公开(公告)号：US09789950B1

公开(公告)日：2017-10-17

申请号：US14260889

申请日：2014-04-24

Applicant: Bird Aerospace LLC

Inventor： Matthew I. Most ,  Trevor G. Vita

IPC: B64C3/56 ,  B64F1/04 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64D47/08

CPC classification number: B64C3/56 ,  B64C39/024 ,  B64C2201/021 ,  B64C2201/08 ,  B64C2201/102 ,  B64C2201/121 ,  B64C2201/127 ,  B64C2201/201 ,  B64D47/08 ,  B64F1/04

Abstract: The present invention is a canister-launched pyrotechnically actuated folding wing UAV. The invention features a method for reliable and irreversible locking of a foldable wing, while enabling compact storage, cost reduction, ease of deployment and aerodynamic performance unattainable in current folding-wing designs. In a specific embodiment, the UAV is pre-packaged in a deployment canister for single-button deployment. The UAV can be offered in a rental system in which part or the entirety of the device can be returned for refurbishing. Additionally, the device can be provided as a fully expendable unit.