Method and apparatus for temporarily interconnecting an unmanned aerial vehicle

The method of interconnecting an airborne host aircraft having a trailing target drogue with a distal ring with a generally circular distalmost rim and a proximal generally circular receptacle structure, and a hose interconnecting the interior of the host aircraft and the receptacle structure of the drogue;

• an airborne unmanned aircraft having a probe extending generally along the path of flight of the unmanned aircraft to a distal end and including sensor means to point distally of the probe toward a laser generated reticular pattern and an automatic target recognition algorithm means;
• wherein the probe and the drogue are companionately sized and shaped for telescopic receipt of the probe within the receptacle structure of the drogue;
• wherein the probe and drogue each include a laser transmitter/receiver means tuned to a specific frequency and wave length outside of the visible spectrum, each laser transmitter/receiver means being generally radially offset a common distance from the centerline of a) the drogue and receptacle structure and b) the probe, for boresighted alignment of the laser transmitter/receivers when the probe is telescopically received in the receptacle structure;
• wherein the laser transmitter/receiver means of the unmanned aircraft includes switch means to transfer to and from the transmitter and receiver mode and the receiver mode includes a rangefinder mode adapted to determine when the probe is within the reticle pattern and the distance of the distal end of the probe from the drogue;
• and automatic target recognition algorithm means to determine exactly where in the projected laser reticle beam the distal end of the probe is located;
• and
• wherein the laser transmitter/receiver of the target drogue includes a projection lens means to generate a laser beam which expands aft of the drogue in a graduated cone-shaped reticle pattern of a predetermined expansion ratio and a pulse code modulation data link mode to transmit vital unmanned aircraft information such as altitude, heading, airspeed, rate of closure, fuel status, fuel onload desired, and major systems status to the host aircraft;
• said method comprising the steps of:
• activating the laser receiver/transmitter means of the target drogue and projecting a reticle pattern expanded aft of the host aircraft;
• activating the receiver mode of the laser receiver/transmitter of the unmanned vehicle;
• moving the unmanned vehicle relative to the host aircraft until the unmanned aircraft is within the projected laser reticle pattern;
• simultaneously,
• a) activating the rangefinder mode of the laser receiver/transmitter of the unmanned aircraft, and
• b) moving the unmanned aircraft within the pattern toward and into alignment of the laser transmitter/receiver of the unmanned vehicle and the laser transmitter/receiver of the host aircraft;
• accelerating the movement of the unmanned vehicle at a predetermined slow rate of approach to the host aircraft;
• switching the mode of the laser transmitter/receiver of the unmanned vehicle into a timeshare mode where part of the time the transmitter operates in the rangefinder mode, and another part of the time it operates in the post modulation data link mode to transmit vital information concerning the unmanned aircraft such as altitude, heading, airspeed, rate of closure, fuel status, fuel onload desired, and major systems status to the host aircraft;
• establishing probe contact within the receptacle structure of the target drogue;
• and
• coupling and maintaining the coupling of the probe and drogue receptacle structure.