Aerial Survey (Patent No: 855422)

Inventor: Jason, George

Location: Calgary

Comments: N/A

Description: The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A hovering sighting target adapted to aid in the survey location of a predetermined point therebeneath, said target comprising a helicopter, means mounted on said helicopter enabling the pilot thereof to view the terrain beneath the helicopter when it is airborne, and a hover sight capable of indicating when the helicopter is positioned vertically over said point whose location it is desired to fix by survey, said hover sight including a laser capable of projecting a laser beam directed vertically between the helicopter and said point.

2. A hovering sighting target adapted to aid in the survey location of a predetermined point therebeneath, said target comprising a helicopter, a closed-circuit television system including a camera and a viewing console both mounted on said helicopter, the camera of said television system being directed to scan the terrain beneath the helicopter when it is airborne and the viewing console of said television system being positioned such that it can be seen by the pilot of the helicopter, and a hover sight capable of indicating when the helicopter is positioned vertically over said point whose location it is desired to fix by survey, said hover sight including a laser capable of projecting a laser beam directed vertically between the helicopter and said point.

3. A hovering sighting target as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said laser is mounted on said helicopter so as to project the laser beam vertically downward onto the terrain such that its position relative to said point can be observed.

4. A hovering sighting target as claimed in Claim 2 wherein said laser is mounted on said helicopter so as to project the laser beam vertically downward onto the terrain such that its position relative to said point can be observed.

5. A hovering sighting target. as defined in Claim 1 wherein said laser is positioned over said point in such a manner as to project the laser beam vertically upward from said point, and including a laser beam detector mounted on said helicopter capable of indicating when the helicopter is positioned over said point.

6. A hovering sighting target as defined in Claim 2 wherein said laser is positioned over said point in such a manner as to project the laser beam vertically upward from said point, and including a laser beam detector mounted on said helicopter capable of indicating when the helicopter is positioned over said point.

7. A hovering sighting target as defined in Claim 2, 4 or 6 wherein said television camera is mounted on said helicopter such that it can maintain an attitude substantially vertical to the earth when the helicopter is airborne and manoeuvring above said point.

8. A hovering sighting target as defined in Claim 4 wherein said television camera is mounted on said helicopter such that it can maintain an attitude substantially vertical to the earth when the helicopter is airborne and manoeuvring above said point and wherein said laser is mounted on said television camera.

9. A hovering sighting target as defined in Claim 6 wherein said television camera is mounted on said helicopter such that it can maintain an attitude substantially vertical to the earth when the helicopter is airborne and manoeuvring above said point, and wherein said laser beam detector is mounted on said television camera.

10. A hovering sighting target as defined in Claim 2, 4 or 5 further including a height measuring device associated with said helicopter capable of accurately determining the distance between the hovering helicopter and said point.

11. A hovering sighting target as defined in Claim 6, 8 or 9 further including a height measuring device associated with said helicopter capable of accurately determining the distance between the hovering helicopter and said point.

12. A hovering sighting target as defined in Claim 2, 4 or 5 further including horizontal distance measuring equipment associated with said helicopter.

13. A hovering sighting target as defined in Claim 6, 8 or 9 further including horizontal distance measuring equipment associated with said helicopter.

14. A hovering sighting target as defined in Claim 2, 4 or 5 including horizontal distance measuring equipment associated with said helicopter and further including a height measuring device associated with said helicopter capable of accurately determining the distance between the hovering helicopter and said point.

15. A hovering sighting target as defined in Claim 6, 8 or 9 including horizontal distance measuring equipment associated with said helicopter and further including a height measuring device associated with said helicopter capable of accurately determining the distance between the hovering helicopter and said point.

16. A hovering sighting target as defined in Claim 5, 6 or 9 wherein said laser beam detector is capable of activating preselected mechanisms associated with said helicopter upon detection of the laser beam projected vertically upward from beneath the helicopter.

17. A hovering sighting target as defined in Claim 5, 6 or 9 including horizontal distance measuring equipment associated with said helicopter, and wherein said laser beam detector is adapted to activate said horizontal distance measuring equipment upon detection of the laser beam projected vertically upward from beneath the helicopter.

18. A hovering sighting target as defined in Claim 5, 6 or 9 wherein said laser beam detector comprises two detection cells, each cell being capable of activating preselected mechanisms associated with said helicopter upon detection of the laser beam projected vertically upward from beneath the helicopter.

19. A hovering sighting target as defined in Claim 5, 6 or 9 wherein said laser beam detector comprises plural detection cells, at least one of said cells being so mounted on said helicopter that upon sensing impingement of said laser beam thereon it is capable of indicating that the helicopter is positioned accurately over said point, at least another of said cells being so mounted on said helicopter that upon sensing impingement of said laser beam thereon it is capable of indicating that the helicopter is not positioned accurately over said point.

20. A hovering sighting target as defined in Claim 5, 6 or 9 including horizontal distance measuring equipment associated with said helicopter, and wherein said laser beam detector comprises plural detection cells, a first of said cells being adapted to initiate operation of said horizontal distance measuring equipment, another of said cells being adapted to discontinue operation of said horizontal distance measuring equipment.

21. A hovering sighting target as defined in Claim 5, 6 or 9 including horizontal distance measuring equipment associated with said helicopter, a height measuring device associated with said helicopter capable of accurately determining the distance between the hovering helicopter and said point, and wherein said laser beam detector comprises plural detection cells, a first of said cells being adapted to initiate operation of said horizontal distance measuring equipment, another of said cells being adapted to discontinue operation of said horizontal distance measuring equipment, and said first cell is adapted to initiate operation of said height measuring device.

22. A hovering sighting target as defined in Claim 5, 6 or 9 wherein said laser beam detector comprises two concentric rows of detection cells, the inner row of said detection cells upon impingement of said laser beam thereon being capable of indicating that the helicopter is positioned accurately over said point, the outer row of said detection cells upon impingement of said laser beam thereon being capable of indicating that the helicopter is not positioned accurately over said point.

23. A method of surveying the location of a predetermined point which comprises the steps of; providing a helicopter hovering generally above said point, projecting a laser beam vertically between said helicopter and said point, positioning said helicopter accurately aver said point by reference to said laser beam, and taking survey measurements when said helicopter is accurately positioned aver said point.

24. A method as defined in Claim 23 wherein said laser beam is projected vertically downward from said helicopter, and said helicopter is positioned accurately aver said point by observation of the location of said beam relative to said point.

25. A method of surveying the location of a predetermined point which comprises the steps of; providing a helicopter equipped with a laser beam detector on the underside thereof hovering generally above said point, projecting a laser beam vertically upward from a laser located directly over said point, detecting when said helicopter is positioned accurately over said point by reference to said laser beam detector, and taking survey measurements when said helicopter is accurately positioned over said point.

26. A method as defined in Claim 24 or 25 wherein said -helicopter is positioned over said point with the aid of a closed-circuit television system mounted thereon.

27. A method as defined in Claim 25 wherein said last step comprises initiating the operation of distance measuring equipment associated with said helicopter in response to a signal generated by said detector indicating that the helicopter is accurately positioned over said point.

28. A method as defined in Claim 25 wherein said last step comprises automatically initiating and terminating the operation of distance measuring equipment associated with said helicopter in response to signals generated by said laser beam detector indicating the position of said helicopter over said point.