Powered unmanned aerial vehicle

• US 7,854,410 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2007
• Issued: 12/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: KaZak Composites, Incorporated (Kibbutz Sasa)
• Original Assignee: KaZak Composites, Incorporated (Kibbutz Sasa)
• Inventors: Gravelle, Nathan, Schoenholtz, Stephen A., Fanucci, Jerome P.
• Primary Examiner(s): BAREFOOT, GALEN L
• Application Number:
  US11/803,720
• Publication Number:
  US 20100012774A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,316 Days
• Field of Search: 244/3.28, 244/49, 244/113, 244/58, 244/139, 244147-149, 416140-142
• US Class Current: 244/49
• 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 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/64 for parcel delivery or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/12 Variable or detachable wings, e.g. wings with adjustable sweep
• 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 70/83 using parachutes, balloons or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/70 in containers B64U80/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 10/14 using fins spread or deployed after launch, e.g. after leaving the barrel
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 10/143 Lattice or grid fins
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 10/56 of parachute or paraglider type
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/365 Projectiles transmitting information to a remote location using optical or electronic means F42B12/385 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 15/08 for carrying measuring instruments; Arrangements for mounting sensitive cargo within a projectileadaptations for meteorology G01W1/08; Arrangements for acoustic sensitive cargo within a projectile
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 15/105 Air torpedoes, e.g. projectiles with or without propulsion, provided with supporting air foil surfaces

Abstract

An unmanned aerial vehicle mounts a payload section to an air delivery vehicle. The air delivery vehicle includes deployable wings and tail fins for gliding or powered flight. A set of propeller blades are provided for powered flight. The propeller blades are mounted for movement from a stowed position to deployed position extending radially from the fuselage for powered flight.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:

an air delivery vehicle including a fuselage defining an axis, and a payload section attached in front of the air delivery vehicle;

a pair of wings pivotably mounted to the fuselage for movement from a stowed position against the fuselage to a deployed position extending from the fuselage;

a plurality of tail fins pivotably mounted to the fuselage aft of the wings for movement from a stowed position against the fuselage to a deployed position extending from the fuselage;

a plurality of propeller blades mounted to the air delivery vehicle for movement from a stowed position folded forward against the fuselage to an unpowered flight position trailing aft and further to a deployed position extending radially from the axis of the fuselage; and

a drive source for driving the propeller blades in the deployed position about the axis of the fuselage.

2. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of propeller blades are mounted to the air delivery vehicle with a biasing mechanism biasing the blades into the unpowered flight position.

3. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 2, wherein the biasing mechanism comprises a torsion spring mechanism.

4. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the drive source overcomes the biasing mechanism to extend the blades radially from the fuselage by centrifugal force.

5. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the tail fins are pivotably mounted for rotation about an axis extending radially from the fuselage.

6. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the tail fins comprise lattice fins.

7. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, further comprising an autopilot programmable to follow a predetermined flight plan.

8. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a wing deployment mechanism biased to move the wings to the deployed position.

9. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the payload section is releasably attached to the air delivery vehicle.

10. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 9, further comprising a release mechanism between the air delivery vehicle and the payload section.

11. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the release mechanism comprises a biasing mechanism disposed between the air delivery vehicle and the payload section.

12. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the payload section is fixedly attached to the air delivery vehicle.

17. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the propeller blades are mounted for rotation through approximately 180°

from the stowed position to the trailing position.

13. An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:

an air delivery vehicle and a payload section attached to the front of the air delivery vehicle, the air delivery vehicle including a fuselage defining an axis;

a pair of wings pivotably mounted to the fuselage for movement from a stowed position against the fuselage to a deployed position extending from the fuselage;

a plurality of tail fins pivotably mounted to the fuselage aft of the wings for movement from a stowed position against the fuselage to a deployed position extending from the fuselage; and

a recovery parachute releasably stowed in the payload section and spring-loaded to eject laterally from the payload section during deployment, and a connection between the recovery parachute in the payload section and a tail of the air delivery vehicle to carry the parachute aft during deployment.

14. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 13, wherein the connection between the recovery parachute and the tail comprises a wire.

15. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 13, further comprising an ejection spring in the payload section to eject the parachute out of the payload section.

16. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 13, further comprising a hatch door in the payload section, the recovery parachute stowed behind the hatch door.