UAV launch and recovery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9969505-B2
Application number	US-201514963965-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 9, 2015
Priority date	Dec 9, 2014
Publication date	May 15, 2018
Grant date	May 15, 2018

Abstract

A UAV support vehicle carries a UAV support apparatus for launching and/or recovering a UAV while the UAV support vehicle is moving. The UAV support apparatus releases the UAV during launch and receives the UAV during recovery. An active suspension may be connected between the UAV support vehicle and at least a portion of the UAV support apparatus and reduce motion imparted to that portion of the UAV support apparatus. During UAV recovery, data from a synchronization link between the UAV and the UAV support vehicle may be used to maneuver the UAV and/or the UAV support vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for supporting UAV operations, the system comprising:
a UAV support vehicle capable of moving through an air mass at a speed suitable for launching a UAV into the air mass;
a UAV support apparatus that is carried by the UAV support vehicle, and is configured to carry the UAV at an attitude for UAV launch and is actuable to release the UAV into self-powered flight; and
an active suspension that is connected between the UAV support vehicle and at least a portion of the UAV support apparatus for carrying the UAV and that is programmed to automatically reduce motion imparted to at least that portion of the UAV support apparatus during carriage and launch of the UAV.

2. The system of claim 1 in which:
the UAV support vehicle is capable of moving through an air mass at a speed suitable for recovering a UAV from the air mass; and
the UAV support apparatus is actuable to capture the UAV in a UAV recovery operation.

3. The system of claim 1 in which the UAV support apparatus is configured to detect lift generated by the UAV and to release the UAV when the UAV is generating sufficient lift to support flight.

4. The system of claim 2 in which the UAV support apparatus comprises tongs actuable to capture a UAV in a UAV recovery operation.

5. The system of claim 4 in which the tongs comprise at least one pair of tongs hinged in opposition to allow alternate relative motion toward and away from a closed position.

6. The system of claim 5 in which the support apparatus comprises at least one strap secured at each of two strap ends to respective outer ends of the at least one pair of tongs.

7. The system of claim 6 in which each pair of tongs includes a linear actuator coupled with a controller programmed to command the linear actuator to alternately open and close the pairs of tongs.

8. The system of claim 7 in which the controller is programmed to control UAV deceleration by scheduling the closing of the pairs of tongs.

9. The system of claim 6 in which the support apparatus includes a ratchet mechanism that permits relative motion of the at least one pair of tongs toward the closed position and resists motion of the at least one pair of tongs away from the closed position.

10. The system of claim 2 in which the UAV support apparatus:
comprises tongs actuable to receive, carry, and release the UAV; and
is reconfigurable to move the tongs between:
a launch position facing a UAV support vehicle direction of travel for carrying and releasing a UAV in a UAV launch operation, and
a recovery position facing opposite the UAV support vehicle direction of travel for capturing a UAV in a UAV recovery operation.

11. The system of claim 2 , the system further comprising:
a UAV controller coupled with the UAV;
a support vehicle controller coupled with the UAV support vehicle; and
a synchronization link coupling the UAV controller and the UAV support vehicle controller and configured to share data relating to the UAV and the UAV support vehicle.

12. The system of claim 11 in which the UAV controller is programmed to command the UAV to intercept a UAV support vehicle in response to data received from the synchronization link.

13. The system of claim 11 in which the support vehicle controller is programmed to command the support vehicle to intercept the UAV in response to data received from the synchronization link.

14. The system of claim 13 in which the active suspension is programmed to reduce motion imparted to at least a portion of the UAV support apparatus, and to execute commands from the support vehicle controller in response to data received from the synchronization link.

15. The system of claim 12 in which the UAV support vehicle controller is programmed to use data from the synchronization link to command the support vehicle to command the active suspension to move at least a portion of the support apparatus to a position facilitating capture of an airborne UAV during a UAV recovery operation.

16. A method of deploying a UAV, the method comprising:
providing a UAV on a UAV support apparatus carried by a UAV support vehicle;
moving the support vehicle through an air mass at a speed suitable for launching the UAV in self-powered flight through the air mass;
actuating an active suspension connected between at least a portion of the UAV support apparatus and at least a portion of the UAV support vehicle, to automatically reduce motion imparted to at least a portion of the UAV support apparatus; and
releasing the UAV from the UAV support apparatus.

17. The method of claim 16 in which the step of releasing the UAV includes detecting lift generated by the UAV and releasing the UAV when the UAV is generating sufficient lift to support flight.

Assignees

• Lockheed Corp

Inventors

• Mckee Thomas Sandlin
• Roden Steve Conrad

Classifications

• B64U2201/00

  UAVs characterised by their flight controls · CPC title

• B60P3/11

  for carrying aircraft · CPC title

• B64C2201/08

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• G05D1/021

  specially adapted to land vehicles · CPC title

• B64C2201/14

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic