Apparatus and method for aerial recovery of an unmanned aerial vehicle
AssigneesSt Engineering Aerospace Ltd., Singapore Technologies Aerospace Ltd.
InventorsChi Hui Frederic Foo, Han Lin Hsi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for aerial recovery of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) are provided. The apparatus includes a rigid base having a first section and a second section, wherein the first section is securely mounted to a floor of an aircraft. The apparatus further includes a servicing platform moveably mounted to the base and configured to move along a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the aircraft such that in an extended position, the servicing platform at least partially protrudes from a rear cargo door of the aircraft, wherein the servicing platform comprises a capturing mechanism configured to capture the UAV in the extended position.
Claims18
An apparatus for aerial recovery of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) in mid-flight, the apparatus comprising:
- a rigid base having a first section and a second section pivotably connected to the first section, wherein the first section is securely mounted to a floor of an aircraft and the second section is configured to be locked to the first section when level with the first section;
- and
- a servicing platform moveably mounted to the base and configured to move along a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the aircraft such that in an extended position, the servicing platform at least partially protrudes from a rear cargo door of the aircraft,
- wherein the second section is configured to support the servicing platform in the extended position,
- wherein the servicing platform comprises a capturing mechanism configured to capture the UAV in the extended position and a restraining mechanism configured to secure the UAV on the servicing platform, and
- wherein the capturing mechanism comprises two telescopic arms, each telescopic arm being disposed on a transverse side of the servicing platform and configured to operate in six degrees-of-freedom.
A method for aerial recovery of a UAV in mid-flight, the method comprising:
- rearwardly extending a servicing platform relative to a rigid base mounted to a floor of a flying servicing aircraft such that the servicing platform at least partially protrudes from a rear cargo door of the servicing aircraft, wherein the base comprises a first section and a second section pivotably connected to the first section and wherein the second section is configured to support the extended servicing platform,
- flying the UAV in formation with the servicing aircraft within a capture envelope of a capturing mechanism disposed on the servicing platform;
- capturing the UAV using the capturing mechanism while the servicing platform is in the extended position;
- and
- securely supporting the UAV on the servicing platform,
- wherein capturing the UAV comprises:
- extending two telescopic arms disposed on the servicing platform rearwardly and downwardly;
- opening two capture forks, each attached to a distal end of the respective telescopic arm;
- engaging selected sections of the UAV using the capture forks upon confirmation that the UAV is within the capture envelope;
- and
- retracting the two telescopic arms to draw and position the captured UAV on the servicing platform.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.