Multicopter-assisted system and method for launching and retrieving a fixed-wing aircraft
First Claim
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1. A multicopter comprising:
- multiple arms each including an upper rotor, an upper rotor motor drivingly engaged to the upper rotor, a lower rotor, and a lower rotor motor drivingly engaged to the lower rotor;
a hub to which the arms are attachable; and
multiple power sources, wherein a first power source is electrically connectable to the upper rotor motors to power the upper rotor motors but not the lower rotor motors, and wherein a second power source is electrically connectable to the lower rotor motors to power the lower rotor motors.
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Abstract
The present disclosure provides various embodiments of a multicopter-assisted launch and retrieval system generally including: (1) a multi-rotor modular multicopter attachable to (and detachable from) a fixed-wing aircraft to facilitate launch of the fixed-wing aircraft into wing-borne flight; (2) a storage and launch system usable to store the modular multicopter and to facilitate launch of the fixed-wing aircraft into wing-borne flight; and (3) an anchor system usable (along with the multicopter and a flexible capture member) to retrieve the fixed-wing aircraft from wing-borne flight.
128 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A multicopter comprising:
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multiple arms each including an upper rotor, an upper rotor motor drivingly engaged to the upper rotor, a lower rotor, and a lower rotor motor drivingly engaged to the lower rotor; a hub to which the arms are attachable; and multiple power sources, wherein a first power source is electrically connectable to the upper rotor motors to power the upper rotor motors but not the lower rotor motors, and wherein a second power source is electrically connectable to the lower rotor motors to power the lower rotor motors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A multicopter comprising:
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multiple arms each including an upper rotor, an upper rotor motor drivingly engaged to the upper rotor, a lower rotor, and a lower rotor motor drivingly engaged to the lower rotor; a hub to which the arms are attachable; and multiple power sources, wherein a first power source is electrically connectable to the upper rotor motors to power the upper rotor motors, and wherein a second power source is electrically connectable to the lower rotor motors to power the lower rotor motors but not the upper rotor motors. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A multicopter comprising
multiple arms each including an upper rotor, an upper rotor motor drivingly engaged to the upper rotor, a lower rotor, and a lower rotor motor drivingly engaged to the lower rotor; -
a hub to which the arms are attachable; and a power supply electrically connectable to the upper rotor motors and to the lower rotor motors and configured to separately power the upper rotor motors and the lower rotor motors, wherein the power supply includes multiple distinct power sources, and wherein a first power source is electrically connectable to the upper rotor motors to power the upper rotor motors but not the lower rotor motors. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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Specification