Unmanned aerial vehicle for logistical delivery

• US 20050006525A1
• Filed: 05/27/2004
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of The Navy Chief of Naval Research
• Original Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of The Navy Chief of Naval Research
• Inventors: MacAnder, Aleksander B., Milgram, Judah H., Strickland, Jason D., Hall, Gary A., Kennell, Colen G., Byers, David W., Hunter, Graham D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,059,566 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/118.100
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/061 Frames
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/068 Fuselage sections
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/22 Other structures integral with fuselages to facilitate loading , e.g. cargo bays, cranes
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 29/02 having its flight directional axis vertical when grounded
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/58 provided with fences or spoilers adjustable for control purposes B64C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 31/02 Gliders, e.g. sailplanes hang-gliders B64C31/028
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• 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: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/69 the UAVs provided with means for airdropping goods, e.g. deploying a parachute during descent
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/10 Wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/12 Variable or detachable wings, e.g. wings with adjustable sweep
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/15 using combustion exhausts other than turbojets or turbofans, e.g. using rockets, ramjets, scramjets or pulse-reactors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/20 for releasing or capturing UAVs in flight by another aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/60 Take-off or landing of UAVs from a runway using their own power
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/70 Launching or landing using catapults, tracks or rails launching from storage containers B64U70/50
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/83 using parachutes, balloons or the like

Abstract

A hollow elliptical-cylindrical hull conformingly houses a hollow rectangular-prismatic cabin whereby the four longitudinal parallel outside edges of the latter make contact with the inside surface of the former. The fully constructed aircraft (either non-powered or powered) includes the integral hull-plus-cabin structure along with nose, tail and airfoil structures that are coupled therewith. The cabin conformingly accommodates hollow rectangular-prismatic modules useful for cargo storage. While the nose and/or tail structure is uncoupled from the integral hull-plus-cabin structure, the modules are inserted into the cabin and the cabin is sealed. The aircraft is lifted (e.g., via airplane, helicopter, rocket or balloon) to a particular elevation and released, whereupon the two wings fully emerge and the aircraft effects controlled flight until reaching its destination. After landing, the nose and/or tail structure is uncoupled from the integral hull-plus-cabin structure, the cabin is unsealed, and the modules are removed from the cabin.

Claims

1. Apparatus suitable for inclusion as part of an air transport vehicle;

said apparatus comprising a hollow cylinder, a plurality of minor boxes for containing cargo, and a major box for containing said minor boxes;

said hollow cylinder and said major box being joined so that said major box has four parallel edges touching said hollow cylinder;

said minor boxes each fitting within said major box and being capable of introduction and withdrawal with respect to said major box.

2. A cargo conveyance system comprising an unmanned aerial vehicle and launching means, wherein:

said unmanned aerial vehicle includes a hollow cylinder, a plurality of minor boxes for containing cargo, and a major box for containing said minor boxes;

said hollow cylinder and said major box are joined so that said major box has four parallel edges touching said hollow cylinder;

each said minor box fits within said major box and is capable of introduction and withdrawal with respect to said major box;

said launching means is for moving said unmanned aerial vehicle to at least one of a selected altitude and a selected position; and

said unmanned aerial vehicle and said launching means are separable when said aircraft reaches said at least one of a selected altitude and a selected position.

3. The cargo conveyance system as recited in claim 2, wherein said launching means includes a device selected from the group consisting of airplane, helicopter, rocket and balloon.

4. A method for conveying cargo, said method comprising:

providing a fuselage section including a hollow cylinder and a major box, said hollow cylinder and said major box being joined so that said major box has four parallel edges touching said hollow cylinder;

depositing cargo inside at least one minor box that fits inside said major box;

placing said at least one minor box inside said major box;

uniting said fuselage section, a nose section, a tail section and plural airfoils, thereby forming at least a portion of an aerial vehicle; and

causing said aerial vehicle to be airborne while carrying said cargo.

5. The method for conveying cargo as defined in claim 4, wherein said aerial vehicle is an unmanned aerial vehicle, and wherein said causing said unmanned aerial vehicle to be airborne includes:

launching said unmanned aerial vehicle to a selected altitude and position; and

separating said unmanned aerial vehicle from said launching means when said unmanned aerial vehicle reaches said selected altitude and position.

6. An aircraft comprising a fuselage, said fuselage including a shell and a container, said shell generally describing a cylindrical shape, said container generally describing a box shape, said fuselage being characterized by a fuselage length and a fuselage geometric axis, said shell and said container each being symmetrical with respect to said fuselage geometric axis, said shell having an interior shell void, said shell defining an outside shell surface and an inside shell surface, said inside shell surface delimiting said interior shell void, said container including four longitudinal container faces and two end container faces, said four longitudinal container faces and said two end container faces defining an exterior container surface and an interior container surface, said interior container surface delimiting said interior container space, said four longitudinal container faces forming four longitudinal container edges in said exterior container surface, each said longitudinal container edge being formed by two adjoining said longitudinal container faces, said container being situated in said interior shell void so that said four longitudinal container edges contact said interior shell surface.

7. The aircraft according to claim 6, the combination of said shell and said container effectively constituting an integral structure.

8. The aircraft according to claim 7, said shell generally describing an elliptical cylindrical shape.

9. The aircraft according to claim 8, said aircraft further comprising plural compartments, each said compartment generally describing a box shape, each said compartment including four longitudinal compartment faces and two end compartment faces, said four longitudinal compartment faces and two end compartment faces defining an exterior compartment surface and an interior compartment surface, said exterior compartment surface being conformal with respect to said interior container surface, said compartments being adaptable to situation in said interior container space so that said compartments are arranged sequentially, the combination of said shell, said container and said compartments effectively constituting an integral structure.

10. The aircraft according to claim 9, said compartments being arranged at least substantially adjacently so as to at least substantially occupy said interior container space.

11. The aircraft according to claim 9, said aircraft further comprising at least one compartment analogue member, each said compartment analogue member being adaptable to situation in said interior container space so that said compartments and said at least one compartment analogue member together are arranged sequentially, the combination of said shell, said container, said compartments and said at least one compartment analogue member effectively constituting an integral structure.

12. The aircraft according to claim 11, said compartments and said compartment analogue members being arranged at least substantially adjacently so as to at least substantially occupy said interior container space.

13. The aircraft according to claim 9, one said end container face being attachable and detachable for facilitating ingress and egress of said compartments with respect to said interior container space, each said compartment including a longitudinal compartment face that is attachable and detachable for facilitating ingress and egress of cargo with respect to said interior compartment space.

14. The aircraft according to claim 13, the combination of said shell, said container, said compartments and said cargo effectively constituting an integral structure.

15. The aircraft according to claim 9, said aircraft further comprising a nose, a tail and a pair of wings, said fuselage having a front fuselage end and a back fuselage end, said aircraft nose being connectable to said fuselage at said front fuselage end, said aircraft tail being connectable to said fuselage at said back fuselage end, said wings being connectable to said fuselage at opposite locations along a portion of said fuselage length, said tail including a tail casing and three tail stabilizers, said wings being extendable from said fuselage.

16. The aircraft according to claim 15, said wings including plural inflatable spars, each said wing including at least one said inflatable spar.

17. The aircraft according to claim 16, said inflatable spars being inflatable by gas.

18. The aircraft according to claim 16, said inflatable spars being inflatable by liquid.

19. The aircraft according to claim 18, said liquid being potable liquid.

20. The aircraft according to claim 18, said liquid being carried as a payload.

21. The aircraft according to claim 15, said wings being one of inflatedly extendable wings and unfoldingly extendable wings, said nose describing a truncated ellipsoidal shape, said tail casing describing a truncated conical shape, said aircraft being characterized by an aircraft length and an aircraft geometric axis, said fuselage geometric axis and said aircraft geometric axis being coincident, said shell, said container, said nose and said tail casing being symmetrical with respect to said aircraft geometric axis.

22. The aircraft according to claim 21, said aircraft being a glider aircraft suitable for un-powered controlled flight, said glider aircraft being characterized by an aspect ratio in the range between approximately eight and approximately twenty, each said stabilizer including at least one control surface.

23. The aircraft according to claim 22, each said wing including at least one control surface.

24. The aircraft according to claim 21, said cylinder and said tail casing each including a composite laminate, said nose including a composite skin and a foam core, said nose thereby being capable of absorbing some energy so as to mitigate the impact associated with the landing of said glider aircraft.

25. The aircraft according to claim 21, said tail casing having an opening, said tail casing thereby being adaptable to coupling with means for producing thrust.