Patent ID: 10392136

Abstract:
A method comprises operating a remote sensing vehicle comprising a host bus platform and a variable pitch instrument platform movably coupled to the host bus platform in at least one degree of freedom. The method comprises establishing a pointing position and scanning a target surface with the variable pitch instrument platform. The variable pitch instrument platform is dynamically movable relative to the host bus platform to vary the pointing position of the variable pitch instrument platform, thereby decoupling payload pointing from the host bus platform. Thus, payload data collection is independent of attitude control of the host bus platform. A method is provided of varying ground-sample-distance (GSD) value with a remote sensing vehicle. A remote sensing vehicle comprises a host bus platform and a variable pitch instrument platform for scanning or data collection of a target surface, and an dynamic coupling device (e.g., a gimbal(s)) movably coupling the variable pitch instrument platform to the host bus platform in at least one degree of freedom.