Method and apparatus for robotic launch and capture of a UAV

A system for launching and/or capturing an unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:

• a movable robotic arm having a free end and a secured end;
• an electromagnetic end effector connected proximate to the free end of the robotic arm;
• a metallic strike plate located on the unmanned aerial vehicle to be attracted and securely held to the electromagnetic end effector when the electromagnetic end effector is active;
• trajectory software configured to control a location of the free end of the robotic arm;
• and
• a control module for receiving input data, analyzing the data and using the trajectory software to control the location of the free end of the robotic arm and activate or deactivate the electromagnetic end effector,
• wherein the electromagnetic end effector further comprises at least one aligning rail positioned and configured for aligning the unmanned aerial vehicle in a particular orientation relative to the electromagnetic end effector.

A method of capturing an unmanned aerial vehicle provided with a metallic strike plate, said method comprising steps of:

• a. directing the unmanned aerial vehicle on a path that intersects a work envelope of a robotic arm comprising a free end and a secured end, and an electromagnetic end effector located proximate to the free end of the robotic arm,
• b. obtaining motion data for the unmanned aerial vehicle, and
• c. controlling a location of the free end of the robotic arm based on the motion data to position the electromagnetic end effector for interaction with the metallic strike plate of the unmanned aerial vehicle when the unmanned aerial vehicle is present within the work envelope of the robotic arm to capture the unmanned aerial vehicle,
• wherein said step of controlling a location of the free end of the robotic arm comprises a step of determining a future path of the UAV from the motion data,
• wherein said step of controlling a location of the free end of the robotic arm comprises a step of constructing a trajectory path for the end effector using the future path of the UAV,
• wherein the trajectory path is a point-to-point trajectory path.