US 11,940,251 B2
Remotely controllable aeronautical ordnance
Jeffrey Hill, Davenport, FL (US)
Assigned to Overwerx Ltd., Wolverhampton (GB)
Filed by Overwerx Ltd, Wolverhampton (GB)
Filed on Jul. 19, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/378,765.
Application 17/378,765 is a continuation of application No. 16/153,696, filed on Oct. 5, 2018, granted, now 11,067,374.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/726,976, filed on Sep. 4, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/568,518, filed on Oct. 5, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2022/0163304 A1, May 26, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F42B 10/14 (2006.01); F42B 10/38 (2006.01); F42B 12/02 (2006.01); F42B 15/01 (2006.01); F42B 15/10 (2006.01); F42C 1/00 (2006.01); F42C 13/04 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01); H04N 7/18 (2006.01)
CPC F42B 10/14 (2013.01) [F42B 10/38 (2013.01); F42B 12/02 (2013.01); F42B 15/01 (2013.01); F42B 15/10 (2013.01); F42C 1/00 (2013.01); F42C 13/047 (2013.01); G05D 1/0022 (2013.01); G05D 1/0038 (2013.01); H04N 7/185 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An aeronautical ordnance for vertical take-off and flight above a ground plane, comprising:
a tubular shaped body having first and second opposing end portions and an explosive component positioned therein;
a plurality of blades connected to the body at or near the first end portion for rotation about the body under powered operation to impart thrust and bring the ordnance to a first altitude above a target position;
a motor positioned within the tubular shaped body, connected to selectively provide the powered operation to impart the thrust and thereby provide propulsive lift to the ordnance via the blade rotation;
an imaging device mounted along the second end portion to generate frames of image data representative of a view of a ground plane while the ordnance is airborne;
first receiver circuitry configured to receive radio frequency (rf) control signals and coupled to effect operation of other components of the ordnance in response to the received signals; and
rf video transmission circuitry coupled to receive the frames of image data and transmit rf signals comprising a stream of the image data, wherein, when the ordnance is airborne above a ground plane:
(i) the blades are positioned above the motor and are connected to the motor via a shaft for rotation about a central axis, and
(ii) the imaging device can generate frames of image data representative of a view of a portion of the ground plane directly below the ordnance, and
after the powered operation is initiated to impart the propulsive lift to the ordnance, frames of image data, representative of a view of a portion of the ground plane vertically below the ordnance, can be generated based on image data acquired with the imaging device positioned on the ordnance, and one or more first control signals can be sent from a remote control device to navigate movement of the ordnance to an airborne position above the target position; and
with the ordnance in an airborne position above the target position, one or more second control signals can be sent from the remote-control device to cause the ordnance to descend toward the target position and detonate the explosive component.