A launch canister for ejection from a submerged launch platform, the launch canister being adapted for ejection in a direction substantially along a first axis of the launch canister and comprising: an enclosure for carrying a UAV; a nose cap releasably located in a launch opening at a forward end o
A launch canister for ejection from a submerged launch platform, the launch canister being adapted for ejection in a direction substantially along a first axis of the launch canister and comprising: an enclosure for carrying a UAV; a nose cap releasably located in a launch opening at a forward end of the launch canister; a launch mechanism for driving a UAV carried in the enclosure out of the launch canister through the launch opening in a direction substantially along said first axis; and a water surface sensor for detecting when the nose cap of the canister broaches the surface of the water; wherein the launch canister is configured to, on the water surface sensor detecting that the nose cap of the canister has broached the surface of the water, immediately release the nose cap and initiate the launch mechanism to drive a UAV carried in the enclosure out of the launch canister through the launch opening.
대표청구항▼
1. A launch canister for ejection from a submerged launch platform, the launch canister being adapted for ejection in a direction substantially along a first axis of the launch canister and comprising: an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV); an enclosure adapted for carrying the UAV; a nose cap releasably
1. A launch canister for ejection from a submerged launch platform, the launch canister being adapted for ejection in a direction substantially along a first axis of the launch canister and comprising: an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV); an enclosure adapted for carrying the UAV; a nose cap releasably located in a launch opening of the enclosure; a launch mechanism adapted for driving, aided by momentum from the ejection of the canister in the direction substantially along the first axis, the UAV out of the enclosure through the launch opening in the direction substantially along said first axis; a water surface sensor adapted for detecting when the nose cap of the canister broaches a water surface; a nose cap release mechanism adapted for immediately releasing the nose cap upon detection that the nose cap of the canister has broached a water surface by the water surface sensor; and a lanyard attached at one end in the enclosure, the lanyard having a second end adapted for detachable connection to an engine of the UAV, wherein the length of the lanyard is selected such that the lanyard is adapted to pull taut and detach from the UAV as the engine of the UAV passes through the launch opening; wherein said second end of the lanyard is adapted to cause the engine of the UAV to power up when pulling taut and detaching from the UAV. 2. The launch canister as claimed in claim 1, wherein the launch mechanism is an explosive or high pressure gas charge. 3. The launch canister as claimed in claim 1, wherein the launch mechanism is initiated in response to the nose cap being released. 4. The launch canister as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nose cap release mechanism comprises a sprung hinge connecting the nose cap to the enclosure, said hinge being biased so as to rotate the nose cap away from the launch opening when the nose cap is released. 5. The launch canister as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nose cap release mechanism comprises one or more explosive pins connecting the nose cap to the enclosure, the nose cap being released from the launch opening by firing the one or more explosive pins so as to drive the nose cap away from the launch opening. 6. The launch canister as claimed in claim 1, wherein the launch mechanism is an explosive or high pressure gas charge and the nose cap is connected to the enclosure by one or more mechanical locks, the nose cap release mechanism being configured to release the one or more mechanical locks and allow the gas developed by the explosive or high pressure gas charge to drive the nose cap from the enclosure. 7. The launch canister as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nose cap is configured to make a watertight fit with the launch opening so as to prevent ingress of water into the enclosure during passage of the launch canister through water. 8. The launch canister as claimed in claim 1, wherein the water surface sensor comprises at least one of a hydrostatic switch, a pressure switch, an electronic switch, and an electro optical switch. 9. The A launch canister as claimed in claim 1, further comprising one or more guide elements adapted to direct motion of the launch canister towards the water surface at a preferred launch angle. 10. The launch canister as claimed in claim 9, wherein the one or more guide elements include steer-away fins or a flotation device. 11. The launch canister as claimed in claim 9, the launch mechanism further comprising a launch canister launch mechanism, wherein the one or more guide elements are configured to automatically deploy upon exit from the launch canister launch mechanism. 12. The launch canister as claimed in claim 11, wherein the launch canister launch mechanism comprises a launch tube from which the launch canister is ejected, the launch tube defining a confined space, the one or more guide elements including spring-loaded steer-away fins arranged to spring into a deployed position upon exiting the confined space of the launch tube. 13. The launch canister as claimed in claim 11, wherein the launch canister launch mechanism comprises a launch tube from which the launch canister is ejected, the launch tube defining a confined space, the one or more guide elements including a flotation collar and the launch canister comprising a switch mechanism arranged to cause the flotation collar to inflate on the launch canister exiting the confined space of the launch tube. 14. The launch canister as claimed in claim 1, wherein the enclosure is adapted for carrying the UAV having stowed wings, the enclosure including one or more guide pieces for guiding passage of the stowed wings of the UAV when the UAV is driven from the enclosure. 15. The launch canister as claimed in claim 1, wherein the submerged launch platform is a submarine. 16. The launch canister as claimed in claim 15, wherein the launch canister is adapted for launch from a Submerged Signal Ejector tube or an Under Casing Launcher. 17. A launch canister for ejection from a submerged launch platform, the launch canister being adapted for ejection in a direction substantially along a first axis of the launch canister and comprising: an enclosure for carrying an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV);a nose cap releasably located in a launch opening at a forward end of the launch canister;a launch mechanism for driving a UAV carried in the enclosure out of the launch canister through the launch opening in the direction substantially along said first axis;a water surface sensor for detecting when the nose cap of the canister broaches a water surface;wherein the launch canister is configured to, on the water surface sensor detecting that the nose cap of the canister has broached a water surface, immediately release the nose cap and initiate the launch mechanism to drive a UAV carried in the enclosure out of the launch canister through the launch opening;one or more guide elements adapted to direct motion of the launch canister towards the water surface at a preferred launch angle; anda lanyard fixedly attached at one end to an external part of the launch canister and the lanyard having a second end adapted for detachable connection to a submerged launch platform, the launch canister being configured such that, when the launch canister is ejected from a submerged launch platform, the one or more guide elements move from a stowed to a deployed position on the lanyard pulling taut at a first extension of the lanyard, the first extension of the lanyard being such that the one or more guide elements are deployed when the launch canister fully exits the submerged launch platform. 18. The launch canister as claimed in claim 17, wherein the lanyard is configured to detach from the submerged launch platform when the lanyard is pulled taut at a second extension of the lanyard. 19. A method for launching an unmanned aerial device having an engine from a submerged launch platform, the method comprising: ejecting a launch canister carrying the unmanned aerial vehicle in an enclosure thereof in a direction substantially along a first axis of the launch canister,detecting a nose cap located in a launch opening of the enclosure of the launch canister broaching a water surface;in response to detecting the nose cap broaching the surface of the water, immediately releasing, by a nose cap release mechanism, the nose cap and initiating a launch mechanism to drive the unmanned aerial vehicle out of the enclosure through the launch opening; anddriving, aided by momentum from the ejecting of the launch canister in the direction substantially along the first axis, the unmanned aerial vehicle out of the launch canister by the launch mechanism through the enclosure in the direction substantially along said first axis,wherein the launch canister includes a lanyard attached at a first end of the lanyard in the enclosure, the lanyard being detachably connected to the unmanned aerial vehicle, the lanyard having a length selected such that the lanyard pulls taut and detaches from the unmanned aerial vehicle as the engine of the unmanned aerial device passes through the launch opening,wherein a second end of the lanyard causes the engine of the unmanned aerial vehicle to power up when the lanyard is pulled taut and detaches from the unmanned aerial vehicle.
Mabry John P. (Portsmouth VA) Smith Joseph W. (Asheville NC) Jinnette Bromley C. (Hendersonville NC), System for underwater storage and launching of rockets.
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