Rapidly Expandable Anti-Drone Mesh System and Method

This Application is a conversion Application of, claims priority to, and incorporates by reference herein the entirety of the disclosures of:

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of counter-drone technology. This disclosure relates generally to a rapidly expandable anti-drone mesh system and method.

Coup cages and armory structures are typically static defenses that provide limited mobility and flexibility in responding to dynamic threats. These structures may be made of heavy materials such as steel or concrete and are designed to provide robust protection against incoming projectiles. However, their solidity and immovability may create physical barriers that can obstruct the movement of military vehicles, personnel, and equipment, limiting their ability to maneuver freely within a protected area.

Coup cages and armory structures are typically installed in fixed locations around critical assets or infrastructure to provide continuous protection against threats. However, this fixed placement can constrain the flexibility and adaptability of military units operating within the protected area, limiting their ability to respond rapidly to changing tactical situations or threats from multiple directions. Structures must be positioned on stable ground and may be unsuitable for deployment in rugged or uneven terrain, limiting the areas where military forces can operate effectively within the protected perimeter.

As a result, they may be ill-suited for protecting mobile assets such as military vehicles or Personnel operating in diverse and unpredictable environments where drone attacks can occur.

Disclosed are a method, system, and apparatus of a rapidly expandable anti-drone mesh system and method.

In one aspect, a system includes a protected asset, an armored mesh on the protected asset, a sensor system to detect a hostile drone to imminently collide with the protected asset in an impact zone, and a responsive mechanism of the protected asset to cause a high-pressure gas to rapidly expand the armored mesh in the impact zone of the protected asset when the sensor system detects the hostile drone to imminently collide with the protected asset in the impact zone. The protected asset may be a building, a vehicle, a wearer of a tactical gear, a civilian, a soldier, a boat, a tank, a weaponry, an airplane and/or an infrastructure. The armored mesh preserves the protected asset by causing the hostile drone to impact the armored mesh instead of directly the protected asset.

The drone may be a loitering munition. The protected is communicatively coupled with a personal protective equipment includes a responsive device integrated in a tactical gear to haptically notify a wearer of the tactical gear when the sensor system detects the hostile drone to imminently collide with the protected asset in the impact zone.

The armored mesh may be crafted from an ultra-strong, blast-resistant fabric capable of withstanding explosive forces and/or shrapnel. incorporating a web-like internal structure to catch and/or neutralize a smaller projectile and/or a fragment. The armored mesh may be deployed within milliseconds, creating an instantaneous barrier against an incoming attack. The system may disperse a counter-measure comprising a net and/or an electromagnetic pulse to further disable or destroy the hostile drone. After deployment and/or threat neutralization, the armored mesh may quickly deflate and/or prepare for a subsequent activation. The armored mesh may be made of a Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) with high strength-to-density ratio of yield strengths as high as 2.4 GPa (350.000 psi) and/or density as low as 0.97 g/cm (0.087 oz/in).

The armored mesh may include graphene integrated into a fabric of the armored mesh to enhance a blast resistance for the protected asset by distributing a force of a blast of the hostile drone across a wider area within the impact zone and/or thereby reducing the impact at any single point. The armored mesh may be an intricate webbing made from a high-tensile material comprising a carbon nanotube and/or an advanced metallic alloy specifically designed to catch and/or neutralize a smaller projectile that might penetrate an outer layer of the armored mesh. The armored mesh may deform upon impact. absorbing energy and/or preventing the hostile drone from causing further damage. The high-pressure gas may be stored in a compact canister filled with an inert gas comprising any one of a helium and/or a nitrogen to reduce a risk of combustion upon deployment. according to one embodiment.

In another aspect, a method includes detecting a hostile drone to imminently collide with a protected asset in an impact zone, and causing a high-pressure gas to rapidly expand an armored mesh in the impact zone of the protected asset when a sensor system detects the hostile drone to imminently collide with the protected asset in the impact zone. The method may haptically notify a wearer of a tactical gear when the sensor system detects the hostile drone to imminently collide with the protected asset in the impact zone. The armored mesh may be designed from an ultra-strong, blast-resistant fabric capable of withstanding explosive forces and/or shrapnel. incorporating a web-like internal structure to catch and/or neutralize a smaller projectile and/or a fragment. The armored mesh may be deployed within milliseconds, creating an instantaneous barrier against an incoming attack. A counter-measure may be dispersed a net and/or an electromagnetic pulse to further disable or destroy the hostile drone.

In yet another aspect, system includes a sensor system to detect a hostile drone to imminently collide with a protected asset in an impact zone, and a responsive mechanism of the protected asset to cause a high-pressure gas to rapidly expand an armored mesh in the impact zone of the protected asset when the sensor system detects the hostile drone to imminently collide with the protected asset in the impact zone. The protected asset may be communicatively coupled with a personal protective equipment. A responsive device integrated in a tactical gear haptically notifies a wearer of the tactical gear when the sensor system detects the hostile drone to imminently collide with the protected asset in the impact zone.

The methods and systems disclosed herein may be implemented in any means for achieving various aspects, and may be executed in a form of a non-transitory machine-readable medium embodying a set of instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform any of the operations disclosed herein. Other features will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and the detailed description that follows.

Other features of the present embodiments will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows.

Disclosed are a method, system, and apparatus of a rapidly expandable anti-drone mesh system and method. The GovGPT™ Pufferfish is an innovative armored mesh system designed for safeguarding protected assets such as military vehicles, infrastructure, and a person by providing dynamic protection against aerial threats such as drones or loitering munitions. This advanced defensive mechanism is named for its rapid deployment capability, resembling a pufferfish's ability to quickly expand in the face of threats, according to one embodiment.

Equipped with cutting-edge sensors, the GovGPT™ Pufferfish system detects incoming threats from above. Upon detection, it activates a series of armored mesh systemmounted on the vehicle's (e.g., armored carrier) exterior, specifically the roof and potentially vulnerable areas, according to one embodiment.

The armored meshmay be crafted from ultra-strong, blast-resistant fabrics capable of withstanding explosive forces and shrapnel, incorporating a web-like internal structure to catch and neutralize smaller projectiles and fragments, according to one embodiment. Emulating the rapid inflation of a pufferfish, this armored mesh systemdeploys within milliseconds, creating an instantaneous barrier against incoming attacks. Beyond merely blocking threats, the inflated armored meshmay disperse countermeasures, including nets or electromagnetic pulses, to further disable or destroy the incoming hostile dronesor munitions (e.g. imminent drone attack), according to one embodiment.

Unlike static armor, the GovGPT™ Pufferfish system (e.g., armored mesh system) may offer comprehensive protection that activates only when needed, preserving the vehicle's (e.g., armored carrier's) speed and maneuverability until deployment, according to one embodiment. After deployment and threat neutralization, the armored mesh systemquickly deflates and prepares for subsequent activations, ensuring continuous protection, according to one embodiment. This armored mesh systemcomplements existing defense mechanisms, such as active protection systems (APS), by providing an additional layer of defense against threats that might bypass traditional countermeasures, according to one embodiment.

The sensor system may employ a variety of sensors such as a radar, a radio frequency (RF) scanner, an acoustic sensor, and/or an optical camera to detect a presence of a hostile drone in the imminent drone attack. A hostile drone may be part of a drone swarm in the imminent drone attack. A drone detection artificial intelligence model of the personal protective equipment and/or a command center may analyze data from the sensor system to differentiate a hostile drone from another object (e.g., a bird and/or a plane) based on their size, speed, flight pattern, visual characteristic, and/or an acoustical characteristic. A drone detection artificial intelligence model of the personal protective equipment and/or a command center may classify and/or identify a drone type, a model, and/or a potentially of its payload of a hostile drone in the imminent drone attack by comparing sensor data against databases of known drone signatures to assess a level of threat and/or to decide on an appropriate response.

The methods and systems disclosed herein may be implemented in any means for achieving various aspects, and may be executed in a form of a non-transitory machine-readable medium embodying a set of instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform any of the operations disclosed herein. Other features will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and the detailed description that follows.

is a system view of a person wearing a tactical gearhaving a drone control apparatusto operate a drone systemthat is networked (e.g., through network) with the tactical gearand a responsive deviceon the tactical gearto notify when an ambient threatis detected using computer vision-based artificial intelligence (e.g., using the compute module) by an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”)of the drone system, according to one embodiment.

The tactical gearmay be any wearable torso covering apparel designed for military and/or law enforcement purposes to enhance the efficiency, safety, and capability of the wearerduring operations, such as a tactical vest or a tactical carrier. Tactical gear, encompassing tactical vests, inner vests, and carriers, may include a wide range of equipment designed for military, law enforcement, and security personnel, and for civilian use in certain contexts like hunting, shooting sports, and outdoor activities. Tactical vest embodiments of tactical gearmay be designed to carry essential gear and provide quick access to ammunition, communications devices, and medical kits, and may have multiple pockets and pouches for organization, according to one embodiment. Tactical carrier embodiments of tactical gearmay be plate carriers specifically designed to hold ballistic armor plates for protection against bullets and shrapnel, and may also carry additional gear, according to one embodiment. Tactical gearmay also include body armor including stab-proof vests, bulletproof vests and/or other garments (worn inside a uniform or outside a uniform) designed to protect against ballistic and/or sharp object threats. In one embodiment, tactical gearmay include ghillie suits and camo netting for blending into the environment during surveillance and/or hunting. In an alternative embodiment, the tactical gearmay not have ballistic, stab-proof, or bullet proof protection, but may be a simple garment having the various haptic and visual sensors (e.g., array of visual sensors, array of haptic sensors) described herein, according to one embodiment.

The visual sensormay be a device integrated into a tactical gearcapable of detecting ambient threatsthrough visual inputs, functioning in various lighting conditions to enhance the wearer's situational awareness. Object recognition modulemay be a computational unit within the system that analyzes visual data from the visual sensorto identify objects and classify them, potentially as threats or non-threats. Threat detection modelmay be one or more artificial intelligence algorithms designed to analyze inputs from the visual sensorand/or other modules to identify potential threats in the environment surrounding the wearer. Compute modulemay be the main processing unit that executes the software algorithms, including threat detection and object recognition, to analyze data collected by the system's sensors. Combined memory and power modulemay be a unit that provides both power to the device's components and storage for data captured by the system, such as visual recordings and sensor data. The wearermay be a person equipped with the tactical gearthat incorporates the personal protective equipment, who benefits from enhanced situational awareness and threat detection, according to one embodiment.

The user authentication meansmay be a security feature ensuring that the device's functionalities are accessible only by verified users, possibly through biometric verification or a digital passcode. GPS modulemay be a component that offers geolocation capabilities, enabling the device to track the wearer's position and potentially record the locations of detected threats. Tactical gearmay be a wearable garment that houses the visual sensor, responsive device, and other modules (e.g., object recognition module, compute module, a combined memory and power module, GPS module, a threat detection model, etc.), designed for use in security, military, or emergency response scenarios. In one embodiment, the tactical gearhaving the sensor array may be a gear carrier in which a standard bullet proof gear may be inserted, according to one embodiment.

The distinguishing feature of this embodiment oflies in the drone system. The drone systemcomprises a set of UAVsthat are launched from a vehicle, including but not limited to the armored carrieras shown in. Each UAVmay include different sensors and components depending on the use case and need, according to one embodiment. Each UAVmay include a camera, according to one embodiment.

Another feature of the embodiment of, is the incorporation of the optional array of visual sensors, one of which is labeled as visual sensor, according to one embodiment. Whileillustrates two visual sensorspositioned on either shoulder area, it is important to note that this arrangement is not always required. Visual sensors may be in just one shoulder, or they may be in neither (e.g., in a center neck or chest area is possible). In addition, the tactical gearmay house multiple visual sensorson both the front areaand back areaof the tactical gear, offering 360 degree surveillance capabilities, according to one embodiment. These visual sensors, akin to cameras, may possess the ability to operate in low-light conditions, utilizing advanced visual processing capability technology or similar low-light detection mechanisms, according to one embodiment. Rather than principally recording video footage, their primary function is to detect ambient threats (e.g.,A-J) in the wearer's vicinity, according to one embodiment.

The term “ambient threats,” referenced as numberin, encompasses various potential dangers, as depicted in, according to one embodiment. These threats include but are not limited to a fistA, a batB, runningC, a gunD, a knifeE, furtive movementsF, illegal substanceG, gun shotH, explosion, and fireJ, according to one embodiment. In the context of ambient threatto a wearer, particularly law enforcement officers or security personnel equipped with tactical gearand engaged in operations, recognizing approaching indicators and visual cues may be crucial for assessing potential threats and determining the appropriate response, according to one embodiment. These indicators, often subtle, may provide early warnings of an individual's intentions, allowing officers to preemptively address situations before they escalate into physical confrontations, according to one embodiment.

Hands in the Pocket Approaching: An individual approaching with hands in pockets may be concealing a weapon or preparing to deploy it, according to one embodiment. This behavior may warrant caution and preparedness for a quick defensive response, according to one embodiment.

Facial Expressions: Expressions such as pressing lips together, jaw crunching, and squinting eyes may often indicate stress, determination, or aggression, according to one embodiment. Observing these may signal an officer (e.g., wearer) to the heightened emotional state of the individual, potentially leading to aggressive actions, according to one embodiment.

Disgust, Anger, Frustration: These emotional displays may escalate to physical confrontation, according to one embodiment. Recognizing these emotions allows officers to deploy de-escalation techniques early, according to one embodiment.

Pupil Dilation: Often a physiological response to emotional arousal, fear, or intention to be aggressive, dilated pupils may serve as a cue to the officer (e.g., wearer) about the individual's heightened state of alertness or aggression, according to one embodiment.

Making Their Hand into a FistA: This is a preparatory gesture for a physical attack and may serve as a clear warning sign of potential aggression, according to one embodiment.

Scanning: When an individual alternately walks toward and away from an officer while scanning the surroundings, it may indicate planning an escape route or assessing the environment for an advantage in a potential confrontation, according to one embodiment.

Body Angling: An individual angling their body towards an officer may be positioning themselves for a physical altercation or to gain leverage in an attack (e.g., called “blading,” it can also be an indicator that a person is armed), according to one embodiment.

Raising Shoulder and Chest, Stretching Exercises: These actions may indicate an individual is psyching themselves up for a confrontation, increasing their physical presence or preparing their body for a fight, according to one embodiment.

Looking Foot to Head (Sizing Up the Cop): This visual scanning may often be used to assess an officer's physical capabilities, vulnerabilities, and equipment, possibly in preparation for a confrontation, according to one embodiment.

Looking Left and Right: This behavior may indicate nervousness, looking for escape routes, or seeking the presence of law enforcement backups or witnesses before engaging in a confrontational act, according to one embodiment.

Sudden Change in Voice Pitch or Volume: An abrupt change in the tone or loudness of a person's voice may indicate stress, anger, or imminent aggression, according to one embodiment. Higher pitch and louder volume often signal an escalation in emotional intensity, according to one embodiment.

Excessive Sweating: While this may be attributed to various factors, in a confrontational or high-stress situation, excessive sweating may indicate nervousness, stress, or fear, potentially signaling that an individual is preparing for aggressive action, according to one embodiment.

Rapid Breathing: This physiological response may signify anxiety, fear, or aggression. Observing an increase in someone's breathing rate may indicate a heightened emotional state or preparation for physical exertion, according to one embodiment.

Avoiding Eye Contact or Intense Staring: Either avoiding eye contact entirely or engaging in prolonged, intense staring may be indicators of aggression, according to one embodiment. The former may signal a desire to hide intentions, while the latter can be an attempt to intimidate, according to one embodiment.

Exaggerated Yawning or Stretching: While seemingly innocuous, these behaviors in certain contexts may be a way to display dominance, prepare physically for action, or mask nervousness, according to one embodiment.

Tapping Feet or Fidgeting: Signals restlessness or impatience, which, in confrontational scenarios, may indicate a buildup of aggressive energy or a readiness to act, according to one embodiment.

Repeated Touching of Face or Head: This nervous habit may signal lying, anxiety, or stress, potentially indicating that an individual is uncomfortable with the situation and may be considering escalation, according to one embodiment.

Clenching Jaw or Grinding Teeth: Beyond being a sign of stress or anger, this may also be a preparatory action for physical confrontation, signifying that an individual is bracing for aggression, according to one embodiment.

Abrupt Movements or Changes in Posture: Sudden, jerky movements or quickly changing posture may indicate that an individual is gearing up for aggressive actions or trying to assert dominance, according to one embodiment.

Mirroring Officer Movements: If an individual begins to subtly mimic the movements of an officer, it may be a sign of attempted intimidation or preparation for a physical altercation, according to one embodiment.

Concealing One Side of the Body or Shuffling: This behavior may indicate that an individual is concealing a weapon on their person and is possibly positioning themselves to use it, according to one embodiment, according to one embodiment.

Excessive Swearing or Threatening Language: Verbal cues may also serve as indicators of aggression, according to one embodiment. An increase in swearing, threats, or hostile language may signal an escalation towards physical confrontation, according to one embodiment.

Adjusting Clothing or Accessories Frequently: This behavior may indicate nervousness or the concealment of weapons or contraband, according to one embodiment. Frequent adjustments may be a pretext to reach for a concealed item, according to one embodiment.