US 12,243,432 B2
Drone optical guidance system
Avishai Guetta, Rehovot (IL); Doron Shoham, Rehovot (IL); Yehezkel Shalom, Sha'alvim (IL); Michael Yagudaev, Beit Hashmonai (IL); and Dekel Solomon, Holon (IL)
Assigned to SHILAT OPTRONICS LTD., Rehovot (IL)
Appl. No. 17/413,554
Filed by Shilat Optronics Ltd., Rehovot (IL)
PCT Filed Dec. 17, 2019, PCT No. PCT/IL2019/051378
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 13, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/129057, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 25, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 263768 (IL), filed on Dec. 17, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0013020 A1, Jan. 13, 2022
Int. Cl. G08G 5/00 (2006.01); B64D 47/04 (2006.01); B64F 1/20 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2024.01); B64U 10/14 (2023.01); B64U 101/31 (2023.01)
CPC G08G 5/0069 (2013.01) [B64D 47/04 (2013.01); B64F 1/20 (2013.01); G05D 1/12 (2013.01); B64U 10/14 (2023.01); B64U 2101/31 (2023.01); B64U 2201/20 (2023.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A guidance system adapted to optically guide a drone towards a target, the guidance system comprising:
an optical emitter, for sending encoded optical control signals towards the drone;
a detection system, for receiving optical information relating to the angular position and range of the drone relative to the detection system axis; and
an orientation positioning system, adapted to determine the azimuthal bearing and angular elevation of the detection system axis,
the drone comprising:
an optical emitter, for sending encoded optical information signals for detection by the guidance system, such that the angular position of the drone can be identified by the guidance system;
a detector, for detecting the encoded optical control signals from the optical emitter of the guidance system; and
a flight controller for controlling the drone's flight path, the flight controller adapted to receive the optical control signals from the detector on the drone, such that the drone is guided towards the target.