differences. Lightning discharge system according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the drone deflects the lightning in the area of the drone by means of a power line installed for this purpose or bypasses the lightning past the mirrors. Lightning discharge system according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the drone deflects the lightning in the area of the drone using a Faraday cage. Lightning discharge system according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that instead of one, two or more air-ionizing laser beam sources are installed, which aim at the mirrors of the drone. Lightning discharge system after Claim 37 , characterized in that the laser beam sources are controlled synchronously.

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