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Patent Number: |
7543780 |
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Case ID: |
0 |
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Patent Title:
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Unmanned air vehicle transmission line docking surveillance
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Status: |
ACTIVE |
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Status Date: |
2/3/2010 2:06:02 PM |
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Issue Date:
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6/9/2009 |
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Filed Date:
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1/13/2006 |
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Serial #:
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1/344,631 |
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Assignee Name:
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The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
(Washington,
DC)
N/A
(
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Inventor(s):
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Marshall, Patrick T. , Abner, Douglas M. , Williams, Robert |
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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
degree of reconnaissance detail or require that the data be provided during a time when either no reconnaissance satellite is in position or no satellite receiver is available. For such situations a person is typically deployed in the area of interest
either on foot or by vehicle in order to perform the necessary surveillance. However, such deployment can be dangerous, e.g., inside enemy territory, in fires or other disaster-stricken areas, in areas of toxic spills or leaks, in harsh environments,
etc. Additionally, areas to be monitored may be too remote and thereby make a personnel deployment too impractical or expensive. The same limitations hold for situations or areas that must be monitored for a long . . . . More |
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A small unmanned air vehicle system having autonomous electrical energy
transmission line docking capability and especially usable in military or
other surveillance situations. Transmission line field sensing by the
small unmanned air vehicle is used as an addition to global position
system and other navigation methods and is especially applied to vehicle
docking maneuvers. A plurality of vehicle carried electromagnetic
fields-responsive sensors provides transmission line based signals to the
vehicle guidance system in both far field and near field environments.
Surveillance sensors are included in the vehicle payload. Vehicle battery
charging energy procurement from the transmission line docking is
included. Related commonly assigned patent documents are identified.
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We claim:
1. A small unmanned air vehicle electrical transmission line docking surveillance apparatus comprising the combination of: a small unmanned air vehicle having a combination closable
magnetic circuit and docking support magnetic field energy responsive element received therein; a plurality of electric and magnetic field sensing elements disposed on dispersed external physical portions of said small unmanned air vehicle; a small
unmanned air vehicle flight control apparatus having an electrical signal input port and a plurality of said small unmanned air vehicle flight surface connected mechanical output signals; small unmanned air vehicle electrical propulsion apparatus having
an electrical energy input port and an electrical control signal input port; a rechargeable electrical battery received within said small unmanned air vehicle and selectively connected with said closable magnetic circuit, said flight surface control
apparatus, and said electrical propulsion . . . . More |
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