Abstract:
An anti-submarine warfare system includes an unmanned nullsea-sittingnull aircraft housing submarine detecting equipment, the aircraft including a body portion having a catamaran configuration adapted for stably supporting the body portion when sitting in water, the body portion including a fuselage and laterally disposed sponsons connected to the fuselage via platforms, and submarine detecting equipment housed within the fuselage and adapted to be electronically linked to sonobuoys disposed in adjacent water locations.
Abstract:
A system for servicing unmanned aircraft includes an aircraft service area located adjacent a landing strip, a track and follower mechanism, and a plurality of stations disposed along the track and follower mechanism including a first station having apparatus for connecting the aircraft to the track and follower mechanism, a second station for reading information from and to a computer located onboard the aircraft, a third station for removing old weapons from and securing new weapons to the aircraft, and a fourth station for refueling the aircraft. The aircraft is able to move under its own power from the runway to the aircraft service area following landing on the runway, and from the aircraft service area to the runway for takeoff following servicing of the aircraft. A differential GPS apparatus is used to navigate the aircraft from the runway to the aircraft service area and the apparatus for connecting the aircraft to the track means at the first station includes apparatus for engaging a front wheel of the aircraft.
Abstract:
A mechanism for quickly removing and installing the free wings and/or the tail booms of a freewing aircraft to the fuselage. The fuselage includes a free wing cross tube extending transversely through the fuselage at the spanwise axis, and each of the left and right free wings includes a support tube disposed therein, also along the spanwise axis, with a portion of the wing structural tube being received within the fuselage cross tube. A quick-release pin is insertable in holes disposed in both the structural tube and the cross tube when the holes are placed in alignment. A second cross tube extends transversely through the rear end of the fuselage at the tail boom pivot axis. At least a portion of each tail boom member is disposed in surrounding relationship to the cross tube. In a preferred embodiment, a quick-release pin is insertable in holes disposed in both the tail boom member portion and the cross tube when the holes are placed in alignment.
Abstract:
A semiautonomously directed, autonomously controlled, gyroscopically stabilized, horizontal or vertical take off and landing (HOVTOL) flying apparatus employing two vertical lift devices equally and longitudinally spaced from the center of gravity of the apparatus; continuously integrated with a drive train apparatus, optional single or multiple power means; congruously connected thereto horizontal thrust devices. Integral to the vertical lift devices; pitch axis control devices situated at the exhaust orifices therein to vector said devices exhaust slip stream by a autonomous flight control system providing pitch stability. The autonomous flight control system providing continuously all flight control of the apparatus and said system being interfaced to a semiautonomous flight director device providing discrete flight direction function codes thereto. The combined effect of the apparatus is: When the power system rotates; coincident rotation of the drive train causes the vertical lift apparatus and horizontal thrust apparatus to counter rotate at right angles simultaneously providing both vertical lift and gyroscopic roll stability and simultaneously providing both horizontal thrust and gyroscopic yaw stability during flight; the continuous control thereof being accomplished by the autonomous flight control system and the directional steering, and function thereof in four axis effected by the semiautonomous flight director device which provides discrete flight function codes to the autonomous flight control system so as to disallow the initiation of negative flight maneuvers and/or functions providing for the safe unskilled pilot operation of the apparatus or any aircraft employing a autopilot having a autonomous digital flight control system.
Abstract:
Apparatus and method for recovering and arresting an aircraft on a floating platform is disclosed. The aircraft has a fuselage, a wing, and a source of propulsion for propelling the aircraft in flight. During landing approach, an inflatable cushion attached to the fuselage is deployed below the fuselage via inflation. In the inflated condition, a fastening material disposed on a downward facing surface of the cushion is thereby adapted to adhesively contact the floating platform deck so that the forward motion of the aircraft is slowed and arrested. In the preferred embodiment, the fastening material is one of male or female VELCRO.RTM. which is adapted to mate with corresponding VELCRO.RTM. material covering the platform deck.