Small unmanned aerial vehicle (SUAV) shipboard recovery system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10046864-B2
Application number	US-201715581911-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 28, 2017
Priority date	Apr 29, 2014
Publication date	Aug 14, 2018
Grant date	Aug 14, 2018

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods for impacting, by a small unmanned aerial vehicle (SUAV), a net having at least three sides; and converting the kinetic energy of the SUAV into at least one of: elastic potential energy of one or more tensioned elastic cords connected to at least one corner of the net, gravitational potential energy of a frame member connected to at least one corner of the net, rotational kinetic energy of the frame member connected to at least one corner of the net, and elastic potential energy of the frame member connected to at least one corner of the net.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
impacting, by a small unmanned aerial vehicle (SUAV), a net having at least three sides; and
converting the kinetic energy of the SUAV into at least one of: elastic potential energy of one or more tensioned elastic cords connected to the net, gravitational potential energy of a frame member connected to the net, rotational kinetic energy of the frame member connected to the net, and elastic potential energy of the frame member connected to the net;
wherein the frame member is connected to a connector having a vertical hinge and a horizontal hinge; and
wherein a second elongate frame member is stationary and connected at the connector.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
securing the SUAV in the net after converting the kinetic energy of the SUAV by detachable entanglement of the SUAV in the net.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein securing the SUAV in the net further comprises:
detachably entangling at least one barb in the net, wherein the at least one barb is disposed on a fuselage of the SUAV.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one corner of the net is connected to a portion of a ship.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:
removing, by a deck handler on the ship, the SUAV from the net.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the frame member is a boom.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:
rotating the boom to a location proximate to an edge of a ship.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second frame member is a mast and the net is connected to the mast.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
lowering the mast telescopically.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
reducing, prior to impact, a closing speed of the SUAV.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein reducing the speed of the SUAV further comprises cutting power to a propeller of the SUAV.

12. A small unmanned aerial vehicle (SUAV) recovery system comprising:
a net having at least three corners; and
a boom connected to at least one corner of the net; and
a mast, wherein the mast is stationary;
a connector, wherein the mast and the boom are connected at the connector;
wherein energy of an impact of the SUAV into the net is progressively transferred by at least one of: a vertical rotation of the boom in a direction towards the impact of the SUAV, and a horizontal rotation of the boom in a direction away from the impact of the SUAV.

13. The SUAV recovery system of claim 12 wherein energy of the impact of the SUAV is also transferred by deformation of the net.

14. The SUAV recovery system of claim 12 wherein energy of the impact of the SUAV is also transferred by a progressive bending of the boom.

15. The SUAV recovery system of claim 12 further comprising:
one or more tensioned elastic cords attached to at least one corner of the net;
wherein energy of the impact of the SUAV is also transferred by deformation of the one or more tensioned elastic cords.

16. The SUAV recovery system of claim 12 further comprising:
three or more rings attached to the perimeter of the net; and
three or more lines, wherein each side of the net is slidably connected to one of the three or more lines by one or more of the three or more rings.

17. The SUAV recovery system of claim 12 , wherein the mast is oriented perpendicular to the boom, and wherein the mast and the boom are telescopically adjustable in length.

18. The SUAV recovery system of claim 12 wherein a square mesh size of the net is smaller than a cross-sectional size of a fuselage of the SUAV.

19. The SUAV recovery system of claim 12 further comprising:
one or more barbs disposed on a fuselage of the SUAV, wherein the one or more barbs are sized to detachably entangle in the net after impact.

Assignees

• Aerovironment Inc

Inventors

• Zwaan John Peter
• Johnston Robert James
• Cornell Cris James
• Finn Philip Martin
• Blevins Glenn Arnold
• Ganzer David Wayne

Classifications

• B64U80/84

  Waterborne vehicles · CPC title

• B64F1/025

  using decelerating or arresting beds · CPC title

• B63B35/52

  Nets, slipways or the like, for recovering aircraft from the water · CPC title

• B63B17/00

  Vessels parts, details, or accessories, not otherwise provided for {(vehicle fittings for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles in general B60R25/00; propeller guards, line cutters or other means for protecting propellers or rudders B63H5/165; protection of power legs of outboard propulsion units B63H20/36; locking devices for boats, surfboards or parts or accessories thereof E05B73/007)} · CPC title

• B64C2201/021

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic