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US 11,027,844 B2Granted
Rotorcraft-assisted system for launching and retrieving a fixed-wing aircraft into and from free flight
AssigneeHood Technology Corporation
InventorsAndreas H. von Flotow, Corydon C. Roeseler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rotorcraft-assisted system for launching and retrieving a fixed-wing aircraft into and from free flight. The launch and retrieval system is usable with a rotorcraft to launch a fixed-wing aircraft into free, wing-borne flight and to retrieve the fixed-wing aircraft from free, wing-borne flight.
Claims22
A method for capturing a fixed-wing aircraft from wing-borne flight, the method comprising:
- positioning an anchor system at a retrieval location;
- extending a flexible capture member from the anchor system through a first receiving bore and a second receiving bore of an aircraft landing device, wherein the aircraft landing device includes a bearing positioned proximate the first receiving bore and configured to contact the flexible capture member;
- attaching the flexible capture member to a rotorcraft;
- ascending the rotorcraft to a retrieval height above the retrieval location;
- intercepting the fixed-wing aircraft via the flexible capture member;
- and
- lowering the fixed-wing aircraft onto the aircraft landing device.
4 more elements
A fixed-wing aircraft capturing system comprising:
- an aircraft landing device that defines a first receiving bore and a second receiving bore, wherein the aircraft landing device includes a bearing positioned proximate the first receiving bore;
- an anchor system positionable at a retrieval location;
- and
- a flexible capture member extendable from the anchor system through the first receiving bore and the second receiving bore of the aircraft landing device and couplable to a rotorcraft, wherein the bearing of the aircraft landing device is configured to contact the flexible capture member,
- wherein the flexible member is configured to intercept a fixed-wing aircraft, and wherein the aircraft landing device is configured to support the fixed-wing aircraft after it has been intercepted by the flexible capture member.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.