Multicopter-assisted system and method for launching and retrieving a fixed-wing aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10696385-B2
Application number	US-201715434703-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 16, 2017
Priority date	Apr 2, 2013
Publication date	Jun 30, 2020
Grant date	Jun 30, 2020

Abstract

The present disclosure provides various embodiments of a multicopter-assisted launch and retrieval system generally including: (1) a multi-rotor modular multicopter attachable to (and detachable from) a fixed-wing aircraft to facilitate launch of the fixed-wing aircraft into wing-borne flight; (2) a storage and launch system usable to store the modular multicopter and to facilitate launch of the fixed-wing aircraft into wing-borne flight; and (3) an anchor system usable (along with the multicopter and a flexible capture member) to retrieve the fixed-wing aircraft from wing-borne flight.

First claim

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A system for launching a fixed-wing aircraft into and from wing-borne flight, the system comprising:
a multicopter and a launch-assist assembly, the multicopter and the launch assist assembly storable in a container,
wherein the multicopter is a modular multicopter including multiple modules each storable in the container,
wherein multiple modules are attachable to form the multicopter,
wherein the launch-assist assembly is storable in the container in a storage position,
wherein the launch-assist assembly is attachable to the container in a launch position that is different than the storage position, wherein, in the launch position, the launch-assist assembly is configured to support the fixed-wing aircraft, and
wherein the multicopter is releasably engageable with the fixed-wing aircraft when the fixed-wing aircraft is supported by the launch-assist assembly when the launch-assist assembly is in the launch position.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising multiple multicopter storage elements to which the modules are attachable for storage.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the launch-assist assembly is movable between the storage position in which the launch-assist assembly is folded for storage and the launch position in which the launch-assist assembly is unfolded to facilitate launch of the fixed-wing aircraft.

4. The system of claim 1 , which includes a flexible capture member attachable to the multicopter and an anchor system.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the anchor system includes a rotatable drum around which part of the flexible capture member is windable.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the anchor system includes at least one braking element configured to resist rotation of the drum in at least one rotational direction.

7. The system of claim 4 , wherein the anchor system includes a breakaway device attachable to the flexible capture member, the breakaway device configured to release the flexible capture member when tension in the flexible capture member reaches a designated tension.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the anchor system includes a rotatable drum around which part of the flexible capture member is wound.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the breakaway device, when attached to the flexible capture member, prevents payout of the flexible capture member from the drum.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the container is a first container, and which further includes:
an anchor system storable in a second container, wherein the second container is configured to support the anchor system during retrieval of the fixed-wing aircraft.

11. A system for storing a modular multicopter and launching a fixed-wing aircraft into wing-borne flight, the system comprising:
a container; and
a launch system including the modular multicopter and a launch-assist assembly, the modular multicopter and launch-assist assembly storable in the container, the multicopter formable from multiple modules that are collectively storable in the container,
wherein the launch-assist assembly is attachable to the container in a launch position, wherein, in the launch position, the launch-assist assembly is configured to support the fixed-wing aircraft, and
wherein the multicopter is releasably engageable with the fixed-wing aircraft when the fixed-wing aircraft is supported by the launch-assist assembly in the launch position.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the system includes multiple multicopter storage elements to which the modules are attachable for storage.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the launch-assist assembly is movable between a folded position for storage and the launch position in which the launch-assist assembly is unfolded to facilitate launch of the fixed-wing aircraft.

14. The system of claim 11 , which includes a flexible capture member attachable to the multicopter and an anchor system.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the anchor system includes a rotatable drum around which part of the flexible capture member is wound.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the anchor system includes at least one braking element configured to resist rotation of the drum in at least one rotational direction.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the anchor system includes a breakaway device attachable to the flexible capture member, the breakaway device configured to release the flexible capture member when tension in the flexible capture member reaches a designated tension.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the anchor system includes a rotatable drum around which part of the flexible capture member is windable.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the breakaway device, when attached to the flexible capture member, prevents payout of the flexible capture member from the drum.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the container is a first container, and which further includes:
a second container; and
an anchor system storable in the second container, wherein the second container is configured to support the anchor system during retrieval of the fixed-wing aircraft.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the first container and the second container have the same dimensions.

Assignees

• Hood Tech Corp

Inventors

• Von Flotow Andreas H
• Roeseler Corydon C

Classifications

• B64U80/70

  in containers (B64U80/60 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B64U80/82

  Airborne vehicles · CPC title

• B64C27/32 Primary

  Rotors · CPC title

• B64F1/029 Primary

  using a cable or tether · CPC title

• B64U60/50

  with landing legs · CPC title