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CN-121986310-A - Unmanned aerial vehicle self-guided by double-purpose photoelectric distance measuring device

CN121986310ACN 121986310 ACN121986310 ACN 121986310ACN-121986310-A

Abstract

The invention relates to an aerial unmanned aerial vehicle (1), said aerial unmanned aerial vehicle (1) comprising a fixed structure (2), a motor assembly (3) for propelling and orienting the unmanned aerial vehicle, an electro-optical distance measuring device (6) and an electronic guidance unit (5) connected to said motor assembly (3) and to said electro-optical distance measuring device (6) for controlling said motor assembly (3) in dependence of signals emitted by said electro-optical distance measuring device (6). The device (6) comprises an optical system (6.1) and a photosensor (6.2), the optical system (6.1) and the photosensor (6.2) being fixed in orientation with respect to the fixed structure (2). The electronic guidance unit (5) is arranged for controlling the motor assembly (3) in order to move the drone over an exploration area, to scan the exploration area by means of the photoelectric sensor (6.2) until electromagnetic radiation emitted by a target is detected, and to then guide the drone by means of distance measurement up to the target.

Inventors

  • A. Ravennell
  • MARIE VINCENT
  • FARJON JULIEN
  • E. Jolly

Assignees

  • 赛峰电子与防务公司

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20240909
Priority Date
20230918

Claims (10)

  1. 1. An aerial unmanned aerial vehicle (1), the aerial unmanned aerial vehicle (1) having a fixed structure (2), a motor assembly (3) for propelling and orienting the unmanned aerial vehicle, a photoelectric deviation measuring device (6) and an electronic guidance unit (5) connected to the motor assembly (3) and the photoelectric deviation measuring device (6) for controlling the motor assembly (3) in dependence on signals emitted by the photoelectric deviation measuring device (6), characterized in that the photoelectric deviation measuring device (6) comprises an optical system (6.1) and a photoelectric sensor (6.2), the optical system (6.1) and the photoelectric sensor (6.2) being fixed in orientation with respect to the fixed structure (2), and in that the electronic guidance unit (5) is designed for controlling the motor assembly (3) so as to scan an area with the photoelectric sensor (6.2) when the unmanned aerial vehicle is moved over the area until electromagnetic radiation emitted by an object is detected and then guided to the object by a deviation measurement.
  2. 2. The unmanned aerial vehicle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the electronic guidance unit (5) commands a circular scan of the exploration area.
  3. 3. The unmanned aerial vehicle (1) according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the electronic guidance unit (5) commands a transverse scan with respect to the direction of movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle substantially straight above the exploration area.
  4. 4. The unmanned aerial vehicle (1) according to any of the preceding claims, comprising a self-destructing member (9) connected to the electronic guidance unit (5), the electronic guidance unit (5) being designed for activating the self-destructing member (9) in case at least one predetermined event is detected.
  5. 5. The unmanned aerial vehicle (1) according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined event corresponds to exceeding a predetermined time for detecting the target.
  6. 6. The unmanned aerial vehicle (1) according to any of the preceding claims, comprising an inertial unit (7) connected to the electronic guidance unit (5), the electronic guidance unit (5) being designed for guiding the unmanned aerial vehicle (1) to the exploration area based on signals from the inertial unit (7).
  7. 7. The drone of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electromagnetic radiation is emitted at a half apex angle between +/-85 ° and +/-45 ° about an axis substantially locally perpendicular to the ground.
  8. 8. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the electromagnetic radiation is emitted by a laser emitter (12) associated with a divergent optical system (13).
  9. 9. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the electromagnetic radiation is obtained by reflection of a laser beam from a laser pointer (12) associated with a divergent optical system (13) on an at least partially reflective surface.
  10. 10. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the target is a beacon (10) with a laser transmitter that emits the electromagnetic radiation.

Description

Unmanned aerial vehicle self-guided by double-purpose photoelectric distance measuring device The present invention relates to the field of aerial drones, particularly transportation and delivery drones, and more particularly to any unmanned vehicle capable of autonomously travelling from one point to another. Background When a remote controlled drone cannot be used, for example because radio communication with the drone is not possible, it is known to resort to a self-guiding drone. This type of drone typically includes a self-guiding device that controls the steering members of the drone to bring the drone from a pre-programmed origin to a pre-programmed destination point. The homing device most often comprises a receiver for receiving satellite positioning signals (or GNSS) from satellites of a constellation of satellites orbiting the earth (GPS, galileo, glonass, beidou, etc.), and an electronic navigation unit connected to the satellite receiver for calculating satellite navigation. Satellite navigation is very accurate over a long period of time, but reception of satellite signals is not always possible, for example due to terrain or the presence of interfering devices that interfere with the satellite signals. Some unmanned aerial vehicles are also provided with an inertial unit, which is connected to an electronic navigation unit, which is then designed for calculating hybrid satellite/inertial navigation. Such hybrid navigation has the advantage of providing reliable navigation and is more resistant to satellite signal unavailability. On the other hand, when satellite signals are not available for a relatively long time, hybrid navigation may drift and no longer be available unless more accurate inertial units are used, but the cost, size, mass and energy consumption of inertial units are often incompatible with use on an unmanned aerial vehicle. There are also unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with mobile platforms carrying photosensors that are sensitive in the visible and/or infrared range. Images of the drone environment may then be used to enable it to locate itself and establish navigation, but using images to navigate requires significant computational resources to be installed. It is also desirable that the environment include previously known and identifiable landmarks. Furthermore, it is known to direct a missile towards a spot projected by a laser onto an object. The missile is equipped with a seeker system having a photoelectric deflection measuring device including an optical system having an optical axis on which a photoelectric sensor is disposed. The photosensor includes four photodiodes that provide a signal proportional to the received light energy, and the four photodiodes have fields of view that are combined to form a sensor field of view. The total field of view of the sensor, which is the optical field of view in which the light spot can be detected by at least one photodiode, should be distinguished from the linear field of view of the total field of view, which is the portion of the total field of view in which the light spot is observed by a plurality of photodiodes, enabling deviation measurements. To facilitate detection of the spot and deviation measurement, it is known to design the optical system to defocus the spot on the sensor. The apparatus is associated with a calculation circuit designed to perform a deviation measurement, i.e. to determine the position of the spot in the sensor linear field of view by calculating the centroid of the spot in the sensor linear field of view from the energy detected by the photodiode. More specifically: when the light spot is located in the center of the sensor field of view, all four photodiodes measure the same light energy, so they deliver signals with the same value (within the measurement noise). The calculated centroid is thus also located in the center of the linear field of view; If the spot is shifted towards one of the photodiodes, that photodiode will deliver a larger signal than the other photodiodes and the centroid calculated for the detected spot is shifted towards the photodiode. After defocusing the spot on the sensor, the flux distribution in the image spot represents the distribution of the incident flux in the entrance pupil of the optical channel. However, the total field of view of the sensor is relatively narrow and it is necessary to direct the missile sensor in the direction of the target object so that it can lock the target indicated by the laser beam. It is possible to use the deviation measuring device on the drone to guide it, but it is necessary to mount the sensor on an orientable platform, of the same type as the image sensor described above, to compensate for the lack of total field of view of the sensor. However, this will result in an increase in the weight and volume of the drone, limiting the payload of the drone and its stealth in applications requiring caution. Object of the Invention It is