Method and apparatus for automated launch, retrieval, and servicing of a hovering aircraft

• US 9,004,402 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2013
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aerovel Corporation (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Aerovel Corporation (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: McGeer, Brian Theodore, Heavey, Robert Joseph III, McMillan, Damon Lucas, Stafford, John William
• Primary Examiner(s): Sanderson, Joseph W
• Application Number:
  US14/034,097
• Publication Number:
  US 20140054415A1
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• US Class Current: 244/110.C
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 37/00 Arrangements in connection with fuel supply for power plant refuelling during flight B64D39/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/029 using a cable or tether
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/00 Designing, manufacturing, assembling, cleaning, maintaining or repairing aircraft, not otherwise provided for; Handling, transporting, testing or inspecting aircraft components, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/30 for capturing UAVs in flight by ground or sea-based arresting gear, e.g. by a cable or a net
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/70 Launching or landing using catapults, tracks or rails launching from storage containers B64U70/50
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/80 Vertical take-off or landing, e.g. using rockets rotorcrafts B64U10/10; VTOL aircraft B64U10/20

Abstract

An aircraft capable of thrust-borne flight can be automatically retrieved, serviced, and launched. In one embodiment, for retrieval, the aircraft drops a tether and pulls the tether at low relative speed into contact with a horizontal guide. The tether is pulled across the guide until the guide is captured b an end effector. The tether length is adjusted as necessary, and the aircraft swings on the guide to hang in an inverted position. Translation of the tether along the guide then brings the aircraft to a docking carriage, in which the aircraft parks for servicing. For launch, the carriage is swung upright, the end effector is released from the guide, and the aircraft thrusts into free flight. A full ground-handling cycle can thus be accomplished automatically with a simple, economical apparatus. It can be used with low risk of damage and requires moderate accuracy in manual or automatic flight control.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

(a) a suspension support;

(b) a docking carriage supported by the suspension support and configured to receive a flying object;

(c) a flying object capturer suspended by the suspension support, the flying object capturer including at least two teeth configured to capture a portion of the fling object therebetween; and

(d) a motor operatively coupled to the flying object capturer and configured to move the flying object capturer relative to the suspension support.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least two teeth of the flying object capturer include a first set of two teeth and a second different set of two teeth, wherein the teeth of the first set are configured to capture the portion of the flying, object therebetween and the teeth of the second set are configured to capture the portion of the flying object therebetween.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, which includes a guide supported by the suspension support, the guide supporting the flying object capturer.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the motor is configured to move the flying object capturer relative to the guide.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the suspension support suspends the flying object capturer in a substantially horizontal orientation.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portion of the flying object includes a flexible member.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motor is configured to, after the portion of the flying object is captured, move the flying object capturer toward the suspension support until the docking carriage receives the flying object.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, Wherein the docking carriage includes at least one constraining surface configured to guide the flying object into the docking carriage.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one constraining surface includes at least one of:

an arm a longeron, and a wing trailing-edge support.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the docking carriage is configured to service the flying object after receiving the flying object.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said servicing is performed automatically.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the docking carriage is configured to service the flying object via a fueling probe insertable into a receptacle of the flying object.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the fueling probe is configured to add fuel to the flying object and remove fuel from the flying object.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the docking carriage is configured to service the flying object via an oil connector insertable into a receptacle of the flying object.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, Wherein the oil connector is configured to add oil to the flying object and remove oil from the flying object.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the docking carriage is configured to service the flying object via an electricity connector insertable into a receptacle of the flying object.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the electricity connector is configured to charge a power source of the flying, object.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, which includes one or more sensors configured to measure at least one of:

(a) a position of the flying object relative to the apparatus, (b) a velocity of the flying object relative to the apparatus, and (c) an orientation of the flying object.

19. apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flying object capturer includes a chain.

20. An apparatus comprising:

(a) a suspension support;

(b) a docking carriage supported b the suspension support and configured to receive a flying object;

(c) a flying object capturer suspended by the suspension support, the flying object capturer including at least two teeth configured to capture a portion of the flying object therebetween; and

(d) a motor operatively coupled to the flying object capturer and configured to, after the portion of the flying object is captured, move the flying object capturer toward the suspension support until the docking carriage receives the flying object.

21. An apparatus comprising:

(a) a suspension support;

(b) a docking carriage supported by the suspension support and configured to receive a flying object;

(c) a flying object capturer suspended by the suspension support in a substantially horizontal orientation, the flying object capturer including a first set of two teeth and a second different set of two teeth, wherein the teeth of the first set are configured to capture a portion of the flying object therebetween and the teeth of the second set are configured to capture the portion of the flying, object therebetween; and

(d) a motor operatively coupled to the flying object capturer and configured to, after the portion of the flying object is captured, move the flying object capturer toward the suspension support until the docking carriage receives the flying object.