Air vehicle system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11912435-B2
Application number	US-202017623492-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 6, 2020
Priority date	Jul 10, 2019
Publication date	Feb 27, 2024
Grant date	Feb 27, 2024

Abstract

There is provided a composite air vehicle system including: a first air vehicle capable of independent aerodynamic flight; a second air vehicle capable of independent aerodynamic flight; and at least one connector element configured for reversibly interconnecting the first air vehicle and the second air vehicle in tandem arrangement to provide a composite air vehicle capable of aerodynamic flight. The composite air vehicle system is configured for enabling at least in-flight separation of composite air vehicle into the first air vehicle and second air vehicle, and for enabling each one of the first air vehicle and said second air vehicle to operate independently of one another.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A composite air vehicle system, comprising:
a first air vehicle capable of independent aerodynamic flight;
a second air vehicle capable of independent aerodynamic flight; and
at least one connector element configured for reversibly interconnecting the first air vehicle and the second air vehicle in tandem arrangement to provide a composite air vehicle capable of aerodynamic flight, wherein said connector element comprises a connector strut having a first end and a second end spaced from one another, and wherein the first end is configured for being reversibly affixed with respect to a dorsal part of the first air vehicle and wherein the second end is configured for being reversibly affixed with respect to a lower belly part of the second air vehicle;
wherein the composite air vehicle system is configured for enabling at least in-flight separation of the composite air vehicle into said first air vehicle and second air vehicle, and for enabling each one of said first air vehicle and said second air vehicle to operate independently of one another; and
wherein the first air vehicle and the second air vehicle are each configured to generate aerodynamic lift at least in straight and level flight at least when interconnected to provide the composite air vehicle, to thereby provide aerodynamic lift to the composite air vehicle sufficient to thereby enable said aerodynamic flight of the composite air vehicle.

2. The composite air vehicle system according to claim 1 , wherein each one of said first air vehicle and said second air vehicle is configured as an unmanned air vehicle (UAV).

3. The composite air vehicle system according to claim 1 , wherein the first air vehicle and the second air vehicle are substantially similar or identical to one another in size and in aerodynamic configuration.

4. The composite air vehicle system according to claim 1 , including at least one of the following:
wherein the first air vehicle and the second air vehicle each has a flying wing aerodynamic configuration; or
wherein the first air vehicle and the second air vehicle each has a tail-less aerodynamic configuration.

5. The composite air vehicle system according to claim 1 , including one of the following:
wherein each one of first air vehicle and the second air vehicle comprises a fuselage and a pair of fixed wings affixed to said fuselage, wherein said pair of fixed wings are configured for selectively providing control moments in each one of at least pitch and roll to the respective one of said first air vehicle and said second air vehicle; or
wherein each one of first air vehicle and the second air vehicle comprises a fuselage and a pair of fixed wings affixed to said fuselage, wherein said pair of fixed wings are configured for selectively providing control moments in each one of at least pitch and roll to the respective one of said first air vehicle and said second air vehicle, and, wherein each one of the first air vehicle and the second air vehicle further comprises canards.

6. The composite air vehicle system according to claim 1 , including one of the following:
wherein each one of first air vehicle and the second air vehicle comprises a propulsion system configured for enabling the respective said first air vehicle or said second air vehicle to be independently operated under powered flight;
wherein each one of first air vehicle and the second air vehicle comprises a propulsion system configured for enabling the respective said first air vehicle or said second air vehicle to be independently operated under powered flight, and, wherein said propulsion system comprises a powered rotary drive coupled to at least one propeller;
wherein each one of first air vehicle and the second air vehicle comprises a propulsion system configured for enabling the respective said first air vehicle or said second air vehicle to be independently operated under powered flight, and, wherein said propulsion system comprises a powered rotary drive coupled to at least one propeller, and, wherein said at least one propeller is at least one of: at least one puller propeller; at least one pusher propeller; or
wherein each one of first air vehicle and the second air vehicle comprises a propulsion system configured for enabling the respective said first air vehicle or said second air vehicle to be independently operated under powered flight, and, wherein said propulsion system comprises a powered rotary drive coupled to at least one propeller, and, wherein said at least one propeller is at least one of at least one puller propeller and at least one pusher propeller, and, wherein said powered rotary drive includes at least one electric motor for providing torque to the propeller, or, wherein said powered rotary drive includes at least one fuel powered combustion engine for providing torque to the propeller.

7. The composite air vehicle system according to claim 1 , including one of the following:
wherein each one of first air vehicle and the second air vehicle respectively comprises a first controller and a second controller for controlling at least in-flight operation of the respective said first air vehicle or said second air vehicle; or
wherein each one of first air vehicle and the second air vehicle respectively comprises a first controller and a second controller for controlling at least in-flight operation of the respective said first air vehicle or said second air vehicle, and, wherein in said composite air vehicle said first controller is operatively coupled to said second controller, and wherein said first controller is configured as a master controller and said second controller is configured as a slave controller.

8. The composite air vehicle system according to claim 1 , wherein said connector element comprises a connector strut having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end spaced from one another in a elongate direction, the first longitudinal end being configured for reversibly affixing to the first air vehicle and the second longitudinal end being configured for reversibly affixing to the second air vehicle, wherein said elongate direction is an at least partial vertical direction when the composite air vehicle is in straight and level flight.

9. The composite air vehicle system according to claim 1 , including one of the following:
wherein the tandem arrangement is such that in the composite air vehicle the second air vehicle is positioned aft spaced in a direction parallel to a roll axis of the composite air vehicle by a non-zero spacing, and, wherein in the tandem arrangement the first air vehicle and the second air vehicle are in overlapping relationship so that a forward portion of the second air vehicle is in overlapping relationship with an aft portion of the first air vehicle;
wherein the tandem arrangement is such that in the composite air vehicle the second air vehicle is positioned aft spaced in a direction parallel to a roll axis of the composite air vehicle by a zero spacing, such that there is nominally zero axial spacing between a forward portion of the second air vehicle and an aft portion of the first air vehicle.

10. The composite air vehicle system according to claim 1 , including at least one of the following:
wherein the at least one connector element is further configured for interconnecting the first air vehicle and the second air vehicle in said tandem arrangement such that said second air vehicle is also positioned upwardly spaced with respect to the first air vehicle when the composite air vehicle is in straight and level flight, or, wherein the at least one connector element is further configured for interconnecting the first air vehicle and the second air vehicle in sai

Assignees

• Israel Aerospace Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Abramov Danny
• Korobkov Artem
• Bublitsky Ron

Classifications

• B64U20/00

  Constructional aspects of UAVs (of lift-producing means B64U30/00) · CPC title

• B64U30/10

  Wings · CPC title

• B64U10/25

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

• B64D5/00 Primary

  Aircraft transported by aircraft, e.g. for release or reberthing during flight · CPC title

• B64C37/02 Primary

  Flying units formed by separate aircraft (towing B64D3/00; aircraft transported by aircraft B64D5/00; air-refuelling B64D39/00) · CPC title