Multicopter-assisted system and method for launching and retrieving a fixed-wing aircraft

• US 10,583,920 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2017
• Issued: 03/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hood Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Hood Technology Corporation
• Inventors: von Flotow, Andreas H., Roeseler, Corydon C., Woodruff, Caleb Andrew, Reiss, Daniel Pepin
• Primary Examiner(s): Benedik, Justin M
• Application Number:
  US15/431,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20170158340A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,121 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/30 Parts of fuselage relatively movable to reduce overall dimensions of aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 11/48 Units of two or more coaxial propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/10 retractable, foldable, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/26 characterised by provision of fixed wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 27/32 Rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2221/00 Electric power distribution systems onboard aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 3/00 Aircraft adaptations to facilitate towing or being towed B64D39/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 5/00 Aircraft transported by aircraft, e.g. for release or reberthing during flight flying units formed by separate aircraft B64C37/02
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/029 using a cable or tether
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/0295 aerodynamically or aerostatically supported, e.g. parafoil or balloon
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/04 for launching aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/70 Constructional aspects of the UAV body
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/94 of rotors or rotor motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/24 Coaxial rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/29 : Constructional aspects of rotors or rotor supports; Arrangements thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/23 : with each propulsion means having an individual motor
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 60/40 : foldable or retractable
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 60/50 : with landing legs
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/20 : for releasing or capturing UAVs in flight by another aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/30 : for capturing UAVs in flight by ground or sea-based arresting gear, e.g. by a cable or a net
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/50 : the UAVs being disassembled
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/70 : in containers B64U80/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/82 : Airborne vehicles

Abstract

The present disclosure provides various embodiments of a multicopter-assisted launch and retrieval system generally including: (1) a multi-rotor modular multicopter attachable to (and detachable from) a fixed-wing aircraft to facilitate launch of the fixed-wing aircraft into wing-borne flight; (2) a storage and launch system usable to store the modular multicopter and to facilitate launch of the fixed-wing aircraft into wing-borne flight; and (3) an anchor system usable (along with the multicopter and a flexible capture member) to retrieve the fixed-wing aircraft from wing-borne flight.

Claims

1. A multicopter comprising:

multiple arms each including an upper rotor, an upper rotor motor drivingly engaged to the upper rotor, a lower rotor, and a lower rotor motor drivingly engaged to the lower rotor;

a hub to which the arms are attachable; and

multiple power sources, wherein a first power source is electrically connectable to the upper rotor motors to power the upper rotor motors but not the lower rotor motors, and wherein a second power source is electrically connectable to the lower rotor motors to power the lower rotor motors.

2. The multicopter of claim 1, wherein the second power source is not electrically connectable to the upper rotor motors to power the upper rotor motors.

3. The multicopter of claim 1, wherein at least one of the power sources includes a battery.

4. The multicopter of claim 3, wherein each of the power sources includes a battery.

5. The multicopter of claim 1, which includes a third power source connected to the first power source in series and a fourth power source connected to the second power source in series such that the first and third power sources are electrically connectable to the upper rotor motors to power the upper rotor motors but not the lower rotor motors and the second and fourth power sources are electrically connectable to the lower rotor motors to power the lower rotor motors.

6. The multicopter of claim 5, wherein the second and fourth power sources are not electrically connectable to the upper rotor motors to power the upper rotor motors.

7. A multicopter comprising:

multiple arms each including an upper rotor, an upper rotor motor drivingly engaged to the upper rotor, a lower rotor, and a lower rotor motor drivingly engaged to the lower rotor;

a hub to which the arms are attachable; and

multiple power sources, wherein a first power source is electrically connectable to the upper rotor motors to power the upper rotor motors, and wherein a second power source is electrically connectable to the lower rotor motors to power the lower rotor motors but not the upper rotor motors.

8. The multicopter of claim 7, wherein the first power source is not electrically connectable to the lower rotor motors to power the lower rotor motors.

9. The multicopter of claim 7, wherein at least one of the power sources includes a battery.

10. The multicopter of claim 9, wherein each of the power sources includes a battery.

11. The multicopter of claim 7, which includes a third power source connected to the first power source in series and a fourth power source connected to the second power source in series such that the first and third power sources are electrically connectable to the upper rotor motors to power the upper rotor motors and the second and fourth power sources are electrically connectable to the lower rotor motors to power the lower rotor motors but not the upper rotor motors.

12. The multicopter of claim 11, wherein the first and third power sources are not electrically connectable to the lower rotor motors to power the lower rotor motors.

13. A multicopter comprising

multiple arms each including an upper rotor, an upper rotor motor drivingly engaged to the upper rotor, a lower rotor, and a lower rotor motor drivingly engaged to the lower rotor;

a hub to which the arms are attachable; and

a power supply electrically connectable to the upper rotor motors and to the lower rotor motors and configured to separately power the upper rotor motors and the lower rotor motors,

wherein the power supply includes multiple distinct power sources, and wherein a first power source is electrically connectable to the upper rotor motors to power the upper rotor motors but not the lower rotor motors.

14. The multicopter of claim 13, wherein a second power source is electrically connectable to the lower rotor motors to power the lower rotor motors but not the upper rotor motors.

15. The multicopter of claim 13, wherein the multiple power sources include one or more batteries.

16. The multicopter of claim 13, wherein the power supply includes a first pair of batteries electrically connectable to the upper rotor motors and configured to power the upper rotor motors and a second pair of batteries electrically connected to the lower rotor motors and configured to power the lower rotor motors.