Launch and/or recovery for unmanned aircraft and/or other payloads, including via parachute-assist, and associated systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11142339-B2
Application number	US-201916367023-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2019
Priority date	May 4, 2018
Publication date	Oct 12, 2021
Grant date	Oct 12, 2021

Abstract

Launch and/or recovery for unmanned aircraft and/or other payloads, including via parachute-assist, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A representative method for lofting a payload includes directing a lifting device upward, releasing a parachute from the lifting device, with the parachute carrying a pulley and having a flexible line passing around the pulley. The flexible line is connected between a tension device (e.g., a winch) and the payload. The method further includes activating the tension device to reel in the flexible line and accelerate the payload upwardly.

First claim

We claim:

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system, comprising:
a first support configured to be carried by a first ground vehicle;
a second support configured to be carried by a second ground vehicle;
a carriage track couplable to the first and second supports;
a carriage moveable along the carriage track; and
a capture line attached to the carriage and configured to engage with a corresponding engagement element carried by a UAV.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first vehicle includes a first truck, and the second vehicle includes a second truck.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the carriage track is rigid.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the carriage track is flexible.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the carriage track is collapsible.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the carriage track includes telescoping sections.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the carriage track includes folding sections.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first support includes an upright portion and a boom portion.

9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a guy line configured to support the boom portion relative to the upright portion.

10. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a brace configured to support the upright portion relative to the first ground vehicle.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the carriage is configured to move along the carriage track in response to the engagement element of the UAV engaging the capture line.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the carriage is coupled to the capture line via a restraint line.

13. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a tension device coupled to the capture line, the tension device configured to provide a braking force on the capture line in response to the engagement element of the UAV engaging the capture line.

14. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system, comprising:
a first support configured to be carried by a first ground vehicle, the first support including a first upright portion and a first boom portion;
a second support configured to be carried by a second ground vehicle, the second support including a second upright portion and a second boom portion;
a carriage track couplable to the first and second boom portions;
a carriage moveable along the carriage track; and
a capture line attached to the carriage and configured to engage with a corresponding engagement element carried by a UAV.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the first vehicle includes a first truck, and the second vehicle includes a second truck.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the carriage track is rigid.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the carriage track is flexible.

18. The system of claim 14 , wherein the carriage track is collapsible.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the carriage track includes telescoping sections.

20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the carriage track includes folding sections.

Assignees

• Insitu Inc

Inventors

• Dennis Brian D
• Allen Jacob
• Alldredge Jeffrey Paul

Classifications

• B64U70/83

  using parachutes, balloons or the like · CPC title

• B64C39/024

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

• B64U10/14

  with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters · CPC title

• B64U70/30 Primary

  for capturing UAVs in flight by ground or sea-based arresting gear, e.g. by a cable or a net · CPC title

• B64F1/029 Primary

  using a cable or tether · CPC title