Honeywell International Inc.
METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR SEARCHLIGHT CONTROL FOR AERIAL VEHICLES

Abstract:

Systems and methods for controlling a searchlight mounted to an aerial vehicle. The systems and methods receive angular data representing a directional angle of a beam of the searchlight and location data representing a global location of the aerial vehicle from a sensor system of the aerial vehicle. The systems and methods determine coverage of the beam of the searchlight on ground based on the angular data and the location data. Based on the coverage of the beam, the aerial vehicle is controlled to change the global location, the display is controlled to depict the coverage of the beam on a map including historical coverage of the beam, and/or the searchlight actuator is controlled to adjust the direction of the beam.