U.S. patent application number 11/782487 was filed with the patent office on 2008-02-14 for expendable sonobuoy flight kit with aerodynamically assisted sonobuoy separation.
Invention is credited to Derek BILYK, Marc MacMaster, Patrick Zdunich.
Application Number | 20080035786 11/782487 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35374284 |
Filed Date | 2008-02-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080035786 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
BILYK; Derek ; et
al. |
February 14, 2008 |
EXPENDABLE SONOBUOY FLIGHT KIT WITH AERODYNAMICALLY ASSISTED
SONOBUOY SEPARATION
Abstract
Disclosed herein is an expendable flight kit attachable to a
sonobuoy for making use of said sonobuoy as a central structural
load-bearing component of a flying assembly, the kit comprising
rigid aerodynamic surfaces to provide lift and stability; a
propulsion system; a plurality of control surfaces; a plurality of
control surface actuators operable for moving the control surfaces
in response to control signals; a flight control system, the fight
control system including a GPS receiver and attitude and airspeed
sensors, the flight control system being operable for receiving
mission parameters including sonobuoy deployment co-ordinates, the
flight control system being operable for autonomously navigating
and steering the vehicle in flight using information from the GPS
receiver and the attitude and airspeed sensors, the fight control
system being operable for sending control signals to control the
control surface actuators, the flying assembly operable to be
launched from a ship; the flight control system operable for
separating the sonobuoy from the flight kit while in flight at an
acceptable proximity to a pre-designated set of co-ordinates,
wherein after separation of the sonobuoy from the flight kit, both
the sonobuoy and the flight kit fall into the water.
Inventors: |
BILYK; Derek; (Pickering,
CA) ; Zdunich; Patrick; (Toronto, CA) ;
MacMaster; Marc; (Ottawa, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PATENT ADMINISTRATOR;KATTEN MUCHIN ROSENMAN LLP
1025 THOMAS JEFFERSON STREET, N.W.
EAST LOBBY: SUITE 700
WASHINGTON
DC
20007-5201
US
|
Family ID: |
35374284 |
Appl. No.: |
11/782487 |
Filed: |
July 24, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10848131 |
May 19, 2004 |
7262395 |
|
|
11782487 |
Jul 24, 2007 |
|
|
|
60865594 |
Nov 13, 2006 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
244/13 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F42B 10/04 20130101;
F42B 12/58 20130101; F42B 15/01 20130101; B63B 22/003 20130101;
F42B 15/08 20130101; F42B 15/22 20130101; F42B 15/36 20130101; F42B
15/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
244/013 |
International
Class: |
F42B 17/00 20060101
F42B017/00 |
Claims
1. An expendable flight kit attachable to a sonobuoy for making use
of said sonobuoy as a central structural load-bearing component of
a flying assembly, the kit comprising rigid aerodynamic surfaces to
provide lift and stability; a propulsion system; a plurality of
control surfaces; a plurality of control surface actuators operable
for moving the control surfaces in response to control signals; a
flight control system, the fight control system including a GPS
receiver and attitude and airspeed sensors, the flight control
system being operable for receiving mission parameters including
sonobuoy deployment co-ordinates, the flight control system being
operable for autonomously navigating and steering the vehicle in
flight using information from the GPS receiver and the attitude and
airspeed sensors, the fight control system being operable for
sending control signals to control the control surface actuators,
the flying assembly operable to be launched from a ship; the flight
control system operable for separating the sonobuoy from the flight
kit while in flight at an acceptable proximity to a pre-designated
set of co-ordinates, wherein after separation of the sonobuoy from
the flight kit, both the sonobuoy and the flight kit fall into the
water.
2. The flight kit recited in claim 1 wherein the aerodynamic
surfaces are of a conventional rigid wing configuration, having a
main wing with a stabilizing surface aft of it.
3. The flight kit recited in claim 1 wherein the aerodynamic
surfaces are of a canard rigid wing configuration, having a main
wing with a stabilizing surface ahead of it.
4. The flight kit recited in claim 1 wherein the aerodynamic
surfaces are of a tandem rigid wing configuration, having two
lifting surfaces of approximately equal size.
5. The flight kit recited in claim 1 wherein the aerodynamic
surfaces are of a tailless rigid wing configuration, having a main
wing and no additional surfaces to provide longitudinal
stability.
6. The flight kit recited in claim 5 wherein the tailless rigid
wing configuration is a rigid flying wing configuration.
7. The flight kit recited in claim 1 wherein the aerodynamic
surfaces are of a three-surface rigid wing configuration, having a
main wing with a stabilizing surface ahead of the main wing, and an
additional stabilizing surface aft of the main wing.
8. The flight kit recited in claim 1 wherein the aerodynamic
surfaces are of a biplane rigid wing configuration, having two
wings wherein one wing is placed approximately above the other
wing.
9. The flight kit recited in claim 1 wherein the aerodynamic
surfaces are of a rigid diamond wing configuration, having two
wings, one placed ahead of the other, wherein the tips of the
forward wings are connected to the tips of the aft wing.
10. The flight kit recited in claim 1 wherein the aerodynamic
surfaces are of a rigid ring wing configuration.
11. The flight kit recited in claim 1 wherein the propulsion system
includes an electric motor and an onboard source of electrical
power.
12. The flight kit recited in claim 11 wherein the onboard source
of electrical power includes a battery.
13. The flight kit recited in claim 11 wherein the onboard source
of electrical power includes a fuel cell.
14. The flight kit recited in claim 11 wherein onboard source of
electrical power is a fuel-powered generator.
15. The flight kit recited in claim 1 wherein the propulsion system
includes a propeller, a fan or a ducted fan.
16. The flight kit recited in claim 1 wherein the propulsion system
includes more than one propeller or fan or ducted fan.
17. The flight kit recited in claim 1 wherein the propulsion system
includes a fuel-burning engine and its associated fuel tank.
18. The flight kit recited in claim 17 wherein the fuel-burning
engine is an internal combustion engine.
19. The flight kit recited in claim 17 wherein the fuel-burning
engine is a turbine engine.
20. The flight kit recited in claim 1 wherein the propulsion system
includes a rocket.
21. The flight kit recited in claim 1 wherein the flight control
system is operable to communicate using a radio link with a control
station located on a ship.
22. The flight kit recited in claim 1 wherein the flight control
system is operable to communicate using a radio link with a control
station located on land.
23. The flight kit recited in claim 1 wherein the flight control
system is operable to communicate using a radio link with a control
station located aboard a manned aircraft.
24. The flight kit recited in claim 1 further comprising a wired
electrical link for transferring the mission parameters to the
flight control system.
25. The flight kit recited in claim 1 further comprising an optical
link to transfer the mission parameters to the flight control
system.
26. The flight kit recited in claim 1 wherein the flight control
system includes a magnetometer or magnetic compass for determining
magnetic heading.
27. The flight kit recited in claim 1 wherein the flight control
system includes an inertial navigation system.
28. The flight kit recited in claim 1 wherein the GPS receiver has
been removed.
29. The flight kit recited in claim 1 wherein an alternative
satellite navigation system receiver is used in addition to the GPS
receiver.
30. The flight kit recited in claim 1 wherein navigational
information is provided to the flight control system from a ship or
land or aircraft based RF transmitter.
31. The flight kit recited in claim 1 wherein the sonobuoy is an
unmodified naval A-size sonobuoy.
32. The flight kit recited in claim 1 wherein the sonobuoy is a
standard naval sonobuoy other than an unmodified naval A-size
sonobuoy.
33. The flight kit recited in claim 1 wherein the sonobuoy is a
modified sonobuoy or custom sonobuoy.
34. The flight kit recited in claim 1 wherein more than one
sonobuoy is used as structural load-bearing components of a flying
assembly.
35. The flight kit recited in claim 1 wherein the flight kit
attaches to and makes use of an alternative sonobuoy-shaped item
instead of a sonobuoy as the central structural load-bearing
component of the flying assembly.
36. The flight kit recited in claim 35 wherein the alternative
sonobuoy-shaped component contains a radio relay capable of
re-transmitting signals from one or more sonobuoys that are in the
water to a receiving site that is over-the-horizon from the
sonobuoys.
37. The flight kit recited in claim 35 wherein a portion of the
alternative sonobuoy-shaped item is occupied by additional
batteries or fuel.
38. The flight kit recited in claim 35 wherein the alternative
sonobuoy-shaped item contains a chemical sensor or biological agent
sensor.
39. The flight kit recited in claim 1 further comprising a
triggering mechanism operable under the action of aerodynamic lift
loads on the wings to release the sonobuoy from the flight kit.
40. The flight kit recited in claim 1, further comprising a
triggering mechanism operable under the action of aerodynamic lift
loads on the wings to assist in releasing the sonobuoy from the
flight kit.
41. The flight kit recited in claim 1 further comprising a
pre-loaded spring mechanism for separating the sonobuoy from the
flight kit.
42. The flight kit recited in claim 1 further comprising an active
mechanism controlled by the flight control system for triggering,
achieving or assisting separation of the sonobuoy from the flight
kit.
43. An expendable flight kit, which attaches to an unmodified
A-size naval sonobuoy and makes use of said unmodified A-size naval
sonobuoy as the central structural load-bearing component of a
flying assembly, comprising: aerodynamic surfaces for lift and
stability, said aerodynamic surfaces being in a rigid-winged
tailless configuration; a method of propulsion that includes an
electric motor, a battery and a propeller; a plurality of control
surfaces; a plurality of control actuators capable of moving
control surfaces in response to control signals, said control
actuators consisting of servomotors; a flight control system
capable of receiving mission parameters, including sonobuoy
deployment co-ordinates, through a wireless link and autonomously
navigating and steering the vehicle in flight using information
from a GPS receiver and attitude sensors and airspeed sensors, and
capable of sending control signals to control surfaces actuators; a
method for said flying assembly to be launched from a ship; a
method of separating the sonobuoy from the flight kit components
while in flight at an acceptable proximity to a pre-designated set
of geographic co-ordinates, said method of separating the sonobuoy
from the flight kit including the use of aerodynamic lift loads on
the wings to release the sonobuoy from the other components; and
wherein after separation of the sonobuoy from the flight kit, both
the sonobuoy and the flight kit components fall into the water.
44. The flight kit as recited in claim 43, additionally including a
method for said flying assembly to be launched from land.
45. The flight kit as recited in claim 43, additionally including a
method for said flying assembly to be launched from an
aircraft.
46. The flight kit recited in claim 43 wherein the mission
parameters may be transferred to the flight control system over a
wired electrical link.
47. An expendable flight kit, which attaches to a naval sonobuoy
and makes use of said naval sonobuoy as a structural component of a
flying assembly, comprising: rigid aerodynamic surfaces for lift
and stability; a method of propulsion that includes an electric
motor, a battery and a propeller; a plurality of control surfaces;
a plurality of control actuators capable of moving control surfaces
in response to control signals, said control actuators consisting
of servomotors; a flight control system capable of receiving
mission parameters, including sonobuoy deployment co-ordinates,
through a wireless link and autonomously navigating and steering
the vehicle in flight using information from a GPS receiver and
attitude sensors and airspeed sensors, and capable of sending
control signals to control surfaces actuators; and a method for
said flying assembly to be launched from a ship.
48. A flying sonobuoy vehicle arrangement, comprising: a first
flying vehicle assembly including a sonobuoy, a first expendable
flight kit attached to the sonobuoy, the first expendable flight
kit including aerodynamic surfaces to provide lift and stability; a
propulsion unit; a plurality of control surfaces; a plurality of
control surface actuators capable of moving the control surfaces in
response to control signals; a flight control system, the flight
control system including a GPS receiver and attitude and airspeed
sensors, the flight control system being capable of receiving
mission parameters including sonobuoy deployment co-ordinates, the
flight control system being operable for autonomously navigating
and steering the first flying vehicle using information from the
GPS receiver and attitude and airspeed sensors, the flight control
system being operable for sending control signals to control the
control surface actuators, a second flying vehicle assembly
including a sonobuoy-shaped item instead of a sonobuoy, a second
expendable flight kit identical to the first expendable flight kit
and attachable to the sonobuoy-shaped-item, both the first flying
vehicle assembly and the second flying vehicle assembly being
launchable from a ship; the flight control system of the first
flight kit being operable for separating the first flight kit from
the sonobuoy while in flight at an acceptable proximity to a
pre-designated target, the flight control system of the second
flight kit being operable for separating the second flight kit from
the sonobuoy-shaped item, wherein after separation of the sonobuoy
and the sonobuoy-shaped item from the corresponding first and
second flight kits, both the sonobuoy, the sonobuoy-shaped item and
the corresponding first and second flight kits fall into the
water.
49. An arrangement as defined in claim 48, the sonobuoy-shaped item
including a radio relay capable of re-transmitting signals from one
or more sonobuoys that are in the water to a receiving site that is
over-the-horizon from the sonobuoys.
50. A sonobuoy communications system, comprising: a plurality of
sonobuoys of the same size and shape, at least one radio relay
unit, the radio relay unit having externally approximately the same
size and shape as one of the sonobuoys; a plurality of expendable
flight kits, each attachable to a corresponding one of the
sonobuoys or the at least one radio relay unit, each flight kit
including at least one rigid aerodynamic surface to provide lift
and stability; a propulsion unit; a plurality of control surfaces;
a plurality of control surface actuators capable of moving the
control surfaces in response to control signals; a flight control
system including attitude and airspeed sensors, the flight control
system being capable of receiving mission parameters including
deployment co-ordinates, the flight control system being operable
for autonomously navigating and steering the sonobuoys or the at
least one radio relay unit in flight, the flight control system
being operable for sending control signals to the control surface
actuators for controlling the surface actuators, each of the
sonobuoys being arranged to be assembled with a corresponding one
of the expendable flight kits to be launched as an assembly into
flight from a ship, each flight control system being operable for
separating each sonobuoy from the corresponding flight kit while in
flight at an acceptable proximity to a corresponding target,
wherein after separation both the sonobuoy and the flight kit fall
into the water; the at least one radio relay unit being arranged to
be assembled with a corresponding one of the expendable flight kits
to be launched as an assembly into flight from a ship, the
corresponding flight control system being operable controlling the
radio relay unit according to the deployment coordinates and the
designated targets of the plurality of sonobuoys.
51. A system as defined in claim 50, the radio relay unit including
additional batteries or fuel.
52. A flying vehicle assembly comprising a central structural
load-bearing sonobuoy-shaped component, an expendable flight kit
attachable to the sonobuoy-shaped component, the flight kit
including aerodynamic surfaces to provide lift and stability; a
propulsion system; a plurality of control surfaces; a plurality of
control surface actuators capable of moving the control surfaces in
response to control signals; a flight control system, the flight
control system including a GPS receiver and attitude and airspeed
sensors, the flight control system being capable of receiving
mission parameters including sonobuoy deployment co-ordinates, the
flight control system being operable for autonomously navigating
and steering the vehicle in flight using information from the GPS
receiver and the attitude and airspeed sensors, the flight control
system being operable for sending control signals to control the
control surface actuators, the flying vehicle assembly launchable
from a ship; the flight control system operable for separating the
sonobuoy-shaped component from the flight kit while in flight near
a pre-designated target, wherein after separation of the
sonobuoy-shaped item from the flight kit, both the sonobuoy-shaped
component and the flight kit fall into a body of water.
53. A vehicle assembly as defined in claim 53, wherein the
sonobuoy-shaped component contains a radio relay capable of
re-transmitting signals from one or more sonobuoys that are in the
body of water to a receiving site that is over-the-horizon from the
sonobuoys.
54. An installation for a sonobuoy-based deployment, comprising a
ship; first and second flying vehicle assemblies located on the
ship, the first flying vehicle assembly including a sonobuoy, a
first expendable flight kit attached to the sonobuoy, the first
expendable flight kit including aerodynamic surfaces to provide
lift and stability; a propulsion unit; a plurality of control
surfaces; a plurality of control surface actuators capable of
moving the control surfaces in response to control signals; a
flight control system, the flight control system including a GPS
receiver and attitude and airspeed sensors, the flight control
system being capable of receiving mission parameters including
sonobuoy deployment co-ordinates, the flight control system being
operable for autonomously navigating and steering the first flying
vehicle using information from the GPS receiver and attitude and
airspeed sensors, the flight control system being operable for
sending control signals to control the control surface actuators,
the second flying vehicle assembly including a sonobuoy-shaped item
instead of a sonobuoy, a second expendable flight kit identical to
the first expendable flight kit and attachable to the
sonobuoy-shaped-item, both the first flying vehicle assembly and
the second flying vehicle assembly being launchable from the ship;
the flight control system of the first flight kit being operable
for separating the first flight kit from the sonobuoy while in
flight at an acceptable proximity to a pre-designated target, the
flight control system of the second flight kit being operable for
separating the second flight kit from the sonobuoy-shaped item,
wherein after separation of the sonobuoy and the sonobuoy-shaped
item from the corresponding first and second flight kits, both the
sonobuoy, the sonobuoy-shaped item and the corresponding first and
second flight kits fall into the water.
55. An installation as defined in claim 55, the sonobuoy-shaped
item including a radio relay capable of re-transmitting signals
from one or more sonobuoys that are in the water to a receiving
site that is over-the-horizon from the sonobuoys.
56. An expendable flight kit attachable to a sonobuoy for making
use of said sonobuoy as a central structural load-bearing
component, the kit comprising rigid aerodynamic surfaces to provide
lift and stability; a propulsion system; a plurality of control
surfaces; a plurality of control surface actuators operable for
moving the control surfaces in response to control signals; a
flight control system, the flight control system being operable for
receiving mission parameters, the flight control system being
operable for autonomously navigating and steering the vehicle in
flight, the flight control system being operable for sending
control signals to control the control surface actuators, the
flying assembly vehicle operable to be launched from a ship; the
flight control system operable for separating the sonobuoy from the
flight kit while in flight at an acceptable proximity to a
pre-designated target, wherein after separation of the sonobuoy
from the flight kit, both the sonobuoy and the flight kit fall into
the water.
57. A flying vehicle assembly comprising a central structural
load-bearing sonobuoy-shaped component, the central structural
load-bearing sonobuoy-shaped component containing a radio relay, a
chemical sensor, a biological warfare sensor or a sonobuoy, an
expendable flight kit attachable to the sonobuoy-shaped component,
the flight kit including aerodynamic surfaces to provide lift and
stability; a propulsion system; a plurality of control surfaces; a
plurality of control surface actuators capable of moving the
control surfaces in response to control signals; a flight control
system, the flight control system including a GPS receiver and
attitude and airspeed sensors, the flight control system being
capable of receiving mission parameters including sonobuoy
deployment co-ordinates, the flight control system being operable
for autonomously navigating and steering the vehicle in flight
using information from the GPS receiver and the attitude and
airspeed sensors, the flight control system being operable for
sending control signals to control the control surface actuators,
the flying vehicle assembly launchable from a ship; the flight
control system operable for separating the sonobuoy-shaped
component from the flight kit while in flight near a pre-designated
target, wherein after separation of the sonobuoy-shaped component
from the flight kit, both the sonobuoy-shaped component and the
flight kit fall into a body of water.
58. A flying sonobuoy vehicle assembly comprising a sonobuoy, an
expendable flight kit attachable to the sonobuoy, the kit including
at least a pair of rigid aerodynamic surfaces to provide lift and
stability; a propulsion unit; a plurality of control surfaces; a
plurality of control surface actuators capable of moving the
control surfaces in response to control signals; a flight control
system, the flight control system including attitude and airspeed
sensors, the flight control system being capable of receiving
mission parameters including sonobuoy deployment co-ordinates, the
flight control system being operable for autonomously navigating
and steering the vehicle in flight using information from a GPS
receiver, the flight control system being operable for sending
control signals to control the surface actuators; the flying
vehicle assembly launchable from a ship; the flight control system
operable for separating the sonobuoy from the flight kit while in
flight at an acceptable proximity to a pre-designated set of
geographic co-ordinates, wherein after separation of the sonobuoy
from the flight kit, both the sonobuoy and the flight kit fall into
the water.
59. A sonobuoy communications system, comprising: a plurality of
sonobuoys of the same size and shape, at least one radio relay
unit, the radio relay unit having externally approximately the same
size and shape as one of the sonobuoys; a plurality of expendable
flight kits, each attachable to a corresponding one of the
sonobuoys or the at least one radio relay unit, each flight kit
including at least one rigid aerodynamic surface to provide lift
and stability; a propulsion unit; a plurality of control surfaces;
a plurality of control surface actuators capable of moving the
control surfaces in response to control signals; a flight control
system including attitude and airspeed sensors, the flight control
system being capable of receiving mission parameters including
deployment co-ordinates, the flight control system being operable
for autonomously navigating and steering the sonobuoys or the at
least one radio relay unit in flight, the flight control system
being operable for sending control signals to the control surface
actuators for controlling the surface actuators, each of the
sonobuoys being arranged to be assembled with a corresponding one
of the expendable flight kits to be launched as an assembly into
flight from a location on land, each flight control system being
operable for separating each sonobuoy from the corresponding flight
kit while in flight at an acceptable proximity to a corresponding
target, wherein after separation both the sonobuoy and the flight
kit fall into the water; the at least one radio relay unit being
arranged to be assembled with a corresponding one of the expendable
flight kits to be launched as an assembly into flight from the
location on land, the corresponding flight control system being
operable controlling the radio relay unit according to the
deployment coordinates and the designated targets of the plurality
of sonobuoys.
60. The system in claim 59, wherein the location on land is a fixed
location.
61. The system in claim 59, wherein the location on land is a
movable location.
62. An installation for the delivery of a sonobuoy-shaped item,
comprising a ship; first and second and flying vehicle assemblies
located on the ship, the first flying vehicle assembly including a
sonobuoy, a first expendable flight kit attached to the sonobuoy,
the first expendable flight kit including aerodynamic surfaces to
provide lift and stability; a propulsion unit; a plurality of
control surfaces; a plurality of control surface actuators capable
of moving the control surfaces in response to control signals; a
flight control system, the flight control system including a GPS
receiver and attitude and airspeed sensors, the flight control
system being capable of receiving mission parameters including
delivery co-ordinates for a sonobuoy or sonobuoy-shaped item, the
flight control system being operable for autonomously navigating
and steering the first flying vehicle using information from the
GPS receiver and attitude and airspeed sensors, the flight control
system being operable for sending control signals to control the
control surface actuators, the second flying vehicle assembly
including a sonobuoy-shaped item instead of a sonobuoy, a second
expendable flight kit identical to the first expendable flight kit
and attachable to the sonobuoy-shaped-item, the first flying
vehicle assembly and the second flying vehicle assembly being
launchable from the ship; the flight control system of the first
flight kit being operable for separating the first flight kit from
the sonobuoy while in flight at an acceptable proximity to a
pre-designated location, the second control system of the second
flight kit being operable for separating the second flight kit from
the sonobuoy-shaped item while in flight at an acceptable proximity
to a pre-designated delivery location, the flight control system of
the second flight kit being operable for separating the second
flight kit from the sonobuoy-shaped item, wherein after separation
of the second flight kit from the sonobuoy-shaped item from the
corresponding second flight kits, both the sonobuoy-shaped item and
the second flight kit fall.
63. The installation in claim 62, wherein the sonobuoy-shaped item
is a sonobuoy-shaped container that contains one or more items that
are useful for military or intelligence-gathering personnel, and
are of an acceptable size to fit within a sonobuoy-shaped
container.
64. The installation in claim 62, wherein the sonobuoy-shaped item
is an object that is useful to military or intelligence-gathering
personnel.
65. A sonobuoy communications system, comprising: a plurality of
sonobuoys of the same size and shape, at least one radio relay
unit, the radio relay unit having externally approximately the same
size and shape as one of the sonobuoys; a plurality of expendable
flight kits, each attachable to a corresponding one of the
sonobuoys or the at least one radio relay unit, each flight kit
including at least one rigid aerodynamic surface to provide lift
and stability; a propulsion unit; a plurality of control surfaces;
a plurality of control surface actuators capable of moving the
control surfaces in response to control signals; a flight control
system, the flight control system being capable of receiving
mission parameters including deployment co-ordinates, the flight
control system being operable for autonomously navigating and
steering the sonobuoys or the at least one radio relay unit in
flight, the flight control system being operable for sending
control signals to the control surface actuators for controlling
the surface actuators, each of the sonobuoys being arranged to be
assembled with a corresponding one of the expendable flight kits to
be launched as an assembly into flight from a ship, each flight
control system being operable for separating each sonobuoy from the
corresponding flight kit while in flight at an acceptable proximity
to a corresponding target, wherein after separation both the
sonobuoy and the flight kit fall into the water; the at least one
radio relay unit being arranged to be assembled with a
corresponding one of the expendable flight kits to be launched as
an assembly into flight from a ship, the corresponding flight
control system being operable controlling the radio relay unit
according to the deployment coordinates and the designated targets
of the plurality of sonobuoys.
66. A method of enabling the delivery of an object, that would
otherwise not have been shaped similar to a sonobuoy, by
constructing the object such that it is outwardly structurally
similar to a sonobuoy such that it is operable to be transported in
flight by flight kits that are operable to attach to a sonobuoy and
to deploy sonobuoys at a designated geographic location, the method
including: a step of providing a flight kit that is operable to
deploy sonobuoys, the flight kit including aerodynamic surfaces to
provide lift and stability; a propulsion system; a plurality of
control surfaces; a plurality of control surface actuators capable
of moving the control surfaces in response to control signals; a
flight control system, the flight control system including a GPS
receiver and attitude and airspeed sensors, the flight control
system being capable of receiving mission parameters including
sonobuoy deployment co-ordinates, the flight control system being
operable for autonomously navigating and steering the vehicle in
flight using information from the GPS receiver and the attitude and
airspeed sensors, the flight control system being operable for
sending control signals to control the control surface actuators,
the flying vehicle assembly launchable from a ship or from a
location on land; the flight control system operable for separating
the sonobuoy from the flight kit while in flight at an acceptable
proximity to a pre-designated set of co-ordinates, a step of
manufacturing an object such that it is outwardly structurally
similar to the sonobuoy, with approximately the same size and shape
as the sonobuoy, and such that it is operable to be assembled with
the flight kit in the same manner as a sonobuoy, a subsequent step
of arranging the object that is outwardly structurally similar to a
sonobuoy to be assembled with the flight kit to be launched as an
assembly into flight from a ship or from a location on land, a
subsequent step of launching the assembly into flight, a subsequent
step of the flight control system separating the object that is
outwardly structurally similar to sonobuoy from the flight kit at
an acceptable proximity to a pre-designated set of co-ordinates, a
subsequent step of the object that is outwardly structurally
similar to a sonobuoy and the flight kit falling to water or to
land.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.
No. 10/848,131 filed May 19, 2004 entitled EXPENDABLE SONOBUOY
FLIGHT KIT WITH AERODYNAMICALLY ASSISTED SONOBUOY SEPARATION. The
entire subject matter of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/848,131 filed
May 19, 2004 entitled EXPENDABLE SONOBUOY FLIGHT KIT WITH
AERODYNAMICALLY ASSISTED SONOBUOY SEPARATION is incorporated by
reference. The entire subject matter of U.S. Provisional
application 60/865,594, filed Nov. 13, 2006 and entitled EXPENDABLE
SONOBUOY FLIGHT KIT WITH AERODYNAMICALLY ASSISTED SONOBUOY
SEPARATION is incorporated by reference. The applicants claim
priority benefit of these applications.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] N/A
REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM
LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX
[0003] N/A
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] 1. Field of the Invention
[0005] The present invention relates to the deployment of
sonobuoys, more particularly to enabling the deployment of
sonobuoys by air from a ship without the need of a manned or
recoverable unmanned aircraft, and additionally relates to the
relaying of sonobuoy radio signals over the horizon.
[0006] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0007] Sonobuoys have been used for decades as a method of tracking
and detecting submarines, relying on acoustic sensors to detect
submarine noises. Currently, these expendable devices are deployed
from helicopters or fixed wing aircraft. Although the performance
of these manned aircraft is effective, there still remains a risk
to the flight crew when deploying sonobuoys in areas where an enemy
threat exists at the desired sonobuoy drop location, such as over
water near a hostile coastline. To address this problem, there have
been experimental uses of a small number of unmanned air vehicles
over the last few decades for the delivery of sonobuoys from a ship
to a remote location, but these vehicles are large and expensive,
and as such they must retain sufficient energy on-board after
deploying the sonobuoys to return to the ship to be recovered.
[0008] There exist a number of patents describing alternatives to
manned aircraft methods of sonobuoy deployment. In U.S. Pat. No.
6,082,675, Woodall describes both an air-launched, glider
configuration, and a surface-launched drone configuration. The
glider configuration in this patent requires a separate aircraft to
transport and release the glider. The drone configuration described
in this example is imagined to a be a complete aircraft independent
of the sonobuoy, to which the sonobuoy is temporarily connected
and, once the sonobuoy has been dropped at a designated site, the
drone flies back to be recovered at its launch point.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 5,973,994 to Woodall describes a method of
delivering a sonobuoy by making use of mortar or rocket launchers,
which describes the adaptation of sonobuoys for use in ship based
mortar or rocket launchers, as well as stabilizing fins for use
during its arced trajectory.
[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 6,498,767 to Carreiro describes a method of
delivering sonobuoys by adapting them to be deployed by a cruise
missile, in turn requiring a large complex and expensive vehicle
(the cruise missile) to deliver multiple sonobuoys. The cruise
missile described in this example is considered to have turbine
propulsion, as is typical of high-speed cruise missile weapons.
[0011] Although not directly related to sonobuoys, the prior art in
guided munitions is in a similar field of invention. In U.S. Pat.
No. 6,237,496, Abbot describes a GPS guided munition, wherein a
tailfin assembly is retrofitted to a munition so as to facilitate
guidance of the munition. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,846, Shmoldas
describes an extendable wing for guided missiles and munitions,
where a wing kit is attached to a munition to act as a range
extender. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,293,202, Woodall describes an airborne
deployed GPS guided torpedo.
[0012] From these, it can be observed that there exist patents for
various means of air delivery of standard naval sonobuoys without
the use of manned aircraft, but there still remains a need for a
small (portable), cost effective device to remotely deploy
sonobuoys. It is the object of this invention to provide a flight
kit that can be retrofitted onto existing navy sonobuoys to enable
them to become self-deployable, wherein the sonobuoy itself is the
central structural load-bearing component of the delivery
assembly.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The invention is a device used to retrofit existing,
unmodified navy sonobuoys to enable them to self-deploy in an
aircraft-like flight from a ship to a remote location. This
invention provides a safer means of sonobuoy or other payload
deployment in situations in which a significant threat to manned
aircraft exists. Even if the threat to aircraft is low, this
invention can inexpensively augment the coverage of existing
aircraft, or free them to perform other duties. Furthermore, this
invention gives sonobuoy deployment capability to ships without
onboard aircraft. In addition, since a single ship may launch
multiple sonobuoys in sequence and in different directions using
this invention, several sonobuoys can enter the water at different
locations almost simultaneously, rapidly forming an anti-submarine
protection fence. Furthermore, the use of an autonomous on-board
control system on the invention means that no personnel are
required to pilot the invention to the target location.
[0014] The invention makes use of the sonobuoy itself as the
central structural load-bearing member of a flying assembly. It
consists of aerodynamic surfaces to provide lift and stability in
flight, a propulsion system consisting of an electric motor driven
propeller and single use battery, control surfaces and control
surface actuators, such as servos, and an on-board control system
that provides navigation and control signals to the invention. The
concept is analogous to the way in which `smart-bombs` may use a
regular `dumb-bombs` as the core of the system, but add guidance
package components at the front and/or rear extremities of the
weapon. In other words, the components of the flight kit are made
to assemble onto an existing sonobuoy, and without the sonobuoy's
presence, the invention does not constitute a flight vehicle.
Desired co-ordinates for sonobuoy deployment can be entered into
the on-board control system, and using a satellite navigation
method (such as the use of received GPS signals for navigation), or
a magnetic heading-based method, or an inertial-navigation based
method, or a combination of these methods, the on-board control
system provides the control signals to steer the aircraft to the
target. At, or at an acceptable proximity to the sonobuoy
deployment co-ordinates, the sonobuoy is separated from the other
components of the flying assembly. Both the sonobuoy and the other
components, which do not form a flyable assembly without the
presence of the sonobuoy, fall and enter the water separately so as
not to interfere with, or become entangled with, the sonobuoy. The
invention's flight control system may optionally have a wireless
communications link so that the sonobuoy deployment co-ordinates
may be updated while the invention is in flight, or so that the
invention may report the exact coordinates of a successful delivery
of the sonobuoy. The invention may be stored either fully assembled
onto a sonobuoy, or in a disassembled state in order to save room.
In addition, the invention may make use of an
aerodynamically-driven actuation method in order to assist in
separating the sonobuoy from the other components of the flying
assembly. Normally, the wings of a rigid-wing aircraft are
connected to the fuselage of an aircraft in such a way that the
lift force on the wings is resisted by a connection between the
wings and the fuselage that keeps the wings in approximately the
same position and orientation relative to the fuselage. However,
the invention is novel in that, at the time of sonobuoy separation,
the wings are permitted to rotate upward (about a hinge-axis) that
is a) at or near to the point where the left wing meets the right
wing, and b) oriented approximately parallel to the direction of
travel, in such a way that the wing tips will come together above
the sonobuoy. The invention mechanically couples this
aerodynamically-driven motion to assist in separating the sonobuoy
from the other flight-kit components.
[0015] The invention differs from the prior methods of sonobuoy
delivery in that it recognizes that sonobuoys themselves are built
very strongly, and as such have the ability to act as a primary
load-carrying structural member of a flying device. In this way,
rather than simply carrying the sonobuoy as a passenger (as has
been proposed in methods in which the sonobuoy is deployed by
recoverable UAVs or drones), the sonobuoy is used as the central
structural load-bearing member of the complete flight kit. The
result is that the assembled flight kit plus sonobuoy may be
lighter and more compact than a complete sonobuoy-carrying UAV or
drone built of similar materials and layout that only carries the
sonobuoy and does not incorporate it as a part of the structure.
This weight savings coupled with the fact that the flight kit does
not need to retain enough on-board energy to return to a recovery
point after dropping the sonobuoy potentially gives the invention
greater than twice the range of a similarly sized and powered
recoverable UAV. The invention utilizes an electric motor and
single use battery. This makes for simple, quiet, reliable,
push-button operation and removes the need for starting equipment,
fuel and lubrication that are required for fuel burning
engines.
[0016] The invention is nominally assembled onto a sonobuoy,
however it may be assembled onto any other useful item that is
constructed so as to provide a structural core in the same way that
the sonobuoy does. In order for this other item to be used, it
would need to be manufactured so that it is externally
approximately the same size and shape as a sonobuoy, and would need
to be structurally capable of acting as the central load-bearing
component of the assembly in the same way that the sonobuoy does.
For example, it may be advantageous to package a VHF radio relay
into a sonobuoy-like package such that the invention may be used to
carry aloft a means of relaying over-the-horizon the signals that
are transmitted by a sonobuoy that had been deployed by another
flight kit. Similarly, chemical or biological warfare sensors may
be packaged in this way.
[0017] Furthermore, if the item that replaces the sonobuoy may be
made smaller than a sonobuoy, then additional batteries or fuel may
also be fitted into the sonobuoy-like package, which would be
especially useful if the payload is a radio relay.
[0018] The document Unsolicited Sonobuoy Proposal (Advanced
Subsonics Document #10071) is copied in Appendix C of the above
mentioned provisional application 60/865,594, filed Nov. 13, 2006
and entitled EXPENDABLE SONOBUOY FLIGHT KIT WITH AERODYNAMICALLY
ASSISTED SONOBUOY SEPARATION, the entire subject matter of which is
incorporated herein by reference.
[0019] In an alternative embodiment, the present invention provides
an expendable flight kit attachable to a sonobuoy for making use of
said sonobuoy as a central structural load-bearing component of a
flying assembly, the kit comprising rigid aerodynamic surfaces to
provide lift and stability; a propulsion system; a plurality of
control surfaces; a plurality of control surface actuators operable
for moving the control surfaces in response to control signals; a
flight control system, the fight control system including a GPS
receiver and attitude and airspeed sensors, the flight control
system being operable for receiving mission parameters including
sonobuoy deployment co-ordinates, the flight control system being
operable for autonomously navigating and steering the vehicle in
flight using information from the GPS receiver and the attitude and
airspeed sensors, the fight control system being operable for
sending control signals to control the control surface actuators,
the flying assembly operable to be launched from a ship; the flight
control system operable for separating the sonobuoy from the flight
kit while in flight at an acceptable proximity to a pre-designated
set of co-ordinates, wherein after separation of the sonobuoy from
the flight kit, both the sonobuoy and the flight kit fall into the
water.
[0020] Sonobuoys are pictured in this US Navy website:
http://www.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=32116 the entire subject
matter of which is incorporated herein by reference. This page is
also reproduced in Appendix A of the above mentioned provisional
application 60/865,594, filed Nov. 13, 2006 and entitled EXPENDABLE
SONOBUOY FLIGHT KIT WITH AERODYNAMICALLY ASSISTED SONOBUOY
SEPARATION.
[0021] Flying assemblies as described herein may be launched from
ships or other vehicles or other launch sites including land, both
mobile and permanent, using a number of different launch
arrangements, without departing from the spirit of the invention.
For instance, the flying assemblies may be launched by
pneumatically driven catapults, steam driven catapults,
hydraulically driven catapults, rocket-assisted take-off,
acceleration to flight speed using an explosive charge, explosive
or pneumatic acceleration from a canister or launching tube,
hand-launch of the vehicle by a human, bungee launch (which may
also been called elastomer-assisted launch), acceleration into
flight using the thrust of a propeller or rotor, whether along a
runway or vertically. Other methods may also be used that are able
to deliver the flying assembly to a suitable combination of
altitude and velocity such that, with only the components that form
parts of the flying assembly, the flight vehicle is able to
maintain itself in flight suitably to be able to perform all of its
post-launch actions, including flight for a suitably long period to
perform its mission, and subsequent termination of flight at a
chosen location. Two examples of a pneumatically driven catapult
system, which may be used aboard ship, or from a fixed location on
land, or from a moving location, are the MC01515L and the MC2555
which are manufactured by ROBONIC LTD OY of TAMPERE, FINLAND.
Examples of rocket motors which may be used for a rocket-assisted
take-off of a flight vehicle are motors of the J-motor series and
L-motor series of HYPERTEK motors made by CESARONI TECHNOLOGY
INCORPORATED of GORMLEY, ONTARIO, CANADA. For an example of a mode
of launch wherein the flying assembly may accelerate into flight
using the thrust of a propeller or rotor, some types of highly
aerobatic model aircraft, including some large model aircraft,
including some electrically powered variants, produce sufficient
propeller thrust to be able to hover with the nose pointed
approximately upward, and also to accelerate upward from this
condition. For such model aircraft, this may be used as a method of
launch, wherein the model aircraft is able to accelerate from a
non-flying condition to a flying condition with no requirement of a
runway. Hence, such a launch method requires no special fixture or
component to enable launching, either on the flying assembly or at
the launching location, and may be performed from a ship, or from
land, or from a moving or stationary location or platform. Without
limitation, some examples of the physical qualities of a model
aircraft that may be able to hover in this way are found described
in "Aerobatic Platforms for Hovering MAVs" by Ames, R., Wong, O.,
and Narayanan, K., in the proceedings of the conference "Fixed,
Flapping and Rotary Wing Vehicles at Very Low Reynolds Number",
Mueller, T. ed. Jun. 5-7, 2000--the entire subject matter of which
is incorporated by reference. This paper is also copied in Appendix
B, of the above mentioned provisional application 60/865,594, filed
Nov. 13, 2006 and entitled EXPENDABLE SONOBUOY FLIGHT KIT WITH
AERODYNAMICALLY ASSISTED SONOBUOY SEPARATION. Interestingly, the
majority of the acrobatic maneuvers in which this type of
hover-flight capability are used are by model aircraft pilots may
be very challenging. However, for the case of using such capability
for launching and not aerobatics, control of the flying assembly
during the launch is within the control abilities of some available
electronic flight control systems. An example of the bungee launch,
which may be called elastomer-assisted launch, is the launch method
used by and offered as a part of the GRASSHOPPER UAV SYSTEM by
ADVANCED SUBSONICS INC. of TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA. Such method
may be used from a ship, or on land.
[0022] In an alternative embodiment, the flying assembly is
operable to be launched from land, whether from a stationary
location or from a moving location.
[0023] The method of attachment of the flight kit components to the
sonobuoy or sonobuoy shaped object is not critical to the
definition or implementation of the invention, and as such any
method of attachment may be used that is able to hold the
components or assemblies of the flight kit to the sonobuoy or
sonobuoy shaped object such that it is able to be launched and able
to remain together in flight. By way of example, one possible way
to attach flight kit parts to the sonobuoy or sonobuoy-shaped
object is through a sleeve that has a friction fit over the
sonobuoy's case. There may be internal features which prevent
relative rotation and may also be used to lock the parts together.
For instance, sonobuoys may have bayonet-type connectors at one end
and recesses at the other which are ideal for attaching flight kit
parts. By engaging these features, a solid connection may be made
without modifications to the sonobuoy. Other methods of attachment
include bands which tighten around the sonobuoy or sonobuoy shaped
object and thereby attach flight kit components. However, if any
other method of connecting the flight kit components with the
sonobuoy is used, it does not violate the spirit of the
invention.
[0024] The particular arrangement of the aerodynamic surfaces is
not critical to the successful implementation of the present
invention so long as they provide the necessary lift for flight and
the means to stabilize the vehicle. Therefore a number of possible
arrangements of the aerodynamic surfaces are presented.
[0025] The invention is not limited to a particular aerodynamic
configuration of flight vehicle being formed from the combination
of flight kits and sonobuoys or sonobuoy-shaped objects, and any
type of flight vehicle aerodynamic configuration may be used
without violating the spirit of the invention. It can be seen
through these examples, that many arrangements of the aerodynamic
surfaces are possible to be used in this invention and as such the
specific arrangement of the surfaces is not a critical enabler of
the invention nor should it be considered to limit the definition
of the invention, provided that the arrangement that is selected be
capable to provide lift and to be either stable or stabilizable.
Other arrangements of the aerodynamic surfaces may be possible, and
may be available to one skilled in the art. So long as the
aerodynamic surfaces provide the necessary lift and are arranged in
a configuration wherein the flying assembly may be stable or
stabilized in, whether actively or passively, they will satisfy
their role in the invention, regardless of how they are
arranged.
[0026] Another alternative embodiment comprises aerodynamic
surfaces that are of a conventional rigid wing configuration,
having a main wing with a stabilizing surface aft of it.
[0027] Another alternative embodiment comprises aerodynamic
surfaces that are of a canard rigid wing configuration, having a
main wing with a stabilizing surface ahead of it.
[0028] Another alternative embodiment comprises aerodynamic
surfaces that are of a tandem rigid wing configuration, having two
lifting surfaces of approximately equal size.
[0029] Another alternative embodiment comprises aerodynamic
surfaces that are of a tailless rigid wing configuration, having a
main wing and no additional surfaces to provide longitudinal
stability.
[0030] Another alternative embodiment is one wherein the tailless
rigid wing configuration is a rigid flying wing configuration.
[0031] Another alternative embodiment comprises aerodynamic
surfaces of a three-surface rigid wing configuration, having a main
wing with a stabilizing surface ahead of the main wing, and an
additional stabilizing surface aft of the main wing.
[0032] Another alternative embodiment comprises aerodynamic
surfaces that are of a biplane rigid wing configuration, having two
wings wherein one wing is placed approximately above the other
wing.
[0033] Another alternative embodiment comprises aerodynamic
surfaces that are of a rigid diamond wing configuration, having two
wings, one placed ahead of the other, wherein the tips of the
forward wings are connected to the tips of the aft wing.
[0034] Another alternative embodiment comprises aerodynamic
surfaces that are of a rigid ring wing configuration.
[0035] Another alternative embodiment comprises one or more rotors
operable to provide the necessary lift and stability for flight. In
this instance, the rotors are the aerodynamic surfaces, and the
control surfaces and may also be considered to be the propeller
portion of the propulsion system.
[0036] The propulsion system comprises an energy source, a type of
motor or engine, and a means to move air or exhaust or both and
thereby generate thrust. An electric motor, battery and propeller
are the preferred embodiment for reasons of reliability and ease of
operation, however, any means of propulsion that is operable to
generate the thrust necessary to sustain flight for the duration of
the desired mission may be used. The definition of the invention
does not preclude the inclusion of more than one energy type within
the energy source; for example it could have both batteries and
fuel, within the energy source. The definition of the invention
also does not preclude the possibility that the type of motor or
engine is also a combination; for example in some implementation of
the invention an electric motor and a rocket motor might both act
in concert as a motor or engine for the invention. The definition
of the invention also does not preclude there being a combination
of means to move air and thereby generate thrust; for example such
actions might be performed by both a propeller and exhaust.
[0037] In another alternative embodiment the propulsion system
comprises an electric motor and an onboard source of electrical
power. The onboard source of electrical power may include a
battery. Alternately it may include a fuel cell, or a fuel-powered
generator. In the case of the fuel-powered generator, the
propulsion system further comprises a fuel tank.
[0038] In another embodiment the propulsion system further
comprises a propeller. Alternately, it may include a fan or a
ducted fan.
[0039] In another alternative embodiment the propulsion system
comprises more than one propeller or fan or ducted fan.
[0040] In another alternative embodiment the propulsion system
further comprises a fuel-burning engine and its associated fuel
tank. The fuel-burning engine may be an internal combustion engine,
or a turbine engine.
[0041] In another alternative embodiment the propulsion system
comprises a rocket.
[0042] In an implementation in which a rocket may be used as a part
of the propulsion system, this does not preclude any of the
following: that the same rocket be used in the launch of the flying
assembly, that an alternate rocket is used in the launch of the
flying assembly, or that the rocket is present but not active in
the launch of the flying assembly.
[0043] The invention may have one, or more than one, way to enter
mission data such as the deployment coordinates and the desired
water entry time for the sonobuoy into the vehicle's flight control
system.
[0044] In another embodiment, the flight control system comprises a
wired electrical link for transferring the mission parameters to
the flight control system.
[0045] In another embodiment, the flight control system comprises
an optical link to transfer the mission parameters to the flight
control system.
[0046] In addition to short-distance methods of information
transfer that may be used to allow the transfer of mission
parameters to the flight control system before the vehicle has been
launched, longer range methods may be used that would allow both
the transfer of mission parameters to the flight control system
either before or after launch, and would also allow further
communication with the vehicle's flight control computer after the
vehicle has been launched and is in flight. This may be useful for
a number of reasons. For an example, it may be useful to re-task
the vehicle or modify the mission in mid-flight. Another reason
this may be done is to offload navigation duties from the flight
vehicle's flight control system, to one located on a ship, land or
aboard a manned aircraft. By doing this, it may be possible to
reduce the necessary capability of the vehicle's flight control
system and therefore make it less expensive. For this reason, the
control system may be operable to communicate with an external
control station.
[0047] In another embodiment the flight control system is operable
to communicate using a radio link with a control station located on
a ship and/or on land and/or aboard a manned aircraft.
[0048] Flight control systems capable of providing control signals
in flight to guide the flight vehicles are also well established
and are available commercially from a number of suppliers, for
example those sold under the trade name PICCOLO by CLOUD CAP
TECHNOLOGY INC. of HOOD RIVER, OREGON, USA. Another example is the
Q5 FMS manufactured by XIPHOS TECHNOLOGIES INC. of MONTREAL,
QUEBEC, CANADA. The particular suite of sensors employed in the
flight control system to navigate and control flight vehicles may
include additional sensor types (for example, in addition to
attitude sensors and airspeed sensors and GPS receivers) or subsets
of the listed sensors, or any other mixture of sensors or receivers
that allow the flight control system to have sufficient information
to navigate and control the flight vehicle, may be used without
violating the spirit of the invention. Flight control systems may
also be used that employ control or navigation methodologies or
navigation computing algorithms while in flight, including both
simplifying methodologies that allow a minimal set of computations
or flight control system sensors to be employed, or more complex
methodologies. The invention is not limiting in relation to the
types of in-flight activity that may occur between the time of
launching and the time at which the flight vehicles reach their
deployment co-ordinates. As an example of this, if a flight control
system, either independently or as directed by information
contained in a radio message received from a remotely located
transmitter, controls the flight vehicle to fly an indirect flight
path between the launch location and the deployment location, such
action does not violate the intent of the invention.
[0049] In another embodiment, the flight control system includes a
magnetometer or magnetic compass for determining magnetic
heading.
[0050] In another embodiment, the flight control system includes an
inertial navigation system.
[0051] In another alternative embodiment the GPS receiver has been
removed.
[0052] In another embodiment an alternative satellite navigation
system receiver is used in addition to the GPS receiver.
[0053] In another embodiment the navigational information is
provided to the flight control system from a ship or land or
aircraft based RF transmitter.
[0054] Nominally the components of the flight kit assemble onto an
unmodified sonobuoy. In one embodiment the sonobuoy is an
unmodified naval A-size sonobuoy.
[0055] In another alternative embodiment the sonobuoy is a standard
naval sonobuoy other than an unmodified naval A-size sonobuoy.
[0056] In yet another embodiment the sonobuoy is a modified
sonobuoy or custom sonobuoy. In another alternative embodiment more
than one sonobuoy is used as structural load-bearing components of
a flying assembly.
[0057] Nominally, the flight kit assembles onto a sonobuoy,
however, the flight kit may also be assembled onto other items that
are externally approximately the same size and shape as a
sonobuoy.
[0058] In another alternative embodiment the flight kit attaches to
and makes use of an alternative sonobuoy-shaped item instead of a
sonobuoy as the central structural load-bearing component of the
flying assembly.
[0059] In relation to the listed embodiments of the invention that
describe the use of a radio relay, any type of radio relay that is
capable of retransmitting signals from a sonobuoy to a location
over the horizon may be used without violating the spirit of the
invention, provided that such radio relay is either constructed to
have an outward structure that is similar to a sonobuoy (or is
packaged into some portion or all of a sonobuoy-shaped container),
and is able to relay the signals sent by radio from a sonobuoy to a
location that is over-the-horizon from the sonobuoy. The radio
relay may receive either analog or digital signals from the
sonobuoy, and may transmit either analog or digital signals, and
may perform any form of signal reformatting that may be useful to
be performed by a relay, such as multiplexing of multiple received
sonobuoy signals into one transmitted signal, or any other useful
action that may be performed on the signal between reception and
transmission, without violating the spirit of the invention.
[0060] In another alternative embodiment the alternative
sonobuoy-shaped component contains a radio relay capable of
re-transmitting signals from one or more sonobuoys that are in the
water to a receiving site that is over-the-horizon from the
sonobuoys.
[0061] In another alternative embodiment a portion of the
alternative sonobuoy-shaped item is occupied by additional
batteries or fuel.
[0062] One advantage of the invention is that it allows the
deployment and use of sonobuoys to areas that would otherwise be
difficult or impossible to use them in, such as for example areas
that are determined to pose too high a hazard to personnel in
manned aircraft. Examples of situations like this include areas in
which a chemical attack is suspected, or areas in which a
biological warfare attack is suspected, or in waters controlled by
enemy forces, or in areas near coasts controlled by enemy forces.
Hence, a natural component of the invention is that it may also be
used in conjunction with other technologies that are useful or
needed in such situations:
[0063] In another alternative embodiment the alternative
sonobuoy-shaped item contains a chemical sensor or biological agent
sensor.
[0064] It is also reasonable to assume that in littoral waters near
enemy coasts wherein the use of sonobuoys is more risky than normal
except when deployed by covert unmanned means such as this
invention, there may be nearby military or intelligence-gathering
personnel that can only be re-supplied by covert means, which may
also be enabled through the use of this same invention:
[0065] In another alternative embodiment of the invention, the
sonobuoy-shaped item contains supplies to support the activities of
military or intelligence-gathering personnel.
[0066] Examples of such supplies, considering the size of a
sonobuoy-shaped item, and using in these examples the size of an
A-size sonobuoy, are: up to 18 kg of food (which, as an example of
the utility of this amount, might support 3 soldiers for several
days of normal activity), communication equipment, ammunition,
weapons or explosives, medical supplies, batteries, or any other
object that might reasonably be useful to personnel that are
operating in a clandestine fashion in areas in which providing
supplies is otherwise difficult, and which can be either packaged
into an sonobuoy-shaped container, or itself built in a sonobuoy
shape.
[0067] Further, even in instances in which the deployment of
sonobuoys is not conducted, but in which there exists a capability
to deploy sonobuoys or sonobuoy-shaped objects using the invention,
the use the invention for the purpose of transporting objects that
are otherwise unrelated to sonobuoys except that they fit in a
sonobuoy-shaped container, is useful in that it provides a
commonality of equipment in the form of the same flight kit being
usable for more than its primary sonobuoy-related purpose.
[0068] In another embodiment of the invention, objects that are not
sonobuoys are packaged into sonobuoy shaped containers for the
purpose of transporting those objects in flight by flight kits that
are capable of attaching to sonobuoys and deploying sonobuoys at a
designated geographic location. In this way items including but not
limited to food supplies, ammunition, rifles and/or medical
supplies may be supplied to a location without endangering manned
aircraft.
[0069] In another embodiment of the invention, objects that are not
normally shaped as sonobuoys are built such that they are outwardly
structurally similar to sonobuoys for the purpose of transporting
those objects in flight by flight kits that are capable of
attaching to sonobuoys and deploying sonobuoys at a designated
geographic location.
[0070] The sonobuoy or sonobuoy-shaped object may be separated from
the flight kit by any mechanism that is operable to be commanded by
the flight control system to provide separation at the desired
geographic co-ordinates. This mechanism may be a custom system, or
may be similar to that described in U.S. application Ser. No.
10/848,131 or may be the explosive charge based method which is
used to separate an active portion of the sonobuoy from a case
portion of the sonobuoy when carried and deployed from manned
aircraft such as the P-3 Orion.
[0071] Another alternative embodiment comprises a triggering
mechanism operable under the action of aerodynamic lift loads on
the wings to release the sonobuoy from the flight kit.
[0072] Another alternative embodiment comprises a triggering
mechanism operable under the action of aerodynamic lift loads on
the wings to assist in releasing the sonobuoy from the flight
kit.
[0073] Another alternative embodiment comprises a pre-loaded spring
mechanism for separating the sonobuoy from the flight kit.
[0074] Another alternative embodiment further comprises an active
mechanism controlled by the flight control system for triggering,
achieving or assisting separation of the sonobuoy from the flight
kit.
[0075] In another alternative embodiment, there is provided a
flying sonobuoy vehicle arrangement, comprising: [0076] a first
flying vehicle assembly including a sonobuoy, a first expendable
flight kit attached to the sonobuoy, the first expendable flight
kit including aerodynamic surfaces to provide lift and stability; a
propulsion unit; a plurality of control surfaces; a plurality of
control surface actuators capable of moving the control surfaces in
response to control signals; a flight control system, the flight
control system including a GPS receiver and attitude and airspeed
sensors, the flight control system being capable of receiving
mission parameters including sonobuoy deployment co-ordinates, the
flight control system being operable for autonomously navigating
and steering the first flying vehicle using information from the
GPS receiver and attitude and airspeed sensors, the flight control
system being operable for sending control signals to control the
control surface actuators, [0077] a second flying vehicle assembly
including a sonobuoy-shaped item instead of a sonobuoy, a second
expendable flight kit identical to the first expendable flight kit
and attachable to the sonobuoy-shaped-item, [0078] both the first
flying vehicle assembly and the second flying vehicle assembly
being launchable from a ship; [0079] the flight control system of
the first flight kit being operable for separating the first flight
kit from the sonobuoy while in flight at an acceptable proximity to
a pre-designated target, [0080] the flight control system of the
second flight kit being operable for separating the second flight
kit from the sonobuoy-shaped item, [0081] wherein after separation
of the sonobuoy and the sonobuoy-shaped item from the corresponding
first and second flight kits, both the sonobuoy, the
sonobuoy-shaped item and the corresponding first and second flight
kits fall into the water.
[0082] In an alternative embodiment of the above flying sonobuoy
vehicle arrangement, the sonobuoy-shaped item includes a radio
relay capable of re-transmitting signals from one or more sonobuoys
that are in the water to a receiving site that is over-the-horizon
from the sonobuoys.
[0083] In another alternative embodiment, there is provided a
sonobuoy communications system, comprising:
[0084] a plurality of sonobuoys of the same size and shape, at
least one radio relay unit, the radio relay unit having externally
approximately the same size and shape as one of the sonobuoys;
[0085] a plurality of expendable flight kits, each attachable to a
corresponding one of the sonobuoys or the at least one radio relay
unit,
[0086] each flight kit including at least one rigid aerodynamic
surface to provide lift and stability; a propulsion unit; a
plurality of control surfaces; a plurality of control surface
actuators capable of moving the control surfaces in response to
control signals; a flight control system including attitude and
airspeed sensors, the flight control system being capable of
receiving mission parameters including deployment co-ordinates, the
flight control system being operable for autonomously navigating
and steering the sonobuoys or the at least one radio relay unit in
flight, the flight control system being operable for sending
control signals to the control surface actuators for controlling
the surface actuators,
[0087] each of the sonobuoys being arranged to be assembled with a
corresponding one of the expendable flight kits to be launched as
an assembly into flight from a ship, each flight control system
being operable for separating each sonobuoy from the corresponding
flight kit while in flight at an acceptable proximity to a
corresponding target, wherein after separation both the sonobuoy
and the flight kit fall into the water;
[0088] the at least one radio relay unit being arranged to be
assembled with a corresponding one of the expendable flight kits to
be launched as an assembly into flight from a ship, the
corresponding flight control system being operable controlling the
radio relay unit according to the deployment coordinates and the
designated targets of the plurality of sonobuoys.
[0089] In an alternative embodiment of the above sonobuoy
communications system, the radio relay unit includes additional
batteries or fuel.
[0090] In another alternative embodiment, there is provided a
flying vehicle assembly comprising a central structural
load-bearing sonobuoy-shaped component, an expendable flight kit
attachable to the sonobuoy-shaped component, the flight kit
including aerodynamic surfaces to provide lift and stability; a
propulsion system; a plurality of control surfaces; a plurality of
control surface actuators capable of moving the control surfaces in
response to control signals; a flight control system, the flight
control system including a GPS receiver and attitude and airspeed
sensors, the flight control system being capable of receiving
mission parameters including sonobuoy deployment co-ordinates, the
flight control system being operable for autonomously navigating
and steering the vehicle in flight using information from the GPS
receiver and the attitude and airspeed sensors, the flight control
system being operable for sending control signals to control the
control surface actuators, the flying vehicle assembly launchable
from a ship; the flight control system operable for separating the
sonobuoy-shaped component from the flight kit while in flight near
a pre-designated target, wherein after separation of the
sonobuoy-shaped item from the flight kit, both the sonobuoy-shaped
component and the flight kit fall into a body of water.
[0091] In another alternative embodiment of the of the flying
vehicle assembly of the previous paragraph the sonobuoy-shaped
component contains a radio relay capable of re-transmitting signals
from one or more sonobuoys that are in the body of water to a
receiving site that is over-the-horizon from the sonobuoys.
[0092] In another alternative embodiment, there is provided an
installation for a sonobuoy-based deployment, comprising [0093] a
ship; [0094] first and second flying vehicle assemblies located on
the ship, [0095] the first flying vehicle assembly including a
sonobuoy, a first expendable flight kit attached to the sonobuoy,
the first expendable flight kit including aerodynamic surfaces to
provide lift and stability; a propulsion unit; a plurality of
control surfaces; a plurality of control surface actuators capable
of moving the control surfaces in response to control signals; a
flight control system, the flight control system including a GPS
receiver and attitude and airspeed sensors, the flight control
system being capable of receiving mission parameters including
sonobuoy deployment co-ordinates, the flight control system being
operable for autonomously navigating and steering the first flying
vehicle using information from the GPS receiver and attitude and
airspeed sensors, the flight control system being operable for
sending control signals to control the control surface actuators,
[0096] the second flying vehicle assembly including a
sonobuoy-shaped item instead of a sonobuoy, a second expendable
flight kit identical to the first expendable flight kit and
attachable to the sonobuoy-shaped-item, [0097] both the first
flying vehicle assembly and the second flying vehicle assembly
being launchable from the ship; [0098] the flight control system of
the first flight kit being operable for separating the first flight
kit from the sonobuoy while in flight at an acceptable proximity to
a pre-designated target, [0099] the flight control system of the
second flight kit being operable for separating the second flight
kit from the sonobuoy-shaped item, [0100] wherein after separation
of the sonobuoy and the sonobuoy-shaped item from the corresponding
first and second flight kits, both the sonobuoy, the
sonobuoy-shaped item and the corresponding first and second flight
kits fall into the water.
[0101] In another alternative embodiment of the above sonobuoy
based deployment, the sonobuoy-shaped item includes a radio relay
capable of re-transmitting signals from one or more sonobuoys that
are in the water to a receiving site that is over-the-horizon from
the sonobuoys.
[0102] In another alternative embodiment, there is provided an
expendable flight kit attachable to a sonobuoy for making use of
said sonobuoy as a central structural load-bearing component, the
kit comprising rigid aerodynamic surfaces to provide lift and
stability; a propulsion system; a plurality of control surfaces; a
plurality of control surface actuators operable for moving the
control surfaces in response to control signals; a flight control
system, the flight control system being operable for receiving
mission parameters, the flight control system being operable for
autonomously navigating and steering the vehicle in flight, the
flight control system being operable for sending control signals to
control the control surface actuators, the flying assembly vehicle
operable to be launched from a ship; the flight control system
operable for separating the sonobuoy from the flight kit while in
flight at an acceptable proximity to a pre-designated target,
wherein after separation of the sonobuoy from the flight kit, both
the sonobuoy and the flight kit fall into the water.
[0103] In another alternative embodiment, there is provided a
flying vehicle assembly comprising a central structural
load-bearing sonobuoy-shaped component, the central structural
load-bearing sonobuoy-shaped component containing a radio relay, a
chemical sensor, a biological warfare sensor or a sonobuoy, an
expendable flight kit attachable to the sonobuoy-shaped component,
the flight kit including aerodynamic surfaces to provide lift and
stability; a propulsion system; a plurality of control surfaces; a
plurality of control surface actuators capable of moving the
control surfaces in response to control signals; a flight control
system, the flight control system including a GPS receiver and
attitude and airspeed sensors, the flight control system being
capable of receiving mission parameters including sonobuoy
deployment co-ordinates, the flight control system being operable
for autonomously navigating and steering the vehicle in flight
using information from the GPS receiver and the attitude and
airspeed sensors, the flight control system being operable for
sending control signals to control the control surface actuators,
the flying vehicle assembly launchable from a ship; the flight
control system operable for separating the sonobuoy-shaped
component from the flight kit while in flight near a pre-designated
target, wherein after separation of the sonobuoy-shaped component
from the flight kit, both the sonobuoy-shaped component and the
flight kit fall into a body of water.
[0104] In another alternative embodiment, there is provided a
flying sonobuoy vehicle assembly comprising a sonobuoy, an
expendable flight kit attachable to the sonobuoy, the kit including
at least a pair of rigid aerodynamic surfaces to provide lift and
stability; a propulsion unit; a plurality of control surfaces; a
plurality of control surface actuators capable of moving the
control surfaces in response to control signals; a flight control
system, the flight control system including attitude and airspeed
sensors, the flight control system being capable of receiving
mission parameters including sonobuoy deployment co-ordinates, the
flight control system being operable for autonomously navigating
and steering the vehicle in flight using information from a GPS
receiver, the flight control system being operable for sending
control signals to control the surface actuators; the flying
vehicle assembly launchable from a ship; the flight control system
operable for separating the sonobuoy from the flight kit while in
flight at an acceptable proximity to a pre-designated set of
geographic co-ordinates, wherein after separation of the sonobuoy
from the flight kit, both the sonobuoy and the flight kit fall into
the water.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0105] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the preferred embodiment of the
sonobuoy flight kit.
[0106] FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the
sonobuoy flight kit with wings in flight configuration.
[0107] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the independently falling
sonobuoy flight kit components as they would appear shortly after
the sonobuoy separation had taken place.
[0108] FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the flight kit and a sonobuoy
shaped object.
[0109] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the flying vehicle assembly
with internal components
[0110] FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the flying vehicle assembly
with internal components and alternative propulsion systems.
[0111] FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of the flight kit and a sonobuoy
shaped object.
[0112] FIG. 8 shows a sonobuoy based deployment.
[0113] FIG. 9 shows an embodiment of attachment methods of the
flight kit to the sonobuoy.
[0114] FIG. 10 shows a conventional layout of the aerodynamic
surfaces.
[0115] FIG. 11 shows a canard layout of the aerodynamic
surfaces.
[0116] FIG. 12 shows a tandem wing arrangement of the aerodynamic
surfaces.
[0117] FIG. 13 shows a tailless arrangement of the aerodynamic
surfaces.
[0118] FIG. 14 shows an arrangement of the aerodynamic surfaces
called a flying wing.
[0119] FIG. 15 shows a three-surface arrangement of the aerodynamic
surfaces.
[0120] FIG. 16 shows a biplane arrangement of the aerodynamic
surfaces.
[0121] FIG. 17 shows a diamond wing arrangement of the aerodynamic
surfaces.
[0122] FIG. 18 shows a ring-wing arrangement of the aerodynamic
surfaces.
[0123] FIG. 19 shows rotary wing arrangements of the aerodynamic
surfaces.
[0124] FIG. 20 shows the flight vehicle communicating with control
stations.
[0125] FIG. 21 shows a flight kit attached to more than one
sonobuoy.
[0126] FIG. 22 shows sonobuoy shaped items that contain a radio
relay, additional energy source, a chemical sensor and a biological
agent sensor.
[0127] FIG. 23 shows items packaged into a sonobuoy shaped
container.
[0128] FIG. 24 shows an item not normally the shape of a sonobuoy,
manufactured in the shape of a sonobuoy.
[0129] FIG. 25 shows deployment of sonobuoy shaped objects over
land and water.
[0130] FIG. 26 shows a loaded spring device for separation of
sonobuoy.
[0131] FIG. 27 shows a device for separation of the sonobuoy.
[0132] FIG. 28 shows a sonobuoy based deployment.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0133] It should be understood that the invention is not limited in
its application to the details of construction and the arrangement
of components set forth in the following description or illustrated
in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and
of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also,
it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used
herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded
as limiting. The use of "including," "comprising," or "having" and
variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed
thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items.
Unless limited otherwise, the terms "connected," "coupled," and
"mounted," and variations thereof herein are used broadly and
encompass direct and indirect connections, couplings, and
mountings. In addition, the terms "connected" and "coupled" and
variations thereof are not restricted to physical or mechanical
connections or couplings. Furthermore, and as described in
subsequent paragraphs, the specific mechanical configurations
illustrated in the drawings are intended to exemplify embodiments
of the invention. However, other alternative mechanical
configurations are possible which are considered to be within the
teachings of the instant disclosure. Furthermore, unless otherwise
indicated, the term "or" is to be considered inclusive.
[0134] With reference to the drawings (FIGS. 1-3), the preferred
embodiment of the invention (1) contains a standard Naval A-size
sonobuoy (2) being the primary structural member onto which is
attached the wings (3), a module forward of the sonobuoy (4) and a
module aft of the sonobuoy (5). The wings (3) provide the requisite
lift and through sweepback and twist also afford static stability
in the usual manner for tailless designs. The invention need not be
tailless but could be any aircraft configuration without violating
the spirit of the invention, including a conventional tail aft
design, canard design, tandem wing or joined wing design as it is
not the configuration of the aerodynamic surfaces which sets this
invention apart. The tailless design, however, is used as the
preferred embodiment for the rest of this description. The flight
control surfaces are of the standard type. While a full suite of
pitch, yaw and roll controls may be used, a minimum configuration
is desirable to reduce cost and weight due to fewer control
actuators. In the example configuration there are only two control
surfaces (6)--one at the trailing edge of each wing. These are
called elevons and provide the function of both elevator (pitch
control) and ailerons (roll control) Because of the dihedral in the
wing, yaw is coupled with roll. For directional stability the
example configuration has non-moving vertical stabilizers (7) at
the wing tips.
[0135] The forward module (4) contains the single-use battery (8)
that provides electrical energy to the invention and has a nose
cone (9) that acts as an aerodynamic fairing.
[0136] The wings (3) are held to the sonobuoy structure by means of
clamps (10). The wings, with the attached clamps are hinged at the
top of the invention such that they may rotate about the hinge (11)
so that the clamps encircle the sonobuoy. Extensions of the clamps
fore and aft of the sonobuoy may act as flanges to clasp the
forward module (4) and rear module (5). A locking device such as a
pin (12) actuated by a servomotor (13) locks the clamps shut. When
the locking pin is retracted, the wing lift (represented by arrows)
(14) automatically deflects the wings and clamps and releases the
sonobuoy (2). This is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. With the wings
no longer locked in place, they can no longer provide the requisite
lift and the other sonobuoy flight kit components fall to the earth
separately from the sonobuoy.
[0137] The rear module contains the flight control system (15) and
the motor with motor controller (16) and propeller (17). The flight
control system is designed with a bare minimum of functionality to
keep the invention inexpensive. The flight control system takes
desired coordinates and using a satellite navigation method (such
as a GPS receiver), or a magnetic heading based method, or an
inertial-navigation based method, or a combination of these
methods, steers the aircraft to the target. Control actuators (18)
are servomotors which take commands from the flight control system
and move to actuate a control surface (6) and are located in the
wings near the control surfaces. The electric motor and its
controller (16) are located at the very back of the invention and
drive a propeller (17) to provide thrust. This electric propulsion
system is preferred because of its reliability and ease of
operation.
[0138] Referring to FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 8, there is provided an
expendable flight kit 21 attachable to a sonobuoy 20 for making use
of said sonobuoy as a central structural load-bearing component of
a flying assembly, the kit comprising rigid aerodynamic surfaces 25
to provide lift and stability; a propulsion system 26; a plurality
of control surfaces 27; a plurality of control surface actuators 28
operable for moving the control surfaces in response to control
signals; a flight control system 30, the fight control system
including a GPS receiver 31, and attitude and airspeed sensors 32,
the flight control system being operable for receiving mission
parameters including sonobuoy deployment co-ordinates, the flight
control system being operable for autonomously navigating and
steering the vehicle in flight using information from the GPS
receiver and the attitude and airspeed sensors, the fight control
system being operable for sending control signals to control the
control surface actuators, the flying assembly operable to be
launched from a ship 110; the flight control system operable for
separating the sonobuoy from the flight kit while in flight at an
acceptable proximity to a pre-designated set of co-ordinates,
wherein after separation of the sonobuoy from the flight kit, both
the sonobuoy and the flight kit fall into the water. In addition to
its use with the sonobuoy 20, the kit may also be employed on a
sonobuoy shaped item which is externally approximately the same
size and shape as a sonobuoy.
[0139] In another embodiment of the invention, referring to FIG. 7,
there is provided an expendable flight kit 42 attachable to a
sonobuoy 20, the kit comprising rigid aerodynamic surfaces to
provide lift and stability; a propulsion system; a plurality of
control surfaces; a plurality of control surface actuators operable
for moving the control surfaces in response to control signals; a
flight control system, the fight control system including a GPS
receiver, and attitude and airspeed sensors, the flight control
system being operable for receiving mission parameters including
sonobuoy deployment co-ordinates, the flight control system being
operable for autonomously navigating and steeling the vehicle in
flight using information from the GPS receiver and the attitude and
airspeed sensors, the fight control system being operable for
sending control signals to control the control surface actuators,
the flying assembly operable to be launched from a ship, the flight
control system operable for separating the sonobuoy from the flight
kit while in flight at an acceptable proximity to a pre-designated
set of co-ordinates, wherein after separation of the sonobuoy from
the flight kit, both the sonobuoy and the flight kit fall into the
water. In addition to its use with the sonobuoy 20, the kit may
also be employed on a sonobuoy shaped item which is externally
approximately the same size and shape as a sonobuoy.
[0140] In an alternate embodiment as shown in FIG. 8, the flight
kit forms a flying vehicle assembly 117 is operable to be launched
from land 118, or water based craft 110.
[0141] The particular method of attachment of the flight kit
components to the sonobuoy or sonobuoy shaped object is not
critical to the definition or implementation of the invention. By
way of example, FIG. 9 shows one possible way to attach flight kit
parts such as the aerodynamic surfaces 25 to the sonobuoy or
sonobuoy-shaped object 20 is through a sleeve 35 that has a
friction fit over the sonobuoy's case. There may be additional
internal features which prevent relative rotation and may also be
used to lock the parts together. For instance, sonobuoys may have a
bayonet-type mechanical connector 36 at one end which is ideal for
attaching flight kit parts. By engaging this feature with a similar
but opposite feature 38, a solid connection may be made without
modifications to the sonobuoy. Similarly, sonobuoys may have
recesses 37 at the other end. By engaging these recesses with
similar opposite bosses 39, a solid connection may be made without
modifications to the sonobuoy. Other methods of attachment include
bands 44 which tighten around the sonobuoy or sonobuoy shaped
object 20 and thereby attach flight kit components. However, if any
other method of connecting the flight kit components with the
sonobuoy is used, it does not violate the spirit of the
invention.
[0142] The expendable flight kit may include any of aerodynamic
surface arrangements, provided that such arrangement is able to
provide sufficient lift at the flight speed to sustain the flying
assembly in flight, and the flying assembly is stable or
stabilizable in flight.
[0143] In one example as shown in FIG. 10, the aerodynamic surfaces
are of a conventional rigid wing configuration, having a main wing
45 with a stabilizing surface 46 aft of it.
[0144] In another example, as shown in FIG. 11, the aerodynamic
surfaces are of a canard rigid wing configuration, having a main
wing 48 with a stabilizing surface 47 ahead of it.
[0145] In an alternative example, as shown in FIG. 12, the
aerodynamic surfaces are of a tandem rigid wing configuration,
having two lifting surfaces 49 of approximately equal size.
[0146] In another alternative example, as shown in FIG. 13, the
aerodynamic surfaces are of a tailless rigid wing configuration,
having a main wing 50 and no additional surfaces to provide
longitudinal stability.
[0147] In another alternative example, as shown in FIG. 14, the
tailless rigid wing configuration is a rigid flying wing 51
configuration. In an alternate embodiment of the tailless
configuration the sonobuoy 20 may be carried within the wing in the
spanwise direction.
[0148] In an alternative example, as shown in FIG. 15, the
aerodynamic surfaces are of a three-surface rigid wing
configuration, having a main wing 52 with a stabilizing surface 53
ahead of the main wing, and an additional stabilizing surface 54
aft of the main wing.
[0149] In an alternative example, as shown in FIG. 16, the
aerodynamic surfaces are of a biplane rigid wing configuration,
having two wings wherein one wing 55 is placed approximately above
the other wing 56.
[0150] In an alternative example, as shown in FIG. 17, the
aerodynamic surfaces are of a rigid diamond wing configuration,
having two wings, one placed ahead of the other, wherein the tips
of the forward wings 57 are connected to the tips of the aft wing
58.
[0151] In still an alternative example, as shown in FIG. 18, the
aerodynamic surfaces are of a rigid ring wing 59 configuration.
[0152] In still an alternative example, as shown in FIG. 19, one or
more rotors provide all or nearly all of the necessary lift. In the
case where there are two main rotors 60, they may rotate counter to
each other to cancel torque. In the case where there is a single
main rotor 61, a smaller secondary rotor 62 may be used to
counteract the torque of the first rotor as in a conventional
helicopter.
[0153] In FIG. 5 are pictured a forward module 35 and an aft module
36. These modules contain all internal elements including the
control system 30 and the propulsion system. In FIG. 5 the
propulsion system components are shown in the forward module 35 and
the control system in the aft module 36 though this division is not
critical to the invention. Any arrangement of the internal
components may be made to work and their precise location is not
critical. In an alternate embodiment, the flight control system and
the components of the propulsion system may be all located within
either the forward or aft module as shown in FIG. 6.
[0154] The propulsion system comprises an energy source, a type of
motor or engine, and a means to move air or exhaust or both and
thereby generate thrust. An electric motor, battery and propeller
are the preferred embodiment for reasons of reliability and ease of
operation, however, any means of propulsion that is operable to
generate the thrust necessary to sustain flight for the duration of
the desired mission may be used.
[0155] In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 6, the propulsion system
26 comprises an electric motor 65 and an onboard source of
electrical power 66. The onboard source of electrical power may
include a battery 67. Alternately it may include a fuel cell 68, or
a fuel-powered generator 69. In the case of the fuel-powered
generator, the propulsion system further comprises a fuel tank
70.
[0156] Also shown in FIG. 6 is a propeller 71, though as shown in
FIG. 6, a fan 72 or a ducted fan 73 may be used. Multiple
propellers, fans or ducted fans are also possible.
[0157] Other propulsion systems may be used as desired, as shown in
FIG. 6, including a fuel-burning engine 74 and its associated fuel
tank 75. The fuel burning engine may be an internal combustion
engine or a turbine engine.
[0158] Yet another possible type of propulsion system includes a
rocket 76 as shown in FIG. 6.
[0159] In reference to the described propulsion system, the
invention does not preclude that the propulsion system include more
than one energy type within the energy source; for example the
propulsion system 26 could be constructed to contain both batteries
67 and fuel 70. The definition of the invention also does not
preclude the possibility that the type of motor or engine is also a
combination; for example the propulsion system 26 could be
constructed in some implementation of the invention to include both
an electric motor and a rocket motor that would act in concert as a
motor or engine for the invention. The definition of the invention
also does not preclude there being a combination of means to
generate thrust; for example such actions might be performed by
both a propeller and exhaust.
[0160] Referring to FIGS. 5, 6 and 20 the flight control system 30
is operable to communicate using a radio link 33 with a control
station located on a ship 81, on land 82 or aboard a manned
aircraft 83.
[0161] As can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6 the flight control system 30
may include a wired electrical link 41 for transferring the mission
parameters to the flight control system. If desired, other
communication links or paths may be used in addition to or in place
of the wired electrical link, such as wireless radio 33 and/or
optical links 34
[0162] In the alternate examples as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 the
flight control system 30 may include a magnetometer or magnetic
compass 84 for determining magnetic heading.
[0163] In the alternate examples as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 the
flight control system may include an inertial navigation system
85.
[0164] In an alternate example, the GPS receiver 31 of FIGS. 5 and
6 may be removed.
[0165] FIGS. 5 and 6 show an alternative satellite navigation
system receiver 86 used in addition to the GPS receiver.
[0166] Referring to FIG. 20, navigational information is provided
to the flight control system 30 from a ship 81 or land 82 or
aircraft 83 based RF transmitter.
[0167] In alternate embodiments, the sonobuoy 20 shown in the
figures may be an unmodified naval A-size sonobuoy or a standard
naval sonobuoy other than an unmodified naval A-size sonobuoy, or a
modified sonobuoy or custom sonobuoy.
[0168] In an alternate embodiment shown in FIG. 21, more than one
sonobuoy 20 is used as structural load-bearing components of a
flying assembly.
[0169] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5 and 6 and 8, in an alternate
embodiment the flight kit attaches to and makes use of an
alternative sonobuoy-shaped item instead of a sonobuoy as the
central structural load-bearing component of the flying assembly.
FIGS. 22 and 8 shows the alternative sonobuoy-shaped component 20
may contain a radio relay 87 capable of re-transmitting signals 114
from one or more sonobuoys 89 that are in the water to a receiving
site (110 and/or 90 and/or 115 and or 116) that is over-the-horizon
from the sonobuoys. In addition, FIG. 22 shows that a portion of
the alternative sonobuoy-shaped item may be occupied by additional
batteries 91 or fuel 92.
[0170] In an alternate embodiment also shown in FIG. 22, the
alternative sonobuoy-shaped item 20 contains a chemical sensor 93
or biological agent sensor 94.
[0171] In another embodiment of the invention, objects that are not
sonobuoys 95 are packaged into sonobuoy shaped containers, as shown
in FIG. 23, for the purpose of transporting those objects in flight
by flight kits that are capable of attaching to sonobuoys and
deploying sonobuoys at a designated geographic location. In this
way items including but not limited to food supplies 96, ammunition
97, rifles 98 and/or medical supplies 99 may be packaged into
sonobuoy shaped containers 20 and supplied to a location without
endangering manned aircraft.
[0172] In another embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 24,
objects 102 that are not normally shaped as sonobuoys are built,
assembled, configured and/or manufactured such that they are
outwardly structurally similar to sonobuoys 20 for the purpose of
transporting those objects in flight by flight kits that are
capable of attaching to sonobuoys and deploying sonobuoys at a
designated geographic location.
[0173] In the cases where other non-sonobuoy items are to be
packaged into sonobuoy shaped containers, as in FIG. 23 or are to
be manufactured such that they are outwardly structurally similar
to sonobuoys for the purpose of transporting those objects in
flight by flight kits as in FIG. 24, the flying vehicle assembly
may be operable to separate the sonobuoy shaped item from the
flight kit while in flight at an acceptable proximity to a
pre-designated set of co-ordinates, that may be over both land 100,
or water 101.
[0174] In an alternate embodiment shown in FIG. 26 the flight kit
further comprises a pre-loaded spring mechanism 105 for separating
the sonobuoy from the flight kit.
[0175] In an alternate embodiment shown in FIG. 27 the flight kit
further comprises an active mechanism 106 controlled by the flight
control system for triggering, achieving or assisting separation of
the sonobuoy 20 from the flight kit.
[0176] Referring to FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 28, there is provided
an installation for a sonobuoy-based deployment. The deployment
includes a ship 110. A number of first 111 and second 112 flying
vehicle assemblies are located on the ship. This number may include
a single vehicle assembly and more than one vehicle assembly, as
need be, and as will become apparent below.
[0177] Each first flying vehicle assembly 111 includes a sonobuoy.
A first expendable flight kit (21 or 42 or 43) is attached to the
sonobuoy 20. The first expendable flight kit includes aerodynamic
surfaces 25 to provide lift and stability; a propulsion unit 26; a
plurality of control surfaces 27; a plurality of control surface
actuators 28 capable of moving the control surfaces in response to
control signals; a flight control system 30, the flight control
system including a GPS receiver 31 and attitude and airspeed
sensors 32, the flight control system being capable of receiving
mission parameters including sonobuoy deployment co-ordinates, the
flight control system being operable for autonomously navigating
and steering the first flying vehicle using information from the
GPS receiver and attitude and airspeed sensors, the flight control
system being operable for sending control signals to control the
control surface actuators, [0178] the second flying vehicle
assembly 112 including a sonobuoy-shaped item 20 instead of a
sonobuoy, a second expendable flight kit (21 or 42 or 43) identical
to the first expendable flight kit and attachable to the
sonobuoy-shaped-item, [0179] both the first flying vehicle assembly
111 and the second flying vehicle assembly 112 being launchable
from the ship 110; [0180] the flight control system 30 of the first
flight kit being operable for separating the first flight kit from
the sonobuoy 20 while in flight at an acceptable proximity to a
pre-designated target 113, [0181] the flight control system 30 of
the second flight kit being operable for separating the second
flight kit from the sonobuoy-shaped item 20, [0182] wherein after
separation of the sonobuoy 20 and the sonobuoy-shaped item 20 from
the corresponding first and second flight kits, both the sonobuoy,
the sonobuoy-shaped item and the corresponding first and second
flight kits fall into the water.
[0183] In this case, the sonobuoy-shaped item 20 includes a radio
relay 87 capable of re-transmitting signals 114 from one or more
sonobuoys 89 that are in the water to a receiving site (110 and/or
90 and/or 115 and or 116) that is over-the-horizon from the
sonobuoys.
[0184] The entire subject matter of each and every reference,
document, website, patent and patent application identified
hereinabove is incorporated herein by reference.
[0185] Although the invention has been described in connection with
a preferred embodiment, it should be understood that various
modifications, additions and alterations may be made to the
invention by one skilled in the art without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended
claims.
* * * * *
References