Unmanned aircraft system and operation method thereof

• US 8,740,134 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2009
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Inventors: Suzuki, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Eldred, J. Woodrow
• Application Number:
  US12/935,432
• Publication Number:
  US 20110049288A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,755 Days
• Field of Search: 244/2, 244/63, 244/110.F, 244/75.1, 244/190, 244/194
• US Class Current: 244/2
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 37/02 Flying units formed by separate aircraft towing B64D3/00; aircraft transported by aircraft B64D5/00; air-refuelling B64D39/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/20 for releasing or capturing UAVs in flight by another aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/82 Airborne vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/104 involving a plurality of aircrafts, e.g. formation flying traffic control systems for aircraft G08G5/00

Abstract

An unmanned aircraft system includes a manned aircraft and an unmanned aircraft. The manned aircraft includes a manned aircraft main wing, a manned aircraft fuselage, a manned aircraft landing system, and a manned aircraft joining mechanism provided at a bottom portion of the manned aircraft fuselage. The unmanned aircraft includes an unmanned aircraft main wing, an unmanned aircraft fuselage, an unmanned aircraft landing system, and an unmanned aircraft joining mechanism provided at a roof portion of the unmanned aircraft fuselage. The manned aircraft joining mechanism and the unmanned aircraft joining mechanism are detachably joined. The unmanned aircraft system can take off or land in a state that the unmanned aircraft and the manned aircraft are joined.

Claims

1. An unmanned aircraft system comprising:

a manned aircraft and

an unmanned aircraft,

wherein said manned aircraft includes;

a manned aircraft main wing;

a manned aircraft fuselage;

a manned aircraft landing system; and

a manned aircraft joining mechanism provided at a bottom portion of said manned aircraft fuselage,

wherein said unmanned aircraft includes;

an unmanned aircraft main wing;

an unmanned aircraft fuselage;

an unmanned aircraft landing system; and

an unmanned aircraft joining mechanism provided at a roof portion of said unmanned aircraft fuselage,

wherein said manned aircraft joining mechanism and said unmanned aircraft joining mechanism are configured to be detachably joined,

wherein said manned aircraft joining mechanism includes;

a first joining rod;

a second joining rod;

a first actuator;

a second actuator; and

a manned aircraft contact portion,

wherein said unmanned aircraft joining mechanism includes;

a first joining hole portion in which a first joining hole is formed;

a second joining hole portion in which a second joining hole is formed;

a first locking portion;

a second locking portion; and

an unmanned aircraft contact portion,

wherein said first actuator is configured to move said first joining rod in a first direction to insert said first joining rod into said first joining hole,

wherein said second actuator is configured to move said second joining rod in said first direction to insert said second joining rod into said second joining hole,

wherein said first locking portion is configured to lock said first joining rod such that said first joining rod is not pulled out from said first joining hole,

wherein said second locking portion is configured to lock said second joining rod such that said second joining rod is not pulled out from said second joining hole, and

wherein said first actuator and said second actuator are configured to move said first joining rod and said second joining rod in a direction opposite to said first direction to cause said first contact portion to contact said second contact portion.

2. The unmanned aircraft system according to claim 1, wherein said manned aircraft includes a piloting interface operated by a pilot,

said unmanned aircraft includes:

an unmanned aircraft flight sensor;

an unmanned aircraft control surface system; and

an unmanned aircraft propulsion system, and

wherein, when said manned aircraft and unmanned aircraft are joined,

said piloting interface generates an joined-case pilot command signal,

said unmanned aircraft flight sensor generates an unmanned aircraft joined-case flight state signal indicating a flight state of said unmanned aircraft, and

said unmanned aircraft control surface system or said unmanned aircraft propulsion system operate based on said joined-case pilot command signal and said unmanned aircraft joined-case flight state signal.

3. The unmanned aircraft system according to claim 2, wherein said piloting interface generates a landing system control pilot command signal,

wherein, when said manned aircraft and said unmanned aircraft are separated,

said manned aircraft landing system operates based on said landing system control pilot command signal, and

said unmanned aircraft landing system does not operate based on said landing system control pilot command, and

wherein, when said manned aircraft and said unmanned aircraft are joined,

said manned aircraft landing system does not operate based on said landing system control pilot command signal, and

said unmanned aircraft landing system operates based on said landing system control pilot command.

4. The unmanned aircraft system according to claim 2, wherein said manned aircraft includes:

a manned aircraft flight sensor;

a manned aircraft flight control computer;

a manned aircraft control surface system; and

a manned aircraft propulsion system,

wherein said unmanned aircraft includes an unmanned aircraft flight control computer,

wherein, when said manned aircraft and said unmanned aircraft are separated,

said piloting interface generates a separated-case pilot command signal,

said manned aircraft flight sensor generates a manned aircraft separated-case flight state signal indicating a flight state of said manned aircraft,

said manned aircraft flight control computer generates a manned aircraft separated-case flight control signal based on said separated-case pilot command signal, said manned aircraft separated-case flight state signal, and a manned aircraft separated-case flight control rule,

said manned aircraft control surface system or said manned aircraft propulsion system operates based on said manned aircraft separated-case flight control signal,

said unmanned aircraft flight sensor generates an unmanned aircraft separated-case flight state signal indicating a flight state of said unmanned aircraft,

said unmanned aircraft flight control computer generates an unmanned aircraft separated-case flight control signal based on a flight plan signal, said unmanned aircraft separated-case flight state signal, and an unmanned aircraft separated-case flight control rule, and

said unmanned aircraft control surface system or said unmanned aircraft propulsion system operate based on said unmanned aircraft separated-case flight control signal, and

wherein, when said manned aircraft and said unmanned aircraft are joined,

said manned aircraft flight sensor generates a manned aircraft joined-case flight state signal indicating a flight state of said manned aircraft,

said manned aircraft flight control computer generates a manned aircraft joined-case flight control signal based on said joined-case pilot command signal, said manned aircraft joined-case flight state signal, and a manned aircraft joined-case flight control rule,

said manned aircraft control surface system or said manned aircraft propulsion system operates based on said manned aircraft joined-case flight control signal,

said unmanned aircraft flight control computer generates an unmanned aircraft joined-case flight control signal based on said manned aircraft joined-case flight control signal, said unmanned aircraft joined-case flight control state signal, and an unmanned aircraft joined-case flight control rule, and

said unmanned aircraft control surface system or said unmanned aircraft propulsion system operates based on said unmanned aircraft joined-case flight control signal.

5. The unmanned aircraft system according to claim 2, wherein said manned aircraft includes:

a manned aircraft flight sensor;

a manned aircraft flight control computer;

a manned aircraft control surface system; and

a manned aircraft propulsion system,

wherein said unmanned aircraft includes an unmanned aircraft flight control computer,

wherein, when said manned aircraft and said unmanned aircraft are separated,

said piloting interface generates an separated-case pilot command signal,

said manned aircraft flight sensor generates a manned aircraft separated-case flight state signal indicating a flight state of said manned aircraft,

said manned aircraft flight control computer generates a manned aircraft separated-case flight control signal based on said separated-case pilot command signal, said manned aircraft separated-case flight state signal, and a manned aircraft separated-case flight control rule,

said manned aircraft control surface system or said manned aircraft propulsion system operates based on said manned aircraft separated-case flight control signal,

said unmanned aircraft flight sensor generates an unmanned aircraft separated-case flight state signal indicating a flight state of said unmanned aircraft,

said unmanned aircraft flight control computer generates an unmanned aircraft separated-case flight control signal based on a flight plan signal, said unmanned aircraft separated-case flight state signal, and an unmanned aircraft separated-case flight control rule, and

said unmanned aircraft control surface system or said unmanned aircraft propulsion system operate based on said unmanned aircraft separated-case flight control signal, and

wherein, when said manned aircraft and said unmanned aircraft are joined,

said manned aircraft flight sensor generates a manned aircraft joined-case flight state signal indicating a flight state of said manned aircraft,

said manned aircraft flight control computer generates a manned aircraft joined-case flight control signal based on said joined-case pilot command signal, said manned aircraft joined-case flight state signal, said unmanned aircraft joined-case flight state signal, and a manned aircraft joined-case flight control rule,

said manned aircraft control surface system or said manned aircraft propulsion system operates based on said manned aircraft joined-case flight control signal,

said unmanned aircraft flight control computer generates an unmanned aircraft joined-case flight control signal based on said manned aircraft joined-case flight control signal and an unmanned aircraft joined-case flight control rule, and

said unmanned aircraft control surface system or said unmanned aircraft propulsion system operates based on said unmanned aircraft joined-case flight control signal.

6. The unmanned aircraft system according to claim 4, wherein said manned aircraft includes:

a manned aircraft signal conversion device; and

an optical signal emission surface positioned at a tip of said first joining rod,

wherein said unmanned aircraft includes;

an unmanned aircraft signal conversion device; and

an optical signal incident surface positioned at a bottom of said first joining hole,

wherein said manned aircraft joined-case flight control signal is generated as a first electric signal,

wherein said manned aircraft signal conversion device converts said first electric signal into an optical signal,

wherein said optical signal is emitted from said optical signal emission surface and enters said optical signal incident surface,

wherein said unmanned aircraft signal conversion device converts said optical signal into a second electric signal, and

wherein said unmanned aircraft flight control computer generates said unmanned manned aircraft joined-case flight control signal based on said second electric signal.

7. The unmanned aircraft system according to claim 1, wherein said first locking portion is configured to mechanically lock said first joining rod, and

wherein said second locking portion is configured to mechanically lock said second joining rod.

8. The unmanned aircraft system according to claim 1, wherein said first locking portion is configured to electromagnetically lock said first joining rod, and

wherein said second locking portion is configured to electromagnetically lock said second joining rod.

9. The unmanned aircraft system according to claim 1, wherein said manned aircraft includes:

a camera provided at said bottom portion; and

a display device provided in a cockpit, and

said display device displays images taken by said camera.

12. The unmanned aircraft system according to claim 5, wherein said manned aircraft includes:

a manned aircraft signal conversion device; and

an optical signal emission surface positioned at a tip of said first joining rod,

wherein said unmanned aircraft includes;

an unmanned aircraft signal conversion device; and

an optical signal incident surface positioned at a bottom of said first joining hole,

wherein said manned aircraft joined-case flight control signal is generated as a first electric signal,

wherein said manned aircraft signal conversion device converts said first electric signal into an optical signal,

wherein said optical signal is emitted from said optical signal emission surface and enters said optical signal incident surface,

wherein said unmanned aircraft signal conversion device converts said optical signal into a second electric signal, and

wherein said unmanned aircraft flight control computer generates said unmanned manned aircraft joined-case flight control signal based on said second electric signal.

10. An unmanned aircraft system comprising:

a manned aircraft and

an unmanned aircraft,

wherein said manned aircraft includes;

a manned aircraft main wing;

a manned aircraft fuselage;

a manned aircraft landing system; and

a manned aircraft joining mechanism provided at a bottom portion of said manned aircraft fuselage,

wherein said unmanned aircraft includes;

an unmanned aircraft main wing;

an unmanned aircraft fuselage;

an unmanned aircraft landing system; and

an unmanned aircraft joining mechanism provided at a roof portion of said unmanned aircraft fuselage,

wherein said manned aircraft joining mechanism and said unmanned aircraft joining mechanism are configured to be detachably joined,

wherein said manned aircraft includes a piloting interface operated by a pilot,

wherein said unmanned aircraft includes;

an unmanned aircraft flight sensor;

an unmanned aircraft control surface system; and

an unmanned aircraft propulsion system, and

wherein, when said manned aircraft and said unmanned aircraft are joined,

said piloting interface generates a joined-case pilot command signal,

said unmanned aircraft flight sensor generates an unmanned aircraft joined-case flight state signal indicating a flight state of said unmanned aircraft, and

said unmanned aircraft control surface system or said unmanned aircraft propulsion system operates based on said joined-case pilot command signal and said unmanned aircraft joined-case flight state signal.

11. An unmanned aircraft system comprising:

a manned aircraft and

an unmanned aircraft,

wherein said manned aircraft includes;

a manned aircraft main wing;

a manned aircraft fuselage;

a manned aircraft landing system; and

a manned aircraft joining mechanism provided at a bottom portion of said manned aircraft fuselage,

wherein said unmanned aircraft includes;

an unmanned aircraft main wing;

an unmanned aircraft fuselage;

an unmanned aircraft landing system; and

an unmanned aircraft joining mechanism provided at a roof portion of said unmanned aircraft fuselage,

wherein said manned aircraft joining mechanism and said unmanned aircraft joining mechanism are configured to be detachably joined,

wherein said manned aircraft includes a piloting interface configured to generate a landing system control pilot command signal based on an operation by a pilot, and

wherein, when said manned aircraft and said unmanned aircraft are joined, said unmanned aircraft landing system operates based on said landing system control pilot command signal.