Aircraft for transporting and deploying UAVs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11643207-B1
Application number	US-202117544929-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 7, 2021
Priority date	Dec 7, 2021
Publication date	May 9, 2023
Grant date	May 9, 2023

Abstract

An aircraft operable to transition between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a biplane orientation. The aircraft has an airframe including first and second wings with first and second pylons coupled therebetween. A distributed thrust array is coupled to the airframe including a plurality of propulsion assemblies coupled to the first wing and a plurality of propulsion assemblies coupled to the second wing. A UAV carrier assembly is coupled between the first and second pylons. The UAV carrier assembly has a plurality of UAV stations each configured to selectively transport and release a UAV. A flight control system is configured to control each of the propulsion assemblies and launch each of the UAVs during flight.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aircraft operable to transition between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a biplane orientation, the aircraft comprising:
an airframe including first and second wings with first and second pylons coupled therebetween;
a distributed thrust array coupled to the airframe, the thrust array including a plurality of propulsion assemblies coupled to the first wing and a plurality of propulsion assemblies coupled to the second wing;
a UAV carrier assembly coupled between the first and second pylons, the UAV carrier assembly having a plurality of UAV stations each configured to selectively transport and release a UAV, the UAV carrier assembly having a substantially horizontal cross member coupled between the first and second pylons, a first beam extending substantially vertically upward from the cross member and a second beam extending substantially vertically downward from the cross member when the aircraft is in the biplane orientation; and
a flight control system configured to control each of the propulsion assemblies and launch each of the UAVs during flight.

2. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of UAV stations are vertically stacked when the aircraft is in the biplane orientation.

3. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of UAV stations further comprises at least three UAV stations.

4. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of UAV stations further comprises at least six UAV stations.

5. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the UAV stations is configured to provide a mechanical coupling with a respective one of the UAVs.

6. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the UAV stations is configured to provide a magnetic coupling with a respective one of the UAVs.

7. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the UAV stations is configured to provide an electrical coupling with a respective one of the UAVs.

8. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the UAV stations is configured to provide a power communication coupling with a respective one of the UAVs.

9. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the UAV stations is configured to provide a data communication coupling with a respective one of the UAVs.

10. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the flight control system is configured to sequentially launch each of the UAVs.

11. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the flight control system is configured to simultaneously launch each of the UAVs.

12. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the flight control system is configured to launch each of the UAVs when the aircraft is in the biplane orientation.

13. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the UAVs is released aftward from the aircraft.

14. The aircraft as recited in claim 1 wherein the first and second beams are aft swept beams.

15. An aircraft operable to transition between thrust-borne lift in a VTOL orientation and wing-borne lift in a biplane orientation, the aircraft comprising:
an airframe including first and second wings with first and second pylons coupled therebetween;
a distributed thrust array coupled to the airframe, the thrust array including a plurality of propulsion assemblies coupled to the first wing and a plurality of propulsion assemblies coupled to the second wing;
a UAV carrier assembly coupled between the first and second pylons, the UAV carrier assembly having a plurality of UAV stations each configured to selectively transport and release a UAV, the UAV carrier assembly having a substantially horizontal cross member coupled between the first and second pylons, a first beam extending substantially vertically upward from the cross member and a second beam extending substantially vertically downward from the cross member when the aircraft is in the biplane orientation; and
a flight control system configured to control each of the propulsion assemblies and launch each of the UAVs during flight;
wherein, the flight control system is configured to sequentially launch each of the UAVs when the aircraft is in the biplane orientation; and
wherein, each of the UAVs is released aftward from the aircraft.

Assignees

• Textron Innovations Inc

Inventors

• Ross Brent Chadwick
• Ivans Steven Ray
• Nissen Jeffrey Paul

Classifications

• B64U2101/18

  for dropping bombs; for firing ammunition · CPC title

• B64U80/82

  Airborne vehicles · CPC title

• B64U70/50

  Launching from storage containers, e.g. from submarine missile tubes · CPC title

• B64U70/20

  for releasing or capturing UAVs in flight by another aircraft · CPC title

• B64U10/25

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