초록 ▼

A method of using LIDAR on an airborne vehicle is described. A beam of radiation is transmitted to target areas at least one of above, below, and in front of the airborne vehicle, the target areas including particles or objects. Scattered radiation is received from the target areas. Respective chara

A method of using LIDAR on an airborne vehicle is described. A beam of radiation is transmitted to target areas at least one of above, below, and in front of the airborne vehicle, the target areas including particles or objects. Scattered radiation is received from the target areas. Respective characteristics of the scattered radiation are determined. An air turbulence factor or characteristics are determined from the respective characteristics. The airborne vehicle is controlled based on the air turbulence factor, such that turbulence experienced by the airborne vehicle is minimized. Alternatively, the airborne vehicle is controlled based on the characteristics to avoid colliding with the one or more objects. In another example, the airborne vehicle is controlled based on the characteristics to reduce headwind or increase tailwind, and substantially reduce a carbon footprint of the aircraft.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of using a LIDAR device for maximizing groundspeed of an airborne vehicle encountering turbulence, comprising: transmitting radiation to one or more target areas comprising at least one of above, below, and in front of the airborne vehicle, wherein the target areas comprise at least one

1. A method of using a LIDAR device for maximizing groundspeed of an airborne vehicle encountering turbulence, comprising: transmitting radiation to one or more target areas comprising at least one of above, below, and in front of the airborne vehicle, wherein the target areas comprise at least one of one or more particles or one or more objects;receiving scattered radiation from the target areas;determining wind speed characteristics of said at least one location above, below and in front of the airborne vehicle from the scattered radiation;determining an air turbulence factor from said wind speed characteristics for operating the airborne vehicle to minimize headwinds and maximize tailwinds when encountering turbulence. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling the airborne vehicle based on the air turbulence factor. 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising adjusting at least one of a trajectory and an altitude of the airborne vehicle. 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining a distance to the one or more objects and controlling the airborne vehicle based on the distance to avoid colliding with the one or more objects. 5. The method of claim 4, further comprising adjusting at least one of a trajectory and an altitude of the airborne vehicle. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of determining wind speed characteristics comprises determining a wind velocity at multiple points along an axis of a beam of radiation. 7. The method of claim 4, further comprising generating an output indication signal that is used to alert a pilot of the airborne vehicle with information regarding said air turbulence factor or the distance to the one or more objects. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the output indication signal provides the pilot with instructions comprising a flight path to reduce turbulence and or avoid collision with the one or more objects. 9. A method of using a LIDAR device for maximizing groundspeed of an airborne vehicle encountering turbulence, comprising: transmitting radiation above and below an airborne vehicle;receiving scattered radiation from above and below the airborne vehicle;determining respective wind speed characteristics of the scattered radiation;determining an air turbulence factor based on the respective wind speed characteristics; andcontrolling the airborne vehicle based on the respective wind speed characteristics, such that at least one of headwind is reduced, tailwind is increased, travel time is reduced, and a carbon footprint of the airborne vehicle is substantially reduced as the airborne vehicle passes through said turbulence. 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising adjusting at least one of a trajectory and an altitude of the airborne vehicle. 11. The method of claim 9, wherein determining respective wind speed characteristics comprises determining a wind velocity at multiple points along an axis of a beam of radiation. 12. The method of claim 9, further comprising generating an output indication signal that is used to provide a pilot of the airborne vehicle with information regarding the respective wind speed characteristics. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the output indication signal provides the pilot with instructions comprising a flight path to at least one of reduce headwind, increase tailwind, reduce travel time, and substantially reduce the carbon footprint of the airborne vehicle. 14. A method of using a LIDAR device, comprising: transmitting radiation directly above and directly below an airborne vehicle;receiving scattered radiation from directly above and directly below the airborne vehicle;determining respective wind speed characteristics of the scattered radiation;determining an air turbulence factor based on the respective wind speed characteristics; andanalyzing the respective wind speed characteristics to determine one or more parameters related to at least one of weather tracking and distributed weather mapping. 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising storing the respective wind speed characteristics. 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising updating previously stored wind-related historical data with the respective wind speed characteristics. 17. The method of claim 15, further comprising cataloging the respective characteristics based on at least one of wind speed, temperature, and time. 18. The method of claim 14, wherein determining respective wind speed characteristics comprises determining a wind velocity at multiple points along an axis of a beam of radiation. 19. A LIDAR device coupled to an airborne vehicle for maximizing groundspeed of an airborne vehicle encountering turbulence, the device comprising: a source configured to produce a beam;a modulator configured to receive the beam and to produce a modulated beam;one or more transceivers configured to: receive the modulated beam via a corresponding one or more optical fibers chosen from a first plurality of optical fibers,transmit the modulated beam to one or more target regions, the target regions comprising above, below, and in front of the airborne vehicle, andreceive one or more scattered beams from the target regions;an optical mixer coupled to the one or more transceivers via a corresponding one or more optical fibers chosen from a second plurality of optical fibers, and coupled to the source via one or more optical fibers chosen from a third plurality of optical fibers, the optical mixer configured to: receive the one or more scattered beams from the corresponding one or more transceivers,receive one or more reference beams from the source, anddetermine, for each of the one or more transceivers, corresponding respective wind speed characteristics, comprising one or more Doppler shifts, based on the respective one or more reference beams and the one or more scattered beams; and a controller configured to: determine an air turbulence factor based on the respective wind speed characteristics, comprising one or more Doppler shifts; and control the airborne vehicle based on the respective wind speed characteristics, comprising one or more Doppler shifts for operating the airborne vehicle to minimize headwinds and maximize tailwinds when encountering turbulence. 20. The LIDAR device of claim 19, wherein the source is configured to produce a coherent radiation beam of a single frequency. 21. The LIDAR device of claim 19, wherein the source is configured to produce coherent radiation comprising n frequencies, wherein n is an integer greater than 1. 22. The LIDAR device of claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to control the airborne vehicle via a closed loop control system. 23. The LIDAR device of claim 19, further comprising a database configured to store the one or more respective wind speed characteristics comprising one or more Doppler shifts.