SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CAPTURING AND CONTROLLING POST-RECOVERY MOTION OF UNMANNED AIRCRAFT
First Claim
1. An aircraft system, comprising:
- a line capture assembly carried by an unmanned aircraft having a fuselage and a lifting surface, the line capture assembly including—
a flexible support line having a first portion attached to an attachment point on the fuselage and a second portion extending from the attachment point spanwise along the lifting surface of the aircraft; and
an engagement device coupled to the second portion of the support line and releasably secured to the lifting surface.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for capturing and controlling post-recovery motion of an unmanned aircraft are disclosed herein. An aircraft system in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, for example, can include a line capture assembly carried by an unmanned aircraft having a fuselage and a lifting surface. The line capture assembly can include a flexible support line having a first portion attached to an attachment point on the fuselage and a second portion extending from the attachment point spanwise along the lifting surface of the aircraft. The line capture assembly can also include an engagement device coupled to the second portion of the support line. The engagement device is releasably secured to the lifting surface.
39 Citations
35 Claims
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1. An aircraft system, comprising:
a line capture assembly carried by an unmanned aircraft having a fuselage and a lifting surface, the line capture assembly including— a flexible support line having a first portion attached to an attachment point on the fuselage and a second portion extending from the attachment point spanwise along the lifting surface of the aircraft; and an engagement device coupled to the second portion of the support line and releasably secured to the lifting surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An aircraft system, comprising:
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an unmanned aircraft having a fuselage and a pair of wings extending from the fuselage; and a line capture assembly carried by the aircraft and positioned to releasably secure the aircraft to a flexible recovery line when the aircraft intercepts the recovery line, the line capture assembly including— one or more flexible support lines coupled to an anchor point on the fuselage and extending across at least a portion of the fuselage and spanwise along the corresponding wing to an outboard edge of the wing, wherein the one or more support lines extend spanwise along the wing at least proximate to a leading edge of the corresponding wing; and one or more capture devices coupled to the corresponding one or more support lines, the one or more capture devices being releasably secured to the wing and positioned to receive the recovery line and at least temporarily secure the line capture assembly to the recovery line. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An aircraft system, comprising:
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an unmanned aircraft having a fuselage, a lifting surface extending from the fuselage, and a groove with (a) a first groove portion in the fuselage and extending between an attachment point on the fuselage and the lifting surface, and (b) a second groove portion in the lifting surface and extending spanwise along the lifting surface; and a line capture assembly including— a flexible support line coupled to the attachment point on the fuselage and extending from the attachment point spanwise along the lifting surface, wherein the support line is at least partially received in both the first groove portion and the second groove portion; and an engagement device coupled to the support line and releasably secured to the lifting surface. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. An aircraft system, comprising:
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an unmanned aircraft having a fuselage and a lifting surface extending from the fuselage; and a line capture assembly carried by the aircraft and positioned to releasably secure the aircraft to a flexible recovery line when the aircraft intercepts the recovery line, wherein the line capture assembly includes— a flexible support line coupled to the aircraft at an anchor point generally along a longitudinal axis of the aircraft and forward of a center of gravity of the aircraft, wherein the support line extends from the anchor point spanwise along at least a portion of the lifting surface; and a capture device coupled to a distal portion of the support line, wherein the capture device is releasably secured to the lifting surface.
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21. A method for capturing an unmanned aircraft in flight, the method comprising:
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flying an unmanned aircraft to intercept a flexible recovery line, the unmanned aircraft having a lifting surface and a line capture assembly; receiving the recovery line at an engagement device of the line capture assembly, wherein the engagement device is attached to a flexible support line carried by the aircraft and coupled to an attachment point on the fuselage; and releasably securing the recovery line to the line capture assembly by (a) at least temporarily arresting the recovery line with the engagement device, and (b) suspending the aircraft from the support line after at least temporarily arresting the recovery line. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for handling an unmanned aircraft in flight, the method comprising:
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installing a line capture assembly on an unmanned aircraft having a fuselage and a pair of wings, the line capture assembly including (a) one or more flexible support lines coupled to an anchor point at least generally along a longitudinal axis of the aircraft and extending spanwise along the corresponding wing to an outboard edge of the wing, and (b) one or more capture devices coupled to the corresponding one or more support lines and releasably secured to the corresponding wing; flying the aircraft so as to intercept a generally vertical flexible recovery line; and releasably securing the aircraft to the recovery line with the line capture assembly by— engaging and releasably securing the recovery line with the capture device on the corresponding wing; and as the aircraft pivots toward the recovery line after engaging the recovery line with the capture device, releasing the support line from the lifting surface such that the aircraft is suspended from recovery line via the support line, wherein the support line is in contact with only the anchor point on the aircraft and the recovery line. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification