Techniques for emplacing an unmanned aerial vehicle launcher prior to launching an unmanned aerial vehicle

• US 9,862,505 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2014
• Issued: 01/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Textron Systems Corporation (Textron Inc)
• Original Assignee: AAI Corporation (Textron Inc)
• Inventors: Wallace, Jason J., Nesline, Paul, Uskert, Richard C., Padilla, Samuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Green, Richard R
• Application Number:
  US14/225,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20160137313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,385 Days
• Field of Search: 89 135, 89 3705, 89 3713, 89 4002
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/06 using catapults
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/00 Type of UAV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/70 Launching or landing using catapults, tracks or rails launching from storage containers B64U70/50

Abstract

A technique is directed to launching an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The technique involves positioning a UAV launcher over a ground location. The technique further involves installing, after the UAV launcher is positioned over the ground location and prior to launching the UAV, an anchor into the ground location to anchor the UAV launcher to the ground location. The technique further involves operating, after the UAV launcher is anchored to the ground location, the UAV launcher to impart launching force onto the UAV to launch the UAV, the anchor holding the UAV launcher substantially in place at the ground location to minimize energy loss as the UAV launcher imparts launching force onto the UAV. In some arrangements, the UAV launcher is capable of pivoting while remaining anchored between launches to accommodate changes in wind direction while maintaining substantial connection to the ground location for enhanced consistency and performance.

Claims

1. A method of launching an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:

positioning a UAV launcher over a ground location, the UAV launcher being constructed and arranged to impart launching force onto the UAV to launch the UAV into the air from the ground location;

after the UAV launcher is positioned over the ground location and prior to launching the UAV into the air from the ground location, installing an anchor into the ground location to anchor the UAV launcher to the ground location; and

after the UAV launcher is anchored to the ground location, operating the UAV launcher to impart launching force onto the UAV to launch the UAV into the air from the ground location, the anchor holding the UAV launcher substantially in place at the ground location to minimize energy loss as the UAV launcher imparts launching force onto the UAV; and

rotating the UAV launcher about a pivot point while the UAV launcher remains anchored to the ground location;

wherein the UAV launcher includes a frame, a mount, and a propulsion mechanism that is constructed and arranged to move the mount relative to the frame during UAV launching;

wherein the anchor is detached from the UAV launcher while the UAV launcher is positioned over the ground location, and

wherein installing the anchor into the ground location includes;

after the UAV launcher is positioned over the ground location and aimed in a particular direction, implanting the anchor into the ground location and attaching the implanted anchor to the frame of the UAV launcher, the implanted anchor securing the frame of the UAV launcher to the ground location when the propulsion mechanism of the UAV launcher moves the mount of the UAV launcher relative to the frame of the UAV launcher to impart launching force onto the UAV during UAV launching.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein the UAV launcher is initially aimed in a first direction when the UAV launcher is operated to impart launching force onto the UAV to launch the UAV into the air from the ground location;

and wherein rotating the UAV launcher about the pivot point includes;

after the UAV launcher is initially aimed in the first direction and the UAV is launched into the air, pivoting the UAV launcher around the pivot point to aim the UAV launcher in a second direction that is different from the first direction.

3. A method as in claim 2, further comprising:

after the UAV launcher is pivoted around the pivot point to aim the UAV launcher in the second direction, re-operating the UAV launcher to impart launching force onto the UAV to launch the UAV into the air in the second direction, the anchor continuing to hold the UAV launcher substantially in place at the ground location to minimize energy loss as the UAV launcher imparts launching force onto the UAV to launch the UAV into the air in the second direction.

4. A method as in claim 3 wherein the anchor includes a support member which is configured to couple to the frame of the UAV launcher;

and wherein implanting the anchor into the ground location includes;

fastening the support member to the ground location.

5. A method as in claim 4 wherein fastening the support member to the ground location includes:

embedding at least an end portion of the support member within the ground.

6. A method as in claim 4, further comprising:

during a first time period, disconnecting the frame of the UAV launcher from the support member to remove the UAV launcher away from the ground location, and

during a second time period after the first time period, reconnecting the frame of the UAV launcher to the support member to re-anchor the UAV launcher to the ground location.

7. A method as in claim 4 wherein the support member and the pivot point are co-located;

and wherein rotating the UAV launcher about the pivot point includes rotating the UAV launcher about the support member.

8. A method as in claim 3 wherein the anchor includes (i) a base plate and (ii) a coupler which couples to the based plate, the coupler being attached to the UAV launcher;

and wherein implanting the anchor into the ground location to anchor the UAV launcher to the ground location includes;

implanting the base plate into the ground, and

fastening the coupler to the implanted base plate.

9. A method as in claim 3 wherein the anchor includes (i) a curved track and (ii) a guide which is constructed and arranged to ride along the curved track, the guide being attached to the UAV launcher;

and wherein implanting the anchor into the ground location includes;

affixing the curved track to the ground, and

fitting the guide within the curved track to enable the guide to ride along the curved track while the UAV launcher remains anchored to the ground location, the UAV launcher pivoting around the pivot point while the guide rides along the curved track.

10. A method as in claim 1 wherein the anchor forms the pivot point;

and wherein rotating the UAV launcher about the pivot point while the UAV launcher remains anchored to the ground location includes;

pivoting the frame of the UAV launcher about the anchor that forms the pivot point from a first direction to a second direction which is different from the first direction, the anchor having a form factor which is smaller than the UAV launcher.

11. A method as in claim 10 wherein positioning the UAV launcher over the ground location includes disposing the frame of the UAV launcher over a first ground area;

and

wherein installing the anchor into the ground location to anchor the UAV launcher to the ground location includes disposing the anchor into a second oblique ground area that is off to the side of the first ground area.

12. A method as in claim 10, further comprising:

re-orienting a pair of wheels of the UAV launcher from a coaxial orientation to splayed orientation to transition the UAV launcher from a transportation mode to a launch mode prior to launching the UAV.

13. A method as in claim 1 wherein the UAV launcher is initially aimed in a first direction having an initial elevation and an initial azimuthal direction when the UAV launcher is operated to impart launching force onto the UAV to launch the UAV into the air from the ground location;

and wherein rotating the UAV launcher about the pivot point includes;

after the UAV launcher is initially aimed in the first direction and the UAV is launched into the air, pivoting the UAV launcher around the pivot point to aim the UAV launcher in a second direction having the initial elevation and a second azimuthal direction different from the initial azimuthal direction for a UAV launch in the initial elevation and the second azimuthal direction.

14. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) launching apparatus, comprising:

a UAV launcher constructed and arranged to impart launching force onto a UAV to launch the UAV into the air from a ground location; and

an anchor assembly coupled to the UAV launcher, the anchor being constructed and arranged to;

after the UAV launcher is positioned over the ground location and prior to launching the UAV into the air from the ground location, install into the ground location to anchor the UAV launcher to the ground location, and

after the UAV launcher is anchored to the ground location, hold the UAV launcher substantially in place at the ground location to minimize energy loss as the UAV launcher imparts launching force onto the UAV;

wherein the anchor is further constructed and arranged to permit rotation of the UAV launcher about a pivot point while the UAV launcher remains anchored to the ground location;

wherein the UAV launcher includes a frame, a mount, and a propulsion mechanism that is constructed and arranged to move the mount relative to the frame during UAV launching;

wherein the anchor is detached from the UAV launcher while the UAV launcher is positioned over the ground location; and

wherein the anchor, when installed into the ground location, is constructed and arranged to;

after the UAV launcher is positioned over the ground location and aimed in a particular direction, implant into the ground location and attach to the frame of the UAV launcher, the implanted anchor securing the frame of the UAV launcher to the ground location when the propulsion mechanism of the UAV launcher moves the mount of the UAV launcher relative to the frame of the UAV launcher to impart launching force onto the UAV during UAV launching.

15. A UAV launching apparatus as in claim 14 wherein the anchor is further constructed and arranged to anchor the UAV launcher to the ground (i) while the UAV launcher is initially aimed in a first direction to launch the UAV into the air from the ground location, (ii) while the UAV launcher is pivoted around the pivot point to aim the UAV launcher in a second direction that is different from the first direction, and (iii) while the UAV launcher is aimed in the second direction to launch the UAV into the air from the ground location.

16. A UAV launching apparatus as in claim 15 wherein the anchor and the pivot point are co-located;

and wherein UAV launcher rotates about the anchor when the UAV launcher rotates about the pivot point.

17. A UAV launching apparatus as in claim 16 wherein at least a portion of the anchor is constructed and arranged to (i) disconnect the frame of the UAV launcher from the ground location to enable the UAV launcher to be moved away from the ground location during a first time period and (ii) reconnect the frame of the UAV launcher to the ground location to re-anchor the UAV launcher to the ground location during a second time period after the first time period.

18. A UAV launching apparatus as in claim 16 wherein the anchor includes:

a base plate constructed and arranged to implant into the ground, and

a coupler which couples to the based plate, the coupler being attached to the UAV launcher and being constructed and arranged to fasten to the base plate when the base plate is implanted into the ground.

19. A UAV launching apparatus as in claim 16 wherein the anchor includes:

a curved track constructed and arranged to affix to the ground, and

a guide attached to the UAV launcher, the guide being constructed and arranged to (i) ride along the curved track and (ii) fit within the curved track to enable the guide to ride along the curved track while the UAV launcher remains anchored to the ground location.