Abstract:
This disclosure describes systems, methods, and apparatus for automating the verification of aerial vehicle sensors as part of a pre-flight, flight departure, in-transit flight, and/or delivery destination calibration verification process. At different stages, aerial vehicle sensors may obtain sensor measurements about objects within an environment, the obtained measurements may be processed to determine information about the object, as presented in the measurements, and the processed information may be compared with the actual information about the object to determine a variation or difference between the information. If the variation is within a tolerance range, the sensor may be auto adjusted and operation of the aerial vehicle may continue. If the variation exceeds a correction range, flight of the aerial vehicle may be aborted and the aerial vehicle routed for a full sensor calibration.
Abstract:
Methods of laser powering unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) with heat engines are disclosed. The laser powered heat engines are used in conjunction with devices for absorbing laser optical radiation, turning the laser optical radiation into heat, supplying the heat to a working fluid of the heat engine and harvesting mechanical work from expanding working fluid in the heat engine.
Abstract:
An aerial vehicle comprises an elongate envelope within which are at least one first compartment for holding a lighter than air gas and at least one second compartment for holding atmospheric air and said at least one second compartment having an inlet and an outlet and at least one pair of wings extending laterally from the envelope; said wings being planar units with a leading and trailing edge, the width of the wings from their leading edges to their trailing edges being substantially less than the length of the envelope with airfoil portions fitted between the leading and trailing edges of the wing: the top and bottom of the wings are mirror images of one another; in which forward motion of the vehicle is obtainable without trust through alternate diving and climbing motion.
Abstract:
A method of managing a power demand to assure the operation of a pilotless aircraft. The aircraft includes an internal combustion engine supplying a maximum principal power which can vary. The management method is particularly suitable for a rotary wing pilotless aircraft. It guarantees the storage of an amount of electrical energy at least equal to a recovery energy of the aircraft in the event of failure of the internal combustion engine. This recovery energy enables the control of autorotation and landing of the aircraft.
Abstract:
Current aircraft technology comprises of fixed wing, multi rotor and vectored engine design. The synthesis of fixed wing technology and vectoring engine technology has been implemented but limited to traditional fixed wing design aircraft. The aircraft presented has been designed with an innovation in airframe expectation, improved vectoring engine design system, and landing gear system.
Abstract:
A vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) air vehicle disclosed. The air vehicle can be manned or unmanned. In one embodiment, the air vehicle includes two shrouded propellers, a fuselage and a gyroscopic stabilization disk installed in the fuselage. The gyroscopic stabilization disk can be configured to provide sufficient angular momentum, by sufficient mass and/or sufficient angular velocity, such that the air vehicle is gyroscopically stabilized during various phases of flight. In one embodiment the fuselage is fixedly attached to the shrouded propellers. In another embodiment, the shrouded propellers are pivotably mounted to the fuselage.
Abstract:
A small, reusable interceptor unmanned air vehicle (UAV), an avionics control system for the UAV, a design method for the UAV and a method for controlling the UAV, for interdiction of small scale air, water and ground threats. The UAV includes a high performance airframe with integrated weapon and avionics platforms. Design of the UAV first involves the selection of a suitable weapon, then the design of the interceptor airframe to achieve weapon aiming via airframe maneuvering. The UAV utilizes an avionics control system that is vehicle-centric and, as such, provides for a high degree of autonomous control of the UAV. A situational awareness processor has access to a suite of disparate sensors that provide data for intelligently (autonomously) carrying out various mission scenarios. A flight control processor operationally integrated with the situational awareness processor includes a pilot controller and an autopilot controller for flying and maneuvering the UAV.
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:
A transmission system that is used in conjunction with a microturbine engine for propelling an aircraft body, such as a propeller-based fixed-wing aircraft or a rotor-based vertical lift aircraft, or for a wide variety of other applications. The output shaft of the microturbine engine preferably operates at a rotational speed in a range between 72,000 RPM and 150,000 RPM with an output power between 150 HP and 5 HP (and most preferably operates in an extended range between 50,000 RPM and 200,000 RPM with an output power between 200 HP and 5 HP). The two reduction stages provide a reduction ratio preferably having a value of at least 19, and most preferably greater than 24. The transmission system is of small-size preferably having a maximum diameter less than twelve inches. The two stages of the transmission system may comprise any one (or parts of) of a number of configurations, including an in-line lay shaft configuration, an in-line star-star configuration, an offset star-spur configuration, an offset compound idler configuration, an inline traction-internal gear configuration, and an inline traction-planetary gear configuration. Preferably, the input stage of the transmission system is self-equilibrating such that first shaft can be supported without bearings and is operably coupled to the output shaft of the microturbine engine by an outside diameter piloted spline coupling mechanism. For vertical lift applications, a single traction stage along with a bevel gear assembly or other shaft transmission mechanism can be used to provide the necessary RPM reduction.
Abstract:
A micro air vehicle having a bendable wing enabling the micro air vehicle to fly. The bendable wing may be bent downwards so that the wingspan may be reduced for storing the micro air vehicle. The bendable wing may be formed from one or more layers of material, and the wing may have a camber such that a concave surface of the wing faces downward. The wing may substantially resist flexing upwards and may transfer uplift forces to a central body of the micro air vehicle. In addition, the wing may be bent severely downwards by applying a force to tips of the wing. The micro air vehicle is capable of being stored in a small cylindrical tube and may be deployed from the tube by simply releasing the micro air vehicle from the tube.