公开(公告)号：US20230152123A1

公开(公告)日：2023-05-18

申请号：US17454632

申请日：2021-11-12

申请人： Insitu, Inc., a Subsidiary of The Boeing Company

发明人： Kalani A. Armstrong ,  Andrew P. Lancaster

IPC分类号： G01C21/00 ,  G01C21/34 ,  G01S17/89

CPC分类号： G01C21/3852 ,  G01C21/3461 ,  G01C21/3826 ,  G01S17/89 ,  G05D1/0276

摘要： A method is provided for supporting one or more ground vehicles on a mission that includes traversal of a ground region. The method includes accessing geospatial data produced from an aerial survey of the ground region, and performing an analysis of the geospatial data to produce terrain data that describes the ground region. The terrain data is weighted based on constraints of the one or more ground vehicles, and an order of priority of criteria of the mission. A map is constructed in which the ground region is expressed as a geospatially-mapped array of the weighted terrain data, and the map is searched for a path that meets the criteria of the mission. The path is described by a series of waypoints that define a route across the ground region, and an indication of the route is output for the one or more ground vehicles to traverse during the mission.

公开(公告)号：US20230002076A1

公开(公告)日：2023-01-05

申请号：US17365742

申请日：2021-07-01

申请人： Insitu, Inc., a subsidiary of The Boeing Company

发明人： Benjamin T. Brown ,  Alice E. Fockele ,  Jesse D. Kiewit ,  Jacob S. Allen ,  John R. Wong ,  Kelly A. Comstock ,  Daniel L. Shaw

IPC分类号： B64F1/02 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64C31/06

摘要： Methods and apparatus to recover unmanned aerial vehicles with kites are disclosed. A disclosed example apparatus includes a tether line to be supported by a kite at a distal end thereof, and a release to deploy and expand a parafoil from at least one of the tether line or the kite in response to the aircraft contacting the tether line.

公开(公告)号：US20220411047A1

公开(公告)日：2022-12-29

申请号：US17748778

申请日：2022-05-19

申请人： Insitu, Inc. a subsidiary of The Boeing Company

发明人： Ovidiu Cristian Mihai

IPC分类号： B64C25/20 ,  B64C29/00

摘要： Aerial vehicles may be selectively transitioned between a fixed wing flight configuration and a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) configuration. In the fixed wing flight configuration, a forward propeller may rotate in a first forward plane, whereas in the VTOL configuration, the forward propeller may be tilted to rotate in a second forward plane. A forward landing arm may extend downward in the VTOL configuration and be configured to be tilted to a stowed position when the aerial vehicle is in the fixed wing flight configuration. The forward landing arm may be coupled to the forward propeller such that tilting of the forward propeller causes corresponding tilting of the forward landing arm. In some examples, a plurality of such landing arms and propellers are tilted during transitioning of the aerial vehicle, such as one or more forward propellers and landing arms and/or one or more aft propellers and landing arms.

公开(公告)号：US20220297826A1

公开(公告)日：2022-09-22

申请号：US17834439

申请日：2022-06-07

申请人： Insitu, Inc. (A subsidiary of The Boeing Company)

发明人： Jeffrey David Lydecker ,  Rolf Rysdyk

IPC分类号： B64C25/68 ,  B64C27/32 ,  B64C39/02

摘要： Methods and apparatus to recover rotorcraft are disclosed. A disclosed example apparatus includes a rotor of a vehicle, a rotatable hub to support the rotor, and a rotor hook disposed on the rotor. The rotor hook has a groove to receive a recovery line. The rotor is to contact the recovery line when the vehicle is flown toward the recovery line.

公开(公告)号：US11354202B1

公开(公告)日：2022-06-07

申请号：US16218442

申请日：2018-12-12

申请人： Insitu, Inc.

发明人： Douglas Allyn Miller ,  David Rathbun

IPC分类号： G06F11/07 ,  G06F11/14 ,  G08G5/00 ,  G06F11/20 ,  G06F9/455 ,  B64C39/02

摘要： Apparatus and methods for controlling unmanned systems (UMSs), such as unmanned aircraft, are provided. A UMS can be provided that includes a network, auxiliary systems, and a payload, where the network can connect the auxiliary systems and the payload. A network switch of the network can logically separate the network into at least a second tier of communications and a third tier of communications. The network can be used to control the UMS by at least: controlling the auxiliary systems using messages communicated by the second tier of communications, and communicating with the payload using messages communicated by the third tier of communications.

公开(公告)号：US20220119107A1

公开(公告)日：2022-04-21

申请号：US17459698

申请日：2021-08-27

申请人： Insitu, Inc., a subsidiary of The Boeing Company

发明人： Bryan G. Munro ,  Danny R. Nalley ,  Joel M. Reiter ,  Harold A. Brown ,  Ovidiu C. Mihai

IPC分类号： B64C39/02

摘要： Modular unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are disclosed. A disclosed example UAV includes a fuselage that extends along a longitudinal axis, a wing support frame extending from the fuselage and along a wingspan of the UAV. The wing support frame includes distal ends to support a releasably couplable wing, the releasably couplable wing to extend along the wingspan when coupled to the wing support frame, and a motor boom that extends parallel to the longitudinal axis, the motor boom to support a motor that is oriented to generate lift for the UAV.

公开(公告)号：US11267581B2

公开(公告)日：2022-03-08

申请号：US16133296

申请日：2018-09-17

申请人： Insitu, Inc.

发明人： John R. Wong

IPC分类号： B64F1/12 ,  B64C39/02

摘要： Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) launch and recovery is disclosed. A disclosed example apparatus includes an aircraft mount to be coupled to a vehicle, where the aircraft mount has a magnet, and a support arm to extend from a body of the vehicle and support the aircraft mount, where the support arm is to be moved relative to the vehicle while the vehicle is moving to bring the aircraft mount toward an aircraft to recover the aircraft.

公开(公告)号：US11142339B2

公开(公告)日：2021-10-12

申请号：US16367023

申请日：2019-03-27

申请人： Insitu, Inc.

发明人： Brian D. Dennis ,  Jacob Allen ,  Jeffrey Paul Alldredge

IPC分类号： B64C39/02 ,  B64F1/02 ,  B64D17/78

摘要： Launch and/or recovery for unmanned aircraft and/or other payloads, including via parachute-assist, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A representative method for lofting a payload includes directing a lifting device upward, releasing a parachute from the lifting device, with the parachute carrying a pulley and having a flexible line passing around the pulley. The flexible line is connected between a tension device (e.g., a winch) and the payload. The method further includes activating the tension device to reel in the flexible line and accelerate the payload upwardly.

公开(公告)号：US11066185B2

公开(公告)日：2021-07-20

申请号：US16230220

申请日：2018-12-21

申请人： Insitu, Inc.

发明人： Brian D. Dennis ,  Jacob Allen ,  Andrew Royds Hayes ,  Jesse Drake Kiewit

IPC分类号： B64F1/06 ,  B64B1/50 ,  B64C39/02 ,  B64D1/12 ,  B64D25/06 ,  B64F1/08 ,  B64F1/10 ,  B64F1/22 ,  B64F1/02

摘要： Launch and/or recovery for unmanned aircraft and/or other payloads, including via parachute-assist, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A representative method for lofting a payload includes directing a lifting device upward, releasing a parachute from the lifting device, with the parachute carrying a pulley and having a flexible line passing around the pulley. The flexible line is connected between a tension device (e.g., a winch) and the payload. The method further includes activating the tension device to reel in the flexible line and accelerate the payload upwardly.

公开(公告)号：US20210214100A1

公开(公告)日：2021-07-15

申请号：US16741274

申请日：2020-01-13

申请人： Insitu, Inc., a subsidiary of The Boeing Company

发明人： Wayne Scott Thayer

IPC分类号： B64F1/02 ,  B64C39/02

摘要： Methods and apparatus to stabilize and recover unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are disclosed. A disclosed example apparatus includes a capture line, a mast to support the capture line for contact with the UAV, and a braking stabilizer. The braking stabilizer includes a flexible stem, a body at a distal end of the stem, where the body defines first and second flexible posts, and a filament extending between the first and second posts to contact and engage a hook of the UAV.