Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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EXPENDABLE SONOBUOY FLIGHT KIT DEPLOYMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS
SYSTEM
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0011 This application is related to the following: Canadian application CA
2467010, titled
EXPENDABLE SONOBUOY FLIGHT KIT WITH AERODYNAMICALLY ASSISTED
SONOBUOY SEPARATION and filed 2004-05-14. U.S. Patent No. 7,262,395, titled
EXPENDABLE SONOBUOY FLIGHT KIT WITH AERODYNAMICALLY ASSISTED
SONOBUOY SEPARATION and issued on August 28, 2007. US Patent application
11782487,
titled EXPENDABLE SONOBUOY FLIGHT KIT WITH AERODYNAMICALLY ASSISTED
SONOBUOY SEPARATION and filed July 24, 2007.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[002] 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.
2. Description of the Prior Art
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[003] 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.
[004] 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.
[005] 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.
[006] 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.
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[007] 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.
[008] 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
[0091 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,
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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.
[0010] 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
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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.
[0011] 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
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required for fuel burning engines.
[0012] 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.
[0013] 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.
[0014] The document Unsolicited Sonobuoy Proposal (Advanced Subsonics Document
#10071) is
copied in Appendix C the entire subject matter of which is included by
reference. This document
was last modified: March 31, 2004.
[0015] 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
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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.
100161 Sonobuoys are pictured in this US Navy website:
http://www.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=32116 the entire subject matter of
which is included by
reference. This page is also reproduced in Appendix A.
[0017] 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
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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, 0., and Narayanan, K., in the
proceedings of
the conference "Fixed, Flapping and Rotary Wing Vehicles at Very Low Reynolds
Number",
Mueller, T. ed. June 5-7, 2000 - the entire subject matter of which is
incorporated by reference.
This paper is also copied in Appendix B. Interestingly, the majority of the
aerobatic 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-
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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.
[0018] In an alternative embodiment, the flying assembly is operable to be
launched from land,
whether from a stationary location or from a moving location.
[0019] 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.
[0020] 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.
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[0021] 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.
[0022] 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.
[0023] 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.
[0024] Another alternative embodiment comprises aerodynamic surfaces that are
of a tandem rigid
wing configuration, having two lifting surfaces of approximately equal size.
[0025] 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.
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100261 Another alternative embodiment is one wherein the tailless rigid wing
configuration is a
rigid flying wing configuration.
[0027] 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.
[0028] 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.
[0029] 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.
[0030] Another alternative embodiment comprises aerodynamic surfaces that are
of a rigid ring
wing configuration.
[0031] Another altern.ative 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.
[0032] 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
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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.
[0033] 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.
[0034] In another embodiment the propulsion system further comprises a
propeller. Alternately, it
may include a fan or a ducted fan.
[0035] In another alternative embodiment the propulsion system comprises more
than one
propeller or fan or ducted fan.
[0036] 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.
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[0037] In another alternative embodiment the propulsion system comprises a
rocket.
[0038] 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.
[0039] 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.
[0040] In another embodiment, the flight control system comprises a wired
electrical link for
transferring the mission parameters to the flight control system.
[0041] In another embodiment, the flight control system comprises an optical
link to transfer the
mission parameters to the flight control system.
[0042] 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
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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.
[0043] 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.
[0044] 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
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the launch location and the deployment location, such action does not violate
the intent of the
invention.
[0045] In another embodiment, the flight control system includes a
magnetometer or magnetic
compass for determining magnetic heading.
[0046] In another embodiment, the flight control system includes an inertial
navigation system.
[0047] In another alternative embodiment the GPS receiver has been removed.
100481 In another embodiment an alternative satellite navigation system
receiver is used in
addition to the GPS receiver.
[0049] In another embodiment the navigational information is provided to the
flight control
system from a ship or land or aircraft based RF transmitter.
[0050] Nominally the components of the flight kit assemble onto an unmodified
sonobuoy. In one
embodiment the sonobuoy is an unmodified naval A-size sonobuoy.
[0051] In another alternative embodiment the sonobuoy is a standard naval
sonobuoy other than an
unmodified naval A-size sonobuoy.
100521 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.
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[0053] 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.
[0054] 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.
[0055] 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.
[0056] 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.
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[0057] In another alternative embodiment a portion of the alternative sonobuoy-
shaped item is
occupied by additional batteries or fuel.
[0058] 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:
[0059] In another alternative embodiment the alternative sonobuoy-shaped item
contains a
chemical sensor or biological agent sensor.
[0060] 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:
[0061] In another alternative embodiment of the invention, the sonobuoy-shaped
item contains
supplies to support the activities of military or intelligence-gathering
personnel.
100621 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
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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.
[0063] 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.
[0064] 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.
[0065] 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.
[0066] 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
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the desired geographic co-ordinates. This mechanism may be a custom system, or
may be similar to
that described in US application serial 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.
100671 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.
[0068] 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.
[0069] Another alternative embodiment comprises a pre-loaded spring mechanism
for separating
the sonobuoy from the flight kit.
[0070] 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 .
100711 In another alternative embodiment, there is provided 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
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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.
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100721 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.
[0073] In another alternative embodiment, there is provided 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
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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.
[0074] In an alternative embodiment of the above sonobuoy communications
system, the radio
relay unit includes additional batteries or fuel.
[0075] 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,
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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.
[0076] 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.
[0077] In another alternative embodiment, there is provided 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
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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.
[0078] 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.
100791 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
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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.
100801 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
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of the sonobuoy-shaped component from the flight kit, both the sonobuoy-shaped
component and
the flight kit fall into a body of water.
[0081] 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
[0082] Figure 1 is a top plan view of the preferred embodiment of the sonobuoy
flight kit.
[0083] Figure 3 is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the sonobuoy
flight kit with
wings in flight configuration.
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[0084] Figure 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.
100851 Figure 4 shows an embodiment of the flight kit and a sonobuoy shaped
object.
[0086] Figure 5 shows an embodiment of the flying vehicle assembly with
internal components
[0087] Figure 6 shows an embodiment of the flying vehicle assembly with
internal components
and alternative propulsion systems.
[0088] Figure 7 shows an embodiment of the flight kit and a sonobuoy shaped
object.
[0089] Figure 8 shows a sonobuoy based deployment.
100901 Figure 9 shows an embodiment of attachment methods of the flight kit to
the sonobuoy.
[0091] Figure 10 shows a conventional layout of the aerodynamic surfaces.
[0092] Figure 11 shows a canard layout of the aerodynamic surfaces.
100931 Figure 12 shows a tandem wing arrangement of the aerodynamic surfaces.
[00941 Figure 13 shows a tailless arrangement of the aerodynamic surfaces.
[0095] Figure 14 shows an arrangement of the aerodynamic surfaces called a
flying wing.
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[0096] Figure 15 shows a three-surface arrangement of the aerodynamic
surfaces.
[0097] Figure 16 shows a biplane arrangement of the aerodynamic surfaces.
[0098] Figure 17 shows a diamond wing arrangement of the aerodynamic surfaces.
[0099] Figure 18 shows a ring-wing arrangement of the aerodynamic surfaces.
[00100] Figure 19 shows rotary wing arrangements of the aerodynamic surfaces.
[00101] Figure 20 shows the flight vehicle communicating with control
stations.
[00102] Figure 21 shows a flight kit attached to more than one sonobuoy.
[00103] Figure 22 shows sonobuoy shaped items that contain a radio relay,
additional energy
source, a chemical sensor and a biological agent sensor.
[00104] Figure 23 shows items packaged into a sonobuoy shaped container.
[00105] Figure 24 shows an item not normally the shape of a sonobuoy,
manufactured in the shape
of a sonobuoy.
[00106] Figure 25 shows deployment of sonobuoy shaped objects over land and
water.
[00107] Figure 26 shows a loaded spring device for separation of sonobuoy.
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[00108] Figure 27 shows a device for separation of the sonobuoy.
[00109] Figure 28 shows a sonobuoy based deployment.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[00110] 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.
1001111 With reference to the drawings (figures 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
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(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.
1001121 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.
[00113] 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
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to the earth separately from the sonobuoy.
[001141 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.
[001151 Referring to figures 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
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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.
[00116] In another embodiment of the invention, referring to figure 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
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. 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.
[00117] In an alternate embodiment as shown in figure 8, the flight kit forms
a flying vehicle
assembly 117 is operable to be launched from land 118, or water based craft
110.
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[00118] 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, figure 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.
[00119] 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.
[00120] In one example as shown in figure 10, the aerodynamic surfaces are of
a conventional
rigid wing configuration, having a main wing 45 with a stabilizing surface 46
aft of it.
[00121] In another example, as shown in figure 11, the aerodynamic surfaces
are of a canard rigid
wing configuration, having a main wing 48 with a stabilizing surface 47 ahead
of it.
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[00122] In an alternative example, as shown in figure 12, the aerodynamic
surfaces are of a
tandem rigid wing configuration, having two liffing surfaces 49 of
approximately equal size.
[00123] In another alternative example, as shown in figure 13, the aerodynamic
surfaces are of a
tailless rigid wing configuration, having a main wing 50 and no additional
surfaces to provide
longitudinal stability.
[00124] In another alternative example, as shown in figure 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.
[00125] In an alternative example, as shown in figure 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.
[00126] In an alternative example, as shown in figure 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.
[00127] In an alternative example, as shown in figure 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.
[00128] In still an alternative example, as shown in figure 18, the
aerodynamic surfaces are of a
rigid ring wing 59 configuration.
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[00129] In still an alternative example, as shown in figure 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.
[00130] In figure 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 figure 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 figure 6.
[00131] 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.
[00132] In the embodiment depicted in figure 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.
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[00133] Also shown in figure 6 is a propeller 71, though as shown in figure 6,
a fan 72 or a ducted
fan 73 may be used. Multiple propellers, fans or ducted fans are also
possible.
[00134] Other propulsion systems may be used as desired, as shown in figure 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.
[00135] Yet another possible type of propulsion system includes a rocket 76 as
shown in figure 6.
[00136] 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.
[00137] Referring to figures 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.
[00138] As can be seen in figures 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,
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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
[00139] In the alternate examples as shown in figure 5 and 6 the flight
control system 30 may
include a magnetometer or magnetic compass 84 for determining magnetic
heading.
[00140] In the alternate examples as shown in figure 5 and 6 the flight
control system may include
an inertial navigation system 85.
[00141] In an alternate example, the GPS receiver 31 of figures 5 and 6 may be
removed.
[00142] Figures 5 and 6 show an alternative satellite navigation system
receiver 86 used in
addition to the GPS receiver.
[00143] Referring to figure 20, navigational information is provided to the
flight control system 30
from a ship 81 or land 82 or aircraft 83 based RF transmitter.
[00144] 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.
[00145] In an alternate embodiment shown in figure 21, more than one sonobuoy
20 is used as
structural load-bearing components of a flying assembly.
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[00146] Referring to figures 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. Figure 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 (I 10
andlor 90 and/or 115
and or 116) that is over-the-horizon from the sonobuoys. In addition, figure
22 shows that a portion
of the alternative sonobuoy-shaped item may be occupied by additional
batteries 91 or fuel 92.
[00147] In an alternate embodiment also shown in figure 22, the alternative
sonobuoy-shaped item
20 contains a chemical sensor 93 or biological agent sensor 94.
[00148] In another embodiment of the invention, objects that are not sonobuoys
95 are packaged
into sonobuoy shaped containers, as shown in figure 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.
1001491 In another embodiment of the invention as shown in figure 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.
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[00150] In the cases where other non-sonobuoy items are to be packaged into
sonobuoy shaped
containers, as in figure 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 figure 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.
(001511 In an alternate embodiment shown in figure 26 the flight kit further
comprises a pre-
loaded spring mechanism 105 for separating the sonobuoy from the flight kit.
[00152] In an alternate embodiment shown in figure 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.
[00153] Referring to figures 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.
[00154] 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
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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 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,
- both the first flying vehicle assembly I 11 and the second flying vehicle
assembly 112
being launchable from the ship 110;
- 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,
- the flight control system 30 of the second flight kit being operable for
separating the
second flight kit from the sonobuoy-shaped item 20,
- 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.
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1001551 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.
[00156] The entire subject matter of each and every reference, document,
website, patent and
patent application identified hereinabove is incorporated herein by reference.
[00157] 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
defmed in the appended claims.
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