An aerial observation system comprising a tethered aerial platform 1 and a plurality of ground-based monitoring devices. The aerial platform carries a payload comprising a plurality of fixed focal length cameras 4 and a communication means 5, 6 for transmitting image data captured by the cameras independently to each of the ground-based monitoring devices. Each ground-based device is independently operable to select and display an area of interest from the image data. Preferably each ground-based device performs a digital pan-tilt-zoom operation on the camera image, allowing the airborne cameras to be lighter and cheaper than ones with a physically controllable field of view. Moreover, multiple users are able to independently access different fields of view simultaneously. Preferably, the cameras 4 provide a combined 360 degree view. A telemetry unit may transmit position and heading data relating to the cameras. The aerial platform may be a tethered balloon or a kite 3 stabilised balloon 2 such as a kytoon. In further independent claims, the aerial platform is a kytoon with a payload having centre of gravity underneath or behind the aerostatic lift of the kytoon. The kite part may have a keel onto which the payload is connected. The kytoon may have pockets to house mounting plates for the cameras.
Tethered aerial platform and aerial observation system
06.01.2016
Patent
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch
TETHERED AERIAL PLATFORM AND AERIAL OBSERVATION SYSTEM
Europäisches Patentamt | 2015
|Control of a tethered aerial platform for acquiring aerial images
Tema Archiv | 2004
|