UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE AND LAUNCH ASSEMBLY

• US 20090134273A1
• Filed: 02/22/2005
• Published: 05/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Swift Engineering, Inc.
• Inventors: McLarty, Doug, Durand, Christian, Page, Mark A., Emerick, Bob, Fazio, Adrian
• Granted Patent: US 7,556,219 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/63
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/75 the body formed by joined shells or by a shell overlaying a chassis
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/13 using external fans or propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/20 for releasing or capturing UAVs in flight by another aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/50 Launching from storage containers, e.g. from submarine missile tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/70 Launching or landing using catapults, tracks or rails launching from storage containers B64U70/50
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/70 in containers B64U80/60 takes precedence

Abstract

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is provided, that is cost effective to use and manufacture and that includes a low count of component parts, allowing mission planners to use the UAVs in a disposable manner. The UAV includes an airframe having a central body and wings extending from the central body, defining an interior cavity. The airframe includes an upper and a lower shell, each configured of a unitary piece of plastic. The upper and lower shells have walls among them that define a fuel tank and a payload bay in a stacked configuration. The airframe can further include a payload cover configured to enclose the payload bay and to contribute to the central body of the airframe. A launch assembly is also provided. In a first configuration, a launch assembly is provided, that includes a container for housing multiple UAVs and a deployment mechanism that initiates rapid ejection of the UAVs from the container. In a second configuration, a launch assembly is provided, that includes an elastic tether connecting a UAV to an accelerated mass for gentle acceleration to flight speed under a stable tow.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:

an airframe having a central body and wings extending from the central body, the airframe defining an interior cavity, the airframe including

an upper shell having a unitary construction that contributes to an upper portion of the central body of the airframe, and

a lower shell having a unitary construction that contributes to an lower portion of the central body of the airframe, the upper and lower shells configured to mate with each other, the upper and lower shells having walls among them that define a fuel tank and a payload bay in a stacked configuration within the interior cavity of the airframe; and

an engine mounted to the airframe.

2. An unmanned aerial vehicle as defined in claim 1, the airframe further including a payload cover configured to enclose the payload bay and to contribute to the central body of the airframe.

3. An unmanned aerial vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein the engine is located along the primary axis of the aircraft at a center-aft location.

4. An unmanned aerial vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein the upper and lower shells each are formed of plastic.

5. An unmanned aerial vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein the airframe consists primarily of molded plastic components.

6. An unmanned aerial vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein the fuel tank and the payload bay share a common wall and side walls extend about the periphery of the common wall to help define the fuel tank.

7. An unmanned aerial vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein the upper shell includes a central wall disposed between the payload bay and the fuel tank.

8. An unmanned aerial vehicle as defined in claim 7, wherein the upper shell further includes a side wall disposed about the fuel tank, the side wall extending between the lower shell and the central wall of the upper shell.

9. An unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:

an airframe having a central body and wings extending from the central body, the airframe defining an interior cavity, the airframe including

an upper shell having a unitary construction that contributes to an upper portion of the central body of the airframe,

a lower shell having a unitary construction that contributes to an lower portion of the central body of the airframe, the upper and lower shells configured to mate with each other, the upper and lower shells having walls among them that define a fuel tank and a payload bay in a stacked configuration within the interior cavity of the airframe, the upper and lower shells having portions among them that contributes to the wings of the airframe, and

a payload cover configured to enclose the payload bay; and

an engine mounted to the airframe.

10. An unmanned aerial vehicle as defined in claim 9, wherein the engine is located along the primary axis of the aircraft at a center-aft location.

11. An unmanned aerial vehicle as defined in claim 9, wherein the upper and lower shells each are formed of plastic.

12. An unmanned aerial vehicle as defined in claim 9, wherein the wings terminate in winglets.

13. An unmanned aerial vehicle as defined in claim 9, wherein the airframe consists primarily of molded plastic components.

14. An unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:

an airframe formed of molded plastic components in a blended-wing body configuration, the airframe including a central body and wings extending from the central body, all of which contribute to aerodynamic lift of the airframe, the airframe defining an interior cavity, the components of the airframe including

an upper shell having a unitary construction that contributes to an upper portion of the central body of the airframe, and

a lower shell having a unitary construction that contributes to a lower portion of the central body of the airframe, the upper and lower shells configured to mate with each other;

a fuel tank disposed in the interior cavity of the airframe;

a payload bay disposed in the interior cavity of the airframe; and

an engine mounted to the airframe.

15. An unmanned aerial vehicle as defined in claim 14, wherein the wings terminate in winglets.

16. An unmanned aerial vehicle as defined in claim 14, wherein the upper shell includes a central wall disposed between the payload bay and the fuel tank.

17. An unmanned aerial vehicle as defined in claim 16, wherein the upper shell further includes a side wall disposed about the fuel tank, the side wall extending between the lower shell and the central wall of the upper shell.

18. A method of manufacturing an airframe for an unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:

forming an airframe having molded plastic components in a blended-wing body configuration, the airframe including a central body and wings extending from the central body, all of which contribute to aerodynamic lift of the airframe, the airframe defining an interior cavity, further including

molding an upper shell of plastic, the upper shell configured to contribute to an upper portion of the central body of the airframe, and

molding a lower shell of plastic, the lower shell configured to contribute to a lower portion of the central body of the airframe, the upper and lower shells configured to mate with each other; and

mounting an engine to the airframe;

wherein a fuel tank and a payload bay are disposed in a stacked configuration within the interior cavity of the airframe.

19. A method as defined in claim 18, wherein the upper shell includes a central wall disposed between the payload bay and the fuel tank and upper portions to the wings of the airframe.

20. A method as defined in claim 18, wherein the upper shell further includes a side wall disposed about the fuel tank, the side wall extending between the lower shell and the central wall of the upper shell.

21. A launch system for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the system comprising:

a container body having an opening and a removable lid configured to cover the opening the container body having a length and a width;

alignment supports disposed in the container body, the supports configured to secure a plurality of UAVs within the container in a prescribed orientation such that each UAV is disposed substantially perpendicular to the length of the container body; and

a deployment mechanism configured to eject the UAVs through the opening of the container, the deployment mechanism comprising;

a mass configured to be accelerated independent of the UAV; and

an elastic tether configured to connect the UAV to the mass;

wherein the mass is sufficiently sized relative to the UAV, and a force is imparted to the mass such that the elastic tether is stretched and sufficient force is imparted to the UAV to accelerate the UAV to flight speed;

wherein the mass is configured to be accelerated via a spring assembly; and

wherein the spring assembly serves as the mass, the spring assembly including

a helical spring sufficiently sized to accelerate the UAV to flight speed;

a first and second side walls disposed on opposing ends of the spring, the second side wall having an opening; and

a central rod attached to the first side wall and releasably attached to second side wall through the opening thereof, rod configured to release spring tension upon release from the second side wall.

22. (canceled)

23. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

26. A launch system for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV, the system comprising:

a mass configured to be accelerated independent of the UAV; and

an elastic tether configured to connect the UAV to the mass;

wherein the mass is sufficiently sized relative to the UAV, and a force is imparted to the mass such that the elastic tether is stretched and sufficient force is imparted to the UAV to accelerate the UAV to flight speed;

wherein the mass is configured to be accelerated via a spring assembly; and

wherein the spring assembly serves as the mass, the spring assembly including

a helical spring sufficiently sized to accelerate the UAV to flight speed;

a first and second side walls disposed on opposing ends of the spring, the second side wall having an opening; and

a central rod attached to the first side wall and releasably attached to second side wall through the opening thereof, rod configured to release spring tension upon release from the second side wall.