Aircraft system for reduced observer visibility

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10227129-B2
Application number	US-201815870467-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 12, 2018
Priority date	Aug 19, 2011
Publication date	Mar 12, 2019
Grant date	Mar 12, 2019

Abstract

An aircraft apparatus is disclosed that has a fuselage boom having proximal and distal ends, a wing coupled to a proximal end of the fuselage boom and at least one transparent stabilizer coupled to a distal end of the fuselage boom.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aircraft apparatus, comprising:
a boom;
a stabilizer coupled to said boom;
a servo housed in said boom, said servo having a servo arm; and
a servo horn slidably coupled to said stabilizer to slidably receive and detachably couple said servo arm to said stabilizer.

2. The aircraft apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said boom is a fuselage boom having proximal and distal ends.

3. The aircraft apparatus of claim 2 , wherein said stabilizer is coupled to said distal end of said fuselage boom, wherein said servo is housed in said distal end of said fuselage boom, and wherein a wing is coupled to said proximal end of said fuselage boom.

4. The aircraft apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said stabilizer is a transparent stabilizer.

5. The aircraft apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said stabilizer is a horizontal stabilizer.

6. The aircraft apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising:
a vertical stabilizer positioned proximate to said horizontal stabilizer;
a rigid pin extending from said boom; and
an attachment clip coupled to said vertical stabilizer, said attachment clip having a channel to receive said rigid pin;
wherein said vertical stabilizer is rotatable about said rigid pin.

7. The aircraft apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said stabilizer is a vertical fin.

8. The aircraft apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of calibration lines marked on an exterior surface of said boom and adjacent to said stabilizer to provide calibration marks for said stabilizer.

9. The aircraft apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said stabilizer comprises a flat-plate airfoil.

10. The aircraft apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said stabilizer consists of clear polycarbonate plastic.

11. The aircraft apparatus of claim 1 , wherein
said boom is a fuselage boom having proximal and distal ends; and
said stabilizer is a transparent stabilizer coupled to said distal end of said fuselage boom, wherein said transparent stabilizer reduces an observer visibility of said aircraft apparatus in an observation area during a flight of said aircraft apparatus.

12. The aircraft apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said fuselage boom is tubular to reduce said observer visibility of said aircraft apparatus in said observation area during said flight of said aircraft apparatus.

13. The aircraft apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said boom is a fuselage boom having proximal and distal ends, and wherein said stabilizer is coupled to said distal end of said fuselage boom.

14. The aircraft apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising:
a wing coupled to said proximal end of said fuselage boom.

15. The aircraft apparatus of claim 14 , wherein said wing comprises:
a center section; and
a port outboard wing section and a starboard outboard wing section, each of said port and starboard outboard wing sections detachably connectable to said center section and each having curved leading and trailing edges of varying radii.

16. The aircraft apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said transparent stabilizer is a horizontal stabilizer.

17. The aircraft apparatus of claim 16 , further comprising:
a vertical stabilizer positioned proximate to said horizontal stabilizer;
a rigid pin extending from said fuselage boom; and
an attachment clip coupled to said vertical stabilizer, said attachment clip having a channel to receive said rigid pin;
wherein said vertical stabilizer is rotatable about said rigid pin.

18. The aircraft apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said transparent stabilizer is a vertical fin.

19. The aircraft apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said transparent stabilizer comprises a flat-plate airfoil.

20. The aircraft apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said transparent stabilizer consists of clear polycarbonate plastic.

Assignees

• Aerovironment Inc

Inventors

• Fisher Christopher Eugene
• Chambers Steven Bradley
• Belik Pavil
• Gunder Austin Craig
• Zwaan John Peter

Classifications

• B64U20/10

  for stealth, e.g. reduction of cross-section detectable by radars · CPC title

• B64C9/00

  Adjustable control surfaces or members, e.g. rudders (trimming stabilising surfaces B64C5/10) · CPC title

• B64C39/024

  of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV · CPC title

• B64C39/00

  Aircraft not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B64C2201/22

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic