[특허]Systems and methods for in-flight retrieval of unmanned aerial vehicles

The Boeing Company

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특허 상세정보

MyON담기

내보내기 페이스북 공유 트위터 공유 카카오톡 공유

Systems and methods for in-flight retrieval of unmanned aerial vehicles

특허상세정보
국가/구분	United States(US) Patent 등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)	B64D-005/00 B64C-039/02
출원번호	US-0994769 (2018-05-31)
등록번호	US-10246189 (2019-04-02)
발명자 / 주소	Paunicka, James Louis Irwin, Jacob R. Lee, Alexander David Hupp, Ryan L.
출원인 / 주소	The Boeing Company
대리인 / 주소	DASCENZO Intellectual Property Law, P.C.
인용정보	피인용 횟수 : 0 인용 특허 : 9

초록
▼

Presently disclosed systems and methods are configured for in-flight retrieval of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Such systems generally include a retrieval ramp, a tether system including a tether, and a capture connector. The retrieval ramp is configured to be moved between a stowed configuration and an extended configuration, in which at least a portion of the retrieval ramp is positioned outside the aircraft for retrieval of the UAV. The tether system is moveable to a capture configuration, in which a terminal tether end of the tether is positioned beyond a terminal end of the retrieval ramp, typically outside of turbulence generated by the aircraft. The system is configured to position the retrieval ramp, the tether system, and the capture connector in order to engage the UAV with the capture connector. Once captured, the system may move the UAV into the aircraft as the tether is retracted towards a retracted configuration.

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청구항
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1. A system for capturing a UAV and loading the UAV into an aircraft while the aircraft is airborne, the system comprising: a support component configured to stabilize and support the UAV, wherein the support component is configured to be selectively and reversibly moved between a stowed position in which the support component is contained within the aircraft, and an extended position in which at least a terminal end of the rigid support component is positioned outside the aircraft; anda tether having a distal tether end, wherein the tether is configured to be selectively and reversibly moved between a retracted configuration in which the distal tether end is positioned inside the aircraft, and a capture configuration in which the distal tether end is positioned outside the aircraft and beyond the terminal end of the support component, wherein the tether is configured to engage the UAV outside of turbulence generated by the aircraft, wherein the tether is configured such that as the tether is moved toward the retracted configuration, the tether draws an engaged UAV toward the support component for subsequent transfer thereby into the aircraft, and wherein the support component is rigid such that it stabilizes and supports the engaged UAV while the engaged UAV is moved into the aircraft. 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the support component comprises a restraint structure configured to at least partially secure the engaged UAV with respect to the support component after capture of the engaged UAV and while the engaged UAV is moved toward the aircraft and through turbulence generated by the aircraft. 3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the restraint structure comprises one or more friction-reducing structures configured to reduce friction between the engaged UAV and at least a portion of the restraint structure as the engaged UAV is positioned within the restraint structure, wherein the one or more friction-reducing structures are configured to rotate when contacted by the engaged UAV as the engaged UAV is pulled into the restraint structure and the engaged UAV is moved with respect to the one or more friction-reducing structures, thereby reducing friction between the engaged UAV and the restraint structure. 4. The system according to claim 2, wherein the restraint structure is configured to engage a body of the engaged UAV while the support component transfers the engaged UAV into the aircraft, and wherein the terminal end of the support component is positioned outside of turbulence generated by the aircraft when the support component is in the extended position. 5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the system is configured such that the engaged UAV remains engaged to the tether while the engaged UAV is brought into the aircraft by moving the support component toward the stowed position. 6. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a transfer jack configured to transfer a respective engaged UAV between the support component and a storage structure positioned on-board the aircraft, wherein the storage structure is configured to store a plurality of respective UAVs captured by the system. 7. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a capture connector coupled to the distal tether end of the tether, wherein the capture connector is configured to engage the UAV outside of turbulence generated by the aircraft, such that once the UAV is engaged with the capture connector, the tether draws the engaged UAV toward the support component when the tether is moved toward the retracted configuration. 8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the system further comprises a drogue coupled to the distal tether end of the tether, wherein the capture connector is disposed within the drogue, and wherein the capture connector is configured to engage with a UAV connector coupled to the UAV, such that the drogue is configured to receive at least a portion of the UAV connector when engaging the UAV. 9. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the support component is configured to be telescoping, such that a length of the portion of the support component is selectively increased and decreased, wherein the support component is configured such that increasing the length of the portion of the support component increases a distance between the terminal end of the support component and the aircraft, thereby moving the support component toward the extended position, and wherein the support component is configured such that decreasing the length of the portion of the support component decreases the distance between the terminal end of the support component and the aircraft, thereby moving the support component toward the stowed position. 10. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the support component is configured to be selectively rotated with respect to the aircraft, such that an angle of the portion of the support component is selectively adjustable to position the terminal end of the support component with respect to the aircraft, wherein adjusting the angle in a first direction moves the support component toward the extended position, and wherein adjusting the angle in a second direction moves the support component toward the stowed position. 11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the support component comprises a vision system positioned such that the vision system has a sufficient field of regard to facilitate capture of the UAV. 12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the support component is configured to guide and position the tether as the tether is moved toward the retracted configuration. 13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is configured to transfer a stored UAV out of the aircraft using the support component and the tether, and wherein the system is configured to release the UAV outside of the aircraft while the aircraft is airborne, by disengaging the tether from the UAV at a location outside of the aircraft. 14. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to selectively position the support component in the stowed position, the extended position, and any position or arrangement between the stowed position and the extended position, and wherein the controller is configured to position the tether in the retracted configuration, the capture configuration, and any configuration or arrangement between the retracted configuration and the capture configuration, and wherein the controller is configured to position the support component and the tether in response to measured relative positions and velocities of the aircraft and the UAV. 15. A method for capturing a UAV and loading the UAV into an aircraft while the aircraft is airborne, the method comprising: approaching the UAV with the aircraft;lowering a support component from the aircraft toward an extended position, wherein the support component is rigid such that it is configured to stabilize and support the UAV as the UAV is moved into the aircraft;extending a tether toward a capture configuration, wherein a distal tether end of the tether is configured to engage the UAV, wherein, in the capture configuration, the distal tether end is positioned beyond a terminal end of the support component such that the tether is configured to capture the UAV outside of turbulence generated by the aircraft;measuring relative positions and velocities of the aircraft and the UAV;positioning at least one of the aircraft and the UAV, based on the measured relative positions and velocities;capturing the UAV by engaging the tether with a UAV connector coupled to the UAV; andmoving the UAV into the aircraft via the tether and the support component. 16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising retracting the tether toward a retracted configuration, thereby moving the UAV toward the support component until the UAV is engaged with the support component. 17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising moving the support component toward a stowed position, thereby moving the UAV into the aircraft, along with at least a portion of the support component. 18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising: re-lowering the support component from the aircraft to the extended position;re-extending the tether toward the capture configuration;capturing a second UAV by engaging the tether with a second UAV connector coupled to the second UAV; andmoving the tether toward the retracted configuration and moving the support component toward the stowed position, thereby moving the second UAV into the aircraft. 19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the moving the support component toward the stowed position comprises one or more of reducing a length of the support component and rotating the support component relative to the aircraft. 20. The method according to claim 15, further comprising: transferring the UAV from the support component onto a transfer jack located within the aircraft, wherein the transferring the UAV from the support component comprises transferring a carriage along with the UAV, wherein the carriage is positioned such that it supports the UAV; andmoving the UAV and the carriage to a storage structure within the aircraft.

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Systems and methods for in-flight retrieval of unmanned aerial vehicles

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Systems and methods for in-flight retrieval of unmanned aerial vehicles

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