초록 ▼

The recoverable airborne instrument platform accurately determines its present position and uses this data to execute a predetermined flight plan and ultimately guide its descent to a predetermined landing site. This is accomplished by installing the instrument package payload in the aerodynamic ext

The recoverable airborne instrument platform accurately determines its present position and uses this data to execute a predetermined flight plan and ultimately guide its descent to a predetermined landing site. This is accomplished by installing the instrument package payload in the aerodynamic exterior housing of the recoverable airborne instrument platform, which has a plurality of moveable control surfaces thereon to autonomously control the altitude, attitude and flight path of the recoverable airborne instrument platform. A navigation circuit contained within the aerodynamic housing determines the geographic location of the recoverable airborne instrument platform as well as the location of at least one predetermined recovery site. The determined position data is used to dynamically calculate a flight path which allows the guidance control circuit to both execute a predetermined flight plan and controllably descend the recoverable instrument platform to a selected predetermined recovery site. Upon arrival at the selected predetermined recovery site, the recoverable airborne instrument platform descends to a predetermined height over the selected predetermined recovery site and activates a parachute release mechanism to controllably descend to the selected predetermined recovery site.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed:] [1.] A recoverable airborne instrument platform that contains an instrument package and returns to a ground level landing site in a self-guided manner comprising:an aerodynamically shaped exterior housing that encloses said instrument package, including a plurality of moveable co

[ What is claimed:] [1.] A recoverable airborne instrument platform that contains an instrument package and returns to a ground level landing site in a self-guided manner comprising:an aerodynamically shaped exterior housing that encloses said instrument package, including a plurality of moveable control surfaces to steer and control the airspeed of said recoverable airborne instrument platform;a wing removably attached to said aerodynamically shaped exterior housing for controlling at least one of the flight characteristics of said recoverable airborne instrument platform from the class of flight characteristics including: lift to drag ratio, range of operations and instrument payloads;means for determining a geographic position of said recoverable airborne instrument platform;means for storing data indicative of the geographic position of at least one landing site;means, responsive to said stored data and said determined geographic position, for computing a flight path for said recoverable airborne instrument platform from said determined geographic position to said landing site; andmeans, responsive to said computed flight path, for operating said moveable control surfaces to guide said recoverable airborne instrument platform along said flight path.