Unmanned system maneuver controller systems and methods

Abstract

An unmanned system maneuver controller (USMC) includes an inertial navigation system (INS) for state estimation of the USMC in three-dimensional (3D) space, a communications device configured to communicate with an unmanned system, and a processor configured to receive, via the communications device, flight, maneuver, or dive data from the unmanned system, and generate flight, maneuver, or dive control instructions based at least on the flight, maneuver, or dive data and data received from the INS. The flight, maneuver, or dive control instructions are configured to pilot the unmanned system based on movement of the USMC in 3D space. A remote may selectively control an operation of the USMC. The USMC may be mounted to a weapon or observation device, such that movement of the weapon or observation device in 3D space controls a movement of the unmanned system. Additional systems and associated methods are also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An unmanned system maneuver controller (USMC) comprising:
 an inertial navigation system (INS) for state estimation of the USMC in three-dimensional (3D) space;   a communications device configured to communicate with an unmanned system; and   a processor configured to:
 receive, via the communications device, flight, maneuver, or dive data from the unmanned system, and 
 generate flight, maneuver, or dive control instructions based at least on the flight, maneuver, or dive data and data received from the INS, the flight, maneuver, or dive control instructions configured to pilot the unmanned system based on movement of the USMC in 3D space. 
   
     
     
         2 . The USMC of  claim 1 , wherein the INS comprises one or more accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers, GPS, and vision-based sensors to determine a position of the USMC in 3D space. 
     
     
         3 . The USMC of  claim 1 , wherein the USMC comprises a first mode in which the flight, maneuver, or dive control instructions are configured to pilot the unmanned system into an alignment with a current weapon orientation or multiple weapon orientations pointing at a common virtual point in space for sensor calibration and 3D alignment. 
     
     
         4 . The USMC of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the processor is further configured to detect a symbol or shape drawn on a surface or near the unmanned system by an infrared laser or frequency beam signal; and   the USMC comprises a second mode in which the flight, maneuver, or dive control instructions are configured to cause the unmanned system to perform operations based on the detected symbol or shape.   
     
     
         5 . The USMC of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the processor is further configured to identify an area of interest (AOI) based on a movement of a weapon to which the USMC is mounted; and   the USMC comprises a third mode in which the flight, maneuver, or dive control instructions are configured to pilot the unmanned system to the AOI.   
     
     
         6 . The USMC of  claim 1 , further comprising a remote operable to selectively control an operation of the USMC. 
     
     
         7 . A system comprising:
 the USMC of  claim 1 ; and   the unmanned system comprising an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the UAV comprising at least one of:
 a visual sensor, 
 a wind sensor, 
 an atmospheric sensor, 
 a microphone, 
 an artificial intelligence architecture, 
 a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) sensor, or 
 an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) sensor. 
   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 identify a location of interest (LOI) based on topographic data and sensor data; and   calculate a flight path for the UAV to the LOI.   
     
     
         9 . A system comprising:
 a weapon or observation device; and   the USMC of  claim 1 , the USMC mounted to the weapon or observation device, such that movement of the weapon or observation device in 3D space controls a movement of the unmanned system.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 identify a threat; and   calculate a vector from the weapon or observation device to the identified threat.   
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a processor, flight, maneuver, or dive data from an unmanned system via a communications device of an unmanned system maneuver controller (USMC); and   generating, by the processor, flight, maneuver, or dive control instructions based at least on the flight, maneuver, or dive data and data received from an inertial navigation system (INS) of the USMC, the flight, maneuver, or dive control instructions configured to pilot the unmanned system based on movement of the USMC in three-dimensional (3D) space.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the INS comprises one or more accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers, GPS, and vision-based sensors to determine a position of the USMC in 3D space. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the generating the flight, maneuver, or dive control instructions comprises generating a first set of flight, maneuver, or dive control instructions configured to pilot the unmanned system into an alignment with a current weapon orientation or multiple weapon orientations pointing at a common virtual point in space for sensor calibration and 3D alignment. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 detecting, by the processor, a symbol drawn on a surface or near the unmanned system by an infrared laser or frequency beam signal; and   wherein the generating the flight, maneuver, or dive control instructions comprises generating a second set of flight, maneuver, or dive control instructions configured to cause the unmanned system to perform operations based on the detected symbol.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 identifying, by the processor, an area of interest (AOI) based on a movement of a weapon or observation device to which the USMC is mounted; and   wherein the generating the flight, maneuver, or dive control instructions comprises generating a third set of flight, maneuver, or dive control instructions configured to pilot the unmanned system to the AOI.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising receiving, by the processor, an input from a remote operable to selectively control an operation of the USMC. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising receiving, by the processor, sensor data from at least one of:
 a visual sensor;   a wind sensor;   an atmospheric sensor;   a microphone;   an artificial intelligence architecture;   a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) sensor; or   an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) sensor.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 identifying, by the processor, a location of interest (LOI) based on topographic data and the sensor data; and   calculating, by the processor, a flight path for the unmanned system to the LOI, wherein the unmanned system comprises an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the USMC is mounted to a weapon or observation device, such that movement of the weapon or observation device in 3D space controls a movement of the unmanned system. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 identifying, by the processor, a threat; and   calculating, by the processor, a vector from the weapon or observation device to the identified threat.