CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This patent application is co-pending with one related patent application entitled “COMMUNICATIONS USING UNMANNED SURFACE VEHICLES AND UNMANNED MICRO-AERIAL VEHICLES” (Navy Case No. 84141), by the same inventor as this patent application.

ORIGIN OF THE INVENTION

The invention described herein was made in the performance of official duties by an employee of the Department of the Navy and may be manufactured, used, licensed by or for the Government for any governmental purpose without payment of any royalties thereon.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to reconnaissance systems and methods, and more particularly to a method and system of performing video reconnaissance of an area using unmanned surface vehicles and unmanned micro-aerial vehicles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Reconnaissance of surface areas on the earth using orbiting satellites can provide a broad overview of an area each time the satellite passes over the area. However, there are a variety of military and civilian situations that require a greater amount of reconnaissance detail or require that the reconnaissance data be provided during a time when either no reconnaissance satellite is in position or no satellite receiver is available. In such cases, personnel are typically deployed in the area either on foot or in vehicles in order to perform the necessary reconnaissance. However, such deployment can be dangerous, e.g., in enemy territory, in fires or other disaster-stricken areas, in areas of toxic spills or leaks, in harsh environments, etc. Additionally, areas to be reconnoitered may be remote thereby making personnel deployment too impractical or expensive. The same is true for situations or areas that must be monitored for a longer period of time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and system for performing reconnaissance.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and system for performing reconnaissance in an unmanned fashion.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method and system for performing unmanned reconnaissance using both surface and micro-aerial vehicles.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious hereinafter in the specification and drawings.

In accordance with the present invention, a reconnaissance system includes an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) capable of navigated movement on an earth surface. At least one micro-aerial vehicle (MAV), equipped for unmanned flight after a launch thereof, is mounted on the USV. Each MAV has onboard wireless communications coupled to an onboard video surveillance system. A launcher mounted on the USV is used to launch each MAV into the air. Each MAV so-launched into the air collects video data using its video surveillance system and transmits the video data using its wireless communications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reference to the following description of the preferred embodiments and to the drawings, wherein corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings and wherein:

FIG. 1

depicts an operational scenario of a system using an unmanned surface vehicle and micro-aerial vehicles in accordance with the present invention where

FIGS. 1A-1D

depict a time progression in the operation scenario;

FIG. 2

is a functional block diagram of an unmanned surface vehicle for use in the present invention;

FIG. 3

is a functional block diagram of an unmanned micro-aerial vehicle for use in the present invention;-and

FIG. 4

depicts another operational scenario in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, and more Particularly to

FIGS. 1A-1D

, an operational scenario is depicted for a system that can carry out reconnaissance and/or communications in accordance with the present invention. For simplicity of description, ea of the reconnaissance and communications aspects of the present invention will be explained as separate operations. However, it is to be understood that the operations could be combined and provided by one system.

With respect to the reconnaissance aspect of the present invention, an unmanned surface vehicle (USV)

10

is provided and is capable of navigated movement on a surface

100

of the earth. Surface

100

can be the ground (to include dry land and the seafloor), or can be the surface of a body of water. Accordingly, USV

10

can be a ground-based vehicle or a floating vehicle without departing from the scope of the present invention. USV

10

can navigate autonomously to a desired location or can have its navigated movement controlled from a remote location.

Incorporated into or mounted on USV

10

is a launcher

12

for launching one or more micro-aerial vehicles (MAV)

14

from USV

10

. As is known in the art, each MAV

14

is a small, unmanned aircraft (e.g., wingspan on the order of 6 inches) capable of controllable flight using a gasoline or electric motor. See, for example, “New, Improved Plane Gives UF Tie at MAV Contest,” The Florida Engineer, Summer 2002. As will be explained further below, each MAV

14

is equipped with video surveillance equipment and wireless communication equipment, neither of which is shown in

FIG. 1

for clarity of illustration.

When commanded to do so, launcher

12

applies a sufficient force to launch one of MAVs

14

into the air at which point the onboard propulsion system (not shown in

FIG. 1

) of MAV

14

keeps it airborne. Given the minimal weight of each MAV

14

, launcher

12

can be realized of a variety of simple spring-loaded mechanical launchers (e.g., catapult), gas-powered launchers, or any other low-power launcher, the choice of which is not a limitation of the present invention. Such launchers, are well known in the art and, therefore will not be described further herein.

In operation, USV

10

navigates under autonomous or remote control to a desired location on earth surface

100

as shown in FIG.

1

A. USV

10

could remain on dry land at all times or could transition from a wet environment to a beach location for covert reconnaissance operations. When reconnaissance is needed, launcher

12

is commanded to launch one of MAVs

14

into the air as illustrated in FIG.

1

B. To check and initialize systems (e.g., flight propulsion and control systems, video surveillance systems, communication systems, etc.) prior to launch of one of MAVs

14

, a hardwire link

16

can be provided between USV

10

and each MAV

14

. Hardwire link

16

can be an umbilical-type of link/tether that remains coupled to MAV

14

prior to and during launch thereof, but then is uncoupled from MAV

14

once the MAV's propulsion and flight control systems are operational and the MAV has been launched.

Referring now to

FIG. 1C

, the one MAV

14

launched into the air by launcher

12

is illustrated as being uncoupled from hardwire link

16

and flying under its own power. The video surveillance performed by the airborne one of MAVs

14

is indicated by field-of-view

18

while the wireless transmission of the video data captured is field-of-view

18

is indicated by arrow

20

. Typically, wireless transmission

20

is a radio frequency (RF) transmission that can either be received at a remote location or by USV

10

for storage and/or re-transmission as indicated by arrow

22

. If USV

10

is to re-transmit the video data, USV

10

could be equipped with higher power SATCOM or RF transmission means. Further, if surface

100

is a water surface, USV

10

could be equipped with acoustic or other underwater communications systems capable of transmitting signals

24

under (water) surface

100

.

The above-described process can be repeated for each of the remaining MAVs

14

that are still coupled to USV

10

. As illustrated in

FIG. 1D

, a second MAV

14

can be launched into the air when, for example, i) video reconnaissance of a different area is required, ii) the first launched MAV

14

runs out of power or otherwise fails, or iii) a communication relay is needed to support transmission of video data

20

from the first and/or second launched MAV

14

.

Referring additionally now to

FIG. 2

, an embodiment of USV

10

for supporting the above-described operational scenario is shown in block diagram form. At the heart of USV

10

is a controller

110

that orchestrates all activity onboard USV

10

. More specifically, controller

110

performs navigation functions, controls motion of USV

10

, commands launches of MAVs

14

, oversees image data communications and video data transmissions, and controls video data storage/retrieval. Controller

110

can be realized by one central control computer or by individual control computers for each major function performed by USV

10

.

In terms of navigation and motion of USV

10

, navigation sensor(s)

112

are coupled to controller

110

and can include a compass for reading vehicle headings, wheel encoders for measuring distance traveled, a GPS receiver, and inertial sensors. Readings from these sensor/receivers are used by controller

110

in ways well known in the art (e.g., GPS receiver provides long baseline navigation while compass, wheel encoders and inertial sensors are used for dead reckoning) to determine an accurate position of USV

10

at all times. Controller

110

uses the determined position to adjust a steering and drive system

114

so that USV

10

is navigated along a desired path to a destination. The desired path and destination can be pre-programmed into controller

110

in which case USV

10

moves in a completely autonomous fashion. Another option is to control USV

10

from a remote location. Accordingly, a communications module

116

can include separate communications

116

A and

116

B where communications

116

A is used to communicate between MAVs

14

and communications

116

B is used to communicate with a remote location. Ideally, both communications can occur simultaneously and uninterrupted.

Environmental sensor(s)

118

can include sensors for collecting data about the environment in which USV

10

resides (e.g., motion, acoustic, seismic, temperature, video, etc.) as well as sensors used during the movement of USV

10

(e.g., collision sensing, collision avoidance, video, etc.). For example, once USV

10

reaches its desired destination, controller

110

can place itself and systems coupled thereto in a “sleep” mode to conserve power while environmental sensor(s)

118

“listen” for environment changes that signal the need for reconnaissance, at which point controller

110

wakes the needed onboard systems. The collected data could also be stored onboard USV

10

using data storage

120

.

Controller

110

is coupled to launcher

12

and is also coupled to each MAV

14

(only one of which is shown in

FIG. 2

) via hardwire link

16

. As mentioned above, hardwire link

16

is used to activate and check the various flight systems onboard MAV

14

prior to the launching thereof by launcher

12

.

Referring to

FIG. 3

, an embodiment of MAV

14

for supporting the reconnaissance aspect of the present invention is shown in block diagram form. A controller

140

oversees all of the functions of MAV

14

that can include autonomous flight control, remote-operator controlled flight, communications, video surveillance and data storage. In terms of its flying operations, MAV

14

includes navigation sensor(s)

142

(e.g., compass, altimeter, GPS, inertial, etc.) for providing position information to controller

140

which, in turn, uses such position to implement a flight plan using the MAV's propulsion and flight control

144

(e.g., motor or engine, propeller, control surfaces, etc.) The flight plan can be pre-programmed into controller

140

or could be provided remotely from USV

10

or some other location. Accordingly, a communications module

146

can include communications

146

A for communication with a remote base location (that can be in the air, on the ground or on the water) and communications

146

B for communication with just USV

10

. Since two-way communication would be required, each of communications

146

A and

146

B can be realized by an RF transceiver.

Once MAV

14

is airborne, controller

140

activates video surveillance

148

which typically includes a miniature camera (e.g., standard image, thermal starlight, etc.) and video processor. The video data is passed to controller

140

which can store some or all thereof at data storage

150

and/or have some transmitted from MAV

14

using communications module

146

.

Controller

140

is also coupled to hardwire link

16

as described above. Just prior to launch of MAV

14

, controller

140

receives wake commands via hardwire link

16

. Such wake commands could be detailed with respect to each system onboard MAV

14

or could simply be one command that triggers that start of an operational program stored on controller

140

. At a minimum, navigation sensor(s)

142

and propulsion/flight control

144

are activated prior to launch of MAV

14

. Note that hardwire link

16

could also be used to check the integrity of each system onboard MAV

14

prior to launch thereof. Then, if a failure is detected, another one of the MAVs

14

could be launched.

As mentioned above, the present invention could also function as a communications system with the hardware provided on each of USV

10

and MAVs

14

being the same as the already described. Accordingly, simultaneous reference will be made to

FIGS. 1-3

in order to explain the operation of the present invention's use as a communications system. In essence, data collected autonomously by USV

10

over a period of time is transmitted by an airborne one of MAVs

14

. Thus, no personnel need be present to perform data collection and line-of-sight transmission distance is greatly increased by the airborne MAV

14

.

The data collected by USV

10

(e.g., by its environmental sensor(s)

118

) can be transferred to one of MAVs

14

for airborne transmission therefrom in one of two ways. First, collected data could be stored onboard USV

10

using data storage

120

. Then, when one of MAVs

14

is airborne, the collected data could be transmitted thereto using the communications link formed by the combination of communications

116

A and

146

B. MAV

14

would then re-transmit the data using communications

146

A. Note that the use of separate communications links allows the data to be relayed nearly simultaneously.

The second way collected data could be transferred to one of MAVs

14

involves storing the collected data onboard MAV

14

(using data storage

150

) prior to launching MAV

14

. Then, at a predetermined time, or when data storage

150

is at capacity, MAV

14

is launched into the air where transmission to a remote location occurs using communications

146

A. Once airborne, transfer of collected data to MAV

14

could then occur as described in the first method. Note that USV

10

could simultaneously store the collected data using data storage

120

for archive purposes, for re-transmission, or if the airborne one of MAVs

14

experiences a failure.

The present invention's communication aspect could also use USV

10

as a data collection node for a large number of surface-based reconnaissance vehicles. This scenario is depicted in

FIG. 4

where USV

10

is deployed at earth surface

100

and is equipped as previously described. Deployed on surface

100

(or under surface

100

in the case of a water environment) are a number of surveillance vehicles

11

, each of which is equipped with sensor(s)

11

A for sensing information such as environmental conditions and communications.

11

B for transferring sensed information to USV

10

. In situations where surveillance vehicles

11

are on a ground or water surface, communications

11

B can be RF communications that transmit the information for receipt by (RF) communications

116

B onboard USV

10

. However, if surveillance vehicles are deployed underwater, communications

11

B can be an acoustic transmitter and communications

116

B can be an acoustic receiver (or transceiver if two-way communication with surveillance vehicles

11

is required). The information collected by USV

10

in this fashion can then be transferred to an MAV

14

for airborne transmission thereof as described above.

The advantages of the present invention are numerous. Personnel are kept out of dangerous, remote and/or time consuming data reconnaissance situations. Thus, the present invention is safer and cheaper than existing personnel-based reconnaissance and/or communications system. The use of high-cost satellite communications is not required. Further, by equipping each USV with multiple MAVs, the present invention presents a long-term solution to providing covert reconnaissance and improved long-range communications with unmanned reconnaissance vehicle(s).

Although the invention has been described relative to a specific embodiment thereof, there are numerous variations and modifications that will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the above teachings. For example, USV

10

could remain underwater at all times with launcher

12

being a buoyant platform that could be released from USV

10

. Upon such release, the buoyant launching platform would float to the water's surface, launch it's MAV(s), and then be scuttled and sink below the water's surface. It is therefore to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.