US 7,543,780 B1
Unmanned air vehicle transmission line docking surveillance
Patrick T. Marshall, Tipp City, Ohio (US); Douglas M. Abner, Yellow Springs, Ohio (US); and Robert Williams, Riverside, Ohio (US)
Assigned to The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C. (US)
Filed on Jan. 13, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/344,631.
Application 11/344631 is a continuation in part of application No. 11/169260, filed on Jun. 24, 2005, granted, now 7,318,564.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/617798, filed on Oct. 04, 2004.
Int. Cl. G05D 1/00 (2006.01); B64C 13/20 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 244—194  [244/190; 244/175; 244/110 G; 701/3] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
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 apparatus; and
a programmable electronic computer apparatus energized by said rechargeable electrical battery and having electrical output signals controlling said closable magnetic circuit, said flight surface control apparatus, and said electrical propulsion apparatus;
said programmable electronic computer apparatus including a transmission line catenary shape detection algorithm responsive to signals generated in said electric and magnetic field sensing elements and an unmanned air vehicle guidance algorithm responsive to said vehicle approaching a selected docking location along a vehicle encountered transmission line catenary curve; and said small unmanned air vehicle is configured to dock and recharge while docked on a transmission line.