Automated ammunition photogrammetry system

US10612891B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army · US

Inventors

• Ryan Decker · Lake Hopatcong, US
• Marco Duca · Hopatcong, US
• Shawn Spickert-Fulton · Morristown, US
• Kyle Schaarschmidt · Bangor, US
• Christopher Vesper · Belvidere, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 30, 2018
• Grant date: Apr 7, 2020
• Expiry date: Sep 29, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06T2207/30241
• WIPO field: Other special machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

The impact angle of a small caliber projectile is determined by accurately measuring the orientation angle of the projectile in flight and modeling epicyclical flight of the projectile. To measure the orientation angle, a projectile is fired along a trajectory within a test gantry. One or more sets of cameras captures images of the projectile in flight. The images are processed using computer vision to measure the position and orientation angle at each station. Calibration of the test equipment prior to the test firing of the projectile, allows for determination of these points in the 3d space of the test fixture. Aeroballistic models are fit to the orientation history. From these models, an impact angle is extrapolated.