US 12,606,326 B1Granted

Unmanned aerial vehicle with integrated paintball projectile system and method for use

OwnerHenry Hardy Perritt, Jr.inventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

An unmanned quadcopter aircraft system integrated with a pneumatic paintball projectile launching mechanism for recreational and training applications. The system includes a compressed gas powered single-shot paintball launcher with gravity-fed ammunition hopper, mechanical counterweight recoil compensation, and multiple electronic safety systems. GPS-based geofencing prevents firing in restricted zones, while altitude sensors prevent firing above predetermined heights. The flight control system automatically reduces aircraft speed and altitude limits when the projectile system is armed. A ground control system integrates standard flight controls with firing controls, safety indicators, and emergency stop capability. An alternative embodiment allows a used to adjust the elevation of the firing system while maintaining the orientation of the drone in space and also allowing recoil compensation. The system enables aerial paintball gaming and training scenarios while maintaining safety through redundant control systems and automatic parameter limiting.

Claims18

Dependent claims

An unmanned aerial vehicle system, comprising:

a commercially available drone comprising:
a quadcopter aircraft frame supporting four rotor assemblies with associated motors and flight control systems as known in the art;
standard UAV flight control processors, GPS receivers, and altitude sensors;
a pneumatic projectile launching subsystem (PPLS) mounted to the aircraft frame, the subsystem comprising:
an ammunition storage hopper;
an ammunition feed subsystem;
a compressed gas supply;
a feed tube;
a firing chamber;
a pressure regulator;
a solenoid valve;
a gas tube;
a barrel;
and
an orifice connecting the feed tube to the firing chamber;
and
a gas flow control subsystem preventing backward gas flow through the ammunition feed subsystem, the gas flow control subsystem, comprising a projectile deformation sealing mechanism wherein projectiles undergo controlled elastic deformation under firing pressures to reduce gas leakage clearance around the projectile circumference;
a counterweight recoil compensation subsystem mechanically coupled to the PPLS using mass of system components as counterweight;
an electronic control subsystem comprising a firing control circuit configured to interface with the standard UAV flight control processors, GPS receivers, and altitude sensors;
a safety control circuit configured to prevent projectile firing based on GPS position and altitude data received from the standard UAV flight control subsystems;
and a ground control subsystem.

18 more elements

A method of operating a drone with an integrated projectile system safely, comprising:

allowing gravity to cause a paintball to drop from an ammunition hopper through a feed tube into a firing chamber fixedly connected to a barrel of a pneumatic projectile launching subsystem;
providing a transition orifice having an internal diameter larger than the nominal projectile diameter;
allowing controlled elastic deformation of projectiles under firing pressure to reduce gas leakage clearance in the transition orifice;
positioning a one-way check valve in the ammunition feed path upstream from the firing chamber;
configuring the check valve with a cracking pressure of 2-4 PSI for forward projectile flow and sealing capability above 150 PSI for reverse gas flow;
and
integrating both sealing mechanisms to limit total backward gas leakage to less than 10% of forward gas flow;
receiving GPS position data and altitude data from the drone;
comparing the GPS position data against a database of restricted firing zones;
comparing the altitude data against a maximum firing altitude threshold;
enabling projectile firing only when the drone is outside restricted zones and below the maximum firing altitude;
automatically modifying flight parameters to reduce maximum speed and altitude when the PPLS is armed;
receiving an electrical signal transmitted wirelessly from a ground control system;
causing the electrical signal to activate a solenoid connected to a valve;
causing the valve to release gas from a compressed gas cartridge;
the increased gas pressure in the firing chamber causing the paintball to be expelled from the barrel.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.