EP-4737331-A2 - AERIAL VEHICLES HAVING COUNTERMEASURES FOR NEUTRALIZING TARGET AERIAL VEHICLES

EP4737331A2EP 4737331 A2EP4737331 A2EP 4737331A2EP-4737331-A2

Abstract

A system for aerial neutralization of a detected target aerial vehicle comprises a plurality of counter-attack unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and an aerial vehicle capture countermeasure coupling together the plurality of counter-attack UAVs, to intercept and capture a detected target aerial vehicle in a coordinated manner. The system comprises an aerial vehicle detection system comprising at least one detection sensor operable to detect the target aerial vehicle, and operable to provide command data to at least one counter-attack UAV for tracking and neutralizing the target aerial vehicle. The counter-attack UAVs and a net can be deployed from a movable base station, and the net can be carried in a low-drag configuration until the counter-attack UAVs operate to deploy or open the net. The counter-attack UAVs and systems may be autonomously operated. Associated systems and methods are provided.

Inventors

OLIVIER, MARC, X.
SMITH, FRASER, M.

Assignees

Sarcos Corp.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260506
Application Date: 20191003

Claims (15)

A system for detecting and neutralizing a target aerial vehicle, the system comprising: a plurality of counter-attack unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), each comprising a flight body and a flight control system that controls flight of the counter-attack UAV; an aerial vehicle capture countermeasure coupled to the plurality of counter-attack UAVs; an aerial vehicle detection system comprising at least one detection sensor operable to detect a target aerial vehicle, and to provide command data to at least one counter-attack UAV to facilitate interception of the target aerial vehicle by the plurality of counter-attack UAVs; wherein, in response to interception of the target aerial vehicle, the plurality of counter-attack UAVs are operable in a coordinated manner to capture the detected target aerial vehicle with the aerial vehicle capture countermeasure.
The system of claim 1, wherein the command data comprises at least one of intercept data, aerial vehicle capture countermeasure deployment command data, target aerial vehicle detection data, counter-attack UAV control data, or a combination thereof.
The system of claim 1, wherein the aerial vehicle detection system comprises an on-board aerial vehicle detection system comprising at least one sensor configured to detect a position of the target aerial vehicle, the flight control system comprising a flight controller operable to control autonomous flight of the counter-attack UAV based on the detected position of the target aerial vehicle.
The system of claim 1, wherein the aerial vehicle detection system comprises an external aerial vehicle detection system, the external aerial vehicle detection system comprising at least one detection sensor operable to detect the target aerial vehicle and to provide command data to at least one counter-attack UAV to facilitate interception of the target aerial vehicle.
The system of claim 4, wherein the external aerial vehicle detection system is associated with a ground-based structure to monitor an airspace, wherein the at least one detection sensor comprises a plurality of detection sensors configured to detect a plurality of target aerial vehicles.
The system of claim 1, wherein the flight control system comprises a central processing unit (CPU) and a flight controller, wherein the at least one sensor is operable to detect a position of the target aerial vehicle, the at least one sensor operatively coupled to the CPU for processing data associated with the detected position to track a dynamic flight position of the target aerial vehicle, wherein the flight controller is configured to control autonomous flight of the respective counter-attack UAV to intercept the dynamic flight position of the target aerial vehicle.
The system of claim 1, wherein the aerial vehicle capture countermeasure comprises at least one flexible entangling element configured to disrupt operation of the target aerial vehicle in response to the plurality of counter-attack UAVs being in close proximity with the target aerial vehicle.
The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one flexible entangling element comprises at least one of a net, filament, monofilament, braided filament, tendril, fiber, string, cord, strand, thread, rope, or wire.
The system of claim 1, wherein the aerial vehicle capture countermeasure comprises a net, and wherein a transport position of the aerial vehicle capture countermeasure comprises a low-drag transport position during flight of the plurality of counter-attack UAVs, and movable to a deployed capturing position in response to coordinated flight of the plurality of counter-attack UAVs to capture the target aerial vehicle in the net.
The system of claim 9, further comprising at least one weighted component coupled to the net such that the at least one weighted component counteracts an aerodynamic net drag force to at least partially maintain the net in the deployed position.
The system of claim 1, wherein at least one counter-attack UAV comprises a communication device communicatively coupled to other communication devices of at least one other counter-attack UAV or an external aerial vehicle detection system to communicate respective positions of at least one counter-attack UAV, thereby facilitating coordinated flight of the plurality of counter-attack UAVs.
The system of claim 11, wherein at least one counter-attack UAV comprises at least one camera movably supported by the counter-attack UAV, the at least one camera movable to establish and modify a pointing position, based on the command data received from the external aerial vehicle detection system, to detect and track the target aerial vehicle.
The system of claim 1, wherein each counter-attack UAV comprises a force sensor coupled between the counter-attack UAV and the aerial vehicle capture countermeasure, the force sensor configured to sense a force exerted by the aerial vehicle capture countermeasure to facilitate coordinated flight of the plurality of counter-attack UAVs.
The system of claim 9, wherein each counter-attack UAV comprises a position sensor and a force sensor, the force sensor coupled to the net and configured to sense a drag force exerted by the net, wherein position data generated from each position sensor is communicated between the plurality of counter-attack UAVs and an external aerial vehicle detection system, wherein the position data and the force data are processed to facilitate coordinated flight of the counter-attack UAVs.
The system of claim 1, further comprising a base platform supporting the plurality of counter-attack UAVs when in a grounded position, the base platform comprising a retainer device supporting the aerial vehicle capture countermeasure when the plurality of counter-attack UAVs are in the grounded position, wherein, in response to detecting the target aerial vehicle, the plurality of counter-attack UAVs are operable to depart from the base platform, thereby withdrawing the aerial vehicle capture countermeasure from the retainer device, and wherein the base platform is operable to be movable to a predetermined location relative to a monitored airspace, and, wherein the aerial vehicle capture countermeasure is bundled about the retainer device of the base platform when the plurality of counter-attack UAVs are in the grounded position.

Description

BACKGROUND Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), such as multi-rotor drones, fixed-wing drones, and tilt rotor drones, have become increasingly popular in the past decade. This popularity, coupled with their constantly improving performance capabilities, pose threats in terms of collisions with other aerial vehicles or structures, whether accidental or deliberate. More serious threats are also becoming more of a realization and possibility, such as terrorist attacks on high-value targets, such as government complexes, international airports, nuclear or other power plants, petrochemical facilities, water reservoirs, sporting events, and other highly-populated or critical infrastructure or locations. Factors that contribute to such threats are the high rate of speed of drones, their small signature, the possibility of simultaneous, coordinated attacks from a number of attacking drones, their ability to carry increasingly large payloads, and others. These factors are exacerbated by the fact that drones are relatively inexpensive, easy to acquire, highly portable, and highly maneuverable. Moreover, consumer drones are dramatically improving in terms of endurance, range, and payload transport capabilities (e.g., some consumer drones can carry up to 50 lbs., with other more expensive and advanced drones being able to carry up to 400 pounds), which is enough to carry significant amounts of explosives, projectiles, biological and/or chemical weapons. In many cases, a drone operated for a deliberate attack can be launched and flown into a protected perimeter within just a few seconds, which leaves minimal time to detect and neutralize the attacking drone. With all these considerations in mind, one or more inexpensive adversarial drones can be autonomously or manually flown into a protected area while potentially causing a large amount of damage and/or harm, all at a very low cost and effort by a programmer/operator. Counteracting such threats with existing technologies can be very costly and complex, particularly when trying to protect a relatively large airspace associated with hundreds of acres or square kilometers of a property. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one example, the present disclosure sets forth a system for aerial neutralization of a target aerial vehicle. The system can comprise a plurality of counter-attack UAVs that each comprises a flight control system operable to facilitate flight of the counter-attack UAV to intercept a detected target aerial vehicle. The system can comprise an aerial vehicle capture countermeasure coupling together the plurality of counter-attack UAVs. The plurality of counter-attack UAVs can be operable in a coordinated manner to capture the target aerial vehicle with the aerial vehicle capture countermeasure, thereby neutralizing the target aerial vehicle. In one example, the system can comprise an external aerial vehicle detection system comprising at least one detection sensor operable to detect the target aerial vehicle, and operable to provide command data, which can include location data, to at least one of the plurality of counter-attack UAVs to facilitate interception of the target aerial vehicle by the plurality of counter-attack UAVs. In one example, the aerial vehicle capture countermeasure comprises at least one flexible entangling element (e.g., a net) configured to disrupt operation of the target aerial vehicle, for example, to at least one rotary propeller, in response to the counter-attack UAVs being in close proximity with the target aerial vehicle. In one example, the aerial vehicle capture countermeasure comprises a net configurable in a low-drag transport position during flight of the plurality of counter-attack UAVs, and that is movable to a deployed capturing position in response to coordinated flight of the plurality of counter-attack UAVs to capture the target aerial vehicle in the net. In one example, the present disclosure sets forth a system for detecting and neutralizing a target aerial vehicle. The system can comprise a counter-attack UAV comprising: a flight body; a flight control system supported about the flight body and operable to facilitate flight of the UAV; and an aerial vehicle capture countermeasure carried by the flight body. The system can comprise an aerial vehicle detection system comprising at least one detection sensor operable to detect a target aerial vehicle. The aerial vehicle detection system can be operable to provide command data to the counter-attack UAV to facilitate interception of the target aerial vehicle by the counter-attack UAV. In response to interception of the target aerial vehicle, the counter-attack UAV is operable to capture the detected target aerial vehicle with the aerial vehicle capture countermeasure, thereby neutralizing the target aerial vehicle. In one example, the aerial vehicle detection system comprises an on-board aerial vehicle detection system comprising at least one sensor configured to detect a pos