Apparatus for recovery of unmanned, reusable aircraft

• US 5,109,788 A
• Filed: 02/21/1991
• Issued: 05/05/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: MSG Marine-Und Sondertechnik GmbH
• Original Assignee: MSG Marine-Und Sondertechnik GmbH
• Inventors: Heinzmann, Werner
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotelo, Jesus D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Avila, Stephen P.
• Application Number:
  US07/660,157
• Time in Patent Office: 439 Days
• Field of Search: 114/258, 114/259, 114/260, 114/261, 244/100 R, 244/105, 244/114 R
• US Class Current: 114/261
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 35/52 Nets, slipways or the like, for recovering aircraft from the water

Abstract

A flexible surface element is arranged on a vehicle to form a trampoline-like extendable or stretchable receiving or retrieval surface for drones. For this purpose, the surface element is brought out from a gathered-in, folded or pivoted-inward stored, stowed position into a mounted expanded position by means of extendable retention and guidance elements.

Claims

1. An apparatus for recovering an unmanned reusable aircraft during a return phase in which landing occurs by remote control and the use of auxiliary means such as a parachute retrieval system, comprising:

a flexible surface element (4) which is at least one of gatherable and foldable; and

actuatable retaining and guidance means (2,

     3) including two opposing L-shaped elements, the L-shaped elements each having a first leg that is extendable in a telescoping manner and a second leg that is pivotably mounted to a stern region of a ship so that the L-shaped elements are extendable in a longitudinal direction and outwardly pivotable for arranging the surface element horizontally beyond the stern region of the ship to form a trampoline-like retrieval surface (5) for the aircraft, and so that the L-shaped elements are longitudinally retractable and inwardly pivotable to form a stored stowage unit together with the surface element.