Small unmanned aerial vehicle (SUAV) shipboard recovery system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10479526-B2
Application number	US-201816036604-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 16, 2018
Priority date	Apr 29, 2014
Publication date	Nov 19, 2019
Grant date	Nov 19, 2019

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 small unmanned aerial vehicle (SUAV) recovery system comprising:
a net;
a mast connected to the net; and
a boom connected to the net;
wherein the mast and the boom are connected;
wherein energy of an impact of the SUAV into the net is progressively transferred by a gravitational potential energy of the boom and a progressive bending of the boom.

2. The SUAV recovery system of claim 1 wherein energy of the impact of the SUAV is also transferred by deformation of the net.

3. The SUAV recovery system of claim 1 further comprising:
one or more tensioned elastic cords attached to the net;
wherein energy of the impact of the SUAV is also transferred by deformation of the one or more tensioned elastic cords.

4. The SUAV recovery system of claim 1 further comprising:
three or more rings attached to the net; and
three or more lines, wherein the net is slidably connected to one of the three or more lines by one or more of the three or more rings.

5. The SUAV recovery system of claim 1 , wherein the mast is oriented perpendicular to the boom, and wherein the mast and the boom are telescopically adjustable in length.

6. The SUAV recovery system of claim 1 , wherein a square mesh size of the net is smaller than a cross-sectional size of a fuselage of the SUAV.

7. The SUAV recovery system of claim 1 further comprising:
the SUAV; and
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.

8. A small unmanned aerial vehicle (SUAV) recovery system comprising:
a net;
a mast connected to the net; and
a boom connected to the net;
wherein the mast and the boom are connected;
wherein energy of an impact of the SUAV into the net is progressively transferred by a rotational kinetic energy of the boom and a progressive bending of the boom.

9. The SUAV recovery system of claim 8 wherein energy of the impact of the SUAV is also transferred by deformation of the net.

10. The SUAV recovery system of claim 8 further comprising:
one or more tensioned elastic cords attached to the net;
wherein energy of the impact of the SUAV is also transferred by deformation of the one or more tensioned elastic cords.

11. The SUAV recovery system of claim 8 further comprising:
three or more rings attached to the net; and
three or more lines, wherein the net is slidably connected to one of the three or more lines by one or more of the three or more rings.

12. The SUAV recovery system of claim 8 , wherein the mast is oriented perpendicular to the boom, and wherein the mast and the boom are telescopically adjustable in length.

13. The SUAV recovery system of claim 8 , wherein a square mesh size of the net is smaller than a cross-sectional size of a fuselage of the SUAV.

14. The SUAV recovery system of claim 8 further comprising:
the SUAV; and
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

• 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

• B64F1/025

  using decelerating or arresting beds · CPC title

• B64C2201/182

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic