RU2346852C1 - Air-borne system of probing earth's surface - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: transportation.

SUBSTANCE: present invention pertains to air-borne systems, using remotely controlled aircraft for such purposes as tactical intelligence, aerial mapping, monitoring oil and gas pipelines and electrical power lines. The air-borne system of probing the earth's surface comprises a remote control radio channel using noise-like signals, system for space orientation and determination of current coordinates of an object using conjugated inertial and satellite navigation systems. Signals of the satellite navigation systems are received by three small antennae of a satellite navigation system, located in one plane, arranged in space at 120° from each other. For easier control, the operator is oriented in the system of processing and imaging radio telemetry, which is an understandable and convenient system of displaying digital and graphical information on the screen of a personal computer.

EFFECT: provision for a noise resistant, secret channel for wireless control of remotedly controlled aircraft, determination of space orientation of the object from signals of satellite navigation systems GLONASS/GPS for manual control outside the visibility zone.

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Description

The invention relates to aviation systems using remotely piloted aircraft (UAVs) for use in such purposes as operational-tactical reconnaissance, air mapping, monitoring of oil and gas pipelines, power lines, etc.

A known monitoring system for ground conditions, containing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), on which a monitoring and tracking system is installed, including a command receiver, surveillance and tracking cameras, an image transmitter, a microprocessor, an altimeter, a strap-in inertial unit, an analog-to-digital converter, airborne formatting device, data compression unit, two memory units, correlation device, steering gear unit and actuating devices, as well as a mobile ground-based observation complex I and controls, containing an image receiver, a mobile personal computer, a command transmitter, a frame shaper [1].

Known portable aerial surveillance complex containing a remotely piloted aircraft with a radio-controlled on-board flight support system for the aircraft, airborne transceiver equipment and a video camera with an image transmitter, as well as a mobile information management and processing complex with ground-based transceiver equipment, a video receiver and a radio navigation system for controlling the aircraft. The radio-controlled on-board flight support system of the aircraft and the radio navigation control system of the aircraft are equipped with inertial blocks with micromechanical vibration gyroscopes - accelerometers, which are corrected by the global navigation system, and the remotely piloted aircraft is designed as an autonomously piloted aircraft micro-device and placed together with a mobile control and processing complex information in a common portable container. An autonomously piloted aircraft micro-apparatus for a portable complex of aviation observations contains a fuselage on which a propeller, a steering along the course and pitch, a video camera with a video image transmitter, a radio-controlled on-board aircraft flight support system and on-board transceiver equipment are located. A video camera with a video image transmitter, steering machines, a battery, devices of a radio-controlled on-board flight support system for an aircraft and on-board transceiver equipment are installed in the compartment’s compartment [2].

However, the radius of action of these systems is very limited, and the method of orientation and stabilization of UAVs in space is not applicable for monitoring a long-term terrestrial situation.

Known UAV model "GRANT" for television monitoring of the terrain and targets on it, containing on-board control equipment, on-board electronic equipment, on-board computers, control center, global navigation satellite system, a complex of radio antennas, launch vehicle [3].

However, this complex has significant dimensions and weight, a bulky launcher.

Famous UAV complex "Bat 3" containing a launcher on a car, supporting structure, power plant, payload - video camera, infrared system, navigation satellite system [4].

Known UAV model "Tasuma CSV-20", containing the supporting structure, the payload is a color television camera, a transmitter of control commands, a video signal transmitter, receiving equipment, launching and transporting installation, power plant [5].

The disadvantage of the above technical solutions is the low degree of integration of the complex with other systems of the aircraft; the ability to determine the spatial orientation of the object using only inertial sensors, which makes it difficult to control the aircraft manually, reduces the mobility and reliability of its control.

Closest to the claimed technical solution is the "Automatic unmanned diagnostic complex" (see RF patent No. 2256894, G01M 3/00), which is selected as a prototype [6].

The complex contains an automatic control system, satellites of the global navigation system, a navigation system, an inertial navigation system, receiver equipment of a satellite navigation system, a calculator of the actual coordinates of a satellite navigation system, a beacon, an air-speed signal system, a small-sized low-altitude radio altimeter, an automatic remote control system, a system radio control commands, information and logic unit, receiving equipment of command radio control television, radio telemetry system, automatic control system for on-board systems with a computer, engine control system, automatic control system computer, radio transmitter, on-board systems control unit, on-board data storage, parachute landing and release system, trunk pipelines diagnostics system and unit its control, radio altimeter, ground control points, launch catapult and rescue system. The radio telemetry system contains two radio stations located respectively on a remotely piloted aircraft and ground control station, each of which contains a high-frequency generator, a phase manipulator, a source of discrete messages and commands, a first mixer, a first local oscillator, an amplifier of the first intermediate frequency, and a first power amplifier , duplexer, transceiver antenna, second power amplifier, second mixer, second local oscillator, second intermediate frequency amplifier, multiplier, bandpass filter and phase detector.

However, the purpose of this complex is only to search for and detect leaks in the gas pipeline. The complex does not properly provide a reliable, noise-resistant, secretive exchange of radio telemetry and command information between a remotely piloted aircraft and a ground control station, as well as the safe control of the aircraft in manual remote mode out of sight.

The basis of the invention is the creation of a system for sensing the earth's surface, which allows for noise-immune, covert, reliable exchange of radio telemetry and command information between a remotely piloted aircraft and a ground control station, as well as safe control of the aircraft in manual remote mode outside its visibility range.

The problem is solved in that in an aviation system for sensing the earth’s surface, including a remotely piloted aircraft with a glider, a power plant with a piston engine, an onboard control system for a remotely piloted aircraft, containing an inertial navigation system, receiver equipment for a satellite navigation system, a real computer coordinates of satellite navigation system, air-speed signal system, altimeter, command radar system controls and a television viewing system, an on-board system for monitoring the operation of on-board systems, a landing support system with a brake for the main wheels of the chassis, an engine management system and an on-board data storage device, as well as a mobile ground control station containing a television system, a remote control, and a radio telemetry system containing two radio stations, one located at a ground control station, and the other at a remotely piloted aircraft, according to invention b The orthogonal control system for a remotely piloted aircraft additionally contains a unit for interfacing with a video camera connected to an on-board television system with its output and an on-board information storage device for interfacing with a navigation system interface unit, one of its inputs connected to the output of the satellite navigation system receiving equipment, and the other - with the output of the inertial navigation system, and the output of the interface unit of the navigation systems is connected to the calculator of the actual coordinates of the satellites th navigation system, which is configured to determine the angles of pitch, pitch and course of a remotely piloted aircraft, on a glider in the same plane are three small antennas connected to the receiving equipment of a satellite navigation system, while they are 120 times apart in space relative to each other °, the mobile ground control center further comprises a mobile personal computer including a route turning point input system, a remote control, Performed with the ability to control the spatial position of the UAV, the processing and display system of radio telemetry, configured to output digital and graphic information to the screen of a mobile personal computer, each radio station contains a receiver that includes an input band-pass filter, connected to a transceiver antenna with its input, and with a protective output a device that is connected through a band-pass filter to a low-noise amplifier, in turn, a low-noise amplifier is connected to two multipliers each of which is respectively connected to the arithmetic-logic device through a first low-pass filter, a low-pass amplifier and a second low-pass filter, connected in series, each of the multipliers being connected to a pseudo-random sequence generator by its other input, and a transmitter including a data source, connected to the pathogen, which contains a series-connected shaper of types of work (modulator), a frequency converter, a bandpass filter, while The type specifier (modulator) is connected by two inputs to the reference frequency sensor, which is connected to the master oscillator by an input, and to the frequency grid sensor, by the other output, whose output is the second input of the frequency converter, the pass-through exciter filter being connected to a series-connected power amplifier of n cascades and output circuit, while the receiver and transmitter are made with the possibility of using noise-like signals, for data transmission - with the Walsh function, and to search for a signal and its synchronization - with an M-sequence.

Figure 1 presents a generalized structural diagram of an aircraft sensing system of the Earth's surface, figure 2 is a structural diagram of a receiver of a radio telemetry system, figure 3 is a generalized structural diagram of a transmitter of a radio telemetry system, figure 4 is a variant of the placement of antennas on UAVs.

The following notation is used on the presented figures: 1 - airborne UAV control complex; 2 - receiver of control commands; 3 - command radio control system; 4 - constellation of satellites of the global navigation system "GLONASS" and "GPS"; 5 - receiving equipment of a satellite navigation system; 6 - inertial navigation system; 7 - a unit for interfacing with a video camera; 8 - block autopilot and control on-board systems; 9 - block actuators and mechanisms; 10 - on-board storage device; 11 - input system of turning points of the route; 12 - mobile personal computer; 13 - radio telemetry system; 14 - survey television system; 15 - landing support system; 16 - a system for processing and displaying radio telemetry; 17 - engine management system; 18 - remote control; 19 - mobile ground control and tracking station; 20, 22 - input bandpass filter; 21 - a protective device; 23 - low noise amplifier (LNA); 24, 25 - multiplier; 26, 27, 30, 31 - low-pass filters (low-pass filters); 28, 29 - low-frequency amplifiers; 32 - arithmetic logic unit (ALU); 33 - pseudo-random sequence generator (PSP); 34 - data source (ID); 35 - shaper types of work (modulator, FVR); 36 - frequency converter; 37 - band pass filter (PPF); 38 - reference frequency sensor; 39 - frequency grid sensor (DCH); 40 - master oscillator (ZG); 41 - frequency synthesizer; 42 - power amplifier of n stages; 43 - output circuit (CC); 44 - pathogen; 45, 46, 47 - small-sized antenna of a satellite navigation system; 48 - block pairing navigation systems; 49 - air-speed signal system; 50 - altimeter; 51 - system of automatic control of on-board systems; 52 - calculator of the actual coordinates of the satellite navigation system.

The presented aviation system for sensing the earth's surface contains (Fig. 1) a constellation of satellites of the navigation system 4, an airborne control system 1 for the UAV, which includes receiving equipment 5 of the satellite navigation system and an inertial navigation system 6 connected to the output unit 48 of the interface of the navigation systems, block 8 autopilot and on-board control systems. At the same time, the outputs of, respectively, the receiver 2 of the control commands, the computer 52 of the actual coordinates of the satellite navigation system, the system 3 of the command radio control system 49 of the air-speed signals, the altimeter 50, the automatic control system 51 of the operation of the onboard systems are connected to the inputs of the autopilot unit 8 and the onboard systems control , the on-board information storage device 10, and the outputs of the autopilot unit and the on-board systems control 8 are connected to the inputs, respectively, of the on-board information storage device 10, an overview television system 14 connected by the output to the unit 7 for interfacing with the video camera, unit 9 of actuators and mechanisms, the landing support system 15, the command radio control system 3, the radio telemetry system 13. The airborne sensing system for the earth’s surface also includes a mobile ground control and tracking station 19, which comprises a radio telemetry system 13 connected by its input to a mobile personal computer 12, comprising a route turning point input system 11, a processing and selection system 16 eniya radio telemetry, survey television system 14, the console 18, remote control adapted to control the spatial orientation of the UAV.

The receiver of the radio telemetry system (Fig. 2) includes an input band-pass filter 20, connected via its input to a transceiver antenna, and an output to a protective device 21, which is connected through a band-pass filter 22 to a low-noise amplifier (LNA) 23, in turn, a low-noise amplifier is connected with two multipliers 24 (25), each of which is connected to the arithmetic-logic device 32 through series-connected the first low-pass filter 26 (27), the low-frequency amplifier 28 (29) and the second low-pass filter 30 (31), respectively, with each of the multipliers with its other input is connected to a pseudo-random sequence generator (PSP) 33.

The control command transmitter (Fig. 3) contains a data source 34 connected to the pathogen 44, which contains a series of types of work (modulator) 35, a frequency converter 36, a band pass filter 37, and types of work (modulator) 35 with two inputs connected to a reference frequency sensor 38, which is connected by an input to a master oscillator 40, and another output to a frequency grid sensor 39, whose output is the second input of the frequency converter 36, and the exciter bandpass filter is connected to connected to the power amplifier of n stages 42 and the output circuit 43, after passing through which the signal enters the transceiver antenna, and the receiver and transmitter of the control commands are configured to use noise-like signals, for data transmission - with the Walsh function, and to search for the signal and its synchronization - with an M-sequence.

Figure 4 presents a variant of placement on the UAV of small-sized antennas 45, 46, 47 of a satellite navigation system. The glider fuselage is made of lightweight composite materials, while the design of the glider is simply disassembled and assembled, which makes it easy to transport.

The transmitter control commands (figure 3) works as follows.

The binary sequence, which is a modulated memory bandwidth in accordance with the transmitted data, from the data source 34 goes to the shaper 35 types of work, where under its influence the phase of the oscillator is modulated according to the law of the binary sequence. The modulation of the phase of the oscillator occurs through the automatic frequency control system (AFC) of the oscillator. Blocks 38, 39, 40 form a frequency synthesizer (MF) 41. MF 41 generates two frequencies: one is used for the AFC modulator system - f ₀₁ , the other serves to provide tuning of the transmitter carrier frequency within the operating range - f _scf ÷ f _scf . The frequency f ₀₁ enters the AFC system through a phase shifter, which receives a binary sequence from the data source 34. In the AFC system, the reference frequency f ₀₁ is compared with the frequency of the voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), and in case of a frequency mismatch, an error signal is generated that tends to eliminate the difference between frequencies. Thus, the VCO frequency is stabilized and at the same time phase manipulation is necessary for the correct and reliable operation of the transmitter in the frequency range. The simulated signal f _{cfm is} fed to the frequency converter 36, where, using the signal from the midrange 41 f _scn f, the _{scm is} transferred to the operating range of the transmitter. To isolate the useful signal, PPF 37 is used. Next, the useful signal is amplified to the required power by an amplifier 42, consisting of two stages, and fed to the CC 43, where out-of-band radiation is filtered. After passing through the CC 43 signal, it enters the transceiver antenna and is radiated into space.

The telecontrol radio channel uses a noise-like signal (SHPS), which provides the highest noise immunity of the complex, as well as covert data transmission with high accuracy, while the Walsh function is selected as the SRP for data transmission as being more resistant to interference, and to search for a signal and its synchronization M-sequence is used as having a lower level of side lobes [7]. ShPS has two beneficial effects:

The first effect is the dispersion of the signal energy within a very large frequency band, which accordingly reduces the power density at any point in the spectrum. The level of the dispersed signal depends on several factors, such as transmitted power, distance from the transmitter, antenna gain, and spectrum width. The dispersion of energy allows you to lower the signal below the noise level, while the signal becomes virtually invisible. A standard narrow-band receiver cannot recognize BSS for noise, while a BSS can be received by the receiver with the appropriate bandwidth without any difficulty. Exchange of information is possible only if the SRP is known.

The second effect of SHPS is the ability to isolate a useful signal under the influence of both narrowband and broadband interference. The receiver has a copy of the SRP and uses it to reconstruct the signal. Narrowband interference is suppressed during processing. Efficiency in relation to interference has led to the use of ШПС in modern communication facilities. The standard narrow-band signal with amplitude modulation (like the BPS) that does not carry the required bandwidth that falls within the bandwidth of the broadband receiver will not be filtered.

During the flight of the UAV, the terrain image from the survey television system 14, the current coordinates of the flight, the spatial position of the UAV, and information about the state of the onboard systems are transmitted to the ground control and tracking station. The operator monitors the ground situation on the screen of the personal computer 12. By means of the radio telemetry system 13, the telemetry processing and display system 16 and the remote control 18, the operator from the ground station can not only correct the UAV flight, but also control its spatial position, if necessary, outside its zone line of sight, guided by the system 16 processing and display of radio telemetry, which is an understandable and convenient system for outputting digital and graphic information on Crane mobile personal computer 12.

The increased accuracy of determining the spatial orientation of UAVs is achieved through the use of paired inertial and satellite navigation systems, as well as through the use of three small antennas 45, 46, 47 of the satellite navigation system, 120 ° apart in space relative to each other and located in the same plane on the fuselage and glider bearing surfaces.

In particular, methods and algorithms for determining the spatial orientation of objects from the signals of satellite radio navigation systems are known and used in this system using the interferometric method based on measuring the phase difference of signals from satellites between spatially separated antennas [8, 9, 10].

At the same time, using the readings of accelerometers (for example, Analog Devices, www.analog.com) installed in an inertial navigation system, one can significantly simplify spatial orientation algorithms, reduce the requirement for the number of received satellites, and reduce to zero the probability of incorrect determination of the spatial orientation of UAVs . To achieve this goal, a unit for interfacing navigation systems 48 is used.

The mobile personal computer 12 is a “laptop” type computer, and the television viewing system 14, the radio telemetry processing and display system 16, and the route turning point input system 11 are structurally located inside the computer case.

Thus, the proposed aviation system for sensing the earth's surface, in comparison with the prototype, provides an interference-resistant, secretive radio control channel for the UAV, determining the spatial (roll, pitch, heading) orientation of the object using signals from the GLONASS \ GPS satellite navigation systems for manual control outside the visibility range. This is achieved, respectively, by the implementation of a radio remote control channel using SHPS, the implementation of a spatial orientation system and determination of the current coordinates of the object using paired inertial 6 and satellite 5 navigation systems. The signals of the satellite navigation system 5 are received on three small-sized antennas 45, 46, 47 of the satellite navigation system located in the same plane, separated by 120 ° in space relative to each other, and for the convenience of control, the operator is guided by the processing and display system of radio telemetry 16, which It is an understandable and convenient system for displaying digital and graphic information on the screen of a personal computer.

In addition, this system provides greater compactness through the use of circuit solutions with a large degree of integration, replacing the television system with a small-sized optoelectronic converter with the transmission of digital information to the control point in real time.

Information sources

1. RF patent No. 2248307. Ground surveillance system. IPC B64C 29/00, G08C 21/00, 2004.

2. RF patent No. 2232104. A portable airborne surveillance system and autonomously piloted aircraft micro-device for it. IPC V64C 29/02, G01V 9/00, 2003.

3. UAV "GRANT". www.dpla.rn.

4. UAV "Bat 3". Avia.ru www.avia.ru.

5. UAV "Tasuma CSV-20". http://dpla.info.

6. RF patent №2256894. Automatic unmanned diagnostic complex. IPC G01M 3/00, 2003.

7. Remote proportional control in the presence of interference: Sat. scientific tr / Ed .: A.I. Gromyko, A.V. Sarafanov. M .: Radio and communications, 2006, 629 p.

8. Fateev Yu.L. Theoretical foundations and practical implementation of angular measurements based on global navigation satellite systems: Diss. for the doctoral degree. tech. sciences.

9. Stepanov O.A. Study of methods for solving the orientation problem using satellite systems / O.A. Stepanov, D.A. Koshayev // Gyroscopy and navigation. - 1999. - No. 2. p.30-54.

10. Fateev Yu.L. Determination of angular orientation based on global navigation satellite systems. // Radio engineering, No. 7, 2002, - p.51-57.

Claims (1)

Earth surface sensing aircraft system, including a remotely piloted aircraft with a glider, a power plant with a piston engine, an onboard remote-piloted aircraft control system containing an inertial navigation system, satellite navigation system receiving equipment, a satellite navigation system real coordinate calculator, an airborne system -speed signals, altimeter, command radio control system and television overview with system, an automatic control system for the operation of onboard systems, a landing support system with a braking device for the main wheels of the chassis, an engine control system and an on-board data storage device, as well as a mobile ground control station containing a television system, a remote control and a radio telemetry system containing two radio stations located one - at a ground control station, and the other at a remotely piloted aircraft, characterized in that the onboard remote control system the o-manned aircraft further comprises a unit for interfacing with a video camera, connected to a survey television system by its input, and an on-board information storage device, an interface for navigation systems, one of its inputs connected to the output of the receiving equipment of the satellite navigation system, and the other to the output inertial navigation system, and the output of the interface unit of the navigation systems is connected to the calculator of the actual coordinates of the satellite navigation system, which is performed with the ability to determine the angles of pitch, pitch and course of a remotely piloted aircraft, on the glider in the same plane are three small antennas connected to the receiving equipment of the satellite navigation system, while they are 120 ° apart from each other in space, a mobile ground station the control further comprises a mobile personal computer, including a system for entering the turning points of the route, a remote control configured to control by the foreign position of the UAV, the processing and display system of radio telemetry, made with the possibility of outputting digital and graphic information on the screen of a mobile personal computer, each radio station contains a receiver including an input band-pass filter, connected via its input to a transceiver antenna, and through an output, with a protective device, which the band-pass filter is connected to a low-noise amplifier, in turn, the low-noise amplifier is connected to two multipliers, each of which is respectively inen with an arithmetic-logic device through a series-connected first low-pass filter, a low-frequency amplifier and a second low-pass filter, while each of the multipliers by its other input is connected to a pseudo-random sequence generator, and a transmitter including a data source connected to the exciter, which contains serially connected shaper of types of work (modulator), frequency converter, band pass filter, while shaper of types of work (modulator) with two inputs the dams is connected to the reference frequency sensor, which is connected to the master oscillator by the input, and to the frequency grid sensor, whose output is the second input of the frequency converter, the pass-through exciter filter connected to a series-connected power amplifier of n stages and an output circuit, the receiver and transmitter are made with the possibility of using noise-like signals, with Walsh function for data transmission, and with the M-sequence for signal search and synchronization.

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