Dual-safe fuze for uas drone applications

A dual-safe fuze for unmanned aerial system (UAS) drone applications comprising:

• an electrical power source configured to initiate a munition;
• circuitry positioned between the electrical power source and the munition for controlling the initiation of the munition via the electrical power source, the circuitry is configured to initiate the munition from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the circuitry positioned between the electrical power source and the munition is electrical circuitry and mechanical circuitry including:
• a nose-proximity fuze circuit, the nose-proximity fuze circuit is configured to detect a proximity to a target, wherein the nose-proximity fuze circuit is a normally open electrical circuit, when the nose-proximity fuze circuit comes in proximity of the target, the nose-proximity fuze circuit is configured to close to allow the connection of electrical power through the nose-proximity fuze circuit, wherein the nose-proximity fuze circuit is configured as a first-person view (FPV) circuit configured to allow a user to initiate the munition by flying the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with the dual-safe fuze into the target kamikaze style, whereby, when the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with the dual-safe fuze comes in proximity of the target, the dual-safe fuze is configured to initiate the munition;
• a body-proximity fuze circuit, the body-proximity fuze circuit has a body-proximity fuze sensor, the body-proximity fuze circuit is an electrical circuit which is normally open and is configured to not permit passage of electrical current or voltage until it is closed electrically, wherein when the body-proximity fuze sensor detects that the munition has been dropped, then the body-proximity fuze circuit is configured to close to allow the connection of electrical power through the body-proximity fuze circuit;
• a timer circuit, the timer circuit is configured to enable a user to set a time period in which the timer circuit is electrically open, thereby allowing the munition and the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to be handled for the set time period before the timer circuit is electrically energized;
• the timer circuit is part of the body-proximity fuze circuit, wherein, the timer circuit is configured to enable the user to set the time period in which the timer circuit is electrically open, thereby allowing the munition and the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to be handled for the set time period before the timer circuit is electrically energized before the normally open body-proximity fuze circuit is electrically closed enabling the potential of electricity to pass through the body-proximity fuze circuit;
• and
• a shear lanyard safety circuit, the shear lanyard safety circuit including:
• a normally closed lanyard switch;
• a safety lanyard, the safety lanyard is connected on one side to the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and the other side of the safety lanyard is inserted into a sliding receptable in the lanyard switch for opening the normally closed lanyard switch and not allowing electrical current to flow therethrough;
• whereby, when the munition is dropped from the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the other side of the safety lanyard is configured to pull out of the sliding receptacle for closing the normally closed lanyard switch;
• the shear lanyard safety circuit including a mission selector configured to allow the user to select the mission mode, the mission selector including selectable mission options including:
• FPV mission option for first-person view for flying the unmanned aerial vehicle with the munition into the target kamikaze style;
• DROP/LAN mission option for dropping the munition from the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) onto the target;
• DUAL mission option for providing the user the option of the FPV mission or the DROP/LAN mission;
• and
• the shear lanyard safety circuit further including a collapsible element in a nose assembly, the collapsible element in the nose assembly including a shear pin or other mechanical element that is configured to break on impact with the target, wherein when the nose assembly impacts the target and the shear pin or other mechanical element breaks, the collapsible element is configured to come into electrical contact with elements in the nose assembly to close the shear lanyard safety circuit and allow electrical energy to be applied to the shear lanyard safety circuit, wherein, when the shear pin or other mechanical element breaks and the collapsible element comes into electrical contact with the elements in the nose assembly, the collapsible element is configured to allow electrical connection from the electrical power source which applies electrical power through the nose-proximity sensor and circuit, through the body-proximity fuze circuit and the timer circuit, and then through the shear lanyard safety circuit either when the safety lanyard is pulled from its sliding receptacle or when the nose impact damages or pushes physically past the shear pin or other mechanical element and electrically connects the circuit, where once these conditions are met, the munition is able to be fully energized and can be initiated.

A munition for unmanned aerial system (UAS) drone applications comprising:

• a dual-safe fuze comprising:
• an electrical power source configured to initiate the munition;
• circuitry positioned between the electrical power source and the munition for controlling the initiation of the munition via the electrical power source, the circuitry is configured to initiate the munition from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the circuitry positioned between the electrical power source and the munition is electrical circuitry and mechanical circuitry including:
• a nose-proximity fuze circuit;
• a body-proximity fuze circuit;
• a shear lanyard safety circuit;
• and
• combinations thereof.