Mechatronics Case Study

Wireless Surveillance Balloon

Contents:

1. Abstract
2. Introduction
What is surveillance balloon?
Purpose and history

3. Working

Block diagram of balloon

Specifications

4. Mechatronics contribution

Use of valve mechanism

Wireless control

5. Current development

List of companies
Patents related to it

6. Summary and Conclusion

Abstract
The demand for high-capacity wireless services
is bringing increasing challenges, especially for delivery of the
last mile. Terrestrially, the need for line-of-sight propagation
paths represents a constraint unless very large numbers of basestation masts are deployed, while satellite systems have
capacity limitations. An emerging solution is offered by highaltitude platforms (HAPs) operating in the stratosphere at
altitudes of up to 22 km to provide communication facilities that
can exploit the best features of both terrestrial and satellite
schemes.
A miniature surveillance balloon system is
described that can be used in military and public safety
situations for real-time observations. They are as small as
feasibly possible, low-cost and expendable, and typically are
deployed in clusters. Balloons may act individually or alternately
clusters may act robotically (in unison) without command input
at times. Video surveillance information is preprocessed and
then sent via wireless communications links. Batteries and/or
gas cylinders may be selectively jettisoned to facilitate vertical
movement. Balloons may optionally have thruster mechanisms
to facilitate lateral movement which may in some embodiments
be powered by a source of combustible gas which is also used
for providing lift.
This paper outlines the application of surveillance
balloon as low cost alternative for HAPs for delivery of future
wireless surveillance system. This article stresses the
importance of wireless surveillance with integration of
mechatronics in the system.

Introduction
What is surveillance balloon?

Surveillance balloons are balloons that are

employed as aerial platforms for intelligence
gathering and artillery spotting. Their use began during
the French Revolutionary Wars, reaching their zenith
during World War I, and they continue in limited use today.
Historically, observation balloons were filled
with hydrogen. The balloons were fabric envelopes filled with
hydrogen gas, whose flammable nature led to the destruction of
hundreds of balloons on both sides. Observers manning these
observation balloons frequently had to use a parachute to
evacuate their balloon when it came under attack. To avoid the
potentially flammable consequences of hydrogen, observation
balloons after World War I were often filled with nonflammable helium.

Typically, balloons were tethered to a steel cable

attached to a winch that reeled the gasbag to its desired height
(usually 1,000-1,500 meters) and retrieved it at the end of an
observation session.

Purpose and History

The first military use of observation balloons was by

the French Aerostatic Corps during the French Revolutionary
Wars, the very first time during the Battle of Fleurus (1794).The
oldest preserved observation balloon, L'Intrpide, is on display in
a Vienna museum. They were also used by both sides during
the American Civil War (186165) and continued in use during
the Franco-Prussian War (187071).
Balloons were first deployed by the British
Army's Royal Engineers during the expeditions
to Bechuanalandin 1884 and Suakin in 1885.They were also
deployed during the Second Boer War (18991902), where they
were used in artillery observation at the Battle of
Magersfontein and during the Siege of Ladysmith.
World War I observation crews were the first to use
parachutes, long before they were adopted by fixed wing
aircrews. These were a primitive type, where the main part was
in a bag suspended from the balloon, with the pilot only wearing
a simple body harness around his waist, with lines from the
harness attached to the main parachute in the bag.
When the balloonist jumped, the main part of the
parachute was pulled from the bag, with the shroud lines first,

followed by the main canopy. This type of parachute was first

adopted by the Germans and then later by the British and
French for their observation balloon crews.

Working
Block diagram

Size
The balloon system should be as small and light as possible,
while still performing its required mission.
Gas Sack and Gas
The balloon gas sack may be rigid or inflatable. If inflatable, it
may be inflated before deployment or may inflate at the time of
deployment from gas stored in a small cylinder. If a cylinder is

used, the cylinder may have the ability to be jettisoned in order

to reduce the overall weight of the balloon system. The gas used
may be helium or hydrogen or other lighter-than-air gas. If
hydrogen, there may be included the ability to selectively
oxidize some of the Hydrogen gas in a controlled manner to
produce thrust and/or produce electricity (as in a fuel cell).
Electrical Power
The balloon's electronics systems may be powered by battery,
solar power, and/or hydrogen power (fuel cell). The outer surface
of the balloon's gas sack may implement a solar cell or have
multiple solar cells deployed upon it. Batteries may be rechargeable from the solar cells, or by energy conversion from
hydrogen gas.
Batteries
The system may be designed such that the batteries are
implemented as a group of individual batteries where the
physical mounting and electrical connection means is such that
individual batteries may be jettisoned in order to make the
balloon system lighter. Batteries may be re-chargeable or not.
Electromechanical Controls
These may be implemented using miniature conventional
solenoid mechanisms, or alternately by micro-machines
implemented in advanced semiconductor technology, or some
combination of the two.

Directional Travel and Thrusters

In general, the balloon system may be encouraged to travel in
the vertical direction by releasing gas from the bag to descend
and by either injecting gas from the compressed gas cylinder

and/or jettisoning weight to ascend. The balloon system may

optionally include some form of directional thrusters to allow it
to travel in a specific horizontal direction and/or travel in a
vertical direction at a rate faster than the effects of lift and
weight would allow. Thrusters may be provided by solid rocket
propellant, or alternately by miniature engines that burn
hydrogen gas from the bag or from the gas cylinder.
Vision System
The system will include at least one image sensor providing at
least a static image and more desirably, a video image. This
system will provide a 360 degree view. The 360 degree view can
be accomplished by having multiple image sensors or by having
a single image sensor array combined with a lens that enables a
360 degree capture (see IPIX method). If there are multiple
sensor arrays, there may be for instance 3 image sensor arrays,
each covering a 120 degree view. If video capability is included,
the frame rate may be variable such that the capacity of the
available communications link is not overloaded. Video
compression is typically performed and image preprocessing
may also be performed to eliminate unwanted information and
further lessen the bandwidth requirement that is placed on the
communications system. The vision system may include IR
capability for night viewing.

In 1942 Canadian and American forces began joint

operations to protect the sensitive locks and shipping channel
at Sault Ste. Marie along their common border among the Great
Lakes against possible air attack. During severe storms in
August and October 1942 some barrage balloons broke loose,
and the trailing cables short-circuited power lines, causing
serious disruption to mining and manufacturing. In particular,
the metals production vital to the war effort was disrupted.
Canadian military historical records indicate that "The October
incident, the most serious, caused an estimated loss of 400 tons
of steel and 10 tons of Ferro-alloys."
Following these incidents, new procedures were put in
place, which included stowing the balloons during the winter
months, with regular deployment exercises and a standby team
on alert to deploy the balloons in case of attack. The idea of
free-floating balloons was also used in Operation Outward.

Mechatronics Contribution
1) A DAC can be used for actuating the fins of surveillance
balloon

When signal is sent from the base station the relay is

activated. This relay actuates DAC and fins are actuated. Due to
this Balloon changes direction.

2) Use of data loggers

Data loggers are used in order to save total flight data.
Balloons are also provide with memory to store the captured
images

3) Sensors
For camera directions various sensors are set. Sensors also
monitor balloon pressure, height of balloon from the ground etc.
In general mechatronics is used to automate the process.

Patents and current developments :

PATENT CITATIONS
Cited
Patent

Filing
date

Publication
date

US2931597 *

Jan 28, 1954

Apr 5, 1960

Gen Mills Inc

Solar engine balloon altitude

control

US2967677 *

May 13,
1957

Jan 10, 1961

Winzen Res Inc

Apparatus for launching balloons

US3077779 *

Feb 10, 1960

Feb 19, 1963

Froehlich Harold
E

Air sampling means

US4048565 *

Jun 17, 1976

Sep 13, 1977

The Raymond
Lee Organization,
Inc.

Location indicating device

US4457477 *

Jun 11, 1982

Jul 3, 1984

Centre National
D'etudes
Spatiales

Process for altitude-stabilizing a

balloon, and atmospheric balloons
for implementing this process

US4799914 *

Feb 9, 1987

Jan 24, 1989

Hutchinson Jack
M

Remote control lighter-than-air toy

with tether

US4931028 *

Aug 15, 1988

Jun 5, 1990

Jaeger Hugh D

Toy blimp

US5020411 *

Mar 6, 1989

Jun 4, 1991

Larry Rowan

Mobile assault logistic kinetmatic

engagement device

US5652489 *

Aug 24, 1995

Jul 29, 1997

Minolta Co., Ltd.

Mobile robot control system

Applicant

Title

Cited
Patent

Filing
date

Publication
date

US5819008 *

Jun 14, 1996

Oct 6, 1998

Rikagaku
Kenkyusho

Mobile robot sensor system

US6010093 *

Apr 28, 1999

Jan 4, 2000

Paulson; Allen E.

High altitude airship system

US6084510 *

Apr 18, 1997

Jul 4, 2000

Lemelson;
Jerome H.

Danger warning and emergency

response system and method

US6119983 *

Apr 28, 1999

Sep 19, 2000

Provitola;
Anthony Italo

Airship/spacecraft

US6182924 *

Jun 9, 1998

Feb 6, 2001

Julian Nott

Ballast for lighter than air aircraft

US6317080 *

May 5, 2000

Nov 13, 2001

John Francis
Baxter, Jr.

Early detection and tracking

system for hazardous airborne
substances

US6374155 *

Nov 24, 1999

Apr 16, 2002

Personal
Robotics, Inc.

Autonomous multi-platform robot

system

US6429812 *

May 30,
2000

Aug 6, 2002

Steven M.
Hoffberg

Mobile communication device

US6565037 *

Jun 4, 2002

May 20, 2003

Tonkovich
Gregory P

Hybrid aircraft and methods of

flying

Applicant

Title

Advantages

1. Very less infrastructure required.

2. Relocation of system anywhere within operational range is
possible. This includes flood area earthquake areas and other
natural disasters.
3. Very less launching area is required.

Conclusion

Strengthened information-sharing is needed to derive

surveillance for safety and security thereby maximizing the
efficiency and effectiveness of security measures in sea and
coastal areas and normal community. A Commission
Communication on a Draft Roadmap towards establishing the
Common Information Sharing Environment for the surveillance
represents the first step towards achieving this objective.
Research topics in the area of maritime Security need to
be planned in line with evolving EU policy developments. In
particular, the adoption of EUROSUR, which requires the
development of an integrated border surveillance system, will
need to be taken into account in defining research topics.
Thus surveillance balloon can be employed in many ways
for safety, for weather surveillance or for civil applications as
well.