System and method of blade-tip facilitated aircraft capture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11230389-B2
Application number	US-201715688037-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2017
Priority date	Feb 28, 2017
Publication date	Jan 25, 2022
Grant date	Jan 25, 2022

Abstract

A method of capturing an aerial vehicle comprises rotating a first blade of the aerial vehicle, the first blade coupled to a hub of the aerial vehicle and having a contour configured to facilitate entanglement of a payload line of a winch system around the aerial vehicle. The method further comprises contacting, by a leading edge of the first blade, the payload line of the winch system and pulling the payload line towards the hub of the aerial vehicle, wherein the payload line is pulled towards the hub as the first blade continues to rotate and wherein continued rotation of the first blade causes the payload line to be tangled around the hub of the aerial vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of capturing an aerial vehicle, the method comprising:
rotating a first blade of the aerial vehicle, the first blade coupled to a first rotor of the aerial vehicle, wherein:
the first blade has a contour configured to facilitate entanglement of a payload line of a winch system around a hub of the aerial vehicle;
the contour comprising at least one feature positioned along a distal end of the first blade, the feature being configured to hook the payload line;
the first rotor is positioned coaxial to a second rotor of the aerial vehicle;

counter-rotating a second blade of the aerial vehicle, the second blade coupled to the second rotor that is coaxial to the first rotor;
contacting, by a leading edge of the first blade, the payload line of the winch system;
pulling the payload line towards the hub of the aerial vehicle, wherein the payload line is pulled towards the hub as the first blade continues to rotate; and
wherein continued rotation of the first blade and continued counter-rotation of the second blade causes the payload line to be tangled around the hub of the aerial vehicle at a location on the hub that is between the first rotor and the second rotor.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first blade of the aerial vehicle is a fixed-pitch blade.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the payload line is pulled across a trailing edge of the first blade towards the hub.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein entanglement occurs after a pulling-in force on the payload line exceeds a tension force on the payload line.

Assignees

• Lockheed Corp

Inventors

• Gamble Dustin E
• Curran Matthew

Classifications

• B64U70/30

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

• B64U2101/00

  UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications · CPC title

• B64U10/25

  Fixed-wing aircraft (VTOL aircraft B64U10/20) · CPC title

• B64C11/46

  Arrangements of, or constructional features peculiar to, multiple propellers {(B64C11/306 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B64F1/029 Primary

  using a cable or tether · CPC title