Landing marker area light system and aerial vehicle including the same
A landing marker area light system includes a housing, a first light source, a plurality of second light sources, an optics assembly, a tunable lens, and a controller. The first light source emits a first light beam. The second light sources surround the first light source and each emits a second light beam. The optics assembly receives the first light beam and shapes the first light beam into a first geometric-shaped light beam having a first perimeter. The tunable lens receives the first geometric-shaped light beam and, in response to lens control signals, shapes the first geometric-shaped light beam into a second geometric-shaped light beam having a second perimeter that is different than the first perimeter. The controller supplies the lens control signals to the tunable lens, to thereby control the second perimeter of the second geometric-shaped light beam.
1. A landing marker area light system, comprising:
a housing adapted to be coupled to a fuselage of a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) vehicle;
a first light source coupled to the housing and configured to emit a first light beam;
a plurality of second light sources coupled to the housing and surrounding the first light source, each of the second light sources configured to emit a second light beam;
an optics assembly coupled to the housing and disposed adjacent to the first light source, the optics assembly positioned to receive the first light beam and configured to shape the first light beam into a first geometric-shaped light beam having a first perimeter;
a tunable lens disposed adjacent to the optics assembly, the tunable lens positioned to receive the first geometric-shaped light beam and configured, in response to lens control signals, to shape the first geometric-shaped light beam into a second geometric-shaped light beam having a second perimeter, the second perimeter being different than the first perimeter; and
a controller in operable communication with the tunable lens, the controller configured to supply the lens control signals to the tunable lens, to thereby control the second perimeter of the second geometric-shaped light beam.
2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an altitude sensor configured to sense an altitude of at least the housing and supply altitude data indicative of the sensed altitude to the controller,
wherein the controller is responsive to the altitude data to supply the lens control signals.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein:
the controller is in operable communication with each of the second light sources and is further configured to supply an intensity control signal to each of the second light sources; and
each of the second light sources emits the second light beam at an intensity based on the intensity control signal supplied thereto.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the controller is further responsive to the altitude data to supply the intensity control signals.
5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the altitude sensor comprises a laser altitude sensor.
6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a camera coupled to the housing and configured to capture images of at least the second geometric-shaped light beam.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first light source is configured such that the first light beam is either a non-white, color light beam or a white light beam;
the first light source is controlled to emit the first light beam in either a continuous mode or in a flash mode; and
the second light sources are each configured such that each second light beam is a white light beam.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first light source comprises a light emitting diode (LED).
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first geometric-shaped light beam is a ring-shaped light beam.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
each of the second light beams converge to form a third geometric-shaped light beam having a third perimeter; and
the third perimeter is substantially equal to, or greater than, or less than the second perimeter.
11. A landing marker area light system, comprising:
a housing adapted to be coupled to a fuselage of a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) vehicle;
a first light source coupled to the housing and configured to emit a first light beam;
a plurality of second light sources coupled to the housing and surrounding the first light source, each of the second light sources configured to emit a second light beam;
an optics assembly coupled to the housing and disposed adjacent to the first light source, the optics assembly positioned to receive the first light beam and configured to shape the first light beam into a first ring-shaped light beam having a first outer diameter;
a tunable lens disposed adjacent to the optics assembly, the tunable lens positioned to receive the first ring-shaped light beam and configured, in response to lens control signals, to shape the first ring-shaped light beam into a second ring-shaped light beam having a second outer diameter, the second outer diameter being different than the first outer diameter; and
a controller in operable communication with the tunable lens, the controller configured to supply the lens control signals to the tunable lens, to thereby control the second outer diameter of the second ring-shaped light beam.
12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a laser altitude sensor configured to sense an altitude of at least the housing and supply altitude data indicative of the sensed altitude to the controller,
wherein the controller is responsive to the altitude data to supply the lens control signals.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein:
the controller is in operable communication with each of the second light sources and is further configured, in response to the altitude data, to supply an intensity control signal to each of the second light sources; and
each of the second light sources emits the second light beam at an intensity based on the intensity control signal supplied thereto.
14. The system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a camera coupled to the housing and configured to capture images of at least the second ring-shaped light beam.
15. The system of claim 11 , wherein:
the first light source is configured such that the first light beam is either a non-white, color light beam or a white light beam;
the first light source is controlled to emit the first light beam in either a continuous mode or in a flash mode; and
the second light sources are each configured such that each second light beam is a white light beam.
16. The system of claim 11 , wherein:
each of the second light beams converge to form a circular light beam having a circular light beam diameter; and
the circular light beam diameter is substantially equal to, or greater than, or less than the second diameter.