PORTABLE AERIAL RECONNAISSANCE TARGETING INTELLIGENCE DEVICE

• Main Authors: BARRETT, Richard Charles, FREEMAN, James Edward, BABER, Dakota Robert, MEDINA, Maria, WILLIAMS, Dylan Christopher
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 15.01.2020
• Subjects: ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; AIRCRAFT; ALARM SYSTEMS; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USINGWAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FORPROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; ARRANGEMENTS OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSIONTRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; CINEMATOGRAPHY; COSMONAUTICS; ELECTROGRAPHY; EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLYING SUITS; HOLOGRAPHY; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; PARACHUTES; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHOTOGRAPHY; PHYSICS; SIGNALLING; SIGNALLING OR CALLING SYSTEMS; TRANSPORTING

A device for obtaining surveillance information from an aerial vehicle. The device includes a camera configured to obtain image data based on a position of the vehicle, a transceiver configured to receive operator controls and output the obtained image data, a designator unit configured to emit a light source onto a surface of an object of interest to illuminate that surface when a designation command is received from an operator, a gimbal mechanism having a plurality of motors configured to orient the designator unit, a gimbal controller configured to control the motors of the gimbal mechanism, and a controller configured to control the designator unit to continuously emit the light source onto the surface of the object irrespective of the position of the vehicle. The controller compensates for an orientation of the designator unit based on the aerial vehicle's movement such that the designator unit continuously illuminates the object.