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AssigneeRaptor Aerospace Ltd
InventorsCallum Dominic Cabielles Rolfe, Adam William Oxbury, Aaron McNeil
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UAV (400, 500, 600) systems and methods for simulation of reduced-gravity environments are disclosed. A UAV (400, 500, 600) system has an ascent vehicle (104), comprising ascent thrust means, and an aerodynamic, free fall descent UAV (102, 706), comprising descent thrust means. The ascent vehicle (104) comprises means to convey the descent UAV (102, 706) to a drop altitude (108), and the descent UAV (102, 706) is separable from the ascent vehicle (104). The descent thrust means is operable, following separation of the descent UAV (102, 706) from the ascent vehicle (104), to provide a thrust component in a descent direction (256), for countering air resistance on the UAV (400, 500, 600). The descent UAV (102, 706) may comprise a sensor system and controller (204), and the descent thrust means may comprise a ducted fan system. The sensor system may be operable, during descent of the UAV (400, 500, 600), to determine values for parameters associated with the acceleration due to gravity of the UAV (400, 500, 600), the controller (204) being operable to use the determined parameter values to control the ducted fan system to provide the thrust component.
A UAV system for simulation of reduced-gravity environments, comprising:
A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the descent thrust means is operable to provide variable thrust.
A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the descent thrust means comprises a ducted fan system.
A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the descent UAV comprises:
A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the descent UAV comprises a descent thrust mitigation means, operable during operation of the descent thrust means to counteract the descent thrust means.
A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the descent UAV comprises a housing, which housing enclosing a payload volume.
A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the descent UAV comprises at least one deployable passive deceleration means.
A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the ascent UAV comprises a central annular region, and wherein the means to convey comprises means for accommodating the descent UAV within a bore of the ascent UAV annular region.
A UAV system for simulation of reduced-gravity environments, comprising:
A method for simulation of reduced-gravity environments, comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.