Aerial robot positioning system utilizing a light beam measurement device

• Main Author: Hoffer, Jr., John M
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 25.10.2022
• Subjects: AEROPLANES; AIRCRAFT; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES; ARRANGEMENTS OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSIONTRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; CONTROLLING; COSMONAUTICS; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLYING SUITS; HELICOPTERS; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION ORRERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; MEASURING; PARACHUTES; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; REGULATING; SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES; TESTING; TRANSPORTING

A light-based measurement system is capable of directing a light beam to a cooperative target used in conjunction with an aerial robot to accurately control the position of the end effector within a large volume working environment defined by a single coordinate system. By measuring the end effector while the device is in operation, the aerial robot control system can be adjusted in real time to correct for errors that are introduced through the design of the robot itself providing accuracy in the tens or hundreds of micron range. A separate coordination computer runs control software that communicates with both the laser tracker and the aerial robot. An action plan file is loaded by the software that defines the coordinate system of the working volume, the locations where actions need to be performed by the aerial robot, and the actions to be taken.