Abstract:
Locking line capture devices for unmanned aircraft, and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. A representative system includes a line capture body having a line slot with an open end and closed end, and a retainer positioned proximate the line slot and movable between first position in which the retainer blocks access to the line slot and a second position in which the retainer allows access to the line slot. A locking device is operably coupled between the capture body and the retainer and is movable between an unlocked position to allow movement of the retainer between the first and second positions, and a locked position to block such movement. A release device is operably coupled to the locking device and movable between a secured position with the locking device secured in the locked position, and a released position with the locking device movable between the locked and unlocked positions.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present technology is directed generally to locking line capture devices for unmanned aircraft, and associated systems and methods. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Unmanned aircraft or aerial vehicles (UAVs) provide enhanced and economical access to areas where manned flight operations are unacceptably costly and/or dangerous. For example, UAVs outfitted with remotely controlled cameras can perform a wide variety of surveillance missions, including spotting schools of fish for the fisheries industry, monitoring weather conditions, providing border patrols for national governments, and providing military surveillance before, during and/or after military operations. 
         [0003]    Existing UAV systems suffer from a variety of drawbacks. For example, existing UAVs systems (which can include the aircraft itself along with launch devices, recovery devices, and storage devices) typically require substantial space. Accordingly, these systems can be difficult to install and operate in cramped quarters, such as the deck of a small fishing boat, land vehicle, or other craft. Another drawback with some existing UAVs is that, due to small size and low weight, they can be subjected to higher acceleration and deceleration forces than larger, manned aerial vehicles and can accordingly be prone to damage, particularly when manually handled during recovery and launch operations in hostile environments, such as a heaving ship deck. Yet another drawback with some existing UAV systems is that they may not be suitable for recovering aircraft in tight quarters, without causing damage to either the aircraft or the platform from which the aircraft is launched and/or recovered. Accordingly, there remains a need in the industry for improved methods for operating UAVs in confined environments. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]      FIGS. 1A-1B  illustrate an apparatus configured to recover UAVs in accordance with representative embodiments of the present technology. 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is a partially schematic, isometric illustration of a line capture device carried by a UAV in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. 
           [0006]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  are partially schematic, plan and isometric views, respectively, of the line capture device shown in  FIG. 2 , with a recovery line positioned to enter a line slot of the device in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. 
           [0007]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  are partially schematic, plan and isometric views, respectively, of the line capture device shown in  FIG. 2 , with the recovery line positioned in the line slot, in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. 
           [0008]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  are partially schematic, plan and isometric views, respectively, of the line capture device shown in  FIG. 2 , with a locking device in a locked position, in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. 
           [0009]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  are partially schematic, plan and isometric views, respectively, of the line capture device shown in  FIG. 2 , with the recovery line fully engaged in the capture slot, in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. 
           [0010]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  are partially schematic, plan and isometric views, respectively, of the line capture device shown in  FIG. 2  with the locking device shown in an unlocked position in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. 
           [0011]      FIGS. 8A and 8B  are partially schematic, plan and isometric views, respectively, of a line capture device having a retainer and locking mechanism configured in accordance with another embodiment of the present technology. 
           [0012]      FIGS. 9A and 9B  are plan and isometric views, respectively, of a capture device having a locking mechanism configured in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present technology. 
           [0013]      FIGS. 10A-10D  illustrate plan views of a line capture device having a retainer with three lobes positioned in a first, second, and third orientation, respectively, in accordance with still another embodiment of the present technology. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     1.0 Overview 
       [0014]    The present technology is directed generally to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) having locking capture devices, and associated systems and methods. In particular embodiments, the capture devices are mounted on the wing tips of the UAV and are used to “snag” the UAV on a recovery line, thus eliminating the need for a runway, net, and/or other landing arrangement. A representative capture device includes a slot and a retainer that can prevent the recovery line from disengaging from the slot once the UAV has been captured. A locking device further secures the retainer, and can be released by the operator after the UAV has been captured in preparation for detaching the UAV from the recovery line. 
         [0015]    Several details describing structures or processes that are well-known and often associated with UAVs and corresponding systems and subsystems, but that may unnecessarily obscure some significant aspects of the disclosed technology, are not set forth in the following description for purposes of clarity. Moreover, although the following disclosure sets forth several embodiments of different aspects of the technology, some other embodiments can have different configurations and/or different components than those described in this section. Accordingly, the technology may have other embodiments with additional elements and/or without several of the elements described below with reference to  FIGS. 1A-10D . 
         [0016]      FIGS. 1A-1B  illustrate overall views of systems and methods for capturing UAVs in accordance with embodiments of the present technology. Further details of representative capture devices are discussed with reference to  FIGS. 2-10D . Beginning with  FIG. 1A , a representative UAV  110  can be captured by an aircraft handling system  100  positioned on a support platform  101 . In one embodiment, the support platform  101  can include a boat, ship, or other water vessel  102 . In other embodiments, the support platform  101  can include other structures, for example, a building, a truck or other land vehicle, or an airborne vehicle, such as a balloon, helicopter, or other multirotor vehicle, or the aircraft handling system can be placed directly on the ground. In many of these embodiments, the aircraft handling system  100  can be configured solely to retrieve the UAV  110  or, in particular embodiments, it can be configured to both launch and retrieve the UAV  110 . The UAV  110  can include a fuselage  111  and wings  113  (or a blended wing/fuselage), and is propelled by a propulsion system  112  (e.g., a piston-driven propeller). 
         [0017]    Referring now to  FIG. 1B , the aircraft handling system  100  can include a recovery system  130  integrated with a launch system  170 . In one aspect of this embodiment, the recovery system  130  can include an extendable boom  131  having a plurality of segments  132 . The boom  131  can be mounted on a rotatable base  136  or turret for ease of positioning. The segments  132  are initially stowed in a nested or telescoping arrangement and are then deployed to extend outwardly as shown in  FIG. 1B . In other embodiments, the extendable boom  131  can have other arrangements, such as a scissors arrangement, a parallel linkage arrangement or a knuckle boom arrangement. In any of these embodiments, the extendable boom  131  can include a recovery line or capture line  133  extended by gravity or other forces. In one embodiment, the recovery line  133  can include 0.25 inch diameter polyester rope, and in other embodiments, the recovery line  133  can include other materials and/or can have other dimensions (e.g., a diameter of 0.3125 inch). In any of these embodiments, a spring or weight  134  at the end of the recovery line  133  can provide tension in the recovery line  133 . The aircraft handling system  100  can also include a retrieval line  135  connected to the weight  134  to aid in retrieving and controlling the motion of the weight  134  after the aircraft recovery operation has been completed. In another embodiment, a different recovery line  133   a  (shown in dashed lines) can be suspended from one portion of the boom  131  and can attach to another point on the boom  131 , in lieu of the recovery line  133  and the weight  134 . 
         [0018]    In one aspect of this embodiment, the end of the extendable boom  131  can be positioned at an elevation A above the local surface (e.g., the water shown in  FIG. 1B ), and a distance D away from the nearest vertical structure projecting from the local surface. In one aspect of this embodiment, the elevation A can be about 15 meters and the distance D can be about 10 meters. In other embodiments, A and D can have other values, depending upon the particular installation, the size of the UAV  110 , and/or other factors. For example, in one particular embodiment, the elevation A can be about 17 meters when the boom  131  is extended, and about  4  meters when the boom  131  is retracted. The distance D can be about 8 meters when the boom  131  is extended, and about 4 meters when the boom  131  is retracted. In a further particular aspect of this embodiment, the boom  131  can be configured to carry both a vertical load and a lateral load via the recovery line. For example, in one embodiment, the boom  131  can be configured to capture an UAV  110  having a weight of about 30 pounds, and can be configured to withstand a side load of about 400 pounds, corresponding to the force of the impact between the UAV  110  and the recovery line  133  with appropriate factors of safety. 
         [0019]    In any of the foregoing embodiments, the UAV  110  is captured when it flies into the recovery line  133 . Once captured, the UAV  110  is suspended from the recovery line, e.g., by one of the wings  113 . Further details of apparatuses and methods for capturing the UAV  110  are described below with reference to  FIGS. 2-10D . 
       2.0 Representative Embodiments 
       [0020]      FIG. 2  is a partially schematic, isometric illustration of an outboard portion of the wing  113  of the UAV  110  shown in  FIG. 1B . The wing  113  can include a winglet  116  in the illustrated embodiment and may have no winglets in other embodiments. In one aspect of the illustrated embodiment, the wing  113  includes a leading edge  114  (which can, but need not be swept), an outboard edge  115 , and a line capture device  140  positioned at or near the outboard edge  115 . In other embodiments, each wing  113  can include a plurality of line capture devices  140  located along the span of the wing  113 , or a single line capture device located away from the outboard edge  115 . In any of these embodiments, the line capture device  140  can have a cleat-type configuration. The line capture device  140  can include a line capture device body  141  with a bracket or flange  144  that is attached to the wing  113 , e.g., with bolts  145 . 
         [0021]    In operation, the line capture device  140  engages the recovery line  133  to releasably and securely attach the UAV  110  to the recovery line  133 . Accordingly, the device  140  can include a line slot  143  positioned in the body  141 , and retainer  142  movably attached to the body  141 . As the UAV  110  flies toward the recovery line  133  (as indicated by arrow C), the recovery line  133  strikes the wing leading edge  114  and causes the UAV  110  to yaw toward the recovery line  133 , which then slides outboard along the leading edge  114  toward the line capture device  140  (as indicated by arrow B). The recovery line  133  then passes into the line slot  143  and is retained in the line slot  143  by the retainer  142 , as described in greater detail below. If the UAV  110  is not properly aligned with the recovery line  133  during its approach, the recovery line  133  may strike the line capture device  140  instead of the leading edge  114 . In one embodiment, the body  141  includes a guide portion  146  having a body leading edge  155  that is swept aft so as to deflect the recovery line  133  away from the UAV  110 . This can prevent the recovery line  133  from fouling and can reduce the yawing moment imparted to the UAV  110 , allowing the UAV  110  to recover from the missed capture and return for another capture attempt. 
         [0022]    As described above, the recovery line  133  travels outboard along the wing leading edge  114  toward the line capture device  140 . As the recovery line  133  enters the line slot  143 , it forces the retainer  142  to move from the closed position shown in  FIG. 2  to an open position. The recovery line  133  travels within the line slot  143  and a locking device  160  engages the retainer  142  to prevent the retainer  142  from opening, either under the force of the recovery line  133 , or otherwise. After the aircraft has been successfully captured, an operator uses a release device  180  to disengage the locking device  160  and remove the UAV  110  from the recovery line  133 . Further details of this operation are described below with reference to  FIGS. 3A-7B . 
         [0023]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  are plan and isometric views, respectively, of the capture device  140  shown in  FIG. 2 . The line slot  143  has an open end  150  and a closed end  151 . The retainer  142  can include a flat portion  147  that extends over the line slot  143  when the retainer  142  is in a first or closed position, as illustrated in  FIGS. 3A and 3B . The retainer  142  can pivot relative to the body  141 , and can be biased towards the closed position with a retainer spring  148 . In a particular embodiment, the spring  148  includes a wire that extends downwardly into and through a first aperture  156   a , then back upwardly through a second aperture  156   b , so as to allow the retainer  142  to pivot about an axis extending upwardly and downwardly through the first aperture  156   a , as indicated by arrow E. The retainer  142  can include a notch  149  that receives the locking device  160 , as described further below. 
         [0024]    The locking device  160  can include a locking element  165  that slides axially within a lock groove  166 , as indicated by arrow F. The locking element  165  can include a protrusion  164  that is positioned underneath the flat portion  147  of the retainer  142  when the locking device  160  is not engaged (e.g., when the locking device  160  is in an unlocked position). When the locking device  160  is not engaged, the retainer  142  is free rotate freely as indicated by arrow E, while the flat portion  147  rotates over the protrusion  164  below. The protrusion  164  pops into the notch  149  when the locking device  160  is engaged, as is described further below with reference to  FIGS. 5A and 5B . 
         [0025]    The locking device  160  can further include a line strike device  161  positioned toward the closed end  151  of the line slot  143 . The line strike device  161  is positioned to pull the locking element  165  from left to right when the recovery line  133  strikes the line strike device  161 . Accordingly, the line strike device  161  can include a line strike flat portion  162  that extends over and across the capture slot  143 , and can move between an unstruck position and a struck position under the force of the recovery line  133 . 
         [0026]    The release device  180  is coupled to the locking device  160 , e.g., via the line strike device  161  and/or the locking element  165 . The release device  180  can include a release device spring  181  that biases the release device  180  toward an engaged position shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B . In a particular embodiment, the release device spring  181  can include a wire that operates generally similarly to the retainer spring  148  described above. The release device  180  can have a contoured surface allowing a user to easily engage and move it from left to right (or counter-clockwise), indicated by arrow G, to release the locking device  160 , as will be described further below with reference to  FIGS. 7A and 7B . 
         [0027]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  are partially schematic plan and isometric views, respectively, of the line capture device  140  shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , after the recovery line  133  has entered the line capture slot  143  and forced the retainer  142  to pivot away from the line capture slot  143 , as indicated by arrow E. The recovery line  133  continues to move along the line capture slot  143  toward the closed end  151 . The portion of the recovery line  133  within the capture slot  143  can assume an elliptical and/or otherwise non-circular cross-sectional shape due to the confined width of the capture slot  143 , as shown in  FIG. 4A  and several subsequent Figures. 
         [0028]    In  FIGS. 5A and 5B , the recovery line  133  has struck the line strike device  161 , causing the locking element  165  to slide within its lock groove  166  as indicated by arrow F. As a result of this movement, the protrusion  164  emerges from beneath the retainer  142  and into the notch  149 . The protrusion  164  is biased upwardly so as to spring upwardly into the notch  149  after the retainer  142  (which is biased toward its closed position) rotates back to its closed position, as indicated by arrow E. Accordingly, the recovery line  133  is now positioned toward the closed end  151  ( FIG. 4B ) of the line slot  143  and the retainer  142  is in its closed position to prevent the recovery line  133  from exiting the line slot  143 . In addition, the locking device  160  prevents the retainer  142  from moving away from its closed position. Accordingly, if another portion of the recovery line  133  outside the capture slot  143  loops upwardly and strikes the retainer  142 , the retainer  142  will not move from its closed position. An advantage of this feature is that it can prevent the retainer  142  from inadvertently being reopened as the recovery line  133  bounces, loops and/or otherwise moves around during the capture operation. Such movement might otherwise not only cause the retainer  142  to open, but also cause the captured portion of the recovery line  133  to move out of capture slot  143  and thus prevent the successful capture of the UAV  110  ( FIGS. 1A, 1B ). 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B , the recovery line  133  has now traveled to the closed end  151  of the slot  143  and is fully engaged in the capture slot  143 . The line strike device  161  has moved clear of the capture slot  143  under the force of the recovery line  133 , but the locking device  160  (e.g., the protrusion  164 ) remains positioned in the notch  149  of the retainer  142  to prevent the retainer  142  from inadvertently opening. The UAV is now captured. 
         [0030]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  illustrate a representative operation for removing the UAV from the recovery line  133  by unlocking and disengaging the line capture device  140 . In particular, an operator can slide and/or pivot the release device  180  as indicated by arrow G to pull the locking device  160  out of engagement with the retainer  142 . In particular, the protrusion  164  is pulled away from the notch  149  (as is best seen in  FIG. 7B ), allowing the retainer  142  to be pivoted to its open position (as is best seen in  FIG. 7A ). With the retainer  142  in its open position, the user can pull the recovery line  133  out of the slot  143 , as indicated by arrow H, and release the UAV. Accordingly, the locking device  160  can include at least one unlocked position, and in this embodiment, two unlocked positions: a first unlocked position shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B  (prior to the entry of the recovery line  133  into the line slot  143 ), and a second unlocked position shown in  FIGS. 7A, 7B  (after the recovery line  133  has entered the line slot  143 , but before the UAV has been released). 
         [0031]      FIGS. 8A and 8B  schematically illustrate a line capture device  840  having a construction generally similar to that described above with reference to  FIGS. 2-7B , but with a simplified release device  880 . For example, the release device  880  can include just a release device spring  881  (e.g., a wire spring), which operates as a line strike device, a spring, and the release device itself. A corresponding retainer  842  and locking device  860  operate in a manner generally similar to that discussed above with reference to  FIGS. 3A-7B . In operation, the recovery line  133  strikes a line strike portion  861  to pull a locking element  865  (e.g., having a protrusion  864 ) from left to right to lock the retainer  842 . To unlock the capture device  840 , the operator engages an outwardly-facing wire portion  883  of the release device  880  and rotates it as indicated by arrow G to pull the protrusion  864  out of the corresponding notch  849  in a manner generally similar to that discussed above with reference to  FIGS. 7A-7B . 
         [0032]      FIGS. 9A and 9B  schematically illustrate a line capture device  940  configured in accordance with still another embodiment of the present technology. In this embodiment, a single element (e.g., a unitary wire) can include, and can perform the functions of, the line strike device, locking device, and release device described above. In particular, the line capture device  940  can include a retainer  942  that is biased to a closed position via a retainer spring  948  that operates in generally the same manner described above with reference to  FIGS. 3A-7B . A wire  976  (e.g., a single wire) includes a line strike portion  961  that receives the impact of the recovery line  133  and pivots as indicated by arrow G. The same wire  976  can include a locking portion  960  that is shown in its initial position beneath the retainer  942  in  FIGS. 9A-9B . When the recovery line  133  strikes the line strike portion  961  and pivots the wire  976  counterclockwise, as indicated by arrow G, the locking portion  960  emerges from underneath the retainer  942  and fits into a corresponding notch  949  to prevent the retainer  942  from moving from the closed position to the open position. The wire  976  can still further include a release portion  980  having a curved or otherwise suitable shape that the operator can manipulate (e.g., with the thumb) to move the locking portion  960  away from the retainer  942  and unlock the locking portion in a manner generally similar to that described above. 
         [0033]      FIGS. 10A-10D  are partially schematic, plan view illustrations of a line capture device  1040  configured in accordance with still another embodiment of the present technology. In one aspect of this embodiment, the line capture device  1040  includes a body  1041  having a line capture slot  1043 , and a retainer  1042  pivotably attached to the body  1041  so as to pivot about a pivot axis  1053  that extends inwardly and outwardly out of the plane of  FIGS. 10A-10D . The retainer  1042  has multiple lobes  1052 , illustrated as a first lobe  1052   a , a second lobe  1052   b , and a third lobe  1052   c . The pivotable connection between the body  1041  and the retainer  1042  can include a biasing device  1054  that operates as a torque spring. The biasing device  1054  can bias the retainer  1042  to an initial or starting position shown in  FIG. 10A . 
         [0034]    In operation, the line capture device is initially set to the initial or starting position shown in  FIG. 10A , with the first lobe  1052   a  positioned on one side of the line capture slot  1043 , and the second lobe  1052   b  positioned in the line capture slot  1043 . When the recovery line  133  strikes the second lobe  1052   b  as it enters the slot, the force pivots the retainer  1042  clockwise about the pivot axis  1053  so as to move the second lobe  1052   b  out of the line capture slot  1043 , allowing the recovery line  133  to move into the line capture slot  1043 . In  FIG. 10B , the second lobe  1052   b  is in the process of rotating clockwise under the force of the incoming recovery line  133 . The first lobe  1052   a  rotates to close off the line capture slot  1043  behind the entering recovery line  133 , as is also shown in  FIG. 10B . In  FIG. 10C , the retainer  1042  has rotated counterclockwise under the restoring force of the biasing device  1054  to further constrain the motion of the now-captured recovery line  133 . In this instance, both the first lobe  1052   a  and the second lobe  1052   b  can prevent another portion of the recovery line  133  (e.g., a looping portion) from entering the line capture slot  1043 . In  FIG. 10D , an operator has begun to disengage the capture line  133  from the line capture device  1040  by rotating the retainer  1042  clockwise (as indicated by arrow P), allowing the operator to move the capture line  133  past the second lobe  1052   b  and toward the entrance of the line capture slot  1043 . Once the capture line  133  is past the second lobe  1052   b , the operator can rotate the retainer  1042  counterclockwise, as indicated by arrow Q, until the retainer  1042  has the position shown in  FIG. 10A . At that point, the operator can disengage the capture line  133  by moving it past the first lobe  1052   a  and out of the line capture slot  1043 . 
         [0035]    Devices in accordance with embodiments of the technology described above with reference to  FIGS. 10A-10D  can perform functions similar or identical to those described above with reference to  FIGS. 2-9B . For example, when the line capture device  1040  is in the configuration shown in  FIG. 10C , the second and third lobes  1052   b ,  1052   c  can prevent the capture line  133  from exiting the line capture slot  1043 , effectively locking the device until the operator unlocks the device (as shown in  FIG. 10D ). In addition, the first lobe  1052   a  can prevent another capture line, or another portion of the capture line  133 , from entering and/or opening the line capture slot  1043 . 
         [0036]    One feature of at least some of the embodiments described above with reference to  FIGS. 1A-10D  is that the line capture devices can include a locking mechanism or device. The locking device at least restricts (and typically prevents) the retainer from opening, once the capture device has successfully engaged with a recovery line, unless the operator deliberately unlocks the device. An advantage of this arrangement is that it can reduce or eliminate the likelihood for the recovery line to “loop” or otherwise undergo a motion that opens the retainer, which can allow an already-engaged recovery line to escape from the line slot. As a result, the likelihood for a capture maneuver to fail can be significantly reduced. 
         [0037]    From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that specific embodiments of the technology have been described herein for purposes of illustration, but that various modifications may be made without deviating from the technology. For example, several of the components described above and illustrated in  FIGS. 1A-10D  can have shapes and arrangements other than those specifically shown and described. In particular embodiments, multiple functions can be performed by individual components, for example, (without limitation) as illustrated in  FIGS. 8A-9B . 
         [0038]    Certain aspects of the technology described in the context of particular embodiments may be combined or eliminated in other embodiments. For example, features of the release device  180  described above with reference to  FIGS. 3A-7B  may be added to the device described above with reference to  FIGS. 9A-9B  to make operation of the device more comfortable. Elements of the locking devices and/or release devices discussed above with reference to  FIGS. 3A-9B  can be applied to the device shown in  FIGS. 10A-10D . Further, while advantages associated with certain embodiments of the disclosed technology have been described in the context of those embodiments, other embodiments may also exhibit such advantages, and not all embodiments need necessarily exhibit such advantages to fall within the scope of the present technology. Accordingly, the present disclosure and associated technology can encompass other embodiments not expressly shown or described herein.