Rapid assembly aircraft for ground surveillance
US5035382A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 17, 1989 |
| Grant date | Jul 30, 1991 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 17, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB64U2201/202
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A terrain surveillance, powered aircraft is disclosed to have an on-board video camera that is not gimballed relative to the aircraft, the aircraft typically comprising multiple components; the method of the invention including: assembling the components into aircraft configuration at or near a launch site; launching the aircraft at that site with no human pilot on board same; remotely controlling the flight path of the aircraft by radio or cable link, to fly to a location for terrain surveillance; operating the on-board video camera to survey the terrain while varying yaw of the aircraft to provide sweep viewing of the terrain; and recovering the aircraft by controlling its flight to steeply descend to a landing zone.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.