Methods and apparatuses for launching, capturing, and storing unmanned aircraft, including a container having a guide structure for aircraft components
First Claim
1. An apparatus for handling unmanned aircraft, comprising:
- storage means for at least partially enclosing and releasably storing the aircraft;
fuselage support means for supporting a fuselage of the aircraft, the fuselage support means being carried by the storage means;
gripper means for releasably carrying a lifting surface of the aircraft, the gripper means being movable relative to the fuselage support means; and
guide means for guiding motion of the gripper means, the guide means being carried by the storage means to constrain the motion of the gripper means as the gripper means moves between a first position with the lifting surface attached to the fuselage and second position with the lifting surface detached from the fuselage.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatuses for launching, capturing, and storing unmanned aircraft and other flight devices or projectiles are described. In one embodiment, the aircraft can be assembled from a container with little or no manual engagement by an operator. The container can include a guide structure to control motion of the aircraft components. The aircraft can be launched from an apparatus that includes an extendable boom. The boom can be extended to deploy a recovery line to capture the aircraft in flight. The aircraft can then be returned to its launch platform, disassembled, and stored in the container, again with little or no direct manual contact between the operator and the aircraft.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for handling unmanned aircraft, comprising:
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storage means for at least partially enclosing and releasably storing the aircraft; fuselage support means for supporting a fuselage of the aircraft, the fuselage support means being carried by the storage means; gripper means for releasably carrying a lifting surface of the aircraft, the gripper means being movable relative to the fuselage support means; and guide means for guiding motion of the gripper means, the guide means being carried by the storage means to constrain the motion of the gripper means as the gripper means moves between a first position with the lifting surface attached to the fuselage and second position with the lifting surface detached from the fuselage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An apparatus for handling an unmanned aircraft, comprising:
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a storage apparatus; an aircraft support carried by the storage apparatus and configured to support at least a portion of an unmanned aircraft; and a movable device carried by the storage apparatus and configured to carry a lifting surface of an unmanned aircraft, the movable device being movable relative to the aircraft support in a constrained manner along a generally linear guide path. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus for handling an unmanned aircraft, comprising:
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a storage container that includes a first guide structure having a first guide path, the storage container including a movable portion movable along the first guide path, the movable portion including a second guide structure having a second guide path; a cradle movably carried by the storage container and positioned to support a fuselage of the aircraft; and a gripper carried by the movable portion of the storage container and positioned to contact and releasably engage a lifting surface of the aircraft, the gripper being movable along the second guide path between a first position and a second position. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. An apparatus for handling an unmanned aircraft, comprising:
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a storage apparatus; an aircraft support carried by the storage apparatus and configured to support at least a portion of an unmanned aircraft, wherein the aircraft support includes a fuselage support member carried by the storage apparatus, the fuselage support member being movable from a first position for storage to a second position for launch; and a movable device carried by the storage apparatus and configured to carry a lifting surface of an unmanned aircraft, the movable device being movable relative to the aircraft support in a constrained manner along a guide path.
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18. An apparatus for handling an unmanned aircraft, comprising:
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a storage apparatus; an aircraft support carried by the storage apparatus and configured to support at least a portion of an unmanned aircraft; and a movable device carried by the storage apparatus and configured to carry a lifting surface of an unmanned aircraft, the movable device being movable relative to the aircraft support in a constrained manner along a guide path, wherein the movable device translates and rotates relative to the lifting surface of the aircraft to releasably engage the lifting surface, and wherein the movable device is positioned to slidably move along the guide path from a first position with the lifting surface attached to the aircraft to a second position with the lifting surface detached from the aircraft.
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19. An apparatus for handling an unmanned aircraft, comprising:
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a storage apparatus; an aircraft support carried by the storage apparatus and configured to support at least a portion of an unmanned aircraft; and a movable device carried by the storage apparatus and configured to carry a lifting surface of an unmanned aircraft, the movable device being movable relative to the aircraft support in a constrained manner along a guide path, wherein the guide path includes a first guide path portion, and wherein the movable device includes a container section movable along the first guide path portion, the movable device further including a gripper, the gripper being positioned to detach the lifting surface of the aircraft by slidably moving relative to the container section along a second guide path portion from a first position with the lifting surface attached to the aircraft to a second position with the lifting surface detached from the aircraft.
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20. An apparatus for handling an unmanned aircraft, comprising:
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a storage apparatus; an aircraft support carried by the storage apparatus and configured to support at least a portion of an unmanned aircraft; and a movable device carried by the storage apparatus and configured to carry a lifting surface of an unmanned aircraft, the movable device being movable relative to the aircraft support in a constrained manner along a guide path to carry the lifting surface from a first position with the lifting surface attached to the aircraft to a second position with the lifting surface detached from the aircraft.
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Specification