Systems and methods for in-flight recovery of a target aircraft by a host aircraft during forward flight
AssigneeGeneral Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.
InventorsKevin David Koller, Michael Joseph Allwein, Roy Hultenius, Armen Assatourian, Russell Temple
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In-flight recovery of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). A towline may be deployed by a host aircraft in-flight in order to recover a target UAV that is also in-flight. A reel on the host aircraft may pay out the towline having a fitting thereon. A catch on the target UAV may engage with the fitting on the towline, and the reel may then retract the towline to thereby pull in the target UAV to the host aircraft. The target UAV may then securely attach with the host aircraft.
Claims31
A system for in-flight recovery of a target aircraft by a host aircraft during forward flight, the system comprising:
- a reel configured to attach with the host aircraft;
- a towline comprising an aft section and a fitting attached to the aft section, wherein the reel is configured to pay out the towline from the reel to extend the fitting away from the host aircraft during forward flight;
- a catch system comprising at least one moveable arm configured to attach with the target aircraft and to transition from a first configuration to a second configuration, wherein in the first configuration, the catch system is configured to vertically receive a section of the towline located forward of the fitting, and in the second configuration, the at least one movable arm of the catch system is configured to prevent the towline from vertically separating from the catch system as the catch system and the towline move horizontally relative to each other;
- wherein the catch system is further configured to couple with the fitting after a horizontal separation between the catch system and the fitting aft of the catch system is decreased such that the fitting and the catch system are brought into contact with one another, and wherein the reel is further configured to retract the towline with the catch system coupled with the fitting to direct the target aircraft towards the host aircraft.
A method for in-flight recovery of a target aircraft by a host aircraft during forward flight, the method comprising:
- deploying a towline away from the host aircraft having a fitting coupled with the towline;
- vertically receiving the towline with a catch system on the target aircraft forward of the fitting;
- causing relative horizontal movement between the catch system and the towline to couple the fitting with the catch system;
- and
- retracting the towline toward the host aircraft to direct the target aircraft toward the host aircraft after the catch system has engaged the fitting.
A system for in-flight recovery of a target aircraft by a host aircraft during forward flight, the system comprising:
- a reel configured to attach with the host aircraft;
- a towline comprising an aft section and a fitting attached to the aft section, wherein the reel is configured to pay out the towline away from the host aircraft during forward flight such that the aft section extends substantially horizontally;
- and
- a catch system coupled to the target aircraft and configured to vertically receive a section of the towline forward of the fitting, the catch system further configured to engage the fitting after relative motion between the catch system and fitting decreases a horizontal separation aft of the catch system,
- wherein the reel is further configured to retract the towline with the catch system engaging the fitting to direct the target aircraft towards the host aircraft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.