METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR CAPTURING AND STORING UNMANNED AIRCRAFT, INCLUDING METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR SECURING THE AIRCRAFT AFTER CAPTURE
First Claim
1. A method for handling an unmanned aircraft, comprising:
- releasably capturing an aircraft by directly contacting a generally rigid lifting surface of the aircraft with a flexible recovery line;
while a first portion of the aircraft is releasably coupled to the flexible recovery line, directly securing a second portion of the aircraft; and
while the second portion of the aircraft is secured, releasing the first portion of the aircraft from the flexible recovery line.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatuses for capturing, recovering, disassembling, and storing unmanned aircraft and other flight devices or projectiles are described. In one embodiment, the boom can be extended to deploy a recovery line to capture the aircraft in flight, a process that can be aided by a line capture device having retainers in accordance with further aspects of the invention. The aircraft can then be returned to its launch platform, disassembled, and stored, again with little or no direct manual contact between the operator and the aircraft, for example, by capturing a first wing of the aircraft and securing a second wing before releasing the first.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method for handling an unmanned aircraft, comprising:
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releasably capturing an aircraft by directly contacting a generally rigid lifting surface of the aircraft with a flexible recovery line;
while a first portion of the aircraft is releasably coupled to the flexible recovery line, directly securing a second portion of the aircraft; and
while the second portion of the aircraft is secured, releasing the first portion of the aircraft from the flexible recovery line. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for handling an unmanned aircraft, comprising:
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deploying a flexible recovery line from an extendable boom mounted at least proximate to a support platform, the flexible recovery line being positioned to capture an unmanned aircraft in flight;
flying the aircraft to directly contact a generally rigid first lifting surface portion of the aircraft with the flexible recovery line while the aircraft is in flight;
releasably capturing the aircraft in flight with the flexible recovery line;
while the aircraft is releasably coupled to the flexible recovery line, moving the boom to position the aircraft relative to the support platform;
releasably securing a second lifting surface portion of the aircraft directly to a securement member positioned at the support platform;
moving a storage apparatus pivotally up from the support platform to contact a portion of a fuselage of the aircraft; and
releasing the aircraft from the flexible recovery line and the securement member. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus for handling unmanned aircraft, comprising:
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support means;
recovery means carried by the support means, the recovery means being positioned to intercept a generally rigid lifting surface of an unmanned aircraft in flight and directly attach to a first portion of the aircraft; and
securement means at least proximate to the support means, the securement means being positioned to releasably and directly secure to a second portion of the aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An apparatus for handling unmanned aircraft, comprising:
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a support structure;
a flexible recovery line carried by the support structure and positioned to capture an unmanned aircraft in flight by directly contacting a generally rigid spanwise lifting surface at a first portion of the aircraft; and
a securement member positioned at least proximate to the support structure, the securement member being configured to releasably and directly secure to a second portion of the aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An apparatus for handling unmanned aircraft, comprising:
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an extendable boom having a first section and a second section, at least one of the first and second sections being movable relative to the other between a retracted position and an extended position;
a flexible recovery line carried by the extendable boom and positioned to capture an unmanned aircraft in flight by directly contacting a generally rigid first lifting surface portion of the aircraft;
a securement member positioned at least proximate to the extendable boom to releasably and directly secure a second lifting surface portion of the aircraft while the aircraft is releasably secured to the flexible recovery line; and
a storage apparatus positioned at least proximate to the extendable boom, the storage apparatus being pivotable between a first position and a second position, the storage apparatus in the second position being oriented to contact and releasably attach to a fuselage of the aircraft before the aircraft is released from the flexible recovery line. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification