UAV with Open Cargo Bay and Method of Operation

    公开(公告)号:US20240017827A1

    公开(公告)日:2024-01-18

    申请号:US17865078

    申请日:2022-07-14

    Abstract: A unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) includes a fuselage including a top, a bottom, a cavity that forms a cargo bay between the top and the bottom, and a lower access opening in the bottom for lowering a payload from the cargo bay. A movable stage is coupled to the fuselage and adjustable between an upper position in which the stage is above the cargo bay and a lower position in which the stage is at the bottom of the fuselage, the stage including an opening extending through the stage. The UAV also includes a winch disposed in the fuselage and a tether coupled to the winch. The winch is configured to be secured to the payload and is movable through the opening in the stage so as to raise or lower the payload.

    Aircraft Rotor with Variable Collective Blade Angle

    公开(公告)号:US20230339602A1

    公开(公告)日:2023-10-26

    申请号:US17727531

    申请日:2022-04-22

    Abstract: An aircraft may include a body structure and a propulsion system coupled to the body structure and including a mounting shaft and a rotor. The rotor may include a rotor hub and a set of rotor blades, wherein the rotor is configured to orient the set of rotor blades at a first collective blade angle during a first flight mode and orient the set of rotor blades at a second collective blade angle during a second flight mode. The propulsion system may further include a motor coupled to the rotor and configured to rotate the rotor in a first rotational direction in the first flight mode to produce thrust in a first thrust direction and rotate the rotor in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction in the second flight mode to produce thrust in a second thrust direction opposite the first thrust direction.

    WEIGHT-INDUCED, MULTI-DISK SHIMMY REDUCTION AND BRAKING SYSTEM FOR UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES

    公开(公告)号:US20230331376A1

    公开(公告)日:2023-10-19

    申请号:US16542141

    申请日:2019-08-15

    Inventor: Oliver Ensslin

    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to unmanned aerial vehicles (“UAVs”), systems, and methods for efficiently and safely landing while improving flight performance. In particular, the disclosure incudes a light-weight, gravity-fed, self-deploying landing gear assembly that aligns to the direction of the runway upon landing. For example, the landing gear assembly can include a pin switch and a tear-through barrier that releases and deploys the landing gear assembly. Additionally, the landing gear assembly can include castering wheels that rotate (i.e., swivel) while the UAV is in flight. Furthermore, the landing gear assembly can include friction-disks to reduce the rotation of the castering wheels when the landing gear assembly contacts the ground and receives the weight of the UAV. Moreover, the landing gear assembly can detect that the UAV has landed and can signal the UAV to initiate a roll stop mechanism.

    AIRBORNE RECOVERY OF UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES

    公开(公告)号:US20230150668A1

    公开(公告)日:2023-05-18

    申请号:US17455383

    申请日:2021-11-17

    CPC classification number: B64D3/02 B64C39/024 B64C2201/021 B64C2201/206

    Abstract: Features for in-flight recovery of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). A towline may be deployed by a host aircraft in-flight to recover an in-flight target UAV. The towline or portion thereof may be oriented nearly vertical. The towline may have a fitting thereon. A capture mechanism on the target UAV may have one or more deployable flaps that engage with the near vertical towline and fitting. The flaps may stow to secure the target aircraft to the towline and fitting. The host aircraft may then retract the towline to pull in the target UAV to the host aircraft using a hoist system having a winch. A latching system located in a pylon of the host aircraft, which may be under a wing, may have a towline connector that engages with and secures the target UAV. The host aircraft may have multiple hoist systems for deployment and/or recovery of multiple target UAV's.

    DRONE CAPTURE AERIAL VEHICLES AND METHODS OF USING THE SAME

    公开(公告)号:US20190112045A1

    公开(公告)日:2019-04-18

    申请号:US15851672

    申请日:2017-12-21

    Applicant: Hanhui ZHANG

    Inventor: Hanhui ZHANG

    Abstract: A drone capture aerial vehicle includes a fuselage and a drone capture device. The drone capture device includes a middle post and a plurality of foldable frame arms; the middle post includes a first end and a second end; and each foldable frame arm includes a plurality of ribs and a plurality of links. A method of capturing a drone includes providing a drone capture aerial vehicle, the drone capture aerial vehicle having a drone capture device and the drone capture device having a foldable capture net; flying the drone capture aerial vehicle toward the drone; activating the drone capture device to deploy the foldable capture net; and capturing the drone with the capture net.

    FOLDABLE WINGS FOR AN UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE

    公开(公告)号:US20190023374A1

    公开(公告)日:2019-01-24

    申请号:US15755669

    申请日:2016-08-25

    Abstract: An unmanned air vehicle (UAV) having a fuselage, a foldable propulsion means to generate thrust leading to the UAV movement, a driving means to drive the propulsion means and a plurality of flight control surfaces actuators are further included. The UAV further includes at least one pair of foldable wings where the rear portion of the wings is pivotally attached to the fuselage. The wings having at least one roll control surface hinged to at least one of the foldable wings. At least a pair of tail stabilizers having ruddervators flight control surfaces hinged to the tail stabilizers. In a fully extended position or in ready to fly state position, each of the foldable wings are deployed perpendicular to one another and perpendicular to the fuselage to form an offset-x shaped wings, and in a stowed position, each of the wings are positioned parallel to one another and positioned parallel to the fuselage.

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