Multicopter-assisted system and method for launching and retrieving a fixed-wing aircraft
AssigneeHood Technology Corporation
InventorsAndreas H. von Flotow, Corydon C. Roeseler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure provides various embodiments of a multicopter-assisted launch and retrieval system generally including: (1) a multi-rotor modular multicopter attachable to (and detachable from) a fixed-wing aircraft to facilitate launch of the fixed-wing aircraft into wing-borne flight; (2) a storage and launch system usable to store the modular multicopter and to facilitate launch of the fixed-wing aircraft into wing-borne flight; and (3) an anchor system usable (along with the multicopter and a flexible capture member) to retrieve the fixed-wing aircraft from wing-borne flight.
Claims20
A fixed-wing aircraft fuselage-retaining device comprising:
- a pair of pincers each having a free end, the pincers pivotably attached to one another so they are movable relative to one another between a fuselage-retaining orientation in which their free ends are separated by a first distance and a fuselage-release orientation in which their free ends are separated by a second greater distance greater than the first distance;
- and
- a safety mechanism movable between an engaged position in which the safety mechanism prevents the pincers from moving from the fuselage-retaining orientation to the fuselage-release orientation and a disengaged position in which the safety mechanism does not prevent the pincers from moving from the fuselage-retaining orientation to the fuselage-release orientation.
A fixed-wing aircraft fuselage-retaining device comprising:
- a first pincer having a free end;
- a second pincer having a free end, the first and second pincers attached to one another so they are movable relative to one another between a fuselage-retaining orientation in which their free ends are separated by a first distance and a fuselage-release orientation in which their free ends are separated by a second greater distance greater than the first distance;
- and
- a biasing element that biases the pincers to the fuselage-retaining orientation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.