Projectile and System for Providing Air-to-Surface Reconnaissance

Abstract

An aerial reconnaissance projectile, such as a mortar, is launched for viewing a battlefield scene. A reconnaissance section is released from the projectile and conveys back pictures of the battlefield scene taken by a camera and transmitted by radio to a ground position for viewing on a video screen. The reconnaissance section; may have an inertia measurement unit for determining its position over the battlefield scene. The projectile containing the reconnaissance equipment may be a convention mortar round or a rocket projectile. This aerial reconnaissance projectile is capable of carrying sensors for chemical, biological or nuclear activity on the surface area being traversed or intercepting radio signals from the ground and conveying this information by radio to a ground position with a radio receiver.

1 . An aerial reconnaissance projectile for viewing and transmitting images of a surface area from an aerial perspective which comprises:
 a. a projectile body for housing and conveying the reconnaissance equipment in the air to the surface area to be viewed, said body having a separable section capable of being separated from the projectile body, said body having means for separating the separable section from the projectile body at a controlled point in the aerial trajectory;   b. said separable section comprising reconnaissance equipment comprising a sensor for sensing images of the surface area, a radio transmitter for transmitting images viewed by the sensor on a selected radio frequency, an antennae for transmitting the images to a remote receiver, a power source for powering the reconnaissance equipment and means for activating the sensor at the desired point after separation of the separable section from the projectile body; and   said separable section having a parachute for regulating the descent of the section to the surface after separation.   
   
   
       2 . The aerial reconnaissance projectile of  claim 1 , in which the projectile is a tube launched mortar round. 
   
   
       3 . (canceled) 
   
   
       4 . The aerial reconnaissance projectile of  claim 1 , in which the parachute has vents to control the descent of the separable section after separation and a drogue to help deploy the parachute after separation of the separable section. 
   
   
       5 . The aerial reconnaissance projectile of  claim 1 , in which the projectile is a finned rocket. 
   
   
       6 . (canceled) 
   
   
       7 . The aerial reconnaissance projectile of  claim 1 , in which the reconnaissance equipment also comprises an inertia measurement unit for estimating the location of the reconnaissance equipment for conveying to the remote receiver. 
   
   
       8 . The aerial reconnaissance projectile of  claim 1 , in which the sensor is a camera. 
   
   
       9 . The aerial reconnaissance projectile of  claim 1 , in which the sensor is an infrared sensor. 
   
   
       10 . The aerial reconnaissance projectile of  claim 1 , in which the means to activate the sensor is a microprocessor which also controls the transmission of the images to the remote receiver. 
   
   
       11 . An aerial reconnaissance system for viewing images of a surface area from an aerial perspective at a remote location which comprises:
 a. a reconnaissance projectile for viewing and transmitting images of a surface area from an aerial perspective, said projectile having a projectile body for housing and conveying the reconnaissance equipment in the air to the surface area to be viewed, said body having a separable section capable of being separated from the projectile body, said body having means for separating the separable section from the projectile body at a controlled point in the aerial trajectory, said separable section comprising reconnaissance equipment comprising a sensor for sensing images of the surface area, a radio transmitter for transmitting images viewed by the sensor on a selected radio frequency, an antennae for transmitting the images to a remote receiver, a power source for powering the reconnaissance equipment and means for activating the sensor at the desired point after separation of the separable section from the projectile body, and said separable section having a parachute for regulating the descent of the section to the surface after separation; and   b. a remote radio receiving station comprising a radio receiver capable of receiving radio transmissions from the radio transmitter in the separable section, and having a viewing screen for viewing images received by the remote radio receiver and a power source for the radio receiver and viewing screen.   
   
   
       12 . The aerial reconnaissance system of  claim 11 , in which the remote radio receiving station also comprises a computer programmed to compute the trajectory of the projectile using an algorithm based upon the type of projectile and launch location, said computer being capable of directing the display on the viewing screen of both the trajectory of the projectile and the view of the surface transmitted from the sensor. 
   
   
       13 . The aerial reconnaissance system of claim of  claim 12 , in which the reconnaissance equipment also comprises an inertia measurement unit for estimating the location of the reconnaissance equipment for conveying to the remote radio receiving station and the computer in the remote radio receiving station is programmed to refine the computation of the trajectory of the projectile based upon the information received from the inertia measurement unit. 
   
   
       14 . The aerial reconnaissance system of  claim 13 , in which the projectile is a tube launched mortar round. 
   
   
       15 . An aerial reconnaissance tube launched shell for viewing and transmitting images of a surface area from an aerial perspective which comprises:
 a. said shell housing and conveying the reconnaissance equipment in the air to the surface area to be viewed, said shell having a separable section capable of separating from the shell, said shell having means for separating the separable section from the shell at a controlled point in the aerial trajectory;   b. said separable section comprising reconnaissance equipment comprising a sensor for sensing images of the surface area, a radio transmitter for transmitting images viewed by the sensor on a selected radio frequency, an antennae for transmitting the images to a remote receiver, a power source for powering the reconnaissance equipment and means for activating the sensor at the desired point after separation of the separable section from the projectile body; and said separable section having a parachute for regulating the descent of the section to the surface after separation.   
   
   
       16 . The aerial reconnaissance tube launched shell of  claim 15 , in which the means to activate the sensor is a microprocessor which also controls the transmission of the images to the remote receiver. 
   
   
       17 . An aerial reconnaissance system for viewing images of a surface area from an aerial perspective at a remote location which comprises:
 a. a reconnaissance tube launched shell for viewing and transmitting images of a surface area from an aerial perspective, said shell housing and conveying the reconnaissance equipment in the air to the surface area to be viewed, said shell having a separable section capable of being separated from the shell, said shell having means for separating the separable section from the shell at a controlled point in the aerial trajectory, said separable section comprising reconnaissance equipment having a sensor for sensing images of the surface area, a radio transmitter for transmitting the images viewed by the sensor on a selected radio frequency, an antennae for transmitting the images to a remote receiver, a power source for powering the reconnaissance equipment and means for activating the reconnaissance equipment at the desired point after separation of the separable section from the projectile body, and said separable section having a parachute for regulating the descent of the section to the surface after separation; and   b. a remote radio receiving station comprising a radio receiver capable of receiving radio transmissions from the radio transmitter in the separable section, said receiver connected to a viewing screen for viewing images received by the remote radio receiver and a power source for the radio receiver and viewing screen.   
   
   
       18 . The aerial reconnaissance system of  claim 17  in which the means to activate the sensor in the reconnaissance equipment is a microprocessor which also controls the transmission of the images to the remote receiver. 
   
   
       19 . (canceled) 
   
   
       20 . The aerial reconnaissance system of  claim 18 , in which the remote radio receiving station also comprises a computer programmed to compute the trajectory of the projectile using an algorithm based upon the type of projectile and launch location, said computer being capable of directing the display on the viewing screen of both the trajectory of the projectile and the view of the surface transmitted from the sensor. 
   
   
       21 . The aerial reconnaissance system of  claim 20 , in which the reconnaissance equipment also comprises an inertia measurement unit for estimating the location of the reconnaissance equipment for conveying to the remote radio receiving station and the computer in the remote radio receiving station is programmed to refine the computation of the trajectory of the projectile based upon the information received from the inertia measurement unit. 
   
   
       22 . (canceled) 
   
   
       23 . A method of conducting unmanned aerial reconnaissance of a surface area comprising:
 a. launching a aerial reconnaissance shell from a tube over the surface area to be viewed, said shell housing and conveying the reconnaissance equipment in the air over the surface area, said reconnaissance shell having a separable section capable of separating from the shell, said shell having means for separating the separable section from the shell at a controlled point in the aerial trajectory, and separating said separable section from the shell at the desired point over the surface area to be viewed, said separable section comprising reconnaissance equipment having a sensor for viewing images of the surface area, a radio transmitter for transmitting images viewed by the sensor on a selected radio frequency, an antennae for transmitting the images to a remote receiver, a power source for powering the reconnaissance equipment and means for activating the reconnaissance equipment, and activating said reconnaissance equipment at the desired point so that images of the surface area are conveyed from the sensor to the radio transmitter and transmitted, said separable section having a parachute for regulating the descent of the section to the surface after separation, and activating said means after separation of the separable section to control its descent; and   b. a remote radio receiver capable of receiving radio transmissions from the radio transmitter in the separable section, said receiver connected to a viewing screen for viewing images received by the remote radio receiver and a power source for the radio receiver and viewing screen, and said images being transmitted from the sensor in the separable unit and conveyed to the remote radio receiver and displayed on the screen.   
   
   
       24 . A method of conducting unmanned aerial reconnaissance of a surface area under conditions of poor visibility comprising:
 a. first launching an illumination shell from a tube on a trajectory course over the surface area to be viewed, said shell having means to illuminate the surface area, and activating the illumination over the surface area to be viewed;   b. launching an aerial reconnaissance shell from a tube over the surface area to be viewed so that the reconnaissance shell is over the area to be viewed within the period of illumination by the illumination shell, said shell housing and conveying the reconnaissance equipment in the air over the surface area, said reconnaissance shell having a separable section capable of separating from the shell, said shell having means for separating the separable section from the shell at a controlled point in the aerial trajectory, and separating said separable section from the shell at the desired point over the surface area to be viewed, said separable section comprising reconnaissance equipment having a camera for viewing images of the surface area, a radio transmitter for transmitting images viewed by the camera on a selected radio frequency, an antennae for transmitting the images to a remote receiver, a power source for powering the reconnaissance equipment and means for activating the reconnaissance equipment, and activating said reconnaissance equipment at the desired point so that images of the surface area are conveyed from the camera to the radio transmitter and transmitted, said separable section having a parachute for regulating the descent of the section to the surface after separation, and activating said means after separation of the separable section to control its descent; and   c. a remote radio receiver capable of receiving radio transmissions from the radio transmitter in the separable section, said receiver connected to a viewing screen for viewing images received by the remote radio receiver and a power source for the radio receiver and viewing screen, and said images being transmitted from the sensor in the separable unit and conveyed to the remote radio receiver and displayed on the screen.   
   
   
       25 .- 27 . (canceled)