Abstract:
The self-sustaining drone aircraft freight and observation system (5) comprises a fleet of jet-powered drone aircraft (10) designed to carry freight (12) only. The drones (10) operate from a separate airfield in outlying areas to decrease land costs and to avoid disturbing residential and business areas. Navigation is automated using guidance from GPS satellites (16), and the aircraft (10) can be assisted by a hydraulic catapult (13) during takeoff to reduce the fuel payload. The observation component (18) includes sensors that can observe weather conditions and emergency signals from boats, ships and other sources. The system (5) may include a large-scale energy production center and multi-acre vegetable, herb and flower production center (26). The energy production center includes solar panels (30), fuel cells (38), and batteries (44). Thus, the system (5) does not need to be connected to the public utility electrical grid.
Abstract:
The new method used with the new aircraft for forest fire extinguishing is a concept which consists of a new means by which the new method of fire extinction, especially forested areas, will be applied and consists of an aircraft that will fly with the help of 4 turbine engines of vertical reaction and with the support of propellers it will transport to the fire front water and materials for extinguishment and due to its peculiar shape it will be able to remain close to the fire and combat it with water, with an impulsive force of large amounts of gas that exit from its turbine engines, amounts that will contain oxygen, as well as be enriched with carbon monoxide or other extinguishing material that it possesses and will lower the temperature locally with the air currents that will be produced. This construction allows small speeds, and even idling in the air, which benefits the purpose of the fire extinction and allows the aircraft to land in small areas or close to the fire without danger but also to escape immediately if the direction of the wind changes etc. It can constructed in small, medium, or large sizes.
Abstract:
An aircraft for carrying at least one rigid cargo container includes a beam structure with a forward fuselage attached to the forward end of the beam structure and an empennage attached to the rearward end of the beam structure. Wings and engines are mounted relative to the beam structure and a fairing creates a cargo bay able to receive standard sized intermodal cargo containers. Intermodal cargo containers of light construction and rigid structure are positioned within the cargo bay and securely mounted therein. The beam structure is designed to support flight, takeoffs and landings when the aircraft is empty but requires the added strength of the containers securely mounted to the beam structure when the aircraft is loaded. The aircraft is contemplated to be a drone.
Abstract:
An aircraft for carrying at least one rigid cargo container includes a beam structure with a forward fuselage attached to the forward end of the beam structure and an empennage attached to the rearward end of the beam structure. Wings and engines are mounted relative to the beam structure and a fairing creates a cargo bay able to receive standard sized intermodal cargo containers. Intermodal cargo containers of light construction and rigid structure are positioned within the cargo bay and securely mounted therein. The beam structure is designed to support flight, takeoffs and landings when the aircraft is empty but requires the added strength of the containers securely mounted to the beam structure when the aircraft is loaded. The aircraft is contemplated to be a drone.
Abstract:
Methods and apparatuses for assembling, launching, recovering, disassembling, capturing, and storing unmanned aircraft (140) and other flight devices or projectiles are described. In one embodiment, the aircraft (140) can be assembled from a container (111) with little or no manual engagement by an operator. The container (111) can include a guide structure to control motion of the aircraft components. The aircraft (140) can be launched from an apparatus that includes an extendable boom (103). The boom (103) can be extended to deploy a recovery line (853) to capture the aircraft (140) in flight. The aircraft (140) can then be returned to its launch platform, disassembled, and stored in the container (111), again with little or no direct manual contact between the operator and the aircraft (140).
Abstract:
A rotary aircraft (rotorcraft) in which the entire aircraft rotates about its center of mass as it flies, and in which the center of mass is located external to the aircraft in the generally triangular region formed by the aircraft's single wing and two propellers. As the aircraft flies, the two propellers provide torque about the center of mass and rotate the wing, which provides lift for the aircraft. The aircraft is controllable via a stationary radio transmitter that sends commands for pitch, roll, yaw and altitude. A receiver in the aircraft uses the transmitted signal to establish the aircraft's instantaneous orientation in combination with the sent commands to generate control signals that drive the propeller motors that affect the aircraft's attitude. Pitch and roll are controlled by pulse width modulation of the propeller motor voltages in order to affect the thrust at specific portions of the aircraft's rotation cycle.
Abstract:
A vertical take-off and landing miniature aerial vehicle includes an upper fuselage segment (12) and a lower fuselage segment (14) that extend in opposite directions from a rotor guard assembly (16). A rotor (52) rotates within the rotor guard assembly (16) between the fuselage segments(12, 14). Plural turning vanes (28) extend from the rotor guard assembly (16) beneath the rotor (52). Moreover, plural grid fins (26) extend radially from the lower fuselage segment (14) below the turning vanes (28). The aerial vehicle is capable of taking off and landing vertically. During flight, the aerial vehicle can hover and transition between a horizontal flight mode and a vertical flight mode using the grid fins (26).
Abstract:
Apparatus for transporting a load (24) between source and destination locations, comprising an aircraft having a body (11), power plant (12) carried by the body (11) to drive the aircraft both generally vertically and also generally horizontally, the aircraft also having a wing structure (14-15) that has a leading edge remaining presented in the direction of flight; and load pick-up, carry and set-down means (22) connected to the aircraft to elevate the load (24) from the source location, transport the elevated and air-borne load (24) generally horizontally, and set the load (24) down at the destination location, the body (11) and power plant (12) configured for vertical flight mode to elevate and set down the load (24), and for generally horizontal flight mode to transport the elevated load (24) generally horizontally below the level of the aircraft body (11).
Abstract:
An unmanned rotor carried aerial vehicle comprises a propulsion unit (5) and a carrier (7) suspended from the propulsion unit. The propulsion unit (5) is connected to the carrier (7) via a cardan-like joint (9) for permitting limited tilting of the propulsion unit relative to the carrier in two orthogonal directions corresponding to the roll and pitch directions of the vehicle and for preventing relative movement between the propulsion unit and the carrier in the yaw direction of the vehicle.