Systems and methods for dynamic prediction of flight ballistics

Abstract

In some aspects, the disclosure is directed to methods and systems for an improved ballistics calculator allowing faster and more efficient estimation of flight characteristics. Using an array of calculation coefficients and starting from initial values for primary ballistics variables, implementations of these methods and systems may iteratively select a set of coefficients; adjust the primary ballistics variables based on a change in time; and reselect a new set of coefficients, providing highly accurate estimations in real-time while reducing processor resources required for more complex calculations or real-time visual or radar tracking systems.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for dynamic prediction of flight ballistics, comprising:
 receiving, by a computing system, launch characteristics of an object and atmospheric or environmental metrics at a first location;   iteratively, for a plurality of time increments:
 selecting, by the computing system, a set of coefficients from an array of sets of coefficients based on the retrieved atmospheric or environmental metrics, and 
 calculating, by the computing system, a position and velocity of the object at a time increment, 
   wherein during a first iteration, calculating the position and velocity of the object is further based on the object launch characteristics, and   wherein during each subsequent iteration, calculating the position and velocity of the object is based on the previous calculated position and velocity of the object, and selecting the set of coefficients from the array of sets of coefficients is further based on the previous selected set of coefficients; and   providing, by the computing system, the calculated position of the object corresponding to a threshold height value.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the launch characteristics of the object comprise an average launch speed, an average vertical launch angle, an average horizontal launch deflection, a spin rate and spin axis, or an object spin-speed ratio. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the atmospheric or environmental metrics comprise a temperature, an air pressure, a humidity, a wind speed and direction, or an altitude. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the launch characteristics of the object are associated with atmospheric or environmental metrics at a second location. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein during the first iteration, selecting the set of coefficients from the array of sets of coefficients is further based on a difference between the atmospheric or environmental metrics at the first location and the atmospheric or environmental metrics at the second location. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the set of coefficients selected during an iteration are different from the set of coefficients selected during a different iteration. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein iteratively selecting the set of coefficients and calculating the position and velocity of the object is repeated until a calculated height of the object corresponds to the threshold height value. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the threshold height value is a ground altitude. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the time increments of each iteration are separated by 0.05 seconds. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein calculating the position and velocity of the object further comprises calculating the position and velocity of the object in three dimensions. 
     
     
         11 . A system for dynamic prediction of flight ballistics, comprising:
 one or more computing devices comprising one or more processors, and one or more storage devices storing launch characteristics of an object and an array of sets of coefficients; and   wherein the one or more computing devices are configured to:
 retrieve atmospheric or environmental metrics at a first location, 
 iteratively, for each of a plurality of time increments:
 select a set of coefficients from the array of sets of coefficients based on the retrieved atmospheric or environmental metrics; and 
 calculate a position and velocity of the object at a time increment; 
 
 wherein during a first iteration, calculating the position and velocity of the object is further based on the launch characteristics of the object, and 
 wherein during each subsequent iteration, calculating the position and velocity of the object is based on the previous calculated position and velocity of the object, and selecting the set of coefficients from the array of sets of coefficients is further based on the previous selected set of coefficients, and 
 display, via the display, the calculated position of the object corresponding to a threshold height value. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the launch characteristics of the object comprise an average launch speed, an average vertical launch angle, an average horizontal launch deflection, a spin rate and spin axis, or an object spin-speed ratio. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the atmospheric or environmental metrics comprise a temperature, an air pressure, a humidity, a wind speed and direction, or an altitude. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the launch characteristics of the object are associated with atmospheric or environmental metrics at a second location. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein during the first iteration, selecting the set of coefficients from the array of sets of coefficients is further based on a difference between the atmospheric or environmental metrics at the first location and the atmospheric or environmental metrics at the second location. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the set of coefficients selected during an iteration are different from the set of coefficients selected during a different iteration. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein iteratively selecting the set of coefficients and calculating the position and velocity of the object is repeated until a calculated height of the object corresponds to the threshold height value. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the threshold height value is a ground altitude. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the time increments of each iteration are separated by 0.05 seconds. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to calculate the position and velocity of the object in three dimensions during each iteration.