Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Flight vehicle with drone and lift-producing protrusion
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Application No.: US15863018Application Date: 2018-01-05
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Publication No.: US11352134B2Publication Date: 2022-06-07
- Inventor: Gregory W. Heinen
- Applicant: Raytheon Company
- Applicant Address: US MA Waltham
- Assignee: Raytheon Company
- Current Assignee: Raytheon Company
- Current Assignee Address: US MA Waltham
- Agency: Renner, Otto, Boisselle & Sklar, LLP
- Main IPC: B64C39/02
- IPC: B64C39/02 ; H01Q1/34 ; B64B1/44 ; B64B1/70 ; B64B1/34 ; H01Q1/22 ; H01Q1/08 ; G01S7/40 ; H01Q1/28 ; B64B1/54

Abstract:
A flight vehicle includes a drone with a pair of shaped protrusions mechanically coupled to the drone. One of the shapes is a hollow lift-producing shape, such as being a balloon filed with a lighter-than-air gas, and the other of the shapes is below the drone. The shape below the drone may be a hollow shape that does not produce lift, for example being a balloon filled with air. The shapes may be similar in size and shape, so as to provide similar drag characteristics. The shapes may be opposite ends of a support, such as a stick, rod, or other (relatively) slender structure. The vehicle includes a payload, such as radar calibration equipment or an antenna. The drone may be used to counteract wind forces on the flight vehicle, and/or to otherwise position the flight vehicle.
Public/Granted literature
- US20190210723A1 FLIGHT VEHICLE WITH DRONE AND LIFT-PRODUCING PROTRUSION Public/Granted day:2019-07-11
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