Abstract:
Deployment and control actuation mechanisms are incorporated in unmanned aerial vehicles having folding wings and/or folding canards and/or a folding vertical stabilizer. The folding canards and folding vertical stabilizer can be deployed using respective four-bar over-center mechanisms. Elevators pivotably mounted to the folding canards and a rudder pivotably mounted to the folding vertical stabilizer can be controlled by means of respective twist link mechanisms. The folding wings have respective wing roots that are driven by respective gas springs to pivot on bearings about a wing root hub having control servo wire paths.
Abstract:
An amphibious vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned device includes a modular and expandable waterproof body. An outer body shell, at least one wing, and a door are connected to the modular and expandable waterproof body. A propulsion system of the amphibious VTOL unmanned device includes a plurality of motors and propellers and a propeller protection system. The amphibious VTOL unmanned device further includes a battery, a charging station for batteries, an onboard electricity generator a power distribution board, an electrical power storage device, and an electrical machine electrically connected to the electrical power storage device. The amphibious VTOL unmanned device is further equipped with a landing system, an onboard air compressor, an onboard electrolysis system, a cooling device, vision aiding and orientative lights, an apparatus for internally housing a cargo, and a manually or automatically deployable parachute.
Abstract:
Embodiments include an aerial vehicle. Two winged surfaces are provided in communication with a fuselage. The surfaces are in communication at a front edge via a cuff, at a midsection via a first resilient member, and at a trailing edge via a second resilient member. As the aerial vehicle is in flight, it is subject to loads. The connections of the surfaces provides flexibility and resiliency to maintain the surfaces in communication with the fuselage and to allow regulated separation of the winged surfaces at their rear edges in a first direction in a first flexed state and at their front edges in a second direction, different from the first direction, in a second flexed state.
Abstract:
A long endurance powered aircraft includes a fuselage, a propeller coupled to the fuselage, a wing coupled to the fuselage, and an energy storage system disposed within the fuselage. The wing includes an adjustable surface area including solar cells configured to collect incident solar energy and convert the collected incident solar energy to electrical energy for powering the aircraft during daylight flight. The energy storage system is configured to convert excess electrical energy converted from collected incident solar energy to chemical energy, store the chemical energy, and convert the stored chemical energy to electrical energy for powering the aircraft during night flight.
Abstract:
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) launch tube (100)that comprises at least one inner layer of prepreg substrate (370) disposed about a right parallelepiped aperture (305), at least one outer layer of prepreg substrate (380) disposed about the right parallelepiped aperture, and one or more structural panels (341-344) disposed between the at least one inner layer of prepreg substrate (340) and the at least one outer layer of prepreg substrate (380). An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) launch tube (100) that comprises a tethered sabot (700,740) configured to engage a UAV within a launcher volume defined by an inner wall, the tethered sabot(700,740) dimensioned to provide a pressure seal at the inner wall and tethered to the inner wall, and wherein the tethered sabot (700,740) is hollow having an open end oriented toward a high pressure volume and a tether (740) attached within a hollow (910) of the sabot(700) and attached to the inner wall retaining the high pressure volume or attach to the inner base wall (1013). A system comprising a communication node (1500-1505) and a launcher (1520) comprising an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in a pre-launch state configured to receive and respond to command inputs from the communication node (1500-1505).
Abstract:
A combined submersible vessel and unmanned aerial vehicle preferably includes a body structure, at least one wing structure, at least one vertical stabilizer structure, and at least one horizontal stabilizer structure. A propulsion system is coupled to the body structure and is configured to propel the flying submarine in both airborne flight and underwater operation. Preferably, the propulsion system includes a motor, a gearbox coupled to the motor and configured to receive power generated by the motor and provide variable output power, a drive shaft coupled to the gearbox and configured to transfer the variable output power provided by the gearbox, and a propeller coupled to the drive shaft and configured to accept power transferred to it from the drive shaft. The propeller is further configured to rotate and propel the flying submarine in both an airborne environment and in an underwater environment.
Abstract:
A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft according to an aspect of the present invention comprises a fuselage, an empennage having an all-moving horizontal stabilizer located at a tail end of the fuselage, a wing having the fuselage positioned approximately halfway between the distal ends of the wing, wherein the wing is configured to transform between a substantially straight wing configuration and a canted wing configuration using a canted hinge located on each side of the fuselage. The VTOL aircraft may further includes one or more retractable pogo supports, wherein a retractable pogo support is configured to deploy from each of the wing's distal ends.
Abstract:
A container is used to launch a small aircraft, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), from a host aircraft. The container protects the UAV from stresses during the initial ejection from a launcher that is part of the host aircraft. The initial stresses may be due to turbulence in the vicinity of the host aircraft, high airspeed, and/or tumbling that may result from the ejection from the host aircraft moving at a high airspeed. The container may deploy a drag device, such as a drogue chute, to slow the container down and reorient the container, prior to deployment of the UAV from the container. During the time between ejection from the host aircraft and deployment from the container, the UAV may be powered up and acquire data, such as global positioning system (GPS) data, to allow the UAV a “hot start” enabling immediate mission commencement.
Abstract:
In an aspect, an apparatus includes a hovering unmanned aerial vehicle (HUAV). The HUAV includes an arm assembly configured to support a propeller in such a way that propeller drag of the propeller is decoupled from yaw torque requirements associated with the hovering unmanned aerial vehicle. In another aspect, an apparatus includes an HUAV that has an arm assembly that is field-foldable relative to the HUAV between a flight-ready state and a folded state. In another aspect, an apparatus includes an HUAV having an arm assembly that is keyed in such a way as to facilitate field-assembly relative to the HUAV.
Abstract:
A system comprising an aerial vehicle or an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) configured to control pitch, roll, and/or yaw via airfoils having resiliently mounted trailing edges opposed by fuselage-house deflecting actuator horns. Embodiments include one or more rudder elements which may be rotatably attached and actuated by an effector member disposed within the fuselage housing and extendible in part to engage the one or more rudder elements.