Launch and recovery system for unmanned aerial vehicles

• US 20070108345A1
• Filed: 08/28/2006
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Aerospace Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Advanced Aerospace Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: McDonnell, William
• Granted Patent: US 8,517,306 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/110.C
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/68 Arrester hooks
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 3/00 Aircraft adaptations to facilitate towing or being towed B64D39/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/02 for arresting aircraft, e.g. nets or cables
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/04 for launching aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/10 using self-propelled vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/10 Wings
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/13 using external fans or propellers
• 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 70/70 Launching or landing using catapults, tracks or rails launching from storage containers B64U70/50
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/84 Waterborne vehicles

Abstract

A method of launching and retrieving a UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) (10). The preferred method of launch involves carrying the UAV (10) up to altitude using a parasail (8) similar to that used to carry tourists aloft. The UAV is dropped and picks up enough airspeed in the dive to perform a pull-up into level controlled flight. The preferred method of recovery is for the UAV to fly into and latch onto the parasail tow line (4) or cables hanging off the tow line and then be winched back down to the boat (2).

Claims

1. In combination, an aircraft and an apparatus for capturing the aircraft, the combination comprising:

a) a suspension adapted for suspending a line across a flight path of the aircraft in an orientation which includes a component normal to the flight path, such that the suspension of the line is kept clear of the flight path by a distance greater than the height or width of the aircraft;

b) an energy absorbing device connected to a lower end of the line, the energy absorbing device being designed to absorb kinetic energy of the aircraft during arrestment of the aircraft; and

c) a hook on a wing of the aircraft adapted for intercepting the line and releasably securing the aircraft to the line, the hook being the primary means of capturing the aircraft, the aircraft containing structure suitable for deflecting the line laterally into engagement with the hook.

2. The combination of claim 1 where the energy absorbing device is a structure designed to deform to absorb energy.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the lateral deflecting structure is swept at least fifteen degrees from an inboard point on the wing to an outboard point on the wing.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein the hook includes an inner throat smaller than the diameter of the line so as to generate a sufficient amount of braking force such that after the line is intercepted by the hook, sliding of the line through the hook is substantially arrested.

5. A method of recovering an aircraft, said method comprising

providing an arrestment line,

providing said aircraft with a capturing device for capturing said line, said capturing device comprising a hook positioned laterally of a longitudinal axis of said aircraft, said hook being adapted to releasably secure said line to said aircraft, said aircraft containing structure suitable for deflecting said line laterally into engagement with said hook, said structure comprising a wing of said aircraft,

said method further comprising reducing the vertical motion of the arrestment line relative to said aircraft during arrestment.

6. The method of recovering an aircraft of claim 5, wherein reducing the vertical motion of said arrestment line during arrestment comprises flying the aircraft in a climbing or descending flight path so as to align the flight path of the aircraft at a right angle to the arrestment line at the point of impact.

7. The method of recovering an aircraft of claim 5, wherein reducing the vertical motion of said arrestment line during arrestment comprises flying the aircraft in a flight path that, at contact with the arrestment line, is not in a vertical plane described by points near the top and bottom of the arrestment line, said top and bottom points being spaced laterally relative to each other.

8. The method of recovering an aircraft of claim 5 wherein reducing the vertical motion of said arrestment line during arrestment comprises placing balanced shock absorbing mechanisms above and below the point of capture of said aircraft.

9. The method of recovering an aircraft of claim 8 wherein said structure suitable for deflecting said line laterally is swept at least fifteen degrees from an inboard point on the wing to an outboard point on the wing.

10. The method of recovering an aircraft of claim 5 wherein said structure suitable for deflecting said line laterally is swept at least fifteen degrees from an inboard point on the wing to an outboard point on the wing.

11. A method of recovering an aircraft, said method comprising

providing an arrestment line suspended by a lighter-than-air gas bag, said line also securing said gas bag to a base structure, said air bag being streamlined in cross-section in order to keep said line close to vertical in the presence of a relative wind, and

providing said aircraft with a capturing device for capturing said line, said capturing device comprising a hook positioned laterally of a longitudinal axis of said aircraft, said hook being adapted to releasably secure said line to said aircraft, said aircraft containing structure suitable for deflecting said line laterally into engagement with said hook, said structure comprising a wing of said aircraft.

14. The combination of claim 11 wherein said structure suitable for deflecting said line laterally is swept at least fifteen degrees from an inboard point on the wing to an outboard point on the wing.

12. In combination, an aircraft and an arrestment line for capturing the aircraft,

said aircraft comprising a capturing device for capturing said line, said capturing device comprising a hook positioned laterally of a longitudinal axis of said aircraft, said hook being adapted to releasably secure said line to said aircraft, said hook including an inner throat smaller than the diameter of the line so as to generate a sufficient amount of braking force such that after the line is intercepted by the hook, sliding of the line through the hook is substantially arrested,

said aircraft containing structure suitable for deflecting said line laterally into engagement with said hook, said structure comprising a wing of said aircraft, said structure being swept at least fifteen degrees from an inboard end of the wing to an outboard end of the wing.

13. In combination, an aircraft and a line adapted for capturing the aircraft, said aircraft comprising a hook positioned laterally of a longitudinal axis of said aircraft, said hook being adapted to releasably secure said line to said aircraft, said aircraft containing structure suitable for deflecting said line laterally into engagement with said hook, said structure comprising a wing of said aircraft, said line having stops to prevent said line from sliding through said hook after capture, said stops having a shock absorbing mechanism to reduce loads associated with impact of said stops with said hook.

15. A method of capturing an aircraft with an arrestment line,

said arrestment line being connected at an upper end to an aerial lifting apparatus, said connection of said line to said aerial lifting apparatus not including a line payout mechanism, the other end of the arrestment line being free of a restraining mechanism,

said aircraft containing a capturing device for capturing said line, said capturing device comprising a hook positioned laterally of a longitudinal axis of said aircraft, said hook being adapted to releasably secure said line to said aircraft, said aircraft containing structure suitable for deflecting said line laterally into engagement with said hook, said structure comprising a wing of said aircraft,

said method comprising said aircraft engaging said line at a great enough distance from said aerial lifting apparatus that the momentum of said aircraft is insufficient to swing said aircraft on said line up above the height of said aerial lifting apparatus.

16. The method of recovering an aircraft of claim 15 wherein said structure suitable for deflecting said line laterally is swept at least fifteen degrees from an inboard point on the wing to an outboard point on the wing.

17. A method for recovering an aircraft with an arrestment line supported at one end by a support,

said aircraft containing a capturing device for capturing said line, said capturing device comprising a hook positioned laterally of a longitudinal axis of said aircraft, said hook being adapted to releasably secure said line to said aircraft, said aircraft containing structure suitable for deflecting said line laterally into engagement with said hook, said structure comprising a wing of said aircraft,

said method including raising said aircraft, relative to said support, by the raising of said arrestment line at the point of engagement with said aircraft relative to said support.

18. The method of recovering an aircraft of claim 17 wherein said structure suitable for deflecting said line laterally is swept at least fifteen degrees from an inboard point on the wing to an outboard point on the wing.

19. A recovery system for an aircraft consisting of an aircraft and a net, the aircraft having a hook designed to engage and releasably secure a line of the net to the aircraft, said hook not being a carrier arrestment type tail hook, said hook providing the primary means of securing said aircraft to said net for the actual flight path of said aircraft.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said aircraft comprises structure suitable for deflecting said line laterally, said structure being swept at least fifteen degrees from an inboard point on a wing of the aircraft to an outboard point on the wing.

21. In combination, an aircraft and an apparatus for capturing the aircraft, the combination comprising:

the aircraft and

an arrestment line,

said aircraft containing a capturing device for capturing said line, said capturing device comprising a hook positioned laterally of a longitudinal axis of said aircraft, said hook being adapted to releasably secure said line to said aircraft, said aircraft containing structure suitable for deflecting said line laterally into engagement with said hook, said structure comprising a wing of said aircraft, further comprising a sensor with a known spatial relationship to the point of engagement of said aircraft to said arrestment line, for assistance in guiding said aircraft into engagement with said arrestment line.

22. The combination of claim 21 wherein said structure suitable for deflecting said line laterally is swept at least fifteen degrees from an inboard point on the wing to an outboard point on the wing.

23. An aerial recovery system for an aircraft, said system comprising;

the aircraft and

at least one arrestment line suspended below a support line strung between two separated support points;

said aircraft containing a capturing device for capturing said at least one arrestment line, said capturing device comprising at least one hook positioned laterally of a longitudinal axis of said aircraft,

said aircraft containing structure suitable for deflecting said at least one arrestment line laterally into engagement with said at least one hook, said structure comprising at least one wing of said aircraft.

24. The combination of claim 23 wherein said structure suitable for deflecting said line laterally is swept at least fifteen degrees from an inboard point on the wing to an outboard point on the wing.

25. An aerial recovery system for capturing an aircraft on a water craft, said system comprising;

the water craft,

the aircraft, and

an arrestment line connected to said water craft, said arrestment line being held up at least one end,

said aircraft containing a hook adapted for capturing said line and releasably securing said aircraft to said arrestment line, said hook being positioned laterally of a longitudinal axis of said aircraft,

said aircraft containing structure suitable for deflecting said line laterally into engagement with said hook, said structure comprising a wing of said aircraft, said structure suitable for deflecting said line laterally being swept at least fifteen degrees from an inboard point on the wing to an outboard point on the wing.