Unmanned fluid-propelled aerial vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10220919-B2
Application number	US-201715694215-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 1, 2017
Priority date	Jul 15, 2014
Publication date	Mar 5, 2019
Grant date	Mar 5, 2019

Abstract

A water-propelled or water-powered unmanned aerial vehicle including a base configured to carry a payload, and at least one nozzle attached thereto. The at least one nozzle is configured to selectively receive pressurized fluid from a source located remotely from the vehicle. The vehicle includes a control system configured to alter or otherwise selectively dictate the flow of fluid through the at least one nozzle and/or the orientation of the at least one nozzle with respect to the base in response to a received control signal for providing controlled unmanned vehicle flight.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A water-propelled unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:
a base including a planar payload deck configured to carry a payload enclosed thereon, the base having an input for receiving pressurized water from a source located remotely from the vehicle;
a plurality of nozzles in fluid communication with the input, each of the plurality of nozzles attached to the base in a predetermined fixed orientation and configured to selectively receive and expel pressurized water from the source located remotely from the vehicle; and
a control system configured to alter the flow of water through the plurality of nozzles in response to a received control signal to provide controlled flight of the vehicle.

2. The aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of nozzles comprise:
a first plurality of nozzles fixedly attached and arranged radially about the base; and
a horizontal thrust nozzle fixedly attached to the base and oriented so as to expel pressurized water in a direction generally horizontally with respect to the base.

3. The aerial vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising an electrical generator configured to be driven by said pressurized water and operatively connected to the control system for supplying electrical power thereto.

4. The aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein at least two of the plurality nozzles are fixedly attached to the base in at least partially opposing orientations such that force vectors generated from pressurized water expelled therefrom limit rotational motion of the vehicle.

5. The aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured to alter the flow of water through each of the plurality of nozzles independently in response to the received control signal.

6. The aerial vehicle of claim 5 , further comprising:
a manifold controller operatively connected to the control system; and
a plurality of valves associated with the plurality of nozzles, the plurality of valves in communication with the pressurized water and configured to alter the flow of water through each of the nozzles in response to a control signal received from the manifold controller.

7. The aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein a fluid conduit is operatively connected between the source of pressurized water and the base input.

8. The aerial vehicle of claim 7 , further comprising a plurality of linear actuators, each of the plurality of linear actuators comprising a first end attached to the base and a second end, movable with respect to the first end, and attached to the fluid conduit.

9. The aerial vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of linear actuators comprise a first linear actuator and a second linear actuator, wherein the first ends of the first and second linear actuators are attached to the base so as to provide for independent rotation of the base about at least two perpendicular axes intersecting at a common pivot point.

10. An unmanned payload lifting system comprising:
a water-propelled aerial vehicle including:
a base; and
a plurality of nozzles, each of the plurality of nozzles attached to the base in a fixed predetermined orientation and configured to receive and expel pressurized water to provide vertical thrust to the vehicle;

a marine surface vehicle including a pump;
a fluid conduit operatively attached to the marine surface vehicle and the aerial vehicle and configured to convey pressurized water from the pump to the nozzle;
a first linear actuator and a second linear actuator, each of the first and second linear actuators comprising a first end attached to the base and a second end, moveable with respect to the first end, attached to the fluid conduit, wherein the first ends of the first and second linear actuators are attached to the base so as to provide for independent rotation of the base about at least two perpendicular axes intersecting at a common pivot point; and
a control system arranged on the aerial vehicle and configured to alter the flow of water through the plurality of nozzles to control aerial movement of the aerial vehicle.

11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising an electrical conduit operatively connected between the marine surface vehicle and the aerial vehicle.

12. The system of claim 11 , further comprising an electrical generator arranged on the marine surface vehicle and operatively connected to the control system via the electrical conduit for supplying electrical power thereto.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the fluid conduit is pivotally attached to the base.

14. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a support structure connected to the fluid conduit, wherein the seconds ends of the plurality of linear actuators are attached to the support structure.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein at least two of the plurality nozzles are fixedly attached to the base in an at least partially opposing orientation such that force vectors generated from pressurized water expelled therefrom cancel or limit rotational motion of the vehicle.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the control system is further configured to alter the flow of water through each of the plurality of nozzles independently in response to the received control signal.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of nozzles comprise:
a first plurality of nozzles arranged radially about the base; and
a horizontal thrust nozzle fixedly attached to the base and oriented so as to expel pressurized water in a direction generally horizontally with respect to the base.

18. A water propelled unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:
a base configured to carry a payload enclosed therein, the base having an input for receiving pressurized water from a source located remotely from the vehicle;
a plurality of nozzles in fluid communication with the input, each of the plurality of nozzles attached to the base in a predetermined fixed orientation and configured to selectively receive and expel pressurized water from the source located remotely from the vehicle, wherein the plurality of nozzles comprise:
a first plurality of nozzles fixedly attached and arranged radially about the base; and
a horizontal thrust nozzle fixedly attached to the base and oriented so as to expel pressurized water in a direction generally horizontally with respect to the base; and

a control system configured to alter the flow of water through the plurality of nozzles in response to a received control signal to provide controlled flight of the vehicle.

19. The aerial vehicle of claim 18 , wherein a fluid conduit is operatively connected between the source of pressurized water and the base input.

20. The aerial vehicle of claim 19 , further comprising a first linear actuator and a second linear actuator, wherein first ends of the first and second linear actuators are attached to the base so as to provide for independent rotation of the base about at least two perpendicular axes intersecting at a common pivot point, and wherein second ends of the first and second linear actuators, movable with respect to the first end, are attached to the fluid conduit.

Assignees

• Lockheed Corp

Inventors

• Low Nathan E
• Demas Peter J

Classifications

• B64U80/84

  Waterborne vehicles · CPC title

• B64U2201/202

  using tethers for connecting to ground station · CPC title

• B63H11/00

  Marine propulsion by water jets · CPC title

• B64C39/022

  Tethered aircraft · CPC title

• B64C2201/121

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic