Parasite aircraft for airborne deployment and retrieval

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11053008-B2
Application number	US-201816161415-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2018
Priority date	Oct 16, 2018
Publication date	Jul 6, 2021
Grant date	Jul 6, 2021

Abstract

A parasite aircraft for airborne deployment and retrieve includes a wing; a fuselage rotatably mounted to the wing; a dock disposed on top of the fuselage and configured to receive a maneuverable capture device of a carrier aircraft; a pair of tail members extending from the fuselage; and a plurality of landing gear mounted to the wing. A method of preparing a parasite aircraft for flight includes unfolding an end portion of a wing; unfolding an end portion of a tail member of the parasite aircraft; and rotating a fuselage of the parasite aircraft so that the fuselage is perpendicular to the wing. A method of preparing a parasite aircraft for storage includes rotating a fuselage of the parasite aircraft to be parallel with a wing of the parasite aircraft; folding an end portion of the wing; and folding an end portion of a tail member of the parasite aircraft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A parasite aircraft comprising:
a wing;
a fuselage rotatably mounted to the wing;
a dock disposed on top of the fuselage and configured to receive a maneuverable aircraft that is a capture device of a carrier aircraft;
a pair of tail members extending from the fuselage;
a plurality of landing gear mounted to the wing; and
wherein the parasite aircraft excludes vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capabilities and is configured to be at least one of deployed and retrieved vertically, in flight, using the maneuverable aircraft.

2. The parasite aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the dock further comprises a housing configured to receive a portion of the maneuverable aircraft to secure the maneuverable aircraft in the dock.

3. The parasite aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the dock further comprises a pin configured to mate with a hook of the maneuverable aircraft when the maneuverable aircraft is docked in the dock.

4. The parasite aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the dock is positioned on top of the parasite aircraft above a center of gravity of the parasite aircraft.

5. The parasite aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the wing comprises end portions that fold.

6. The parasite aircraft of claim 1 , wherein each tail member of the pair of tail members comprises an end portion that folds.

7. The parasite aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the wing comprises a pylon for securing a payload.

8. The parasite aircraft of claim 1 , further comprising a propulsion system disposed within an aft portion of the fuselage.

9. The parasite aircraft of claim 8 , wherein the propulsion system comprises a proprotor.

Assignees

• Bell Helicopter Textron Inc

Inventors

• Drennan Joseph Scott
• Fenny Carlos Alexander
• Ryan Michael John
• Mccullough John Richard
• Zimmerman Brett Rodney

Classifications

• B64U80/86

  Land vehicles · CPC title

• B64U80/82

  Airborne vehicles · CPC title

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• B64U80/84

  Waterborne vehicles · CPC title

• B64U50/34

  In-flight charging (photovoltaics B64U50/31) · CPC title