Tactical jet aircraft detection, targeting, and elimination using pneumatic ballistics projectiles

A system for enemy jet aircraft detection, targeting, and elimination using ballistic projectiles is demonstrated using a scaled down model. The enemy jet aircraft is a plastic 1/48 scale model of a F-16C tactical air defense fighter. An optical target acquisition system is used to locate the jet aircraft in 3-dimensional space. Once the aircraft is located, a microcontroller then calculates the required ballistics to fire a 'ping pong ball' projectile at the target. A pneumatic reservoir is used as a pressure source. The main gun uses a high velocity jet stream to propel the projectile down the firing tube. Upon operator command, the microcontroller will fire the projectile eliminating the Bogie. Communication occurs through a 10 button key pad and a 40 character 2-line display on the main control unit. This project demonstrates the maximum I/O usage of the MC68HC11 EVB Evaluation Board at the minimum cost. It incorporates mixed signal integration of analog and digital signals using proven noise reduction techniques. This project explores basic engineering equations and included fabrication of a pressure sensor using the storage container as the sensing element.